She took her coffee black. Strong. And she downed it like it was a one shot.

Minseok stared at the woman rather blankly, masking how much he was considering her demeanor, masking how much anxiety she gave him.

“If this goes live, and it will if I have a say, you know you won’t be anonymous again.” She took a bite of a cookie, rather roughly shoving it in , if Minseok could describe the action. Her smile after devouring the sweat was endearing, friendly.

“They understand that, but are ready for this.”

Her face was all crumbs, her blouse was all crumbs. She quickly brushed off the front of her shirt, taking another gulp of the steaming drink. “Okay, good. Honestly I would not doubt this will win an award.”

“If you post the story, my support will not be far behind.” The man beside the coffee obsessed woman took a sip of his own caffeinated beverage, albeit in a far daintier way, “which means we can strike a final blow to Ahn and his cronies.”

“When are you due?” The woman asked, making an offhanded motion at Minseok.

“At the end of summer. Sixteen weeks.” Minseok answered, unconsciously placing a hand over his bulging stomach at the question.

“We don’t want our pups brought into this.” Luhan spoke up, grabbing Misneok’s hand under the table as he declared his wish for their children to remain uninvolved in the current crisis.

“Smart man.” The woman remarked, “I will send a camera crew to the hotel tomorrow night, I trust you will be up for it.”

“They will.” Professor Jung answered for them. It was a few more words of logistics and then the reporter and the politician were gone, leaving the office of the Angel Café in as little fanfare as they had arrived.

Minseok let out an audible sigh as they left. “Is this really the right way?”

“It is.” Professor Jung shot Luhan and Minseok a smile which was meant to be reassuring. Instead it was a tired smile, fatigue wearing on the professor’s face.

“Where did you meet them?” Luhan asked, only getting a partial explanation of Jung’s connection with the two before their meeting. They had arrived back in the city the day before, quickly holing up in the Eastern Dawn Hotel, the one place they thought they could be safe among the madness of the city. It helped that the suite could be essentially locked down, including individual rooms. It turned out to be a blessing, given the fact that Misneok’s Mother was, for lack of a better description, a raving mad woman.

“I have known Amber for a while, we went to school together.” Jung dragged a hand through his messy hair, his unkempt look making him look even more fatigued than his face gave away “Onew and I were in the same fraternity in college, he turned out to be a far more upright person than I originally gave him credit for. If we want to win we need them both – the media and a politician.”

“We should get back to the hotel.” Luhan stood, gently pulling Minseok to his feet as well. It made him nervous to be out and about in the city, even if he was in his own café.

Minseok agreed but didn’t say anything. The hotel suite was playing host to the Cloud Mountain Pack, the Eastern Dawn Pack, Sung Woo, Minseok’s Mother, and Changmin and Victoria. It was packed full of people – and hybrids – that were in desperate need of a hiding spot. It was a safe place, but it was crowded.

“Let’s go.” Jung motioned towards the door, hoping against all hope everything would work out. Luhan deserved it, Minseok deserved it, hell his sleep schedule needed it.

***

“Hyunnnng.”

Kyungsoo hated when Jongin whined. Okay, he loved it, but he was never ever going to admit that.

“What?”

“Come to bed, I am tired.” Jongin had taken the relocation (or as he thought of it – the “we move yet again” exercise) rather well. Other than his concern for his hyung, that is.

Kyungsoo shot Jongin an annoyed look, but it was a façade for how much he wanted to cuddle. Because damn if Jongin wasn’t a good cuddler. Relenting Kyungsoo fell next to his mate, burying his head in the crook of the younger man’s neck.

“You smell good.” Jongin breathed heavily against Kyungsoo’s ear.

“Mmm” Kyungsoo answered, burying his head further into Jongin’s chest.

“Hyung, if this is over soon….do you, um, maybe want to um…”

Kyungsoo stiffened. Most of Jongin’s suggestions involved going out to make cute couple items, going to the market to buy ingredients for Kyungsoo to cook, or watching a ballet performance. But Jongin’s tone seemed a bit different this time.

“Maybe we could, uh, try for pups.” Jongin seemed to be embarrassed by his own suggestion as he grasp Kyungsoo tighter into his chest, “I just…you have such nice eyes and sometimes I imagine our pups with such big eyes and cute and adorable and-“

“I am not adorable!” Kyungsoo lifted his head and stared his mate down, “I am fierce!”

“Of course you are!” Jongin realized his mistake right away, “And I want fierce pups!”

Kyungsoo stayed silent for a moment as he drank in his mate’s features. Bronze skin, deep brown eyes, lips that begged to be kissed. Damn Jongin was hot.

“I love you” Kyungsoo muttered, going back to burying his head in Jongin’s chest, “And I want to have your pups.”

Jongin nodded, his actions felt by his mate. A wide smile broke out on his face, because damn. Thinking about his pups, Kyungsoo’s pups, was enough to make him the happiest hybrid alive.

***

“Bubble tea. Choco bubble tea!”

Tao reached down, grabbing the cup from the floor. If there was one thing he had learned in the last week it was how to keep a pregnant Sehun happy. He knew damn well what his mate was going to ask for before he demanded it – yes demanded – and he had started to come prepared.

Sehun gave him a shifty glance as he took the aforementioned prize, slurping up the treat hungrily.

“Hun-ah...” Tao said quietly, slightly fearing how Sehun seemed to have wild mood swings of late. Minseok, who was also pregnant, had become moodier after about the fourth week of pregnancy; Sehun seemed to be on an accelerated plan – his mood swings were already something to contend with.

“Hmmm?” Sehun answered, still slurping up his favorite drink.

“If we have a girl I thought of a name.” Tao looked at his mate, who was all sorts of hot as he laid back, his collar bones exposed through his tank, drinking liberally from the straw.

“Hmmm?” Sehun didn’t bother to stop drinking.

“Candy.” Tao spoke the name slowly. He had really thought about it, hard. It would be perfect, so pretty for their pup to be named after a sweet darling thing – a sugary concoction so hard to resist.

“Candy?!” Sehun stopped drinking right away, shock tacking over his face in an angry wave, “What kind of name is Candy?!”

“I think it is pretty!” Tao protested.

“For a stirpper!” Sehun practically shouted.

“Hun-ah” Tao whined, “I got you bubble tea!”

Sehun seemed to realize the drink once again and slurped down the rest of it, leaning back on the bed with a heavy sigh, “I will think about it.”

“Thank you Hun-ah” Tao laid down on the bed next to his mate, pulling Sehun close. “I think you will like it if you think about it more.”

“Maybe.” Sehun answered, “Do you have more bubble tea?”

“Do you like the name Candy?” Tao challenged, his face remaining serene.

“Fine. Just get me some more bubble tea!”

Tao could be clueless, emotional, and even socially challenged if you examined certain interactions in his past. But one thing he was not clueless about was the way to Sehun’s heart.

“Bubble tea it is.” Tao answered, pulling another drink from the floor. He knew how to get what he wanted.

***

“You are a silly little bunny, Kris.” Yixing fed another baby carrot to his pet rabbit, “You think just because we left the forest you need to be a mighty bunny.”

Yixing had noticed the change in his pet since they had made their way back to the city. Kris had become cold, less willing to cuddle, more willing to give that serious bunny stare that looked like he was trying to be a predator he was not.

Yixing rubbed behind Kris the bunny ears, causing the rabbit to stop nibbling on the carrot and lean into the caress.

“Did you have a bunny family back in the woods?” Yixing asked absentmindedly, wondering where this marvelous rabbit came from.

Of course the rabbit did not answer. Instead he enjoyed the caresses and went back to chewing on his favorite snack.

“I can be your family now.” Yixing smiled down at the little creature, “Hmmm?”

The rabbit didn’t answer with words, but he seemed to answer none the less. He hopped on Yixing and gave him a head of affection, then promptly went back to acting like a cold and distant animal. Yixing laughed, how could such a tiny little thing be so concerned with his own persona?

***

“You only like me because you hate me.” Chanyeol threw the video game controller, well threw it lightly, against the plush carpeting.

“Maybe.” Baekhyun answered, “But you like me because you like me.” He made a cute face.

Chanyeol groaned. Why? Why, if he was going to find a mate, was it this hybrid that could go from cute to vindictive back to cute in a few seconds?

“Come here.” Chanyeol leaned back on the couch that made up the sitting area of their hotel room (alongside two plush chairs), beckoning the little aeygo filled Satan to sit on his lap.

Baekhyun easily complied, plopping down and throwing his arms around his mate. It had been a rather easy choice when all was said and done – to pick Chanyeol. They were friends, they were rivals, they hated each other at times, and damn was the good.

“You know you love me” Baekhyun smiled cutely. He knew this was Chanyeol’s Achilles’ heel.

“Get in bed.” Chanyeol ordered, basically pushing his mate off of him. There was fire in his eyes.

***

“If you really think that Dragonball can bea-“

“I don’t think, I know.” Suho answered smugly. Jongdae was next to him, they were both lazing about in their room catching up on animes. This was his happy time, sharing his hobby with the man he loved.

“Hyung, you have such bad taste.” Jongdae rolled his eyes, throwing a few kernels of popcorn at Suho.

“Do I?” Suho considered the words, eating the popcorn that landed on him.

“Why are you so serious?” Jongdae laughed, throwing a few more pieces of popcorn at his mate.

“Why are you always so ready to troll me?” Suho asked, again eating the food that hit him.

“It is too easy.” Jongdae smiled, going back to watching the anime that was flashing across the screen.

“Do you think they are making progress?” Suho asked quietly, reaching out to put an arm around his mate’s shoulders, pulling him close in the process.

“Yeah, Luhan and Minseok know how to get things done if anyone does.” Jongdae was sure of it. He had known Luhan forever, and Minseok…well he was a force to be reckoned with.

“I hope you are right.” Suho commented, taking another mouthful of popcorn. If there was something he had missed while living out in the forest for the past week it was the food. There was not a whole lot of junk food to be found in the middle of the woods.

***

Sung Woo had not left his wife’s side since they had arrived at the Eastern Dawn Hotel. So Ra could attest to that – she had watched them like a hawk. She couldn’t trust either of them at this point, and was not about to let Sung Woo drag the packs into a situation they could not get out of.

The fact he seemed so attentive to his wife, to Misneok’s Mother, gave him major points with the elder of the Eastern Dawn Pack.

When Doctor Yang showed up to treat the woman Sung Woo stayed close, a concerned look on his face. He asked a lot of questions, he tried to comfort her even when she shoved him away. So Ra dared to think that perhaps, just perhaps, Sung Woo had one motivation in life – and that was to see his mate well again.

“She is still in shock, and I am not sure that she will fully recover from the abuse.” Yang had explained to Sung Woo and So Ra, “Give her this,” He held out a strong anti-anxiety mediation, “and make sure she eats. Don’t press her to talk about anything, let it come with time.”

So Ra took the medicine, “Thank you Doctor.”

“Call me if you need anything, anything at all.” Doctor Yang said before he left, looking a tad bit concerned for the woman who was little more than a scared animal.

“Sung Woo, we need to talk.” So Ra had stopped Minseok’s Father from returning to his wife’s side.

He agreed, because he knew it had to happen. If he was going to gain their trust he had to get over the wall that was So Ra.

After some tea the two old acquaintances began their conversation.

“I want to trust you, but I don’t” So Ra was always honest, she had to be.

“You shouldn’t. Not until I give you reason to.” Sung Woo answered, holding his tea cup and staring into the empty glass.

“If you hurt any of them I will hunt you to the ends of this earth.” So Ra angry, was, once again, a very scary sight.

“And you should.” Sung Woo took a deep breath, “So Ra, I have done wrong. A lot of wrong. But I need to do right – for my mate, for my son.”

“I hope that is true” So Ra stared Sung Woo down, “Because if it is not you will need a lot of help to get past me.”

Sung Woo nodded in silence, knowing the Eastern Dawn elder meant every word she spoke.

***

Minseok stared at the door with apprehension. He had tried to converse with his Mother more than a few time since she had appeared back in his life, and none of it had mattered. To him, maybe, but she was a rambling mess. She did not know him, she did not know anyone anymore it seemed.

He opened the door, shutting it quickly behind him lest she make a run for it. It was just the two of them. Minseok and his Mother.

“Mom.” Minseok whispered, nearing the woman who was huddled in the corner of the room, “I think it will be over soon.”

The woman remained silent, unmoving.

“I am Minseok, your son. Do you remember?” He tried yet again to gain her attention, to jog her memory.

She didn’t answer. Minseok sat on the floor, cross legged, and stared at her for many minutes. She didn’t move, he didn’t speak. Then finally she seemed to return to the present day, at least for a moment.

“I had a pup once.” She whispered, “But he died.”

Minseok wasn’t sure what to say, wasn’t sure how to tell her he was that pup. She probably wouldn’t believe it anyway, so he just played on his own instinct.

“I am going to have pups of my own.” He said quietly.

“Pups?” She looked at him, wide eyed, interested.

“Two of them. I hope that you will get to see them, hug them.” Minseok had tears in his eyes is he spoke the words.

“What happened to my pup?” She asked, quickly becoming hysterical as she grasped at Minseok, pleading with him to bring her the pup she lost. Sung Woo and Luhan rushed into the room, having been loitering near the doorway in case of the situation that had just happened.

“Shhhh.” Sung Woo pulled his mate from their son, holding her close, “Shhhh.” He patted her head as she struggled hysterically.

“Come on.” Luhan helped Minseok to stand, “Give her time.”

Minseok was crying, his heart breaking in two. If he needed more resolve, more reason to destroy Ahn and the government that did horrible things to the hybrids, this was it. His Mother, lost in her own mind, dead inside after years of torture.

Minseok let Luhan lead him out of the room, the tears still flowing.

***

Shocking evidence has surfaced concerning the government’s role in the recent hybrid attacks.

Sung Woo [hybrid]: I cooperated because I thought I had no choice

We have several sources that report Assemblyman Ahn was behind the recent hybrid attacks, inciting the violence in order to campaign with a strong anti-hybrid platform.

Assemblyman Onew: I was shocked to hear of it, but I was not surprised. There have been a lot of rumors of Ahn’s involvement in shady dealings, especially surrounding his desire to paint hybrids in a negative and dangerous light.

Proof of the government’s involvement in hybrid experimentations has become overwhelming

*Satellite images flash on the screen, showing the location of hybrid experimentation labs. Images from inside the labs, of hybrids being tortured play on the screen in bursts *

Minseok [hybrid]: I was in a lab for a few years when I was younger. They rounded us up, brought us to the laboratories and did little more than torture us. I was injected multiple times with some unknown chemical.

So how can they be trusted?

Professor Jung [Seoul University Professor]: After the overwhelming evidence, it is difficult to not identify the government’s role in this atrocity.

Luhan, a hybrid, has given millions in aid to several human charities over the years, benefiting from the past- a past that saw his hybrid family cooperating with humans for the betterment of both species. He has hidden in plain sight, too afraid to reveal his true nature in fear of persecution. Too afraid to be anyone but that anonymous donor, helping humans and hybrids alike.

Luhan [hybrid]: We are not a threat, but the government thinks we are, in fact Ahn threatened me in the past.

*Evidence of Ahn’s threats are displayed through several documents, directed at Luhan as well as other hybrids*

Sung Woo [hybrid] *shows several scars that he claims are from the labs*: My wife was subjected to their experiments for over a decade. I *tears form in his eyes* I ….can’t begin to explain what it was like, to see your entire species wiped out.

When asked for a comment, Assemblyman Ahn was unavailable.

The evidence against Assemblyman Ahn and the government is solid, undeniable. It is no wonder Ahn has denied our requests for an interview.

Sung Woo [hybrid]: The lab outside of Busan was full of hybrids when I arrived there many years ago…they are all gone now.

As compassionate beings can we ignore this injustice? Can we ignore the injury paid to a species we have taken no time to understand – a species our government has chosen to eradicate instead of assimilate – how can these actions be seen as anything less than genocide?

Sung Woo [hybrid]: The recent attacks were incited by Ahn- I have proof.

What kind of proof could he have? How could this hybrid, attacked from all angles, fight so bravely for his own kind?

*Evidence of drugging, blackmail, initiation of violence, are played out*

What will you do? Stand by the side of a man who wants to win a vote or stand by those who have been injured, killed, ripped away from their family in the name of politics? What will you do? Stand by the government, who kills and tortures those who are different from themselves…or stand up for what is right? Stand up for a man whose wife was tortured, stand up for a man who has given so much to humans and hybrids alike, stand up for a species that was not a threat until it was politically advantageous? Are you in by the propaganda or ready for the truth?

 Minseok was crying, the tears would not stop flowing. It was happening. God it was finally happening.

***

Three months later

Minseok’s swollen belly was making it a tad bit difficult when it came to hurrying from classroom to classroom.  His speed had decreased and his discomfort had increased, apparently his offspring liked soccer as much as he did. Or they just liked kicking, because damn were they good at it.

“Settle down kids.” Minseok scolded his still growing pups as he made a beeline for his history class.

It had been a wild three months. Ahn had been arrested, the packs had moved back home. His Mom was still out of it, but he would rather have her out of it in this reality than in the past. At least now they were no longer hunted. At least now they could live their lives.

Of course it had become awkward to see his face, Sung Woo’s face, Luhan’s face as the poster children of the hybrid right’s movement. But awkward feelings were better than outright fear.

Minseok was so busy trying to settle down the pups and their kicking that he didn’t realize there was someone in front of him until it was too late.

A loud scream sounded as he collided hard with someone in front of him.

“Yah!”

Minseok would recognize that shrill shout anywhere. It was Sohee. As Minseok looked down he saw the daughter of the most hated politician in Korea lying flat on her back, her face painted in rage.

“Sorry.” Minseok offered the tart a hand, even if he would rather leave her be.

Sohee huffed, ignoring the offered hand, and helped herself up.

“I think I sprained my wrist” Sohee whined, rubbing her wrist with an over exaggerated expression of pain on her face.

“Are you okay?” Minseok asked, concerned, cursing himself for blurting out the words, because deep down he truly hated Sohee.

“Like you care.” Sohee spun on her heels (literally, they were Loubitans or something, perfect for spinning) and stalked off.

Minseok recovered quickly, regaining his drive to make it to class on time. He maneuvered past the cliques of students hanging out, loitering with nothing to do but recount the latest party they attended. He dodged a food cart, pushed haphazardly from the cafeteria, as he neared his intended destination. But the shock was too much.

“HYUNG!”

Minseok grabbed his abdomen in shock, hitting the tall and lanky form full force.

“Hyung?” Chanyeol looked down in concern as Minseok fell to the laminate floor, clutching his middle.

He had only meant to surprise Minseok with a late lunch – the mocha bread his pack leader so loved held up high in a brown paper bag. Maybe he was a little uncoordinated, causing Minseok to run right into him.

“Hyung...” Chanyeol spoke the word again, holding Minseok’s head up, “Are you okay?!”

“Call Doctor Yang.” Minseok gasped, “I think the pups are coming.”

Chanyeol, wide eyed, grabbed his phone. , oh . Luhan was going to kill him.

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a/n- So it seems like I needed this ten day break, because I have a whole lot figured out about this story. To give this plot justice we have two, maybe three more chapters left. I will fully admit that side stories will pop up now and then, because I need to see these two (Xiuhan) and their pups make this fictional universe a happy place. Taohun too, don’t worry, I am not leaving this universe. But I am going to have to close out this main plot because it is time. I hope I did it justice, and please tune into one shot fluff from this universe in the future! If I kept going with this story I think it would have fallen flat, and I don’t want to make this a horrible read.

Another thing that hit me in the last week and a half is how much I really need to go back and edit this beast, I don’t have a beta and I tend to publish after a self-edit, which misses a lot. Thanks for bearing with me through the typos and I promise that I will go back and make some corrections.

Thanks as always for subbing. Thank you especially for voting! I love you guys, I hope you know that (and someday I will get better at replying to comments).

Oh, and I am already brainstorming the next mega long fic, because dayum do I have fun writing chaptered fics. Here is hoping I bring another story worth reading forward…

Thanks for reading, and look forward to one or two more chapters of Love Unexpected!

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