Chunji held Miyoung, not even wincing when she sat on his bruise and just hugged her tighter.
 
That silver knife had sped towards him and when she just popped out from nowhere, he thought he'd die of panic. At that moment, his heart was slowly being killed at the prospect of her dead.
 
And then Hoya had appeared magically at the other end of the room, catching the knife before it reached Miyoung's throat and Chunji couldn't help but tremble at how close it had been to her death.
 
Miyoung seemed to be in shock as well, trembling in his arms and he could feel her heart racing madly against his chest.
 
Hoya stared at them, looking shocked as well. He didn't expect her to run out at the last minute.
 
He didn't want to kill Chunji in front of her, he didn't want to be the bad guy. He just wanted to give him a piece of warning and catch the knife before it ended up stabbing him, but as he threw it, he hesitated.
 
Should he just let Chunji end up dead? That would solve everything. Everything.
 
And them Miyoung appeared. Putting her life in danger in the most excruciating pain possible to the wolves without a single regard to her own safety.
 
And Hoya could only thank the heavens that his reflex was fast enough to catch the knife before it killed her. He would never have forgiven himself.
 
The other wolves in the room were also in shock and were trembling. "She almost...just almost..." Kyungmi whispered in shock.
 
Hoya slowly lowered his hand and let the silver knife drop on the floor. Chunji glanced up at him and held Miyoung tighter. "I won't let you change her." he whispered fiercely. "No way."
 
Miyoung sniffed and turned to look at Hoya. "Please." she begged. "Let us go. Let me go."
 
Hoya gazed back wordlessly, touched by the degree of love between them. He would give anything to be the one Miyoung loved, but it just wasn't him. And he couldn't intrude upon their relationship no matter what he wanted.
 
Hoya took a step back. "Okay."
 
Miyoung blinked and Chunji snapped his head to look at him. "Okay? As in you'll let us off? You'll let her off?" he gaped.
 
Hoya nodded. "Yes. I'll let you off." he swallowed. "I'll not change you." He mentally told himself he would not regret, but he knew he would. The time was ticking away and midnight was passing, and the chance for her to be eternally his was slipping till next month.
 
But he wouldn't try this again. It would be useless.
 
"Thank you!" Miyoung flung her arms around him gratefully. "Thank you thank you thank you!" she gasped.
 
Hoya curled his arm around her unsurely, savoring the only chance he had to hold her. Wasn't it funny that the moment he decided to give up, she warmed up to him?
 
Chunji looked at Hoya questioningly, not understanding how he reached his decision. Hoya shrugged. "I love her." he mouthed.
 
Chunji nodded, understanding. Miyoung smiled at Hoya gratefully and returned to Chunji with an even larger smile. "Chanhee oppa!! We can be together!" she threw her arms around him.
 
This time, Chunji grunted at the impact and Miyoung quickly pulled away just in time to see him trying to hide his grimace. "Omo sorry I forgot you're hurt!" she turned to Hoya unsurely.
 
Hoya nodded. "I'll get the maids to find the first aid kit."
 
Miyoung smiled gratefully and glanced at the other wolves. They were beaming brightly, glad that things had turned out alright in the end.
 
Hoya turned around and met Jiyeon's eyes. She smiled softly back, nodding in approval. Hoya sent back a similar smile.
 
Yes, he did the right thing.
 

"Why did you give her up, Oppa?" Jihyun asked, not understanding. "You had planned for this for such a long long time. You want this more than anything else in the world. So why give up?"
 
Hoya sighed and looked at his two sisters who didn't understand. "Because I love her."
 
Jihyo's face contorted with confusion. "Wait but if you do, shouldn't you-"
 
"No, Jihyo." Hoya shook his head. "There are many ways of showing love, and one way is to give up. You can only consider your own happiness, you have to consider theirs. It'll hurt Miyoung badly if I try to change her,  and I don't want to."
 
He smiled at Jiyeon. "I'm glad Jiyeon made me see sense before I made a decision I would regret."
 
"But this decision, wouldn't you regret?" Jihyun asked. "When you see her with Chunji, happy with kids. You think, that could have been me."
 
Hoya winced. "Yes I would regret this too. But if you ask me, the regret if I had chosen the other way would be so much deeper and sound. Because if she isn't happy, I won't be either."
 
He sighed and looked at his two sisters. "Look I know the both of you are quarreling with your wolf boyfriend's now and I don't want to interfere with your choices." he shrugged. "But I think you should consider their happiness instead of only yours too."
 
"Because even if you force them to change and stay with you, they won't be happy. Wolves are like birds, you know. They have to be out there, playing in the wild and basking in the sun. Caged in a house like this, they'll never ever smile genuinely."
 
-----
 
The gang of wolves were at the door, ready to depart. CAP and Niel looked everywhere for their girls but they didn't appear with Hoya. Gongchan frowned, wanting to see Jiyeon.
 
"They're upstairs." Hoya shook his head at them. "They won't be sending you wolves off."
 
"Why?" Niel nearly whined. "I want to see Jihyo."
 
Hoya shook his head. "It's their decision. Do you think they can let you go peacefully if they see you off?" he asked. "Just let it go."
 
CAP, Niel and Gongchan sighed in resignation. There didn't seem to be any chance of them surviving together after all.
 
Hoya looked out at the night sky. "You wolves can travel in the dark?" he asked. "Do you need me to lead you?"
 
"We can return home safely thank you very much." Ricky muttered.
 
Hoya looked at Miyoung and she shrugged. "Thanks for letting me off." she smile softly. "And I'm sorry for everything and all the hurt I've caused you." she mumbled.
 
"It's okay." Hoya nodded. "Go on now, before my sisters come downstairs while bawling and then you'll never be able to leave."
 
Chunji nodded. Hoya opened the door and the wolves stepped out together, the feeling of freedom making them smile wildly in a stupid manner.
 
"So then, we'll be going." Chunji nodded. He transformed into his wolf form, howling loudly.
 
Miyoung followed suit, followed by the others. The pack of wolves looked back at Hoya one last time before Hoya opened the gates.
 
They ran out immediately, back to their wilderness and to their freedom.
 
Hoya sighed to himself. "This is the right thing to do." he muttered.
 
He turned to go back into the mansion when he heard a familiar chill and a pained howl in the distance.
 
His eyes widened and his sisters rushed down beside him immediately with equally shocked faces.
 
"Oh no."