“Zitao!” the omega called from the entrance of his tent, to the boy who was walking toward it. “Have you no shame?” he asked his alpha, spite in his tone. Zitao stopped in his tracks and looked up towards his mate, his brows raised in question.

“Minseok, what do you-” the puzzled alpha began, but his omega was bolder than he appeared and wouldn’t allow Zitao to get a word in.

“Leave the poor child alone, Zitao. You do not stop with words, do you? No, no, now you must use stones. Stones, Zitao? Stones! My God, you could’ve killed him!” Minseok cut him short, storming out of the tent and striding up to the taller wolf.

Zitao stared with wide eyes. “How did you-”

“Kyungsoo saw it, Zitao, he saw you hurt the boy. How close you’ve come to ending the child’s life before; he’s going to meet his end by your hands one day,” Minseok roared to the towering wolf above him.

“That was the point, Minseok.” He grinned down at his omega’s horrified face and chuckled again.

“Zitao!” Minseok howled at the younger.

“Minseok, I had no intention of killing the boy, you know that well,” he assured the elder, reaching up to slide his slender fingers through the omega’s hair, but Minseok swatted his hand away.

“Why, Zitao, why? Why must you insist on harming a member of our pack, when he’s done absolutely nothing wrong?” Minseok whined, his eyes pleading with the boy. This only served to anger Zitao, and his eyes flashed gold then red then landed on a deep black that Minseok had only seen in the sky when the moon did not show.

“You protect him to me with your words, yet where are you to defend him in body? If you feel so strongly for the runt, why have you not guarded him, Minseok? Tell me- why?” the alpha snarled at the elder, whose eyes had turned an icy blue.

Minseok was silent.

***

“Minseok!” the omega heard from behind him, and as he turned from his alpha, he was swiftly ambushed by a mop of black fur, crashing to the hard ground beneath him.

“Jongdae, honestly!” came the shout from above the bewildered omega as he raised his head above the coarse black hairs invading his air, to get a look at the panting alpha sprinting his way.

“Joonmyeon, it’s been a while,” Zitao said as he walked forward to embrace the older alpha, whose attention was diverted instantly from the black omega he had been chasing.

“Mmm, too long,” the elder hummed into Zitao’s neck as the taller alpha tenderly ran his fingers through Joonmyeon’s hair, which yielded a soft groan from the latter. Zitao and Joonmyeon had been raised like brothers; they were everything to each other, both second to only their omegas. “I’m afraid we didn’t have much time at breakfast to catch up.”

“Yes, you must tell Yixing he cannot take you away with him next time he visits a neighbouring pack,” Zitao muttered lightly into Joonmyeon’s hair, who laughed in return.

“Trying to eliminate my position in the pack are we?” Joonmyeon asked, pulling back to look up at Zitao, thoughtful adoration adorning his face. “If I did not go, who else would they name Suho?”

Zitao chuckled softly. “You take much pride in that title, don’t you?”

Joonmyeon directed a solemn gaze towards the younger’s eyes, and his slender fingers through Zitao’s hair, brushing it from his vision. “This pack is my family, and I will protect them as such.”

A sharp breath followed by a helpless screech was what drew the alphas from their fixation.

“Jong- Jongdae, please stop,” Minseok begged on a laugh as the slim black wolf prodded the elder’s face with his tongue.  

“Please, love, leave Minseok alone. Must we do this everyday?” Joonmyeon whined to his omega, who refused his pleading still. Instead of obeying his alpha’s wish, Jongdae merely shifted to his human form and continued his foolishness as he abandoned his tongue in favor of pressing clumsy kisses to every inch of Minseok’s face. The older boy beneath him could not keep his laughter inside as he struggled to rid himself of his captor.

Much to Jongdae’s dismay, his own alpha had grabbed him by the waist and hoisted him off of his oldest friend. He emitted a dissatisfied whine as he squirmed in Joonmyeon’s arms, leaving a still giggling Minseok beneath him.

“Joonmyeon, let- ah, please, alpha let me play with him!” Jongdae fought, still struggling in his alpha’s arms.

“No, Joonmyeon, keep the fool far from me, I beg you!” Zitao pulled his squealing omega from the ground and into his arms as Jongdae pounced once more, attempting to reach the eldest, only to be encaged tighter by Joonmyeon.

“Minseok! Minseok, please, Minseok, tell him to let me go! Tell him to- Yifan…” Jongdae trailed off as he ceased his thrashing and stood still in his mate’s arms, looking off towards the Village Circle.

“Jongdae? Love, what is it?”

“Yifan. He seems upset. I’ve seen that expression often on the face of his alpha, yet very rarely on his own,” Jongdae muttered, almost inaudibly, which in turn brought worry to the forefront of Joonmyeon’s mind. As bothersome as Jongdae was when he would run off, it was greater worry to see him so quiet, so still. He could not bear to see his mate unhappy any more than he could stop himself from protecting another wolf.

“Come then, let us inquire,” Joonmyeon said determinedly. Jongdae looked down at the alpha, apprehensive eyes meeting resolute ones. “Minseok, Zitao, come. I agree with Jongdae, Yifan is rarely in such low spirits. I am concerned as well.”

And with that, the young alpha had his heel and headed forward towards the Village Circle, his sights on Yifan and the equally heighted man clinging to his arm.

Yifan did not raise his eyes from the ground before him until his name had been called several times, too lost in the lingering pain clouding over him and his mate.

“Joonmyeon, you’ve returned well, I see,” Yifan pointed out dully, his eyes looking to Joonmyeon, yet not truly seeing him.

“I-” Joonmyeon began but stopped short when he registered the tone in Yifan’s voice. His own eyes trailed to Chanyeol, who was pressed to Yifan’s side, his head resting on the elder’s shoulder and hands grasping hold of his omega’s arm as if the earth would swallow him whole if he were to let go. He knew Chanyeol to be quiet and reserved, but this was extreme, even for the placid alpha. “Yes…” he continued. “Yes, the travel was not so terrible, and the pack was happily accommodating.” Joonmyeon’s own tone was cautious, as if the pair would bolt if he let the wrong words slip from his tongue.

“That is good. Yixing seemed pleased this morning,” Yifan replied, with even greater flatness to his voice than before.

“He did…” Joonmyeon turned his head to see his previous three companions standing together, anxiety and uneasiness passed communally over all their faces. Something was clearly not right. “Yifan, are you well? Did something-”

“Last night was… hard,” the tall omega sighed out, bowing his head even lower as he voiced the last word.

It was enough for them all to know not to press any further.

Zitao and Minseok quickly took their leave of the others, the elder pulling his alpha by the ear and continuing the chastisement he had been in the middle of when they were interrupted.

Jongdae nervously tugged at Joonmyeon’s wrist and the alpha nodded, twisting his arm in the hold his omega had on him and grasping the younger’s hand. Joonmyeon took three steps forward and nearly left the remaining pair with that, but he stopped short by Yifan’s side and raised his hand to the omega’s cheek, letting his touch linger comfortingly, though Yifan showed little response. “Fare well, won’t you? I pray the moon brings you peace… both of you.” Then, Joonmyeon leaned his head higher towards the ear of his friend and let out in barely a whisper, “find solace in our mother, find tranquility in your alpha. You are what he needs, but know, Akecheta, you need Chanyeol as well. Do not abandon your own need for the sake of being a hero. Know, I worry, as do the others.”

Yifan finally seemed to come to some of his senses as he placed a hand over Joonmyeon’s own and met his eyes. Joonmyeon had never witnessed so much pain in a living being in his entire life.

“Toksha Ake, Qaletaqa,” Yifan whispered back as Chanyeol let out a small whimper against his omega’s neck. Joonmyeon stepped back into the stubborn hold of his own omega as Yifan bowed his head towards his friends and resumed guiding his afflicted mate towards their tent.

“They need help, alpha.”

“They need much more than help, Jongdae.”

***

“Chanyeol, please, won’t you listen-”

“It’s getting worse, Yifan! They won’t stop!” Chanyeol screamed as he turned a corner at the edge of the tent and retraced yet another of his continuous circles.

“I know they won’t stop, Chanyeol, let me help you!” Yifan pleaded with the younger boy in front of him, whose pacing had grown quicker and more sporadic the more panicked he became.

“Leave me be, please, I beg you!” Yifan could hardly tell who his mate was speaking to, but he’d be damned if he let Chanyeol endure this any longer.

“Chanyeol, Bodaway, please come- no, come here,” Yifan ordered as he grasped his alpha’s forearm, pulling him into his chest. Chanyeol did not stop fighting, but the strength of his determined omega far exceeded his own in such a panicked state, and Chanyeol was rendered powerless in Yifan’s grasp.

Yifan placed his own forehead against Chanyeol’s, as gently as he could amidst the thrashing, and focused all his energy towards the thought of peace, as he clutched Chanyeol to him tightly. It took mere moments for Chanyeol to stop moving altogether, and the alpha soon became limp in Yifan’s arms. “Chanyeol,” the omega whispered. “Alpha… do you see them?” he asked.

Allowing his head to drop to the side, Chanyeol looked to the right of the tent, eyes glazed and distant. Seconds passed before he uttered his quiet response. “Yes… yes, I see them.”

“And are they hurting you?” Yifan asked him quietly. The omega let his own gaze drift to where Chanyeol’s was directed and saw what he’d expected; the tent was empty save for the two of them, but Yifan knew what Chanyeol was seeing, and he knew the danger that came with his alpha’s visions.

“No… they are not hurting me.” Yifan let out a quiet sigh- half relieved, half exhausted. After nearly 8 years, he’d learned that this was a part of his life, a part of their lives, that could not be erased. Yifan was physically and mentally spent more often than not, and there had been days where he’d thought of giving up and walking out. But he loved Chanyeol, and that was the one fact of his life that he was certain would never change. It was for Chanyeol that he carried on. At those moments where he wished to be nothing less than selfish, he thought only of his alpha and the pain he was enduring. After those moments, the thought of leaving his mate made him ill.

“That’s good, Bodaway. That’s good,” Yifan murmured, laying the younger down under their furs. As Chanyeol’s unseeing eyes slipped shut, Yifan felt himself begin to breathe normally again. It had been almost a decade since his totem had burst from the flames of the Village Circle’s fire, and since that day he’d been the only one to care for the quiet alpha. Yifan was the sole wolf alive who knew of Chanyeol’s visions.

And Chanyeol was the only wolf alive who knew of Yifan’s power.

“You can’t tell a soul, Bodaway. You can’t,” Yifan whispered through the darkness to the young, shaking wolf in his arms. “You know what the packs do to wolves who possess power don’t you?” Chanyeol, not yet 13 years, nodded through his tears, as his omega rocked him in his embrace. “I can help you, Chanyeol. I was made to help you… but you cannot tell anyone, man or wolf, spirit or flesh. Do you understand, alpha?” Chanyeol nodded once more before burying his face in the crook of Yifan’s neck.

Shaking his head as he recalled that night so many years ago, Yifan emerged from his tent into the sunlight. It tormented him mercilessly- Chanyeol’s plague and the cruelty of it all; how can someone so innocent be so unlucky?

With another heavy sigh, Yifan raised his head towards the sun and asked the question that had been weighing on him for so very long.

“Etu, please ask this of your sister; was I given this power because my alpha is cursed… or was my alpha cursed because of my power?”

***

“What would you ask of me to do then, Kyungsoo? Starve?” Yifan heard the shout of the pack’s hunter before he even neared the tent.

“We do not starve on plants, Luhan! Why do you insist on taking lives when it is not necessary for our survival?” came Kyungsoo’s scream in retaliation.

“I’m a hunter, omega! It’s who I am, it’s what I do, it’s all I’ve ever known! Why then must you forbid me from my duties as-”

“‘-leader of the pack’s hunters’, I’ve heard it before Luhan! A title does not justify murder!”

“Murde-” Luhan began in defense as the flap of their tent was pushed open, both sets of eyes landing on Yifan, who stood uncomfortably in the entryway. “Y-Yifan…” Luhan said, startled. “What- what is it?”

Yifan stiffened at Luhan’s tone but looked towards Kyungsoo anyway. “I just… I need to clear my head…” Oh, and that Kyungsoo understood, extending his arm and grasping Yifan’s shaking hand.

“A walk,” Kyungsoo offered. “Let’s… let us take a walk.” Yifan nodded in agreement and followed Kyungsoo out, turning over his shoulder towards Luhan, who was frozen in the middle of their tent.

“I’ll return your omega soon, Luhan.”

“No, by all means, take your time,” Luhan called after them, bitterly. As the sound of the pair’s footsteps retreated, Luhan repeated quietly to himself, “take all the time in the world.”

Then, on a whisper, “he’ll never love me anyway.”  

***

It was not long before the loneliness was too much for Luhan to bear, and he opted to take a walk of his own. Wandering aimlessly through the camp, he paid no attention to the alphas wrestling in the field, nor the group of mothers sewing furs and washing dishes in a circle near a cluster of tents toward the river. He stopped short, however, at the Village Circle, upon the sight he’d almost expected to come across. The Alpha and his omega friend were seated together near the fire pit, Yixing laughing at something the younger had said to him, and Sehun all but perched in The Alpha’s lap.

It instantly brought heat to Luhan’s ears.

For The Alpha to be so carelessly attached to any omega before receiving his own mate was dangerous, and he’d imagined Yixing knew that.

“Yixing, might I have a word with you?” The Alpha looked up toward Luhan, who was now standing over him with his arms crossed defiantly.

“Luhan? Yes, of course. Sehun, if you would.” After the omega had moved, Yixing stood and followed Luhan towards the edge of the trees, out of earshot of any wolves. “Luhan, what is it?”

“Sehun is not your omega. You are aware of that fact, correct?” he shot towards The Alpha, with a tone very few wolves could get away with when speaking to Yixing, and even then, Luhan still knew to exercise caution.

Yixing simply laughed in response, which set Luhan’s patience on edge. “Oh, Luhan, I thought you’d come to me with something more pressing. Now, if you’ll forgive me, I’ll be going back to-” Yixing turned to depart from him, when Luhan shot his hand out, gripping Yixing’s arm tightly.

“Honestly, Alpha. What would happen if Sehun’s totem appeared to him and didn’t bear a crescent moon? You must think rationally, you cannot afford to act otherwise. There is no guarantee that omega will be your-”

“And why do you care, Luhan?” Yixing spat, irritation dominating his tone.

Why do I care? I care because Sehun is not your mate, just as Yeseul was not Kyungsoo’s.

“Why do I care? I care because I’m a member of this pack, Yixing. If another omega received the moon totem, and you were too far gone with Sehun, there would no doubt be discord in yourselves and in the pack. I’m trying to avoid that,” Luhan attempted reasoning with The Alpha, though he rarely succeeded in convincing Yixing of anything, stubborn as The Alpha was.

Yixing’s irises flashed red, black, then gold, before returning to their normal state, but the rage in The Alpha’s eyes was clear.

“Just because Kyungsoo did not receive the mate he wanted does not mean we will all be so unlucky,” Yixing growled at the other alpha. Luhan should’ve been hurt, but he’d come to expect nothing less from his Alpha when Sehun was mentioned. Yixing would defend that omega ‘til death.

The Alpha went to continue, when the pair heard from the Village Circle, “Luhan! Alpha! Join us, won’t you?” Turning toward the voice, Yixing took in Minseok, Sehun, Yifan, Kyungsoo, Jongdae, and Joonmyeon headed in their direction.

“Join you?” Luhan inquired, risking a glance at Kyungsoo, whose eyes were locked on The Alpha. His omega’s hand was wrapped completely in Yifan’s larger grip, and Luhan’s stomach began to churn. It isn’t fair, he thought. 15 years… he’s never once taken the hand of his own alpha.

“Yes, join us,” Minseok repeated, snapping Luhan’s attention back towards the group. “For a walk. I was on my way to collect Zitao from his silly games when I crossed paths with Kyungsoo and Yifan. We thought it nice if we all took a walk.”

“I don’t-” Luhan began, but was cut short when Yixing interjected, taking Sehun’s hand.

“I think that’s a fine idea. It’s been so long since we’ve all managed to spend any real time together, don’t you think?” The Alpha proposed. When nearly every one of them answered with a nod, Yixing set off ahead, leading the group away from the Village Circle, along the edge of the trees and toward the field beyond the camp.

Luhan nervously slowed his pace so his stride was in time with Kyungsoo’s, and he held his breath once he stood beside his mate. Yifan could sense the nervous tension between the two men and sped up ever so slightly to give the pair their needed space. He was not ignorant to the troubles the Life Totems faced, none of them were. But in accord, not one member of their group of companions could fathom siding with Kyungsoo or Luhan over the other. Their struggle was with each other, the others needn't interfere. And so, Yifan left them in silence to continue their battle for their opposing desires and instincts.

It was better to let the moon decide in which direction the circle of life spun.

***

Not long after they’d made their way from the mass of tents, Zitao suddenly took off running ahead of them, eliciting calls from his omega.

“Zitao, where are you go-” Minseok began, stepping after Zitao, but he bit his tongue at the sight before his eyes.

It was that boy.

The runt, they called him. Minseok had heard them say his name before, but he could not recall what it was.

“What is his name Zitao?” Minseok had asked, rage in his eyes after pulling Zitao away from the small teenager.

“Why do you ask me such a thing, when you should know I have no knowledge of it’s name.” The way Zitao referred to the boy as “it” made Minseok’s skin crawl. He would not have such a heartless alpha standing by his side.

“The next time you desire to abuse the poor child, acquire his name first. You should care to know the identity of your prey.”  

And, here was that boy, covered in blood- a sight Minseok had sadly become accustomed to seeing- sprawled listless on the path that lead from camp. The sight itself was enough to wind Minseok, but what really struck him was the child’s eyes. Lifeless, glazed, full of… nothing. He had no idea as to what, or who, had afflicted this pain upon the boy, but he knew enough to understand that it was not an accident, and it was surely not the first or last time he would be in this position.

But Minseok refused to allow his own alpha to be the reason for the child’s agony any longer, and he sprinted forward and forcibly dragged Zitao back away from the injured boy in the dirt.

The others, however, were frozen in their places, unaware that Yixing had begun to walk forward towards the boy: the runt.

Yixing, please, Minseok begged in thought, not word, for he dared not challenge the Alpha so unprepared. But, Alpha or not, Minseok knew that even Yixing had no right to bring anymore harm to the helpless, beaten child. He’s a member of your pack, Alpha. I beg of you, Yixing, have mercy…

But his thoughts were not enough to move him, and so Minseok stood- as still in his place as the others- waiting for Yixing to act.

The Alpha stopped in his tracks right beside the boy and lowered his head toward the ground. It puzzled- more appropriately intrigued- Minseok that the child did not spare a glance at The Alpha, instead directing his gaze toward Minseok himself. And Minseok questioned instantly, that in that gaze he could not read any emotion. All his life he’d been proud and grateful for the ability to so easily read the thoughts of others through their eyes; the slope of their brows, the glint in their irises, the crease of their lids. With one look, he could determine the desires of any wolf- the joy, the regret, the pain.

But this boy… unreadable. His eyes were simply expressionless, blank, devoid of any indication as to what on earth or the heavens the poor boy could be thinking. He made no move except to slowly blink at Minseok, and the omega was suddenly possessed by the spirit of the old Cherokee wolf that fed on guilt. It was the horrifying disgrace stirring within him that prompted him to step forward, though just as soon as his foot kissed the earth, he stilled again to hear the words that Yixing spoke.

“You’re in my way, runt.”

Like he’d just been caught in the back with a flint knife, Minseok gasped for the air that escaped him as he felt, himself, the blow landed in the boy’s side from Yixing’s foot. It was enough to move the poor child from the path he’d been laying sprawled across, and he groaned as his body came to a still halt nearly five feet from his previous spot.

The Alpha readied himself to strike again, when Minseok heard his own voice before he could stop it.

“Yixing-”

When their eyes met, any courage Minseok had pulled from deep inside him quickly deflated, and he shrank back into himself at the raising of Yixing’s brows; a challenge.

“N-nothing, Alpha. Nothing…” With an imperious nod, Yixing turned from the unresponsive boy by the path and continued on his way. The others followed without a word.

Minseok wished he wasn’t such a coward.

***

The sun had already set by the time Jongin heard footsteps running toward him.

Oh, Baekhyun, don’t abandon me now, was the only thought he could conceive as he turned his head towards the steps of his friend. The movement alone was pain enough, as he grit his teeth to steel for the sharp ache, but the pain was more when he saw the owner of those footsteps- and soon came the fear at the realization that it wasn’t Baekhyun.

“Jongin. Your name is Jongin, yes?” asked the shadowed figure from above where he lay. A strangled hum of agreement was all he could give- anything more would’ve made him scream. He knew this man: his endearingly crooked smile, his full cheeks, the tips of his eyes such as those of an arrowhead. His name was Minseok, Jongin knew that much. He knew also that he was the omega of Zitao, the name itself a terror. That alpha with his own mad grin, who’d given Jongin a good portion of his marks, slept beside this omega, this… Minseok. He had no inclination as to whether or not he should trust this man… yet he’d never seen anything but tenderness in his eyes. Maybe, Jongin wondered, he is what his alpha lacks.  

When Jongin finally caught the omega’s eyes, his voice followed. “Oh, child, how unlucky you are… truly how cruel the world can be,” Minseok whispered as gently as he could manage, placing his hand over Jongin’s own. Such a warm hand. It’d been years since Jongin had experienced that warmth from a touch, for Baekhyun, as dear as he was, seemed to always feel like ice were coursing through his veins. There was comfort in Baekhyun’s touch, but there was also an uncontained energy that was transferred from his skin to others’. But Minseok’s touch… there was only calm. Such peace that settled over Jongin’s body, his very soul, and seemed to ease some amount of the boy’s pain. Then Minseok continued.

“It would be dangerous to bring you to my own tent for my mate would only cause you more harm," he lamented, eyes glowing in the dark.

“Zitao,” Jongin managed to murmur.  Minseok simply replied with a soft smile and gentler laugh.

“Yes. Yes I cannot voice my regret for this. Zitao must learn his place, but he goes too far so often. My dear Jongin, accept my own apology as that of my mate; I'm sorry to say you will not receive much more from him than that.” His palm removed from Jongin’s hand and replaced on his cheek was all it took for Jongin to feel safer than he had since the day his mother left for the Gathering Hunt all those years ago.

Who was this omega before him, and why did he make Jongin feel such things he’d not felt in so long… and above all else, why did he care?

“I love Zitao, it would take an unforeseeable force of nature to change that… but he has many faults. I admit, myself, I am not devoid of vices. But I am not my mate, Jongin. I try as hard as I might to change my alphas weaknesses and flaws, yet it does not seem to be enough for him. However… I would that you placed trust in me. I cannot try to voice my own guilt for staying from your side in need, but know, omega, that for years I’ve pained to see you hurt. I ask you to know this and trust this truth as I beg you to trust in me. As I said, child… I am not my alpha.”

Jongin let his gaze linger on the man’s glimmering eyes as he returned a soft assurance, “You are kind…” Minseok’s exchange was another smile, bright as his eyes.

“I strive to be. I can only pray now, to the moon, that my alpha will follow. Now… Do you wish me to bring you to your own tent?" Minseok asked with an encouraging nod.

Back to the cold and the loneliness and the nightmares…

“No…” was his answer. “Baekhyun…”

“The omega?” A nod. “Baekhyun is whom you want me to deliver you to?”

Jongin shook his head again, then stopped to wait for the throbbing to cease before he spoke. “He’ll know.”

“Ah. Then, it is Baekhyun I shall fetch.” With some difficulty, for he did not want to cause Jongin anymore pain than he could help, Minseok moved Jongin into the edge of the trees off the path so he would not be seen or harmed in Minseok’s absence.

“Farewell, child. I pray you find peace soon, and I promise you, I will do all in my power to restrain my alpha.” Minseok placed a small brush of his lips upon Jongin’s temple and without another word, the sound of his footsteps was reduced to nothing, consumed by the night.

It seemed like hours before he heard Baekhyun heading towards him, and he sighed as the momentary splash of colour drained to the usual darkness of his life.

***

It was nearly three weeks before Jongin’s pain had disappeared altogether along with the cuts and bruises. All that were left were fading scars, adding to his uncountable collection of marks tattooing his skin.

Another batch of cold mornings passed before Jongin woke to a new warmth, the first signs that winter was retreating to the hills and spring would soon burst forth. But day after day after day, Jongin found himself unable to stop his mind from wandering to that day… It was a day unlike any other. He’d shared more words with Minseok during those three weeks, hidden words, in quiet passing, and he’d grown fonder of the elder omega. Save for Baekhyun, Minseok was the first wolf in a long time who’d shown Jongin any form of kindness. Kindness that was only warranted by the actions of The Alpha.

And it was less so Minseok that had haunted the back of his mind, stuck to his every thought like sap from the pines. It was The Alpha… the way he avoided Jongin’s eye as he struck him, the simple words he’d spared that held so much violent weight.

And how he’d stopped after Minseok spoke.

There was more to The Alpha than what others saw, he wished wholeheartedly to believe so. There was kindness in him, fairness. And he had no doubt that behind the mask of a strong man, there was also fear, apprehension, longing. Yixing was wolf, but also man, and from all Jongin had seen in his sixteen years, no man- not even great Alphas- were bereft of those characteristics which made man so unlike any creature of land, sky, or sea.

He only hoped someday that even The Alpha would see him too as a wolf, as a man, and not as the runt.

But hopes were often foolish, often false, and Jongin knew that to hold onto that wish could only bring him more pain.

***

“Alright, Jongin, humor me. Say you actually felt your mate was out there. You know nearly every face in this camp, correct? Who, my dear brother, is your mate, your alpha?” Baekhyun asked as they trekked back toward camp, through the sea of trees, to take their meal.

“Ask a question I might possibly have an answer to,” Jongin shot back to him, with less bite in his tone than he’d wanted. He disliked when Baekhyun spoke of Jongin’s yet nameless, faceless alpha, and though he wanted to snap at his friend, the mere mention of Jongin’s greatest fear of remaining unmated until death only served to deflate him of all anger and leave nothing but sorrow in his heart.

Sorrow that Baekhyun could sense, as he placed his hand comfortingly over Jongin’s shoulder and whispered a small apology. When Jongin raised his head, the pair had nearly cleared the edge of the trees to camp.

Jongin saw no difference in the sight from how the pack looked every night, but Baekhyun was snarling toward the Village Circle. When he turned his own eyes in line with the elder’s, he knew immediately what had Baekhyun so heated.

“He’s our Alpha, Baekhyun,” Jongin tried working reason into his friend’s head before he did something he’d regret.

Baekhyun didn’t relent. “Damn the alpha,” he said, almost too loudly. “Damn any man who thinks he's above the dignity of another wolf."

It became Jongin’s turn to lend his hand toward Baekhyun’s shoulder as he gently tried to console the other omega. “He’s good to the pack. He’s fair to his people.” Baekhyun looked at him with sympathetic yet defiant eyes.

“You are his people.”

Jongin merely returned a smile. “I am an outlier,” he replied. “I’ve accepted this as truth… you should too.”

“I’d spit at Yixing’s feet and spill my own blood before I accepted your ill fate.”

Jongin soon saw he could not win over his companion, and so in he gave with a quiet sigh. "Until that fate is made true, must I beg you to show respect to The Alpha and Omega?” The address was enough for Baekhyun to snap his head down at Jongin and set his eyes hard.

“Sehun is not The Omega,” he growled. Jongin raised his hand from Baekhyun’s shoulder to his head and good-heartedly disheveled the elder’s hair.

“I wouldn’t nearly be surprised if Sehun did receive that totem,” Jongin whispered, chancing a glance at The Alpha and younger man seated to his right by the fire.

With a tired sigh, Baekhyun huffed his bitter agreement. “I’d honestly be more surprised if he didn’t. They truly have a bond, that none can deny…”

“The moon must plan to present it to him soon, right? Has there ever been so long a period between The Alpha and Omega receiving their totems?” Jongin asked.

“Not in the history that I know. Maybe…” Baekhyun began.

“Maybe what, Baekhyun?” He couldn’t hide the slight warning of his voice, a sign of caution to Baekhyun that he needed to watch what he said, for even out of earshot, the moon was always listening.

Baekhyun ignored his tone and his stare and continued. “Maybe Sehun won’t get the moon totem. Maybe he won’t be The Omega.”

“And who in his stead?” Jongin asked incredulously.

“Of that I’ve no idea. It could be anyone, it could be me for all we know!” the elder yelled with feigned madness. After sharing a small laugh at Baekhyun’s expense, there grew a strong silence that neither knew how to break.

“It will be Sehun,” Jongin finally whispered. And he tried to convince himself that this was not such a bad thing. Sehun was strong, and if The Alpha believed he would lead well, who was Jongin to question it?

Baekhyun did not refute Jongin’s testament, but he was not yet through. “Look at them,” he spat, narrowed eyes burning into the two men at the tip of the Village Circle. Jongin didn’t know why he tensed as Yixing laid a possessive arm over Sehun’s shoulder.

Shaking off the momentary drop in his stomach, Jongin glanced up to Baekhyun and asked, “Why do you hate him?”

Baekhyun looked personally offended by the question. Jongin waited for an answer.

“Because he hates you.” Baekhyun’s affronted look dropped into a cold glare at Jongin’s foolish, blind thoughts.

“Everyone hates me.”

“I don’t,” Baekhyun’s expression of hurt returned upon Jongin’s implication.

Jongin smiled and replied, “Well, my friend, then I'm afraid to say you are also an outlier.”

Baekhyun quickly shared in Jongin’s smile. “Then together, out we lie.” A small bout of silence fell between them before Baekhyun continued, “The moon is unpredictable, Jongin. Maybe we will be mates.”

“You’re an omega, Baekhyun,” there was now humor laced through the conversation, humor the two hadn’t shared so freely in a long while. “Would that you were an alpha; I imagine we would be mates. I’d never leave your side.”

“Alas, my friend, the curse of kind plagues us,” for no two omegas could be mated with each other, as could no two alphas.

And soon their laughter faded into nothing and the silence fell again. Jongin watched with uneager pain as Baekhyun’s eyes slowly drifted toward Taehyung, already seated by his brother around the fire. His friend was lucky to have an alpha that cared for him, mated yet or not.

And he, himself, found his mind wandering, shifting his gaze from one wolf to the next, from the children with their impatient fidgeting, to the sedentary village elders, to the men and women smiling and pouting through meaningless conversation, to Minseok and his infectious smile that brought one to Jongin’s own lips, to The Alpha…

The Alpha with his strong dark eyes, bowed lips, and the gentle yet sharp curves of his features seeming to create a masterpiece in the eyes of any beholder. The moon had created no wolf, in Jongin’s eyes, that was so… meant to be. So right. But-

No, Jongin stopped himself before his thoughts had overgrown his conscience. You can’t, Jongin. You can’t do this. He belongs to Sehun…

Lost in that distasteful thought, Jongin dropped his eyes toward the ground beneath him until he felt a gentle tightening of the grip Baekhyun had taken of his hand.

“Come on.”

“Wh-where are we going?” Jongin asked, his words shaking. Clearly Baekhyun couldn’t mean to bring him to the Village Circle. It would be an act of pure suicide.

“Together, let us prove to The Alpha and his pet that you are one of us,” the elder replied with a smile.

“But…” Jongin began. “But, I’m not.”

“Let us change that,” was Baekhyun’s quiet response.

And with every step that Jongin took, pulled along behind the older omega, more dread and anxiety flooded into his body. He couldn’t be doing this, Jongin couldn’t follow, Baekhyun couldn’t lead, for this would be the end of them both. But, nor could Jongin protest; his mouth moved as if to speak but produced no sound. He only dared look up once, and regretted it the moment his eyes landed on those of another wolf. Another wolf who’d not dare look him in the eyes his entire sixteen years. He stared right into the eyes of The Alpha.

But just as quickly as they’d caught, Yixing’s eyes shifted away, and he looked back to Sehun sitting next to him. Jongin couldn’t look away as The Alpha raised his hand to Sehun’s hair out of the omega’s eyes, then reached down and laced their fingers together.

Jongin dropped his head and reluctantly followed after Baekhyun.

And then they reached the Village Circle, and the silence that Jongin so dreaded reached his ears, drowning out the screaming voice in his mind that instructed him to turn back. All eyes of the wolves surrounding them were directed toward Jongin, quiet murmurs and tense bodies drew inward as the pair advanced toward Taehyung and his brother.

Baekhyun sat as if nothing were the matter and, with a gentle tug on his wrist, Jongin hesitantly made his way to the ground as well.

The whole pack was staring. Jongin had never felt so threatened in his life, even with Baekhyun by his side.

And that. Baekhyun had just thrown his freedom away and proclaimed to the pack that he knew Jongin, that he was in Jongin’s life, that he cared for Jongin. His own best friend had so simply made such a strong sacrifice and Jongin had never been angrier at Baekhyun in his life.

You stupid, stupid omega.

Jongin wasn’t the only one with that thought, and he heard from his left, “Omega… are you insane?”

Baekhyun was feeling bold today. “He’s my friend, Taehyung. If you accept me, you must accept Jongin as well.” Taehyung fell instantly into the silence of the other wolves. And Jongin was afraid. Jongin was very afraid. Too often his life had hung in a thin balance and he’d been closer to death than most wolves would be until their dying day. And now, with every wolf so close and able to bring him harm… Baekhyun had been foolish for making this decision, and Jongin had been even more senseless for allowing himself to be brought.

“Baekhyun… why did you do this? You’ve just ruined us both,” Jongin whispered to his friend, the shaking in his voice not letting up.

“They will respect you if you make them, Jongin. Show them you are more than the runt. Show them you are an omega.” It did but little to curb Jongin’s fear. And, maybe he was being naive, maybe he was being as foolish as Baekhyun and he could make it through this meal without even being spoken to. It didn’t seem so. Jongin wanted nothing more, at this moment, than to run back to the safety and concealment of his clearing; at least there he knew loneliness was a comfort.

“What game are you playing, runt?”

Jongin’s blood ran cold as he looked up at the man standing in front of him. Why did you do this, Baekhyun? You’ve surely destroyed any peace we could’ve lived in.

“Stand down, Sehun. Jongin was born a member of this pack and that place has not been taken from him. What harm does he cause you in eating?” Jongin had never seen Baekhyun so brash, notably not to Sehun.

Sehun didn’t even glance at Baekhyun as he stepped closer to Jongin, his head pointing down at a sharper angle to see the runt at his feet. With the glow of the fire behind him, Jongin thought Sehun looked like a dark spirit; a fire spirit- Jongin knew all too well what happened to the wolf that played with fire.

“You don’t belong here,” Sehun continued, his dark eyes narrowed at the boy.

“I…” Jongin’s heart was near to bursting with fear. “I know-”

“Stop, Jongin.” The deafening silence returned as all eyes were now on Baekhyun. Baekhyun’s own eyes were focused on the man above them. “He has no less of a place in this pack than you do, Sehun. You are not The Omega.” Baekhyun, no. Don’t do this… Please…

Two paces more, and Sehun stood nearly bending over Baekhyun. “And who are you to decide whether or not I am? I have a greater chance than any other wolf around this fire, I’m very nearly The Great Omega even now, with or without that totem in my hands.” Sehun’s tone grew darker as did his gaze toward the two omegas beneath him. “And when I hold that totem, the two of you will be at the receiving end of the first action I take as leader of this pack.”

He’d been threatened before, those threats upheld, and Jongin knew what pain was. He knew the difference between his own blood and Baekhyun’s, knew how long a bruise would last on his skin based solely off the initial pain. But Jongin knew, also, that this threat was different; Sehun had brought him pain before, and if he was to become The Great Omega, there would be nothing holding the man back from ruining Jongin entirely.

Jongin ignored the warning voice in his thoughts and let his eyes shift to his left. He just wanted to see, wanted to know what The Alpha was thinking…

Though he could not see through his eyes, The Alpha was watching them from the tip of the Village Circle, a solemn, awaiting look upon his face. And Jongin could not tell if those eyes were directed at Sehun, or Baekhyun, or himself…

“As of this moment, you do not hold the moon totem in your hands, Sehun! What authority, what right, do you have to disallow Jongin to take his meal as one of us?” Baekhyun screamed up at the taller omega, whose eyes flashed red. Jongin knew he could not leave the Village Circle and escape pain.

But soon Sehun’s eyes went ice blue in immediate shock, as the whole camp was filled with a flash of white light. There were shouts of confusion all around, and Jongin imagined he was not the only wolf who could see nothing but white. Jongin had no idea what was happening, didn’t know if he should be any more afraid than he’d been moments before. His previous life experiences told him yes, but this was somehow… different. He could hear questions around him, could hear Baekhyun calling his name, but he didn’t respond.

And then, all at once, the world turned dark again. The panic ceased, the silence returned, and every eye was turned to the single beam of light streaming down from the moon herself. The beam’s end was the spot of ground right before Jongin, right before Sehun.

And soon it wasn’t the moon that held the pack’s attention, but the small object falling down along the ray at a steady pace. The closer the object came, the clearer it was to every wolf what it was. It was a totem. Everyone knew without having to see the image on the side of it, just what totem this was. This was the moon totem. And here it was, falling straight into Sehun’s reach. Baekhyun should learn to hold his tongue, Jongin thought, gritting his teeth. The pack was now gaining their Omega, everything was falling into place. But, for Jongin, everything was falling apart.

With the moon totem in his sight, Sehun reached out with an eager hand, and Jongin thought he’d never seen anything so beautiful his entire life. The way the sleek, dark wood curved so gently into the shape of a wolf, the bright red moon carved into its side seeming to glow… it looked strong; a strong totem fit for a strong Omega. A totem fit for Sehun.

Jongin was ripped from his trance by the sharp wail that sounded from above him. He looked up and saw Sehun clutching his hand to his chest, eyes wide with alarm and pain. He was staring at the wooden totem with such a look as if it would burst into flame at any moment.

“There must be a mistake,” called one wolf from Jongin’s right.

“Try it again!” cried another. And so Sehun once more reached out his hand toward the moonbeam, though this time with greater hesitation. The very moment the tip of his finger touched the smooth wood, Sehun howled again and snapped his hand back.

Jongin knew what this meant, they all did. No wolf could touch the totem of another, except their own mate. Yixing could touch this particular totem, but Sehun had twice reached out his hand and had twice been burned. And this meant that Sehun was not The Omega.

But it had appeared in front of Sehun, not any other. Jongin looked around and no other wolves were anywhere near the totem. The man who had called out earlier must’ve been right. There must be a mistake. There was no one else.

There were more quiet, unintelligible murmurs from around the Village Circle, but only Baekhyun’s voice stood out.

“Jongin… take it.”

“What?” Jongin warily asked his friend. Baekhyun only nodded toward the ray of light. Jongin continued, shaking his head. He wished he wasn’t so prone to stuttering. “N-no… b-but I’m- I’m not-”

“Jongin,” Baekhyun cut him off as he turned toward the younger. He looked Jongin straight in the eyes and repeated, “Take it.”

The murmuring suddenly stopped as everyone watched Jongin raise his hand. He did so slowly, out of fear, he thought, or apprehension. He stopped just before his fingers hit the wooden totem; he’d been burned before, but he couldn’t even imagine the type of pain it brought to hold a totem that did not belong to you. And yet, his body seemed to take control over his thoughts as he extended his fingers ever so slightly…

The boy didn’t comprehend the gasp that sounded from pack as he focused on the feel of the wood in his hands, how the countenance felt like silk over his fingers, how the shape of the small wolf fit so perfectly in his own delicate hand. He was enthralled by the totem, mesmerized by it.

This time, it was Baekhyun’s hand on his shoulder that drew him from his thoughts and he looked up to see Sehun seething over him.

“How… how?!” the omega screamed down, and Baekhyun finally stood, stepping in front of Jongin.

“You cannot hurt him,” Baekhyun growled to Sehun, voice low.

“I can hurt you,” was his response.

“Sehun!” Jongin snapped his head to the left at Minseok’s familiar voice. The elder omega was glaring hard at Sehun, berating his threat toward Baekhyun.

And there was silence once more as The Alpha rose to his feet, and stumbled forward. Jongin had been so afraid of Sehun, he’d almost forgotten about The Alpha himself, who now trained his own eyes to the runt on the ground. The fire raged on and The Alpha stepped forward.

“No.”

“Yixing-” Jongin heard Luhan try from behind where The Alpha stood, but Yixing was not listening.

“No. No, no, no, no, no! This… this is wrong. This cannot be right. This is a mistake!” The Alpha hailed as he moved even closer to where the totem hovered over the ground. Closer to Sehun. Closer to Jongin.

And Minseok spoke up again, bringing some foreign feeling to Jongin’s heart. “The universe does not make mistakes, Yixing,” he called out curtly.

Yixing clearly heard Minseok’s words, as he closed his eyes and took a sharp inhale of breath. When his eyes opened, they were cold, dark, and focused on Jongin. “Listen well, runt,” Yixing began, words as dark as his irises. “You are not my mate. You will never be my mate, so do not make the mistake of thinking, for even one moment, that that totem means anything.”

Jongin was afraid again. Jongin was very afraid again. His mind wouldn’t process the things being said to him, the things happening around him, but he could process the pain in his back as he was kicked to the ground, the totem falling from his hands and to the ground beside him. He cried out at the blow, but heard an echo from his left. An echo that wasn’t quite his own. Turning his face, he saw The Alpha hunched over, on his knees, with clenched fists. Men were at his side immediately, the friends Jongin recognized: Luhan, Yifan, Joonmyeon, even Minseok. Jongin knew that mates felt each other’s pain once they were mated- once they both received their totems- but he’d never quite imagined what it would be like to feel the pain of another.

Then more blows were given, before an ordered “Stop!” sounded from the top of the Circle, Jongin imagined it was Yifan who ordered it. “Stop! Two men feel the pain you inflict!” When the men around Jongin heard the words of The Alpha’s friend, they understood that they brought harm to their leader as well and quickly stood back. The entire pack was in a state of chaos, and Baekhyun took this moment to urgently, though gently, pull Jongin from the ground and run. Run away from the Village Circle, away from the pack, from Yixing and Sehun and all the others. Jongin grabbed the wooden totem from the dirt as he staggered along beside his friend, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his body at every step.

The thrumming in his ears did not let up, even as they cleared the edge of the trees and stopped once they were far enough into the woods to ensure they weren’t being followed.

Dropping to his knees, Jongin clutched his hands to his chest as if the small wolf were the only thing holding him to the world, to his sanity. Baekhyun knelt down in front of him and took his face in his hands, calling out to him, hoping to gain some reaction.

“Jongin. Jongin, please look at me. Look at me, omega, dammit!” Baekhyun now seemed just as frightened as Jongin himself, taking in his friend’s panicked eyes, his erratic breathing, his shaking hands. “Jongin, please-”

“Jongin! Baekhyun!” both omegas turned to the side in time to see Minseok sprinting in their direction. Baekhyun stood up in front of Jongin defensively and narrowed his eyes.

“You. You’re Yixing’s friend, are you not? What could you possibly want? Why did you follow us?” Baekhyun spat.

“Baekhyun, do not fear me. I am Jongin’s friend as well. Remember, omega it was I that found you that day when he was laying by the road. I want nothing but to see his pain end, as much as you do yourself,” Minseok tried, easing himself forward in a way that Baekhyun wouldn’t view as threatening.

The latter’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but his eyes were still searching Minseok for any lie. “And why did you follow us?”

“I just… I wanted to know that he was safe. That you were both safe.” The silence that stood between them was stifling until Baekhyun released the breath he’d been holding and stepped away from Jongin, who was still knelt, shaking in the dirt.

“You weren’t followed, were you?” he asked, and Minseok responded with a quick shake of his head. When Baekhyun took another step away from Jongin, Minseok took to his knees in place of Jongin’s friend, and placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders, hoping to calm his shaking.

“Omega? Omega, please… you know if you speak we will listen. Why are you trembling so?” Minseok’s voice, that had so recently brought peace to Jongin’s mind, now drew his true fears from the darkness and with a sob, his body wretched and he doubled over, the tears now wracking his figure as the shuddering grew more severe.

“Jongin! Jongin, why?” Baekhyun knelt beside Minseok as the two of them tried to produce responses from the small omega. “Jongin, answer me…”

“They’re going to kill me! They’re all going to kill me!” Jongin’s eyes were mad and his knuckles white from the grip he had on his totem.

Baekhyun went to speak, when Minseok calmly and directly stated, “they can’t kill you.” Both men looked to the eldest for valid reasoning. Jongin didn’t want to be lied to anymore, and Baekhyun desired only that truth which would ensure his and Jongin’s well being. “They can’t kill you, Jongin,” Minseok then reached his hand up to the young omega’s cheek. With soft eyes and a gentle tone, he finished, “because you are The Great Omega.”

akecheta- Sioux; fighter 

toksha ake- Sioux; see you again 

qaletaqa- Hopi; guardian of the people. 

bowaday-fire maker

etu- sun