You weren’t so much as “packing” as you were throwing clothes into the suitcase that was currently lying open on your bed. Sure, everything would be wrinkled and disorganized, but your annoyance and frustration refused to let you care. You weren’t even paying much attention to what you were grabbing from the closet and dresser drawers. All you were told was to pack enough clothes for a long stay.

A long stay. What did that entail? A few weeks? A month? Until the blood moon? And what if the blood moon arrived and nothing happened? Would you have to stay until the next one after that or would be allowed to come home until the next vision hit?

After throwing the pair of jeans in your hands towards the mountain forming in your suitcase, you landed hard on your back on top of the messy covers, whining the whole way. Hands folded on your stomach, you stared up at the ceiling, contemplating your life.

The only thing you wanted was to be left alone. You wanted the visions to leave you alone. You wanted the elder witches to leave you alone. Hell, sometimes you even wanted Soomi to leave you alone. You wanted to be allowed to be who you were without someone trying to channel the path you were supposed to take.

It wasn’t fair. It was like you weren’t allowed to make any mistakes. Markl could accidentally make Mother Adansonia lose her eyebrows and Martha could mix up the potions and cause the whole coven to fall asleep for an entire weekend, but you weren’t allowed to even spill a cup of water. You had to keep all toes in line. You had to basically do the impossible and be perfect. Or else you would be considered a danger to the world and the mothers could take drastic action.

Now you were being forced to leave and… do what, exactly? What were you supposed to do once you reached the wolves? Say “hey there’s this weird blonde woman who’s going to do… something on the blood moon? We don’t know yet but we thought you mutts might have an idea?”

You snorted to yourself. Yeah. You couldn’t wait for that conversation.

A soft knock came from your door and Soomi poked her head inside the room. “Are you almost ready?”

You sat up, folding your hands in your lap. “Um, yeah. Almost.”

But your answer couldn’t hide the monstrous pile beside you. Shaking her head, Soomi stepped in and started folding your clothes for you, arranging them in a somewhat organized manner that would allow the luggage to close when the time came.

“This might not be all bad,” Soomi insisted. You gave her a side eyed glance that let her know how much you believed her, but stayed quiet. “Their farmhouse is surrounded by woods, a little less than an hour outside the city.”

“More total isolation,” you murmured. “Joy.”

Mother Willow’s cottage wasn’t completely all alone out here. The other mothers’ homes were scattered around in a randomized fashion, their only connection being a gravel road that most ordinary humans could never find. Every once in a while, a stray hiker would stumble across the coven, but Mother Sumire had a talent in memory potions disguised as lemonade.

It was a rare treat for you to be able to venture into town. Mother Willow would sometimes send you to get groceries or allow you to buy new clothes at the tiny boutiques, but you were never alone. You felt like a parolee under strict observation. If they turned their backs, you’d be on the run. And maybe they were on to something. The thought had never really crossed your mind until now, running away. Really the only thing stopping you was the fact that you had nowhere to go. You didn’t know how to truly function in non-magic society. The coven had been your entire world and the idea of not having it to fall back on was terrifying.

Besides, you couldn’t break Soomi’s already fragile heart.

“I was implying that you could have quite a bit of alone time,” Soomi hinted at with a side glance of her own. “To practice….”

You scoffed. “You wouldn’t rat me out?”

Soomi pursed her lips, keeping her focus on folding the shirt in her hands. “I am saying nothing of the kind. There are all different kinds of plants for you to study there. That’s all I meant.”

Of course. “I’m sure I can find sort of leaf that I haven’t seen before.”

With your suitcase properly packed now, Soomi zipped it closed and turned to you. Sadness and worry glistened in her eyes. Cupping the back of your head in her hand, she kissed the top of your head. “I’ll be out at the car when you’re ready.”

Alone once again, you took a few last mental pictures of your room. Would it be covered in dust by the time you got back? Would you be coming back? An ominous feeling was settling in the pit of your stomach. Things would be different after this trip, there was no doubt about that. You couldn’t verbalize what it was that would change or be altered, but you had a feeling that you were starting down a path that would take you to a place you couldn’t come back from.

Sliding your suitcase off the bed and pulling up on the collapsible handle, you rolled the bits of your life that you were taking with you out of that room and down the hall to whatever unknown future awaited you.

**

Sehun sat at the table of the coffee shop, staring blankly out the window. People - ordinary people with ordinary lives - passed on by in groups of twos and threes. They laughed and chatted amongst themselves as they gripped their shopping bags or pushed their strollers down the sidewalk to their next destination. Leaning forward, he took a long sip of the bubble tea in front of him.

Luhan was late, but that was nothing new. He was always antsy leaving his mate, terrified that even after all these months, her old organization would hunt her down and take her away. Not that he could be blamed, but Harper insisted that she’d covered her tracks and made it seem like she’d perished in the explosion that destroyed several buildings on their compound. Her sister – the only one in her family to know the truth - was sworn to secrecy and no one had even come sniffing around their town as far as they knew.

Sehun snorted. Sniffing around. His jokes were getting about as bad Junmyeon’s.

“Do you want another one?”

Straightening up, Sehun turned to see who’d offered him another drink. It was Jinyoung’s coworker – Mia or Mandy or… something that started with “M”. He looked down to find that his drink was, in fact, empty save for a few surviving boba. When did that happen?

“No, thank you,” Sehun answered flatly. “I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” she smiled coyly at him. “It’d be on the house.”

As tempting as a free drink was, he didn’t care to accept the implications behind it. “No, thank you,” he repeated. “I don’t need another one.”

Unfortunately, she wasn’t deterred in the slightest. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.” She winked at him before turning away, nearly colliding with the body that was running towards the table. “Oh, hey, Luhan.”

Sehun perked up. Finally.

“Hey, Marcie!” Luhan waved as he collapsed in the chair across from Sehun. He gave an apologetic look. “Sorry, I’m late.”

Sehun shrugged, holding back the pout that was pushing on his lips. “It’s fine. I get it.”

“But we rarely get to hang out anymore,” Luhan went on.

And whose fault is that, Sehun really wanted to ask. But the true answer was no one. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Luhan had found his mate and then nearly lost her. He couldn’t blame the wolf for wanting to make up for lost time. The only trade off was Sehun being left in the dust.

Luhan glanced over his shoulder and smirked. “Marcie’s really got a thing for you.”

Not really caring for the direction of the conversation, Sehun kept his focus on the straw that was housed in his cup, “So?”

Realizing the fruitless effort, Luhan sighed. “Never mind.”

Sehun held back the sigh of relief. When will the others realize that he simply wasn’t interested?

As if she heard her name from all the way on the other side of the café, Marcie came back over, a cup of water in one hand and a napkin in the other.

“In case you get thirsty,” she practically purred as she put both objects down and walked away.

Sehun took one look at the napkin and groaned. “Okay, let’s go.”

Luhan tilted his head. “Why? I just got here.”

“Too bad.” Sehun stood up, the legs of the chair scraping against the fake wooden floor. “You should have been on time.”

“At least let me- ah!” Luhan snickered when his eyes finally landed on the napkin. Marcie’s number was written carefully across the paper in blue ink. The older wolf started to reach for it, but Sehun’s reflexes were faster and he slammed the plastic cup down on top before it could be snatched away.

“Leave it,” Sehun demanded through gritted teeth. Luhan rolled his eyes and stood up, obeying the request. Both of them left the café without a single glance towards the cash register. Sehun didn’t care if her feelings were hurt. She should have gotten the message the first time around.

Quickly forgetting the encounter, the two of them hurried down the sidewalk towards the hair supply store. That was the real reason Sehun had called Luhan out. He needed one last opinion to see if he should really do this or not. Or to tell him no so he could solidify his resolve to do it.

Some might say it was an attention thing. And maybe it was. Maybe it was a test to see who noticed or how even cared. Either way, he needed a drastic change. Something that would shift his world even in the slightest of ways. His life had become too routine, too mundane. And that was saying a lot for a supernatural creature.

“I thought you had plenty of dye at home?” Luhan asked once they reached the hair color section.

Sehun shrugged as he roamed over the different selections available in front of him. “It’s all the same. I want to try something else.”

“Sure,” Luhan nodded. “Everyone wants a change. And too many of us are blon- whoa, what are you doing?”

Picking up one of the more radical colors, Sehun simply raised an eyebrow before moving on to the sheers. “Do you think Hae In could help me with this part?”

Luhan stared at the youngest wolf in disbelief. “When you said different… you really meant it, didn’t you?”

“Kind of the point, Luhan,” Sehun replied dryly.

Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to talk him out of it, Luhan sighed. “Actually, I think Kimberly will be the one to ask. I’d be a little terrified of the idea of Hae In with scissors near my face.”

Sehun thought it over before nodding in agreement. “You’re right. Let’s go.”

He headed towards the front before he could even think about changing his mind.

**

The sun was completely gone by the time you arrived at the farmhouse. Soomi put the car in park near the front porch and gently shook you awake. High pitched groans and whines vibrated in your throat as you sat up and rubbed your eyes.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” Soomi giggled at you.

You frowned at her through squinty eyes before yawning and stretching out your limbs. The only light to see by came from the front porch and from the heavy duty spotlight on top of the giant detached garage. The long, two-story house was planted near the edge of the giant circular field. Soomi was right, they really were in the middle of the woods. Nothing but trees filled your vision no matter which direction you looked.

“Come on.” Soomi cut off the engine and popped the trunk before hopping out of her seat. You followed behind at a slower pace, still partially asleep from your less than satisfactory nap.

Suitcase in hand, you shut the trunk lid and struggled up the stairs of the porch. Maybe you’d packed a little too much.

With her dainty little fist, Soomi knocked on the door. At first, you thought she’d done it a little too softly as the two of you stood there, nothing happening. With how late it was, you were sure most – if not all – the habitants were asleep. You really didn’t feel like waiting out here all night. Rolling your eyes, you lifted your own knuckles to hit it harder when the door suddenly swung open.

Junmyeon, leader of the pack and Soomi’s once-upon-a-crush, stood the doorway, his eyelids flickering from being up so late.

Soomi chewed on her bottom lip guilty. “I’m sorry, Junmyeon, we meant to come earlier.”

“No, don’t apologize,” the alpha motioned at the two of you. “Come on in.” He opened the door wider and took ahold both of suitcases, lifting them and taking them inside the house with barely any effort on his part.

“Thank you, again, for doing this, Junmyeon,” Soomi sighed as she shut the door behind you.

Junmyeon shook his head as put the suitcases down next to the couch. “No, Soomi, you’re the one who should be thanked. You’ve been keeping us informed about what could be coming since the beginning and you didn’t have to. You have your own family to worry about. I’m sure once the boys hear about what else (y/n)’s seen, they’ll start taking it a little more seriously.”

You fought the urge to make some sort of snide comment. It wasn’t surprising that the wolves weren’t concerned in the slightest over your little visions. If they weren’t coming to you in the first place, you wouldn’t think much of them either.

But you could feel the dark cloud that came with each scene. The fear, the evil. Each one came with a presence, a lingering darkness that you couldn’t see but absolutely terrified you. Whenever you relayed the episodes to Soomi, you’d downplayed your worry. But you couldn’t stop figuratively glancing over your shoulder as if that presence would personify at any moment.

Had it already in the shape of that woman?

“Are they all asleep already?” Soomi asked.

Junmyeon nodded. “I told them that you were coming, but not when. I thought it best that the two of you rest before meeting them. They can be… rambunctious at the best of times. I didn’t want to overwhelm (y/n).”

“I remember how they can be,” Soomi chuckled softly. Glancing at you, she sighed. “I guess we can just crash here for now.”

“Actually, one of the guys is in town with his mate. You can take his room for the night. We’ll figure out your long term place in the morning.”

Soomi pursed her lips. “If you’re sure that won’t be a problem….”

“Not at all,” Junmyeon insisted. “Jongin would volunteer anyway if he were here. Let me show you to the room. You must be exhausted.”

As if on cue, you yawned, earning a chuckle out of the elders in the room.

Careful not to make too much noise, you followed the alpha up the stairs towards one of the rooms in the middle of the long hallway. He opened the door and ushered you inside before turning on the light.

“The bathroom is across the way in case you need it,” he told the two of you softly. “In the morning just come down whenever you’re ready. We’ll have breakfast for you.”

“Thank you,” Soomi nodded.

At your silence, she elbowed you in the stomach. You scowled at her before muttering, “Thanks.”

Junmyeon didn’t seem to take offense, laughing to himself. “Good night.”

As soon as the two of you were alone, you dived into your suitcase, pulling out the large t-shirt and comfortable shorts you’d packed away to sleep in. When you were changed, you hopped in between the covers and settled in. Soomi moved at a slightly slower pace, taking her time before shutting off the light and climbing in beside you.

“Soomi?” you whispered after a few minutes of silence.

“Hm?” Great. She was already drifting off to sleep.

“How long do you think we’ll be here?” Not exactly what you wanted to ask, but you decided against the more emotional road while she was only partially awake.

“Until the blood moon, probably,” she murmured. You didn’t ask anything else and soon she was fast asleep beside you.

You lied there, staring up at the ceiling for what seemed like ages. While you were completely drained, your mind refused to shut off and let you get some rest. Your eyes fought to stay closed, but that wasn’t the same as being off in dreamland.

While your mind was churning over how the morning’s events would play out, your ears picked up on the squeak of floorboards outside. Never the one to turn down your curiosity, you carefully slid out of bed and tiptoed over to the door. Praying that the hinges didn’t squeak, you pulled the door open at a snail’s pace. Right in front of you, there was nothing. Then, you risked peeking your head out farther.

Your eyes took a second to adjust to the dimly lit area. Just as they were able to interpret what they were seeing, you found the source of the noise. Down at the other end of the hallway, a door was opened. One of the wolves must have come home late. You didn’t see much of him, just the broad shoulders hidden under a plain t-shirt before he disappeared into the bedroom. Shrugging at the anticlimactic discovery, you closed your own door and headed back to the bed to, hopefully, finally get some rest before the next big adventure that waited for you in the morning.