A late winter snow fell over Seoul, blanketing the grounds of the Eastern Dawn Pack’s estate in a veil of glistening promise. Luhan needed that promise, especially given the fact his mate had slammed a door in Luhan’s face twice that day.

The first time it had been simple- Luhan had knocked and not getting a response he had entered the room. And then Minseok backed him out of the room and slammed the door.

The second time Luhan had come bearing food. Minseok took the food and slammed the door again.

Luhan zero, Minseok two. This was not the way things were supposed to happen.

“Maybe you should apologize..” Yixing muttered, sick of seeing his pack leader sulk about the house.

Luhan shot him a glare that was worthy of any drama mother in law.

“What would Hyung have to apologize for?” Sehun asked. He was seated with a blanket over his lap, reclining in one of the overstuffed chairs in the largest living room of the estate. Tao was next to him, well as next to him as he could be (he was sitting in the adjoining chair).

“I would say there is something to be sorry for….Minseok Ge doesn’t get this mad for nothing.” Tao replied.

Sehun scrunched up his face in annoyance and looked at Luhan, “Well then did you do anything hyung?”

“He is mad I started the fight.” Luhan muttered.

Sehun scoffed. Tao punched him lightly in the arm in warning.

“You kind of did” Yixing. Leave it to Yixing to side with the enemy. Well, not exactly the enemy – but the dire opposite of what Luhan wanted to admit.

“So you think I should just apologize to him, even if I didn’t do anything wrong?” Luhan asked. Seriously, this relationship stuff was harder than he had ever thought it would be.

“Maybe? I mean if that will solve everything.” Yixing suggested.

Luhan considered his second in command’s advice. Would it really be that easy?

***

Minseok was sick and tired -of flipping channels. Granted he was not exactly in the best physical condition either, his injuries from the fight had left him tired and in need of rest. But being cooped up still drove him a bit nuts. He had already flipped through a variety show (hated the guests), a drama (hated the actors), a talk show (hated the topic) and the news (hated current events). In frustration he tossed the remote control to the floor, deciding to lay in silence and stare at the ceiling instead.

Yep, that is what he needed. A good long stare at the ceiling.

He sighed. This was not exactly what he needed. And then his door opened. He was ready to push Luhan out again. Instead of his mate, the person standing in the middle of his room -tears streaming down his cheeks - was Tao.

“Tao, what’s wrong?”

“Sehun said I was” Tao was choking back a sob, “He said I was stupid and ugly and he didn’t want to be my friend anymore and…”

Minseok was used to Tao’s teenage girl like dramatics. For all of Tao’s ability to be mature at certain times (and outwardly confident and proud) he also had his more vulnerable side, a side he rarely showed except to those very close to him. People like Minseok.

Minseok stood, walking over to Tao he grabbed the hulking Maknae in a hug.

“Tao, I am sure he didn’t mean it.”

“He did!” More sobbing.

Minseok patted Tao’s back, trying to sooth the boy. Before Minseok could indulge in another round of
“Calm down, that blonde haired brat was talking without thinking. He likes you” his door opened again.

“Hyung!” The door shut with a thud. “Hyung! I hit Jongin and he is crying!”

Minseok suddenly had a very, very intense headache. He broke from his embrace with Tao to face a flustered Kyungsoo.

“Why did you hit Jongin?” Minseok was not exactly sure he wanted to hear the answer.

“He said I was cute…like one of those troll dolls. Those things are hideous hyung. Couldn’t he have just called me ugly?!”

“Kyungsoo-ah, is he hurt?” Minseok questioned. The omega of the Cloud Mountain Pack was far from weak – in fact his punch was worse than most of the alphas of the pack.

“No..hyung…” Kyungsoo’s eyes were becoming watery.

Minseok needed a drink. Too bad he couldn’t have one in his current condition. Before Minseok could fully detach from Tao, who was now hanging off his arm still crying and make his way to Kyungsoo the door opened again.

“Hyung! Jongdae told me to get out!” Suho was frazzled, far more than Minseok had remembered seeing him in the past. At least not unless the pack was in the middle of something highly illegal.

“Seriously?!” Minseok had a headache, a really bad headache.

When Chanyeol entered the room shortly after, complaining of Yixing and Baekhyun cheating at rock, paper, scissors like the most deplorable wolves ever Minseok had enough. What the hell was going on? It was time to go see that blond haired rich boy jerk – and tell him to get his pack in order.

***

Four hours ago

The kitchen of the mansion was expansive. It had to be- the place was built to house enough people (or wolves) to require an impressive cooking space. As large as the room was it still felt cramped with twelve people lounging about. Some of them were sipping cola, while Luhan had a beer in his hand. He had decided an apology would not be that easy – because when he had tried it he met the slam of a door for the third time that day.

“So….you want us to flush him out?” Chanyeol raised an eyebrow at Luhan. He had to admit he did not hate the leader of the Eastern Dawn but he could also freely admit he would take Minseok over him any day.

“Are you guys seriously happy with your leaders fighting?” Luhan questioned.

“Well, it is kind of between you two. Why should we get involved?” Baekhyun asked. Luhan cursed him under his breath. Of course one of his omegas would say something like that, the disloyal bastard.

“If you want to see Minseok storm out of here and get hurt, or you like the idea of your pack leader in pain” Luhan winced at how cheesy his words were, but he still meant it, “Than you shouldn’t help.”

“Okay. Baek, you want to go play a game?” Chanyeol was done.

“Baekhyun!” It was So Ra that sternly stopped the omega from leaving with the Cloud Mountain Pack’s alpha. She turned towards the group, “I wouldn’t ask you to do this normally, but at this point we need to be united.”

“Maybe Minseok hyung could just not be so emotional.” Jongdae replied. It was a split second before Luhan was in his face, practically growling.

“Don’t talk about him that way” Luhan spat out.

Jongdae rolled his eyes.

“Okay boys- time to get this patched up. Or I am seriously moving out.” Jongdae shook his head at Luhan’s aggression. Mating had certainly changed things that was for sure.

***

Minseok had left his weepy, needy, unbearably whiny pack behind. They were probably all sitting around his room trading stories of how terrible their lives were. And it was all thanks to that stupid pretty boy’s pack, with their money and their words and their general stupidity. Luhan would hear about this.

Minseok pushed the door to the library open and stalked in, his anger boiling up and clouding his usually keen sense. He never even noticed the white flowers placed around the room. He had failed to notice that the lighting was from the room’s strategically placed lamps and not the overhead chandelier. He had missed it all as he approached the oversized mahogany desk.

“Control your pack!” He practically screamed, staring at Luhan.

Luhan stared up at Minseok, his face calm and serene despite his mate’s anger.

“Are you not even listening to me?!” Minseok asked after a moment of silence.

“I love you.”

Minseok froze. Luhan, wide eyed and honest, spoke three words and then remained silent. His face was pained, the weight of his words hung in the air between the two of them. Minseok wanted to run away. He wanted to forget it. He wanted to forget how much he had been thinking over the last day of what could have happened if he had never decided to pickpocket a handsome blonde man.

If he had never met Luhan he would be back at his flat- or (because of Chanyeol) – chasing down a new, equally shady place to live. If he had never met Luhan he would not be feeling like he wanted to cry. If he had never met Luhan he would not know what it meant to be mated, he would not know how it felt to have another life burgeoning inside. He would not know how it felt to have your heart seize at the whisper of three words.

“Minseok, I love you” Luhan stood, walking around the desk he stood to face his mate.

Minseok swallowed. Why could Luhan do this to him? How could he melt all of his anger, melt all of his resolve to remain hostile and full of regret for allowing such a fight to happen. How could he-

“I love you, and that is not going to change. Please. I am sorry, but I can’t see you hurt. I can never see you hurt.” Luhan held up his hand, reaching to caress Minseok’s face. He was fully expecting Minseok to jerk away from his touch, dismiss his caresses and words. But it was the opposite of his expectations.

Minseok held his head down. Luhan moved closer, sensing the other’s thawing façade.

Minseok’s shoulders began to shake, he was crying. Luhan had no other thought, no other thoughts of conversation and debate and reasoning. He just wanted to hold his lover, to comfort him.

Minseok melted into Luhan’s arms, crying softly. After a few moments he spoke.

“Why do you make me do this?”

“Do what?” Luhan asked, Minseok’s hair as he held him close to his chest.

“Feel like I am sorry for everything. Make me feel like it is my fault.”

Luhan pushed Minseok from him lightly, grasping Minseok’s face in his hands he stared into his large eyes. Those beautiful eyes.

“It is not your fault. I…shouldn’t have started it. But I felt like I would die right then and there if you were hurt. I…love you so much.” It was honest and it was god damn true.

Minseok couldn’t find the words to respond, couldn’t find the words to communicate how guilty he had felt about what had happened. About Tao and Sehun. About seeing blood, about the way the street lights pushed flashes of their injured packs slinking back home. He couldn’t find the words, so he found the actions instead. His lips found Luhan’s, his tears mixing with the sweet feeling of belonging – of making up – of forgiveness.

***

“Do you want to build a snowman?”

“Do you want me to throw an ice chunk at your head?” Minseok responded, staring at Luhan in annoyance. It had been two days since they had made up. The pack was still largely home bound – school and work taking a backseat as the pack’s determined their next move. Granted they were feeling cooped up…but a snowman?

“Come on Minseokkie! It will be fun,” Luhan smiled. It had been like heaven since they had made up. Minseok spent the night in Luhan’s room, then the next night. They had drifted between intense love making and less intense play. They ate every meal together, they indulged in frivolity and were generally happy (with a lot of playful judgment from their packs).

Minseok, however, could not help but feel some anxiety. He had yet to tell Luhan about his pregnancy. So Ra had brought it up with Minseok more than once, asking when he would make the announcement. Minseok wanted the moment to be special, to be memorable. Most importantly he wanted to be fully healed from his injuries before telling Luhan he was carrying pups – he was certain Luhan would decide he had to stay in bed for the next several months if he found out he was pregnant and still hurt from the fight. Minseok’s injuries were healing quickly, but he was still sporting a bandage on his shoulder. In a few more days he told himself…in a few more days he would let Luhan know.

“Minseokkie!” Luhan whined, grabbing his hand and trying to drag him towards the door.

“Fine” Minseok conceded “Let’s build a snowman”

***

The mansion had impressive grounds, a refuge in the bustling metropolis that was Seoul. Luhan had been more than happy to discover this place alongside So Ra, even more joyful when it was confirmed as his home.

When he was sad the gardens were a comfort. When he was happy the paths that wound around the grounds were a place to mindlessly wander, letting his joy mix with the landscape he loved. It was a unique brand of happiness to be able to share this place with his mate.

“The best place to build a snowman is near the greenhouse” Luhan announced. He held onto Minseok’s hand tightly. The ground was slippery with the recent snow; Minseok was still injured and Luhan did not want to see him fall down and further his injuries.

Minseok let himself be dragged (well, carefully dragged) through the grounds towards the large open space near the greenhouse. Months ago this would have seemed like a dream; the only gardens he could afford to be near were the few plants that Kyungsoo grew outside their flat’s door or a flower market or a nearby park. Certainly nothing like this.

“I think we should build a snow wolf” Luhan chuckled, continuing to lead Minseok.

“So original, Lu” Minseok laughed.

“Well, we are not human, right?!” Luhan smiled. The walked in happy silence until the smell hit them.

It was sudden, but it was not foreign. The wind was blowing and the scent was carried on the wind. Minseok and Luhan froze simultaneously. Luhan pushed Minseok behind him, alarmed at what the wind carried.

It was the lone wolf. Luhan would know him anywhere. And it was not a good sign he was so close. The old man had never before wandered onto the grounds of the house. So Ra had made sure of it – to keep everyone away except for the pack. It was dangerous to let other wolves outside of the pack know where they lived.

What flashed in Luhan’s mind was his last meeting with the old wolf – or more accurately their fight. Minseok had attacked him, as had Luhan. And the wolf had said something about Minseok having a bounty on his head…

Luhan emitted a growl, ready to shift as the old man emerged from a copse of trees lying on the far side of the garden.

“What are you doing here?!” Luhan demanded, ready for a fight. He was so busy being defensive he failed to notice that Minseok had stopped gripping his arm tightly. In fact, he couldn’t feel Minseok grabbing onto him at all.

“Why don’t you ask him?” The wolf answered, his expression staid and unmoving.

Luhan knew it was a mind trick. It had to be. What would Minseok know about the old man? Luhan looked behind him for a split second; Minseok was standing frozen – pale. And a word to destroy all preconceived notions…

“Father….” Minseok whispered, staring at the lone wolf like he had seen a ghost. Now Minseok knew where he recognized that scent from. It was from sixteen years ago, from a life that had come before the lab, before the pain. A life that somehow had morphed into an attack, had morphed into his parent coming for him like he was nothing more than prey to be hunted. A life that had drudged up a ghost he thought had long ago left this earth. “Father…”

a/n- hello conflict! Here it comes.  I found some time to write this evening so I went for it. And thank you- 79 subscribers! I appreciate it! *Hugs*