“There is nothing we can say or do that would make up for the fact that you had to transform in the city.” The Hunter’s Association leader, Jung Yunho bows in front of Kyuhyun. Contrary to society’s beliefs about werewolves and hunters, The Hunters Association is actually the higher power of law enforcements like a high court, and only steps in when they are needed by the Packs.

The two Black Hunters are already stuffed into one of the Associations vehicles, their equipment confiscated and put into another vehicle for evidence. Kyuhyun shakes his head. “No, it’s ok. Alpha was planning on contacting you about them today anyway, but I guess they got over enthusiastic about obtaining their target.”

“Changmin was on the phone with your Alpha when we got the pup’s call.” Yunho admits, his fondness for his second in command evident in his voice despite the circumstances. “We knew they were in town but we didn’t know they were on a job.” He adds. “Don’t worry, they will be properly detained while we investigate things. I’ll let your Alpha know that we’ll probably be asking for the druid’s cooperation at some point in time during the investigation.”

Kyuhyun nods. “That is understandable.” He replies. “I assume that you will take care of any loopholes that we may have missed when we did the clean up?”

Yunho nods in response, glancing over at the car. “Yeah. You are free to go. Please relay my apologies to your Alpha and let him know we will be calling in a couple of days for permissions.”

Kyuhyun nods, bowing to the older human and watching as he leaves in the car that holds the two Black Hunters. Jessa, Taehyung and Jungkook are already in the Pack vehicle, having been questioned by Yunho. Kyuhyun sighs, running a hand through his sandy brown hair and walks to the Jeep.

As they head back toward the Pack house, nearly forgetting Sungmin’s list of groceries, Jungkook reminding them about it when he remembered that Leeteuk had shown him where the phone was by sending the list in a text.

Taehyung and Jungkook take to unloading the groceries while Kyuhyun comes around and lifts a sleeping Jessa from the passenger seat of the vehicle. She’d fallen asleep not long after their stop at the store, something Kyuhyun had been warned about by Yunho. Druids use natural energy for any enchantments, spells or runes, which means they tend to either need to eat a lot of food before or after a fight, or they fall asleep after finding a safe place to pass out. Kyuhyun had filed the information away as important in his mind, his wolf agreeing wholeheartedly.

Kyuhyun’s halfway up the steps when Jessa shifts in his arms, snuggling up to his chest as he’s holding her bridal style. The action makes Kyuhyun stop, breathing shallowly as his eyes widen in surprise, his heart thumping suddenly in his chest.  Just the way she snuggled into him had felt so…familiar, his wolf supplied, and it scares him just a tiny bit.

After a full moon and a hunt, his wolf naturally goes into a light slumber, only awakening when needed by the human form, it’s something that all werewolves are taught from their first full moon transformation so they don’t think their wolf is gone. The fact his wolf is still clearly awake without being needed is another sign that Kyuhyun’s beginning to suspect that the wolf is very interested in the human.

After a moment, his heart rate goes back to normal, but his actions don’t go unnoticed. Leeteuk smiles and shakes his head from the window of his office as he spots Kyuhyun moving up the stairs again. ‘I’ve got a feeling he’s become emotionally closer to this druid.’ Leeteuk thinks, settling back down in his office chair. ‘Looks like I’ll have to do some research.’

Kyuhyun settles Jessa into her room, pausing a moment to really take a good look at the druid. She’s got a petite frame, something he figured came with being a druid, but he can tell she’s been careful with her body from the way the soft muscles of her arms give way to stronger, more defined muscles of her core. Her face is heart shaped, and her skin is an olive tan, probably from being out in the elements, but Kyuhyun knows her hands are soft instead of rough from use. Her hair flows down to her shoulders, the coloring a darker red with some honey highlights in it, mostly from sun exposure, but something tells Kyuhyun that she’s not a natural redhead.

Jessa shifts in her slumber, unconsciously moving towards the warmth of Kyuhyun’s body. Werewolves tend to run higher temperatures than normal humans do, but they don’t feel the cold like humans either, which is why the temp in the house is probably lower than what should be considered comfortable for Jessa. Kyuhyun makes a mental note to ask to raise the thermostat for Jessa by a few degrees as he pulls a thicker blanket from the hallway closet for her.

After covering her up with the thicker blanket, Kyuhyun retreats to the study to find more information about druids, not realizing his Pack mates have started to notice the change in his behavior.

***

“Yah!” Ryeowook is screeching in the kitchen at Jimin and Hoseok when Jessa awakens several hours later, padding into the kitchen for something to drink. “I told you to stir the batter, NOT FLING IT AT EACH OTHER!!!!”

“Sorry Hyung!!” Hoseok whines.

“We’re really sorry, Ryeowook umma!” Jimin adds, flinching when Ryeowook smacks him with the wooden spoon.

Jessa fights back the urge to giggle at the scene. Both Hoseok and Jimin have what looks like pancake batter splattered on their faces and clothes, and she can see now when she looks at the rest of the kitchen that there are spots where batter has been flung. Ryeowook huffs, turning and smiling at Jessa. “Sorry you have to see that.” He apologizes, ignoring the two cowering pups in the background and coming over to her. “Do you want something to eat?” He asks. “Lunch was a couple hours ago, but I can whip you up something really quick.” He offers.

Jessa smiles at the fussing that Ryeowook does over her. It’s a nice change of pace from what her usual routine is, and brings back fond memories of before she was an apprentice druid. “Lunch sounds fabulous.” She replies, smiling back at Ryeowook.

“Go sit! Ignore these two pups.” Ryeowook shoos her towards the table as he opens the fridge.

Jessa sits and watches the interactions of the Pack in the kitchen as Ryeowook pulls things from cupboards and the fridge to make what Jessa thinks is too much food, but by the time Leeteuk and Kangin come into the kitchen for something to drink, she’s finished every single piece of food in front of her. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you were a wolf with that type of appetite.” Kangin teases as they sit down, noticing all the empty dishes.

Leeteuk gives Jessa a look over, noticing that she still looks tired. “I’ve talked to Yunho from the Hunter’s Association.” He tells Jessa as Kangin moves to get some juice out of the fridge. Ryeowook had finally banished Jimin and Hoseok from the kitchen while he bakes, claiming that the two pups were doing more harm than good while trying to help the petite werewolf.

“Did he get any information from the two that attacked us?” Jessa asks, wiping the last bit of crumbs from her lips.

Leeteuk nods. “So outside of what you told me about Black Hunters and this black market for supernatural beings, he found out that there is a very high price for your capture.” He pauses to let that information sink into Jessa’s conscious.

Jessa sighs, leaning back in the chair, and shaking her head. “I suppose they want me on this Black Market to sell to some man who want to breed half-druid babies or something.” She grumbles, a frown marring her face.

Leeteuk hums in response. “Partially. Supposedly according to my research, and Yunho’s research, the Black Market has had several male druids go through it lately and somehow the idea that you are the last fully trained female circulated around till it’s all the Black Market merchants are talking about.”

“Somehow I’m not surprised.” Jessa snorts, crossing her arms across her chest as she leans her head back against the chair. “I half expected something like that to happen eventually. The first problem with their rationale is that they believe that druidic abilities are hereditary. The second is believing that I’m the last fully trained female druid out there, but I suppose they are basing it off the fact that I’m the youngest that is fully trained and of child bearing age.” She shudders slightly.

Leeteuk nods, having already guessed that fact. “Here in lies the problem we are currently facing. Since you have a capture bounty on your head, I think your safety and remaining free is a priority.” He points out. “The second is that Yunho can’t keep the Black Hunters for more than a few days before he legally has to release them. He’s trying to find a way to get them deported, but there is another issue there because they are Korean citizens.”

“So really until the thing with the bounty is settled down, or removed completely, I need to lay low I suppose.” Jessa says, sounding a little disappointed. “I was hoping to return back to my clan before the end of the month.”

Kangin glances at Leeteuk knowing that the Alpha hasn’t even gotten to the most important part of their talk with the druid. He takes a drink of juice before he raises his eyebrows at Leeteuk.

Leeteuk takes a deep breath. “Something that Yunho and I talked about earlier was where you were going to stay until things settle down.” He says. “We both agreed that you are better off staying here with us. The Hunter’s Association is going to issue a notice that anyone caught helping the Black Hunters will be arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping.”

Kangin’s surprised that Jessa accepts the news as if she knew it was coming. He half expected the woman to balk at the idea of where she would be staying. “I’m probably safer here than in the city or with the Association, so that’s ok.” She agrees. “Besides, it gives me time to learn more about you werewolves so that future druids don’t have that hole in our training.”

After a bit more small talk Kangin and Leeteuk leave Jessa in the kitchen, under the careful eye of Ryeowook, to head back to Leeteuk’s office to go over some more planning so they can protect Jessa. On the way there, Leeteuk notices that Kyuhyun’s in the study, a pile of books surrounding the young wolf. ‘He’s definitely changing because of her.’ He thinks.

Leeteuk’s not opposed to having a non-wolf in his pack, but there would be many complications that stemmed from it. The first being that they would have to have a meeting of the International Council of Supernaturals to officially deal with the fact the Black Market exists and shut it down, freeing the supernaturals who’d been sold already or waiting to be sold. They’d also have to deal with the Black Hunters who’d be out of a profession once that market was dealt with.

Kyuhyun would also have to make some decisions himself if his wolf decides that he and Jessa are mates. Leeteuk’s not sure, but he thinks that if they really are mates, one of them is going to have to give up something and he knows that probably won’t settle right with either one of them.

Leeteuk shakes himself from his thoughts as he and Kangin walk into his office, mind more on the business at hand as his thoughts about his other Beta fade from his consciousness.

A/N: Happy new year!! It's hard to believe it's 2015 already! I get this upcoming week off still for winter break, and next week I'm back in school, but am still only taking one class at the moment. I'm gonna focus on getting back into shape and getting healthy during this year too. Sorry for the long wait for the update. My cat has been very needy the last few days and will literally sit on my arms while I'm at the computer, which makes editing/writing hard. Big shoutout to Heartofdiamond1300 and cj0415 for subscribing!

Feedback, subs and upvotes are always welcome!!