“Did you guys see this?” Luhan asked, throwing a newspaper down on the table. The headlines were all about the hybrid attack that had occurred the night before. It had taken the city and the press by storm. A total of twelve people dead, mauled horribly. The press was taking this gruesome event and piling on as much as they could about the ‘unknown hybrid threat lying in wait’. While the event was tragic, the press around it was sensationalism to the max.

“Unfortunately I did.” Professor Jung answered. “It is utter crap.”

“Complete and utter crap.” Changmin agreed, taking a sip of his coffee.

The professor and Changmin had arrived at the mansion a few minutes before Luhan had started manhandling the newspapers in frustration.

“Minseok, have you talked to your Father?” Professor Jung asked.

“No, not like he would tell me the truth if he knew it.” Minseok was not inclined to believe anything Sung Woo said, at least for now.

“True. Victoria said she had no knowledge of it and she has managed to insert herself pretty well with Sung Woo and Assemblyman Ahn.”

“Professor, Changmin” So Ra entered the dining room, giving the newcomers a nod in welcome, which they gladly returned.

“So it is being reported that the guy just snapped, which I think we all know is suspicious,” Professor Jung spoke while rummaging around in the leather briefcase he always carried with him. He pulled out a packet of papers, lying them on the table he continued, “His name is Yoo Jong Kook. Worked as an accountant at a midsize manufacturer. Apparently he had been in Seoul for at least the last twenty years, which puts his time here before the purge.”

“Did you ever meet him?” Minseok asked. He thought it was a fair question since Victoria had stated that every hybrid in Seoul knew the Eastern Dawn pack.

“No. But that doesn’t really surprise me since he was here before we were. And by the sounds of it he tried to lay low-“Luhan answered.

“Could he have just been depressed? Just snapped….” Minseok mused even if his instincts told him otherwise.

“It is possible, that is why we need to find out more about him. I can look into his past electronically but it might be beneficial to go scope out where he lived, talk to the neighbors, that kind of thing.” Professor Jung explained.

“Tao.” Minseok spoke up, “I can send Tao to do it.”

“Good. Then I think we need to start as soon as possible. I fear this was not an isolated incident, and if it that is true we need to work fast before anything else happens.”

Minseok nodded. He hoped that this was a onetime thing, just a crazy hybrid that had reached his breaking point. Because if it was not that meant something else was going on, something very bad. If more public attention was thrown onto hybrids, hiding among society would become even more of a liability - for all of them.

After some more talk of the event, and some catch up time between So Ra and Professor Jung (Minseok was pretty sure everyone liked So Ra) the unofficial hybrid rights activist association of Korea went their separate ways. For Minseok that meant following Luhan to the gardens. Luhan had told them they needed to talk, which worried him only slightly less than a wolf going crazy in a subway.

The weather was warming up, spring was basically upon them. The gardens were shaking off the winter, ready to be planted and rearranged for the coming summer. Minseok thought they made a great place to talk – especially if it was serious. All browns and muted greens finding life after the frost.

Luhan held Minseok’s hand as they walked, when they reached one the benches that were spread throughout the gardens he stopped and motioned for his mate to sit.

“Is something wrong Lu?” Minseok was on edge enough, he didn’t want this dragged on too long. If Luhan had something to say he needed to say it.

“You know I love you, right?”

Minseok didn’t like how this was starting out. After all their relationship had not been the best of late with the whole Sohee mess.

“Just say it Lu.”

“Oh – it’s nothing bad!” Luhan’s eyes got wide as his face contorted into a look only Luhan could give, “It is just uh, I know things have not been good lately, with that woman and um-“

“You mean that overdone tart?” Minseok didn’t like to mince words when Sohee was involved.

“Uh, yeah. So, I know things are still not great with the attack and all but I really want to make it up to you. To the pups.” Luhan reached over and put a hand on Minseok’s abdomen. Minseok was starting to show, he was nearing the end of his first trimester after all. The swell of his stomach was there, but not really noticeable under baggy clothes. “I was wondering if you would - when you have time - like to go on a date.”

Minseok burst out laughing. So that was what Luhan was so serious about?

“Why are you laughing?                “ Luhan looked hurt by Minseok’s reaction.

“For crying out loud Lu, if you wanted to ask me out on a date you didn’t have to make it seem like you were breaking up with me or something!”

“I just didn’t know how to ask you…” Luhan frowned, “Plus we have never actually been on one.”

Minseok stopped laughing. It was true, they had never been on a date. It was kind of funny thinking about it, after all they lived together, were having children together. But yeah, that had just kind of happened – and happened without a courtship.

“I thought you might want to go get dinner or something. And I thought that might make the pups happy too, they like to eat a lot it seems!”

“Are you telling me I am getting fat?” Minseok asked. He couldn’t help what his hormones did to him sometimes and with his current situation and weight gain (even though it had been minimal) he was a tad bit sensitive.

“No! No! But the pups need to eat and you need to eat so…” Luhan looked panicked, “You aren’t fat! You are perfect!”

“Yes Luhan, I will go on a date with you- when we have time” Minseok knew that time was the key thing here, with everything going on time was of the utmost importance. Still the thought of an actual date made Minseok happy. He smiled the gummy smile that he knew drove Luhan nuts. And it didn’t fail.

Luhan smiled from ear to ear, “Really?! Great! Don’t worry about a thing, I am going to plan it all out.”

Minseok smiled back, Luhan, in all of his excitement, leaned forward and planted a kiss on his mouth. It started rather chastely, but escalated rather quickly. Minseok felt Luhan nibbling on his lower lip. He opened his mouth and Luhan took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue finding its way into Minseok’s mouth. Minseok didn’t mean to but he moaned into the kiss.

Luhan stopped his assault on Minseok’s mouth and began a seductive trail of kisses down Minseok’s neck, his mate’s enjoyment driving him further.

 “Lu?” Minseok managed to whisper.

“Hmmm?” Luhan answered without stopping.

“I –“Minseok couldn’t finish what he wanted to say because Luhan had reached that one spot on his neck that never failed to drive him wild. He threw his head back instead, his mind thrown into confusion at the sensation.

“Let’s go to our room” Luhan stopped suddenly, pulling Minseok to his feet.

Minseok could do very little but follow Luhan, because damn if that did not sound like a good idea.

So Ra, who had been walking along the gallery on the second floor, witnessed her pack leader dragging his mate across the garden path back towards the house. Judging by both of their expressions they were seemingly getting along rather well, which was a relief given recent events. Life was always easier when the two pack leaders, living under one roof no less, were not at each other’s throats.

***

Tao was really considering asking for something big. Like a car or something. He wasn’t against helping out his pack – because in the end he was helping himself (and he loved his pack, truly). His pack’s survival was his survival, but damn if he wasn’t getting tired of being sent all over Seoul to do this and that with much of a story of why he was doing it.

Luhan and Minseok had found him after his morning walk and asked him to go investigate the hybrid that had been dominating the news. The story of the subway attack had scared Tao, hell it had scared all of them. So this assignment was an important one. He was happy they trusted him with it. But then again he really wondered what they knew that he did not – and that thought scared him and frustrated him into thinking of material compensation. Even if it was kind of petty at the time.

Tao had taken the subway to the neighborhood where the attacker lived, hoping he could at least scope out his apartment. He wasn’t sure he would actually get any information at this point – after all the police were probably still at the man’s house. But he could at least get a feel for where he called home, maybe hear a thing or two about him from just listening to what people were saying in the neighborhood.

Tao alighted the subway and maneuvered around the crowd. It was Friday so it was busy but not as busy as it would be come lunch time or after work hours. He stalked up the stairs of the station to the streets. He had memorized the address and how to get there – it would be a five minute walk from the station. A five minute walk that the hybrid, Yoo Jong Kook, had probably made every day – that is until he had decided to attack those who he probably passed by, mindlessly, for years.

Tao was lost in his thoughts of how a hybrid could do such a thing when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Tao tensed as he turned around. And then he was met with a cup of bubble tea being shoved in his face. Tao grabbed the drink, revealing the person who was holding it.

“Why are you here?”

“Nice to see you too?” Sehun took a sip of his bubble tea after rolling his eyes.

“Did you follow me?”

“Bingo!” Sehun pointed at Tao as he said it.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Tao said in hushed tones.

“Why? I am the perfect person to take along with you. Who could question someone as adorable as me?” Sehun brushed his hair back from his face, looking smug.

“Hun-ah, I am serious. You could get hurt…” Tao was serious, because he didn’t want to see Sehun hurt. He had been struggling with feelings towards his boyfriend he couldn’t quite talk about – even since Taemin had nicely reminded him he was second best. But still, he could never – would never see Sehun in danger. The kidnapping some weeks ago had been enough, he couldn’t go through that again.

“So could you.” Sehun slipped his arm into Tao’s arm and tugged him forward, “Now enjoy your tea because I am not going anywhere.”

Truth be told Sehun had gotten rather annoyed at the lack of time he had to spend with Tao. It was all stolen kisses here and there, hopefully some time at night to laugh and be dumb together before falling asleep in each other’s arms. But it wasn’t enough.

Tao resigned himself to having Sehun along, at this point he wouldn’t be able to send him away anyhow- Sehun would just come back. They finished their tea as they neared the apartment, throwing their cups away at a convenience store about half a block away.

“Let’s go inside” Tao motioned for Sehun to follow him inside the store.

Once they were inside they noticed there was a gaggle of girls eating ramen at the counter. The girls noticed Sehun and Tao as they entered, giggling and looking shyly from their food to the boys and back to their food.

“Girls are so weird.” Sehun leaned over and whispered to Tao as they pretended to check out the coffee selection.

Tao ignored him, “Listen.”

And so they did. Unfortunately that meant having to hear the girls talk about how much better looking Tao was than Sehun then argue about how Sehun was actually probably better looking if he did something with his hair. And then they said something that made Sehun and Tao look at each other in surprise,

“Not like that guy with the purple hair. Who was he again – Eun..”

“That oppa was too old! I don’t know why he always thought coming around here was a good idea.”

“And that oppa with the cat! Like who carries a cat around?!”

“My Mom said they were hanging out with that hybrid-“

“NO”

“OMG!”

“That is SOOOOO creepy! You mean we talked to someone who was friends with that murderer.”

“Yeah. IKR!”

Sehun and Tao grabbed walked over to look at the snacks. They didn’t have to say anything to each other, after all they were more than acquainted with the man with the purple hair and the man with the cat. They had kidnapped them so many weeks back. Along with Sung Woo. And apparently they knew the Yoo Jong Kook too. A connection had been made.

***

Jongin was too busy doting on Kyungsoo to pay much attention to how stupid Chanyeol was being. Kyungsoo had a headache that hadn’t managed to go away all day and Jongin was seriously worried, even if Kyungsoo assured him that sometimes that just happened. But Jongin would not let Kyungsoo out of his sight just in case. And he insisted on pouring his drinks, on cutting up his food. Baekhyun scoffed at the sight – he was pretty sure Jongin would have hand fed Kyungsoo if the little guy had let him.

And then there was Chanyeol, being a .

“So, this girl in the class. Tae…Tae…something, comes up to me and says – You look like you know your stuff. And I was like-“

“Yah- sit down if you are going to tell the story! People are looking!” Jongdae tugged at Chanyeol’s arm, ready to pull him down if need be. They were in public after all.

Jongdae, Kyungsoo, Jongin, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun had decided to go out to eat. Well, to be honest, Jongin decided Kyungsoo was probably dying and should go lie down. Kyungsoo was ready to hit him so Jongdae decided leaving these two alone at the moment was not the best plan. Chanyeol insisted on going out to eat, Kyungsoo agreed in annoyance, Jongdae insisted they go to save Jongin from death, and then Baekhyun decided to tag along.

With the recent news of the wolf attack Luhan and Minseok had given their packs a stern lecture that morning – they needed to be as discreet as possible, just in case. While all of them had paperwork that made them as human as…well, any human, they were still hybrids. And that could be found out if they were ever subjected to any kind of medical testing. Which, logically would never happen unless they did something that gave them away to the public. Which Luhan and Minseok made them insist would not happen – or else.

“Hey, don’t be so jumpy. I was just telling a story!” Chanyeol plopped down, continuing his epic tale of his favorite marketing class by making overly dramatic hand gestures. Jongdae just put his head in his hands, frustrated.

The restaurant they were in was a little fancier than what the Cloud Mountain pack would have preferred – but Jongdae and Jongin insisted that it was the best place to go since Luhan had a tab that was never closed. Chanyeol seemed to adapt to the higher class environment by acting like they were eating at a street food cart while Kyungsoo, with his headache, remained pretty quiet and reserved.

“Do you ever stop talking?” Baekhyun asked, rolling his eyes at Chanyeol.

“Like you should talk.” Kyungsoo retorted. Chanyeol was his pack mate after all and Baekhyun was far from quiet.

“I can be quiet – I just always have something worthwhile to say.” Baekhyun shot back.

“Uh huh.” Kyungsoo nodded sarcastically. Jongin leaned in, trying to refill his drink. “Seriously Jongin, I am fine.”

“Just let me take care of you hyung” Jongin widened his eyes as if to plead with his mate.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and leaned back, not feeling like arguing anymore.

“So, I was saying –“ Chanyeol went back to his amazing story, “That chick, who has been a student for like four years, was telling me that I knew without even reading the text how much they focus-“

“Kang Woo?”

The entire table stopped. A man was standing a few feet away, staring at Chanyeol’s back. Jongdae had noticed him when they had walked into the restaurant, he was sitting across the dining room from where they were seated.

Chanyeol stiffened and his expression grew serious. He seemed to recognize the voice without seeing the face behind it.

“Is that you Kang Woo?” The man asked again, taking a few steps forward.

Kyungsoo looked at the man, all wide eyes and confusion. He looked from the man to Chanyeol and realized something was very wrong. Jongin was about to speak up to tell them there was not a Kang Woo there when Kyungsoo grabbed his arm, and held it tightly, distracting him from reacting.

“It is you, isn’t it you wolf bastard!” The man shouted loud enough for half of the dining room to hear. He went for Chanyeol but moved too slow. Chanyeol was up in a second.

“Run!” He shouted as he did just that.

The table was vacated with a few loud clangs, spilled glasses, and general chaos. Jongin had Kyungsoo’s hand in his despite his general confusion as they ran out of the restaurant as fast as possible.

“Damnit, damnit, god damnit” Chanyeol repeated over and over as they ran from the place, a blur of movement as they reached the street and kept going.

“What in the was that?” Baekhyun yelled after Chanyeol, who didn’t bother to answer until they were halfway back to the house, which was miles away. It was a good thing that as hybrids they had excellent stamina.

As they stopped to catch their breath, panting heavily, sure no one was following, they turned their eyes turned scornfully to Chanyeol.

“It was him, wasn’t it?” Kyungsoo asked. “That guy you conned. Just tell me again how in the hell he knows you are a hybrid?”

“Uh…” Chanyeol looked panicked.

“You didn’t, did you?” Kyungsoo inched closer to him, fury in his eyes, his fists clenched at his sides.

“I, uh- it was his thing okay! I didn’t think he would do anything if I shifted once or twice! He didn’t even know my real name!”

“You ing idiot.” Kyungsoo was on him in a second.

Jongdae, Baekhyun, and Jongin looked on as Kyungsoo began hitting Chanyeol – who fell to the ground covering his head and crotch.

“Do you guys know what is going on?” Jongin asked in confusion, keeping an eye on his mate so he could step in if things got to rough.

“I am guessing that guy is the reason they moved in with us…and Chanyeol is the reason that guy knows they are hybrids.” Jongdae answered.

“Well that is just ing wonderful. Can I kick him?” Baekhyun asked, taking a step forward.

Jongdae held him back, “Let Kyungsoo get his fury out.”

Kyungsoo did, in fact, finally get his fury out. Quite a few times in fact. Chanyeol covered his face and groin but for the most part let the smaller omega do his worse even if his worse was not that bad at all. Because he deserved it.
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a/n- Yeah, stuff got real in the last 2 chapters. But a Xiuhan date! Yeah! Oh, and Chanyeol being beaten by Kyungsoo is homage to all of the violent Chansoo we have seen lately (jk, but the TLP moments when Kyungsoo rejects Chanyeol or they fight gives me life LOL).

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the subs! At 257! I couldn't have even imagined that before. If you guys want to see anything in the story let me know in the coments! If I can work it in I will! I have been trying to take suggestions and put them in the story :-)

Oh, and I changed the cover image. Not sure if I like it tbh so it may change again.

Thanks for reading!