“About time you did this, Yoon Seongmi.”

She couldn't make sense of Yoon Ginam's words. Why would he say that? Had he been anticipating her challenge? Why? What was he up to? It set the already nervous girl completely on edge as they took their places across from one another in the clearing.

Ginam wore a determined expression as he took his stance while Seongmi stole glances towards Kyungsoo and Yongguk and Minseok. Kyungsoo gave her a reassuring yet stiff smile, Yongguk simply looked pissed at having his deal royally ruined by Seongmi's challenge, and Minseok he looked upset yet with a twinge of anxiety that the girl didn't fully understand. Swallowing she turned back to her opponent, her father, and clenched her hands into fists as she saw him begin to morph into his wolf form.

Without hesitating Seongmi did the same, she couldn't waste time in a battle so serious, even if her father seemed suspicious. Her body began bending and snapping with the changing of her bones and joints. Her clothes ripping and tearing as she grew too large to fit in them. Fur erupted from her pores and a growl left her growing muzzle. A few minutes later with the shredded remains of her outfit at her paws Seongmi was standing in her wolf form lifting her head to stare across the clearing at the graying honey brown wolf that was shaking out its fur.

There was a moment of tense silence as the two wolves stared at one another. Digging her claws into the dirt Seongmi crouched down timing her attack while Ginam padded the ground before him with his paw in a challenging bring it on motion. Seongmi growled, baring her teeth as her head dipped lower in anger. Then there was a charge.

Sehun's return to the Thunder Pack had not been as awkward or tense as he had expected it to be. The members didn't look down on him for what he had done with Seongmi, though many asked for details on what they had done while away and when Sehun told the innocent truth they all groaned and pressed for the truth. Sehun would just roll his eyes and walk away with a smug know-it-all smile.

Chanyeol on the other hand had welcomed Sehun back with open arms and a wide smile that the younger male appreciated. The redhead had shown Sehun to his new room that was twice the size of his previous living quarters with the option of either occupying it alone or with a roommate. Sehun liked his single room, but with the extra space he found it a waste to have it all to himself especially since he spent almost no time in the base, so he offered the other bed to Johnny, a new member of the pack who joined two months after the showdown in the clearing and a month after Sehun's random return. Johnny didn't accept right away m not feeling worthy of being in the same room as the older male, who pfft and assured him it was nothing to concern himself over.

It was now the beginning of February and Sehun was tiredly sprawled across one of the couches in the den. The massive house was quiet for a weekend, most of the pack out to attend the races or at work, while Sehun was still nursing his late night party hangover. The pounding in his skull was never fun, but at least when he hung out with Seongmi it didn't quite as much and they could banter about the stupid things they did the night before over mugs of honey water. It wasn't a long friendship but it was definitely the most honest and genuine friendship he had ever had.

Sighing heavily Sehun rolled onto his back to stare at the high ceiling as his head drummed an almost Moroccan beat. He stayed that way for several long minutes before someone trotted down the stairs and entered the room clearing his throat.

“Yeah Yixing?” Sehun said speaking first, voice gruff from all the cheering he did at the party.

“Chanyeol wants you to join him to a meeting,” the older pack member said as he stopped behind the couch.

Sehun turned his head to see Yixing standing over him with a pleasantly casual expression on his friendly face. “What's the meeting?” Sehun asked.

Yixing shrugged.

The orange haired man groaned as he forced himself into a sitting position. He rubbed at his face as he took in a deep breath, releasing it as his hands dropped to his lap. “Okay, where to?”

“Alpha's house.”

Sehun went stiff.

“Ten minutes.”

Head snapping to the side, eyes widening Sehun stared at the older guy in disbelief. Apparently Yixing didn't see the problem with where the meeting was taking place as he gave another shrug and turned to leave. Sehun on the other hand saw all the problems and wanted to know why the alpha's house?

Heart racing Sehun stood and smoothed back his hair, gnawing his bottom lip as he moved towards the stairs. After a quick change out of his sweats Sehun made his way out of the Thunder base and across the yard to the alpha's house that hadn't been entered in the last four months. His pulse climbing higher with each step he took in the building's direction.

He was at the front steps when something in the air caught his nose. The guy paused with his left foot on the second step, right on the first as he sniffed the air trying to place what had grabbed his attention. It took him a solid minute to identify the scent, but it wasn't Sehun's fault the familiar aroma had changed slightly, but enough to give him a struggle. When he placed the scent he charged up the stairs and threw open the door he had been nervous to touch a moment ago. The aroma grew stronger as he hurried into the house, eyes rapidly scanning the area for the owner of the scent.

There was no one in the foyer or the living room, not even Chanyeol. As Sehun moved further through the house he followed the smell to the room off the kitchen that turned out to be the dining room. His feet felt glued to the floor when he laid eyes on the room's occupants, heart lodging in his throat as the scent of vanilla and honey became overpowering.

“How's it been going my beta?” Seongmi greeted with a lopsided smile.

For a while Sehun held his breath as he took in the woman who stood from the table. She leaned to the right, her left leg clearly weaker than the other. Her black hair pulled over her right shoulder trying to hide the scars that spanned from her forehead across her right eye and down her face and neck disappearing below the collar of her shirt. The scars were still supple and pink, not being more than a few months old, sticking out starkly against Seongmi's pale skin. One of the claw marks tore at the corner of pulling it down in a permanent frown which didn't do justice to her once brilliant smile.

As his lungs demanded air and Sehun succumbed taking a much needed breath he turned his gaze to the man on her left who merely tipped his head in a silent greeting. Kyungsoo looked the same; short black hair, freckles, large eyes. And it was clear he still wasn't a fan of Sehun. Sitting at the head of the table was Chanyeol, a very small but very happy smile on his face as he stile glances at Seongmi before looking at Sehun who felt like he was in a dream.

“Cat got your tongue?” she teased.

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