You breathed in the fresh air around you, a smile forming on your dirt smudged face. Sungjong and Sungyeol both felt like running through the forest like wild men. It had been too long since they last smelt fresh air. It was exhilarating to be outside after spending the night in that underground labyrinth. The way out you all discovered was a ladder leading up to what seemed like a latched door at the top that had been propped open somehow.

You took one last inhale of the air before turning to them, “I have to go.”

Sungjong turned to you dismally, “Just call them.” He was referring to the hunters because he knew that’s where you were planning to go now. To their sides again.

“Too bad I don’t have anywhere to put my cellphone battery.” You said with raised eyebrows at him as you crossed your arms.

Sungjong bit his lip, caught. He had forgotten he had taken your phone earlier and it was now back at the house in his backpack. Sungyeol caught on to what you were implying and glared in Sungjong’s direction.

“Alright, we’ll go home and rest now. We have to talk tomorrow though okay? No skipping out on it.” Sungyeol said as he glanced once more at Sungjong who knew he wouldn’t hear the end of this on the way back home.

You nodded before turning, recognizing this part of the forest as where Kyung and Taeil would take you all the time to practice shooting your gun. It was ironic how close to the place you all had been all along.

You arrived at the house soon after you departed from Sungyeol and Sungjong. You took a deep breath, hoping there were in there or else you would go running back down into that underground place to find them. You looked down and wiped the sweat from your neck as you approached the front door. When you looked back up, you found the door to be wide open. You walked closer, inspecting the door curiously. It didn’t seem damaged. But that didn’t explain why it was in its current position.

As you continued to inspect the door, a loud noise came from inside the house. The sound was that of breaking glass and perhaps even wood. You rushed inside, not thinking twice about it. You heard a grunt from the living room and approached, finding the couches to be at skewed angles, books splayed everywhere, and broken glass from the lamps on the floor. Even the vintage carpet was not spared as it was scraped at the corners as though something shredded through it.

You focused on the center of the living room where you found a tattered U-Kwon picking himself up slowly, a collapsed and thoroughly broken wooden coffee table underneath him.

You went to his side, checking him over. He looked dirt smudged, most likely from the nightlong trek through the labyrinth, but other than that he had no deep cuts or bullet wounds.

U-Kwon only realized you were there when you reached down to help him up. He flinched away from you, eyes wide. You wanted to ask if he was okay and what happened but before you could, he yelled at you, “What are you doing here?” There was a look of disbelief on his face, “Leave! Now!”

Your facial muscles clenched due to his tone. As you stood up, deciding to do as he said, you heard more noise. Glass breaking in the kitchen. You ignored U-Kwon’s command and went to find out what was happening. He grunted as he reached out for your wrist before you could stand up all the way. He held back his pain as he clenched his teeth, holding tightly onto your wrist. You looked back, locking eyes with him. His own pleading with you to do as he asked of you.

More glass broke in the kitchen followed by yelling and the slamming of a door. You turned away, yanking from his arm as you sprinted towards the kitchen.

“Dammit!” He attempted to pick himself up, ignoring the pain as his mind screamed at him to go after you.

When you made it to the kitchen, you saw plates broken, cupboards broken or otherwise damaged, but what attracted your attention the most was Taeil leaning over an injured Jaehyo who clutched onto the counter for support.

Your lips trembled at the sight and before you could approach the two, you heard yells to your right. The back door in the kitchen was wide open. Jaehyo looked up at this moment and saw you. He groaned as he straightened himself, his nerves tingling. “No, she can’t be here, not now.” He murmured. Taeil now noticed you as well and froze. “Stop her dammit!” Jaehyo yelled violently at Taeil upon realizing you were nearing the door. However, you were out before either of them could make any move to stop you.

Once on the porch outside, you found Kyung, B-Bomb, and Zico, all standing a few yards away from you in the backyard. They looked on edge as they stood defensively in a pyramid shape. “What’s going on?” You asked as you approached the stairs leading off the porch, startled by how tense the air seemed to be.

B-Bomb trembled at your voice and turned. He was the closest one to you and even if he wasn’t he still would have done what he now did. He bolted towards you as though his life depended on it. He bounded up the stairs and grabbed you by the waist, trying to force you back inside.

“Get her the hell out of here!” Kyung yelled at the top of his lungs, his tone not intimidating but rather one of urgency.

You tried to shrug B-Bomb off of you, effectively slowing his momentum as you pushed away from him. Zico let out a loud grunt, “Get her inside! Now!”

U-Kwon appeared out of the back door in the kitchen now, driving himself by sheer will as he grabbed onto you as well. You clenched your teeth, your tenacity getting the best of you, and reached for the fence that surrounded the porch and gripped onto it with both arms. You held fast, making B-Bomb’s and U-Kwon’s job harder. Still, you wouldn’t be able to stay there for long.

While you hung on, you saw something you weren’t supposed to ever see.

A wolf with ashen grey fur came springing after Kyung from a group of trees in the backyard. Kyung let the werewolf tackle him, not at all making a step to move out of the way. He held onto its upper body, holding it in place. One thing you made note of was that he had no weapons on him. He was facing a werewolf most definitely, no wolf attacks with no provocation like that, so why was he not carrying his weapons? Why was he not even making a move for a gun or any weapon at all?

Zico came up behind the wolf in an attempt to stop it from overpowering Kyung. “Didn’t you hear me the first time? Get her inside!” Zico growled at B-Bomb and U-Kwon. You felt your arms weakening at this point. Your moment of weakness was their own moment of strength. They easily overpowered you now and pulled you with them as the made their way to the back door of the house.

The wolf slipped from Kyung’s and Zico’s grasp and saw the three of you nearing the kitchen entrance. It came running head on towards you. U-Kwon and B-Bomb yanked you backwards, but not before you locked eyes with the ashen grey wolf. You stopped struggling and your eyes shook in their sockets.

Before you knew it, B-Bomb slammed the door of the kitchen shut behind the three of you. You fell backwards onto U-Kwon as he slipped, all of his energy leaving him now. The wall shook as the large beast slammed into the door.

You stared blankly at the door, not believing what you saw. “Why, why did that wolf-” You stopped yourself, not believing the words that you were about to say. All you heard outside was yelling and growling as Kyung, Zico, and the wolf had their skirmish.

“It’ll be over soon, it will,” U-Kwon said, trembling, holding you in his lap, one hand around your waist and the other on your forehead.

“That werewolf,” You said, your words shaking.

B-Bomb looked down at you with a solemn look on his face. Jaehyo stared at you from his place beside you on the kitchen floor while Taeil tended to the gash on his arm. The silence was overwhelming and all you heard were the yells and growls from outside.

You grew frustrated, “Someone, please say something!”

B-Bomb’s back slid on the door as he slumped down in front of you. He rested his face in his hands, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t give me that,” You shook in anger.

U-Kwon wrapped both of his hands around your waist and pulled your back closer to his chest to comfort you and your confusing feelings at the current moment. Why were you confused? Because that wolf’s eyes were familiar. Eyes you had seen before. Eyes you had seen every morning for over a month. There was no mistaking it.

Those eyes belonged to P.O.

--------

A/N:

Were you expecting it?