There were some things that were obviously considered strange or odd. Watching someone as they slept typically fell under that category. And yet, this didn’t feel wrong to Yixing. 

His eyes memorized each curve of your face - the slope of your nose to the roundness of your cheeks to the tip of your chin. The parts themselves were beautiful, but together they created a masterpiece. One that he didn’t want to share with anyone. 

Part of him still couldn’t believe it. Even after an entire night of hearing your breaths beside him, feeling your heat radiating in the spots where your skins touched, it was hard to wrap his head around the fact that you were here, in his bed. 

And you knew the truth. 

You knew the truth about him. And you weren’t running away. You’d stayed when he asked. 

It had been a long shot, he knew. This house was overwhelming for him sometimes, so he could only imagine how you were feeling. But even with knowing about his blackouts and how he wasn’t still one hundred confident that he hadn’t hurt anyone during those lost times, you stayed. Junmyeon had faith in him - as did the others. Maybe you did, too. 

Together. 

That was what you had said. That the two of you would figure this out together. 

Yixing slowly lifted his hand. There was a slight tremble in his fingers as they hovered over your cheek. He was scared to wake you. Scared to shatter this moment and be pulled back into reality, into the present. While lying here in his bed, time could almost stop. Nothing existed outside of these four walls. Nothing but you and him. 

His fingers fell gently on the height of your cheek. It was the slightest of touches, barely the tips able to absorb the softness of your skin. You didn’t stir. So, he risked a short caress. Still, you slept on, eyes shut and lips parted in a way that made his own mouth turn up. 

Yixing continued to brush your face as his thoughts drifted away from this moment and to the future. Scenes and images flipped through his head. Simple things like going to the movies, lunch in the park, lounging in the farmhouse living room with the others. He hoped that you would become comfortable with his pack, that you would talk to them and joke with them like he did. It would take time, but it would become a reality.

Other images soon took shape. More forbidden ones. 

A crescent scar on the curve of your neck. A rounded belly that Yixing would kiss every chance he was allowed. Children laughing and crying through the halls. Night after night holding you and kissing you. Gray hairs appearing too soon. He wanted it all so bad. 

Baby steps, Yixing. Baby steps. 

He nearly snorted at the thought but managed to hold it back so he didn’t wake you. When you did wake, the pack would have to address the gray wolf. 

Which was why Yixing was a little disappointed when your eyelids fluttered open. 

At first, your eyes didn’t open anymore than a centimeter. The sun’s rays pushed through the spaces of the plastic blinds that covered the windows facing the east. As your pupils slowly adjusted to the brightness, your lids opened more. Their corners wrinkled as you stretched a sleepy smile. 

“Hi.”

Yixing barely managed to suppress a rumbling growl. That voice was… cute. Aggressively so. There was a tiny, gravely type quality as your vocal cords grew accustomed to being used again. It came out a pitch lower, followed by a groan as you stretched out your arms. And then… oh god you scooted closer to him, sending the wolf in his chest on a frenzy. Yixing took advantage, wrapping his arms around your shoulders and pulling you in closer. Your nose grazed against his collarbone, sending a shiver down his own spine. 

“Good morning,” he chuckled, a pathetic attempt to cover up the building urge.

You sighed. The smile slipped from your face as you looked up at him. “Are you okay?” you asked in a whisper.

Yixing frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Yesterday was….”

“A lot,” he finished for you. “I know. But having you here, it makes things better. So much better than I originally thought.”

Your forehead wrinkled as your eyebrows raised to nearly your hairline. “Really? Because yesterday you were upset.” Your eyes flickered to the pencils that rolled off the desk and neither of you had bothered to pick up before going to bed. 

“I was,” Yixing agreed, wishing he could take back his outburst. “But I’ve had time to think and… you were right. This is better. You knowing and being near me. My blackouts still scare me, but if that wolf really did target you, I have to make sure you’re safe and keep you near.”

Your bottom lip was into your mouth in a flash. “Does that mean… I have to move in here?”

Yixing blinked. Then he blinked again. Then he laughed. “No! No, you don’t have to move in here. I know you well enough to know that it would make you uncomfortable. And it’s a long drive into town. If you want to stay in your apartment, you can. I just hope you don’t mind a more frequent visitor.”

“No,” you replied as you shook your head. “I wouldn’t mind.” Happy to hear that, Yixing bent his head and stole a kiss. And then another one. This time, though, you didn’t let him pull away. 

Your fingers clung to his shirt. Encouraged, Yixing bit your bottom lip. A small worry flashed through his mind that he had gone too far, but you didn’t end the kiss. 

His hand slipped away from your shoulder to cup your jaw. Your own hand managed to free itself from where it was pinned between your bodies. You lightly rested it on his hip, unsure. A tremor made its way through Yixing’s body as your hand found a strip of skin under his shirt. The kiss deepened. He drank in every ounce of you that he could get. Your fingers danced under the fabric of his shirt, gliding up his stomach. Damn it. He should have just slept without it. 

Breaking away from your lips, he found your throat, layering it with sweet kisses as your other hand laced through the hair on the back of his head. 

The ground suddenly vibrated as if an earthquake had erupted. A small cry of shock came out of you. On pure instinct, Yixing encased you in his arms and rolled off the bed. Then his senses came back.

He had been so wrapped up in you that he’d completely forgotten the normal morning ritual. 

“Breakfast,” he explained in a breathy voice as he looked into your wide, shocked eyes. “Everyone’s headed down for breakfast.”

“They made the house shake like that?” you gasped. 

Yixing nodded, laughing. “Wolves are hungry first thing in the morning. Especially this pack. And it’s first come, first served here so it’s always a race.”

You puckered your lips as your eyes drifted down. A finger traced tiny circles on the skin above his collarbone. The rumble in Yixing’s throat was impossible to suppress this time. “Food sounds good,” you said shyly. 

Baby steps, Yixing. He nodded before loosening his grip and standing. After helping you to your feet, he opened the door to the hall. “You ready?” 

You nodded, though the look on your face said otherwise. Taking your hand, he gave you a more chaste kiss on your forehead. 

“Your arm.”

Yixing frowned. “What?”

You pointed to his arm that had been injured yesterday in the fight with the rogue. There were only the faintest of pink lines where the wolf had clawed him. By this afternoon, the skin would be like new. 

Well, actually, it was. The skin cells were new.

“That’s incredible.” Your voice was full of awe and wonder. Not a trace of revulsion or fear to be heard. It made Yixing feel lighter. His smile was wide and ture. 

“All wolves can heal at an accelerated rate.”

The left corner of your mouth twitched up. A small chuckle left your throat. “Incredible,” you repeated. 

“Come on. Let’s get you something to eat before the pigs take it all.” Yixing tugged lightly on your arm and the two of you were out the door. 

**

Your eyes stayed on the miracle wound that you still couldn’t quite believe. 

Just yesterday, four deep gashes had stuck out harshly on Yixing’s skin. Now only pink lines were left behind. It was hard to wrap your head around the speed at which the normal healing process had to go at to accomplish this. Each step flickered through your mind like flashcards. 

Hemostasis. Inflammatory. Proliferative. Maturation. 

You repeated them over and over again until a wall of noise hit you. 

Your eyes shot up. The kitchen was full of hungry male wolves. 

All eight of them were digging into the buffet-like set up on the table, although a few of them sat at the smaller booth, getting up and grabbing another plateful as soon as there was space on the circular porcelain surface. Yixing let go of your hand and elbowed his way to the table before everything could be eaten. He came back to you with a covered plate in each hand. With a motion of his head, he led you to the breakfast booth. 

Junmyeon was sitting there, along with Baekhyun and Jongdae. The latter wore a rather unwelcoming expression. Despite the fact that he wasn’t looking in your direction, you still shrank into Yixing’s side. Maybe he would be up for the idea of eating in his room instead. 

You didn’t dare ask this out loud, however, and Yixing slid into the booth, creating a barrier between you and Baekhyun, who was now squished up against the wall. He didn’t seem to mind, though. With a mouth full of food, he nudged Yixing with his elbow and wiggled his eyebrows. 

“We noticed it was awfully quiet last night.” 

Yixing growled threateningly, making the hair on your arms stand up. It was a different type of rumble than what he had let out earlier upstairs. Your hand twitched to smooth your hair from this morning's… activities, but you managed to stop the motion.

“Baekhyun, if you want to keep your head, I suggest you stop,” Junmyeon warned. It didn’t work. 

“What?” Baekhyun said innocently. His face was soft enough that he really did look virtuous. “I was simply making an observation. This house is never quiet and yet, last night it was.”  

Yixing’s hardened expression said that he didn’t buy it. The underlying innuendo was not missed. Your face began to warm. Junmyeon stepped in.

“There’s a lot going on right now.” His eyes flickered to Yixing. Though it was only there for a second, you were still able to read the concern in the alpha’s gaze. Yixing’s fist had tightened around his fork, the hills of his knuckles pushing through the skin. In an effort to be comforting, you secretly placed your hand on his thigh. 

Almost instantly, he relaxed, the tension in his muscles drifting away. He looked at you with a soft smile that revealed the dimple in his right cheek. You smiled back at him, squeezing his leg. He took it as additional comfort while you simply did it to keep yourself from poking the dimple. While you didn’t think he would mind, the fact that eyes were watching you two was mortifying. You liked feeling Yixing against your skin and kissing his lips - you just preferred to do it in private. 

A huff from the other side of the table broke the loving gaze between you. 

Jongdae shoved his plate away from him and looked at Junmyeon. “Let me out.”

Junmyeon didn’t budge, lifting an eyebrow in question instead. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just done.”

“Alright, but we all need to talk.”

“You can fill me in later.”

“Jongdae, no-”

Jongdae didn’t listen. He shuffled until he was under the table, crawling and then popping back up on the other side. 

“Jongdae!” 

The younger wolf didn’t stop. He stalked out of the kitchen while the others watched his back disappear into the front half of the house. 

“Is he okay?” you asked quietly to no one in particular. Baekhyun shrugged before he, too,  shimmied under the table. He popped up on the other side of Junmyeon. 

“He’s fine,” Junmyeon replied with a not-so-convincing smile. “He’s always a bit grumpy.”

“A bit?” Sehun snorted from the table. Junmyeon threw a look over his shoulder, but it didn’t reach its target as Sehun wasn’t paying attention.

Sighing, Junmyeon turned back around. “Yixing.”

“I know.” Yixing looked over at you. “Are you done?” You nodded. Half of the food was still left on your plate, but you were full, unable to eat another bite. “Go wait upstairs and I’ll come get you.”

You opened your mouth to protest.

“Actually, she might want to be here for this,” Junmyeon suggested. 

“Together,” you reminded Yixing. His face hardened into that expression that made him look like a completely different person. Eventually, though, he released a long breath, resting his forehead against your shoulder before straightening again.  

“What happened after we left yesterday?”

Junmyeon’s jaw popped from side to side. Voices behind him began to hush, dropping down to barely above a whisper. 

“I caught up to the wolf after shifting,” he said. His eyes were down on the table, his chin resting on folded fingers. “They were fast, but… I almost swear they slowed down when they saw me. It was a heavy fight.” He raised the left side of his shirt, revealing pink lines on the side of his torso. “I got a mouthful of them as well. That’s when I realized,” he swallowed, “we know this wolf.”

“What?” Baekhyun’s voice was like a whip cracking. “How could we? Other wolves - rogues or not - hardly ever come into our territory.”

Yixing shook his head as his hand slipped into yours and his leg. “Junmyeon, I don’t - I didn’t recognize the wolf’s scent. I mean, I wasn’t thinking too much about it, but I still caught a whiff. I didn’t know it.”

“I didn’t either at first,” Junmyeon agreed. “I think they were somehow covering their real scent. When I drew blood, I smelled their true scent.”

“How could they do that?” Chanyeol asked from the table. 

Kyungsoo was the one to answer. “Witches.”

Yixing shuddered. Wait…. witches were real, too? With wide eyes, you turned to Yixing, who gave a look that said he would explain that later. 

“Not all witches are bad,” Junmyeon grumbled under breath. 

“Yeah, yeah, we all know your crush on your research partner from last year,” Baekhyun said exasperatedly. 

Research partner? Now you were really curious. A squeeze on your fingers said it again. Later.  

“Who is it, Junmyeon?” Yixing pressed.

“It’s Zara.”

Seven mouths in air so sharply it pierced your eardrums. Only you seemed to have no clue as to who this Zara person was. Junmyeon must have read that confusion on your face. 

“Zara was an omega - a wolf without a pack,” he told you. “It wasn’t because she was kicked out of her previous pack - which is the norm - rather she was an orphan, a drifter who went from place to place. We let her stay with us for a while, despite what we were going through at the time.” There was pain in Junmyeon’s voice, but he didn’t elaborate on that specific detail. You remembered the odd slip from Yixing while telling you how many wolves were in his pack. Later. You would ask later. “After a while, she asked if she could stay with us permanently.” 

Baekhyun shifted uncomfortably beside the alpha. 

You weren’t sure how to interpret that reaction, so you asked, “Do you not let new members into your pack?”

“We’re already a large pack to begin with,” Yixing said. “It gets crowded here. And… female wolves are rare. Very rare. When you’re used to a house full of males and suddenly a female that isn’t anyone’s mate and can run with the pack is around, it can be a bit awkward.”

“And none of us really got close to her,” Minseok added. 

“Except for Jongdae,” Sehun said. Was that why he didn’t seem to like you? Another female’s presence irritated him, reminding him of his old friend?

“Eventually, Zara pushed enough that we had to put it to a vote,” Junmyeon went on. 

“You voted on it?” You looked from Junmyeon to Yixing. If you were to guess, you would have said that the decision rested firmly on the alpha’s shoulders. 

Junmyeon nodded. “I could have made the decision, but this would have affected the whole pack so I figured they should be able to voice their opinions.”

“It was a bit chaotic,” Minseok said. You could imagine that easily.  

“We were split down the middle. In the end, it was decided that she wouldn’t be joining the pack and needed to move on.”

You frowned. “If you were split down the middle, how was that decided?”

Yixing’s hand slipped away from yours as he leaned forward. He folded his fingers on the table, tension furrowing his eyebrows. “I was the deciding vote.”

Shock rippled through you. Truly, you didn’t have a clue as to which side he would have been on, but the whole future of the pack - and of this Zara - had laid solely with him. How had he handled it? Was he regretting his decision now? 

But you couldn’t blame him for his vote. You weren’t sure how long she’d stayed with the pack before the meeting happened, however, it could have been a disaster. The dynamic could have been altered greatly. You knew virtually nothing about werewolf packs and how they worked. But you did know the effects of introducing a foreign bacterial cell into a controlled environment. It could lead to an infection and the loss of the surrounding tissue. Most of the time, it was better to keep the foreign cell away.

Sighing, Yixing nudged your side, a silent ask for you to move. You did and he made his way over to the counter, turning the stove on and filling a kettle with water. As it heated, he searched the cabinets until he pulled out a small tin. “Tea?” he said barely above a whisper, gesturing to you. Needing something to settle your stomach, you nodded, thankful. 

“She was… less than happy,” Junmyeon continued. “She refused to leave, insisting that she was already a part of the pack anyway. But that’s not something that you can just declare or that happens simply because you’ve been around for a while. The bond between her and the pack was never formed. I had to eventually make her leave by force.”

“By force?” you echoed. 

Junmyeon dropped his head and covered his face with his hands. Baekhyun patted his friend on the back, a contrary action to his previous personality. Junmyeon’s hair glided through his fingers as he dragged his hands through the dark brown strands. The curve of his shoulders were a striking arch, as if invisible hands were pressing down on him, threatening to push him out of the booth and through the floor. 

Finally, he straightened, but he didn’t meet your eye. “I chased her out of our territory.”

Horror must have flashed on face as Sehun jumped to his defense. 

“She wouldn’t leave even after we asked. As alpha, he has the power to ban anyone from our territory. Anyone who refuses could be a threat to us. Our own come first.”

You blinked as it was the most you’d heard the sandy-haired wolf speak. Last night, Yixing had told you about each of his “brothers”, describing each of their personalities and roles within the group. Sehun was the youngest and therefore a bit babied by the rest of the pack. He was also fiercely protective of Junmyeon, having jumped down their throats more than once in his defense. But that didn’t stop him from teasing the alpha mercilessly himself. 

“I hated doing it,” Junmyeon told you. “It took a lot out of me and I could barely make it home for how far I had to chase her.”

“We had to carry him the last couple of miles,” Chanyeol said, his usually cheerful face now downcast. 

“How long ago was this?” you asked. The kettle began to whistle, making you jump. Yixing took the boiling water off the stove. The mugs chinked together as he took them down from the cabinet. Steam rose from the mugs while he dipped in the tea bags and brought the cups over. 

“About three years ago.”

You scooted over in the booth to let Yixing back in. He shook his head, choosing to keep standing instead. “And you think she’s back?”

“It would seem so.”

This… wasn’t good. But what was the point of killing people? To frame the pack? That didn’t make sense considering the fact that their presence wasn’t known among the populace. 

The mug was warm as you pressed your palms to the rounded sides. You blew on the rising steam to cool the liquid that had turned a dark caramel color. Once you deemed it cooled enough, you took a sip. And winced.

“What.. flavor is this?” 

“It’s a simple herbal tea.” You didn’t miss the small cringe Yixing gave as he drank his own tea. “I think a wrong herb might have gotten mixed in, or it went bad, but I don’t want to waste it.”

“So, you’ve been drinking this?” A short nod was your answer. Shaking your own head, you pushed the mug away from you. “I think I’ll stick with water.”

Yixing didn’t seem offended by your choice, continuing to drink his tea. 

You moved your attention back to Junmyeon. “What do you think her plan is?”

“Revenge seems the simplest guess.” 

You shot Baekhyun a look. Naturally, he was unaffected. 

“He has a point,” Junmyeon reluctantly agreed. “Though I can’t see what her actions are supposed to achieve overall, the motive can only be revenge on all of us.”

“But why care now?” 

Really this wasn’t any of your business. Yes, you had told Yixing that you would figure this out together, but part of you felt like you were pushing more than you should. Inserting yourself into pack business that you still considered yourself separate from. Yixing was worried about your safety. Despite what he had said in bed this morning, you knew that he would still concern himself about that particular problem above all else. 

Funny, how you had tried to keep yourself separate from most people and yet here you were, being a part of them. 

Junmyeon didn’t seem to have a concrete answer. “She could have been planning this whole time or she could have decided that it had been long enough that our guard was down. Which it was. I honestly hadn’t thought about her in a long time.”

“None of us ha-” Yixing let out a short cry of pain. He doubled over, the mug slipping from his fingers and shattering on the floor. You ignored the shards as you jumped to your feet. He held his head in his hands. A sharp hiss was in between his teeth. Beads of sweat began to form on the skin of his face. You tried to steady him, to keep him upright, but his weight was too much for you alone. 

Junmyeon took hold of Yixing’s other side just in time. Your gentle wolf lost consciousness, going limp in your arms. 

“Yixing! Yixing!”