Kris was waiting for him in the woods, by the time Sehun came out of the cottage. “Yoongi thinks you broke him.” Sehun slowed to a stop and leaned against a tree, struggling to catch his breath. He could feel his hands shaking, his heart thumping, not because he thought Kai would have hurt him, but because he was worried he had thumped a part of the Alpha he shouldn't have. He just hope he hadn't done more damage to him. Rubbing at his temple, Sehun glanced at his brother. “I’m not sure Yoongi is far wrong. Saying his name aloud… it did something to him. I just don’t know what.” “Will you go back in there?”From the way Kris' arms were folded, Sehun could tell the alpha wasn’t happy with how this was playing out. “Not right now,” he said. “Later I… I need to make sure he’s okay. The look in his eyes, the sounds he was making, I’ve never seen that before.” Kris looked at the ground. “We may still need to face the reality that he’s not salvageable. I know you feel he’s made progress, but if something as simple as a name sets him off like that…” “Not a name,” Sehun said. “His name.”
It had been clear that the feral recognized it but also very strongly rejected it. “Can you imagine trying to come back after becoming so lost inside your own mind?” Kris shrugged. “I saw it once, at the police training school. A guy gone feral. He was just eighteen, he’d been in training less than a year. Something happened, and he just… snapped. I saw what he was like, Sehun. There was no coming back from that.” "I wouldn't give up on Kai. I intend to make sure Kai gets every chance that young man didn’t.” Kris rubbed a hand across his eyes.“And if he can’t be rehabilitated?” he pressed. “You know this is no life for man or shifter, chained to a wall and fed scraps.” Sehun didn’t call Kris out on the picture he painted. “You know me well enough to know that I keep my word. If it comes to that, I’ll deal with it.” He didn’t want to contemplate having to kill the alpha– just the idea left a bitter taste, not just in his heart but the whole of his soul. But it was at the end of a long list of choices. He hoped, against hope, that they wouldn’t get there. **** Irene couldn't describe what she was feeling at the moment as she stared at the Alpha, her Alpha that didn't seem to want anything to do with her. For the past few days, she had visited Seulgi every day, and Irene had to fight with her primal part to separate from Seulgi each time. It was becoming impossible to control herself. She had been happy, excited to know she had found her fated mate, which only happened to three– four percent of shifters. The most exciting thing was that her mate happened to be a woman, because Irene was solely attracted to women. If her fated mate had been a man, she didn't know what she would have done. Call her foolish, but Irene was already falling hard for the lady, the attraction was there and just not because of the bond, she knew she would fall for Seulgi even if they weren't fated. She didn't care what Seulgi was in the past, Irene strongly believed she could change her even if the Alpha had been bad person. She had so much hope, yet she didn't expect to be rejected each time she tried to communicate. But not today, Irene wasn't going to give up. Her brother and grandpa had taught her that much. "Don't fight it. You can never fight a bond this strong." It was almost laughable how Seulgi was trying to ignore her, ignore her presence and, the pulsing of their bond. Seulgi pinned her with a sharp gaze. "Well forgive me princess but I didn't have the best experience with Omegas." Irene didn't take her words to heart, instead she laughed. "I told you am no princess." Seulgi had been addressing her as such, and Irene had told her several times she wasn't what the Alpha thought she was. Seulgi gestured around the building. After one last interrogation, Sehun had deemed Seulgi reliable enough to be out confinement, but he had made it clear his rooms– the top floor was off limits, Irene was happy to agree as long as Seulgi would get her freedom. And currently Irene was taking her on a tour, showing her around the pack she wished to share with her alpha. They've went through most of the places, now they were heading to the training section."You own a ing castle, and you're stinkingly rich, I guess the title suits you." "Then you're my knight in shining armor." She turned slightly to smile at the Alpha as they walked into the training section. Seulgi paused."Look princess if you're looking for your happy ending with me, then I hate to break it to you; but you got the wrong person. I ain't some knight. My life's full of ." Irene hummed."Mind telling me about yourself?" "Nothing about me will interest you." The Alpha continued to walk, looking around training section and the intrest in her eyes wasn't lost to Irene. " this place is nice. I can kick some asses in here." Irene discarded the last sentence as her mind only wanted to know all about her mate."Still wanna know about you." She insisted. "If you insist." Seulgi shrugged. "Maybe it will change your mind about me when you hear it." Irene knew it would be highly unlikely to change her mind, no matter how messed up Seulgi's life was. She found a seat pulled Seulgi to sit with her in the Martial arts room where a pair of betas were training, but Irene's attention wasn't on them. She listened with rapt attention as Seulgi told her the story. It turned out her life hadn't been easy and Irene was able to get why Seulgi detested Omegas, because one of them was responsible for dooming her. Seulgi met this Omega at the age of seventeen, she thought it was love at first sight, didn't care they weren't compatible. But she didn't expect to be lured to a fight house. It turned out the Omega's use was to lure Alphas, get them to sleep with her and would only realize what had happened when they regain their senses. Seulgi wasn't the first and certainly wasn't the last. The Omega didn't show her face after that. Later Seulgi was able to escape after four miserable years of fighting and killing her own kind, shifters. But unfortunately she was captured again, but not to continue the path of a fighter, but was taken to a breeding house instead. "They ing wanted to breed me." She gritted her teeth, and Irene placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to soothe, hoping to assure her it was all over. But apparently the Alpha didn't seem to appreciate the gesture as she swatted the hand without an ounce of politeness. "Don't be like this." Irene let out a sigh. "I hate being touched by others." Seulgi glared at her, but it only made her look more attractive. "But I am not others, I am your mate." To that Seulgi just rolled her eyes."Wanna listen to the end of my story or not?" Letting another sigh, she nodded. Thus Seulgi continued. The captors made the mistake of not sedating her. Seulgi fought and gravely injured her captors which enable her to escape before they could reach the breeding house or else it would have been hell of a job to escape from there. "I would have track you and rescue you." Irene said in attempt to lighten the Alpha's mode. This time Seulgi laughed, the sound melodic to Irene's ears. "I bet you will." She played along for once before she continued. After that Seulgi found a cheap inn, luckily she stole a few bucks from her captors. She stayed at the inn for a couple of days before she was captured again. This time by a psychopath. "How did he get to you?" Irene was genuinely curious. "I was foolish enough to let my guards down as i went to get something to eat down the street." She shook head as though dejected. Irene wanted to soothe her again but knowing it wouldn't be welcome, she clenched her fists to stop herself. "At least for the first time my luck was good and you guys found me just in time." She shrugged. "So you see, there nothing of interest about my ty life." "No you're wrong. Your life is full of adventures." "It's not adventures milady, it's called hardship." She shook her head some more. "But wait that's not something a person born with silver spoon in will understand." As if to prove Seulgi's point, a few shifters entered the room and they all stopped to bow at Irene before continuing. Toward Seulgi they didn't as much spare her a glance, but Irene knew it wasn't because they wanted to downgrade Seulgi but because they didn't want to push or overwhelm her, after all she was new to the pack. But that was something Seulgi didn't get, as she pinned irene with a 'I told you so' look. Knowing it would be hopeless to explain, she stood up, grabbed Seulgi's hand before heading out. "What about your parents or any family member?" "Got none, I was an orphan. Grew up in a foster with people that hated me just as much as I hated them." Once again she shrugged. Irene didn't ask about it more. "What shifter animal are you?” she asked instead as they made their way outside. “Care to take a guess?” Seulgi smirked."Not many guessed right about me." “You walk like a wolf,” the omega said. “And there’s something bear-like in your eyes.” "Holy , I ain't no bear. I hate bears, they're nasty huge things to fight with." Seulgi cringed as though recalling a bad memory. "You got a bear in the pack?" "Yeah, Chanyeol Oppa is a polar." "I have no idea who that Oppa is, but I will hate to cross path with him." Irene chuckled."He's a nice guy, trust me you'll like him." "Whatever" she waved a hand. "So now take a guess." "I can't say but–" “But…” Seulgi encouraged. “But there’s something very familiar– cat like in your touch.” "Don't swear it princess. I’m a lioness ,” she said with a shrug. "A huge badass lioness." She added smugly. “Oh,” Irene breathed, slowing to a stop and just staring at her. “Wow, really?” “Really. It wasn’t the first time I've gotten that reaction, but they usually weren’t so awed about the whole thing." She laughed. “Surprised, huh?” “Our pack hasn’t had one until now." Irene grinned at her, the grin fading to another look of awe. "What about you?" "A cheetah." Irene smiled. “You’ll shift and show me?” Seulgi asked expectantly. Irene hadn’t planned on it, but with the looks Seulgi was giving her,  she really wanted to see Seulgi's reaction to the real thing. “Sure. We can play hide and go seek.” When they reached the back door that led to the cottages, she opened it and walked right out,Seulgi following her.Turning around, she realized Seulgi was flushing a little. Was she shy? “There’s a shed over there if you want some privacy to change. Or you could hide behind a tree.” Seulgi rolled his eyes, glancing around them. “I’m not shy. Just… it’s been a while. The fight house don't let you shift whenever you please” “Yeah, it can be tough to shift after a long break. It can hurt a bit, too. Do you want some help?” That got the Alpha's full attention. “What kind of help?” “Sometimes, the touch of a compatible shifter can… ease things along.” “Oh, I guess we could try that,” Seulgi said doubtfully, but was already shedding her clothes. “It can’t do any harm,” she promised. “Turn around.” Once , Seulgi did, moving to face the woods ahead of them. And Irene couldn't help it as eyes lingered for a while, her Alpha was truly beautiful.  “Just take nice, slow breaths, okay?” Irene encouraged, reaching out to place her hand on the back of Seulgi's neck. The Alpha jumped at the touch before settling into it. Seulgi bowed her head a little, increasing the skin-to-skin contact between her neck and Irene's palm.
“Whenever you’re ready, focus on the change. Move however you want, I’ll move with you.” Seulgi's hands were by her sides, clenched into fists. “Don’t force it,” Irene urged softly. “Just breathe and let it come.” The Alpha sank to her knees, and Irene moved with her, crouching behind her. Seulgi's breaths became soft pants before she growled, a wave of motion running through her body as the tension eased and the change took over. Irene pulled away at the last second, taking a few hasty steps backward as she watched the lioness that appeared, its brownish orange coat matching the color of its eyes. At first, Seulgi didn’t move, standing stock-still, then she flicked her tail and turned her head to look at Irene. "You're beautiful." Irene told her with a smile “Feels good, huh?” She stayed still, giving Seulgi a moment to get used to her body and the environment. The lioness padded over to her, sniffing cautiously. "Hey I hope you're not planning on eating me." Irene joked. Seulgi stood up on her back paws, her front paws on Irene's shoulders. Irene felt a flash of worry as Seulgi opened , rows of sharp teeth visible, but then the lioness' warm, wet tongue was her cheek. She laughed, pushing Seulgi gently away and wiping a hand across her face. “You’re welcome. Give me a minute to change, and we’ll go exploring.” The lioness padded away toward the woods while irene quickly shifted. When she looked up again, Seulgi was crouched on the ground, head low, ears perked up, eyes fixed on at the front. She pounced suddenly, her body sinking into the sand and disappearing from sight before she leaped out again. She was very beautiful. There was no denying it. Her human form, her shifter form. Her scent. Something nudged her side and Irene glanced over to see Seulgi watching her expectantly. Pushing closer, she scented, enjoying the mix of lioness amongst the Alpha's scent. She moved away, pacing toward the woods, knowing Seulgi would follow. After a few feet, she started to run, her paws pounding against the ground, sending dirt spraying into the air every time she touched down, because of how fast she moved. She could hear Seulgi racing behind her, wanting to catch up with her and Irene lead the lioness around in a large, sweeping circle across the grounds. They dodged trees, circled around the sheds, splashed across a shallow stream and raced alongside the wall. She saw Seulgi slow out of the corner of her eye, watching the high wall, but she sped up again after a moment. Their starting point came into view, and Irene slowed down to a walk. Seulgi raced passed her then turned around and came to a sudden stop, plunking herself down into the ground, her eyes watching Irene, tail flicking dangerously. Irene strode toward her, undaunted by the lioness who looked seconds from pouncing at her. Seulgi stilled, and then she did pounce, launching herself at the cheetah. Irene went with the movement, and they both rolled over and over, coming to a stop with Irene lying on her back, Seulgi towering over her. There was no fear in both their eyes, just playfulness. Now in animal form, their bond was enhanced and no matter how hard Seulgi tried, she wouldn't be able to fight it. Irene batted her with a paw, and Seulgi m