“Holy , we have a wolf under our nose all these years” Yoojin gasps softly again, arm linking with yours. Baekhyun is at your other side, sticking close to you like glue. The three of you had just walked out of the loft to the infirmary. You guys walk through the line of the lake, seeing Jongdae and the rest of Baekhyun’s friends there. Four of them had changed into their wolf form, playing in the water. Yoojin’s eyes twinkle as she looks fascinated at the wolves without the prominent danger of being chased. You also look curious at them. There’s a light grey, a dark brown, a black and an orangey yellow in the water.

You pointed at the pitch black one to Baekhyun, “Who’s the black one?”

“That’s Jongin. Why’d you ask?” Baekhyun answered, without even looking at the said wolf. He looks at you.

“Because you’re black too. But you have a bit lighter patch fur around your neck part and your left paw” you said, touching your neck when you said it. He looks surprised, “You noticed” he awed, taking you hand in his like it’s the natural thing in the world. Your cheeks heating up. Then you have the sudden thought of—

“Can I—can I ride you?” you blink your eyes innocently at him, wondering how would it feel to ride a large mythical wolf. You’d riden horses before so you’re not too scared, besides more excited because of the open forest ground. He stares at you before he slowly smirks, his arm snake around your waist, pulling you to him, “You wanna ride me eh” He looks at you suggestively. Then you think that your sentence seems wrong. Your eyes rounded, “I me-meant your wolf, no-not not what you’re thinking at”

He raises one eyebrow, “I did think about my wolf. What do you think it was?”

Your face is already red. You can hear Yoojin snort beside you before she calls for Jongdae, leaving the two of you. Baekhyun chuckles before he kisses your nose, “Alright I’m joking. Of course I let you ride me, whichever you prefer...me or my wolf” he wiggles his eyebrows then turns to his friends. You’re still looking like a tomato, quickly looking elsewhere that’s not him.

But you’re surprised to see Doyoung, Eunha, Jaehyun, Taeyong and Minjung walking together between the lofts and people — looking like tourists staring at all the place in fascination. The sight of wolves in the water (Baekhyun’s friends) made them wide eyed and cautious — well only Jaehyun and Taeyong, the rest looked awed by the huge bodied wolves.

Baekhyun and the rest noticed them too when they got near.

“What are you guys doing here??” Yoojin exclaims, eyes wide and surprised as you are. You two were on the way to them. “We’re just going there to see you guys”

Doyoung waves his hand, “Nah, too late. We’re bored and the doctors said that we can go out. I feel cramp in that room anyway” he answers, giving a bow to Baekhyun and the others. The rest follows. “Besides, we can’t just have you guys explore here alone. Eunha’s been annoying since last night. I think my head will explode if we stay longer in there with blabbering non-stop” he dramatically frowned at the said girl. But the girl ignores him and already hyped towards the light grey wolf, startling him as well as it stepped back. You and Yoojin chuckle at him.

Jaehyun had to control her excitement before she did anything wild. But she did ask to pet the wolf’s fur and she got what she wanted — squealing like a kid after touching the said wolf. You wonder who the wolf is. Right now there are Chanyeol, Sehun and Kyungsoo and they’re just relaxing there near the lake with Jongdae and Yoojin.

“That’s Junmyeon hyung” You turn to Baekhyun when he said that. “Yixing hyung the yellow one and Minseok hyung brown”

“What color is Kyungsoo then?”

“Red like Chanyeol but darker”

You nod your head at that, taking mental note. He looks

“By the way, I told your grandpa you’re with me. I think he knew about you being here” He adds, pulling you closer to him. The rest of your friends are busy mingling. You’re relieved to see Taeyong and Minjung looking all healthy. They look fine and Doyoung probably already explained everything to them. You look at Baekhyun when you hear him. “He said you can stay here as long as you want”

You snort, “It looks like he wants to get rid of me or something” then you roll your eyes. He chuckles, leaning down to your neck and smells you. His arms already rounded around you, securing you. You feel the eyes on you two instantly but it seems Baekhyun didn’t care and just continue with his skinship. “My friends are watching you know…”

He hums, giving kisses on my neck. Sending goosebumps along your body. “Don’t care. You’re mine” he replies possessively. The way he said it with low and husky voice makes your heart thump loudly. He turns you, making your friends see your back and you can’t see their reactions. He continues his ministrations of kissing you and sniffing you and holding you that you almost lose yourself by the heavy intense feeling creeping inside you.

You hear voices behind you, you hear your name, so you guess Yoojin is explaining to them about you and Baekhyun. Eunha’s and Minjung’s squeals and ‘aww’ and Doyoung ‘I’m gonna throw up’ vocalize behind you. You’re not sure whether to laugh at Doyoung's disgusted tone or madly embarrassed by the amount of PDA your mate is giving you.

You clear your throat. “Bae-baekhyun, w-we still have to go back. My friends’ parents probably worried sick. Ms. Jung too” you let out, staring at his lips that are pecking your nose and cheeks. He really was serious about making up the kisses he lost within the years. It gives you the chills. Baekhyun hums at your words, stopping his kisses to look into your eyes. His eyes are golden.

He smiles, “Fine. But you’re staying with me for a while. Is that okay? I only just got you now, I wouldn’t let you go just yet”

You merely nod because why not? Your grandpa merrily giving you to him and you don’t think you could escape from his grasp anyway. He’s sticking to you like a leech. “How long will I stay? I didn’t bring a lot of clothes for the trip”

“As long as I want to keep you in my pocket” he smiles cheekily. You scoff lightly, trying to get away from him but he pulls you back. “And don’t worry about clothes. I have clothes for you. I’ve been buying them to...you know...wait for this day. You’re wearing them now and I have a lot more” he nods with a wide grin to the pink outfit you have today. You don’t know what to say but kinda relieved it’s not from some girlfriends. But you try to joke about it.

“Really? I thought it’s from your previous girlfriends”

He squints playfully, a small smirk on his lips. “Yeah, I may also have her leftover clothes in my wardrobe too, I think. It’s so long just coop in there. Do you want to try her clothes? You might like it, you’re almost the same size, I think” he says so smoothly and serious that you almost, almost think that it’s something true but when Baekhyun pecks you, you know he’s kidding. “I’m kidding, sweetheart—“ You heard a barf and a smack behind you. “—I’ve never dated anyone before. Ever since I bonded to you, my heart is always to you and only you” his golden eyes stare back at you.

Oh gosh, he’s so sweet, so nice, so gentle, so soft, you’re gonna cry.

“Is our outfit being like a couple outfit or something? You’re wearing the same as me but black” You just had to ask because of the sweetness that’s roaming in the air. He smiles, brightly and nods. “I bought these two last week when I heard Ms. Jung booked at the site. Thought you’ll be wearing it” his fingers caress the skin of your cheeks, “I wouldn’t dare go to other women, Seoyeon-ah. I waited for you and I will forever until you fully trust me. I’m going anywhere, I’ll be with you and only you”

You gasp breathlessly to yourself, hearing the words. Swelling tremendously at how he expresses his feelings. Every second you’re with him, you can feel yourself fallen more and more with no way out. A deeper corner in your heart, crunches in fear but you push it away, move it far far away. No, I can’t hurt him anymore, you’re not her and you’re not gonna be like her. Right?

Before any forlorn thoughts can it through your mind, you smile at him. Chuckling, “I know…Gosh, you’re so cheesy”

He laughs, grinning before swooping down to kiss your lips again, longer and without caring the groans, squeals and wolf-whistle behind you two.

🌻🌻🌻

That afternoon after lunch, Baekhyun, Junmyeon and Minseok were the ones who brought all eight of you back to the camping site with the promise to not tell anyone about the whole mythical werewolves’ identities. Jongdae, who didn’t know that you and Yoojin know about him, tells Baekhyun quietly that he might come back again. The alpha nods and lets the boy if he wants. You can feel how bright Jongdae is, surrounded by his kind (half kind) and get along pretty quickly with Baekhyun and his friends.

It was a pretty dramatic reunion when Ms. Jung ran up to all of you with panic and a sense of relief. She was worried sick and your parents were calling and there’s the fear in her voice that you guys might not be alive and she doesn’t know what to do with her life if it is to happen. Jaehyun and Doyoung told her and the search team that they were fine and had been taken care of by a good village residence; aka Baekhyun’s pack village.

The three older men explained the situation, leaving the made up stories to them as we go along with it. Minseok described it as; our village’s bears and wolves (normal ones) had escaped and gone rampaged but they’d tracked them, saving the kids along the way who got hurt and treated them as an apology, plus promising to bring all of the students back. It was a good and a bad lie but it did the job. Although the officer in the search team is suspicious and giving them the doubt glare, they couldn’t do anything on the forest because of properties and land law which are under Baekhyun and Xiano’s alpha.

Haston forest is under the werewolves’ lineage and history. Even the compound camping site and rivers under section two are under Baekhyun’s but his grandparents gave it to the humans for peace offering a long time ago. You mentally noted when Baekhyun told you that. He also mentioned most forests, whether big or small, scattered all across Zenoir are under their kind.

After almost 2 hours being interviewed, checked, and reassuring the parents that they’re fine and alive (which your friends finally have signal on their phones), all of you eight can go back home. Only Minjung’s and Doyoung’s parents came here since they’ve been called missing. They’d come yesterday and also today, worried about their son and daughter.

Ms. Jung hugs all of you, crying as well and you feel bad for her. Because keeping this secret and making it look like it's her fault. It got worse when your school got intertwined with the problem; blaming Ms. Jung for her carelessness and being a bad teacher for not being able to take care of her students. You just want to yell at them (your school’s principal and secretary came) that it wasn’t her fault and that it’s a misfortunate incident. Everyone is still alive and breathing and that they shouldn’t put all the fault and blame on your homeroom teacher.

You’re almost yelling it out, almost. Yoojin and Jongdae also agreed with you on that.

Yoojin waves goodbye to you as she walks to her parents’ car parked on the front drop off compound centre. Her father did come yesterday and almost sue the school for his missing daughter. Same goes to Jaehyun’s mother and Taeyong’s father. Mirae’s and Kevin’s parents, which both of them are still at the hospital, you heard, also blame the school and Ms. Jung. You wonder what happened to them and what will you and the others say to the couple — also the fact that their stories are now titled as some made up and dramatic by the search team.

Because eight students and three old males between two panicked-traumatized students? Who’ll win?

The silver Mercedes of Yoojin’s parents drives away into the road, leaving just you and Jongdae now as the others had been picked up as well by their parents. Baekhyun, Minseok and Junmyeon as well as Ms. Jung is still inside the building, still discussing some adult matters. There are some of the search team men scouting the area and lounging in the empty wooden benches near the building or at the camping spots.

You sigh at the way this whole thing has become. You didn’t realize how complicated it had become. Because it’s involved with a lot of people, people that you want to keep out a big secret.

“When’s your parents gonna come? Are they on their way already?” you ask Jongdae, who is sitting on the bench with you. The both of you just stare at the place which consists of the search team and the compound staff. The camping site is temporarily closed because well...the whole thing.

The boy next to you hums, throwing a rock he picked up from the armrest of the bench. The throw hit a tree and the rock had dug into the bark. It’s stuck there. You widen your eyes, snapping your head at him. Jongdae had stiffen, looking at the bark with the rock. Then he clears his throat and scratches his head. “W-wow, the stone stuck there. I didn’t know I was that strong” then he laughs awkwardly.

You purse your lips thinly, thinking whether or not to just ask him about...him. You see him bending down to the ground to pick up more rocks and casually throwing them to the ground. This time he didn’t put strength or effort. “Jongdae” you start. He hums, eyes looking ahead. “You’re... different, aren’t you”

His hand which holds a rock raises midway from throwing as he halts and slowly turns his head to look at you.

“You’re a wolf, aren’t you” you continue, lowering down your volume. He purses his lips and sighs, “Baekhyun hyung told you” he says, like a statement. You didn’t answer so it only confirms as ‘yes, he did’.

He sighs again, “Yeah, I am but only half” he starts, “My dad was a wolf, my mom is human. He died a long time ago when I was four because a pack killed my dad and his pack. My mom managed to escape with me before they could find out we were missing. Since then she raised me alone”

You nod, quietly letting him. The air had turned sad because of his story. “Is Baekhyun and the whole village the first time you meet another wolf, another pack?”

He smiles, nodding. “Yup. After my mom left my dad’s territory, she surrounded us with humans. I haven’t met any wolves until two days ago”

Seeing him smile, makes you smile along. “Is that why you’re happier and more talkative? Because you met your half kind?”

“Hmm, something like that. I like my half part, I like being human but sometimes I feel suffocated, it makes me gloomy and depressed that I can’t be with...you know my other half part” he continues to throw a rock. “I want to feel surrounded by them, to…you know...like being in a pack. I have a wolf in me but it’s weak because I’m not a full blooded. I can’t change. I don’t have speed either. But I can heal fast and I’m strong. My eyesight is clear even 100 meters away, I can see in the dark too” the more he describes what he can do, the wider he smiles. He throws another rock, “But yeah, I can’t change into a full werewolf. It’s sad but it’s okay. I’ve learned to love my human form, although it’s still sad”

“Does your mom get mad if you’re in a pack?” you question, wondering about it.

He shrugs, “Maybe. She’s just afraid that I will end up like my dad but she doesn’t prohibit me from being around wolves either if I meet one. She still lets me be a wolf. She knows that I can’t help being one because I have my dad’s blood in me” he tells you. “She knows why I agreed to come along to this class trip because this forest is under werewolves’ territory. And she let me” he turns to look at you, “She did worry about me, about us missing but she kinda already guessed about it. She guessed it was because of me being in the forest of another pack. But she’s relieved that I’m alright. As long as I can take care of myself, she’ll be okay with me being in any forest”

“Have you told her about Baekhyun and the others?”

He nods, “I did. She’s happy that Baekhyun’s pack is nice to let me around them. Not any pack is nice to new wolves”

“Like Xiano’s” you add, Jongdae nods again before throwing another rock. He continues, “The hyungs said it’s because of me being in their territory that they chased us. My presence must have made those Xiano’s pack nervous or something. So, sorry for that” he rubs his neck guiltily.

You wave a dismissive hand, “Hey, I’m cool. My thigh is healing so no biggie. But not sure about the rest of us” you add, all your groupmates appear inside your head. “Baekhyun said one of us stole a gem from that waterfall we went. They chased us because of that too. The question is who?” you said, giving a pointed questioning look at him.

He hums, “Have you asked the ones in the infirmary? If they didn’t stole it then must be either Mirae or Kevin—“

Baekhyun suddenly comes to the bench and opens his palm. A pale blue crystal stone the size of half a palm. You gawked, looking up at him. “Who?”

“Doyoung” He says before squeezing in between you and Jongdae. He purposely side Jongdae, the latter scoffs. But you didn’t seem to notice beside too surprised at his answer. “Doyoung?!” you whispered, shrieking in shock. You blink your eyes, remembering the boy. He looks normal to you, he acts the same way and looks like he didn’t hide anything.

Baekhyun nods, “He gave me before we left earlier. He kept it in his pouch wallet this whole time”

“Why would—did he say why he took it?”

“He needs money. Told me he has some problem at home and he needs extra money if he can get this sell off” he put the stone in your palm. “It didn’t sit right with him when he kept the stone so he gave it back. He was sorry for taking it and for causing harm to all of you. He might already guess the wolves chased because he took it”

You and Jongdae ponder on the words. Doyoung was the one who took it. Because of money. Well, it wasn’t hard to guess the reason. The stone looks valuable. It’s not like a diamond but like an amethyst stone. It has weight too so it’s natural and real. It’s pretty and shiny, reflecting the light on it. You nod, giving the stone back to Baekhyun. He keeps it in his pocket before he will put it back to where it supposed to be. So that’s settled. Might need to have a chat with Doyoung if you ever see him again.

Then Baekhyun turns to Jongdae, patting the boy’s thigh to gain his attention. “So, I heard Ms. Jung told me your mom couldn't pick you up. So Ms. Jung will send you, is that right?” Your ears perch up in attention. Ah… no wonder his mom didn’t come yet. The boy nods, shrugging. “Yeah, my mom has a shift today. She couldn’t make it. Ms. Jung heard me saying to her on the phone so she said she’ll bring me back instead” he said then looked at you. “Is your grandpa picking you up?”

You shake your head, pointing a finger at Baekhyun “I’m staying with him. My grandpa knows about him already”

Jongdae tskd you with a grin, “Lucky you. I want to stay too” Then he got a head ruffle by Baekhyun. He has a smile on him. “Do you want to stay?”

The boy’s eyes grew wide, “I can stay?”

“Only if your mom lets you stay. Besides, I wouldn’t say no to guests. I would love to have you two. Well, especially you” he gives a quick kiss on your cheek after observing no eyes on the three of you. Jongdae groans with ‘my innocent eyes’ before getting a slap on the thigh from the older one. The boy erupts in chuckles. But then he stops to sigh.

“I want to stay. I’m sure my mom would let me if I ask her now but Ms. Jung told me she’ll bring me h