We have already taken Miyuki to her mates, they left with the Elves, her dying skin causing most of us to hold down our vomit. Kai has exhausted himself going back and forth hoping he will find Nana waiting for him. It was morning by the time we finally exited that hell hole and it is already the evening and Kris will not stop pacing around even while trying to keep Kai here so when she finally calls for us we can get her immediately. The main problem is Luhan’s reaction when he saw we came back alone. Those of us that marked her can’t get rid of the skin crawling feeling and slight sting we have been getting all over our body, Luhan said it was because Nana is probably looking the same if not worse than Miyuki. He used his powers and kind of trashed the living room we were in when he heard about everything that went down and left, we don’t know where he went but he said if Nana reached out to him mentally he would tell us.

Before he left he took me to the side to tell me something

+++++

“It is unnerving to feel and hear nothing from her, I know the connection is interrupted while she is down there but I could still feel her and now it is almost nothing, tell me what happened.” He looks so serious I know I can’t leave anything out.

“And when I thought Nana was behind the tornado it turned out to be Miyuki, but I seriously thought it was going to be Nana.” I finish explaining the events of the journey to Luhan.

“I have a theory and this is solely based off what Nana told you and the condition Miyuki was in when she arrived as well.” He tells me as I listen intently only for Kris to come storming into our room.

“Anything?” He asks Luhan.

“No, I can tell you she isn’t dead because if she had I would know, but she must be really hurt for all of us to have felt the pain she felt so severely. Not being fully mated to her I can say I’m surprised how much pain we felt, what did it feel like Sehun? I want to know if it was more intense for you because you were closer to her than the rest of us.” He asks me and I feel like he is trying to rub in the fact that Kris isn’t connected to her like we are but I am surprised by the way Kris has been acting since before we left her behind.

“It felt like my skin was being burned off, like I could feel it melting off and if we are only feeling a little of that pain than how was Miyuki able to move and does that mean Nana is in a worse state than she was or..” I am cut off by Kris putting his hand on my head, instantly relieving me of all my nervousness.

“I’m sure she is safe, that girl could get out of any situation and she is too smart to die.” He says and I can see a surprised expression on Luhan’s face. Since Nana had that little private talk with him Kris’s whole attitude has really changed, he is trying to be more brotherly than authoritative. He leaves with a wary smile as I return my attention to Luhan.

“The main thing I want to say is that I think Miyuki should have been dead after two weeks down there, so why was she alive? If what Natsume said is true than I know why we can’t get in contact with her and why we don’t feel her either.”

“I can’t stand this, some of the guys are starting to lose their sanity because it is like her presence in this world is gone and it’s driving us mad. I think Chanyeol burned down all the chairs in the backyard and lay, well let’s just say all the flowers in and around the house are dying.”

“I know, but remember the whole Miyuki has a bit of Nana’s powers, well based off what she told you guys it must be that power that kept Miyuki alive, she must have slowly released it in the hopes that Nana’s energy would create a stronger barrier between her and the land of the dead.” Luhan tells me and I think hard on this info.

“Do you think the second the golems told us where Miyuki went Natsume started sending her more energy and now she doesn’t have enough to escape?! We should go back down there and save her, she is our mate and we left her there!” I scream as I lone tear streams down my face.

“It is possible that is the case, otherwise Miyuki surely would have been dead or at least unable to move, meaning her strength to leave wasn’t hers alone.” Luhan says as he sits close to me. “I’m sorry Hunnie, I can’t imagine how you feel, and I know leaving her there killed you and Kai but I’m sure Kris wasn’t too keen on the idea either.”

“He fought Miyuki more than the two of us and I feel bad for not even trying to stay Hyung. She must think so low of us.” I had been thinking this for a while, Nana never relies on us, she would rather go alone and I feel like all my life I was a strong and proud wolf, but now I feel like a useless pup.

“I felt that way too Sehun, but she doesn’t do it on purpose, I think her and Kris are more alike than we thought. It isn’t that she doesn’t trust us, she is just so used to doing it on her own and being wary of everyone else that she has to learn to share her troubles with us.” Luhan says with a small smile as he too pats my head and strolls toward the door.

“Where are you going?” I question him curiously.

“To see if I can feel her energy if I get closer to the area.”

“I’ll go too!”

“No, stay here and help the others keep the guys that marked her from blowing up the house. I will return soon and I’ll inform you if I find and or sense her.” He says as he leaves the room in a hurry.

+++++

“He left this morning and it’s almost night time, I wish he would find her and return already. If I can’t go back and look for her again soon I’ll disobey Kris and Suho and go after her myself.” Kai whines next to me though I 100% agree with him.

“Hyung said to wait for any signs from him, let’s wait for him to return before we try doing our own thing.” I respond as I continue looking out the window, the entrance to the forest always in my view in case she comes through those trees.

****************

My body feels heavy and I know I must still be in hell. I try sitting up but everything hurts. As my vision clears I look away immediately, though my skin isn’t falling off it looks like my whole body is slowly bruising, turning a strange mixture of black and purple.

“I tried to get you out but she is clearly pissed at you. I can call Onee-sama to come get you out of here, but you will be in even more trouble.”

“No Su that will get all of us in trouble. The problem is I can’t stay here like I have before, I have people waiting and worrying about me.” I say as I study my surroundings.

“I can’t think of any way to get you out of here, what about you?” He asks me as he sits on the bed with me and lays back in a huff. “I hate being here as much as anyone else but at least it doesn’t slowly kill me.”

“I can think of one way to do it, but it could really kill me and I don’t know if it would even work, let’s sit on that option and look for a better plan.” I say thinking hard on a better plan than the one I had in mind.

“Ooh, how about you hide in my clothes and.” But he doesn’t finish as I leap behind the bed and hit the hard ground when suddenly his door comes flying open.

“My child, have you seen my little fox? She seems to be playing hide and seek with me and I can’t find her, I just want to cuddle, help me find her will you?” Izanami asks him as he sighs and sits up.

“I think she left mother, she went to ask permission to have a sleepover remember?” He tells her, she is forgetting already, how long have I been asleep?

“Ah yes I remember, well send her to me when she returns will you my son?”

“Yes mother.” He responds as he rolls his eye and I can hear it in his voice, the anger of having to call her that.

She leaves and her hair is no longer everywhere looking for me.

“I think we just found a golden opportunity, let’s get you out of here.” He says as he reaches to lift me into his arms.

“No, I can walk.”

”If you put out any more energy you will die, let me save you huh? The same way you did for me.” He smiles as he scopes me into his arms and heads toward the exit.

“Thank you Oni-chan.” I whisper as he smiles down at me.

“Anything for our little sister.”

I can tell when we exit the cave, suddenly my lungs are filled with oxygen I didn’t even know I was being deprived of. He sets me down and I relish in the feeling of life surrounding me. I know why Izanami is so lonely down there, but she is too crazy. I can come and go when visiting Su but if she catches me it’s at least a month down there or a year like last time.

I look over to tell Su again but he grabs my arm and pulls me close to him. I freak out at his behavior, if it is the Collector than I’m dead, I have no strength left in me.

“Do not move, if you do we will be detected but as long as you stay still, we are unseen.” He whispers to me as a figure appears in the distance. Suddenly there is another rustle and now I can see two figures slowly moving through the trees in front of us.

*NANA!!* I hear in my head.

* Is that you? Where are you?!*

*Luhan?* I respond and even my head voice sounds scratchy.

I focus on the figures in front of us, remembering the situation I am in as I put Luhan’s voice in the back of my head. However the second my vision focuses on the two moving figures I release myself from Su’s grip and rush toward the figures.

My first thought is to rush and grab them till I remember my condition and I fall to my knees almost in front of them, the noise causing them to look my way.

“Nana?!” They say in unison as they rush to me.

“Oh thank the heavens!!” Jongin says as they both fall to their knees as well and wrap me up in their warmth. I try to pull away worried they will get hurt from touching me but their grip only tightens as I feel my cheeks getting wet with tears I didn’t know I was holding back.

I reach up to their faces forcing them to look my way and grimace at the look of my body.

“We are so sorry!” They cry as they stare at me with guilt and regret in their eyes.

“Is Miyuki safe?”

“Yes, we took her to her mates and your brothers left somewhere with them.” Sehun says between sniffling.

“Then you have nothing to be sorry about, you saved my best friend like I asked you too, thank you.” I smile at them as the tears on my face flow faster but a smile graces my lips.

“What happened?” Jongin asks and before I can answer Su pulls me up into his arms, shocking the younger boys. Immediately they are ready to pounce on him.

“He saved me, he is like a brother to me.” I say as exhaustion rushes through my whole body.

“Let’s get her home, I will explain for her while she sleeps.” He says as my eyes start to droop.

“Understood.” Jongin says with respect and it surprises me before he grabs Su’s arm and we are covered in black mist.

When we return home the guys rush us until suddenly everyone stops moving.

In a shaking voice I hear “Why the hell did you bring someone like him with you?” I realize it is Tao and he looks so terrified that I almost want to not snap at him.

“He saved my life so please, drop your attitude before I shove it in your face.” I respond halfheartedly, my physical state too low to even argue.

“Who exactly is he?” Sehun questions as the boys in front of me start moving again.

Before he can answer I am shocked to see the two leaders heading my way with utter worry and fear in their eyes. Kris eyes the tall man holding me but says nothing as his hand ghosts my face. I see him grimace from the contact but he refuses to pull away as he takes me from Su’s arms into his own, shocking most of his brothers.

“I am so sorry we had to leave you behind, I know you told us too but it felt so wrong to do so, I’m sorry.” he says looking me in the eyes. I wasn’t expecting this kind of reaction from him at all, I figured he would be more pissed at my rash behavior than actually worried.

“I will go greet the Elves, I bet they will come get you soon. Do not hold on to her for very long or you will be affected as will.” He says as he walks off, mushing Tao’s head with a smile as he passes him.

“Who is that?” Suho asks coming to check on me in Kris’s arms as he watches the Tall figure heading toward the back of the house.

“Don’t look at me!” Tao yells at them as they all eye him.

“Ah, he doesn’t know Tao, he can just tell. He understands the pains of not loving the Gods even when you are a child of one.” I say as Tao’s expression quickly changes, regret flashing in his eyes as he looks back toward the direction he went.

“Whose child is he?” Xiumin asks resting his hand on my forehead to check my temperature. The coolness feels so good that a stretch out toward him unconsciously. I notice and try to pull back but without hesitation Xiumin grabs onto me and quickly pulls me into his arms away from Kris as we head into the house.

They set me down on the couch and busy themselves with getting me water and a change of clothes.

“I can just go to my room.” I say when the guys next to me glare daggers.

“You are not exhausting yourself going upstairs and you also are not leaving my sight. I don’t even know what is happening to you, all I know is I can’t do anything to help you, I can’t even touch you.” Lay says looking heartbroken next to me. Luhan on the other side of him hasn’t even said a word to me.

“I am going to kill you two!!” I hear yelling from upstairs as the maknaes come running down the stairs, Kris hot on their tails.

“I told you not to go looking for her and you still did?” He yells as the maknaes hide behind the couch I’m sitting on.

I wanted to interrupt until I noticed the boys had something in their hands.

“Oh no they did not?!” I yell as I turn to remove the objects from their hands.

“Why are you holding that? Kris what the hell?!” I yell as Jongin and Sehun wave the objects around. I was about to smack them when Kris bet me to it.

“Knock it off and give it to her before she burns the house down” he says as I can almost see their ears lay flat on their heads in shame. “And like I said, please listen to me, if you guys had been stuck because Kai was too tired we would have had three missing people and things could have got much worse.” He says looking less upset and more worried. I have noticed this weird change in him lately.

“Sorry Hyung, we just couldn’t do it, I wanted to listen to you but my mind was racing with worry.” Jongin responds as he and Sehun hand me my bra and underwear that they were holding when Chen comes down with clean shorts and one of his own shirts.

“I also must apologize for leaving Kris, I just felt like I was losing my mind when I couldn’t feel Nana’s presence anymore.” Luhan finally confesses as well and I had no idea he was going through this.

“I’m sorry guys.” I finally say as they all stop and look at me. “This is why someone like me can go down there easier than any of you.” I say gesturing toward my blackish purple skin. “I know going by myself was selfish but please believe me when I say I am not trying to do things on my own or act like how it affects you all isn’t on my mind. I knew you would refuse if you found out that this would happen. Honestly until I found out where she was I immediately sent a lot of my energy to her through the link we share. She would have looked worse than this if I hadn’t done so.” I say as I realize that I care about these boys’ feelings more than my own already.

“Don’t.” Suho says looking at me seriously. “Don’t apologize for wanting to save your friend. I know that how we were raised is very different from your own. We were taught at an early age about the strength of a Pack and the importance of sharing everything with one another, but that isn’t the case for you.” He says as he kneels in front of me on the couch. He reaches out to take my hands but I pull away. His eyebrows crease and he sighs before grabbing my hands into his more forcibly.

“We know that it isn’t how you have lived, and we know you are trying, we can all see that. However, it doesn’t change that most of us feel you belong to our pack now and that feeling of leaving you behind and then feeling like you didn’t exist here anymore drove them mad. We all need to start thinking on the same page and try to work together and understand each other’s differences and insecurities, not just each other’s strength.” He says and I realize that the house around me is very messy. As I look around the room I notice that most of the guys look drained and sleepy, mostly those that marked me look the most tired, but Kris and Suho don’t look any better than them either. I gasp a little when I realize that all these boys were up worried about me and not thinking about themselves and more tears start to fall out of my eyes.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to..” Suho’s sentence is cut short when the door opens revealing a healed Miyuki clinging to Su and my brothers. When they see me they rush forward, tears already streaming down Miyu’s face.

“I’m so sorry Nana, I don’t know why I tried going down there alone. I should have come to you first!” She cries as she flings herself into my arms. I embrace her happily before pulling back and smacking her hard on the arm.

“You’re an idiot.” I say lowly with a small smile on my face.

“Are you ready?” Su ask me from behind my brothers.

“No, I hate this part.” I say as I stand and try o walk toward him, only to have Chen grab my arm and drag me toward the bathroom.

“You need to change first. The shirt is mine, I figured a loose shirt would be the most comfortable.” He smiles at me and I squint my eyes at him, looking for a hint of his usual playful behavior but I see nothing but honest care in his eyes.

“Thank you Chen.” I smile and Miyuki comes up taking my arm and walking into the bathroom with me.

“Leave the door open please.” Su calls out. I rising noise of gasps and complaints come out from the wolves mouths but are silenced quickly.

“I know already.” Miyuki says as she sets me down on the edge of the tub can feel the eyes of the guys on me and I find myself shaking because I know how bad I look. Kris and Xiumin bath move to stand in front of the door, blocking me from most of their views.

As she peels off the ripped shirt and pants I hear a gagging sound. I look up expecting it to be Miyuki and although she is trying her best it wasn’t her that made the noise. I look to the door and Xiumin has his hand over his mouth while Kris is staring at me with a hard look. Xiumin utters a small sorry and runs up the stairs, probably to the other bathroom. Suho comes to take his place and I catch a glimpse of the boy’s waiting around the couch. Most of them are straining to see while a few have unreadable expressions on when our eyes meet.

“We need to get her there immediately.” Su says when he sees me in nothing more than a ripped bra and underwear.

“Where?” Both Kris and Suho question at the same time.

“To one of the few places that can heal wounds like these.” He replies.

“Who are you anyways?” Tao asks rather rudely and I wanted to smack him for it.

“He is Susanoo, God of the Sea and Storms. He is the current ruler of the Underworld, regardless of whether Izanami says so or not.” I says proudly to Tao. “He is also like a brother to me.”

I was about to introduce the boys to him when suddenly all those that marked me stand in front of him and bow lowly.

“Thank you so much for protecting our mate when we were unable to do so. You have our most humble gratitude.” They say in unison and I can’t help but feel tears in my eyes out of love for these boys.

“We as the leaders would also like to pay our respects to you, Nana is our pack member and we cannot thank you enough for returning her to us.” They both bow along with the rest of the pack.

“Of course, I will always protect my little sister.” He smiles and I feel like I am missing something here.

“Anyways, we need to get her to the Shrine before this gets any worse.” Miyuki says after pulling the shirt over my head to finish changing me.

“This will be rather harsh on you.” Donghae says coming around to pick me up into his arms. He walks me around to the back of the house, into the forest area and up a slight hill, makeshift steps leading upward.

“How have we never noticed this before?” Baekhyun asks looking in awe at the sight.

“Because we only allow those we trust to know of this sacred place. We built it the second we discovered Natsume’s connection with the Gods. Beings like Tao and Natsume heal very differently than most SN’s as I’m sure Lay has noticed.” Henry turns and says to them, as Lay nods in agreement.

“They need to have access to a sacred place connected to their God, Tao has a room full of Clocks with all different time zones am I correct?” Eunhyuk questions. Tao slightly blushes at the idea of someone knowing about his private room.

“Well, Natsume needs something that reflects the type of God she is connected to as well, hence a Shrine.” He says as we reach the top, a row of Torri greet our view.

“This isn’t a shrine on a hill boys, this is the entrance to another location, I suggest that only those that have claimed her and a leader should follow as we will be in a very different place soon.” Susanoo says turning to address the boys.

“What do you mean?” Suho inquires as he sees Kai shudder uncomfortably.

“Have you not wondered where my mates are?” Miyuki suddenly inputs, smirking at the boys. “It’s because they are at home already.”

“There is strong magic like mine here.” Kai finally speaks up.

“Yes, my brother is a very strong SN. He created this portal not too long after Natsume joined us in Japan. He fixed the sad little portal the Elves used to use before, sending her to a small barely worshipped shrine that took long to heal anything. Now she is sent straight to the best place for her to heal.” He smiles proud to have such a powerful family.

“Alright.” Kris suddenly speaks up. “Chanyeol and Baekhyun will go with her, Suho will be the leader that goes with her. I will stay and the rest of us will plan what we can do to keep the Collector as far away from her as possible.”

“Understood!” They all reply and start shuffling around. Chanyeol lifts me from Donghae’s arms into his own as I struggle to just stand next to him. Suho and Baekhyun join him and we follow Miyuki down the row of red Torri that seems endless. Soon a light shines at the end of it. When we step out a beautiful sight graces our vision.

A beautiful Shrine lay in front of us as I see more of Miyuki’s mates along with her brother waiting for us. At the sight of me Miyuki’s brother quickly steps into action.

“There is a spring behind the Shrine, follow me.” He says sternly.

We follow him until we come to a small stream that enters into a tiny lake.

“This place is blessed by the Gods, remove her clothing and take her into the water, you may have to be with her for a while, she will take longer than Miyuki to heal.” He says as he walks away, Miyuki and her mates winking at us as they follow him.

“Wait, remove her what?!”

Author’s note: I am so sorry this took forever but I really had to think about how I wanted to introduce some stuff. I am honestly thinking of going back and rewriting some things that I think may be confusing for you readers but maybe I will when I finish or something, I’m not sure.

Shout out to:

xxCRAYONxx for letting me know you got the feels after reading her back story, that means a lot to me!

PrincessSisi for actually looking for my story once you made an account, that really means something to me that it was important enough for you to find it again!

Nadhirah for always commenting and answering my Author note questions, you are awesome!