The pit of dread is still pooling in Yesung’s stomach the longer Min Yeon stays in wolf form. He’s tried to communicate with her verbally and mentally through Cloud with no success. Either he had bitten a second too late, which would account for the absolute silence he gets from her wolf form, or she still thinks she’s unconscious.

“I see she’s fully into wolf form.” The female’s voice sounds clearer than the speaker as she slides the door behind her, an audible click from the outside meaning that a second person is watching them from outside the little prison. Yesung mentally prepares himself to be stuck again with that awful drug she’d gotten him with when he’d been kidnapped.

Yesung blinks as she grasps one of Min Yeon’s hands and slips a needle into the juncture of her elbow and delivers something through the syringe slowly. “What did you just give her?”

“The drug to wake her up.” The female looks familiar to Yesung, but he can’t quite place where he’s seen her before. He tries to subtly sniff to catch her scent, but his senses are still messed up from the drugs he’s been injected with, and he gets a faint whiff of something magical but nothing else to place who she really is.

Yesung’s still on edge around the female though she doesn’t seem to be interested in him any longer. He’s not going to suffer through another bout of that drug she’d used to sedate him, far as he can tell.

The drug introduced to Min Yeon’s system takes a bit to start working and Yesung’s sure it’s because of the shifter virus that’s now permanently attached to her DNA. Slowly the silvery blonde wolf starts to move.

The fact that the woman’s been asleep during the shift scares Yesung. They’ve never had such a drug back in Joseon, and of course, the new members of the Pack who’ve shifted in the last 2 years did so voluntarily. People who had been turned because of trauma to the head or were near death back in Joseon typically died soon after the change because their bodies couldn’t handle it, or they went mad, forcing the Alphas to put them down.

Yesung doesn’t even register when he’s been pricked by the damn needle again from their kidnapper, he’s too busy staring in horror when Min Yeon’s eyes open, and then he knows no more as the darkness rushes in to claim his consciousness.

**

Siwon’s nervous.

It’s understandable that he should be. It’s the first time he’s ever had to do a hostage exchange, and for once he’s grateful to the cops who have worked with him all morning after Zhou Mi left, prepping him for any possible scenario that the kidnappers will take with Min Yeon.

He’d driving his own vehicle, something he rarely does, but he reminds himself silently that the kidnappers have specified he do the exchange alone.

Siwon feels badly for Zhou Mi, and the shifter would have been surprised to find that Siwon has let go of the iron cold grip on his feelings. Siwon’s successful for a reason, and that’s because he can anticipate anything and everything that could possibly come his way, which allows for him to be calm and collected about almost everything. Everything except his growing feelings for the model.

The car is silent even though Siwon really wants to turn on his radio and listen to whatever drabble of kpop is popular enough to be played repeatedly. The suit he wears is wired with a microphone and a tiny camera is affixed in his pocket to capture the face of the kidnappers. He can’t afford to waste the precious recording time he’s got just because he needs a distraction.

The GPS announces his next turn, which Siwon takes, fear pooling in his stomach. Siwon thinks he’s going to puke as the GPS announces he’s arrived at the address that the kidnappers have sent to him for the exchange.

Checking his watch, Siwon sighs, and picks up the briefcase full of money that will be used to free his assistant. He’s still not 100% sure what the hell is going on, or why they really wanted to target him.

The cops think it’s because Siwon bought out some business that Donghae’s ex-wife had been a silent partner in.

“I’ve arrived at the designated spot.” Siwon says clearly, knowing that he’s being recorded through the microphone.

Getting out of the car, Siwon’s surprise at seeing people on the other side from where he’s parked his car. He’d suspected the building they were meeting in was empty, and a front to keep the cops from coming back later to search for Yesung.

Siwon waits impatiently by the fence where the kidnappers have specified he stand. “I see you’ve come alone.” The female voice echoes around him, and Siwon jumps in surprise at the sound.

It figures she wouldn’t show her face. “I have the money.” Siwon says loudly as he raises the briefcase over his head.

“Place it by the fence and walk back towards your car.” The female orders through the speakerphone she’s using, the sound tinny to Siwon’s ears.

Siwon places the briefcase down and backs away, his hands up to show he’s not playing any tricks. He doesn’t want to risk Min Yeon’s life over something stupid like money. He can always make back that amount and more with his current investments.

He’s turning around to stride to his car when a bright flash of something silver streaks by him, catching him on the hip, throwing its full weight upon Siwon’s body as the force of it spins him around 180 degrees. Siwon can hear fabric ripping as the freakishly large wolf like dog rips into him.

Time seems to stop as he falls down, the dog still on top of him. Siwon’s eyes widen in shock when the dog seems to look at him, blood on its muzzle as it stops momentarily in its sudden attack.

The last thing Siwon remembers is excruciating pain as the dog growls at him, showing its pearly white canines before it tilts its head and biting Siwon directly on the hip.

**

When Siwon wakes again, he’s in a hospital room, the sharp scent of a cleaning agent is clinging to his nose. He coughs, groaning at how dry his throat seems to be. His whole body aches.

A noise to his left alerts Siwon that he’s not alone. Turning his head, his breath catches as he sees Zhou Mi slumped over the bed, his head resting on his arm as he sleeps, his other hand is clutching Siwon’s hand.

The cough has stirred the model, who’s slowly waking up. He lifts his head, and Siwon feels his stomach clench and his heart contract.

Zhou MI’s a wreck. His normally styled hair has been tousled, looking like fingers have been running through it in frustration, worry, or both. Dark circles under his eyes tell Siwon that Zhou Mi hasn’t slept much either, and the redness of his eyes alerts Siwon to the fact the model has been crying recently.

“Won.” Zhou Mi breathes, his body relaxing a little under the stress and worry of the older man.

“Water.” Siwon croaks, feeling his voice crack with how dry his throat is.

Zhou Mi lets go of his hand and turns to grab the cup with a straw in it. Lifting it to Siwon’s lips, he watches Siwon take a drink of the room temp water. “You’ve been out for a week.” He tells Siwon, watching his face for any signs of pain or discomfort.

Siwon’s grateful for the water, clearing his throat, and wetting his lips. Strangely the water has calmed the ache in his body. “A week?” The news baffles Siwon. “Min!” Siwon goes to sit straight up, but is rebuffed by some sort of invisible barrier on his bed.

Zhou Mi is regarding him with sad eyes. “Won…there’s…there is something you need to know.”

Siwon doesn’t like the look in Zhou Mi’s eyes. “Is she?”

Zhou Mi takes a shuddering breath. “There….something was wrong with Min Yeon.” He starts, knowing that if he tells Siwon the whole truth in one go, that there is a chance the man could reject the information. “She’s…she’s not human anymore.”

Siwon’s mind blanks at the information. “What?!” He’s looking at Zhou Mi with something akin to disbelief in his eyes.

Zhou Mi’s bad at this, but he’s the one who’s been forced to tell Siwon the truth. He decides to try another tactic. “Does your hip hurt?” He’s resting a hand near the spot where Siwon’s been bitten.

Siwon’s mind halts at the question. Assessing his body, Siwon remembers with a start that he was bitten by some large sliver looking dog on his hip, but the part of his body that hurts the most is his hand where the IV needle is, and strangely his heart hurts. “No.” Siwon’s confused now.

Zhou Mi’s smile is sad as he looks up at Siwon, his eyes b with tears. “You were bitten by a werewolf.”

Siwon jerks as if something has shocked him. “W-what?” He stutters. Surely Zhou Mi is joking. “That can’t be right. It was a large dog.” A warmth at the back of Siwon’s head stirs, startling him as Siwon realizes that there is nothing behind his head except his pillow.

Zhou Mi shakes his head sadly. “It was a newly turned werewolf.” He corrects.

The news sinks into Siwon. Eyes wide, he stares at Zhou MI, realizing that the man is serious. The combination of the warmth at the back of his head, and the fact that his hip doesn’t hurt doesn’t help either.

Zhou Mi sighs. “Maybe Jungsuk can explain it better than I can.” He says.

“Your agents’ husband?” Siwon’s not sure what Jungsuk’s got to do with this situation.

The door opening has Siwon turning his head towards the visitor before he realizes that he’s heard the door before it’s swung open all the way. The rational part of his mind thinks that because of the silence in the room, he’d heard the door, but when the large dark grey animal pads into the room, Siwon can’t believe what he is seeing. It looks like the dog that attacked him, except for the coloring is completely different.

Then Zhou Mi speaks to the animal as if he can converse with him, and Siwon wonders if he’s died and gone to some sort of hell.

Zhou Mi sighs after the dog shakes its head. Standing up, he turns to Siwon. “Siwon, I’m going to show you something you’ve never seen before. It’s not a pretty sight when I shift.”

“What?” Siwon’s even more confused. Maybe he’s dreaming this whole thing, but it seems too real to be a dream. Hell he’s still not sure if the dream he had earlier involving a light brown wolf coming to him and snuggling, talking to him with a wagging tail wasn’t an odd way of his mind compensating for the silver dog’s attack.

No, it’s a hell that multiplies as the sickening sound of bones cracking, shifting and muscles reforming makes Siwon cringe as he stares in absolute shock at Zhou Mi.

The same Zhou Mi who’s now morphing into a cheetah that is striking in appearance. Siwon yelps as the cheetah/Zhou Mi pads over to the bed and raises up on his hind legs to place his front paws on the side of the bed. He’s careful not to touch Siwon as he looks straight into the other man’s eyes, knowing that his own human eyes are staring back at Siwon.

Siwon’s only response is his eyes rolling back in his head, and passing out.