Jeonghan underestimated the life of a lone wolf. Of course, when he was in human form things were much easier and he was able to explore without anything holding him back but Jeonghan found himself having to be in his wolf form more often. He didn't understand why but he assumed it was just primal instinct. Life as a lone wolf wasn't hard but rather tiring. Jeonghan had left the safety of his natal pack which meant he had left behind the little protection they offered from other wolves. The loss of this protection, that Jeonghan had taken for granted, meant that Jeonghan was constantly paranoid. Always watching over his shoulder, surveying his surroundings and smelling the area even in his human form. One could never be too safe - as an omega Jeonghan was an easy target to other wolves.
Jeonghan constantly worried about crossing over into other wolves territories and, if the threat of a random wolf attacking him wasnt enough to make him paranoid, the threat of an alpha from another pack made him even more paranoid. Jeonghan knew first hand how vicious alpha's could be. Alphas kept a watchful eye over their territory and pack. Alpha's were always the first to investigate something strange - like the smell of a foreign wolf. And Jeonghan knew that the moment an alpha noticed him in their territory the mask of ferocity would come out. Jeonghan remembered it clearly. Raised lips high exposing full length canines that Jeonghan knew could rip apart flesh, nose pulled back further emphasising the teeth and ears shot out like horns. And that savage snarl - that savage snarl that Jeonghan could still hear in his head from time to time. It frightened him more than anything. He had barely managed to survive in his own pack, he had the scars to prove that, and he knew he wouldn't be able to survive an attack from an alpha. Jeonghan tried to keep floating between territories frequently checking scent markers to make sure he wasn't in danger and kept his howling to a minimum. When he didn't feel the urge to be in his wolf form Jeonghan tried to keep in his human form. Jeonghan went the extra mile to ensure he kept himself safe.
Jeonghan struggled to find food. It wasn't that there wasn't any food available to him and it wasn't that he was unable to hunt, he could hunt very well as it was a primal instinct. It was the fact that hunting required chasing and chasing required moving into other wolves territories and Jeonghan just couldn't afford to do that. He often found himself ambushing small prey when he could or just not eating at all. It wasn't much but it was better than having to scavenge for scraps like he had to do when he was with his pack. The further Jeonghan got from his pack the stronger that burning desire grew. He still didn't understand the desire but he was somehow following it, letting his instincts take him wherever they deemed best. Life without a pack should've been harder and Jeonghan should have been lonely however since Jeonghan had never really socialised before with his pack the loneliness didn't feel new to him. He often wondered if he would ever stop feeling lonely but assumed that as an omega he would never get that love and care he craved. Omegas weren't important enough for that.
As a human as well as wolf, feelings that a wolf shouldn't crave or care about bled into his wolf consciousness. Jeonghan understood the dynamic clearly - only alpha males and females were allowed to mate - but Jeonghan couldn't help but want to have that. He wanted to experience what love was, what it would feel like to have another wolf be caring towards him rather than aggressive, what it would feel like to actually feel happiness for once. It was totally irrational for him to feel that way especially since he was an omega but he couldn't help his human nature.
Human nature was irrational and that's why human nature and wolf instincts didn't mix that well.
Days morphed into weeks, Jeonghan was unsure of whether he could survive just eating rabbits and small birds he just happened to come across at random times while going between territories. He needed more food or his body, human or wolf, would not be able to survive. He was in his human form as he trudged through the dense forestry, almost stumbling over his own feet due to his own weakness. Leaning against a tree Jeonghan heard his stomach rumble loudly for the millionth time that day.
"Shut up!" Jeonghan hissed at his stomach. "I know you're hungry but if you don't shut up you're going to get me killed!" Jeonghan doesn't know when he resorted to talking to his stomach as if it were a person but he was so hungry he didn't care how mad he sounded. Pushing himself off of the tree he proceeded to stumble through the forest some more. He knew he was in another packs territory, he could smell it, and so he needed to move quickly. He wanted to be out of the territory as fast as he could be. The way he was walking through the forest was causing much more noise that his stomach ever was. Jeonghan was also slower in his human form so he transformed into him wolf form.
That was his first mistake.
While he was faster in his wolf form, running through the forest agilely now, he was also more instinctual. Hunger was on the forefront of his mind so when he spotted that that deer grazing from the corner of his eye he halted. It was beautiful. A stag with majestic antlers that could easily stab Jeonghan's frail wolf form but he didn't care. He was too focused on the thick hind legs on the stag and overall it's huge size that would definitely satiate his hunger. If Jeonghan were in his human form he would have been drooling. The stag hadn't noticed Jeonghan, focused on grazing, and Jeonghan could feel the excitement building up inside of him. The need to hunt was building up inside of him but he couldn't hunt. To hunt you needed a pack and he didn't have one. He would never be able to take down the stag but his hunger was the only thing he cared about. Jeonghan approached the stag without hesitation and surprisingly the stag didn't notice Jeonghan approaching from behind.
Suddenly, just as Jeonghan was getting into the vicinity to attack the stag raised its head from where it was grazing. Jeonghan froze suddenly aware of how stupid trying to attack a stag alone was. The stags ears twitched and it turned its head to the right - it must have heard something. Jeonghan was on high alert - what could the stag have heard that he didn't? In the next second the stag bolted, shocking Jeonghan and nearly impaling him with its enormous antlers. Jeonghan was left alone in the clearing, startled and paranoid. Why did the stag suddenly bolt? He looked around the clearing he was in - just where was he? Jeonghan sniffed the air and fear filled his body. There was another wolf nearby, an alpha, should he run? Jeonghan assumed the wolf was watching him somewhere in the thick foliage, marking his every move. He was unsure of whether he would be able to make a run for it.
Sniffing the air once more Jeonghan turned and made a run for it.
That was his second mistake.
His wolf form had recovered well since leaving the pack, his fur growing back normally and open wounds all healing well albeit the fact that he wasn't getting enough to eat meant that his wolf form was thin and weak. Jeonghan was running slower than he usually would and was struggling to keep himself from falling over his own huge paws, his downfall would not be his huge paws that would be true cruel of a joke. He could hear the panting of the wolf close behind him, the soft thud of the wolves paws against the ground and the occasional snarl and yip as the other wolf attempted to bite Jeonghan's hind legs. He could feel how close the wolf was, the hot breath of the wolf rising more panic in him. Jeonghan attempted to speed up. If he could just push himself to run faster he could make it out of the territory. Ahead of him Jeonghan saw a huge tree that had been knocked down. This was his chance - if he could speed up just enough and jump with the right amount of strength he could distance himself from the alpha chasing him. Gathering the little strength Jeonghan sped up, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he ran, when he neared the he pushed off of his hind legs and jumped. Mid air jumping over the tree Jeonghan felt a sense of accomplishment at being able to escape the alpha but abruptly he felt jaws on his left leg, letting out a pained whine he was dragged back down from his jump.
Almost immediately Jeonghan understood the alpha had caught him and instantaneously he rolled over, showing his belly to the alpha. Jeonghan left himself vulnerable as a sign of submission, a pained whimper escaped him as the alpha let go of his leg and shoved his muzzle closer to Jeonghan's body - inspecting his smell and gaging whether Jeonghan was a threat or not. Then the alpha snapped his head up looking Jeonghan in the face and Jeonghan looked into the alpha's chocolate coloured eyes - they were so human like, soft, and something stirred within Jeonghan.
And that was his third mistake - looking into those eyes.
As promised this is longer. I hope you enjoyed it. Comments are always welcomed.
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