The air is warm when Kyungsoo slowly blinks his eyes open, arm raising up and pushing his hair out of his face as a low groan leaves his throat. It's somewhat peaceful, the birds are chirping away and he hasn't realised what has happened or where he is, Kyungsoo's mind is blank but filled with a throbbing pain.

That is until a face appears leaning over his own, worried eyes staring down at him. Kyungsoo's body jumps in shock, a squeak leaving him involuntarily. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you"

It takes more than a few seconds for Kyungsoo to remember where he'd heard that voice before, eyes widening in realisation and body sitting up.

"Are you okay? You got knocked out during the fighting so I brought you here" The female bites at her bottom lip, concerned eyes looking over Kyungsoo's face, the blood from the scratches on his cheek dried up and dark, "You should be more careful in another's territory"

It's that wolf that attacked his cub.

Kyungsoo's eyebrows crease for a second as he sends a harsh glare at her before his expression is softening, she isn't the enemy she's just hurting from what happened to her mate.

"W-where's Kai?" Kyungsoo's voice comes out small, quiet and she raises an eyebrow in response, "...My mate? Where is he? I was protecting him!" He's shouting now, he needs to know, the images of unknown wolves standing over the still body of Kai coming back to him at full force.

Kyungsoo's heartbeat races, he can't sit still and do nothing when he feels so restless.

"D-did you save him too?!" Kyungsoo let's out a sob when the female shakes her head as a no, the tears sliding down his cheeks fast as he thinks the worst.

They're the same Kyungsoo thinks, himself and this pretty faced female.

Mateless.

Kyungsoo cries harder into his hands, not registering the slow movement of the comforting hand on his shoulder going up and down, he just lets it all out till his head hurts as much as his heart does.

...................................................................................

Suho is chewing on his bottom lip as he watches his mate from his spot in the corner, fur pelts decorating the small area as well as his body. Alpha female is in front of Lay, on the other side of the blood matted furred body of his pack mate.

He yawns, he's not quite awake yet and the strong scent of thick blood is making him dreamy and want to fall back to sleep so he shifts himself so he's lying down and facing the stone wall, pelts going up and over his head to try and block out the horrible smell.

"Is Suho okay?" Tao asks, he's been glancing at the red head every now and then just to see him do nothing but stare at them before curling back up. Lay takes a quick look back over towards his mate, a small smile on his face as he nods his head.

"He's fine, probably tired" Lay's smile turned into a frown and a huff left him as he realised he wasn't getting anywhere fast with the wolf laid out before him. The most he can do is help the pain go down and close small puncture wonds, he can't deal with this much as stated before.

When Suho have birth the second time, Suho didn't have any wounds to bandage up with leaves so Lay didn't know what to do, how to respond to the situation.

Just like now.

"Yuri will be here soon, don't panic" Tao spoke softly, the dark wolf's head on the fur pelt he'd laid out over his lap, "She'll come to the rescue once again for sure, but if Kai is like this, what will be the condition of Kyungsoo? I don't know and it makes me anxious" Tao at his lips, fingers clutching at sticky fur resulting in a low whine to sound through the air.

"I'm hoping he's okay, I'm telling myself he's just fine, Kai's only like this because he was protecting him so Kyungsoo's fine" Tao leans down and kisses the top of Kai's head, "We just don't know where he is"

...................................................................................

The female wolf leans closer and wraps her arms around Kyungsoo's crying form, trying to get him to calm down. She knows the heartache of losing a mate, knowing you can't turn back time to change what's happened.

Or erase all the memories of the past with the one you hold dearest, them eating away at you till you want nothing more than to join them.

"...Before I brought you here, I saw some wolves appear within the clearing"" Kyungsoo just barely hears the words over himself as he makes no attempt to separate himself from the comforting warmth of her embrace, "Perhaps they have your mate? What if he's still alive?" She knows it's not good to give the male in her arms hope when she doesn't know the condition of his mate but what can she do?

He has cared and thought about her so it's only reasonable for her to do the same.

"H-how do I get to the s-stream?" Kyungsoo is wiping at his eyes but the tears keep falling, "I-I need to go home..."

"What were you doing on this side of the stream to begin with? You don't look like the type to roam into another's territory"

"I wanted to talk to you" The words make her eyebrows raise and body move back a little, "T-tell you not to do anything stupid but look at me, c-can't even take my own advice..."

She sighs, standing up and pulling the red head up to his feet as well.

"Well, I guess you don't want to talk anymore so I'll take you to the stream, the cuts on your face look like they need to be washed before you get an infection" Lips press into a thin line as she takes ahold of the tallers hand, giving it a squeeze and gaining one in return.

"I'm Luna, I'm sorry for attacking your pup" She bit her lip as she glanced up at Kyungsoo, "It's just..." Eyes look away and she starts walking towards the entrance of the cave, pulling the sniffling male along with her.

"It hurts, losing what you love the most" She didn't get a reply as she made her way into the trees, "Your names Kyungsoo, right? He called you that at the river" 

"Y-yeah, his name is Kai" Kyungsoo sighs, eyes closing only for a few seconds as he doesn't want to trip over the tree roots growing on the forest floor, "I tried to protect him but I'm not made for fighting, I-" Kyungsoo was cut off.

"You're made for caring" Kyungsoo's wet eyes darted down at the words, a small smile being directed up at him, "You cared about me and we don't even know each other, my hearts telling me that you're a wonderful mate and perfect mother to your pup" 

Kyungsoo didn't know what to say so he just stared at her as she turned away, urging him to continue walking.

"...Y-your pup is fine!" When Kyungsoo managed to speak he wasn't intending on shouting, it just slipped out, "Uh...I mean, he's blind but you know that?" Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows, watching as she lifted her free hand and scratched at her neck.

"I do know that" She peeped back at Kyungsoo, voice lowering as she spoke again, "...What did you name him?"

"A pack mate named him Myun" The thoughts of Myun and Baekhyun's Minjae brought a smile to Kyungsoo's face, temporarily making him forget about the situation he was in. Memories of his own two, Dasom and Ara play fighting on the long grass harshly, not wanting to separate.

Maybe more pups would be nice, they're so cute.

Kyungsoo gasped at the unconscious thought he found himself having, the heavy drops of tears starting to fall freely once again and he couldn't help the sob that left his throat. He tightened the grip he had on Luna's hand.

No...Kyungsoo shook his head...

Luna saw the sudden discomfort the taller male was having and tugged on his hand, squeezing back.

"I-is he cute?" The question may seem out of place but she wanted Kyungsoo to stop crying, she wanted him to have hope, even just a little that on the other side of the river his mate was being cared for.

Kyungsoo nodded, hair falling in his eyes.

"T-the c-cutest..." Kyungsoo took in a deep breath, shakily letting it out afterwards, "S-Suho, he..." Kyungsoo his lips, "H-he takes great care of his pups and Myun is no exception" Kyungsoo turned to look down at the pretty female, her eyebrows lifting and eyes paying him full attention.

"...Suho is perfect, in every way...but he's not officially part of Heliotrope so alpha did not like the pup one bit" Kyungsoo watched the fear appear in her eyes, "He still doesn't like the pup but he won't lay a finger on him and that's thanks to Tao, alphas mate" A tiny smile showed on the red heads face, but only for a few seconds.

"Alpha is strong and scary but he doesn't want to make Tao angry, doesn't want to upset him because he loves him so much, j-just like I love K-Kai..." Kyungsoo was trying to hold back more tears, he really was trying his best, the cuts on his cheek stinging from them washing over them.

"We're here" Soft words met with Kyungsoo's ears just as a familiar scent was breathed in through his nose, eyes darting to look around the area they had stopped at.

This was definitely not the stream.

"Kyungsoo"

Said male let out a little sob at the deep voice, bottom lip quivering and he knows he must look a mess, dried blood smudged over his body with a red tear stained face to match.

"A-alpha..." Kyungsoo is approached by the tall male, head tilting backwards so he can keep eye contact. Not that he can really see anything through the tears to begin with.

"I-" Kyungsoo starts, "I-I'm sorry!" And now he's sobbing harder, hands covering his face from the highest ranked wolf within his pack, heartbroken and embarrassed at the same time.

He's brought into a lose embrace with one hand on the small of his back and the other on the back of his neck to keep him in place. Kyungsoo calms down, if only a little as he breathes in deeply, not only registering the alphas scent, but Tao's as well.

Its very reassuring.

And so are the words whispered by his ear.

"We've got Kai, Lay is taking care of him so you should stop crying if you want to see him"

"Y-you've got Kai...?" Kyungsoo stares up at the blond, "Really?"

"Yes, he's lucky we got here when we did" Kyungsoo blinks away the constant water building up in his eyes, remembering back to last night, "But that's only because we heard you howling, Kyungsoo"

"I-I wanted to protect him but..." Kyungsoo starts, at his lips, "...I really did try, calling out wasn't part of my plan but I didn't know what else to do..."

"Shh, it's okay, I'm sure you protected Kai to the best of your ability if this is anything to go by" Kris rubbed his thumb gently over the cut marks on Kyungsoo's cheek, seeing him wince and move his head away.

Kyungsoo frowned a little and creased his eyebrows.

"D-don't touch it" Kyungsoo says as he steps out of the hug the alpha is currently giving him, not wanting the scratches to be messed with, "Is Kai okay?" Kyungsoo is a little proud that his voice didn't crack this time and the fact he is not crying nearly as badly as he was before.

They have Kai, he's being looked after, he's alive.

Kyungsoo bites on his bottom lip as he feel a tiny surge of happiness burst inside his chest and he starts crying once again but this time it's happy tears, tears of joy.

Tears of relief.

"I trust Lay to do the best he can" Kris held out a hand in front of himself, palm facing upwards, "I'll take you to him, Lay should be finished since we found Kai a while back" 

"...How long have you been waiting here for me?" 

"Well, it was dark when we got here and now the sun is up" Kyungsoo bites his lips, the alpha grabbing onto his hand as he hadn't himself held onto the offered hand, "Why did you enter another wolf's territory, Kyungsoo, it's not like you to do something so stupid"

Kyungsoo looks down at the grass, he himself knows how stupid he has been.

"Because I listened to my heart and not my head..." Kris furrows his eyebrows at this, watching the shorter shift on the spot, "...I understand her feelings because she's a female, I wanted to help her"

"And look where it got you"

"Alpha, you don't understand and that's why you're a male, you care but you don't care enough to reach out and help an unknown wolf from initiating a fight that will only get them killed" Kyungsoo peeped up at the blond, he's never talked to the alpha this long before.

Never told him such bold words.

"It was the same with that pup Suho found, you didn't, still don't care about it but Tao does, he always will, because he cares more than you" Kris glanced down at Kyungsoo, a huff leaving his throat at the words being spoken to him.

He couldn't deny them, he knew they weren't lies.

"And that's the difference between a female and a male, they both care, one just more than the other"

...................................................................................

"Wait here for a second" Kyungsoo keeps still as the alpha enters the large opening surrounded by rocks, Lay's den looking completely different to the cave he's used to, "I'll see if baby wolf is still inside..." Kris' voice trails off and Kyungsoo just barely hears him as he disappears inside.

Kyungsoo breathes in deeply and brings a hand up to flatten his hair, he knows it must be sticking in every direction possible, covered with mud and not its usual maroon red shade.

She had disappeared, before he even got to introduce her to the alpha, Kyungsoo's eyebrows creasing in confusion when he'd turned around back at the clearing and found the female that was once holding onto his hand so tightly gone completely from the scene.

Well, at least she didn't try to confront the alpha, Kyungsoo is thankful for that.

"Kyungsoo" Said males eyes go up at the voice, Yuri smiling up at him with care as she raised a hand to his injured cheek, "Kai is doing just fine, I gave some of my energy but he still needs to rest" Kyungsoo nodded, allowing fingers to trace along the dried blood this time.

"...Thank you, Yuri, thank you so much" Kyungsoo sniffles and he his lips.

"Oh no no no, don't you start crying, please smile, Kyungsoo" Yuri lifts her other hand and gently pats Kyungsoo on his okay cheek, gaining a very tiny smile out of the taller male.

"Yuri" At the call of her name Yuri is halting her movements on Kyungsoo's cheek, head turning so she can look at the alpha, "Yuri, you've helped out Heliotrope on more than one occasion, I must also thank you" Yuri can feel her cheeks heat up at the words coming from the blond, she can honestly say she's shocked with them.

"I would like to offer you and your mate a place within our pack" 

Yuri can't believe it, is this really happening, is the alpha of Heliotrope really asking her to join his pack?

"I-I'll have to think about it, talk it over with Yoona" She at her lips and turns to look at Kyungsoo, only now realising he's gone, most likely into the cave to see his mate. She smiles widely, she knows Kyungsoo is probably snuggled up close next to Kai right about now, holding on tightly and revelling in the familiar scent of his mate.

"Thank you for the offer alpha, it's made me very happy knowing how much you appreciate me"

...................................................................................

Kyungsoo had made his way inside the stone den unknowingly of the two outside and also those inside, one look to his right and he sees the owners huddled up in the corner, pelts adorning their body's as they sleep pressed up against one another.

To his left Kyungsoo sees him, laying on his back, fur pelts underneath and on top of his still body. Kyungsoo gets onto his knees and shuffles forward till he's beside Kai, staring down at his dirty, scratch ridden face.

Kai doesn't even wince when the tear drops land on his cheek, or his eyes or even his lips, he's still but Kyungsoo knows he's okay now because of the even rise and fall of his chest, because of the words Yuri had told him minutes ago.

"Kai..." Kyungsoo leans down and places his lips over the dark haired males ones, smiling into the kiss. He removes himself and away matted hair from his mates handsome face as he releases a sigh.

Kyungsoo feels so lucky that his mate is still alive, he really doesn't know what he'd do if Kai left him unintentionally, would he be able to make it on his own without the taller, dominante male by his side?

"Kyungsoo" Kyungsoo snaps out of his thoughts at the sound of his name, the speakers voice harsh and painful sounding but his face is showing the widest smile possible for him to produce at the moment.

Kyungsoo smiles back, ignoring the stinging of his cheek as the cuts pull due to the action.

"Hmm, lean down" Kai is staring up at him with hodded eyes, right into his own red tear filled eyes and Kyungsoo does as he's asked, leaning down so his nose is almost touching the males on his back's. Before Kai has a chance to speak again Kyungsoo is apologising.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to get hurt, I'm stupid, really dumb and I love you so much, Kai, I'm really very sorry" Kyungsoo moves away, biting his lip in the process, "I-I shouldn't have crossed the stream" Kyungsoo grabs onto Kai's hand with both of his own and brings it up to his lips to kiss. 

"...I thought I'd lost you, Kai, I really did..."

"I can say the same with you, Kyungsoo" Kai shifts a little, trying to find a more comfortable position on the ground, "D-did he..." Kai his lips and Kyungsoo sees him swallow nervously.

"Did he touch you?" Kai's eyes are showing concern, Kyungsoo shaking his head at the question.

"H-he wanted me and him to-" Kyungsoo plays with Kai's hand, with his fingers as he speaks, "...To become mates but it's impossible for me to love another wolf as much as I love you" Kyungsoo is whispering, he can feel the heat rise to his face and when he makes eye contact he can see the warmth in his mates eyes.

"I was ready to die for you, Kai, I did my best protecting you"

"You got hurt" Kai eyed the cuts on his mates cheek, his eyebrows creasing, "I failed to protect you again, I..." Kai quietens down at the look he's being given, Kyungsoo's head shaking slightly.

"No, you tried as hard as you could, pushed yourself to the limit to keep me safe" 

"But you've gotten cut and-"

"Kai, I got these cuts from that wolf when I tried to take him down so he couldn't hurt you anymore, I got these protecting you" Kai is quiet and Kyungsoo's lips form a thin line as he hears the grumble that leaves Kai's chest.

Kai sits up and Kyungsoo's eyes go wide in response.

"I'm proud of you" Kyungsoo feels himself go shy, Kai's gaze not wavering as he stares into his eyes, hand holding onto one of the ones playing with it, "So very proud of you, Kyungsoo"

"I-I'm very proud of you too, Kai" Kyungsoo closes the space between them and kisses Kai for the second time, pulling back he smiles with his eyes still closed.

...................................................................................

Tada! I updated after three months ugh otl I'm sorry I can't write very fast and not all in one go so :/

I only have one week left of college and my deadline for everything to be in is on the 26th ugh but I have finished my final major outcomes so I can focus on book work and write ups this week :) I'm hoping for a very good grade!

Anyway, see I told you guys this fic will have a happy ending so for that to happen I can't kill Kai off! Haha I just like a lil bit of drama and heartache xD oh and thank you so much for the feature! It was unexpected and surprised me tbh but a good surprise~ 

More about Luna will be revealed in the next chapter^^ and should Yuri accept Kris' offer? Hehe:)

PrettyDeadRose11