Baekhyun skips his classes throughout Wednesday and Thursday, opting to spend time with Junmyeon and learn more about shifters. Soft stripes of sunrays seep through the windows as the two of them sit at Junmyeon's desk, leaned over yet another old sketch of a shifter's body in their wolf form. The older has taken it upon himself to guide Baekhyun over their anatomy, weaker and stronger points of their bodies, "just in case you have to defent yourself". Baekhyun scans the drawing with careful eyes, trying to imprint each part into his memory; it doesn't seem very complicated, even for Baekhyun's brain that hasn't been created for biology.

"If the need comes, you can aim at the eyes or the throat. Usually with wolfs, stomachs are also very delicate as there are no bones protecting the flesh, but with shifters..." Junmyeon leans back a little and drags the tip of his pencil over the animal's ribs. "The muscles that connect both sides of the skeleton, the horizontal ones, are very strong.  You wouldn't do much harm to a shifter even if you kicked them with all your strenght." The elder heaves a sigh and pushes himself backwards to slump against the chair. He drops the pencil and runs his slender fingers through his messy hair. "We're predators, Baek. With the body bigger than the dire wolf's and human mind, there aren't a lot of things we're scared of. When we shift... our senses and, somehow, our instincts also do. We can smell not only traditional scents, but also blood, fear, arousal... death. Killing deer and small animals isn't a problem for us-" He cuts himself off the the sight of Baekhyun's facial expression. The older lets out a gentle chuckle. "Blood and raw meat taste different when we're in our wolf forms, I mean most shifters don't mind it at all, in both bodies. But cooked meals are definitely teastier."

Baekhyun grimaces, making Junmyeon laugh again. He tries to sweep the image of either of his friends over a dead body of a deer out of his mind. "What about your instincts then? You mentiones something earlier."

"Ah, now that's the interesting part." He wiggles a little on his seat, getting more comfortable. "We mostly funtion on autopilot after we shift. We protect our territory, growl when angry, howl when in trouble; there are, however, some things we can't control, automatic reactions of your bodies. We shift when we're angry or in danger, since our bodies know that we can run faster in our wolf forms, we also sleep while healing. You saw that with Chanyeol and Jongdae, they slept nearly all the time between coming home and healing completely. It's like the wolf part of us decides to use the least strenght possible to exist while recovering, shifters don't wake up until they are strong enough to protect themselves again." Junmyeon pauses to instepct Baekhyun's reaction. The youngers wordlessly eggs him on to continue. "There are quite a few factors that influence the healing process; additional help, proximity of the pack and one's mate, state of mind and, of course, the over-all condition of the wounds. Wolfs that are taken care of, have mates and trust their packs recover much faster than lone, scared shifters."

Baekhyun blinks at him, fascinated. "How long does it tak to recover completely? On average?" He questions, memory sending him a few months back.

Junmyeon hums, looking around the room as he thinks. "Bites and cuts, no matter how severe, usually take up to two, three days. Broken bones are a little tricky, since the fracture may demage muscles and tissue while shifting, but commonly a week is enough. The worst are torn muscles; they render us practically helpless and hurt the most, generally healing within two weeks, but even after that we tend to avoid physical activity for a couple more weeks. It really is a pain in the ." The older jokes and Baekhyun smiles despite his mind racing with the new-gained information. Junmyeon's own smile disappears, replaced with a worry-laced gaze whithin next few seconds. "It always makes me realize just how fragile the non-gifted ones are. You fall sick easily, take months to recover and your bodies are so delicate." His eyes run over Baekhyun's small frame, curled over on a chair in a casual manner. "This is why we're worried, Baek. There is so much that could go wrong, you know that, right?"

Baekhyun squirms a little and lets his shoulders fall. " I do. But you understand how I feel, Jun. I can't give up on her without even trying. And I'm sure she won't hurt me, I just..." He can't seem to find a word. Baekhyun does consider the lone wolf dangerous, he's well aware of the possible outcome of his little quest to save a soul in need, yet he's ready to accept it. The overwhealming impression of her personality, her as a person, has however etched itself in his mind and he's so sure he knows her, that she needs help, needs him. Baekhyun can't explain it, but the itch that pushed him into making the decision to go has only been getting stronger, urgining him to go now. 

"You just know, I understand." Junmyeon finishes for him, leaning his head on his hands, still focused only on Baekhyun. "I don't know how it feels, though, to have such intense need to help someone unknown, a stranger. Sure, I do take care of my pack, would sacrifice my life to save theirs and to ensure their happiness and safety, but... I don't think I've ever experienced something like that towards anyone outside our family." He reveals, eyes softening. "As an omega, you have this... intriguing skill to read people's emotions, perceive them as your own and act accordingly from there. Years ago, it was an obligation for every Prime Alpha to have an omega mate, solely because of that insight into the pack's hearts, they said that in order to be a good leader, the Alpha had to not only provide the basics for their pack, but aslo take their feelings into consideration. And there is no better way for that than a consultation with an omega. Your instincs are amazing, Baekhyun. Don't ever let anyone question them."

Baekhyun nods curtly and looks outside the window, at the green crowns of trees and blurry shadows of buildings that seem to be so far away. His thoughts wander for a moment, talking in everything he's learnt and assumed, but it all soon comes back to one: Chanyeol.

Chanyeol who hasn't shown his face or even stepped inside the house since the Tuesday evening, the day of the conversation that still brings chills to his spine. He asked Jongin about a million times whether Chanyeol was safe, if he's be okay being away from home for so long, but the younger only patted his shoulder and told him not to worry too much, to just wait until Chanyeol calmes down completely. "He'll be back soon, hyung, just give him time". But how can Baekhyun  not worry when he sleeps in Chanyeol's bed alone, the warmth that he's so fondly associated with the room now gone, gentle eyes and strongs arms no longer there. He knows that two days are not much time, he's been away from Chanyeol fo longer than that, but the distance, the emotional exhaustion and the anxiety caused by his upcoming trip are slowly eating him alive. He shivers a little.

"You're already feeling it, aren't you? The lack of your mate's presence?"

Baekhyun snaps out of his thoughts and looks at Junmyeon, a little taken aback. He cleares his throat before opening his mouth. "I think it's just the fact that we didn't part on the best terms. I'll be okay soon." He answers quietly, hugging himself in the process. 

Junmyeon nods in understanding and swiftly pushes his chair away from his desk to stand up, to which Baekhyun reponds by curling into himself even more. He sets his chin on his kness, giving into the temptation of resting his neck for a while; he interlocks his long fingers on his nape, thumbssliding in the smooth skin in a lethargic motion. Closing his eyes, Baekhyun lets himself destress a little in the silence filling the room, the concentration that has been keeping his thoughts at bay now freely ebbing away. The date of his departure has been set for tomorrow at dawn, to give Baekhyun more daylight to wander around in. He's been so preoccupied with his mission of finding the lone wolf that the 'how' managed to completely flee the scenario. Shifters have their smell to rely on, Jongdae pointed out earlier, so tracking down our lost soul was fairly easy. Baekhyun didn't think about that, and even if he had thought about it, he can't do anything about his weak senses. The only logical plan was to direct Baekhyun into the general direction of where the sole shifter was last seen and hope for the best. Baekhyun doesn't have it in himself to complain.

Probably because that also doesn't change the fact that he'll be seeing a shifter in their wolf form for the third time in his life despite dating one and basically living with ten others. How come?

How come he has their trust, their love and attention, but he's seen them was wolves only once, and not even all of them?

How come he's not the only omega and, but he's the last one to have yet to lose all hope for the lonely shifter abandonned in the woods?

How come his friends are so caring and open towards each other while being closed off and practially throwing away the chance to safe someone?

And Chanyeol, did he really have to be so... cold? Was it necessary for him to just storm away when Baekhyun tried to be civil and talk? Baekhyun understands that Chanyeol is worried, he's felt the same way upon finding him unconscious on Valentine's Day. He knows the internal need to protect, the anxiety, the anger, but the nonchalance? That overhwealming comfidence that just screamed ''? The whole controlling attitude and... and-

"The fangs." He lets out into the peaceful surroundings. "Why the fangs?"

Baekhyun finally forces himself to glance at Junmyeon, only to find the older already looking at him. Junmyeon's eyes are focused, analyzing Baekhyun's question and tasting the real reason of Baekhyun's curiosity, hidden under the three words.

"We... shift when we are under strong emotions. Panic, anger and fear all cause the andrenaline level to skyrocket in out veins and that's why we shift. I think... I guess Chanyeol wanted you to stay so badly that his body started producing more adrenaline, first out of panic, than anger. This reaction triggered the shifting process."

What a resonable answer. Baekhyun despises it.

"So he basically got butthurt because I told him 'no'?"

Junmyeon blinks at him, clearly puzzled, probably by the language. Especially with Junmyeon, Baekhyun usuall