Eventually Victoria woke up the sun coming into through the window. Groaning, she rolled away from the window keeping her eyes closed. The prickling feeling of being watched nagged at her until she opened her sleepy eyes.

Two green eyes started back at her, causing Victoria to jump and sit up. The green eyes were attached to a girl who looked about her age, maybe a few years older.  She jumped when Victoria did. She looked the spitting image of Julia, so Victoria assumed this was Amber.

“Good morning,” Victoria said softly. She dusted herself off and cleared . “You must be Amber.”

“And you Victoria,” she said with a grin. “You were in my art class in high school.”

“Oh, Baekhyun mentioned at had a class with one of his sisters,” Victoria smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Are you hungry?” she asked. “Momma made breakfast. Come one.”

Before Victoria could respond, Amber was pulling her down the stairs and into the kitchen. The twins were sitting at the table eat when she were dragged down. Amber pushed her into the seat next to Baekhyun with enough force to make Victoria crash into him.

“Amber!” Baekhyun growled at her. He had caught Victoria like he had seen it coming. When he noticed Victoria rubbing her arm, he glared at his sister. “You can’t throw her around like you do your little friends! She’s just a human.”

Victoria thought she heard a muffled ‘sorry’ from the girl, but wasn’t sure. She sat up on the stool just as Julia set a plate of two eggs, bacon, sausage, and a stack of pancakes in front of her. Julia pet her head as she said, “I hope you’re hungry. Don’t let the boys take it either, they’ve already had three plates.”

“Geez, three?” She asked. As she faced the boys, she noticed Chanyeol reaching for her bacon. Victoria picked up her fork and smacked him on the back of the hand. “Hey! No!” Chanyeol stick his tongue out at her as she began eating. Julia and Amber left the room as the three of them spoke casually as Vic ate. Having to smack both of the boys multiple times for trying to take food from her plate. Eventually, she got down through all but two of the pancakes and slide the to Baekhyun next to her. Baekhyun glanced at them before taking her fork.

“No far!” Chanyeol wined. “He ate just as much as I did!”

Baekhyun then took Victoria’s orange juice and drank some of it. She just leaned on her hand. “Perks of having a mate,” he laughed at his brother. “I get auto-dibs.” Although she knew he only admitted it because it happened to be in his favor, it didn’t stop from making Victoria’s face flush. Baekhyun finished his food quickly and smiled evilly. “Momma! Vic’s still hungry!”

“Wha-”

“Follow along, and I’ll give you half,” Baekhyun said to his brother.

The two shook hands over the table while Victoria rolled her eyes. “What do I get out of this?” she asked them.

The twins looked between each other, before Chanyeol snapped. “Baekhyun will be nice the whole day!”

“No I-”

“Deal!” Victoria shook Chanyeol’s hand, the two grinning evilly at Baekhyun.

The hand shakes ended just as Julia entered the room. “Did you want some more, dear?” Julia had a knowing look on her face as she took the plate from the table.

“Oh, yes please! If you wouldn’t mind,” Victoria smiled her most innocent smile. Glancing at the boys, she noticed Baekhyun’s hand drumming the table. Grinning, she snatching it with hers. He quickly tried to pull away, but Chanyeol kicked him under the table. Glaring at them both, Baekhyun reluctantly took her hand again. Victoria interlocked their fingers asher arm began to tingle.

Baekhyun shifted uncomfortably, and for a moment, Victoria felt bad. Remembering his in her room last night, she shook the thought out of her head. If you won’t fight, I will. She promised herself. She caught eyes with Chanyeol who grinned at her. And I’m pretty sure I’ve got plenty of help.

Julia soon set down two plates in front of Vic. Each had the same amount as her first one. Victoria smiled as she set down two sets of silverware and left the room. Each boy took a plate from in front of her. Victoria let go of his hand so he could eat, but was surprised when he gave it a squeeze before letting go. It was gentle, considering his usual behavior.

She cleared and looked away from him. “Tanner doesn’t eat breakfast with you all?”

“Only on Sunday,” Chanyeol said through a mouthful. “We’re more of a sit down dinner kind of household.”

“Except for Sunday’s. Sunday the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma families eats at the pack house,” Baekhyun added. He glanced at her through the corner of his eye. “Why? You won’t be here another night.”

“You said you’d be nice,” Chanyeol growls at him. Baekhyun went back to eating. “He doesn’t mean that. His wolf is just restless when you’re around. Keeps him up at night.”

“Oh,” Victoria said softly. “I didn’t know.” Chanyeol winked at her as Baekhyun kept his head down. “But, uh, why is that?”

Chanyeol perked up. “I’m glad you asked,” he laughed. “You see when-”

“Chanyeol, enough.” Baekhyun growled at his brother.

“No, you,” Chanyeol laughed. “She already know some, might as well tell her the rest. See his wolf keeps him up cause he’s arguing with him,” he explained. “His wolf is draw to you, doesn’t want to leave your side.”

“Like clingy?” The second it left her lips, Baekhyun started gagged on his drink. He started coughing while Chanyeol laughed. Victoria started rubbing his back as he covered his face with a napkin and coughed the milk out of his lungs.

As Baekhyun caught his breath, he lowered the napkin from his face and glared at her. “No not like clingy. I’m not clingy.”

Now was Victoria’s turn to smile. She tilted her head to the side slightly and gave him her most innocent grin. “No, your wolf. Not you,” she said. “You’re wolf is the one with the mate, not you.”

Hurt flashed across his eyes for a split second before his face became blank again. “You’re right,” was all he said before he picked up his plate and marched up the stairs. Victoria’s shoulders deflated as she got up and followed him. Baekhyun took the steps two at a time and Vic jogged to keep up with him.

As he marched into his room, Victoria was right behind him as he slammed the door. The door cracked against her nose; she heard the sickening crack of her bone as blood gushed from her nose. She slammed back against the wall on the opposite side of the small hall. By the time she had sunk to the floor, Baekhyun’s door had flung open, and he had crouched down next to her.

“What the hell,” he muttered as he scooped her up in his arms. “You’re so ing fragile,” he cursed at her as he sat her down on the counter. Victoria hadn’t realized she was crying until she sniffled and shouted out in pain. Baekhyun had grabbed a rag and pulled her hand away from her nose, replacing it with a rag. “Do you trust me?” he asked her. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown as he stared into hers.

Victoria nodded her head. The second she did, another crack rang in her ears, and she reached up to cradle her face. “Shh,” he whispered to her. He stepped closed and laid her head on his chest. “It’s alright,” he whispered. “I had to put it back in place. I know it hurts, I know.” He kept one hand with the rna holding her nose while the other one rubbed her back.

“I didn’t think you were so close,” he whispered. “I never would’ve..” Baekhyun’s words got lost on his tongue as he held her. Victoria heard him sigh. “See this is why..” The last part was so quiet Victoria almost didn’t catch it.

But she did.

Suddenly angry, Victoria pushed him away from her. He stumbled a step back, confused. “You can’t blame this on me!” she shouted at him. “This isn’t because I’m ‘human.’” She brought her hands up to do air quotes around the word human. “This is because you slammed a door in my face! This is because you can jab hurtful things at me all day, but when I throw them back you go off and pout!”

Baekhyun glared at her throwing the bloody rag onto the floor. “No this is because you’re human! I’ve slammed that door into Chanyeol since we were ten! It never broke his nose!”

“I’m not Chanyeol!” she yelled. “I’m your ing mate! You shouldn’t be slamming door into me!”

“I didn’t mean to!” He shouted back. “My wolf doesn’t tell me when you sneak up on me! You aren’t a threat!”

“Oh and Chanyeol is?!”

“You’re not Chanyeol!”

Victoria growled and shoved past him. He followed her. “Where are you going?!” he shouted at her. She ignored him and stormed down the steps and out the door. Baekhyun kept on her tail, following her silently. Cracking her sore knuckles, Victoria broke off into a sprint into the words. She heard a growl and the sound of cracking bones behind her.

Before she had time to glance back, the cherry wolf jumped clean over her head and skidded against the ground in front of her. Before she could catch up to it, it took off ahead of her down the train. Glaring at him, Victoria picked up her pace and dashed down the trail.

Faster… The voice in the back of her head whispered. Victoria pushed her legs harder as the wolf gained distance on her. Left… She followed the voice and took a sharp left down the trail, completely losing sight of him. Keep going.. It whispered. Now jump!

She did, and her body collided with Baekhyun’s as he turned a corner. Victoria winced as the two tumbled to the ground. Baekhyun’s wolf shook himself out before he came and nudged her with his snout. Keeping her face down to hide her grin, Victoria didn’t move. Baekhyun whined as he nudged her again. It’s not funny, Victoria, she heard him in her head. Are you hurt? What’s wrong?

“No, I’m fine,” she mumbled as she pushed herself up. Baekhyun nudged her again with the snout. “Really, I’m fine,” she smiles. “I was just ing with you.”

How did you know where I was going? He asked her as he trotted over to a tree. He stuck his nose in the base of it and pulled out a pair of jeans.

“You were telling me,” she said. “I could hear you.”

I didn’t say anything until we collided. He said. Victoria watched as his body began to shift. His bones breaking in different directions as the fur shrank back into his skin. When he had completely shifted, his back was to her. Realizing why, Victoria blushed and turned around so he could get dressed. He cleared his throat. “Were you hearing a voice?”

Victoria nodded, her hands over her eyes. “Yeah, I hear it sometimes. I thought it was just my voice, but after hearing you just now.”

“Who’s it sound like? You can look now,” he said. He turned and he was leaning against a tree.

Victoria swallowed, forcing her eyes away from the happy trail going down into the faded jeans. “Well, mine I guess? It just sounds familiar.”

He squinted his eyes at her. “Victoria, were you born here?”

She shook her head. “No, we’re from Florida.”

“Do you remember Florida?”

“Well I was really young,” she said. “I don’t remember much.”

Baekhyun crossed his arms over his chest. “No, do you remember anything? Anything that wasn’t told to you? What’s your earliest memory?”

She thought about it for a second. Victoria did remember Florida, but she only remembered things her parents had told her, she had fabricated the memories around it. “I remember when we moved here. I remember helping unload the truck. We had left my stuff bunny in Florida.”

“Your parents didn’t have it sent to you?”

“Well, no,” she said slowly. “They said they would get me a new one.”

He nodded. “Who old were you when you moved here?”

Victoria shrugged. “About twelve, I think.”

Baekhyun clicked his tongue. “Victoria, do you know how old I am?”

“Nineteen.”

“Yeah, I am,” he said. “I’m only a few months older than you, which is really weird. I will live for hundreds of years, but I’ve found a human mate who will only live another eighty? Do you want to know why isn’t so rare a werewolf and human are mates? Because it never happens until the werewolf is in their four or five hundreds. The end of their lives. It’s considered their last good thing in the world. Wolves my age don’t have human mates. It has never happened before, I had Susan check the King’s records.”

Victoria shifted uncomfortably. “What’s your point?”

“My point,” he began, pushing himself off the tree and approaching her. “Is that every human I’ve met can remember things before the age of twelve.”