Mika is doing better, but he still sobs on the phone when Changmin and Hyunchul talk to him, it leaves an uneasy feeling on Changmin.

"He is okay, it's just that you've spoiled him rotten and now he is like this." Hyunchul huffs.

"You sound jealous of your puppy..." he hugs his soon to be mate and kisses his temple. "You are both my little puppies." They hug tighter and Changmin scent marks him. He smells so good. The heir can't wait and everything is going to happen in five hours from now. Can't the time pass by faster?

-----------------------

For some reason, Yifan and Joonmyeon are not in a hurry, they are taking a bath in their hotel room's bathtub and they are enjoying it a lot. Last night was great; the was great but the love was even better.

Yifan takes Joonmyeon's small hand, the left one, takes it to his lips and kisses the ring.

"I never thought I would end up marrying you." He thinks out loud. "Life is so strange... you were always by my side..." Joonmyeon cuddles against his chest.

"I never imagined I would marry at all..." the water is so warm. "I'm glad it was you." He turns to the side and kisses his alfa's chest. "What do you think hyung is feeling right now?"

"I'm pretty sure he can't wait anymore."

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The site of the mating celebration is pretty much the same as back in the community, except, it's bigger and with thousands of people. Because of all the things that they went through, Yifan and his brothers are invited to stay in the same small hill as Changmin and his family.

Joonmyeon is wearing some fancy robe, they actually have to be but he is not comfortable with that, so he brought his robe. His brother, in-laws and Yifan are in fact, . They only have ritual paintings in their bodies, something to show the physical power of the alfas and the beauty of their mates, Joonmyeon figures that the scars on his back don't represent any of that. To be honest, he is kind of nervous and insecure and to be even more honest, he doesn't need to see Fei and flawless here.

Of course, he knew Alfa Mi and Fei would be here but they hadn't crossed paths yet or maybe, now that he thinks about it, Yifan went out of his way for them to not meet. But there's nothing he can do now, they are in the same place at the same time, all three of them. The heat is getting to him, this whole situation... just .

"What's up?" Yifan asks Joonmyeon as they try to locate their place. Yifan has a hard grip on Joonmyeon's hand because of all the alfas and betas sniffing all around Joonmyeon and he is on the edge.

"Nothing, there are just many looks... I guess."

"Don't worry we will get there soon. If you want, I can carry you there."

"What are you saying... that's embarrassing." Yifan lets go of the hand and circles one arm around his mate's shoulders.

"You are my little prince after all." He gets distracted for a fracture of a second on Joonmyeon's eyes and that's when they bump into somebody. His first response is to grunt out loud.

"Whoa... easy there..." the man laughs. "Little Yifan is now a grown man." He hugs him.

"Mi ge! How are you?"

"Hi! Hello there, Joonmyeon." He looks so happy it's kind of awkward. 

"Hello..." a soft feminine voice enters the picture. She comes from behind Alfa Mi, holding his hand. Her hair is the only cover of her chest along with a long necklace and a loincloth covering her parts. So Joonmyeon feels kind of intimidated even under all of this make up. Yifan feels... well, he is not blind to such a beautiful omega. Joonmyeon seems to feel his mate's emotions and tries to leave his grasp. Yifan feels the tug in his arm, of Joonmyeon trying to leave, to continue walking, he wants to move but he can't because a deep pain runs through his entire being, it's so strong that he can't even hear anything that other people are telling him, it's like distant voices to him now. He does hear himself though, yes, he growls and he feels that pain in his hands, how his claws are growing, breaking the skin of his fingers. It's been so long since he's felt his transformation this literally. His fangs are growing, he knows because he can see saliva drops on the dirt, he sees in a blur how his arms are getting hairy and then there he is; a big brown wolf is about to lose control in the middle of a crowd of heated alfas. He doesn't understand anything, he feels his human screaming, trapped inside. He then sees Joonmyeon's terrified eyes and he feels himself going towards him, people still yelling at him, some even growling back.

"Alfa... please, Alfa..." Joonmyeon tells him in a gasping whisper, he is doing everything to make him calm, however, that's hard because he is suffering the heightening symptoms of the heat. Then, he feels someone pulling his tail. He turns violently, almost jumps at the intruder. It's Yunho and Mi, two mature alfas, they are demanding submission, they are not even turned.

"Yifan... son... listen to me." He grunts and swirls on himself. "It's the bond... Yifan, it's the bond to your mate. It's the first time you are feeling it, it's rising up. Relax son, relax, try to go back to your human form. Relax, soon you are gonna unite with your mate and seal the bond, but now, you need to relax." He barks at him with his snout up. "Breathe..." Yunho commands and Yifan can feel his power pulling him back to reality. He wants to relax, he wants to go back to normal, he doesn't want to ruin Changmin's day.

"Alfa..." he hears his mate's broken voice. "Hyung please..." Yifan walks to him and can smell the fear on Joonmyeon. He starts to feel weaker, he manages to the omega's hand. Joonmyeon kneels down and dares to hug the animal by the neck. "Come back to me Alfa, you are scaring me. Please..." the sweet scent of his mate in heat is helping him relax, more and more, until he feels numb. After that, everything goes black.

----------------------

He feels a hand combing his hair and soft lips kissing his temple.

"You are okay, baby... wake up, we are okay." Yifan opens his eyes to see his mate's beautiful face. It feels like it's the first time he's seeing him, he looks like an angel, like some kind of being that's not from this world. The alfa keeps looking at his mate as if studying him, as if it was the most amazing being he's seen. "Do you like me this much?" Joonmyeon asks while touching his cheek. He smells awsome. Yifan realizes that his head is on Joonmyeon's lap and that they are back in their hotel room. He turns his head to bury his nose on his mate's belly; his , soft belly. Yes, he is still only wearing a robe.

"I'm sorry." He says and notices how dry his throat was. Joonmyeon lets go of him and gets him a glass of water. As soon as he drinks the water, he goes back to hold Joonmyeon and sniff him all over. "Such a cute puppy." His mate lets him be. 

"I love you... I felt your hand letting go of mine and I lost it... I don't know what happened. Don't... don't leave me..." he says as he starts to undress his mate. "I almost died my love. I will die without you." He keeps on Joonmyeon's neck; so good, so delicious.

"You are cheesy, Alfa." Joonmyeon helps his mate to undress him as well. The desperation of the heat is there.

--------------------------------

After they mate for several hours, until Joonmyeon's heat calms down, both of them can hear the noises from the street while wrapped in the comfortable silence of each other's embrace.

"Now you are forever bound to me." Joonmyeon says and feels his mate's head nod from its place on his stomach.

Yifan carreses his mate's thighs and kisses the bone of the hip.

"And you to me." He lifts his head to kiss his mate on the mouth. Body stretched, tongue eager. The omega smiles into the kiss.

Yifan is tired and he falls asleep over his mate.

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Joonmyeon looks around, looks at their reflection on the mirror in the dressing corner, he remembers when he only could dream about this. He remembers watching mated pairs from afar playing with their pups and envying them, waiting eagerly to see his brother's children, waiting eagerly for the next doctor's appointment to feel Yixing's full attention on him.

Now, here he is; fully mated, feeling the breathing of his mate on his stomach, feeling his weight on him, sensing his scent. His mind flies back to his baby who is waiting at home for his return and he can't help the smile that leaves his lips. Maybe after this, there will be another pup, maybe next year, but he is sure there will be more.

It was sad but he was prepared for the worst. That day before the mating celebration in which Yifan chose him, he told himself in front of the mirror: "This is your last time. This is the last try. After this, if this doesn't happen, you will be contented with your teaching job, you will continue to love your brother's children and continue to help Suho with them and you will be happy with that. You won't fantazise about the doctor or anybody else. Do you understand? After today, if this doesn't go your way, you won't wait anymore."

But Yifan changed his life, because even if Yifan's face has always been perfect and he was already the leader of his community and he had it all, his heart was broken and that's why he understood Joonmyeon and understood what it was to not feel loved even when there were tons of people loving him.

Yifan moves a little and Joonmyeon takes the opportunity to cuddle some more. Even in his sleep, Yifan holds him tighter. 

He feels loved now and he figures that even if the start wasn't perfect, this is so much more than what he has ever dreamed of. 

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Thank you for your interest and love for this story and characters.