It was after breakfast when Jooyeon found herself at the doorway of the library that everyone say was Youngjae's hideout. The room looked extremely cozy and the built-in shelves were all filled up with books. In the middle of the room was a lone couch and a small coffee table in front of it. By the window was a little shelf, again with books filled in but it was what on top that caught Jooyeon's attention. It was a picture frame and in it was Youngjae standing next to a wolf decorated in a beautiful grey white coating. The smile on Youngjae's face showed true happiness and it didn't even begin to compare to the ones he flashed her every now and then.

"Beauitful, isn't she?" a voice spoke up behind her.

​Jooyeon gasped, jumping at the sudden voice. She turned around to see Youngjae smiling at her.

"S-Sorry. I didn't mean to touch your things." she hurriedly said before placing the picture frame back down.

​Youngjae shook his head, "I don't mind."

​Jooyeon suddenly felt awkward. Her social skill seem to have disappeared so she waited for Youngjae to speak up again and he did.

​"She was my teacher, the closest thing I had to a family." Youngjae spoke, sitting down on the couch with a book in his hand. "I didn't really know my parents. They were gone for the most part of my life. My teacher was really the one who raised me."

"Oh...I'm sorry."

Youngjae frowned at her, a teasing smile on his lips, "Why? There's nothing to be sorry about. My parents were practically strangers. Now, come sit. I found something last night that may help with your memories."

​At the mention of her memories, Jooyeon rushed over to the couch and plopped down next to her new friend. Youngjae flipped open the book, his fingers skimming down the page quickly before he pointed to a certain paragraph.

​"Here it is," he said, before handing the book over to her.

Jooyeon read over the text and frowned.

​"Only a significant memory or action can fully bring lost memories back."

​Youngjae nodded, "Right. So, our best bet is for you to keep moving."

"But, I don't even know where to start."

​"I might have an idea." Youngjae offered, "Every wolf goes through a training period, royal or commonner. We learn and train until we can get a good sense of what our inner wolf is like. Most would even say it's one of the most memorable time of their lives. Yes, it's rough but it's also reaching out to a part of you that you're unaware of. You want to get to know yourself, right? What you were in the past and all?"

Jooyeon nodded.

​"Good. Then, we should start with this. Train and reach out to that sleepin wolf of yours. Once you awaken your true desire and self then it'll be easier from there."

​"But, we don't even know how long it'll take."

​"No, but you were once someone like us. You were once a true werewolf, a royal one at that. Your senses and connection will be stronger compare to anyone. Royal blood isn't just some high class title blood line. It's stronger than that. With it, you possess so much more strength and capabilities that no other werewolf have. Belive in yourself, Jooyeon. I know you have it in you to do this."

​Jooyeon stared at the boy in front of her. Sincereity were visible in his soft brown orbs and it would be a lie to say that Youngjae didn't mean what he said. He truly believed in her. Everything he said was true and he was positive that Jooyeon connecting to her past self would be an easy task.

​"Thank you." Jooyeon whispered with a smile.

​Youngjae nodded, shutting the book in his hand, "Now let's go talk to Mark hyung. He was top of the class so this should be a piece of cake."

---

​Jooyeon wanted to shoot herself right then and there. Mark was the most quiet and from the looks of it, he doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with her. While the others were friendly and all smiley, he was silent, not a single shred of emotion was shown. Jooyeon didn't know how to approach him. She wasn't used to quiet people. Since school, she's found it quite a bit hard to approach quiet people and the looks in their eyes always made her think that they're judging her. What's more deadly than being judged silently? Jooyeon would rather have them say it to her face and get it over with.

​So, when Youngjae knocked on Mark's bedroom door, Jooyeon wanted to dig a hole in the ground and jump in it. Each second they waited for the answer of the man behind the door, Jooyeon grew more anxious. was suddenly dry and her heart rate seem to have picked up. When the door was pulled open, the first thing that hit Jooyeon was the smell. It wasn't anything bad, heck it was enchanting. The scent filled her lungs and she suddenly didn't want to do anything but bath in this smell forever. It was overpowering and just the scent alone could---was making her knees weak.

​Mark appeared behind the door, a blank unreadable expression on his face. His eyes started from Youngjae and trailed towards Jooyeon, body tensing at the sight of her. What's she doing here?

Youngjae beamed at the eldest, "Hyung, I have a favor."

​Mark tore his gaze away from his mate and fixed them on the younger. He cocked an eyebrow, an action to allow Youngjae to continue.

​"You were top of class back in training school, right?"

Mark nodded slowly.

"Right, so I was wondering if you could help Jooyeon."

​Mark almost closed his bedroom door right then and there. Well, he would've if it weren't for Youngjae's foot being in the way. Mark frowned.

​"What does helping her have anything to do with training school?" he questioned.

​Youngjae smiled wider, "Well, training school was when you got to know your inner wolf and that's exactly what Jooyeon needs."

​"Yeah, and it's also about combat skills." Mark said, "You don't teach somebody to get to know their wolf, Youngjae. That's up to them."

"But, hyung, with those skills you also strenghten the bond with your wolf."

​Jooyeon blinked. Wait. She was going to learn self defense to get to know her wolf? Like sport and stuff?

​Mark sighed. Youngjae was basically begging with his eyes but Mark didn't want to give in. He really didn't. If he agreed to this, then that would mean lots of quality time with his not even legitimate mate. He didn't want that. God, no. He promised himself to stay away from her. The further he was, the more chance of him having his heart together in one piece.

​"Fine."

​Wait, what?

​Mark wanted to smack himself. Curse his impulses. He didn't even catch himself say those words but it was too late to take back now. Actually, he was glad he didn't because the look on Jooyeon's face was worth it. A shy smile spread onto her face and she gazed at Mark hopefully, as if she was already trusting him with herself. Mark didn't even notice when Youngjae shouted a 'thank you'. He was too busy being lost in the presence of Jooyeon.

​Was this the right decision? He didn't screw up, did he? He was aware of the risks he was taking but she did reach out to him first. It was probably the right choice. A little training wasn't to change anything. They'll just be like teacher and student, simple. Mark wasn't going to overcomplicate things. He'll just teach her, get it over with, help her get her memories back and save Yugyeom. Yeah, he doing this for Yugyeom. Accepting to help someone in need wasn't going to ruin his life and make him go insane. He'll be fine. Mark Tuan will be fine.

---

​The afternoon rolled by fairly quickly and Mark was seated at the front porch, dressed comfortably and waiting for his student. His sharp ears picked up her footsteps rushing down the stairs and towards the door. The front door swung open to revealed his mate dressed in a simple t-shirt and black sweat pants. She offered him a smile but Mark just simply got up and hopped off the porch. He took his position at the center of the circle drawn specifically for sparring in front of the lodge.

​"Can you shapeshift?" he asked.

​Before Jooyeon could answer for herself, a voice spoke up.

​"No. Sadly, her wolf isn't strong enough for that."

​Jooyeon spun around to see Jinyoung smiling smugly at her with a mug in his hands. Mark took in what Jinyoung said, those words processing through his head slower than he had hoped. A small speck of doubt spread through him and he was suddenly uncertain. He hasn't met a werewolf who couldn't shapeshift before. All too suddenly, familiar words screamed in his mind.

​"If you can't shift into your wolf, then you're as good as dead in this world. Werewolves who cannot shapeshift are weak. You have no potential and you're bound to fail. A werewolf is strongest in his or her wolf form. It is our true self. Something our ancestors passed down to us must be honored."

​Those were the words of his late training teacher. The old wolf was strong, twice the size of a regular werewolf and he oozed of charisma no matter what he does. Mark looked up to him. Those words had been with him ever since that day and to finally meet a werewolf who couldn't shapeshift, his mate at that, Mark was slightly disappointed. If she couldn't even do the first thing every werewolf must master then her capabilities were limited. An inner wolf must be strong enough to unleash itself and take over during battles but still be in control. Jooyeon's wolf wasn't strong enough for that. It couldn't come out. It couldn't tear through the human boundaries and escape.

​Mark was conflicted. He didn't want his mate to be someone so weak. She was as good as a regular human. Actually, she is human. It would be a lie to say if Mark wasn't worried that this human girl was going to be the one to fix everything. He was trained as a werewolf, taught by werewolf's ways so how on earth was he supposed to mold this human girl into her basically nonexistence wolf self?

​"She's not a hopeless case, Mark." Jinyoung spoke up, "She's more capable than you think. I should know, I've seen her do it before."

​Mark stared at the Protector. He seemed confident in his words but Mark wasn't. The girl before him wasn't a trained werewolf princess. She was human girl brought up in a human society. She was particularly reborn as a human when she was taken away. Nevertheless, she was their last chance and it was up to Mark to fix her. He was going to train her and drag out the lost werewolf princess that's been stuck inside this frail human. He was not going to let his mate be known as weak and pathetic. No way.

​"Alright. We'll start with the basic." Mark mumbled.

---

"Ah!"

​A yelp escaped Jooyeon's lips as she was pinned down onto the ground for the 20th time. Her chest heaved up and down, breaths coming out in short huffs. She was tired and her body was sore. They've been going at it for hours with no breaks. Jooyeon knew nothing about fighting. She couldn't tell whether Mark was being too agressive or this was just how werewolves fight. He didn't hold back and she was sure that the fact that she was a newbie at this had fled his mind. Countless of times he have thrown her off her feet and put her into headlocks. Jooyeon didn't even manage to land a hand on him. 

​"Are you always this rough?" Jooyeon panted, pushing herself off the ground.

​Her face and body was covered in sweat and her hair had long pastered onto the sides of her face and neck. Mark didn't answer but just looked at her. Through all that sweat, he could still smell the strong raspberry scent that reeked off of her. At this point, it annoyed him and ticked him over the edge. How could she still look and smell so irresitable after all that? It wasn't fair.

​"We'll practice on attack techniques." Mark voiced out.

​Jooyeon frowned. The only time he ever spoke was when he needed to state what was going to happen next. He didn't seem to want to become friends with her so when he offered her a hand to get up, all Jooyeon did was stare dumbly at him.

​He felt sorry. Mark had to admit. He did go a little too hard on her. His anger and irritation got the best of him. Jooyeon fought with no strategy. She threw her attacks recklessly, not watching his open angle closely. Mark had left himself more open than usual. He counted a total of 10 times he had made a clear space for Jooyeon to make an attack but she missed them all. She was slow and unsteady, moving at a pace that was against Mark's liking. He's never tought someone like this before. BamBam used to be the slowest in combat but after a few---tons of being hit and realizing that his hyungs weren't going to go easy on him, he picked himself up and showed his true potential. Mark would say Jooyeon was worst than BamBam. He really couldn't comprehend why Jinyoung had said Jooyeon was more than what she seem.

​"You're not looking at me closely enough." Mark grumbled, eyes narrowing at her.

"What?" Jooyeon blurted stupidly.

Mark was getting more annoyed by the second.

​"Watch my movement. Look for a weakness."

​"You have no weakness!" Jooyeon almost screamed.

​Mark frowned deeper, his eyebrows almost touching. He could tell her attention was else where. He could smell the uneasiness on her. First rule to being in a fight, always be in your right mind. Do not get distracted and pay close attention to your enemy's action. Every little detail matters.

​"You're not paying attention."

"I am!" Jooyeon shouted, trying to lung forward for the older.

​Mark moved away easily. He crouched down and resumed his position, one that was ready to pounce at any second.

​"Details. How many times do I have to say this? Pay attention to the details."

​Mark had his arms further from his body than usual. A little kick from Jooyeon could hurt if his body position was not right. Jooyeon watched him, trying her hardest to find the right chance to attack him. She must have taken too long because the next thing she knew, she was being yanked forward by the arm and pushed onto the ground. She landed on her stomach with a grunt, Mark crounching beside her.

​"Too long. Your enemy isn't gonna sit around and wait for your turn." 

​With that, he got up and left. Jooyeon pushed herself up, huffing and wiping at the sweats on her forehead. Turning her head, she looked at Mark's retreating figure and sighed. This training session felt like it was one-sided. While Mark was the fighter, Jooyeon was the sandbag. She could see little purple bruises forming on her arms and legs but she ignored it. This was for herself. She needed this. She wanted this. This was going to help her. But...How come she doesn't feel any closer to her past self?

---

​The next day, Jooyeon wanted to avoid Mark and their training session. However, Jinyoung literally dragged her out to the porch by the ear. Mark was standing in the middle of the sparring circle. His arms were crossed and an unreadable expression was on his handsome face. She gulped at the sight of the older male but approached him nonetheless.

​"We won't start right away so you don't have to look so nervous." he informed, eyes zeroing on to the light bruise on her upper arm.  

Jooyeon relaxed a little and nodded quietly.

​"Do you have any connection with your wolf at all?" he asked softly, uncrossing his arms and shoving his hands into his pockets.

Jooyeon blinked at his question.

​Mark sighed, "Right, I can't ask you questions like that."

​He walked passed her and sat down at the steps of the porch. Jooyeon turned to him and waited for his next move. She really didn't expect him to wave her over to have a seat. Wasn't this supposed to be a 'Let's beat up Jooyeon.' session? Nonetheless, Jooyeon sat herself down beside Mark, leaving a good amount of space that did things to Mark's feelings. He almost wished she would move closer but luckily, Mark caught himself beforehand and forced his mind to think of something else. 

​"Do you feel different when it's full moon?" he asked softly, keeping his eyes straight.

​The thought of the full yellow moon brought a sense of calmness over Jooyeon. She had always liked full moons. They were exceedingly beautiful.

​"I feel warm. Like it's reaching out to me and telling me that everything will fall into place eventually," she started, "Jinyoung oppa said that it's the opposite of how he feels though. Aren't werewolves suppose to have similar feelings about the moon?"

​Mark shook his head, "Not necessary. It's different for your case. You're only half werewolf."

"Then," Jooyeon gazed at him, "How do you feel?"

​Mark tensed at her question. He could feel her eyes on him and he didn't dare to look. But, he did. The moment their eyes met, he regretted it. His mouth started moving on its own and soon, he was telling her of his desire during a full moon.

​"I feel anxious. Full moons are tough times. It's a day where werewolves let their desire take control of them. Their wants grow bigger and they yearn for things they can't have." 

His voice trailed off but his eyes were still on her. Mark could stare at her forever if she let him. He could see the light blush forming on her face as his eyes searched hers. Mark was going to savor this moment. He was going to imprint it into his mind because frankly, something like this wasn't going to happen again. It didn't last long, their staring contest, but Mark had already got what he needed. The innocent look on her face was enough to make his inside flutter and swell contently. He wanted her close but he also didn't want to move fast. It would be bad for the both of them. 

Clearing his throat, Mark turned his gaze forward, staring into the forest in front of them. To a human, it was quiet but to Mark, he could hear it all. From the little sweet chirps of a bird to the heartbeat of a nearby rabbit, he heard it all. It was his wolf doing its job. The sixth sense of a werewolf was stronger than ordinary and though sometimes he could be too hyperaware of it, he loved it. The little noise soothed him. It made him feel like he wasn't alone in the world. 

"How did you reach out to your wolf?" Jooyeon asked suddenly, pulling Mark back to reality. 

He turned to look at her and then back to his original place. 

"Like every other werewolf, I fought." 

Jooyeon furrowed her eyebrows. That reply wasn't very helpful since she at fighting. 

"And I let myself go." 

His last words caught her interest. Jooyeon pondered on them, mulling it over in her head over and over again. Letting oneself go? She hasn't really thought of that before. She's been so fixed on wanting this and that. She never thought letting go was going to unleash her inner wolf. 

"Close your eyes and listen. If you can hear even the slightest thing then it's in there somewhere, your wolf." 

Jooyeon knew what he was talking about. She had done it before. When she was on Jinyoung's back that time, she had lost herself to the surrounding completely. Every scent, she could smell and every sound, she heard. It was just that a certain scent had changed the course of her train of thought. She was too focused on it and had completely forgotten how intriguing it was to be aware of everything. 

So, she tried again. She closed her eyes and relaxed, taking a deep breath in the process. It took her a few moments but when she got it, warmth spread through her. First, she heard the little chirp of a baby bird from afar and followed by the rushing of water from the river close to the lodge. Then, she heard a heart beat, one that did not belong to her. It was steady, calming and she realized it belonged to Mark. Suddenly, she could sense everything about him. Every sound he made when he moved to adjust his position, she could picture it like her eyes were open at that moment. His breathing had become so loud, it was as though he was right next to her ears. The way he smelled, Jooyeon could barely comprehend words to describe it. As breathtaking as it was, Jooyeon had to forced herself to stop. This was the second time a smell had distracted her.

However, when she took another deep breath, something unpredictable happened. Images flashed before her eyes and her head started throbbing painfully. 

"Jooyeon! Jooyeon!" a voice shouted desperately. 

A boy was shaking a little version of Jooyeon. She was wrapped  tightly in his arms but little Jooyeon didn't seem to be moving. The rise and fall of her chest was not visible and that sent a wave of panic through the boy's body. They were both drenched from head to toes and Jooyeon guessed from the river beside them that he had rescued her from drowning.

"Please! Wake up!" he shouted, shaking her again.

He was crying. Tears dripped from his eyes, mixing with the water droplets on his face and falling to the ground. 

"Jooyeon, please! I'm sorry. Just please wake up." 

A few seconds passed before the girl spluttered out water, coughing as she fought to breathe again. The boy's face flooded with relief but it was quickly replaced with a concerned expression. 

"Are you alright?" he asked. 

The little girl gave a weak grin and held her thumbs up, "Peachy." 

"Jooyeon." 

Mark's voice yanked her out of whatever that was and Jooyeon found herself breathing heavily, almost gasping for air that had been missing for a minute straight. She was shaking slightly, trying to put together what had happened. When she looked up at Mark, he was eyeing her in concern, a look that was all too familiar. Jooyeon parted her lips to speak but Mark beat her to it. 

"Are you alright?"

Jooyeon was sure of two things in that moment. One, that little incident that had occured was not just some daydream that her inner wolf took her to. It was a memory and two, the look of concern on Mark's face matched almost too perfectly of the boy in her flashback. 

---

Hey yall. Here's another chapter ^^ Yayyy Mark and Jooyeon's first interaction. Woo!! Hope you enjoy this chapter. I honestly mispelled so many words in this and when I proof read it, I wanted to cry. I wrote particularly instead of practically. I can't engrish. I need to attend Youngjae's English class. someone sign me up.  

YALL I KID YOU NOT WHEN I SAY THIS. Go vote for got7 for best dance performance! theyre in second place. BamBam literally asked us to vote for them at the Vancouver(?) fan meet.  OUR BOYS WANT THIS. LET'S GIVE IT TO THEM. 

Anywho peace. I'm out. see you in next chap ^^