Tao’s teeth ground together as an uncomfortable popping sound woke him up. Feeling the shift descend over him, he dragged himself to the wall where the shackles were. He took off his clothes, throwing them as far as he could before locking the shackles on his ankles.

A burning feeling ran through him as bones broke and reformed, skin stretching to accommodate the new form and hair growing at a rapid pace from previously empty pores. His teeth lengthened as his eyes flashed golden. Pupils were reduced to slits as he dropped to all fours.

A howl of hunger broke through the calm night.

~~~

Tao peeled his eyes open the next morning, wincing. He sat up slowly, grimacing at the ache. He looked himself over, discovering a wound on his thigh along with a huge slash on his back. The shackles that had held him the previous night had opened, as they did automatically when the sun rose. He pulled himself against the ground towards his clothes, but quickly realized that it would be painful to wear them.

He glanced over to the dumbwaiter to find medical supplies. After some more pitiful dragging that took much longer than it should have, he grabbed the medical supplies and applied them.

His wounds began to close up, his werewolf healing ability kicking in some more. He noticed a couple of other scratches fading and wondered how bad they had been when the sun had risen. He had been waking up with more and more wounds recently, signs that his wolf was becoming more violent.

Tao let out a sigh. Both his heats and shifts were becoming more extreme. A heat was only supposed to come once a year, but since Tao didn’t like selling himself to strangers just for relief, his was occurring once every two months. 6 times a year in total.

If he didn’t find his mate soon, he might break the door and an innocent passerby. Yet, at the same time, Tao refused to become someone willing to sell himself to others. He had pride, however much it was dangling on the edge of falling into an abyss. He would scramble to hold on for as long as he could.

Tao slowly stood once his wounds had scabbed and put on his clothes sluggishly. The door was wide open. He limped towards it, beginning the gradual climb back to his apartment. It was times like these when Tao hated the fact that he had a fifth floor apartment. Clambering up the stairs when sore and exhausted was never easy, and it only seemed to get harder each time.

He reached his apartment eventually, climbing onto the couch for a nap. Before his eyes could close, his cellphone rang. Tao growled and ignored it, but the moment it stopped ringing it started up its chant of high-pitched screeches again.

Tao reached over to the table where he put it down and answered, scowling into the phone. “What?”

“Well that’s not very nice.” The familiar voice on the other end of the line replied.

“When am I ever nice, Bunhong?”

“Yah, stop with that nickname already.” Junhong snapped. “I’m coming over, hyung.”

“Don’t.” Tao groaned. He didn’t want another person in his house the day after the full moon, no matter how good of a friend they were.

“Too bad, I got on the bus 15 minutes ago.” Junhong replied. “I’m coming over whether you want me to or not. You’re just lucky I convinced Yongguk hyung not to come along.”

Tao grunted. Yongguk was Zelo’s mate, and he was always angry after a full moon, especially when Junhong wasn’t near him or had his attention on something else. “You want Yongguk hyung to kill me?”

“It’s alright, Himchan hyung’s looking after him. He’ll be grumpy but whatever, I’ll deal with him when I get home.” Junhong laughed. “Your shift is worse than mine or his.”

Tao shifted his eyes down, feeling a bit awkward to have someone taking care of him, especially someone younger than him. “Thanks.”

Tao swore he could hear Junhong’s smile. “No problem Tao hyung. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” They hung up after quick goodbyes.

The doorbell rang and Tao glanced over towards it. Junhong unlocked the door by himself. “Hey hyung.” Junhong greeted while taking off his shoes at the door. He looked up to Tao, who was still lying on the couch. “You look like .”

“You’ve told me that before.” Tao replied. Junhong usually greeted him with that after every full moon if he came.

“Yeah, but you look tier than the usual .” Junhong replied, kneeling in front of Tao and examining his fading cuts and bruises. “.”

“Ever hear of personal space?” Tao said, shoving Junhong away slightly. He sniffed the air. “Did you bring...”

“Seonji haejangkuk, yep.” (cow’s blood soup, korean thing apparently good for hangovers) Junhong grinned, pulling out the two bags of soup he brought. Tao had learned at a young age that it was pretty good after shifting, he guessed it had something to do with the blood. “I know you don’t like the stomach so I didn’t buy any of that.”

“Bowls are over there.” Tao pointed, pushing himself into a sitting position slowly.

“I know.” Junhong replied, blonde curls bouncing around as he walked to the cabinet in the kitchen.

Tao stared. “You changed your hair.”

The corner’s of Junhong’s mouth turned up a bit. “I was wondering when you’d notice. Yeah, I changed it back.”

“How long has it been since you had your hair like that?” Tao asked, watching as Junhong emptied the soup into the two bowls.

“Hm... two years? Three? Something like that.” Junhong replied, taking out spoons and chopsticks and bringing them to the coffee table. “Here, eat.”

“Thanks.” Tao mumbled, devouring his soup quickly. Junhong sat on his knees across from Tao, digging in as well.

"By the way, why does this whole apartment smell like a bunch of different wolves." Junhong asked, scrunching his nose as he sniffed the air.

"A pack chased me down the other night," Tao replied between bites, "and they broke into my apartment. They left eventually and I'm fine."

"You sure?" Junhong eyed Tao wearily.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

“How was your shift last night?” Junhong asked.

“Horrible.” Tao said through a mouthful. He swallowed quickly and continued. “Worse than usual, at least. Took forever for me to get up the stairs.”

“You should come out with the hyungs and I.” Junhong said, eating his soup just as rapidly. “Come run around in the woods with us. Kill some deer. It’ll be better than chaining yourself to a wall downstairs.”

Tao glared. “You guys are made up of one alpha and a bunch of deltas and two betas, do I have to remind you-”

“Do I have to remind you that I am an omega?” Junhong said.

Tao shot him a look. “You were an omega, Bunhong. You and Yongguk hyung are mates, and since Yongguk is an alpha, that makes you one too. Basic laws of wolves. Study up.”

“Yah, shut up.” Junhong snapped. “Anyway, why are you so against going out with us? Not like you’ll try to rip us apart or something.”

“Actually, I probably would.” Tao said, staring into his almost-empty bowl. “You haven’t seen what I look like when I shift back, and I hope you never do.”

Junhong winced. “You tore yourself up again this time, didn’t you?” Tao averted his eyes, not saying anything, but that said everything Junhong needed to know. He sighed and sat back on his heels. “God, if only there was some ing way I could... I just...” Junhong huffed angrily.

Tao nodded. “It’s fine. I heal, whatever. Not a big deal.”

“But what if you don’t?” Junhong asked. “Your shifts are only getting worse, and it makes me think that one day you’re gonna end up killing yourself.”

“I won’t.”

“But what if you do?”

Tao paused. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

"That makes me feels better." Junhong rolled his eyes. Tao shrugged and grabbed his empty bowl, bringing it over to the sink. He put it in, not bothering to wash it. Junhong raised his eyebrows.

"I'll wash it later." Two shrugged again, walking back to the couch and sitting.

"You're walking more comfortably." Junhong observed.

"Yeah, I told you that it does magic." Tao jerked his head towards the empty bowl in the sink. "That and werewolf healing abilities are great."

"What?! You're a werewolf?! Oh, I am shocked!" Junhong said sarcastically.

"Yeah yeah yeah, shut up." Tao replied, rolling his eyes.

"So... You going to be okay for the rest of the day?" Junhong asked nervously.

Tao shrugged. "Yeah, probably. You fed me, and I'm feeling better, so..."

"You're telling me to leave now, aren't you?" Junhong laughed.

Tao smirked. "Yeah. Get out, bratty hyung."

"Good to know I get so much thanks for all I do for you." Junhong replied. "And why'd you call me hyung?"

"Because on the hierarchy scale, you're above me. I just realized." Tao replied.

"If you ever call me hyung again, I will tie you up, tell Youngguk hyung that you d me, and lock the door behind me. I will leave you at his mercy entirely."

"Oh god." Tao said, shaking his head. "Just get out already."

"Fine, fine," Junhong waved his hand, standing up and stretching, "I'll get out."

"Bye Bunhong."

"Stop with that damn nickname already, idiot." Junhong said, slipping his shoes back on. He walked out the door, waving to Tao, who replied in kind. Tao shut the door.

As soon as it was closed, he leaned on it and sank to the floor.

He was better than this morning; that was the truth.

But to say that he was okay would be a lie.

A/N: OMG I LOVE YOU GUYSSSSS 
I went from no subs and 1 view to 19 subs and more than 100 views in just over a week and you don't get how happy I was every time I saw a new comment or sub!! Yay thank you guys so much! >w<
I'll be gone next week so I'll probably post a chapter on Friday to make up for it. I'm hoping to post a chapter every week, but knowing me that probably won't happen, so please be patient! Thanks and see you with a new chapter soon!!