Victoria opened her eyes to a view of a beautiful blue sky. She could hear the wind blowing around her, and sat up to find herself in a large field of wheat. The light brown plants blew in the breeze as Victoria got to her feet. She looked around the area and was struck with a strange familiarity. Carefully, she began walking through the field, letting the wheat brush against her hands as she passed it. The wind was cold on her bare skin, but it didn’t both her. Nothing bothered her. She felt as if every problem every negative feeling she’s ever had was replaced by absolute bliss.

As she walked through the fields, the wind whispered her name in her ears. She jerked around to find the voice, but saw no one. A sense of panic began to fill in her chest, and she picked up her pace. Her gentle walk turned into a jog as she began heading deeper into the seemingly endless fields. Behind her, she heard another set of feet pounding against the ground. Victoria glanced over her shoulder and saw the indentation the creature made through the field, but no sign of it.

In a flash, a mob of cherry hair jump at her from the side. The massive creature tackled her to the ground. Victoria starred up into the blue eyes surrounded by cherry fur. The creature growled in her face, baring its fangs as drool dripped bring it’s lips.

“Baekhyun please,” she begged him. “Please don’t do this.”

The animal didn’t care about her pleas, and brought it’s jaws down on her neck. A gargled scream erupted from Victoria’s throat and the creature ripped into her.

Victoria sat up straight in bed, her hand grabbing onto were she felt his fangs pierce. A cold sweat coated her skin as she tried to calm her frantic heartbeat. Something stirred next to her, and she looked down to the cherry hair spread out across the pillow. A small gasp left as she backed away from him, tumbling out the bed and onto the floor.

Baekhyun jumped up at the sound and sleepily looked down at her. “What are you doing on the floor?”

She barely heard him as the wolf from her dream filled her mind again and she backed away from him, her tired mind not able to place reality from dream. Baekhyun noticed her backing away from him and swung his legs over the bed. “Hey, calm down,” he said softly. “It’s just me.”

Eyeing him over, Victoria took a deep breath and nodded. She hadn’t realized tears had fallen down her face and mixed with the sweat. Baekhyun climbed out of the bed and sat on the floor next to her. “Are you okay?” his voice was barely above a whisper and husky from sleep.

“Yeah, sorry,” she whispered back.

He reached out to touch her, and she flinched away from him. “No, you clearly aren’t.” He crossed his legs and leaned his elbows against his knees. “Bad dream?” She nodded and pulled her legs up to her chest. “Do you want to talk about it?” Victoria shook her head.

Sighing, Baekhyun nodded, “Alright, fine.” Standing up, he grabbed Victoria under her arms and lifted her too her feet. She wiggled out of his grasp, but he just grabbed her around the waist and flung them both into the bed.

Victoria squealed as they landed in the bed and the matress bounced them from the impact. Baekhyun grinned behind her and pulled her back against his chest.  He held her tight against him, one arm around her waist and the other tucked under his head. She felt a blush creeping up her face as she felt the heat of his skin seep through the back of her shirt and warm her from the cold sweat. Her wolf danced in her chest, happy to cuddle with their mate.

“Just sleep,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m not going to let anything get to you.”

She swallowed the lump forming in and slowly relaxed against him. His warmth wrapped around her giving her a feeling of safety against the wolves that haunted her mind. As much as she wanted to hate him and be angry with him, there was something about him that made her feel safe. Despite herself, she trusted him completely which was something no one else had ever givin her.

As she different off to sleep again, Baekhyun starred out his window where the half moon shined through. Doctor Yixing insisted her transformation would be quick, but each day felt dragged out as they waited. He was worried about her lack of pain from the transformation, if it had something with her less than human DNA. Worse, he worried not even her parents realized what she was. They were clearly human hunters, but was Victoria really their daughter?

Baekhyun didn’t find sleep again that night, and when to sun began to rise, he slowly climbed from the bed and headed for a hot shower. A few hours ago, he heard his father and eldest sibling leaving the house, but now the house was quiet as the rest of his family slept. After grabbing a fresh towel, Baekhyun locked the bathroom door behind him and the water. The bathroom slowly began to fill with steam as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Behind his face sat his wolf, their eyes aligning perfecting and the crystal blue and chocolate brown overlapping one another. Where his hair was messy and stick up in places, the wolf’s dark red fur fluffed out around his face. The wide snout of the creature was adorned with sharp canines that barely peeked out from his jowls. Baekhyun recalled when he was a child and would spend hours staring at the small pup of a wolf that starred back at him. At that time, he felt so strong, like he could take on the world as long as he had his wolf, but now as he stared at his oh so familiar reflection, he felt small and weak.

Although no one would listen to him, Baekhyun knew it was coming. Her parents were very clear those years ago, and yesterday only proved it. Her father was preparing for a fight against his pack, but now, he would kill his daughter as well. While Baekhyun’s pack found back against the rogues that threaten their people and his mate, the hunters built their army and were preparing to storm the keep. He worried that when people finally listened to him, it would be too late. King Matthias was a strong and just ruler, but he was always a second too late when it came for action. Baekhyun feared the loss of his friends and family, because one man didn’t listen to his warning.

Steam had long covered the mirror and blocked his reflection when Baekhyun tore his eyes from it. Stripping down, he stepped into the hot stream of water. He had hoped it would clear his mind, but it did little to help. He wasn’t sure how long he stood under the water, but when he finished his shower and stepped out onto the cool tiled floor, the early dawn sun had changed from it’s dull orange glow to a bright yellow of day.

With a towel around his hips, Baekhyun shook out his wet hair and used his hand to wipe the steam from the mirror. His wolf was still there, looking back at him, the worry matching in both of their eyes. Looking down the body of the wolf, Baekhyun’s eyes fell onto the scar on the belly of the animal. Then staring at his own torso, he stared at its twin. It wasn’t a pretty mark, it was jagged and barely hold itself together, in his opinion. It stretched from below his right ribs and down towards his belly button. Although it had only been a few months, the scar looked years old. He could still remember when Yixing pulled the tooth from it. The tooth from the rogue’s Alpha.

If he had been a second later, Victoria would be dead. The fangs that scrapped across his side would have closed around . Thankfully, the tooth had snagged on Baekhyun’s rib. The Moon Goddess looked down on his when the Alpha’s tooth snapped instead of Baekhyun’s bones. A rib broken the wrong way can be detrimental, even for wolves. Where Baekhyun hated this scar, his wolf was proud of it. To his wolf, it was a testament to his bravery and a reminder that his mate came before himself, but to Baekhyun it was proof he wasn’t strong enough to protect her. To Baekhyun, the scar represented his weaknesses.

His body was littered with wounds lately each done by a rogue looking to harm his mate. Along his back, the claw marks had begun to scab over, and on his shoulder the same from when he wolf attacked him in the water. Baekhyun knew hiding beneath the towel was a large claw march stretching down the back of his thigh from the rogue in the forest. All of these represented well fought and won battles to his wolf, but to Baekhyun they all showed when he was too weak. Alongside the currently healing wounds were countless other scars he hid well beneath his clothes. Scars from patrolling with the guard and protecting his pack.

Baekhyun would never tell his brother this, even though they both knew it, but he was a better fighter on his worst day than Andrew was on his best. Baekhyun fought better than the packs Gamma even when he wasn’t angry. He knew, although he would never say it, that he was the best fighter in the pack. Kris had told him once that he would make a good Beta, but he would never over step his siblings that way. Unlike his siblings who were good at paperwork, or where kind hearted or outrageously smart, Baekhyun was strong. Deep down, he worried andrew wouldn’t pass the final test to become Beta. Baekhyun did not think Andrew could beat their father.

Shaking the thought from his head, he secured the towel around his hips again and turned away from the mirror. The mirror always made Baekhyun think too much. He hated the mirror. Leaving the bathroom, he made his way into his bedroom again and found Victoria still fast asleep and curled into the blanket. As quiet as he could, he dressed and left the room again, hoping she would sleep for a few hours more. He passed his brother in the hall, who yawned and clapped him on the back as he headed to the bathroom. Baekhyun resisted the urge to hiss as his brother slapped the still healing wounds on his back. As far as he knew, everyone thought he was finished healing, and he planned to keep it that way. The last thing he needed were his family, or worse his mate, worrying over him. He knew if Victoria found out about his scars or wounds she would blame himself, and he knew she blamed herself for enough already.

Making his way down the steps and into the kitchen, he smiled to his mother who sat on a stool with a warm towel around her neck. She smiled back at him, and went to stand, But Baekhyun quickly sat her back down in the stool. “No, I’m not hungry,” he smiled at her. Despite being pregnant, the woman refused to slow down. She insisted on cooking and cleaning for all her pups who were perfectly capable of doing it themselves.

His mother sat back down and watched her son as he poured the dark liquid into a cup and sat across from her. “Well if you get hungry, I was thinking about making omelettes this morning.”

“We have enough eggs for that?” he smiled across the counter at her. Being the youngest of all his siblings, Baekhyun often got the most attention from his mother according to his siblings. They all insisted she babied him, and he would have to agree. But he didn’t think it was because he was the current baby of the family. Baekhyun liked to think it was because he helped the most. “I can run to the pack house and grab a carton or two.”

“I think that would be perfect, actually,” his mother smiled, and he couldn’t help but smile back. His mother had that effect on people, no matter how bad things were she always seemed like a light in the dark. Baekhyun needed that right now.

Taking a long sip from the hot mug, Baekhyun swallowed the liquid with a nod. “I’ll grab them after I finish this.”

His mother glanced up the stairs, and he assumed she heard one of his siblings moving around. Her hearing was so much better than anyone else’s in the house. The family had a running joke that it became like that after she had Andrew. None of them got away with anything as children. “You should take Victoria with you,” she turned back to him as he narrowed his eyes and sipped from his cup. His mother sat up straight and pulled the rag from her neck. “She would enjoy spending time with you.”

“You know, I don’t think she does,” he countered. “Every time I try to be nice she looks at me like I’m a freak. Like I’m lying to her about something.” Baekhyun knew why she looked at him that way. He knew she didn’t feel the bond the way he did and was starting to wonder if she ever would. Her wolf clearly felt it, so why didn’t she?

“Are you lying to her about something?” His mother stood from her stool and went to the fridge for water while she spoke.

“Sometimes,” he shook his head. “But it’s about things that don’t concern her yet. I don’t want to over welm her.”

Sitting back in her stool, his mother held the glass with both of her hands and stared at her son. “You don’t decide what over welms her, dear, and you don’t decide what concerns her. How can you expect her to be open around you when you hide things from her? You act as if she’s known you all her life and knows what to expect of you, but she doesn’t because she hasn’t. Why not start small? Introduce yourself to her.”

“She knows who I am, mom.” Baekhyun had since finished his coffee, and now being scolded by his mother sat with his arms crossed over his chest like a disobedient child.

“No, son, she doesn’t,” she argued with him. “The boy she knew was a human high school student who stuck up for her. She knew someone she felt comfortable with and could speak her mind too. To her, you’ve become an entirely different person.”

As much as he didn’t want to believe her, he understood what she meant. Baekhyun thought she was completely wrong, but got the point she was trying to get across. “I think you’re reading too much into it.”

She smiled at him and lightly shook her head. “I think you’re just as stubborn as your father.” Although she was frustrated with her sons ignorance, she couldn’t help but be proud of her pup. He was so brave, so much like his father it was like speaking to the younger version of her mate. The same voice and spirit in a different body. Unfortunately, she has already been on the other side of this ignorance and knew exactly what Victoria would be going through with her mate. However, Victoria isn’t like Julia. Where Julia cower at her powerful mate, Victoria stands and speaks her mind. Where Julia’s mate learned to be gentle with her, she watched her son grow frustrated by his mates strong will. And now, she watched her son fight himself over what to do when his mate was scared. Julia sighed as she looked at her pouting son across the counter. “Go get her and at the very least invite her to go with you. I think she likes exploring the pack grounds.”

A shriek was heard from up the stairs, as well as a solid object collide with a door. Baekhyun stood quickly, but Julia grabbed his hand. “Let her handle herself, Baekhyun,” she smiled to her son who reluctantly sat back in his stood but did not take his eyes from the staircase. “If you always rush in-”

“She won’t learn,” Baekhyun sighed. “You told me yesterday.”

From upstairs, they heard Victoria shouting loudly about privacy and knocking before entering a room. They also heard Chanyeol apologizing and someone slapping the other. “And what did you do yesterday? Wait until she left and handle it yourself. You can’t always fight for her, son. And you are not fooling me with the jealousy line. You fought Carmen because he was rude to her.”

Rolling his eyes, Baekhyun snatched up his glass and filled it again, this time stopping to add cream and sugar. “She couldn’t beat Carmen. Even after the shift she won’t be able to fight like that.”

“Then teach her,” his mother spun to face him again and watched him sigh and drop his head, perfectly annoyed with the conversation. “You missed the smile on her face when she announced she had fought against Chanyeol. She was half asleep, but she was still happy he fought her. She wants to learn, Baekhyun. She wants to be a good wolf, why won’t you help her?”

Setting his glass on the counter, Baekhyun turned towards the fridge and began gently banging his head against it. His mother rolled her eyes at him and turned back to her water. He was clearly done with this conversation, and she knew he would not be answering her as Chanyeol and Victoria made their way down the stairs, she still smacking his head from behind him. Her face was set into an angry pout while Chanyeol looked guilty.

“Good morning,” Julia smiled at the two of them. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Baekhyun had stopped banging his head and had grabbed the cup from the counter. “Everything alright?”

Victoria slid into the stool her mate previously occupied, her angry pout shifting into a small smile. “You were right when you said Chanyeol doesn’t knock.”

“I was in there two minutes ago,” Chanyeol set his chin on the counter and spoke with his hands. “How the hell was I supposed to know you walked in?”

“The door was suddenly shut when you had left it open,” Victoria argued with him. Baekhyun had walked around them and set the full cup down in front of her. Without thinking about it, she took it into her hand and took a sip from it as she explained what happened to Julia. While she spoke, Baekhyun returned to the coffee pot and poured himself a second glass and let it black as he sat next to his mother. “He had left the door open, and I assumed he was leaving so I went in to pee. I forget to lock the door, obviously, so I’m peeing and the door just flies open.”

“Barista, I would like a cup too,” Chanyeol nodded to his brother. “Two sugars one cream.”

Baekhyun frowned his brows and nodded over his shoulder to the pot. “You’ve got legs.”

“Oh, I get it,” he smiled as he stood and went over to the coffee. “Mates only perk. How rude.”

Julia nodded along as Victoria spoke. “I agree he should knock,” she smiled at the giggied girl across from her. “You seem to be feeling better.”

Victoria held the glass in her hands and crossed her legs. She nodded. “A bit, yeah,” she smiled. For once, she had woken up with minimum soreness. Her shoulder still ached, but the burns on her skin had settled into patches of red that barely stung anymore. When she woke, she felt strong and lively, which was something she had never been used to. Even though she normally would have been furious with CHanyeol, she felt slightly annoyed and easily was laughing it off. Victoria was still upset about her parents and her situation, but she knew she had something else here. Baekhyun’s family genuinely cared for her, and that was something at least. After waking up in such a good mood for once, she had decided she was determine to keep it. Victoria refused to be sad today.

“That’s good, dear,” Julia smiled at her. The woman grasped the glass of water in her hands. “What all are you going to do today?”

“Field,” Chanyeol called over his shoulder. After pouring his cup, he had begun setting another pot. It was only ten minutes after six am, and he knew they would go through at least one more pot once Amber got up.

Julia turned to Baekhyun, who as quietly sipping from his cup and avoiding the question. Once he realized his mother was going to continue her stare, he sighed and set down his cup. “I am going to get eggs for breakfast,” he frowned at her. “Would anyone like to come with me?”

“That sounds like a forced offer,” Chanyeol chuckled at him. “But sure, I will come with you.” He stated robotically to mock his twin.

Victoria smiled at the two of them and nodded. “I’ll come too.”

Smiling to herself, Julia nodded. “Oh that’s so sweet of you both. Chanyeol ,would you mind hanging back and helping me chop some vegetables though? It would really help.”

Chanyeol frowned. “Well Victoria can help you chop-”

“No, I think it would be better if you help me,” Julia’s smile didn’t fall, but the command was very clear in her voice. Chanyeol would be helping her.

Victoria dropped her brow and turned to Baekhyun, who just shrugged in response and stood from the counter. “Go grab your shoes,” he told her. “We’ve just got to go to the pack house real quick.”

She nodded and took the last sip from her cup. “That’s the big one with the bar, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he nodded headed towards the stairs. Baekhyun could hear her behind him as he walked. “Let’s change your bandage first.”

Following behind him, Victoria rested her hand over the large bandage hidden behind the hoodie he had let her wear. Her arm was still sore there, but it didn’t hurt as back as she thought it would. Skipping up the stairs behind him, she followed him into his room and sat down on the floor next to her shoes. She watched him pull the bandage and gauze out of the back while she pulled them on her feet.

Baekhyun turned back around to her and nodded towards the door. She stood and followed him out to the bathroom. “Hop up,” he told her as he pat a stop on the counter next to wear he stood. Victoria did as she was told and watched him work. He began opening drawers and pulling out things like peroxide, cloths and alcohol pads. Glancing over to her, he said, “Take off the hoodie.”

Frowning her eyebrows at him, she hugged her chest. “No,” she frowned. She lowered her voice and muttered, “I don’t have a shirt.”

“So?” he set everything he needed on the counter next to her. Glancing around, he noticed the open door. “Oh,” he mumbled and went to close and lock it. “There, now come on.”

“What? No, Baekhyun,” she frowned. “I’m not taking it off.”

Rolling his eyes at her, he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “I was in here while you bathed yesterday. If you think I didn’t see anything, you’re an idiot.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m okay with stripping in front of you,” she frowned and held herself tighter. Baekhyun didn’t respond, just stood there and stared at her while he waited. Victoria frowned at him. “Just close your eyes for a second.”

“Oh my Goddess,” he rolled his eyes and turned around, holding his hand over his eyes. “You humans make such a negative thing. It’s the most natural thing there is.”

Victoria rolled her eyes and ignored him as she pulled the hoodie over her head and then used it to hide her chest from view, tucking it between her arms. “You’re just mad I won’t let you look.”

“Actually I am,” he frowned. “I’m like the only person who is allowed to look and you won’t let me. It’s not like I’m the first to see you .”

A hot blush spread up her face, and she glared at him. “What are you talking about?”

Baekhyun peeked through his fingers, and seeing she was covered, turned around and began his work. “I was on the track team with Marcus,” he stated simply. “You really think he wouldn’t brag?” The heat in her face began spreading down her neck as she stared at him in horror. “You’re lucky I was too, he was trying to show your pictures to the whole team.”

“What pictures?” she whispered.

He frowned his brow and glanced up at her. Looking over her face, his frown deepened as he understood. “You didn’t send him pictures, did you?” It wasn’t really a question, but she shook her head anyway. Baekhyun returned to his work. “I broke his phone, so no one saw them anyway.”

Victoria clenched her jaw and looked away from him. She knew Marcus was an , but she didn’t know he was taking pictures of her when they were intimate. Her face was burning red, as was her neck and chest, but she tried to ignore it while Baekhyun cleaned her wound and bandaged it up again. She didn’t know why, but she felt embarrassed talking to him about Marcus, she felt guilty, like she had been cheating on him even though they weren’t together.

Once he finished patching her arm, Baekhyun tossed the old bandage and trash away. Victoria had pulled the hoodie back over her head when his back was turned, but judging by the look on her face, she would have done it whether he was looking or not. He rolled his eyes. “Stop that,” he said and pointed to her frowning face. “I’m not mad at you for having boyfriends.”

She looked up at him and kept her frown. “You didn’t have girlfriends,” she argued. “And worse, I was throwing mine in your face.”

“No, he was throwing you in my face,” Baekhyun stated. “He thought I liked you, so he was doing it to throw in my face. He wanted to feel big, and he was using you to do it.” As he spoke, he approached her on the counter until her stood directly in front of her. His frown turned into a grin, and he pinched her cheek. “I got even.”

“That’s why you fought him?” she frowned and pushed his hand away.

He grinned. “What, at the school? No, that was because he’s an abusive . When he was walking home from the movies a week later was a different story.” Grabbing her by the hips, he pulled her from the counter.

Victoria grabbed his hands from her hips and pushed them away. “What did you do?” Still grinning, he shrugged and turned away. She grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back. “Baekhyun, what did you do?” She hadn’t seen him look so proud of himself before, and she did not like it.

Grabbing her by her hips again, he pulled her closer to him. Victoria frowned and pushed against his chest. “Nothing bad,” he smiled. “Don’t tell me you’re worried about that ?”

She glared at him when he didn’t let her go. “Let go,” she mumbled and pushed him back again.

He didn’t listen, and she felt him push her back against the counter. “I just scared him a little,” he smiled. His wolf howled in his chest, thrilled Baekhyun was allowing him to be so close to their mate. He rested his forehead against hers and felt panic rip through the bond. Frowning, Baekhyun mentally brushed against the bond and felt her panic.

Victoria tried to calm herself down, but his close proximity made her nervous. She loved the sparks that erupted on her skin at his touch, but did not like when he acted this way. Panic swelled in her chest when she felt her lower back hit the counter. Her mind flashed to the image from her dream, of Baekhyun wolf ripping her apart, and fear settled deep in her stomach. Even her wolf cowered in her chest.

Then suddenly, Baekhyun released her and stepped back. She felt his eyes running over her, and despite herself, brought her arms up to hold herself. “We-we should go,” she spoke softly. Without looking back at him, she turned and left the bathroom. She felt guilty leaving that way, but she also didn’t feel comfortable with him. She trusted him, or at least she wanted to, but that didn’t replace the fear she held for him in her heart. After leaving the bathroom, she took the stairs by two down into the kitchen. Chanyeol and Julia were still there, but Victoria said nothing to them as she walked past them through the living room and out the door.