Baekhyun doesn’t even have time to close his eyes in horror because the werewolf is pinned to the ground the moment he threatened to hurt Jongdae. Chanyeol stands over him, growling, and to Baekhyun, it seems like the animal is ready to rip his head off. To his honest confusion, the werewolf chuckles – but not before the genuine fear flashed over his face. Baekhyun doesn’t even know why he’s able to pick up on the subtle facial expressions.

“I really picked the wrong guy to turn first, didn’t I?” he asks and with the wolf standing over him being equally confused as Baekhyun is, he’s able to push him off himself. “Should have started with you, probably,” he says with a nod in Baekhyun’s direction, but contradicting his words, his fingers dauntingly hover over Jongdae’s shoulder. “Why did you escape?” he asks with his lips way too close to Jongdae’s ear and when the short man is too afraid to say anything, he adds, “hm?” Baekhyun frowns, because – was that supposed to sound ual?

“Back off,” he therefore says and when he has the werewolf’s attention, he bitterly adds “please.” The stranger raises both his hands and his brows, in an amused sort of way, but Chanyeol growls lowly. “Stop threatening him,” Baekhyun says, but he feels how fear rises in his throat because he has precisely no control over what could be happening. He gets the feeling more and more that the stranger was lying; that he doesn’t consider Baekhyun to be much of an omega – and that he only said it in the first place to confuse him.

“I see you’re starting to figure it out,” the werewolf says, smirking as his fingernails start to grow dangerously, letting them graze the skin on Jongdae’s shoulder. “Though I have to admit that I really did think you’d be an omega. But opinions can change, right? Your pleas won’t do too much anymore, little darling.” Panic. Nothing more than panic. What does he do now?

“No, please, please don’t hurt Jongdae,” Baekhyun finds himself pleading anyway and he knows he’s on the verge of crying but someone needs to stay strong. Chanyeol stands by the sidelines and Baekhyun has the feeling he doesn’t charge because he might hurt Jongdae instead of the stranger – and it just adds to his panicked mind. “Don’t hurt my friends,” Baekhyun adds in a whisper and it’s right then that the stranger turns to him instead.

“Do you think turning them is hurting them?” he asks and Baekhyun has to swallow away his fears because the man stands so close, predatory mode still on.

“I heard Chanyeol. He was covered in blood,” he says, looking at the wolf, who looks only slightly better now.

“But you easily accepted him – and look at him now, way better than before, right? He’s strong, fast, capable of protecting you,” the stranger tells him and there’s a smug, knowing smile on his face. There’s only one thing that comes to Baekhyun’s mind, though it’s far from the truth.

“I don’t need protection.” The way his voice sounds small and quiet, gives that away instantly and the stranger laughs.

“Of course you don’t. You know what, I’ll give you my name, so you know who you’re actually fearing all this time,” he says and leans close – way too close – to whisper in Baekhyun’s ear. “Kim Jongin, it’s very nice to meet you,” he says and Chanyeol growls, before he wrings himself in between the two man, pushing this so-called Jongin further away from Baekhyun with a snarl. The man laughs, though with Baekhyun so on edge, he saw it again, that flicker of fear and he starts to realize something. “I’d like to make all of you part of my pack,” he then suddenly confesses.

“You’re going about it the wrong way, ,” Baekhyun suddenly hears – it’s Chanyeol’s deep, rumbling voice and he’s angry. He turned probably because of that and Baekhyun doesn’t know how he missed it, it happened so quickly. “Get the away from Baekhyun or I’ll kill you personally,” he growls, not at all bothered by the fact he’s stark – and nobody seems to mind. Except Baekhyun. He doesn’t want to see Chanyeol out here like this, trying to take his defense while being scrutinized by someone as lowly as Jongin, who apparently wants them to… to be a pack? “Where is your pack, huh?” the tall man continues when Jongin has slightly stepped away from them all, though he could still easily lash out and… and kill him. “Did they leave because you’re such a ?” he spits and Baekhyun can honestly say he has never quite heard him speak like this. It’s only when Jongin turns his head the other way slightly, though, that Baekhyun realizes Jongdae’s mental breakdown.

“Chanyeol calm down, please…” Baekhyun says when he gets to his knees, holding up Jongdae who seems on the verge of fainting on the spot. He hadn’t believed this was Chanyeol up until that point after all.

“Don’t use that ugly word on me Baek,” Chanyeol retorts and his voice sounds so rough, so coarse – Baekhyun flinches. “Bring me to Kyungsoo,” he continues to the man in front of them, who has strangely let Baekhyun do as he pleased when he wanted to be there for Jongdae. The short man does nothing other than just stare ahead while Baekhyun holds him, contemplating what to do with the situation, all the while hoping nothing bad has already happened to Kyungsoo.

“I’ve got a much better idea,” the werewolf answers and his pose is defiant, confident, but Baekhyun starts to realize he knows better. Jongin is outnumbered even though Chanyeol is the only werewolf on their side, and the subtle signs of his fear towards Baekhyun’s tall friend show that he knows it, too. Also, Chanyeol seems most like an alpha, while Jongin can only be a beta at best – and that’s not particularly a favorable position for him to be in. Yet, because he’s been a werewolf for much longer – possibly his entire life – he is in much better control of his body and his strength. That’s why he can keep cool while continuing, even though Chanyeol's human form is nothing less daunting than the wolf he just showed to be. “Tomorrow is the next full moon, as I guess you’re well aware of. By then, I want you to have made a decision – either Kyungsoo gets turned, or you give up the little cutie here, I believe you called him… Baek, just now?”

There’s that smug smile again and Chanyeol charges, enraged, but as he does so, his body seems to protest heavily. He screams and falls to the ground, writhes and Jongdae cowers in Baekhyun’s arms, while Baekhyun can only look on in horror, wants to hold Chanyeol’s body instead, but is incapable of doing anything at all. Chanyeol bares his teeth and he turns, but is completely out of control, whining, writhing and clawing at the ground. Baekhyun can’t hold back the tears as he looks up to Jongin, who raises a confirming brow at him before he disappears inside the house they stand before.

“Baek don’t worry about me,” Jongdae says, voice squeaky and high, the fear easily audible, but he won’t give in to it, it seems. “I think… I think Chanyeol needs your support,” he tells Baekhyun and he realizes right there that Jongdae has seen through it as well. That feeling telling them that Chanyeol is protective over Baekhyun, more so than over anyone else.

“Sure?” Baekhyun doesn’t need to say more, Jongdae nods although it’s easy to see he’s not alright either. Baekhyun bites his lip when he makes his decision and crawls over to Chanyeol, the writhing wolf that seems to have lost all control he previously had over his wolf-body. “Chanyeol,” Baekhyun says, his voice low, and it goes unheard. The small man frowns, but doesn’t give up there. He repeats his name, reaching out his hand and at first, Chanyeol bites him, but when Baekhyun winces, the jaws are already unclenched and no blood is drawn from his hand. He wants to tell Chanyeol to calm down, but he doesn’t have to; when they meet eyes, the wolf stops his erratic movements and just focuses on Baekhyun’s eyes.

If Baekhyun is completely honest, he feels chills throughout his entire body when they look at each other like that. He knows that they haven’t really talked all that much, but there’s a connection there and he’s sure of it. He knows that not only does he like Chanyeol, Chanyeol also cares about him. When he takes the wolf’s face in his hands and Chanyeol easily leans in to the touch, Baekhyun knows what he has to say to draw the unease from the werewolf.

“I’m not going to let myself get hurt by him, in whatever way.” The words are spoken confidently, but Baekhyun isn’t, not really. He doesn’t stand a chance against Jongin, but he would try with all that’s inside him to not let his words turn into a lie. Chanyeol nuzzles his cheek, then his neck and he laps at his shoulder again, igniting sparks in Baekhyun that he doesn’t want to feel right now – not out in the open and in front of Jongdae. What must he think? He can’t help it, though, the quiet shaky breath he breathes at the feeling of the wolf’s tongue, knowing it’s Chanyeol and knowing the man is doing it fully consciously. Their eyes meet again and Baekhyun knows he heard it perfectly well. “We should head back to the cabin,” he announces after clearing his throat.

Chanyeol sits snuggled up against Baekhyun’s side and the small man’s arm is draped over the fluffy, large body. Jongdae sits on the other couch, unsure of what to say, but visibly feeling better than when they were outside in the forest. He still had his key on him and all the doors are again locked, helping them feel at least a little safer.

“So we only have tomorrow to free Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun states and Jongdae nods.

“I’ll be less useless,” he vows and Baekhyun feels his heart break, but the man isn’t quite finished yet. “I’m sorry, Baek. I left him there and I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have let fear take over my actions. Even if you forgive me, I never will.” He pauses there and Baekhyun doesn’t know what to say, his brow furrowed in contemplation. “I’ll go to bed now, I’ve had it, really. I’ll see you in the morning – be safe, okay? Don’t go anywhere,” he adds and Baekhyun finds his voice again.

“Of course we’re not going anywhere. You’ll be the first to hear it if something happens,” he says and when his friend stands up and gives him a smile, he can see some of his usual easygoing character is returning already with his resolve to do better tomorrow.

When they wished each other good night, Baekhyun doesn’t feel like standing up and going to his own bedroom. He looks at Chanyeol only, being exhausted with his head resting in Baekhyun’s lap. He feels so bad for the tall man, wishes it was him who got bitten instead, but he knows that when things have happened, there’s no turning them back around.

With a little chill, he yawns and snuggles closer to the wolf who sleepily accepts his embrace and it’s when they’ve practically molded together, that Baekhyun feels him stir. He doesn’t think much of it and closes his eyes to try and sleep for a little bit, but he can’t just do that when he realizes Chanyeol is changing again. So when he opens his eyes, he looks in Chanyeol’s round, human ones, looking at him with an expression that is both familiar, but also something he hasn’t seen in his human form – not with this intensity.

Baekhyun lets himself be kissed, threading his fingers through Chanyeol’s short hair when the tall man embraces him tightly, afraid to lose him soon.

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Wow that took long again, I'm sorry! I hope you still like the story! Also, I don't hate Jongin, who can hate Jongin? <3 I just think he fits the role :') If you wouldn't mind, please leave me a comment about what you think <3 it would be appreciated much! <3