You’d finally snapped. That could be the only logical explanation for your current state of mind. It was a wild animal, for Pete’s sake! And yet, there you were, standing at the front counter of the bakery, sketching out the features of the overly friendly wolf on a left behind receipt, antsy and fidgety.  

Clock watching like your life depended on it, you were counting down to the end of your shift. Rather than taking your usual route home, you were going to make a slight detour back to the woods in hopes of finding that wolf again.

You were completely insane. Venturing back out to the trees just on the slight possibility that you might find that animal.

No rational human did such a thing. But were you really rational?

You couldn’t explain why you wanted – needed – to see the wolf again. It was certainly a strange creature. Too expressive, and more puppy-like than any that you had encountered at a zoo before. There was something strange about that wolf, something abnormal, but you found that you didn’t care all that much to stay away. He’d indicated that he would be your friend, so why not test that theory?

The day had actually been oddly busy from around lunchtime to around three, making time runn forward, but now these last few hours had slowed all the way to a stop. You had nothing to decorate and your boss was still just a little too particular to allow you to help in the baking process. With nothing to do, you just drew the wolf, over and over again, from different angles and with different expressions, you could probably create a breakdown profile of him.

Finally, the shop was closed and you were free. Packing up your things, you waved goodbye to your boss, locked the front door for him so he could finish up a few cakes in piece and headed out. Your pace was quick as you dodged other workers in a hurry to get home.

“Hey!”

You froze. Part of you wanted to run, but it was too late. The girl named Ji Yeon had already ran up beside you and stepped into your path to woods.

“It’s (y/n), right?” she guessed.

Kyungsoo. He must have told his whole friend group your name. Great.

“Yeah, that’s right.” Polite face, polite face.

The sun was going to be completely gone within the next couple of hours so you needed to hurry up and get searching if you wanted to make it back before dark.

“Did you just move into town?” Ji Yeon asked. She was sweet and you knew she was trying to be friendly.

Did you just have that kind of face where people here just wanted to come up and make small talk with you? Maybe you should start wearing a sign that simply said “Please, don’t talk to me. Have a nice day.”

You nodded. “Yeah, about a month and a half ago, give or take?”

The way your eyes kept flickering over to the trees didn’t escape her notice. “I’m so sorry! Am I keep you from something?”

Taking the out, you tried to look as apologetic as possible. “Yeah, sorry, I just dropped something in the woods the other day and I want to see if I can find it before sunset.”

“Do you want some help?” she offered, her eyes hopeful that you’d say yes.

This is why you thought some people were too friendly. Did she have to be this accommodating?

“No, thank you, though,” you shook your head. “Have a good night!” You took off running before she could say anything else. Were you a bit rude? Probably. But the wolf was at the forefront of your mind, urgently calling you away.

Quickly, you retraced your steps until you found the comfortable tree from last time. Sitting down and leaning against the trunk once again, you waited.

With each breath, a small cloud left your mouth. Your hands were warm in your pockets and your jeans were thick enough to save your legs. However, your face was exposed to harsh cold air, biting at your nose and cheeks. You tried to warm your face with your scarf but the knitted layers would just slide down after only a few seconds, exposing the skin once again.

Not only were you not seeing the wolf again, but no other form of life seemed to be around either. The only sound was coming from you, filling your lungs with air and then letting back out into the world. But you refused to give up. Not until the sun had turned the sky violet and orange. Which, admittedly, was going to be difficult to spot beyond the branches.

Leaves began to rustle somewhere behind you. Jumping up to your feet, you whirled towards the sound and smiled.

The wolf was running at you, not slowing down even as you were sure he could see you. At about five feet away, he lept at you, paws hitting your shoulders and sending you down to the ground on your back. All the oxygen was pushed from your lungs as the wolf barked above you. You coughed to try and get your breath back.

Apparently noticing your state, the wolf stepped off of you and nudged your face with his snout before your cheek as a form of apology.

“What was that for?” you whined, sitting up. He seemed to enjoy you scratching behind his ear. You couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you actually showed up. I thought for a moment that I was crazy just sitting out here.”

The wolf barked again. If only you were able to interpret what it meant. His ears perked up, straining to hear whatever it was that your own human senses were failing to catch. Using his strong jaws, he snapped his teeth on the edge of your sleeve, pulling you to your feet.

“What’s going on?” you asked him, not like you’d actually get an answer. He dragged you back in the direction of town while you kept fighting against his hold. Your strength was no match for his. “Come on, let go.”

Had you been an idiot for trusting him? What was he trying to do?

But as soon as you hit the edge of the forest, he did let go, barking at you for a third time, motioning towards town with his head. He wanted you to go back.

“But you just got here.” You sighed, shoulders slumping. “Do I have to go back? I don’t have anyone else to talk to.”

The wolf actually “hmphed” at you, once again motioning towards town, this time a bit more pointed. You guessed that he was implying that there were people in town to talk to, making your jaw drop.

In defiance, you sat down on the ground, meeting his eyes. “Maybe I just don’t like people, okay? They hurt you and leave you so no, I don’t want to make friends with anyone in town. But I thought I could at least talk to you, that - as a wolf - you would be different. But apparently I was wrong!”

You weren’t sure why you said any of that. Talking to the wolf like he was a person was completely irrational. Then again, hadn’t you decided this morning that you weren’t in a rational state of mind right now?

Realizing that if anyone noticed you standing here, yelling at a giant black wolf, they might call the doctor and have you admitted. This whole situation was embarrassing and now you just wanted to go home, feeling like an idiot. You turned to go, trying to ignore the whining from the wolf. Before taking more than two steps the wolf was in front of you, keeping you in place.

“Move,” you demanded. He didn’t budge. Sighing, you crossed your arms, both of you at an impasse. He reached out to you with his nose, forcing his way under your hand. Damn, he was impossible to resist. How could an overgrown dog be so cute? You mumbled, “Jerk.”

He yelped. Leaving you, he went over to the nearest tree, creating four long claw marks in the bark of the trunk. Then he stomped at the ground.

With furrowed eyebrows, you stared at him, trying to figure out what he was trying to convey. Over and over, he stomped at the ground. Then you took a shot in the dark.

“You want to meet here?” you guessed.

He barked, approving.

You shook your head and threw your arms up in the air. “When? Tomorrow?”

He barked again, his tail wagging. Apparently, that meant yes.

“Okay,” you agreed. “Tomorrow is a half day for me. Noon.” You point up at the sky, implying when the sun would be at its highest. Your boss had a wedding to bake for so he didn’t want any more orders coming in. One last bark out of the wolf and you patted the top of his head. “I’ll see you then.”

**

Kyungsoo was running as fast as he could. Stupid Chanyeol and Baekhyun making him late. He explicitly told them that he had to be gone by eleven so he could arrive before you at the tree. There was another omega in town that they hadn’t been able to identify with yet. But no. Tweedledee and Tweedledum wanted to chat with him about yesterday, about how lucky he was that Ji Yeon called, letting him know that you’d ventured off into the woods by yourself so he could make sure you were okay.

They went on and on. Finally, at fifteen after eleven, he simply jumped up and ran out the back door, ignoring their yells after him.

Damn it.

You were already there, sitting at the trunk of the tree, sketching again. As soon as you saw him, you lit up, flipping your book closed and jumping up. The smile on your face was so invigorating, his heart was hurting.

Why couldn’t you look at him like that in way when he was human?

Something certainly had happened to you to make you so closed off. You spoke yesterday about people hurting and leaving you. Kyungsoo just wanted to be a comfort to you. He wanted you to open up to him and let him be there for you in both forms of himself. He just need to figure out how to convey that to you.

“Look who came,” you whispered. He wasn’t sure you meant for him to hear or not, so he just sat down, waiting for you to come to him.

After a few pets and scratches, he stood up and motioned to his back with his head, meaning for you to get on.

“What?” you laughed, not understanding him.

Huffing, he gently bit your sleeve, draping your arm over his neck and continued to nudge at your side.

“You want me to get on?” you exclaimed. Your eyes were wide, making him laugh inside. He yelped, telling you yes. You shook your head. “I am way too heavy for this.”

Kyungsoo growled, not liking you talk bad about yourself at all. He nudged you some more until you finally gave in, swinging a leg over his back. As soon as he felt that you were secure, he took off into the trees.

You squealed as he ran, not expecting his speed. He may be one of the smaller wolves, but he certainly had agility on his side. Your fingers were squeezing his fur tight and that just egged him on. Too much.

Looking back to see your expression, Kyungsoo lost track of his footing, not noticing the edge of the trench. He slipped, sending the both of you tumbling down the hill. The momentum separated you from his back.

You landed on your stomach at the bottom of the trench. Cursing at himself, Kyungsoo scrambled up and was by your side in a second. Your shoulders were shaking. Were you hurt? To the point of tears? What had he done?

But then you flipped over and the tears running down your face were from the laughs that you were letting out. You didn’t seem injured at all, but Kyungsoo still could have hurt you. He whined.

You sat up, the laughter ceasing. “I’m alright. Are you okay?”

Shaking his head, Kyungsoo your face.

The two of you sat there for an hour or so, you telling Kyungsoo about your day, eventually moving on to your friend Mina. She sounded like a bad influence to Kyungsoo, a wild child, but he didn’t exactly have a say in your friendships and she was miles away anyway.

“You won’t leave me, right?” you said suddenly, running your fingers through the soft fur of his neck. “If you promise to stay, then I might actually stay. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”

Kyungsoo tilted his head. Why would you ever ask him that?

Granted, you didn’t know the connection the two of you shared.

He will be by your side for the rest of your lives. You just needed to trust him.

“Everyone else leaves,” you murmured to yourself, dropping your hand. Kyungsoo laid his head in your lap, letting you know that he was there. “Mom left. Chace left.”

Kyungsoo growled at the mention of another boy in your life. Who dared to break his mate’s heart? If he ever met this Chace, he’d rip his throat out.

All too soon, it was time to take you back to town.

Kyungsoo carried you back to the edge where you’d met. The goodbye wasn’t as heated as yesterday’s and Kyungsoo sat there and watched you walk away. Once you were out of sight, he found the clothes he’d hidden yesterday and ran on his human legs to Kimberly’s apartment. There, he would shower and change clothes. You weren’t aware of it yet, but after spending several hours with the wolf, you were going to meet the human once again. All Kyungsoo needed was game plan. If only he had any actually experience with this.

Finding your scent was easy. He hoped he’d be able to intersect you before you made it back to your apartment. By luck, you’d detoured to the grocery story. Excellent.

Walking through the automatic doors, he kept following you amazing smell all the way to the coffee aisle. And then the hair on his arms stood up and growl rumbled in his chest.

You were backed up against the shelf while a tall stranger loomed over you smirking. Taking a deep breath, Kyungsoo growled again. Another omega. What the hell? Why were they so attracted to you.

Kyungsoo stomped up to you, ready to protect his mate.