“What do you like to do?”

It was a simple question that provoked a lot of thought. A few weeks had passed since Suho and Tao had been attacked and the general craziness had died down. Tao had finally stopped crying while Suho was on the mend. More importantly the Cloud Mountain Pack were now documented humans, thanks to Luhan.

Minseok and Luhan’s relationship had thawed little by little, but they were far from best friends. Minseok usually tried to avoid Luhan if he could help it- still unsure of what his scent and his words and actions did to him. Because they definitely did something.

Minseok and the rest of the pack had been adjusting day by day to their new reality. With identification papers they could get jobs, go to school, and even learn to drive. Sometimes Minseok thought accepting Luhan’s offers of human legitimacy made him a hypocrite, but his doubts were quelled as soon as he bore witness to a beaming Kyungsoo announce his new job as a baker (one of his hobbies) at the Angel Café. And then there was Chanyeol, who became a host at a nightclub (his dream job). And then there was his own situation – and Luhan’s loaded question. What did he like to do?

One night he made up his mind. He liked to learn. He had always liked to read, to gobble up any information he could get his hands on. And one thing he liked learning about more than anything was history. It was the foundation of decision making- what came before- and it fascinated him.

“It’s Minseok” He knocked on Luhan’s door, knowing the other man was still up. He had learned over the last month that Luhan slept about as much as he did.

Luhan opened the door “Come in”

Minseok had trouble moving for a moment. And that had absolutely nothing to do with the fact Luhan was leaning against the door, shirtless, wearing only navy blue pajama bottoms that hung a little too low for Minseok’s comfort. Happy trails indeed.

He managed to compose himself, avert his eyes from Luhan’s abdominal region, and sit down in one of the burnt orange chairs that made up the sitting room in Luhan’s chambers.

“You asked me what I want to do- I want to go to school.”

“That is great news!” Luhan clapped and smiled. Minseok had long ago noticed that when Luhan is happy his face contorts into something that is far from the staid, handsome image that is projected during his more serious times. Lately Minseok had begun finding that facial expression endearing, which was a very conscious problem that bugged him.

“I want to study history. If I can, I mean.”

“Of course! You can come with me tomorrow and enroll. The spring semester will start up in two weeks. According to any computer system worth referencing you were a stellar high school student. You will have zero problem attending university.”

“Really?! That is great” Minseok smiled that gummy, crooked smile. Luhan couldn’t help but stare. He liked that smile. Only Minseok could smile like that.

Minseok noticed Luhan’s eyes focusing on his lips. That is when the reality of the situation hit him- a half- Luhan and a seductive look and not to mention that scent that was invading his thoughts and-

“Good night!” Minseok abruptly stood and made a beeline for the door.

Luhan watched him go, smiling. It seemed like Minseok was starting to notice things. Things that Luhan had noticed himself over the last month. Like how much he wanted to see Minseok under him, how much he wanted to kiss his small mouth, how much he wanted to see what Minseok looked like shirtless, his name.

Keep it cool Luhan, he told himself, one step at a time. Patience wins the game.

***

The University was anything but the bustling place it turned into when the semester started. It was still winter break with most students having returned home for the vacation. Minseok had tried to look halfway decent for his visit to his future school (his first school ever to be exact). Tao had about taking so much time getting ready, while Suho had given him a cheesy thumbs up. Kyungsoo had asked him to find out about culinary arts classes while Chanyeol was still sleeping off a hangover he had picked up from last night’s festivities. And Minseok, well he had butterflies in his stomach as he approached the enrollment office with Luhan.

“Don’t worry” Luhan smiled at him, grabbing his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze, “You are just going to drop off your transcripts. Don’t sweat it.”

Minseok smiled back at him, until he caught himself. He yanked his hand away from Luhan’s and mumbled a thanks.

Thirty minutes later his transcripts and registration were things of the past and he was sitting in the Angel Café across from Luhan, sipping an Americano.

“Jongin-ah, we need more flour.”

Minseok could hear Kyungsoo ordering the younger about from the kitchen. Kyungsoo had seemed taken by the Eastern Dawn’s youngest alpha. The two were inseparable anymore, watching movies and baking and playing video games and generally being glued to each other at all times.

“When Kyungsoo goes into heat I think we are going to have some news.” Luhan muttered.

Minseok nodded, “I am guessing so.” He did not hate the idea of the sole omega of his pack mating with someone from Luhan’s pack. In the times before the purge a pack leader would have had been more protective of their omegas, but that was when hybrids were more numerous and pack laws dominated everything. After the purge it was less stringent, and it was all about survival of individual packs- not the social order of the species itself. Plus if Kyungsoo wanted to mate with Jongin Minseok would be the last one to tell him no, even if that meant his own pack was devoid of a hybrid to carry young.

“So, how did you guys all end up working here?” Minseok asked. He had never before questioned it, but he had noted the staff at the Angel Café seemed to consist of the Eastern Dawn pack only.

“I own it.” Luhan took another drink of his coffee.

“I should have known.” Minseok had tried to give up on understanding exactly how Luhan came by so much money or how much he owned, but it still floored him at times. “What else do you own?”

“Hmmm” Luhan seemed deep in thought, “Well, the house of course. The café. Oh, and then there is the university.”

“You own the university!”

Luhan laughed, “No! I was kidding. But there is a hotel.”

“Wait! You own a hotel and you had us move in with you?” Minseok couldn’t believe it. That tricky bastard.

“Yeah. I wanted you to live with me.” Luhan said, his gaze steady and heated.

Minseok averted his gaze. “Jerk.” He muttered.

“What did you call me?!”

“Nothing, Luhan.” Minseok drank the rest of his coffee with one gulp, “I need to run out and get Suho his medicine. Thanks for the coffee. See you later.”

Minseok waved to Kyungsoo and Jongin as he made a hasty exit. Luhan was doing something to him, something he was not so sure he liked. Minseok was not ready for feelings that made his insides feel the way they did around Luhan, not when he had a pack to lead.

***

“Jongdae?!” Suho was sitting up in his bed, reading a manga. His constant companion since his injuries, Jongdae, had excused himself to go to the bathroom. That was a half an hour ago. Suho was getting just a tad bit worried. Okay, a lot worried, hence calling out for his friend.

“Suho…you need to go away.” It was Jongdae. His voice was shaky, he sounded ill.

“What? Are you okay?!” Suho had been laying around for the last few weeks, recovering from the vicious fight with the mysterious hybrids. In that time Jongdae had been around, nursing him, cheering him on almost constantly. The two had become closer with each passing day. They shared their love of anime, their love of mocking people behind their backs, their love of variety shows, and their love of taking the high road when people got petty (even when they could be far pettier). And never once had Jongdae told him to go away. Hell- he was in the bathroom adjoining Suho’s bedroom! What right did he have to tell him to leave?!

“Are you okay?” Suho yelled. No response.

Suho got out of bed and knocked on the door. There was no response so he tried the handle. It was locked.

“Suho, please.” It was more of a whine. “Go..away”

“Are you okay? Do you have food poisoning or something?”

“Nooooooo…Suho, just go”

What was wrong with his friend’s voice? It was all low and husky and…..ohhhhhhhh. The smell hit him. It was so strong he wanted to shift immediately. It was sweet, seductive and he would do anything to have it. And he was not alone.

The door to Suho’s room burst open, a very hung-over Chanyeol standing in the doorway. Without another thought Suho launched himself at Chanyeol. Jongdae was his, and he would protect that with his entire being, injured or not.

***

Minseok arrived back at the house to find Chanyeol sitting on the front lawn, an ice pack on his face.

“What in the hell happened?” Minseok asked, surveying his injured pack member with visible concern.

“Jongdae is in heat.” So Ra answered for Chanyeol as she stepped out of the front door, wrapping her cashmere shawl tightly around her shoulders.

Minseok’s mouth made a perfect O. Of course he had seen this before-Kyungsoo was an omega after all. And when that happened the rest of the pack went a little crazy- okay a lot crazy. But Minseok had yet to go through any change, so it had never affected him - or Tao (who had yet to confirm his status), giving them the unique role of keeping the alphas away from the omega. It required a lot of force, a stun gun, and lots of deadbolts. Minseok prided himself in how well he had protected Kyungsoo (who had often voiced his desire to NOT mate with anyone in his pack) during the two times that had happened. But now, now was different. Jongdae was not in his pack.

“Suho is with him, we should let them be.” So Ra sat down next to Chanyeol, rubbing his back to comfort him.

“What does your pack usually do at times like this?” Minseok asked.

“We stay at the hotel.” So Ra replied.

Of course the Eastern Dawn pack didn’t need stun guns and punches and deadbolts- they had a freaking hotel.

“I already called Luhan about it. We should let the others know and then leave ourselves.” So Ra stated.

Minseok nodded.

After calling the rest of the hybrids So Ra took Minseok aside.

“You may not know, but if you do I am not telling you to insult your intelligence. When one member of the pack goes into heat, the others are not long to follow.”

Minseok had not actually known this. He had been too young when he lived with the Cloud Mountain pack – at least in all of its glory when it consisted of several alphas and omegas- to notice the pack’s ual goings on. In the lab nothing was explained when it came to wolf behavior and after the lab he was with juveniles and then only one omega emerged among them.

“What do we do?” He asked her honestly, not sure.

So Ra had a strong desire to pinch the honest expression, the chubby cheeks that looked at her so earnestly. But that would be out of line. As an elder she had more sense than that. Instead she gracefully answered the wolf’s question:

“The president’s suite at the hotel is equipped for this. But basically we let nature take its course.”

“What do you mean by letting nature take its course?” Minseok was not sure this was a good thing, at least not without an explanation.

“Minseok-ah, wolves mate. The suite is equipped to hold the omegas in isolation, but I am not one to stop them if they want an alpha and that alpha is willing. It is their choice.”

“Won’t all of the alphas fight?”

“In a group this size you would be surprised.” So Ra said, leaving Minseok with those words to ponder.

And ponder he did. What bothered him more than anything was a thought that crept up on him- what if Luhan went after one of the omegas? What if Luhan mated? He felt a pain in his chest at the thought, causing even more inner turmoil. Why did it matter if Luhan mated? It wasn’t like he liked him or anything.

Minseok sighed heavily. Time to go check out the hotel.