Emma remained close to Hyunseong and Minwoo as they left the den. She squinted at scarlet brightness of the sunset, frowning as she wondered why on earth they would leave the building while the witch was still on the loose and quite possibly aware that the wolves had not yet died as she had planned.

“Noona,” Minwoo took her hand in his, “don’t just stand there. Let’s hurry or we’ll be left behind.”

He pulled her along with an encouraging smile. His frame may have been slender, but the strength in which he held her hand betrayed his masculinity, his prowess. She smiled, her heart swelling with affection for the youngest member of the pack.

Hyunseong walked beside her, his hands in his pockets. He held his head high, his shoulders thrown back with confidence. The smile on his lips a familiar one; his eyes glimmering with his ever present shyness.

The entire group moved together casually, their footsteps light, carefree. Emma wondered why they were out on the streets when there was a witch to hunt. She would not have tagged along with the boys had it not been for Hyunseong’s soft, timid smile as he asked her to join them for dinner, otherwise she would have packed up her bags and chased after the disgusting wench.

As they exited the secluded allies and merged into the busy early evening streets, Emma noticed the further relaxation that settled on the young wolves’ anatomy. Only Donghyun showed any sign of discomfort as he placed his left hand to his right side. She wanted to go up to him, tell him that he shouldn’t act so carefree after what had happened, how they’d nearly all died. She wanted to throw a temper tantrum that would be so embarrassing they would all have to turn around and go home.

Hyunseong sensed her unease, noticed the downward tilt in the corner of her lips, a dead giveaway to her displeasure whenever she pursed them. Familiarly, but not without a slight nervous thump of his heart, he slipped his hand into hers, twining their fingers together, smiling cutely.

“Noona.”

“Mm?” Emma turned her head in his direction.

“I’m hungry.” His eyes sparkled, his lips in a cute pout.

The burst of natural aegyo left Emma speechless, disarming her. Minwoo flinched, frowning in disgust at his hyung. A soft tinge of embarrassment colored Hyunseong’s cheeks. It was all too much for Emma. She gave up to the flow and pull of the pack’s actions.

Unexpectedly, they stopped briefly before a nice, clean pharmacy. Donghyun glanced at it indecisively before leading them away. Emma wondered why he had stopped to stare at the shop. Minwoo’s lips twitched with an amused smile that he quickly smothered so as to not arise Hyunseong’s suspicions,

Many eyes followed the fashionably dressed boys. Some individuals faltered in their steps as they noticed the group moving casually through the streets. Emma felt uncomfortable under the many eyes. She nibbled on her lower lip, seeking shelter by focusing her gaze on the back of Donghyun’s head.

His blonde hair glimmered with hues of red, yellow, and orange as it reflected the rays of the powerful sunset. His black earring swayed in a hypnotizing slightly as he walked. She focused on the different strands of his hair so perfectly styled; Emma was sure that they were softer than silk. Soon, Emma was wondering what the color of Donghyun’s pelt was. Was it black, the usual shade for members of Clan Vyr? Maybe it was a shade of chestnut, soft and kind. His eyes shifted from sapphire to brown and ice-blue, so maybe his pelt was gray. His skin gleamed white, could his pelt also glow marble pale as his human form?

Wondering about his pelt made her wonder about the size of his shifted form. She’d never seen a Vyr clan member’s wolf form. Aside from Hyunseong, she had not seen any other werewolves’ in their animal anatomy. Hyunseong towered over her as a man, as a wolf, his body reached her shoulders. But Hyunseong wasn’t a Halfling; he had been Turned centuries back under special circumstances. How did that affect his size as a wolf? Also, Donghyun was an Ancient, with his age and power, just how massive would his lupine form be?

Minwoo watched the newcomer’s focus on their leader, his eyes lighting up in steady, complete understanding. If they weren’t busy with a witch, he would’ve sat back and enjoyed the unraveling of their tale. Unfortunately, he could would only be able to glance at it from time to time.

*

They sat around a long wooden table that had come to existence by pushing two smaller ones together. Emma sat between Hyunseong and Minwoo, across from an unsmiling Donghyun.

“Noonim,” Kwangmin beamed, “are you hyunry? We didn’t get to eat much today.” He placed his hands on his stomach. “I’m starving!”

Emma smiled a tiny smile at the boy, looking around the place, slightly confused by what she saw. Some tables had grills built into their centers with large vents hanging above them. Groups of young girls gathered to eat, some chattering incessantly, others eating continuously. Young men and women shared tables, food, drink, gossip. The normalcy of the place seemed strange to her. The modern world was foreign, to foreign.

“Noona,” Hyunseong smiled, “is this your first time eating in a place like this?”

The young woman turned around, eyes wide, filled with wonder. “Eh? Y-yes.”