Jo Jungsuk snuggled up to his mate, belly full and feeling satisfied because his pack was satisfied. He’d only become the Pack Alpha the year before when an unexpected accident had claimed the life of the previous Alpha, Park Ji Young. His wife, and beta of the Pack had died within 24 hours of her mate, worsening the unexpected loss for many pack members, including their daughter, Park Ha Rae, who had thought she’d would inherit the Alpha position.

Typically Pack Alpha was an inherited position, but it usually went to the Alpha’s first born son, not daughter and Jungsuk had been both surprised, and pleased that he’d been named the successor, even if it meant that Ha Rae would be relegated to a regular Pack member. If she’d had a mate at the time of her father’s passing, it would have been a completely different story.

This hunt had been a huge release for many of the pack members who’d felt the double loss more than others. BoA sighed, her fingers curling up in Junsuk’s hair. She’d always had a weird habit of curling around his head in her sleep after a hunt, something she’d attributed to her childhood before she’d become a part of the Pack.

The familiarity of BoA’s fingers unconsciously tightening in his hair relaxed Jungsuk, his wolf already reassuring Jungsuk that he was safe and nothing would happen while he slept.

**

“Where do you want these boxes?” Kangin asked as he sidestepped Heechul a few weeks later.

“What label is on them?” Sunyoung asked, trying to see the piece of tape on the first box.

Kangin looked at the box. “Office?” He said. “It’s hard to read it upside down.”

“Well, lean down you big lout so I can read it.” Sunyoung had really grown in the last 2 years now that she was able to make her own decisions. The fact that the Pack mentality had changed so much that the female wolves could go out and be nearly completely independent still floored Kangin. Sunyoung had embraced her new found freedom, and had astounded nearly everyone who’d time shifted from Joseon with how fast she’d learned the changes in the Korean language and how enthusiastically she was working on her educational studies.

Kangin grunted more at being called a big lout than being told to let Sunyoung see the label on the box. Bending down easily, he waited as she read the label. “So where does it go?”

“Office.” She replied, patting him on the arm and grinning at the scowl he threw her direction as he turned and headed to put the box in the proper place.

Donghae was busy sorting things from another box onto some shelves near the front desk reception when Kangin returned from the back of the newest Pack business they were helping to set up. “So, 10 bucks says that Jungsuk is going to ask Donghae to run the new office.” Heechul was saying to Seungri as they put up the new blinds on the office window that looked out onto the street.

“10 bucks says he asks Kangin to run the office and has Donghae signed as the first model.” Seungri snorted, taking on the bet with Heechul as the older of the two finished his side of the blinds.

Kangin shook his head. “20 bucks says Jungsuk will smack you both upside the head for betting on the new business.”

“He’s right.” Jungsuk smirked, walking in with BoA right behind him, both holding boxes.

Kangin smirked, shaking his hands at Heechul and Seungri. “Pay up es.” He chortled. Heechul huffed and Seungri groaned, both putting 10 dollars into his outstretched hands.

The office was set up quickly. Jungsuk was planning on opening the new business that afternoon, having already gotten some contacts and jobs lined up. “So, here’s the deal. The business is a new modeling agency, partly to help Ha Rae and Amber’s clothing business take off. Ha Rae wants to expand into the non-shifter market and she wants several of you for models for her clothing.” Jungsuk explained.

BoA had been planning the modeling business for nearly 6 months with Jinki, contacting places that she knew were shifter friendly, and some that were not. Jungsuk had helped his mate and asked most of his Pack that he knew would be ok with becoming models before he’d sent out their profiles to the places looking, well, all but Sunyoung and Yujin, mostly because Sunyoung hadn’t expressed any desire to work until a few months ago, and he already knew Yujin would put up a fight.  

“I thought that’s what Henry was for?” Zhou Mi asked, earning a well-placed smack from Yujin.

“Henry’s finishing up his last semester of business classes, so he won’t be available to model.” Jungsuk said, choosing to ignore the smack. He’d learned early on that Yujin tended to have a shorter fuse than most shifters, especially when she and Zhou Mi were in odds with each other. ‘She wants to date some human.’ His wolf said, disproval strong in the tone.

“Yujin, you and Sunyoung are going to be modeling the female clothing for Ha Rae.” Jungsuk said, smiling internally when Yujin’s face turned a shade lighter than normal.

Sunyoung squeaked in surprise at the announcement, murmuring respectfully, “Thank you Alpha.”

“But I….what?” Yujin frowned. “Amber’s good at modeling, why should I?” She huffed.

“Because I said so.” Jungsuk told her, his voice a little harsher than intended as she flinched. He hated being rough and rude to any of his Pack, but Yujin sometimes clung to her stubborn feline ways more often than not, which usually resulted in Jungsuk having to go all Pack Alpha on her to get her to cooperate. “Moving on, Ha Rae thinks both Donghae and Kyuhyun would be good for the male side, and she also wants Zhou Mi since he’s taller than the other two.” He sighed, shuffling papers, handing BoA a stack of contracts.

BoA whispered reassuringly to Yujin to sooth the sting of Jungsuk’s harsh voice as she handed the feline shifter a contract. “We also have a couple of jobs with another clothing store that showed interest in Seungri modeling some sort of outerwear line they’ll be promoting for the upcoming winter season. BoA’s going with him to ensure he gets treated well since it’s a non-Pack allied business.” Jungsuk said, catching the nod that BoA’s given him. “For now, Heechul, I want you to man the reception desk, but the job does require you to dress nicely.” Jungsuk’s already eyeballed the cocky shifter’s choice of clothing.

Heechul’s jaw dropped. “What my outfit isn’t ok?”

“At least wear something that matches.” BoA interjected. “I can help you since I’ll be in the office a lot as well.”

‘We have one hell of a mate.’ Jungsuk tells his wolf as BoA continues to go around the table, giving out contracts as he feels his wolf preening in agreement.

As soon as Heechul’s done ing about his wardrobe being fine and in no need of help from BoA, who’s given the less dominate shifter the look of death that includes a bit of her own wolf in it, Jungsuk’s ready to move on. “So, it’s probably obvious, but this modeling agency is going to be BoA’s project. I’ll help get contracts since I’m better known in the business, but I fully expect every single one of you to help promote a professional, homey atmosphere when there are non-shifter potentials in the office and on the sets you will be working at.”

Jungsuk’s been at a loss on how to fully incorporate the shifters from the Joseon Dynasty into the Pack’s various businesses for the past month since they’d been given the clear from one of the older Pack teachers who’d retired from teaching high school. This modeling business would work well with most of them, seeing as how they’d all managed to survive most of their existence in the old Joseon world without major scaring or illnesses.

Shifters might live longer and be able to change from human to animal forms, but it doesn’t exempt them from catching serious diseases that can affect their neuromotor skills like Parkinson’s or just getting sick with a serious cold or flu.

Jungsuk ends the meeting, his mind already on the task at hand of gathering more modeling jobs for the crew. Without having to say it, not even through their mate bond, Jungsuk’s sure that BoA’s going to want more female models to use on jobs. The problem is that most of the other females in the Pack besides Sunyoung and Yujin were either too short, too young, too plain, too old, or otherwise employed to be of any help to his mate, and the ones he did approach beforehand that declined were too busy with other projects in college.

It would mean bringing in fresh talent that’s non-shifter, and it’s something that makes Jungsuk apprehensive about giving BoA the go-ahead on recruitment. It was one thing to have both the Liu and Lau families knowing their shifting abilities, but to bring in outsiders who’d potentially spill their secret? Jungsuk shuddered at the thought. The last thing the Pack needed was for their existence to be blown wide open into the public eye.

“Penny for your thoughts?” BoA’s warm scent comforted Jungsuk as she walked into the office where he was organizing things for her.

“Just thinking about the potential lack of female models for this business venture.” Jungsuk sighed, feeling the beginnings of a headache.

BoA looked at him sympathetically. “Don’t worry about it. Right now we’re fine with the overload of male models. Amber’s sure she can get some of her cousins who are Friends of the Pack to apply for the company as aspiring female models if we need them.”

Jungsuk sighed happily as BoA came around and started massaging his shoulders. “It’s not that, it’s the future potential non-shifters that will want to apply. You know just as well as I do that once the non-shifter world takes notice of the guys modeling that the popularity of the agency will take off and we’ll be flooded with both contracts, job requests and humans wanting to be models for us.”

BoA’s hum of agreement did little to soothe him.