YOUNGMIN’S POV

    I woke slowly, registering a solid warmth at my back and draped across my legs. Opening my eyes, I found Tabi curled up behind me with an arm gently over my waist. Daesung was still asleep with his head on my thigh, his arm curled around my calves, my head resting on Seungri’s rising and falling stomach. I took a quiet moment to savor the comfort and heat of the boys wrapped around me, the safety that came from hearing the rasping snores of their breathing.

    I slowly disentangled myself, the movement made difficult by all of them sleepily tightening their hold on me before waking enough to let me go. I patted Seungri back to sleep and watched Tabi curve down to replace me with Daesung, beginning to snore again.

    I crept to the bathroom and took a quick shower, checking the time sleepily. It was almost 8 in the morning, and Tao came in as soon as I was dressed to wash his face. He looked tired and there were circles under his eyes, but he smiled when he saw me and ran a gentle hand through my wet hair. 

    “Morning.” Tao murmured, his voice roughened by sleep. I smiled and patted his shoulder, turning to exit the bathroom and almost running into Kris. He caught my shoulders and steadied me with a soft smile, kissing my forehead and stepping back to let me pass.

    I had put a clean pair of sweatpants and a sports bra on to stay comfortable, and found Yixing on the couch sleepily chugging coffee. Luhan appeared to be fully awake, his left eye twitching behind his glasses as he continued staring at his laptop and smashing on the keys. 

    “Did you sleep at all?” I asked him, sitting down and leaning into his side. He slouched back into me gratefully and shook his head, his lips.

    “How’re Iri and Ravi?” Luhan asked, prompting me to look around in confusion. I shrugged, realizing Taeyang and Jiyong must have put Iri in Ravi’s room so they could both recover. 

    “I should go check.” I said, standing even as my hands worked my hair into a plait down my back. Chen came walking in from the other suite, followed by Xiumin. 

    “Alec is much better, and Magnus wanted us to tell you he’s sleeping now but he’ll be hungry when he wakes up.” Chen said. I nodded, almost turning and walking into Luc when he offered me a cup of coffee.

    “How’s Iri?” I asked, eyeing the pale color of his face and frowning. Luc nodded in a reassuring way and then flopped down next to Luhan, sighing.

    I walked towards Ravi’s room, shaking my head with a frown. We were all exhausted; why had we come here in the first place? We have no reason to do anything other than get Ravi stable and go home; what’s the point of staying behind to fight?

    I shook my head to clear it of thoughts and knocked on Ravi’s door, waiting a beat before pushing my way through. Ravi was still lashed onto the bed but was sleeping fitfully, twitching every few minutes. Jay was slumped over in a chair next to him, chin propped on one palm, and he swiveled around to look at me slowly. 

    Leo was sprawled out on the floor, his hair tangled and his shirt the same one he had been wearing for the past few days. I sighed and carefully slid a pillow under his head, looking at the miserable downturn of his mouth and his puffy eyes. He hadn’t slept since Ravi came back wild, always tending and staying by his little brother, and I was certain he hadn’t taken time to eat or shower.

    “How is he?” I whispered to Jay, nodding to Ravi. Jay straightened a little, sighing and crossing tattooed arms over his chest.

    “Not the worst I’ve seen, but not the best. He’ll get his memory back slowly, but we have to be careful with him. He’s just a kid.” Jay murmured softly, smoothing one gentle hand over Ravi’s creased brow, relaxing the furrowed skin. 

    “And Iri?” I asked, turning away from Ravi with a lump in my throat. Iri was asleep in a makeshift bed on the floor, looking fully healed.

    “He’s fine, don’t worry.” Jay reassured, standing up slowly and stretching. “I’m going to go get some food and get Leo to eat something.”

    “I’ll stay with them.” I said, taking Jay’s place and watching him slowly shake Leo awake and pull him to his feet.

    Before passing through the doorway, Jay caught my eye and looked at me sternly.

    “If anything happens or he wakes up, get one of the pack. He’s unpredictable; we don’t want anyone to get hurt.” Jay warned. I nodded and he held the door for Leo, who nodded to me exhaustedly and walked away with the same dull eyes he had been wearing for days.

    I relaxed into the chair, reaching out tentatively for Ravi’s hand and lacing our fingers together. His claws were slightly exposed, his nails tapering to curved points, but they rested against my skin with cool weight. 

    His eyes slid open slowly and he blinked up at the ceiling, looking over at me and startling a little. I smiled at him softly and I felt his hand squeeze mine ever so slightly, his eyes softening and his lips curving imperceptibly in a ghost of the smile he had displayed when we first met. 

    “How do you feel, Ravi?” I asked, hopeful for the first time I’d seen him. He swallowed with difficulty and I stood, filling a glass with water and tipping his head up. He drank quickly, too thirsty to waste time checking for sedatives, and kept his eyes on me while his throat worked rapidly.

    “More?” I asked, but he shook his head, easing back down. I eyes his chapped lips and slipped a hand into my pocket, pulling out a thin tube. 

    He flinched when I raised the lip balm but I rested a gentle hand on his shoulder and he stilled. I brushed the lip balm carefully over his mouth, painting the dried skin and capping the tube quickly. 

    “I feel odd.” Ravi answered finally, his familiar voice washing over me, the voice I craved.

    “Hungry?” I asked. He nodded slightly and I stood, walking to the door. Xiumin came when I called him and I told him I needed food for Ravi, also asking him to bring one of the pack to the room.

    Tabi walked in a few moments later, smiling at Ravi and bending down to brush cheeks with the younger wolf. 

    “Do you feel in control?” Tabi asked, prompting a nod from Ravi. Tabi considered him for a moment and then nodded in return, reaching out to loosen the bonds from Ravi’s arms.

    “Are you letting him free?” I asked, confused as Tabi cleared away the bedside table and looked thoughtfully at Iri.

    “He needs to stretch and wash. Please tell Jay and Taeyang to come, okay?” Tabi said, working on the ties by Ravi’s legs. 

    “Okay.” I said, hurrying to find the others. They both came quickly, Taeyang picking up Iri and moving him to the couch while Jay helped undo the ties across Ravi’s chest.

    “Youngmin, stay by the door. Be ready to leave and close it behind you.” Tabi warned. I nodded, watching with wide eyes as Tabi gave Ravi an encouraging smile and held out a hand.

    Ravi slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed, grimacing as he moved stiff muscles and stretched his back. He took Tabi’s hand and pushed off the bed with the other, slowly getting to his feet. He took a hesitant step and his legs buckled, his weight support by Tabi‘s sudden arm around his waist. 

    Ravi eased himself back onto the bed and huffed out a small breath, looking up at me for my reaction. I smiled at him proudly and he blushed, looking down at his hands and reaching to massage his knee.

    “Very good. Your food’s coming soon; let’s go wash up first.” Tabi said, gently helping him up and nodding to Jay.

    Jay leaned against his other side, propping him up steadily, and Ravi paused when they walked by me. Jay and Tabi obediently halted, waiting to see what Ravi would do.

    He raised his hand slowly, keeping his eyes locked on mine as his fingers carefully uncurled and along my cheek. My entire body went still except for my heart hammering in my ears, and I could hear his own heart beating back through his fingers on my jaw. It was a struggle to draw in a breath with the weight of his stare paralyzing me, and he tilted his head to the side.

    I could feel him leaning in towards me and my heart leapt at the anticipation of a kiss - finally - but his eyes flickered at the last second and he jerked himself back. Ravi blinked quickly and cursed softly under his breath, apologizing to me after a moment and letting Jay guide him away sympathetically. 

    Tabi stayed behind a few minutes, looking at me the same way Jay had looked at Ravi, and shook his head sadly.

    “He’s so close, but he’s not ready yet.” Tabi said quietly. I nodded, sighing softly and tracing my own fingers over the path Ravi’s had taken on my skin.

    Soon.

RAVI’S POV

    I leaned into the reassurance of Jay next to me, his comfortingly familiar scent and weight keeping me calm even as frustration teased at the edges of my mind. I had felt it, the connection, the love that I was supposed to have for her, but I wasn’t able to keep control of myself with her. She was so gentle and kind, I couldn’t bear the thought of slipping up and hurting her. It was agony. 

    “Here, let’s shower quickly and we can get some food.” Jay said, leading me into a bathroom and twisting the controls. My memory of basic household appliances was coming back, but I was having trouble with people and names; I only knew the pack, and their names were still fuzzy.

    It felt good to peel off my dirty clothes, freeing my skin and feeling air wash over it for the first time in what felt like forever. I stepped under the spray of water carefully and let it pound into my shoulders, feeling the slight stinging burn as it traveled against newly healed skin. My legs were holding up well but I doubted I could walk comfortably yet, glad Jay was hovering to help if I needed it. 

    My bare feet splashed through the water, making soft noises as I swept my toes in lazy circles to feel the warmth between them. I looked around, recognizing several colorful bottles sitting on the shelf next to me and picking up what looked like shampoo, frowning as the letters printed on the label blurred. When they finally swam into focus they were gibberish, useless scribbles and dashes I had no comprehension of.

    I squinted and brought the bottle so close it barely brushed my nose, turning it different ways. The scribbles were still blurry and useless, fading into hazy dots and warping before my eyes. 

    The