Namjoon and Seokjin adjusted to having Jimin as a permanent in their life very easily, Seokjin a natural caregiver and Namjoon helpless to the omega's whims. They stayed at the campsite for a while, Hoseok and Taehyung overjoyed with Jimin's recovery. A few months after they first met, Hoseok and Taehyung said they needed to move on, Taehyung couldn't stay in one place for too long. He became restless and Hoseok said he was dangerous when restless.

But Hoseok left them a key, and an address scribbled on a piece of paper.

“There's a pack of wolves moving this way from the mountains.” He said, pressing the key into Namjoon's hand. “We warned them off, but I don't think they'll stay away forever. They're looking for you two.”

“They could have killed you, why did you approach them?” Namjoon asked, trying, and failing, to hide the worry in his tone. Hoseok gave him a mysterious look, patting the alpha's arm.

“Namjoon I've been around long enough to know what and what cannot kill me.” Hoseok said, his voice edged with a sadness that the wolf couldn't comprehend. Namjoon learned a lot about Hoseok in the past few months. He learned the vampire didn't eat, he and Taehyung would disappear for a few hours, and when they came back, Taehyung looked a little pale while Hoseok seemed refreshed. Hoseok slept, but it wasn't really sleeping; it was just Hoseok curling up to Taehyung while the cat slept and closing his eyes. Namjoon couldn't scent Hoseok's feelings and moods like he could everyone else, and when asked, Hoseok said it was because he was dead.

Dead men don't have hormones.

But Namjoon was never concerned for Hoseok's moods, the vibrant man always displaying what he felt on his face clearly. When he was upset he was upset, when he was happy he was happy, when he was sad he was sad.

Namjoon liked how refreshing Hoseok was.

Taehyung was the opposite. He always hid his emotions under a barrier of mysterious playfulness, and when Namjoon tried to scent him all he got was cat. Taehyung loved Jimin though. He always played with him, shifting into his cat form and pouncing on the pup unawares in the grass, Jimin yipping in surprise but rolling and wrestling with the cat. They formed a bond that Namjoon didn't understand, but approved of. Taehyung loved Jimin, and Namjoon trusted that love, even if he didn't trust Taehyung.

Hoseok let his arm fall as Namjoon narrowed his eyes in confusion, before nodding.

“Still... You put yourself in danger.” Namjoon said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Not only by warning them off, but by helping us to begin with. If you were caught they could have done anything to you.”

Hoseok shook his head.

“You two aren't bad beings, you're not evil, or dangerous, or a threat to innocent people. You saved Jimin's life, even if you originally wanted to leave him to die-” Namjoon grunted an objection, but Hoseok continued on. “-but you saved him. I'd rather help you then just leave you.”

Namjoon took a breath in before looking down at the key and paper in his hand.

“You're one of us now, you know that right?” Namjoon said with a small smile, flicking his finger over the corner of the paper. “You're in our pack.”

Hoseok laughed, flinging his arms around Namjoon's shoulders and hugging him tightly. “Of course Namjoonie, of course.”

-=-

Min Yoongi was a lone wolf.

Min Yoongi was born in the city, the only pup his beta mother ever had. A tiny apartment in a giant apartment complex was what he knew, the world always concrete gray and gravel brown. He grew up on the wrong side of the fence, small fingers clutching at cold aluminum wire as other kids played in the park. He asked, more than once, why he couldn't be over there.

Mommy why can't I play on the slide?

Mommy I want to play on the swings with the other kids, please?

Mommy please?

His mother would shake her head, always tired, beige sweaters and faded hospital greens, sleepily pulling Yoongi's small hands away from the fence and on to home. She would take him to the park, when it was dark outside and no one else was there. He would play, climbing over the plastic structures as the sun dipped below the horizon and the yellow streetlights came on.

Yoongi's world was a wash of color. Nothing was bright, his mother only taking him outside at night time, when no one respectable was out and about. She said it was too dangerous, that Yoongi could accidentally shift and people would see, they would see in the bright sun that he had rich brown fur and black ears and they would take them away from her. Yoongi didn't want to be taken away from his mother, so he practiced. He practiced pushing down the want to change, to be the wolf.

When he was a wolf, the world was bright. Everything was clearer, everything smelled better, everything looked better, it was like taking the wool from his eyes and really seeing for the first time. Even at night, everything lit up, everything was a possibility. But he didn't want to be taken away from his mother, like she told him they would. He pushed it down, he stamped on the need to change until it was flat and buried. He accepted the wash of color.

But then the other wolves started showing up.

A new one every few months. His mother looking for a mate. When they first showed up, Yoongi was happy. He'd never seen other wolves before, and the first beta his mother started dating was nice. The beta helped him control his shifting enough so he could be enrolled in grade school, finally meeting and playing with other kids. But he was always mindful to hold himself back, not get too caught up in anything lest he lose control and shift. He couldn't lose all he'd gained in a moment of weakeness.

But that beta didn't stay for longer than six months, Yoongi coming home from school one day to find their little apartment destroyed, his mother at the bathroom sink cleaning her face. She waved off his concerns, telling him to start cleaning the apartment and she'd be out in a moment to help. Yoongi was confused, picking up pieces of dishes in the kitchen. He didn't know what happened. When he was older he realized what went down, that that's the moment when everything started.

An alpha, the second time a few months later moved in. He was nothing like the beta. He was brash, harsh and cruel, pushing Yoongi out of the way, out of the apartment entirely when he wanted to. Nine year old Yoongi confused and crying on the doorstep until another single mother across the hall invited him in to her apartment, feeding him soup and bread until he calmed down. He made friends with her daughter, and found that he was there a lot more over the next few months. One day, his teacher received a call and pulled Yoongi from the classroom, telling him his mother was in the hospital. Yoongi wanted to laugh, of course she was in the hospital, she was nurse. But when he got there, instead of his mother standing at the nurse's station, she was lying in one of the beds with a broken arm and a bruised face.

Yoongi sat beside her bed for two days before she woke up, smiling soft and exhausted at Yoongi. She said he was gone, the alpha left and he wouldn't be coming back. But they had to move, just in case he did. That wasn't the last time they moved, or the last time Yoongi's mother was in a hospital bed thanks to an alpha.

When Yoongi was eighteen, he matured into a beta, just like his mother. It was one of the worst days of Yoongi's life. He matured, and the alpha his mother had been with for nine months wanted to claim Yoongi. His mother said no, pushing her son behind herself as the bigger alpha advanced on them both. Yoongi didn't want to be claimed by anyone, and he hated alphas the most. Dirty, stinking, huge wolves who demanded things and never gave anything in return. His mother pushed him behind her and blocked the alpha from touching Yoongi. But the alpha shifted and lunged at them both.

Yoongi's world, washed of color turned red.

The police showed up at their tiny apartment a few hours later, alerted by their neighbors across the hall. When the alpha ran, he didn't close the door. The police found Yoongi holding his mother's body, crying quietly onto her beige sweater and hospital greens.

They called it a wild animal attack, Yoongi knowing well enough by now not to say anything about what they were. The other nurses at the hospital gathered together to give his mother a modest send off, burying her in the city graveyard on a windy, gray afternoon. Yoongi lived in their tiny apartment alone, already graduated high school and working as a custodian fix it guy for the hospital his mother used to work at. His life continued in a blur, home, work, sleep.

-=-

Seokjin held a squirming Jimin beside him on the bus, the pup already grown in his human form into a preteen, happy and willful. Jimin excitedly looked out the window as the buildings passed outside, gradually getting bigger and bigger the deeper they went into the city. Namjoon and Seokjin stayed at the campsite another eight months, waiting out the winter in their canvas tent with a wood stove after Hoseok and Taehyung moved on. Namjoon wanted to wait until Jimin was matured enough to take care of himself, to control himself enough around normal humans before they moved on.

They couldn't go back to the mountains, they couldn't live in the wild at all anymore, it would just be a game of waiting when their packs would find them. Seokjin would never know peace and Namjoon didn't want that. Namjoon contacted Hoseok once the snow melted, a day after he saw an unfamiliar pack of wolves a few miles from their campsite on one of his daily runs. They found them, and Namjoon couldn't wait around to see what they would do. Namjoon stood beside them both, blocking their seats from the aisle with his body. He held onto a soft plastic handle with his nose buried in a guidebook they bought from the bus station.

They would never be found in the city. Too many smells, too many people, too many houses to get lost in and never be found again. Namjoon could already feel the stress leaving Seokjin's body as they blended in with everyone else. Neither Namjoon or Seokjin had ever been in a city before, the cold of the mountains and the wild the only home they've ever known. Jimin was still too young to remember, too young and sickly to remember anything about his birthplace. Namjoon couldn't pin down Jimin's real age, the runt too small to properly guess when they'd first seen him, and Seokjin's care helping him grow throwing off his real age by too much. It didn't matter really, only that Jimin knew enough to take care of himself when he wasn't with Seokjin or Namjoon. Jimin barked at a passing car, and Seokjin was quick to shush him, the boy dropping down into his seat and staring up at his adopted mother with big apologetic eyes.

Namjoon glanced around at the rest of the patrons on the bus, and none of them even gave Jimin's barking a second glance.

Hoseok was going to meet them at the house he'd already given Namjoon the keys and directions to, unaware that neither wolf knew how to live in the city. He said he would show them how, happily, and give them a head start. Seokjin watched the passing street signs pensively, counting down in his head until they reached similar numbers for their new address. Seokjin was nervous, that was a given, but the anonymity gave him a bit of peace, and Namjoon's presence by his side calmed any serious anxiety he had. Seokjin could withstand anything, after what they'd been through to get here in the first place.

“Ah, here, Namjoon.” Seokjin said as he reached out to pull the request for the next stop, Jimin bouncing up again and pressing his face to the bus window. Namjoon pulled his face out of the guide book and squinted at the nearest street sign as it passed, nodding down at Seokjin as the bus stopped. Namjoon picked up their bag, a single bag of clothing and some necessities because they decided to leave everything else at the cabin Hoseok and Taehyung lived in. They wouldn't need camping gear in the city. The clothes they had on now were simple, just things they had to cover their ness in human form. Namjoon realized they'd be spending a lot more time needing clothes now, and held back the bitterness at the thought. Seokjin took Namjoon's hand as they got off, feeling the alpha's sudden resentment. Namjoon squeezed Seokjin's hand back, before he let go to shove his hand in his pocket.

“Kitty!” Jimin squealed as he spotted Taehyung's orange cat form sitting on a concrete step nearby, throwing his arms up and running up to the feline sunning himself on the warm ground. Taehyung gracefully leaped into Jimin's arms, but everything graceful about him disappeared once Jimin hugged the cat to his chest, his little orange legs dangling as Jimin carried the cat back to Namjoon and Seokjin. Taehyung meowed at the wolves, purring as Jimin cuddled him.

“Taehyung, I guess we didn't get lost if you're here.” Seokjin said brightly, smiling at the cat in Jimin's arms. Taehyung meowed again, and Namjoon gently pried the cat from Jimin's embrace to set him on the concrete. Taehyung's tail waved lazily as he preened the fingerprints from his gleaming coat, Namjoon already walking off in another direction. "Ah, Namjoonie--" Seokjin said, gently grabbing his mate's arm and wheeling him around. "It's this way." 

"I knew that." Namjoon said, clearing his throat as he followed after Seokjin, Jimin gripping onto the alpha's hand as they started down the block. 

=-=

Yoongi's life continued on, once he reached maturity his human body stopped aging. Friends came and left, humans who wanted to be a part of Yoongi's personal space, partners who wanted to break the thick shell Yoongi surrounded himself in. He didn't let them though, he couldn't let anyone see him for what he really was. He steered clear of other wolves too; not that there were many in the city. He had one friend who didn't annoy him enough to get rid of, Seungbin was another custodian his age at the hospital, and he filled Yoongi's days with harmless chatter. He had lost track of days before he met Seungbin, now he knew what day it was by what esports team the young man talked about that day. 

"The Gamma Bears were good, but not world class good, you know what I mean?" He asked, sweeping up the small pile of dirt from a broken flower pot. Yoongi nodded absentmindedly, knowing it would make Seungbin continue on with his story. "The Copenhagen Wolves played last night--" So that meant it was Thursday-- "And they just wiped the floor with them. It was kind of sad really, I was looking forward to the different plays the Bears would bring, but instead they conformed to the regular plays and lost big time to the Wolves." 

Thursday, the second Thursday of the month. Yoongi glanced at the calender and saw that tomorrow was his birthday, and he was a little surprised it snuck up so soon. 

"But tomorrow the Wolves play LGD and I know LGD are going to win, they're the hottest team this year--" Seungbin was cut off in his rant as Yoongi stood straight up and looked at him, the younger boy blinking at Yoongi surprised. 

"Do you want to do something tomorrow?" Yoongi asked, gripping onto the handle of his own broom tightly. Seungbin blinked, and for a horrific second Yoongi thought he was going to get turned down. But Seungbin's baby face broke out in a grin, and he nodded. 

"Yeah hyung, as long as it's after four because I have to watch the LGD game. It's your birthday isn't it? One of the old nurses told me." Seungbin said, dropping the dirt into the trash can and digging out another potted plant from their cart. He stared down at the plant as he spoke. "We could go to the grocery store beside my house and get a cake, and we can watch bad action movies all day, since they're your favorite." 

Yoongi closed his mouth, surprised that Seungbin remembered his preference for movies. "Okay, I'll-- I'll meet you after four." 

"I just don't know what kind of cake you like, since we've never talked about cake." Seungbin put the plant on the window sill and picked up his broom again, sweeping out from the under the couches. "Well, I've never talked about cake with you grunting back at me." 

Yoongi grunted back at Seungbin, and half smiled at the laugh it brought. 

-=-

Hoseok took them through the house when they arrived, and Namjoon liked the feel of it right away. It was a condo, crushed in between four others that looked exactly like each other. Everything on the inside though, was dark wood and plush cushion, cream colored curtains and couches. Four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, full kitchen and fully furnished. It was a luxury that suited Seokjin. Hoseok explained he had several houses, condos and apartments, most of them empty or being rented out. Seokjin was mostly excited by the garden. Hoseok showed them the backyard, showed them the space that was meant to be a garden but he'd never gotten around to putting in the time to actually plant it, and Seokjin said he would. 

Hoseok took Seokjin out to the stores, showing him how to shop and take the bus while Taehyung took Namjoon to the registry offices, to get their ID's in order. Namjoon registered them all with Taehyung's last name, after Taehyung explained how much easier everything would be. He registered Jimin as his son, and was halfway into registering Seokjin as his wife before Taehyung stopped him and made him Namjoon's brother instead, explaining that humans were touchy about gender. Hoseok gave Seokjin a charge card and a bus pass, while Taehyung taught Namjoon how to drive. Jimin stayed home by himself the whole time, bounding around his new home in his wolf form and barking at people who passed by the garden in the back. Before long, they'd settled into their new house full of creature comforts and Hoseok was proud of how well they were adjusting to city life. 

Hoseok and Taehyung stayed for three months before Taehyung started getting antsy, and Namjoon could see the gleam in the feline's eyes every night before the cat shifted and stalked off into the night. One night, Hoseok stopped the cat after Taehyung was vibrating on a weird energy all day. 

"We have to go now. But we've taught you everything you need to know. Namjoon has job interviews tomorrow afternoon, I think you guys can manage by yourselves now." Hoseok said with a proud smile, cradling Taehyung in his arms as the cat's tail whipped back and forth agitated. Hoseok hugged all three of them before pulling his coat on on putting Taehyung on the floor by the door. "I'll see you in a while, call me if you need me." 

And then he was gone again, disappearing into the night with Taehyung on his heels. Namjoon couldn't ever convey the gratitude he felt to the not-man Hoseok, his weird pack starting off right. Namjoon stared out of the glass door long after Hoseok was gone, until Seokjin came up behind the alpha, winding his arms around Namjoon's waist and nosing at his neck. Namjoon covered Seokjin's hands with his own, turning his head slightly to catch the omega's gaze. 

"We were lucky, that night." Seokjin said softly, bumping his nose against Namjoon's and looking at the alpha with so much love it made his chest constrict. "And now we're here, where we belong." 

Namjoon leaned over slightly, capturing Seokjin's lips in a sweet kiss, slowly showing his love for his omega. The mood was broken when Jimin fell over on the floor giggling, peeking at the wolves through his fingers. "It's past your bedtime Jimin, come on." 

Jimin squealed as Namjoon picked up the boy by the back of his pants, easily carrying him to his bedroom on the first floor while the boy giggled upside down and held onto Namjoon's strong arm. Seokjin spoke up before they got too far. "Take Jimin with you tomorrow, he has to go to his classes in the morning and you can pick him up in the afternoon."

Namjoon nodded, before taking Jimin to his room to tuck him into bed. 

Seokjin sat down at the table and started writing a grocery list for the next day, deciding to buy the seeds and plants for his garden tomorrow. 

-=- 

Yoongi woke up, the same as he did every day, slowly opening his eyes and the picture of him and his mother on his bedside stand slowly coming into focus. His room was filled with the grey light of the dawn, filtering through the other impossibly high apartment buildings and into his tiny bedroom in his tiny apartment. This day, however, he didn't leave his bed. He curled up in it, allowing the sadness and lonliness of losing his mother consume him, like he did on the anniversery of every year. Five years, five complete years since he lost the only person who knew who he really was, faded grey pictures all he had left. 

He left his bed around two pm, crawling into the shower and then through a small meal before getting dressed. It was the first time he'd made plans in years, and it was the first time in forever that he was actually looking forward to going through with these plans. Seungbin was a good friend, his constant, harmless chatter in a kind voice quieted the wolf in Yoongi's head a little, giving him a small reprieve from the demands to find a mate. It was a warm, blue summer day, Yoongi squinting in the sunlight before pulling on his sunglasses, dulling the world to a rich brown. By the time he walked through the city blocks, it was four fifteen pm, and he was in the richer part of the city. They didn't have little apartments in big buildings here, just big houses and big families. Standing on Seungbin's front step he realized even the concrete was cleaner, but Yoongi didn't feel any sort of resentment, only a longing. 

The wolf rang the doorbell to the moderately sized apartment Seungbin gave him the address to, a few moments later Seungbin was opening the door and smiling at Yoongi. "Hyung! Come in, sorry, the game is going on a little into over time, but it should be over soon." 

Seungbin opened the door so Yoongi could enter, wrapping the shorter boy in a tight hug once Yoongi was inside. "Happy birthday hyung!" He said brightly, before hopping over to the couch a few feet away and throwing himself down on it, getting right back into the game on the tv. There was another boy sitting on the couch next to Seungbin, and he seemed to pull away from the bouncy boy once Yoongi settled in on the chair. "This is my roommate Hyukkyu, Hyukkie this is Yoongi hyung-- COME ON INITIATE!!" 

Yoongi glanced at the screen as Seungbin hopped onto his feet and started screaming, having no idea what was going on but Seungbin was getting riled up as the action started getting even more confusing on the screen. Yoongi didn't worry though, choosing to sit back and relax and not think about anything but the ramblings of his out going friend, and whatever else they decided on doing today. Something exploded on screen, and Seungbin hopped onto Hyukkyu, yelling about statistics and 'I told you so!'s while Hyukkyu was winded by Seungbin's weight. 

Seungbin seemed to gather himself back together and stood up, brushing his t-shirt off before smiling at Yoongi. "Let's go then." He said, as if he didn't just strangle the air out of his roommate in excitement. Yoongi half smiled as he stood up and Seungbin dragged them both outside. "Don't worry, Hyukkyu has other things to do today, so it'll just be us for your birthday. Unless you wanted him there, but I don't think you would, you're really private person and you don't know him very well, and he's kind of the same way, so I don't think it would be good for either of you to spend time together like we do." 

Seungbin prattled on, changing directions in his rambling to the game that just happened as he lead them to the grocery store. The store was huge, one of those mega super everything stores that had overpriced bakeries and generally sold things at a little bit more than what Yoongi could spend. Seungbin lead them both to the overpriced bakery, pointing at the various beautiful cakes through the bakery counter glass. Yoongi shrugged as Seungbin asked what he wanted, mumbling a simple "Surprise me." before putting his hands in his pockets and wandering away while Seungbin ordered. 

Yoongi's nose twitched as he walked into the floral department, scenting something sweet under the gentle tones of the flowers. He blinked, lifting his head up a bit higher as he looked through the large bushes and stalks of flora, the scent stronger the more he moved into the department. He'd never scented anything like it in his life, it was welcoming-- it was soft and tender-- he needed to find it. He turned a corner, and he found it. It was another wolf. 

Senses he'd been ignoring for years came back full throttle, HD surround sound magnified by a hundred times. He could smell all of the flowers around him, colors bled back into the soft petals and everything was bright. The wolf was different then the rest he'd seen, there was nothing harsh or domineering about his stance, his scent or body. He was soft, nuture and care wrapped around his being like a shroud, and Yoongi wanted it. He wanted to taste the caring, the longing in his heart screaming as his skin tingled to touch. He took a stumbling step forward, the wolf had his back to the beta, bending slightly to nose at the petals of a white daffodil. Yoongi could just make out the hint of a smile on the wolf's face, and his chest ached. 

A hand on his shoulder stopped him from moving foward, turning him around. Seungbin stood there, blinking curiously at Yoongi. For the first time Yoongi noticed the auburn tones in Seungbin's hair, the playful aura surrounding his human friend as he cocked his head curiously to the side. "Are you okay Yoongi hyung?" He asked, and Yoongi breathlessly nodded his head. 

"Y-yeah I'm... I'm good." He said, swallowing through his suddenly dry throat. He glanced back at the wolf in the flowers, just catching him turning to put a potted stem of bluebells in the cart. Yoongi quickly moved out of line of sight, dragging Seungbin with him. 

"Whoa-- careful, I just bought the cake I don't want to drop it before we even get to taste it." Seungbin said with a pout as he balanced the small circular cake in his hands. Yoongi looked down at it, and even through the clear plastic cover he knew it was a butter pecan with vanilla frosting and strawberries, Seungbin's guess at his tastes being dead on, as usual. He looked back up at Seungbin, a smile feeling foreign on his face, but welcomed. His friend's appreciation and attention made him feel happy, and he embraced it. 

"It looks awesome." He said, and Seungbin was a bit thrown off by how happy Yoongi seemed to be, but he didn't question it, he just smiled widely back. Seungbin nodded and hooked his arm through Yoongi's pulling him out of the flower department and out of the store. Yoongi didn't glance back at the wolf, but he knew he would be back here later tonight to find him. For now, he could appreciate his friend's dedication and caring, for the first time in a long time. 

-=-

"I think I scented another wolf today." Seokjin said casually as he transplanted another rose bush into his garden, his hands messy with earth. Namjoon was seated beside him on the grass, eating an apple and playing fetch with Jimin. Namjoon stopped mid throw at Seokjin's words, much to Jimin's annoyance. Jimin's black fur was almost blue in the sunlight, the young wolf more puppy like than wolf like. 

"Where?" Namjoon asked. The fact that there were other wolves in the city didn't surprise him, Jimin was born here after all, but Namjoon never thought they'd actually come across any so soon. Seokjin delicately brushed the dirt from his fingers, before reaching for another stem. 

"At the grocery store, but I didn't actually see one." He said, grabbing the stick and throwing it across the yard when Jimin's crying got too loud. Jimin yipped, slipping and going roly poly through the grass in his excitement. Namjoon hummed pensively, taking another bite of his apple. 

"Be careful then, Seokjin." He hummed, catching an armful of happy Jimin as he bounded back with the stick. Seokjin nodded, leaning over and crunching a big bite of Namjoon's fruit while he wrestled with Jimin. 

"I'll be fine." 

-=- 

Yoongi spent the rest of the evening with Seungbin, sitting on the young man's couch as they stuffed themselves with cake and watched bad movies. Yoongi was having fun, he was actively enjoying the time he was spending with Seungbin, fully appreciating the human's bright personality. They watched four movies, before Seungbin yawned and Hyukkyu emerged from his room. For the first time Yoongi scented them on each other, realizing they were not only roommates as Seungbin insisted. Seungbin looked up at Hyukkyu as the taller sat down on the chair, wrapping his arms around his legs. 

"I better get going." Yoongi said as he stood up and stretched, feeling pleasantly full and content. Seungbin nodded, reaching out and slapping Yoongi's hand as he held it out. 

"I'll see you at work hyung, I look forward to your non commital grunts in our conversation." Seungbin said with a cheeky smile, Yoongi snorting a laugh and waving him off. Yoongi grumbled a reply before heading to the door, slipping his shoes on and saying one last goodbye. Once he was outside, the crisp air of the evening helped clear the fog of content, for once not bringing the constant sorrow he was used to when his mind went quiet. But he was already on a mission. He glanced at his watch, seeing it was a little past nine pm. He ran back to the grocery store, hoping the scent of the other wolf had not faded too much by now. Walking around the parking lot a few times, he picked it up, the soft scent like a cool compress to a bruise. 

He was off, running through the streets as he followed it. He wasn't the best at tracking, so he lost it a few times, but a few painful back tracks set him right again, and before he knew it, he was standing in front of a condo not too far away from Seungbin's apartment. It was lush, screamed luxury from the modestly groomed front yard. Yoongi's ears picked up sounds coming from the backyard, and with the sun setting behind him, he made his way around. The fence surrounding the backyard was high, giving the decently sized backyard decent privacy. But Yoongi snuck around, finding a hole in the fence next to the swinging gate, and peeking through it. 

There he was, the wolf. Sitting on a blanket on the grass, carefully pruning a rose bush. Yoongi felt his heart settle, watching the beautiful man clip wayward branches with care. He was caught up in it, so much so he didn't see the black shadow moving around the inside of the fence, sniffing around at the ground and posts. 

From inside the fence, Seokjin lifted his head as Jimin shifted in the shadow of the evening, stopping right beside the garden gate. 

"Jimin?" Seokjin called out, but at the same time Jimin popped up, slamming his hands against the wood fence and barking. "Jimin!" 

Seokjin was up right away, dropping the clippers and his gloves before stomping over to where the half boy was still playfully barking at a hole in the fence. Namjoon stepped out from the kitchen and onto the rubber cement patio, crossing his arms as he watched the commotion Jimin was causing. 

"What did I tell you about barking like that? You're not supposed to--" Seokjin cut himself off as he saw movement on the other side of the fence, and then he sighed exhasperated. "Stop scaring the neighbors." 

Seokjin opened the gate to apologize to whoever was startled by Jimin's odd behavor, but stopped when he recognized the same scent from earlier today. There was another wolf, splayed out on his back in the gravel of their back road, looking terrified. Seokjin moved slowly, crouching down and pulling Jimin to his chest. 

Yoongi could almost feel his heart beating out of his chest, the beta beyond scared at being caught. Any words he tried to say got stuck before he even made the motion to say them, instead staring up at the wolf holding the pup with nothing but fear. He should have just went home, he was having the best day of his life and he should have just went home. 

Namjoon sensed fear and instantly he was running for the gate, pulling Seokjin and Jimin behind him and crouching at the gate. 

"Who are you?" Namjoon demanded, the authority ringing in his voice. Namjoon quickly looked the wolf over, sensing his beta alignment and his non-threatening nature. He was still imposing on Namjoon's mate, Namjoon's home, and he couldn't take that easy, no matter how small the beta looked. 

Yoongi snapped out of his fearful daze at the appearence of an alpha, his hackles instantly rising. But as Namjoon pulled Seokjin behind himself, he was reminded of his own mother, and her sacrifice with the same motion. Yoongi's heart rang sharp with longing, sadness and he had to swallow again before he could speak. 

"Min Yoongi... I don't mean any harm." He mumbled, pushing himself back onto his knees and off of his back. Yoongi's sadness hit Namjoon like a ton of bricks, the alpha scenting that Yoongi didn't have a pack. The alpha tightened his grip briefly on Seokjin's arm, and Seokjin squeezed Namjoon's hand back. 

"What are you doing spying on us?" Namjoon asked, most of the bite taken out of his tone. Namjoon watched as Yoongi shook his head, his brown hair moving with the motion. Namjoon felt a pull towards the beta, unmistakable but completely unbelievable. Yoongi lifted his head, tilting his head slightly to peer around Namjoon's larger body to see Seokjin, staring at the beta with wide eyes. 

"I... I came because... I'm alone." He said, surprising himself with his honesty. He felt prickling behind his eyes, but he refused to cry. "Because I saw him earlier, and I wanted... I wanted what-- what he smelled like..." 

Namjoon never felt so moved by another wolf before, his nails digging into the hardwood of the garden gate. Yoongi wasn't lying, and he wasn't so pathetic that Namjoon pitied him, he understood. He knew what it was like, being on the outside and wanting what everyone else had. He just never thought he would find someone similar here, in the city. Namjoon was slammed with echoes of Yoongi's feelings, the same way he could feel Seokjin behind him, urging him to help the lone wolf. Namjoon took a deep breath, double checking all of his senses about the beta before relaxing, standing up slowly. He reached down, offering his hand to the beta. 

"Come in." 

-=-