Somewhere a million miles over his head, Suho thought he could hear the waves crashing. But down here, there was not a single ripple. The water moulded and wrapped around him cradling his body in its gentle arms. It felt like home and forever and a piece of heaven just for him. He neither felt happy nor sad. There was no loneliness, no confusion, no hurt or happiness. He simply was. Suho liked it. He felt like he should let go and sink down into another million miles to the bottom and just cease to exist. But he wasn’t sinking. He had folded himself like a baby in a womb and yet he wasn’t moving up or down. He merely turned around in a lazy spin floating in a gentle tide. He desperately wanted to sink but he didn’t know how. And then it struck him, he should just stop breathing. He watched the lazy bubble that floated up from his nose and decided to stop breathing, but he couldn’t stop. His chest maintained its rhythm and his lungs went on breathing as if he had no control over them. Suho tried to choke himself but that didn’t help either. He struggled and kicked in frustration but he merely tumbled in the same spot. Slowly panic started to settle in, chilling him to the bones. Was he meant to be stuck in the abyss forever? Can’t he end it all? He twisted and turned looking for anything around him but there was nothing except the sameness of the water. He tried to swim, he tried to dive down and he even tried wade is way up but nothing changed. After frantically moving for what felt like an eternity, he gave up and just floated in the same place. He closed his eyes and resigned to just be, until he felt a gentle bite on his wrist. There in front of him, he found a snow white wolf pulling on his hand. He tried to shake it away but it didn’t let him go. Suho looked into the creatures eyes that were infinitely wise and kind. The wolf kept tugging as if asking him to move with it. Suho thought about the peace that awaited him at the depths of the ocean and tried to pull free again, but the wolf didn’t let him. It kept tugging at his arm and finally, Suho started pushing himself in the direction the wolf pulled him. This time, there was no resistance and he simply swam to wherever the wolf took him. The pair swam for a long time until light shone from above. Just as he was about to break the surface, he heard the piercing call of a wolf somewhere above.

 Chen, Chen! Wake up, I hear Jongin. Get up!”

Chen woke groggily not just from sleep but from exhaustion. His mate was hovering over him with an expression that was a cross between apprehension and relief. There was a knock on their door just then. Yixing opened the door to Kyungsoo who hugged the omega close.

“He is alive, he is definitely alive.”

In the distance Yifan’s voice could be heard talking to someone about a fresh search party.

Chen after the initial confusion had realized what was happening and soon joined Yifan in organising things. By the time the party left towards the mountains from where the wolf’s call was heard, dawn was breaking in the eastern horizon. They searched all of morning but found nothing. Just as the villagers were beginning to question the authenticity of Yixing’s claim, they found wolf tracks leading out of a tunnel way beyond the shore. Following the tracks lead the search party to a cave well above sea level and impossible for humans to reach.

Chen and Yifan along with two of the elders changed to their wolf form and climbed up to the cave. What they found surprised them no end. A large brown wolf lay protectively curved around a smaller white one. The white wolf whined in pain while the larger one the snout of the smaller in sympathy. However, the moment the other wolves tried to step into the cave, the brown wolf growled and barred its teeth. It crouched low threateningly and let out a hostile howl. Even when Yifan and Chen changed to their human form, the wolf did not let up. Meanwhile the white wolf hid behind the tan wolf unable to stand on its feet.

It was clear that Jongin had gone feral and cannot be reasoned with. The elders decided to let them be for the time being and asked for Yixing to come up. Somewhere in the wolf mind of Jongin, Yixing was thankfully recognized as family. Cautiously, Yixing made his way to the pair and examined them as much as he can. Jongin bumped his snout to Yixing’s palm and directed him towards Suho the white wolf. Seemed like Suho had broken his wrist and bruised his ribs. The most worrisome though was the fever that was raging in him and the congestion that had formed in his chest. He needed medical help but Jongin’s instincts to protect Suho were stronger and despite Yixing’s attempts, the wold didn’t allow for Suho o be moved. In the end, Yixing treated Suho with what medical supplies he had brought with him.

For three days, Jongin and Suho both remained in their wolf form in the cave while Yixing brought supplies and treated their wounds. Suho seemed to recover well and on the third day night, Jongin’s wolf subsided and he changed back to his human form. As if triggered, Suho also changed to his human form. Silently they donned the cloths left by Yixing and waited for the other to speak.

“How are you?” Jongin’s scratchy voice was barely audible but Suho heard him just fine.

“I am alright, what happened?”

Jongin pondered the question. He didn’t remember much but what he did was enough to piece the story.

“I found you washed up between the rocks in an underground lake, how did you even get there?”

“They drugged me. When I woke up I couldn’t read you in my mind and I panicked. I tried too hard and like a dam breaking, suddenly you were loud and clear. But by then the lake was filling up. I tried to climb up a huge rock but I slipped and hit my head.”

“I found you. I think the water current should have pushed you to the side but your hand had gotten stuck between the rocks. I thought you had died. I don’t know, I out after that. I think my wolf took over.”

They sat in silence huddled together in the cold.

“You made me breath I think.”

“What?”

“I think you made me breath. I tried to hold my breath and sink, but I couldn’t. It was like someone else was breathing for me. I didn’t understand, but I think my wolf and yours knew what was happening. My wolf brought me to you. When I woke up, I tried to change, but my wolf refused. I think it wanted to stay until your wolf was around.”

“So, our wolves are as much friends as we are I guess.”

“Yeah, good friends…” Suho yawned.

An uneasy silence settled between them. Slowly, Jongin slid down and pulled a shivering Suho next to him. Slowly, he s his arm around the omega and spooned him from the back. Suho made to push away but Jongin held him firm. Pulling a blanket over them Jongin mumbled.

“Just for tonight Jun”

The next day, Yixing found the pair of them sleeping soundly facing each other in a mass of tangled limbs. Yixing noticed Suho’s pale fingers clutching at Jongin’s shirt and Jongin’s possessive hand around the omega’s waist and wondered what it meant.