Luhan was agitated. A week already passed, but he still couldn’t get a hold of himself. He felt so out of place, and even his wolf was restless, pacing back and forth in his mind. He couldn’t control this new power. He knew that he should’ve joined the pack as many occasions he could, but he was afraid he might hurt them. More than once he snapped at them with blazing red eyes for nothing, and he just couldn’t stay with them and watch that look on their faces.

The opened pack bound didn’t help much either. When Kris was their alpha, he kept it closed almost all the time, it was only opened if it was necessary, or when one of them wanted to share something with them. But Luhan couldn’t control it. He could ignore it, but it buzzed in the back of his mind all the time, driving him crazy.

With a quiet sigh Luhan turned to his stomach, burying his face into one of the soft pillows. It still carried the faint scent of Kris, smelling his alpha helped calming his nerves down. He knew that he shouldn’t be here, in his room, but this was the only place he could hide and get some peace. Even if he was in his own room, the others came by trying to act, to work like a real pack again, but Luhan wasn’t ready for that. He wasn’t ready for all of this. They talked about this before, but everyone said that it’ll be most likely Tao. He was the most composed one out of them, he was always calm, he always thought before speaking, and he was the only one, who could block himself out of the pack bond and that required a powerful mental state.

Luhan gulped and closed his eyes. He had to learn how to deal with the pack, and he better start it now. After a deep breath he tried to reach the others through the bond. First he tried Tao, but he met a big, solid wall. He felt tears pricking his eyes, his most trustworthy beta was blocking him out… He bit his lower lip and tried someone else. Xiumin’s feelings were a big a mess. He mostly felt confusion, and doubt, but he couldn’t sense fear, or anger, nor jealousy. Luhan didn’t try to contact them, he just read them, like an open book. He moved on quickly, not wanting to mess with his friend’s feelings. Chen was completely different. He was uncertain too, but calm, ready to follow his new alpha when he himself was ready. Luhan was relieved, even his wolf stopped in his movements. It seems like his pack will accept him as the new alpha. Then there was Lay. He was afraid to see what he thinks. He was like Tao, but slightly different. He wasn’t cold, or scary like the other male sometimes. But he was powerful, and the master of his emotions. Sometimes even Kris couldn’t find out what he really thought, not even when he looked at the pack bond. Lay couldn’t close the bond, but he could hide his emotions well, replacing them with others. When Luhan moved on from Chen, he forgot to breath for a moment. At Lay’s end in the bond he only found comfort. Comfort, acceptance, support, and what’s the most important: trust. The tears where there again, filling Luhan’s eyes as he pushed himself up from the bed, trying to find his packmate.  

Lay was always easy to find. He smelt like freshly baked gingerbread mixed with hot chocolate and coconuts. His scent was mixed with soap at the moment, so Luhan knew where the find the brunette. He knew that Lay could sense him, and smell him too, but he raise his fist, and knocked softly on the wooden door. He opened his mouth, but the other boy was faster.

“Come in, XiaoLu” the door was open like always, there was no need to lock it, they knew who was inside anyway from anywhere in the house. Lay was in the bathtub, taking a bubble bath like always. He leaned back, staring at the stars on the ceiling. It was Kris’ idea to have the night sky painted on the ceiling everywhere, he thought that it gave them the feel of freedom.

“Yixing I…” Luhan trailed off, he didn’t know what to say, his feelings were all over the place. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t form words, he couldn’t find the right ones to say. Instead he walked closer, kneeling down at the end of the bathtub where Lay’s head rested on the rim of the tub. The brunette followed the older boy’s movements with his eyes, but he stayed silent, letting his alpha think. He too had been hesitant first, but sooner or later everyone had to accept Luhan. If they didn’t want to become castaways, lone wolves… Of course Luhan couldn’t do that, he was too kind, he wouldn’t have the heart to banish them even though for questioning his place, his authority, they would deserve it. So Lay chose the easy way. He accepted him as his alpha. He wasn’t suitable for the position, but this wasn’t the first time something like this happened. He just needed a mate, a powerful one, who will be able to rise, and take away his position. Then Luhan will become an omega with an alpha mate. It will happen, no matter what, the only problem was that Luhan didn’t seem to be so eager to find a mate. He had to do something about that, and make sure that Luhan chose the right person… Lay himself.

“I just…” Luhan was chewing on his bottom lip, his usual, too sweet cotton candy-bubblegum scent was mixed with the smell of worry and nervousness. “I just want to thank you…” He moved closer, arms closing around Yixing’s neck, hugging him gently. Closeness in a pack was always important, and it felt more than right when the alpha insisted on it. Lay sighed and closed his eyes. To be honest he missed this. When Kris was around they always touched each other in some way. Bumping their shoulders together or pressing their thighs together when they sat on the couch. He made contact frequently with the betas, but an alpha’s touch was somehow different. It helped calm down his wolf, he could even imagine it, his bigger, dark brown wolf curled around Luhan’s smaller, snow white one.

“You don’t have to thank me, XiaoLu. I’m your beta now, I’ll follow you, no matter what. I would even give away my life, if you ask me to…” Lay tilted his head to the side to look at the other boy, his eyes flashed light blue as he spoke.

“There’s no need for that. You know that I would die before I let anyone touch one of you.” The angle was a bit awkward, but Luhan leaned closer, rubbing their cheeks together. Scent marking. He didn’t touch any of them during last week, and now neither of them smelt like him, and it felt wrong. Lay tried to suppress his grin as he lifted his hand, to ruffle the alpha’s hair, sticking his scent to him.
 

Soooooo yeah~ This is the first chapter~

Sorry for any typos, I wrote this through the night *it's almost 6am here and I haven't slept yet*, I reread it but it could happen that I didn't notice some mistakes ^^" And I know it's kinda short, but I can't write long stuff, I always get distracted and never finish them ToT

Anyway, I hope you liked it~ Lay got a good point in Luhan's "who is the best in the pack list" :P

I just realized that everyone will sound mean in this fic, because everyone wants to be the alpha. Aish, what have I done ToT

Oh, and I haven't decided yet who'll end up with Luhan, so I'm happy to hear suggestions~ 

Comments are always appreciated~

Merry Christmas guys~