Minho's dreams have been the same for quite some time, give or take on the rare occasions he dreams of nothing but blackness. To put it simply, he dreams about the day when everything changed, which is then quickly followed by a faceless boy he’s never met before.

Every night it's the same thing.

It starts off with a young Minho watching his mother’s back disappear out the front door as she walks out of their immaculate shared home. The scene quickly changes and shows two men standing at his doorstep, just like they had done years prior, to inform his nanny of his mother’s sudden passing. But then it always cuts off there and switches to a single figure standing before him in an unknown field. The atmosphere is quite different from the one surrounding the previous scene. It’s welcoming and warm, the fields have sunflowers and the sky is littered with plump clouds. As for the boy, Minho knows only the bare minimum about the stranger from his dreams; definitely male, ginger hair, possibly around twenty, and he's always repeating the same thing.

“Be strong.”

The boy’s voice isn't too deep or high, just right in Minho’s developing opinion, and if Minho was ever asked to, he could pick the stranger’s voice out from a crowd.

Throughout the eight years he has had this recurring dream, the orphan always found a sort of comfort in the stranger’s simple words. Of course Minho would never tell a soul about the mystery boy- hell, he hasn't even told Hyunjin, his best friend, and he is not planning on doing so either. The third year fears the judgment and constant teasing that will inebibitally come with said confession.

Tonight however was surprisingly a dreamless one and although it was short lived, Minho couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed at a missed opportunity to see his little dream visitor.

The third year awakes by someone lightly shaking his shoulder and he proceeds to scrunch up his face in annoyance. The boy has never been one for mornings, let alone being awakened by something other than his alarm or simply waking up naturally. Minho lets out a low groan, signaling the intruder that he is somewhat awake and hoping to get some sort of explanation of why he’s being pulled from his slumber.

“Come down stairs, we need to talk.” Chan gently pats the youth’s shoulder and makes his way back out of the room, giving Minho some time and space to properly wake up.

The leader’s voice isn't stern or demanding, but rather comforting in a way, which is the only reason Minho agrees to slip out from under the warm duvet and follow the older male. However, before making haste downstairs, Minho makes sure to check up on Hyunjin; the boy is unsurprisingly sleeping like a log, snuggled into one of the spare pillows and snoring softly.

Just like a repeat of last night, Minho finds himself sitting down with both Chan and Minjun, but this time the three of them are sat comfortably in the kitchen. The room is quite big, furnished with a quaint breakfast table, a wooden island, painted cabinets with little accented glass windows, and pots of shrubbery appearing sporadically around the room. The rays of a new morning, peaking through the sheer curtains placed delicately onto a couple of wall length windows, cast light down onto the table Minho sits at. Calm and welcoming, something that reminds Minho of a breath of fresh air; that’s how he would best describe the room.

The younger of the three moves his hand around a shadow being cast down onto the table, most likely caused by the trees from outside the window. He watches it move across his palm and elope around his fingers, producing a darker shade to take place on his skin.

How fitting… 

Minho can not help but compare his own home to the pack’s house once more. His being more on the grayish side when it came to the color scheme, barely any photos depicting anyone but himself, and he can’t even think of the last time he had actual flowers in his home, aside from the fake ones that are cleaned every now and then by the housekeepers. In retrospect, there is never this much… life.

Minjun walks around the table- exceedingly more awake than should be considered normal- and places a cup of what looks to be tea in front of a now semi awake Minho and does the same to the other male at the table before sitting down himself. The omega motions towards the little display of milk, honey, and sugar placed near the edge of the table, silently asking if the younger would fancy any. But Minho shyly shakes his head, too concerned about the oncoming conversation to even think about how he would take his tea.

The few seconds of dead silence rack Minho’s nerves to no end. The ticking of a nearby clock digs deeper into his skin and the little rattling from a spoon swirling around Chan’s mug is beginning to do something to Minho’s psyche. He has an inkling of why the older two would drag him out of bed at seven in the morning, but Minho has never been too sure when it came to this topic in his life, so it really is a toss up of what he could possibly be doing at this table.

Chan takes a careful sip from his steaming mug and levels Minho with a knowing stare. “I think you know why we want to speak with you.”

Nevermind. They know. Both Minjun and Chan definitely know! Minho would be lying if he said that he was comfortable talking about such a topic. The dark haired boy knows of only three people who are aware of his situation, but he guesses now he’ll have to add two more to the short list.

The two older wolves know about his greatest secret and biggest weakness.

Minho’s heart quickens at just the thought and before he knows it his breathing also begins to pick up. He was so stupid to think that they wouldn’t notice! The third year thought last night he was gonna have a panic attack, well that was nothing compared to what he was currently feeling. Every breath that even gets a chance to enter his windpipes feels like thorns scratching up and down his throat and his stomach practically has a mini typhoon crashing around inside.

Minjun carefully reaches a hand across the table to give the panicking boy some comfort, but Minho quickly jerks his shoulder back, causing the older to frown at the cold movement. “Don’t be frightened, everything will be okay, we just want to confirm what you are.” The light haired man speaks softly, almost motherly in a way, and Minho realizes- once again- that both Chan and Minjun mean him absolutely no harm. It’s something he has to remind himself; not everyone is evil and out to harm him, like he’s been more or less taught ever since his mother’s death.

The frighted younger in a quick breath and attempts to calm his rapidly beating heart and mind. “A half breed…” He whispers out just loud enough for the two wolves to hear.

Both Chan and Minjun share a look, of course the older of the two has a cockier glance, as if to say ‘I told you so’, but Chan would rather not get into that petty argument right now. “Do your friends, Felix and Hyunjin, know about your situation?” Chan lightly questions once the sudden realization that the boy across from them is, in fact, a half breed and definitely not human finally sets in.

“N-no they don’t.” Minho looks away in shame, even though the two older men are nothing but understanding of his secret. “Look if I'm being honest with you two, I'm young a-and I don't have a lot to go by or any sort of guidance… My father passed away before I was even born and my mother died when I was 10.”

Minjun’s hand quickly finds Chan’s under the table, once a spike of sadness and worry runs through their bond. He holds onto the younger tightly, well aware of their past reflecting right in front of them with Minho’s own backstory. The older wolf then intertwines their fingers when Chan’s hand begins to tremble.

“The only thing I know is that I'm a half breed. I have no idea who my father was or where he came from, all I can tell you is that apparently he was a wolf and my mother was human. When you told me about what happens between Wolves and humans once they imprint, I thought about my parents… and about how that must've been the reason for my father’s passing.” Minho takes another breath because he can do this , he knows he can finally say the words out loud and not be ashamed for once in his life. “I-I can control my wolf extremely well, hell… I have to for the sake of my friends and peers. I also take suppressants that I've had anonymously delivered to me since I was 15.”

The leader shifts slightly in his chair at the topic of suppressants. That must have been the reason Minho’s emotions felt a little off last night and today as well, since suppressants distort the way other wolves see the user. Of course Chan understands that because Minho is mixed that the boy alone has a type of shield over him. That’s a thing with wolf and human mixed breeds; distortion. It’s another reason why elders find the mixed wolves a threat, because they’re practically impossible to read like normal wolves.

Ultimately, Chan decides to hold back on voicing his thoughts, wanting Minho to finish speaking first- scared the younger will leave something important out if he stops the boy now.

But Minjun has other questions.

“Do you know what pack your father came from? Are there any crests or symbols around your home that would indicate where he grew up?” The head omega investigates further.

Minho purses his lips in thought, thinking of any recurring symbols that would stand out. “The mansion was practically stripped clean of my parents personal belongings when my mother passed away. Although… the woodwork along the fireplace and stairwell have the same artwork carved into it.”

“What does it depict?”

“Wolves attacking one another, like a sort of battle? I’m not too sure…”

“We have no idea how old his dad truly could have been or where his parents even came from. That mural could mean any fight between our kind at this point.” Chan ponders between his bond with Minjun, curious of his thoughts.

“Yeah, but I think we could at least help Minho get some type of closure, don’t you think Channie?”

“This isn’t going to be an easy case to solve, but it can’t hurt to try I guess.”

Minho looks between the two men in front of him and slowly begins to let his guard down. A guard that Minho has so strategically placed and built throughout the past ten years of his life, is finally crumbling away with every second, minute, and hour he spends with the pack. “I was being honest with you when I asked about the imprinting. I really know close to nothing about my own kind. J-just please, I can’t go back to that empty mansion. I can’t go back.” The younger quietly pleads.

And there it is, Minho’s final breaking point.

“Mama has to go now, my dear.” A woman, who doesn't look any older than 30, sadly states with tears threatening to spill at any second. She carefully crouches down to the height of her ten year old son and places a warm hand upon the confused boy’s face.

She’s beautiful- doe like eyes, a narrow face with full cheeks, and long chocolate locks, styled naturally into waves. But the boy in front of her is practically a spitting image, aside from his prominent nose and youthful eyes that have not seen even a fraction of the atrocities his mother has.

“Where to?” The boy innocently questions.

The woman looks away from her son and glances at the nanny, who was just minutes ago sworn to secrecy; sworn to keep a secret that will change the young boy’s life if he were to ever find out. Once the nanny nods her head at the silent plea, the mother turns back to the boy with tears now spilling from her eyes. “I can’t tell you just yet, baby, but when you are much much older maybe I’ll let you know.”

The child purses his lips at his mother’s odd behavior and heavy atmosphere, but nods his head anyways. “When will you come back, mama?”

She caresses his youthful cheeks with trembling hands and takes a deep breath. “Soon.” The woman whispers out. “Minho, remember everything I’ve taught you okay? Remember your secret has to stay here in this house and only here. No one can ever find out, at least for now, do you understand?”

Confused by his mother’s actions even further, the young boy tilts his head in befuddlement, but he obeys her request nonetheless. “Yes, mama.”

She smiles, although the gesture still comes across a little more sorrowful than the woman intended. “Ms. Cha will take good care of you, like she usually does while I’m away. Be a good boy for her and try to stay out of trouble.” The somber woman leaves a delicate kiss upon her son’s forehead, lingering on the action a bit more than normal, and slowly stands back up. “I love you so much, Minho.”

“I love you too, mama.”

The child watches carefully as his mother exists the house, bags in hand, and wrists wiping away fallen tears. Sure, he’s seen this many times before, since his mother takes business trips every now and then, but this time it felt different, almost as if she knew that this might be the last time she would see him.

With that in mind, the young boy chases after his mother and latches onto her midsection. He lets tiny sounds of choked sobs seep out of his lips, and onto the cashmere material that his mother’s coat is made from, the reality of the situation finally setting in. However, the woman does not move from her spot, instead she stands still and waits for the child to be removed, her tear stained cheeks becoming rehydrated by her son’s distressed state.

“Come on, master Minho. Your mother needs to leave now.” The older woman, his nanny, pulls him back with minimal force and successfully detaches him.

And without knowing it, that would be the last he saw of his mother.

“I can’t go back…” Minho whispers out once more, recalling his past vividly. The distraught boy stares into his now lukewarm tea, too embarrassed to face the two understanding men before him.

Minjun grips his mate’s hand gently to get the man's attention. “Channie, he is clearly hurting. We can not let him do this alone, Minho needs help. Plus… my vision I had last night. Minho was there and so was Felix and Hyunjin. Channie, they’re going to be part of our future.”

“Then I guess this settles things for now, we’ll properly invite them once everyone is up. Our pack really is getting bigger. Although, we’ll have to ask around about the suppressants; maybe Jisung can find out who's been sending them to him.” The head alpha glances towards Minho's quivering form in thought. “His parents must have had some serious connections, or at least knew of a couple of packs near here. Not just anyone can get ahold of suppressants.”

Both Chan and Minjun share one more glance before smiling softly towards the boy in front of them.

“Minho?” Chan calls out to the younger to get his attention, he can tell the half breed has drifted off into a spiralling mind space in the time it took Minjun and himself to have their little conversation. “You can stay here for as long as you need or want. We are offering you a place in our pack if you wish.” The leader chuckles to himself at the wide eyed reaction. “Of course we would have to make adjustments to the rooming situation, since you can’t stay in Jeongin’s room, best option would be to bunk with Jisung-”

“Just until we have a proper room set up for you.” Minjun quickly corrects his mate.

“Right, just until we have something more permanent, but all in all we would be delighted to have you here.”

Minho nods his head in thanks. He can’t even begin to imagine what it will be like to finally have a family again or to come home to a house full of life and colors. Sure he has a handful of loyal staff back at the mansion, sworn into secrecy, but they’re not really family. They have their own families to return to once their shifts are done, Minho however does not. This is an opportunity he could only dream of and here it is, right in front of him with open and accepting arms.

The third year finally comes down from his euphoria and catches up to an unknown name that Chan had spoken. "Who's Jisung?"

The mated pair both perk up at the name. "He's another member of the pack, but he's away on business right now." Chan then points to an object behind Minho’s head. “See the photo up there? He’s the small redhead on the end.”

Minho rakes his eyes carefully over the framed picture and notices four boys in front of a beautifully lit christmas tree, all huddled close together, most likely to fit into frame. He recognizes Changbin first, a laid back smile gracing his lips, and wearing a monstrosity of a sweater- which alone brings a grin to Minho’s face. Seeing the school’s superstar in such attire does something to a person. Next of course are Seungmin and Jeongin, both with matching toothy grins and peace signs raised into frame. But then Minho makes it to the last person.

So this guy is Jisung? The third year ponders.

The young man in the picture comes across nicely, with his smile big and bright- mouth forming a heart shape- and how his cozy looking sweater practically devours his smaller frame, but that’s not what really catches Minho’s interest. In fact, it's actually the emerald ring placed upon the boy’s right hand, the third year recognizes the jewelry from his dreams; the boy who always appears wearing exactly the same thing. But maybe his subconscious has just seen the piece of jewelry before and wants to think it is the same as the boy’s in the picture.

“Jun and I took him in around the same time we adopted Seungmin and Jeongin. Jisung wanted a change and more freedom per se, since his previous pack only consisted of his parents, all of his siblings, and their mates… he felt trapped.”

“They treated him differently because he’s actually a runt.” Minjun’s words drift off a little towards the end of the sentence, causing Minho to look at the older male in confusion. The third year isn’t stupid, he knows what a runt is and can only assume that their world takes such a position seriously. “But that’s a story for another time and it’s not really mine to tell, either.” The omega finishes quickly.

Chan notices the change in atmosphere and the facial expression the dark haired boy currently wears. “Minho? We will figure all of this out together, so please consider our offer.”

Minho quickly schools back his expression, since the older two believe he is having second thoughts on joining the pack, when in reality he’s still curious about the boy from the picture. “I will, thank you Chan and Minjun hyung.”

“From now on, we can help you in whatever you need, whether it be learning about our kind or something as simple as lending you a shoulder to lean on or a hand to hold.”

Minho looks back at the photo one more time and thinks about all the boys depicted. He then thinks of Hyunjin, who's asleep upstairs and also Felix, who's hopefully being taken cared of by Changbin himself. He thinks of the two men in front of him who have shown the orphan more love and acceptance in the past twelve hours than most adults he’s ever come into contact with.

“Come on now, lets make some breakfast, the rest of the boys will be up soon!” Minjun happily announces and pulls a suddenly sluggish Chan out of his seat, just to drag the poor man across the kitchen and near the fridge.

I think I’ve finally found my family. A soft and knowing smile spreads across Minho’s face and once Minjun calls him over to help with breakfast preparations, he gladly obeys. Even though he’s never really cooked before, he can sure as hell try. Just like he’s going to try and fit himself into this new environment and lifestyle. For once in  eight years, Lee Minho is ready for a change, he’s ready to be a part of a family again.

~*~

Felix's chest feels heavy, that's the first thing his brain processes once he begins to wake from his peaceful slumber. The second thing he notices is that he's actually laying in a bed instead of his futon back at the elder's village.

This also happens to be the exact moment red flags begin to pop up.

With a curled up fist the blonde rubs his eyes gently to remove any remaining sleep and to make sure he is a hundred percent awake because this can't be right, Felix doesn't own a bed and neither does his grandmother. He slowly tightens his hands into the soft duvet and brings the comforter closer to his chest, not for warmth, but more so for comfort. 

His eyes settle back into focus for the first time this morning and Felix takes this time to take note of the room he's in, starting from the grand window that practically replaces an entire wall. Felix finds it odd that there’s no drapery, and slightly annoying since the sun’s rays shine way too bright, but he assumes whoever owns said window enjoys the view and openness it has to offer. The blonde then moves his gaze towards the front of him and isn’t too surprised to see the setup of a dresser, random trinkets, a gaming console. He moves on and finally reaches the other corner of the room only to find a boy sitting cross legged in a comfortable looking armchair with a curious yet softened gaze staring back at him.

Oh… 

Oh!

Changbin!

Every single event that occurred last night hits Felix like a ing truck- the forest, getting lost, Hyunjin passing out, the two wolves… no- Two werewolves, one black and one brown with gray, the visions of him and the older, then passing out…

Felix doesn't startle or move from his spot and neither does Changbin, however the human’s breathing pattern quickens unwantedly, his heart growing fond over the presence of the other male.

“Hi" Felix greets, his voice is a little scratchy from sleep and a little deeper than normal, which definitely does not go unnoticed by the older male.

Changbin does his best at schooling his beating heart, but the redness that is most likely spreading across his cheeks now? Yeah, he can’t really do for that. How the hell can a boy looking like that much of an angel have a voice like some asian Alan Rickman?! Sure, Changbin’s own voice is naturally a little husky, but this guy is on a different level.

"Hi" The dark haired boy’s voice is gravely, that’s the first thing Felix takes away from Changbin’s introduction, the second thing is hearing the latter’s voice for the first time warms his chest a little more than should be considered normal.

"I Felix- I mean that’s my name- my name's Lee Felix o-or my Korean name is Lee Yongbok, but I don't really use that one, uhm…" He mentally face palms at the oh so eloquent sentence he managed to sputter out. It’s not every day Felix gets to meet his crush in some unknown room that smells like cinnamon and pine.

Changbin lets a quiet giggle slip out, surprising Felix with the adorable action. "I know." The younger’s eyes widen and his ears turn impossibly red. “I’m Seo Changbin.”

Felix, feeling a little embarrassed to be laying down while having this conversation, sits himself up and leans on the bed’s headboard, giving the boy across the room a shy grin. “I know. You're kinda a big deal at school, hyung.”

The older boy huffs out another amused laugh, understanding that he's more than just some average student. There is a reason behind why he acts the way he does at school, but he'd rather not get into such an intricate story right off the bat. "How come I've never seen you around school?" Changbin decides to swap the roles in a weak attempt at shifting the conversation back to the younger. "I know you were there because I could feel you and smell you. I actually didn't know what was making me feel like that, but I understand now. You must be the new transfer student, right?”

“How did you know that? A wolf instinct?” 

Right. Changbin is a werewolf. Felix didn't even mean to say the sentence aloud, but it's too early in the morning for his brain to mouth filter to function properly.

The ebony haired boy let's out another giggle and Felix believes he'll never get tired of hearing such a melody. “Nah, I'm not that good. People at school actually talk about you too, specifically your freckles.” Now that surprises the younger! He’s never been one to bring attention to himself, just enough to get by in school, so it comes to his surprise hearing that the older actually has in fact heard of him. But that sentence doesn't nearly catch him off guard as the next statement that leaves Changbin’s mouth. “They're so beautiful. You're beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Felix panics at the sudden compliment and looks away from the boy across the room, too embarrassed to even make eye contact.

The conversation dies out a little bit after the very direct comment. The two end up basking in the quietness and while Changbin relaxes back into his seat and pulls out a book the younger has seen him read at lunch before, Felix brings his attention back to the older. The blonde watches him, takes in every single detail he can pinpoint, like Changbin’s missing earrings- probably removed to sleep more comfortably- or his honey colored skin, practically lit up from the sun leaking into the room, and his broad shoulders that Felix so desperately wants to lean his head on.

And almost as if the older could sense the blonde observing him, Changbin looks up from his book with a knowing smirk.

“I- sorry I just can't stop staring at you, even during school I just couldn't look away.” Felix stops talking altogether and lets a groan out, covering his face with his hands in the process. “Oh my God, that's so embarrassing to admit!”

The dark haired man gives the other a fond hum and realizes if both of them are going to be honest with each other, then he might as well speak his mind also. “I think it's cute.”

After the initial embarrassment wears off, Felix drags his hands away from his face and looks back at Changbin, only to find the other male already looking at him. “So you're… a werewolf?”

“We like to call ourselves wolves, werewolf sounds a tad barbaric, but yes I am. Do you remember how you got here or anything from last night?”

“I can remember walking with Minho hyung and Hyunjin- Wait. Where are they?!”

“They're right down the hall, both completely fine, although the taller one, Hyunjin? He had passed out from hitting his head on a tree or something, but other than that they're both safe.”

Felix calms back down from hearing the news and nods his head before continuing his recollection of last night. “We were walking and I heard a noise- screaming I think- and I told Hyunjin to stop talking and he ran right into a branch. That's around the same time...”

The visions. Disheveled hair and soft smiles in an unknown bed. Secret and loving gazes in a garden. A small child nestled into his own arms with Changbin by his side.

Now that Felix is really taking in his surroundings, he realizes that the bed in the vision is the same one he’s currently sitting in. The realization of the kind of state the two of them were in said vision is enough to make the younger blush a deep scarlet red. “W-what was I seeing, hyung?”

“I think you know what you saw.”

Felix knows , but he just wants to understand the how and the why of it all.

Changbin finally gets up from his chair and eyeballs the spot beside the blonde, silently asking if it is okay to sit next to the younger. The latter nods his head shyly, heart racing at the mere closeness of the other. Once settled in beside Felix, Changbin takes the younger’s hand in his own, sending chills and a warming sensation throughout the both of them. Neither boy decides to question the occurrence, but instead let the feeling run through them willingly.

“You saw a flash of our future together and I saw it too. Some mates say that what we are seeing are key points in our lives to come- of course not all of them though, just the beginning of our lives. What happened out there was me imprinting onto you. Wolves imprint with their future mates- almost like a proposal of sorts, I guess if you were to put it in human terms. Mates are like our form of soulmates. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, I do and for some reason I think my subconscious kinda already knew that?” Felix looks down at their connected hands in thought.

“That’s normal.” Changbin reassures the confused blonde. “Chan hyung told me that this happens when wolves imprint with humans. Things that are a part of our culture and lifestyle practically become second nature to the human and you knowing things you’ve never even heard about before is completely normal.” Felix nods his head, understanding that he’s not actually going crazy. “Take a bonding ceremony for instance. They say imprinted humans will already know what that means-”

Felix quickly waves his unoccupied hand up, signaling the older to halt the embarrassing sentence. “Y-yeah… I uhm- uh- I know what that is, for some reason… Holy .” The blonde didn’t even think it was possible to blush this much so early in the morning!

Changbin lets out a hearty laugh, enjoying how easy it is to tease the younger. He then unconsciously brings their joined hands to his lips and leaves a light kiss atop the other’s hand, too caught up in his own gleefulness to even notice the soft gaze directed towards him.

“So where exactly are we? Is this your room, Binnie hyung?”

Changbin’s heart practically leaps, the nickname catching him off guard and filling his chest full of nothing but absolute adoration for the younger. Changbin quickly clears his throat, desperately trying to avoid becoming another flustered fool- like he previously had done just from hearing how deep the blonde’s voice is. “Oh! Yeah, sorry about the mess.”

Felix wants to question the older about what he possibly finds messy about the room. Is it the handful of Pokemon related plushies that surprisingly reside at the foot of the bed or perhaps the two shirts laying on the floor? Either way, he can’t imagine why Changbin thinks any of this could be considered messy, but to each their own. “We are about fifteen miles away from the city, you guys walked for quite some time last night. You're actually on my pack's territory.”

“There's more of you?” Felix remembers there being another wolf when Changbin had showed up and immediately feels dumb for asking such a question. Not only that, but the second year is very aware that wolves travel in packs and can only assume that applies to Changbin’s kind as well.

“Of course! Six of us live here in this house. In fact it sounds like Chan and Minjun hyung are moving around downstairs- we should probably go and talk to them. Chan hyung is the leader and head alpha of the pack and Minjun hyung, his mate, is the head omega.” While giving the short explanation, Changbin proceeds to remove himself from the bed and pulls the younger along with him, their hands never separating.

“Are they your dads that people say come into school?” Felix questions carefully, not quite sure how Changbin will react to the sudden inquiry, but also simply wanting to know if the rumors at school are true.

The ebony haired boy halts his steps, worrying the younger in the process. “No they're not my parents, but they definitely act the part. My biological parents still reside with my original pack.” Felix nods in understanding and reminds himself to ask Changbin about the male’s previous pack when he has the time. “I do not speak with them often…I didn't leave on very good terms.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. I don't see my parents anymore either.” Felix sympathizes with the other.

Changbin feels a wave of pure melancholy come from the younger and for once in his life the young alpha wishes his wolf senses were just slightly duller. He gives the blonde a somber smile and rubs his thumb in what he hopes is a comforting manner. “Come on, let's head downstairs.”

~*~

Hyunjin awakes with a grimace and an aching head. He then realizes very quickly that this room is indeed not his, but that honestly seems like the least of his worries considering the second his slim fingers brush up against his forehead he feels an impressively sized knot and a shot of pain. “Uhg, my head…Where the hell am I?” Hyunjin begins to twist his sluggish body over, so he's not applying any unnecessary pressure to the injured side of his head, but a voice stops him.

“Don't turn around.” An unknown voice mutters out quietly, leaving Hyunjin immobile from the surprise of another person being in the room with him.

Wait… I've heard this voice before, but where?! The lanky boy racks his brain for an answer, but the throbbing pain in his head is making it exceedingly difficult to do so. Hyunjin knows he's heard this voice before- "Get lost, pretty boy. I don't need your help."

That's it! He remembers.

About two years ago, when he went to his aunt's house for his cousin’s birthday, Hyunjin was told to stop by a nearby supermarket to pick up some forgotten groceries.

The teen stands awkwardly in an isle, looking fiercely at the selection of lettuce, trying to decide if his aunt cared if the vegetables he was asked to purchase should be organically grown or not. (The price difference is outrageous, but his aunt is not by any means short of cash either.) Hyunjin was so preoccupied that he almost missed the group of teens walking past him, snickers and heated whispering following the troubled youths.

It isn't too long after the initial passing of the boys when Hyunjin hears the sounds of shoes scuffing the floor along with multiple items hitting the ground, followed by even more twisted laughter.

"You're such a ing freak!" One of the bullies taunts while bending down to another boy, who's on the floor attempting to collect all of his unpurchased groceries littering the ground.

Hyunjin can't really see the victim's face, due to the dark cap placed on the guy's head, but he feels like he should know him. In the end it doesn’t really matter because if there’s one thing Hyunjin absolutely does not tolerate, it is bullies. This alone causes anger to boil deep down inside him and without so much as a second thought he heatedly walks over to the scene.

"You wanna apologize for what you just did?" Hyunjin points at the boy who suddenly freezes in place on the floor, but directs his question towards the three bullies. All of them take one look at Hyunjin's murderous glare- if he's not mistaken he even notices one of them gulping in fear- and they turn to make a run for it; all three of the boys tripping over their own feet with how fast they're running.

He's known to look intimidating for his age thanks to his height and facial structure, but he never likes to use it to his advantage. Hyunjin sends one last glare at the bullies' receding backs before bringing his attention to the boy beside him. "Here, let me help you with that-" 

"Get lost pretty boy. I don't need your help." The unknown boy jerks the stalk of carrots out of Hyunjin's outstretched hand and turns on his heel to leave the confused and stunned teen in the dust.

Of course Hyunjin remembers the boy from the supermarket. He could never forget a voice like that- the voice that stopped his entire world.

But that was two years ago and on the other side of Korea, there's no way this is the same guy… right?

The confused boy takes a deep breath to calm down his rapidly beating heart. “Uhm, w-who are you?" Hyunjin questions aloud, hoping to figure out what the hell is happening and possibly where he’s at.

There is a pause, lengthy enough for Hyunjin to question if he just imagined the previous voice and quiet enough to make the second year believe the space he’s in has somehow frozen, but after a couple more seconds movement can be heard coming closer towards him. “My name is Seungmin.”

There is no doubt about it, Hyunjin believes he has heard this voice before, he is sure of it. But that only brings up further confusion for the boy. His head is starting to really hurt from all of this.

“Listen- uhm-  Seungmin, I don't know who you are o-or where I am and if I'm being a hundred percent honest, I'm kinda terrified right now- oh my God...am I dead?” Hyunjin thinks he might be in some type of purgatory or something of the sort, because he's never seen this room before and maybe since the boy from the supermarket had such an impact on him that is the reason he’s now hearing him in this weird place?

Hyunjin’s own rapid logic didn’t even seem plausible.

The second year boy screws his eyes shut, making an attempt to try and remember what had happened before he got to where he is now.

Last night.

Felix's odd behavior, Minho agreeing to venture into the forest even though his past with said location could even be called traumatizing… Getting embarrassingly lost in the woods and of course Hyunjin himself running into, what he assumes was a tree, which would also explain the head injury.

“You're not dead, Hyunjin, and you're not in any danger.” Seungmin’s strained voice cuts the lanky boy from his thoughts of last nights adventure.

“Why do you sound like you're in pain? Are you okay?” Hyunjin’s heart begins to pick up slightly because just minutes ago the stranger- no, Seungmin’s voice sounded just fine and now it sounds like it physically pains him to even speak.

Hyunjin hears him take a deep breath and then another, each intake causing more worry to surface in his gut. “When you hear the door close, you can turn around.” The mysterious boy’s words cut through Hyunjin deeper than they probably should have because how can someone feel such sadness for a person they don’t even know?

That’s when something clicks inside Hyunjin - or maybe it was the sound of the door clicking shut - that brings the distorted boy back to reality.

“Wait!” Hyunjin manages to stumble out of bed with as much gracefulness as a skating elephant, ultimately ending up in a tangled mess consisting of the bed covers and his long legs on the cold ground. “Uhg! ! My head.”

Once he successfully pulls his limbs out of the duvet and stands up, Hyunjin makes his way out the door and into the hallway. He doesn't really know where he’s going, but the second year assumes he’s upstairs and decides to find a way to get downstairs. Eventually he finds a set of stairs and makes his descent only to be greeted with a nicely sized living room and two male figures occupying a couch.

“Felix!” The two figures turn and Hyunjin didn’t really know who he was expecting the other person to be, but it definitely wasn't him. “Changbin?” The latter waves a hand in greeting, but Felix quickly brings his hand down and whispers to the other worriedly. A look of understanding flashes across the other’s face. “I have so many questions , but right now I need to know if there's someone named Seungmin, here.”

Minho and a young man Hyunjin has never seen before hurriedly file into the room, an apron placed over both of their clothes. “What you need is to lie down, we think you have a minor concussion. How did you even manage to get down the stairs?” Minho places a secure arm around Hyunjin to steady the injured boy, the latter not even realizing his swaying body until it was stilled.

“I-I didn't imagine that conversation-”

“What conversation?” Felix questions slowly.

"The one I had with Seungmin."

Changbin makes a sound of realization.“Oh, Seungminnie is here- actually, now that you've said something, I can't sense him or Minjun hyung.” The ebony haired male looks over to the unknown man who walked into the room with Minho.

“They’ll be back." He soothes out and looks back to Hyunjin with a welcoming smile. "Come and have some breakfast and when they return we can all sit down and discuss what happened last night.” The silver haired man gestures towards the door both him and Minho had came from.

The third year guides Hyunjin into what looks to be a kitchen and helps the younger sit down in a chair at the breakfast table. “I’m Bang Chan by the way.” Chan gives him a reassuring smile and even though Hyunjin is still confused and slightly suspicious of what is going on, he can tell this guy means him no harm.

“Hwang Hyunjin.” He greets the other with a weak smile of his own.

“Nice to meet you, Hyunjin.”

The second year waits patiently for Chan to step out back into the living room, just to flag Minho over to the table. "Minho hyung?!" Hyunjin whisper yells to get his attention.

Minho pauses chopping up some apples before making his way over to Hyunjin and crouching down once the younger gestures him to do so. "Hyung, where the are we and why are you making breakfast? And why in the hell is Seo Changbin looking about five seconds away from melting into a damn puddle while talking to Mr. Goo Goo Eyes , in the living room?!"

"Would you please calm down, think about your head injury."

"Screw my head injury, I need answers!"

"Did you not just listen to a single word Chan hyung said? Calm down and eat something for now. All your questions will be answered once everyone is here, I promise we’re all fine and safe, okay? Just trust me."

Hyunjin hates when Minho pulls the ‘ Just trust me’ card because of course he trusts his best friend, he just finds this entire situation to be scary and a little confusing. But if Minho says everything will be fine, then he will believe him. "Fine… but only because you know how much I like food."

Minho chuckles at his best friend's love for eating and stands back up. "Yes, I know."

~*~

“Why are you hiding from him?”

Seungmin looks up from where he previously had his head laying atop his knees and watches Minjun sit down beside him. The two are currently at a spot the pack likes to call Seungmin’s Rock, simply because the young omega likes to spend his time at the big boulder when he needs some space. “You know what's going to happen, hyung…You probably had a vision about all of this happening."

“You're going to imprint on him sooner or later, yes, I know that, but what I'm asking is why are you scared? This is something to be happy about.”

The younger only answers with silence and Minjun decides it’s time to kick in the ole fatherly speech. The head omega places a warm hand atop of Seungmin’s head and gently begins to run his fingers through the younger's brown and gray locks.

“Look, Seungmin, I'm not going to force you into anything, but please have trust in what fate is bringing to the both of you. You have no clue what the outcome will be. Give it the benefit of the doubt- who knows? Hyunjin might actually not be that bad and is probably just as nervous and worried as you are. ” The older adds in a lighter tone.

Seungmin finally lifts his head back up and looks over the nearby ledge, watching the forest life live on without a care in the world. The young omega secretly wishes in the moment that things could be as simple as they look, but reality doesn't work like that. “What if he doesn't like me? People like him… and like the students from my last school, they’re all the same . Hyunjin is just so stunning and I'm-”

“Nope. Stop right there.” Minjun brings a hand up to stop his son from speaking any further. “First off, we talked about this before moving here. You need to have more confidence, no more self deprecation! You are perfect, Seungmin, and I'm sure Hyunjin will see that. Second: you can't just assume you know what Hyunjin is like, simply because of his looks; that's just not fair and you know it."

The younger brings his bottom lip between his teeth in not only thought but also worry.

“Now let's go back inside and have a talk with everyone. How does that sound?”

It’s not really like the younger has a choice when it comes to Minjun, so the boy nods his head and follows the older home, trying to get what Minjun said about having more confidence to stick with him this time around.

~*~

Once Minjun and Seungmin arrive back at the pack’s house the head omega stops the younger by placing a gentle hand upon his shoulder. He then makes his way to a nearby linen closet and bring back a handkerchief. Minjun places the fabric snugly around Seungmin's eyes, only for the younger to make a confused noise.

“Uhm, hyung? Is there a reason you’re currently blindfolding me?”

Minjun finishes tying the knot, hoping the cloth is in a comfortable position. “You said you're not ready to imprint…. This might help. Plus, you controlled your wolf unbelievably well, so I don't think you'll lose control like you did last night.” The older wolf turns his adoptive son around and gives his shoulders one last reassuring squeeze before guiding Seungmin forward. “We all need to have this talk, I have a feeling that the three of them will continue to be with us from now on.”

All eyes land on the odd pair the second Minjun and Seungmin enter the living room. Minjun takes notice of Hyunjin being awake and looking very much responsive (a stark difference from the last time he saw the boy), sitting beside him is Minho, who watches Seungmin with careful eyes. Minjun chalks it up as the older boy being quite protective of the lanky second year.

Chan gives his mate a questioning look, but the older simply reassures Chan through their bond that they'll talk about it later.

“Why is Seungmin hyung blindfolded?” Jeongin questions innocently, but anyone who knows the younger would also catch a hint of teasing in the youth's voice.

Hyunjin near about falls off the couch when the auburn haired boy confirms his suspicion of who just walked into the room. That's Seungmin?

The second year drinks up every single part of the boy- well, what he can see at least, the blindfold obscures a bit of Seungmin’s face.

Changbin unattractively snorts then lets a chuckle slip and Felix only stares on in confusion about what could be so funny. “Didn't know you were so , Seungminnie~”

“If we weren't about to have such a serious conversation and also didn’t have guests over, I would have already decked you in the face by now, Changbin.”

“Hey! I'm older than you, show a little respect!”

“ Hyung.” Seungmin sarcastically adds in before Minjun guides him the rest of the way to the couch and sits the young omega down beside Jeongin, all while Changbin makes a sound of being mock hurt.

Hyunjin’s eyes follow Seungmin’s every movement because there is no doubt about it, he’s met this guy before and if the pictures scattered throughout the house didn’t say anything before it sure does now. He just can’t really believe the boy from the supermarket is actually him though, it’s just a wild coincidence at this point.

Once Minjun has sat down in his own spot beside his mate, Chan claps his hands together to gather everyone's attention and… maybe to up the energy in the room, since the tension could practically be cut with a knife at this point.

“So, now that we're all here and conscious ,” He makes playful eye contact with Hyunjin, who does indeed become slightly embarrassed by the sudden call out.  “I guess I should just point out the elephant in the room. Congratulations Changbin and Felix on imprinting~ ” The two head wolves begin clapping their hands and everyone follows after - of course Hyunjin does so with absolute confusion. “You have no idea how long he's been whining about not finding his mate.”

Felix smiles on in glee from being able to hear how Changbin is actually quite different from the cold hearted student he portrays himself to be at school. Sure he gathered as much just from the conversations they’ve had since the blonde woke up this morning, but hearing it from his pack makes it just that much more special.

“Yeah, the other night he was close to tears, it was quite the sight.”

“Guys, seriously?!” Changbin questions why his pack makes sure to embarrass him at every possible chance they can get, but he guesses this is also some type of karma for his little comment towards Seungmin just minutes ago.

Hyunjin clears his throat, successfully gaining everyone's attention. “Sorry to interrupt, but I still have no idea where I am, can someone please explain what’s going on? What happened in the forest last night after I passed out and why the hell are you guys talking about mates and imprinting as if you're all werewolves-”

A rather large sigh cuts Hyunjin’s sentence off. “Wolves." Seungmin weakly states with annoyance. "I hate it when humans call us werewolves…” The blindfolded boy folds his arms stubbornly and shifts slightly in his seat.

It wasn’t the fact that the mysterious boy corrected him, but actually because he didn’t even deny his suspicions and instead confirmed them; now that rendered Hyunjin speechless.

Of course the silence doesn’t last too long.

“W-wait seriously? Seo Changbin, you're a werewolf- sorry, wolf?!” Hyunjin’s eyes have to be bulging out of his head by now and if the giggles from the auburn haired kid- who introduced himself over breakfast as Jeongin earlier- is anything to go by, than he can only assume the surprise and disbelief are clearly written all over his face.

“Yes, I'm an alpha.” He states calmly as if the conversation was completely normal.

Hyunjin blinks once, then twice. "So you're telling me, you're all wolves and Felix is now imprinted with Changbin who, this entire time, has been a wolf? And this whole time you’ve all been living in the haunted forest just outside of town?"

“Well I wouldn't call the forest haunted , I mean I’ve never seen a ghost out here or anything of the sort, but it definitely is dangerous. We have packs around here that don’t take the presence of humans very lightly.” Minjun adds in helpfully, oblivious to Hyunjin’s internal struggle and how the lanky second year finds the information more brain numbing than helpful.

“Oh my God.” Hyunjin squeaks out and sits straight as a board, not feeling as comfortable as he did previously. These guys are a bunch of nut jobs!

He runs a hand through his hair and looks back up in disbelief. “This has to be the weirdest day of my life. You know what? I’m just gonna go.” Hyunjin quickly stands and tries to pull up a resistant Minho, while also making eye contact with Felix, hoping he takes the hint that it’s time to go. “Minho hyung, Felix, let’s head out. I forgot we have uhh… school!”

The half wolf finally takes back his hand and gestures for the weirded out boy to sit back down. “It’s Saturday and would you calm down, no one is going to harm you.”

Hyunjin’s eyes widen in surprise. “Harm me? I-I’m not worried a-about that, you all seem like lovely people- I mean uhm… wolves . So if you’ll excuse me...”

Minho lets out a tired sigh, silently wishing his best friend would just listen to someone for once in his life instead of jumping to conclusions, like he normally does (It really is one of the boy’s biggest flaws.) The older stands up and forcibly pushes the boy back down in his seat by the shoulders and gives him the ‘ I’m serious, just chill out ’ look.

Jeongin blows out a low whistles, watching the scene unfold in front of him. “Wow! You sure do sweat a lot, Hyunjin.” 

Chan quickly leans over and flicks the youth on the thigh. “Innie, please .”

“You’re fine, they’re fine and no, they’re not crazy either. What they're saying is true.” Felix gives him a reassuring smile and the older second year decides to finally shut his mouth and listen, even though he’s about five minutes aways from saying ‘ it’ and leaving both his friends to the weirdos. “Just let them explain.” Hyunjin watches Felix relax back into his spot beside Changbin, the older intertwining their fingers, and wonders if the two really are imprinted. Hyunjin knows a thing or two (okay, actually quite a bit) about werewolf folklore since he had always found the topic so fascinating, but he’s never come across people who took the fable so seriously until now.

“Hyunjin, my name is Bang Chan and I'm the head alpha and leader of the pack, Stray. This is Minjun, my mate and head omega. I’m assuming you already know Changbin from school, he’s an alpha. The little one here is Jeongin, he's still too young for us to know his ranking, and the one beside him is his older brother Seungmin, he's an omega.”

In his peripheral, Hyunjin catches Minjun leaning his head onto Chan, giving the second year the perfect view of the exquisite tattoo swirling around a set of scars the older male bears. Hyunjin has read about this mark before, has even seen a couple of illustrations of it. It’s a sign of a wolf being mated.

With the utmost curiosity Hyunjin tilts his head just a little to the side only to see the exact same thing on the leaders neck.

Okay, they weren't kidding. Hyunjin does everything in his power to stay seated and somewhat remotely calm. How is any of this even possible, it just doesn’t make sense!

“You're currently on my pack's territory, safe inside our land. All three of you are extremely lucky no other packs were out patrolling last night. Things might have gone a little differently.”

Minho turns to his best friend and tries to explain what had happened last night. "Hyunjin, you passed out after you ran into a tree, and Felix, well, he and Changbin imprinted. And after all that had gone down, they brought us here; I even carried you on my back."

Minjun notices the face Hyunjin is currently making and mistakes the look as confusion. "So imprinting is kinda like-"

“I've seen Twilight, I think I get the gist of things, but uhm… what happens now? What does this all mean for Felix?”

Jeongin and a few other pack members side-glance the second year, wondering how in the hell Twilight, of all movies, could possibly help the teen understand the complexity of their world, but they brush it off.

“Well not just Felix, but actually all three of you. I want to properly offer each of you a spot in our pack.”

“All three of us?”

Chan nods his head, confirming Felix’s question. "You do not have to decide right away, but know that the offer stands for whenever you're ready-"

"What? Really?" Now this catches Hyunjin’s attention, he didn’t expect Minho or himself to have any part in this, but here they are with the head alpha asking if they would join his pack. The second year knows this is a very serious topic and understands that something like this isn’t just asked out of the blue. But he also can’t help the underlying excitement that comes with the knowledge of supposed mythical creatures, that the teen had studied in secret for years as a hobby, wanting them to join their world.

In fact, the excitement running throughout Hyunjin seems to want and ask as many questions as he possibly can. Since he just found out werewolves are real, the teen might as well ask the questions he’s been dying to know. “Wait wait wait! Serious question. How old are all of you?”

“Why are you asking?” Changbin skeptically questions.

“It’s just that…Okay, I may or may not read a lot about your kind and there was something about wolves having ridiculous life spans because after 21 your aging slows down, like, a ton.”

“Read?” Seungmin asks with disbelief dripping from his words. He really should listen to Minjun hyung and not judge everyone based on their looks. Sure, Hyunjin is practically model status when it comes to outer beauty, but the young omega did not expect the teen to also be a closeted mythology nerd. He finds the other male that much more intriguing after knowing such information.

“ Yes , I’m really into folklore and mythology in general, and it just so happens that I know quite a lot about your kind. Well, at least I think I do? I didn’t know that wolves could imprint with humans.”

“Well go on, tell him your ages.” Minho urges, while quickly getting over the shock of his best friend’s secret he so blatantly kept from him, although he feels that his own secret could top Hyunjin’s any day.

“89.” Chan and Minjun answer in unison, followed by Changbin, “46.” then Jeongin, “18.” and finishing with Seungmin. “26.”

Hyunjin stores away the information, but can’t help but stare at Changbin in disbelief. “Why are you in school?! That's basically cheating!”

Felix looks towards the darker haired male, silently agreeing with Hyunjin. “Why don’t you just go to college, you would be less noticeable.”

“I’ve already done that for my teaching degree… twice. And plus, trust me, it's not like I want to be there. I go so I can learn newer information to tutor other wolves in different packs, it’s kinda my job since I’m getting paid. I reenter high school every four years after I complete my three year term. Seungmin was actually my partner in crime for a few years, but our last school wasn't the friendliest. We ended up having to leave halfway through.”

“Why don't you go?” Hyunjin questions the auburn haired boy, who seems bored out of his mind while listening to his hyung’s job description.

“Don't feel like it. Plus, hyung tutorted me throughout the whole year, I practically graduated two years ago.”

Hyunjin makes a face, becoming a little wary of the abnormally smart boy. “Alrighty then…”

Chan claps his hands a couple of times to get the younger boys' attention. The conversation has gone way off track. “Back on topic now. Felix, just because we are offering you a spot and because you are imprinted with Changbin, doesn’t mean you have to move in right away.” The leader tries to reason with the blonde, but by the look the younger is giving Chan, he can tell this is already going to be an argument in the making.

“I-I want to though!”

“What about your grandmother? She won't mind?” Minho brings into account.

Felix looks up in thought before answering. “Well she lives in the town village, along with a bunch of other elders. She'll be fine. Although I do want to make sure we can contact each other.”

“We get cell service on the back porch!” Jeongin adds in excitedly, happy that his family is growing right in front of him. He’s always enjoyed getting to meet new people and the young wolf can feel the three newcomers already growing a place in his heart.

Minjun and Chan look between each other in silent agreement before the leader turns back to Felix with a somber smile, hating that he has to be the bearer of bad news. “For now I think it would be best if you finished your schooling and focused on that before moving out of you grandmother’s place. You’re still welcome here after school and on weekends.” He ends on a hopeful note, but doesn't miss the fleeting frown before the younger schools his expression.

"I guess you're right…" Felix dejectedly states. Changbin however grabs the younger’s hand and laces their fingers together, giving Felix all the reassurance he needs in the moment. Felix squeezes the young alpha’s hand back, signaling how he’s fine and the two fall back into their own little world.

“Even Minho hyung is allowed to stay?” Hyunjin questions out loud.

“About that… I have to tell you two something, and I don't want you to freak out, so just let me explain and I'll answer your questions.”

Both second years nod their heads slowly, desperately wanting to know what Minho has to say.

He tells them everything about being born a half breed. He tells them about his father dying all the way to his mother's sudden death, about the suppressants and how his nanny always told him never to come to the woods because his parents were always scared for him to so much as step a foot inside.

Throughout telling his story Minho notices Hyunjin’s face of betrayal and quiet sulking, but he knows the younger will soon forgive him. He knows he’ll understand.

“What's your real age, hyung?” Felix ponders weakly.

“I'm still only 18.” Both Felix and Hyunjin nod in understanding. “Well only for another week and a half… my birthday is coming up so I guess I’ll know my ranking and power soon.”

“How come you never told us? How come you never told me ?” Hyunjin feels a little btrayed to say the least, he thought Minho and him were thick as thieves, but it turns out the older was hiding such an important part about himself.

“How could I? Something like this isn't easy and I didn't want to hurt either of you and have you end up leaving. I've had too many people leave, I didn't want to lose the only friends I have.”

Hyunjin purses his lips and thinks about how much of an he’s currently being. Of course that secret isn’t something very light to admit and with those thoughts in mind Hyunjin slips out a quiet 'sorry', only for MInho to tell him it’s completely fine and that he just didn’t know.

“ Had. ” Minho and everyone else turn to Jeongin in confusion. “You said you ‘didn’t want to lose the only friends you have’; well, I’m your friend now and so is everyone else that’s here. So, now your statement should be had , since you have more friends now.”

Minjun smiles happily at their youngest and redirects his attention back to Minho “He’s right. We are here for you now, Minho. All of us.”

~*~

All three boys go through proper introductions with the other five and ask random questions about one another, simply getting to know each other better and before they know it they’ve been talking for a couple of hours.

Chan asks if anyone would like a snack and when most of the boys are distracted by the sudden promise of food, Minjun takes this moment to get Seungmin’s attention by walking up to where he's sitting.

“Now’s your chance to go and talk to him.” Minjun whispers, referring to Hyunjin. The younger lets out a shaky sigh and realizes that it’s probably better to get this out of the way now instead of later.

Seungmin nods and walks over to where he smells out Hyunjin, thankfully the other male was sitting across from him. “Come on, I want to show you something.”

Hyunjin snorts unattractively. “You're kind of visually impaired right now.”

“It's not far. Plus, I think my senses are a tad better than you probably assume.”

Hyunjin lifts an eyebrow skeptically, but still ends up placing his coat over the borrowed sweats he has on and follows the older male out of the house.

The two boys are around nine meters away from the house and seated comfortably on a large boulder. Far enough where no prying ears can listen, but also close enough to where Hyunjin feels comfortable being alone with Seungmin.

“This is where I come to think sometimes. The view is nice, but I guess it doesn’t really matter right now since I’m blindfolded.” The taller male doesn’t respond so Seungmin decides to continue. “I didn’t mean to scare you this morning. I was just stepping in to check on you… didn’t really think you would wake up in the few seconds I was there."

Both of them quiet down after that, but Seungmin can practically hear the others running thoughts. "You're scared." He simply states.

Hyunjin’s head jerks up quickly. He is not scared of the other per se, but once anyone starts pointing out things like that with no way of even seeing him, it’s going to freak the human out regardless. He’s honestly just nervous in general, about being here in the forest, finding out how very real these supposedly mythical creatures are, and the odd effect this one boy in particular has on him. "How can you tell that?" The second year questions nervously, attempting to mask the quiver in his voice.

"I can smell your sweat."

"Don't make this day any weirder than it has already turned out to be." Hyunjin places his head between his hands and lets out a sigh, feeling way more embarrassed now that he knows the cute boy beside him can smell him perspiring.

"How am I making it weird? I simply stated a fact; you asked how I knew, and I answered you." 

Hyunjin, desperately wanting to change topics, waves both of his hands to stop the other boy from speaking, but quickly remembers the blindfold and how his actions are practically useless because of it. "Nevermind. You're him, aren't you? The boy from the supermarket… who was being bullied?" Finally. Finally Hyunjin gets to ask the question he has been wondering since this morning.

Seungmin’s mouth opens in surprise and then closes it, like he was going to say something, but changed his mind last second. The omega schools his expression before continuing. "That's where I've seen you…" He trails off and brings his hand to his chin in thought. "How is it even possible that I didn't imprint on you then?" The young omega wonders aloud, not really a question to the other boy, but more so for himself.

This causes Hyunjin to do a double take at the other’s choice of words. "W-what?" He was honestly expecting some sort of reasoning behind the bullying or maybe the freak coincidence of them meeting each other again, but that? That, he was not expecting.

“We are mates- or we were going to be mates.”

“ Were ?” Hyunjin screws his eyes shut in confusion and shakes his head in disbelief. “W-wait what?” This must be why Chan hyung wanted me to join the pack as well. It all makes sense now.

“I'm blindfolded because I don't- I can't make eye contact with you. It will make me imprint and I can't do that to you, Hyunjin.” The omega becomes more frustrated as he speaks, but it’s more so with himself than with the other boy. Seungmin understands how selfish he’s being, but he needs to get Hyunjin to understand him.

“Imprint, like Felix and Changbin?” Hyunjin questions breathlessly.

“Yes. You and I are destined to be with each other, that's what fate has decided. It's, like, written in the stars and a string is connected between the two of us, and all that jazz.”

The second year puts two and two together and now understands why the other boy affects him the way he does. Although it makes Hyunjin wonder why Felix was beyond transfixed by Changbin, but he himself doesn’t react the same way with Seungmin. He'll have to ask about that later… Maybe their bond is broken or something.

“Why?”

“There's no ‘why’, it just is . We are each others perfect half-”

“No. Why can't you let it happen?” Hyunjin can’t believe himself right now, sure Seungmin is attractive, but in reality he doesn’t really know the guy. So why is he offended that the other male doesn’t want to imprint with him? “Don't I get a say in if I want to be with you o-or get to know you?! If this is our fate then why are you the only one choosing if it can be played out or not? What about me?”

Seungmin drags his teeth along his bottom lip before speaking. “You don't understand.” He very quickly realized that he most likely shouldn’t have phrased his words like that.

“Then make me understand, Seungmin! I want to get to know you, I want to know more about your kind, and how all of this works. I want to be there for Minho hyung and Felix-”

“You have to become one of us or there will be consequences! Those are the options that are going to be given to us if I take this blindfold off, okay?! Do you understand now?”

“No, I don't, because there's something you're leaving out and I know it.” The second year takes a breath to calm his beating heart. He notices Seungmin’s hands trembling on top of his lap and Hyunjin has the urge to reach out and hold them securely, but he doesn’t want to overstep any boundaries. "We need to both calm down and talk this out step by step. I just found out your entire world exists today so I kinda need to be caught up to speed a little, if you don't mind."

“The moment I take this blindfold off and make eye contact with you, I will imprint onto you. We will have a sort of pull towards each other; always wanting to be near the other or a form of protectiveness and need for the other. It will start off small and then grow and grow and grow. It'll never stop.”

Hyunjin watches the boy beside him practically fold in on himself, as if he’s in a way dejected by the thought of the two of them being close to one another. “What won't stop?” The younger questions quietly, afraid that if he spoke any louder Seungmin will completely close him out.

“The love. But with humans it is not the same as if two wolves imprint with each other. It's not that easy. A human and a wolf have a time frame.”

And there is. Hyunjin thinks. “How long and until what?”

“The two have maybe half a year to perform a bonding ceremony and become mates. If this isn't done then the wolf dies. And I can't do the bonding ceremony because that means I'll have to turn you into what I am."

Hyunjin is silenced by this new information. He has two options, just like Seungmin stated previously; become one of them or let Seungmin die. Though there’s one thing about Hyunjin that Seungmin has not figured out yet; he never backs down. “Y-you can't just decide that on your own!”

“I'M SCARED! I'm scared t-that you'll change your mind about me when we do imprint and I'm scared that you don't want this kind of life…” Seungmin’s voice is so unbelievably raw with emotion that the taller can't help but let a few stray tears roll down his chilled cheeks. Hyunjin understands now. “Which means I'll die.” The young omega moves his head away almost as if he was ashamed to admit such a selfish thing, but Hyunjin gets it.

The second year so badly wants to reassure Seungmin and tell him that he would never let that happen, that he wants this to work out just as badly. But he can't, not now at least. Hyunjin has too much going on inside his head to make a life changing decision such as this, right here.

Yes, he's curious, yes, he wants to be here to support Minho and Felix, but there's always that 'what if' . What if Seungmin does imprint and his theories about Hyunjin ditching him are correct? What if Hyunjin realizes he doesn't want to be with him for the rest of his life; he's only 18, for christ's sake!

“Listen, I understand you, okay? How about we at least get to know one another? Maybe if we can do that then it would make this easier- this whole imprinting and mating situation.”

Seungmin lets out a sigh of defeat and rubs a hand along the back of his neck. “Aren't you afraid to become one of us?”

"I don't know yet, I just need some time.” Hyunjin answers in a serious manner and he can tell the other male takes his response just as genuine.

With a nod of his head Seungmin mumbles out a quiet “Okay." and leans back onto his hands, glad the two of them got such a serious conversation out of the way.

"Okay, as in we're okay enough to be friends?" The second year slowly asks.

A smile spreads across the older male's face at Hyunjin’s innocence before he answers. "Yeah." If he wasn’t wearing the blindfold, Seungmin would notice that the taller male is also looking at him with a smile, but not just any smile, one that is all soft around the edges and coated with fondness.

Once Hyunjin realizes he's smiling like a complete fool, the darker haired boy clears his throat and moves to stand up. "Good. Let's head back, I'm pretty sure the three of use need to get going soon anyways."

"You're not staying?"

Hyunjin shakes his head, but remembers the blindfold. "I have to get back home, my parents might be wondering where I went."

The omega’s face scrunches up in confusion. "But you don't have any other scents on you…” Seungmin slowly states out loud, still speculating why the other would lie to him. “Only Minho's and Felix's scents are present, and of course a few of ours have rubbed off on you, but it's expected since you spent the night and some time in our home." The boy beside him grows silent. "Even Felix and Minho have a couple of unknown scents on them, which I'm assuming are from whoever else they have present at their homes, but you… you don't."

Seungmin quickly regrets his words once a wave of bitter and hurt hits his wolf’s sensory. "Just drop it. Please." Hyunjin pleads in a quiet whisper.

Nothing has really even started yet and you’ve already managed to ruin it, Seungmin! He’s mad at you. "Do you want me to get Jeongin to at least accompany you back home?" Seungmin makes a weak attempt at salvaging some type of ground. He really didn’t mean to make the younger upset, he was only stating the obvious since there was no use in Hyunjin lying to him. But Seungmin guesses he just really never knows when to back down.

One step forward and two steps back.

The omega senses another wave, but this time it’s of anger and sadness that washes over the human beside him.

"No. I'm fine. Like I said, my parents are probably getting worried by now, so I should go…" And with that Hyunjin moves from his place on the boulder and walks back towards the house.

Seungmin feels the presence of the boy receding further away from him by the second and he quickly understands what longing feels like. "Goodbye, Hyunjin." Even though he can’t hear him, Seungmin whispers out the parting phrase anyways.

He doesn't say his farewells to the other two high-schoolers, simply because he feels like he’ll be in the way. So instead he stays where he is and listens carefully to the conversations happening just inside the house, not even nine meters away. Only when Chan and Changbin guide the three newcomers out out of their territory and out of the woods does Seungmin yank off the blindfold and make his way back inside.

The young omega ignores the stares of confusion and concern from s and instead walks to his room and tries to get the scent of Hwang Hyunjin off of his mind.

“You were wrong this time, Minjun hyung.” Seungmin mumbles out into his pillow, where his face is currently buried, and his tears have long since dried up.

~*~

Dried leaves that have recently fallen from the trees above crunch underneath the hardened soles of worn hiking boots, as a lone young man trudges through the forest.

He rakes a hand impatiently through his naturally red locks, the strands falling back down onto his forehead- much to his discomfort- and lets a frustrated sigh slip past his lips. “. Such a .” The man speaks aloud even though he knows no one else is around to listen, just wanting to vent about his recent encounter even if that means basically talking to himself.

“Oh ‘You have photographic memory so you don’t need a copy.’ tch!” The young man uses a mocking tone to mimic the head alpha he just encountered a few minutes ago. “Yeah, well it’s a treaty contract , not some ing board game instructions. God, could that head alpha use his brain cells for at least five minutes? And I can not believe their head omega was pulling pranks on me as we were having a very important meeting! Clowns… all of them, absolute clowns. I only needed Park Jinwoo’s and his mate Kim Myungjun’s signatures and I could leave; a simple contract renewal, but no, that would just be too easy. Next time I have to deal with the Astro pack I’m going to need someone to hold me back from jumping off a cliff! ”

The young man's steps suddenly halt and he closes his tired eyes, trying to find some type of mental strength. Okay well, he knows he’s being a bit over dramatic, but the wolf's business trips do not normally last this long. The time away from his own pack is beginning to take a toll on him.

He reopens his eyes and weakly kicks a few nearby pebbles, disturbing the moss growing on top. “Just five more days, Jisung, and you will be back home, in your own bed, and with a big mug of Minjun’s homemade hot cocoa.” The omega lets out one last sigh, brings his head up in determination, and hikes the stuffed bag a bit higher onto his shoulders before he continues to walk forward.

YES JISUNG IS HERE!!

Let me know what you think in the comments! Likes and words of motivation are ALWAYS welcomed~

Next Time:
-Minho says goodbye to his past
-More Changlix~~ (perhaps a kiss^-^)
-Seungmin and Hyunjin make amends
-Jisung comes home!
-Unwelcome Visitors
-MINSUNG

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