“Ugh Naeun, you reek of Baekhyun” Fei plugs her nose the moment I step downstairs

At a loss for words, I just blush and turn away as Baekhyun follows suit, stopping in his tracks right behind me

“Shut up Fei, you’re one to talk” He growls protectively and places his hands on my shoulders, navigating me towards the kitchen 

“Don’t listen to them. You smell great” He whispers in my ear and not trusting my voice, I just nod silently. We finally stop at the kitchen island and I look around, everyone seems to be doing their own thing around the house.

I realize that we’re the last ones to come out and must have missed their morning feast so I decide to make our own breakfast 

“What would you like to eat?” I ask as he remained pressed against my back, twirling my black hair between his fingers 

“Anything you make is fine” He tells me adoringly when I turn around in his embrace, his face so close that both of us grow heated  

“Hi” He randomly greets and gives me a soft smile “Hey” I say back, his hand moves down to my lower back to push me against him even closer which I didn’t think was possible.

As if time stopped around us, I reach up to brush the fringe away from his eyes and slowly move my hand down to cup his cheek. His skin was so warm and silky that I swear I could worship it 

He sighs, pleased at my touch. Turning into my palm, he lightly gives me a kiss there “You feel like heaven” He tells me but I just lightly slap his cheek “That’s sweet... but could you move ” My shyness suddenly diminished as my stomach growls “I’m hungry” I mumble nonchalantly and he abruptly roars with laughter 

“Yo-You are something else” He takes a step back to continue laughing, his index finger pointed right at me. All I can do is scoff with a small smile playing on my lips as I make my way around towards the fridge 

As his laughter dies down, I take a long glance inside the cool box and snatch a couple of eggs in my arms as well as a variety of veggies and fruits 

“Baekhyun would you like ham or bacon?” I stare at the two meats before turning to ask him but he is engaged in a conversation with Junmyeon at the dining table and I don’t bother to pester him over some breakfast meat. 

Instead I just grab both and use a small portion of each since he didn’t get much of a choice 

Soon after, the two males make their way out of the space and somewhere into the other living room.

Not forgetting about me, Baekhyun hollers ‘Be back!’ but I don’t reply, too concentrated on whisking the eggs 

I continue to cook quietly, not really bothered by anyone else around me no matter how many times Jieun and Yebin ran around the counter trying to catch one another. I knew Jieun’s sticky fingers were stealing some strawberries but I paid it no mind, simply washing some more. 

“Did you already eat breakfast Jieun?” I ask, still concentrated on cutting the fresh watermelon before me and she stops running to look at me 

“Uh-huh” She replies with a rough nod of her head, panting in place as Yebin takes a seat on the island, towering over her 

“She ate very well, didn’t you Jieun” Yebin coos and pats the top of her head lovingly 

“Good job baby, did Seul-“  In the middle of my sentence,  someone roughly bumps into me, causing the knife in my hand to slip into almost three of fingers

I yelp, surprised at the amount of blood gushing out of them. 

Yebin and Jieun gasps at the scene unfolding before their eyes but my focus is now only on my injured hand, quickly dropping the knife, I hold the bloody hand by the wrist

“Shi-Shoot!” I stop myself from cussing as Jieun is watching me in horror. I frantically grab a kitchen cloth and wrap my hand in it, finally looking up at the person who bumped into me 

Positive that this was an just an accident, I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt but I was dead wrong. 

My eyes sharpen at the sight of Jongin standing there scarily. 

He had both hands in the pockets of his gray sweats looking at me almost mockingly. His eyes are a dead dark brown, followed by their own personal malnourished circles around them. His once full cheeks are now slightly caved in, however as he speaks, his pale lips crack 

“Oops” He mumbles dryly with the shrug of his broad shoulders, brushing past me as if nothing happened 

“Oops?” I grit my teeth, watching the male lifelessly ransack the pantry a few away from me

“Oops?!”  With a louder tone, I storm towards him “You think this was an oops?“ My chest is pressed right up against his side but he just standing there, blankly staring at nothing as I go off on him like a rocket. 

Without any care in the world of forgiveness, I raise my non bleeding hand, taking control of his body which causes him to drop all the snacks in his arms 

His body shoots up straight and he’s now staring up at the ceiling, grunting as his arms stay stuck to his side 

I grip him a little tighter in my grasp, clearly upset.

The air is tense and heart stopping and by now, a crowd has formed around us but as if the last encounter between us was repeating, no one was able to stop me. My blood was pumping fast and loud while dripping out my hand as droplets stained the marble floors 

In the corner of my eyes, I see Baekhyun embracing Jieun in his arms, shielding her away but just like my blood, all I could see was red. 

“Naeun...” He calls out softly

This must be what it feels like to be living in a dream until reality punches you right in the face. 

“Try that again and I’ll break every bone in your body” I spit at Jongin with poison dripping from my lips 

“J-Just-” He is able to say between gasps of air “Kill m-m-me”

Silently, I drop my hand which sets his free to his knees, still breathing unevenly

I watch him from a higher stance, my head raised high at the pity the failed suicide attempt 

“Even death is too good for someone like you.”

———————

“Naeu-“ 

“Get out of my way.” I maneuver around Baekhyun, trying to get to my closet but he stands in front of me who is angrily glaring up at him 

“Don’t do this” He pleads with big eyes and holds my hands in his but I rip them out “Don’t make me do this” 

“It wasn’t his fault-“ He tries to defend his fellow pack member but I instinctively fume, my powers getting the best of me and I end up shattering the vanity mirror next to us 

Baekhyun lightly jumps at this but I keep my gaze on him 

“Are you seriously trying to tell me it’s my fault he purposely bumped into me?” My hands are clenched into fists and he gulps, placing his hands up trying to calm me down but this makes me angrier 

“Put your damn hands down or else I’ll break them off” He immediately places them back to his sides with wavering eyes 

“I’m going to say this one. More. Time.” I stare into his brown eyes without a hint of affection and he defeatedly sighs, knowing I'm dead serious 

“He leaves this house or I will.” 

———————

“I guess you’re still upset huh”

I don't answer and continue to smash a bunch of different herbs and flowers in a pestle, attempting to ignore my mate. 

"You know, you'll have to come home one day" Baekhyun tells me softly, taking a seat on the grass next to me but I just stand up with the pestle in arms and make my way towards the small cottage hidden within dense trees. 

After I gave Baekhyun the ultimatum, he simply stepped aside and let me pack my things. Knowing what option he was going to have to take. Of course I was a bit hurt but this reminded me that I could never let my guard down. Baekhyun would always pick his pack over me. 

So for the last two weeks, I've been residing in a small wood cottage that belonged to an old friend of mine who was constantly on the run. He never used this place so when I called, he was more than happy to let me stay as long as I needed to, and trust me, it was going to be a long time.  

Since I left Jieun at the pack house, I didn't need to worry about making enough space for two. The bed was a small sized mattress that was pretty comfortable if you ask me. It had one stove that burned off of wood, a small mini fridge and a very tight bathroom.

"Open the door" Baekhyun whines as he tries to tug at the knob from the outside of the house but I silently mind my own business, turning on some music loud enough to cover the sound of his voice

"I'll break this door down!" He yells threateningly over the blasting music but I shrug, peering at him through the window. He is a few feet away from the door, ready to charge and when he does, there is a loud thud and some groaning

"A protection spell," He mumbles in pain "Thanks for the warning" I see him painfully holding his right shoulder in agony. His bottom lip is trapped between his teeth and his eyes are scrunched up harshly. 

I feel a tinge of sorrow but tell myself that he chose to do that.

If I didn't want you to enter, you wouldn't. 

"I'll be in my car crying if you need me" He groans loudly, limping towards the said vehicle parking right in front of the house and I roll my eyes. 

Baekhyun also has been here for the last two weeks, attempting to get me back but because of my stubbornness, he took the privilege of living in his car until I do. I've been giving him the silent treatment and I didn't feel the slightest care for him. He could go back home if he wanted to but doesn't mean I was going with him. 

Why do I have to be the forgiving one?

In the midst of my own thinking however, my phone began ringing, cutting off my music. I see it's my friend who owns the place and I immediately answer

"Hello?" I answer, throwing in a few yellow goblin teeth into my powdery mix 

"Naeun?" He says my name lowly and my eyebrows furro