He was always there.

Always by her side. He was there for her first transformation. He was present at her judgment test. He was her teacher for many years. She thought she knew him, but it only took one night for Seongmi to learn that he was nothing like she thought.

Seongmi snuck out, not for the first time, but it was the first incident that she left her home specifically to follow someone. She had gone to a few wild parties, but never anything of this level and she certainly had not properly dressed for the occasion. Earlier that day while she was suppose to be reviewing for an upcoming exam she had overheard her – on break – tutor, Kyungsoo, speak to one of his friends about a gathering that they couldn't wait for. Seongmi, being a stressed student and only child of her pack's alpha, thought a party would be an excellent way to relax some – especially if Kyungsoo was going. Now as she trailed to the edge of the forest clearing, where she had followed Kyungsoo and Ryewook to, she had a skeptical feeling growing in her core.

The clearing was lit by at least a hundred torches casting an eerie glow around the party-goers. A deep, bassy music was playing with heavy guitar riffs and lyrics nearly screamed out instead of sang. Seongmi pinched her nose closed when she got a whiff of burning wolf's bane, which was poisonous to werewolves, but in this day and age designer drugs were a thing and of course werewolves were jumping on the train. If dried (the roots), then soaked in several chemicals Seongmi wasn't sure of, and dried again it could be smoked for a high that actually affected werewolves unlike most other substances. Alongside the wolf's bane was the usual alcohol, moonshine mostly, and the atmosphere of absolutely no s give.

Kyungsoo attends these parties? she wondered as she scanned the mass of bodies dancing to the music. Which Seongmi would barely categorize as dancing seeing as they were mostly jumping to the thumping beat.

Lowering her hand from her face she ventured forth into the clearing, regretting her shorts as mosquitoes bit at her bare legs and her billowy v-neck top that had gotten caught on several branched as she followed Kyungsoo through the dense forest. Glancing at faces as she slowly moved further into the gathering she noted she didn't know anyone there, and that most were from different packs. It wasn't unusual for members from other packs to hangout together if the alphas had some sort of pact or were related in some way (with no bad blood), but there were at least a dozen or so packs mingling from the smell of it Seongmi concluded. Where was she right now?

Dad is going to kill me if he finds out, she realized as she stopped in the center of the clearing. Her stomach did an unsettling flip as she looked around for Kyungsoo again. When she did three things occurred simultaneously.

As her gaze locked on the familiar lightly freckled face and black hair, those heart shaped lips she loved to watch as he tutored her, or just plainly spoke, locked with a girl's whose face was shielded by her voluminous hair. At that same moment someone slapped a strong hand on her back knocking the air out of her lungs all while Seongmi felt something crack inside her that she wasn't given the chance to acknowledge or inspect.

“Well, if it isn't the princess,” jested a light yet deep voice. Turning her head Seongmi found she was wrong about not knowing anyone at the party.

Swallowing the shock she felt – for many reasons – Seongmi offered a small smile as she spoke. “H-Hey Chanyeol. What are you doing here?”

“Me? I think a better question is what are you doing here?” he said with a lift of his eyebrows. Seongmi hated that look, especially when the beta of her pack gave her that look, Minseok.

“I'm nineteen, don't give me that oh-the-princess-is-in-trouble look. I am a capable adult,” she huffed defensively. Seongmi crossed her arms as she narrowed her eyes at the tall guy next to her.

Chanyeol snorted as he threw his head back to laugh, mouth wide open and his hands holding his slim guy. Seongmi punched him in the side annoyed he found her so funny when she was being serious. Choking on his cackles at the impact, Chanyeol coughed the rest of his amusement away as he gazed back down at her, eyes still twinkling with mirth. She punched him again for the hell of it.

“Okay, okay,” he said rubbing the sore spot. “But really why are you here? How'd you even find out about this party?” he questioned turning semi-serious, but Chanyeol's boyish mischief was still lingering around the edges.

Swallowing nervously this time the girl's eyes flickered back over to where she had last seen Kyungsoo only to witness a different girl in front of him and his hands caressing her hips. There was another crack and once again Chanyeol stopped her from investigation further.

“Kyungsoo brought you?” he exclaimed incredulously.

“No,” she squeaked out shaking her head. Looking back at the fiery haired and gaping older boy next to her Seongmi forced back her composure as she spoke again. “No, I followed him here with Ryewook. He doesn't even know,” she clarified in a mutter.

“You followed him?” he questioned. She nodded. “Then I'm sure he knows, your stalking skills aren't above his environment awareness,” Chanyeol stated so matter-of-factly that Seongmi k