Kyungsoo stumbled through the doors of the small living room. The chalet wasn't that spacious, and since we were a large group of healthy young males and abundant amount of females as well, there was hardly any space to move around and evenf if there was, it was a much better option to stay put until there was enough free space so that you wouldn't bump into random elbows or stomachs on your way out. His eyes were wide and glassy, wider than usual, almost popping out of their sockets as they reluctantly graced the room and settled on the individual at the very far end. It was almost as though his body stopped breathing in air, for he froze like a mannequin, jaw going slack as his lips opened up like a dried up flower. HIs entire being was still for a short moment, and the tension in the room was palpable, so thick that I had to distract myself with the material of Luhan's jeans that seemed to be much more comfortable than mine. 

Finally, after a long moment of silence, Kyungsoo cleared his throat and looked at the ground. He was probably feeling overwhelmed about all the series of events that had just crashed upon him without warning. I could feel the frustration rolling off his body in waves, and the fact that everyone was staring at him wasn't making things any better. On the contrary, our presence might be making it worse. But knowing Kris, I knew that he didn't want to leave the two newly found mates together, for there was a slight possibility that they could suddenly pounce upon each other and tear their significant other to pieces. 

"Kyungsoo, this is Melody," Suho said in that gentle tone of his, gesturing towards each of them respectively, "Melody, this is Kyungsoo, your mate." 

I could see the hesitance, the flash of pain and agitation that took over the girl's expression as she bit down on her lip and chewed on the red patch of flesh with her teeth. There was no denying the sudden charge in the air, as though electric current was spreading through the room. But they looked awkward and unable to look into each other's eyes, which might have reminded me of a younger, more inexperienced version of myself. 
I couldn't help but lean over to whisper in Luhan's ear, "Were we that bad when we first met?" 

His chest rumbled as he chuckled before murmuring back, "You were that bad. I wasn't." 
"Oh shut up" I threw him a glare, "You acted like you had your period 24/7." 
"What about you?" he rolled his eyes. 
"Well, I don't usually go about trusting strangers." 

He probably would've opened his mouth to retort back if we hadn't been interrupted with the sudden growl that erupted through the air. My head snapped up, as did Luhan's as we tried to recognize its' source and owner. 

Melody. 

Her lips were drawn back to show a row of perfect teeth, bared as a sign of threat towards Kyungsoo with her eyes flashing an vibrant emerald color, while Kyungsoo's own brown orbs that used to reflect such fragility, affection and tenderness, were now red-filled, burning orbs of bright, dynamic red that could've burned anyone to death, really. 

"Melody, calm down." Kris's hand gently rested on the said girl's shoulder, whose stance relaxed slightly, but still keeping the awareness and alert danger through her eyes. Kyungsoo was no better, scanning every part of her face as though she was the enemy that he wanted to destroy, to cut to pieces. Did Luhan have to struggle that much when he finally found me as a mate? Did he have to go through hardships on his own? How did it feel to know that your soul was connected to another human being? 

The thought of knowing that everything you did, all your actions and words and thoughts and opinions and perceptions of llife, was suddenly centered and directed towards one indvidual in particular made me wonder how much self-control a lycanthrope had to train his mind into in order not to lose control. 

"I can't." She hissed back. It was obvious that she was far from bursting with joy at the thought of being here in Kyungsoo's presence. It probably pained her just as much, knowing that she had someone she was bound to and knowing that it was impossible for her to actually be his mate, to actually touch him when her fingers ached to feel his skin against hers. I remembered the times Luhan struggled through our bond, how the lack of physical contact had beaten him down to the core until he got sick and feverish. But as I watched the two of them, it dawned on me that there must be a solution to all this madness. Why would kitsunes imprint in the first place if they were doomed for the rest of their lives? 

"Don't you want to try?" came Suho's gentle proposal, "The myth is ancient, and there isn't anything to prove that it's true in the first place." 

"And what if it is?" She shot back, "Are you going to be responsible for it? Are you going to mend us back when we fall out and become abashed mates? Then what?" 

Her words were like knives jarring through the air and slicing the oxygen we breathed. I held my breath when a gasp climbed up my throat, knowing exactly how she was feeling and yet feeling the utmost sorrow for Kyungsoo, for if she rejected the bond, it meant that he'd possibly live without a mate for the rest of his life, and that meant no offspring to continue on his lineage even though that wasn't his main purpose.

"I don't know you" Her eyes were narrowed into threatening slits, the side of curling up as though in a soft hiss, "I don't know any of you, and I don't want to know." 

She looked like she could pounce on anyone that dared take a step closer to her, and although she was of a petite sized girl that certainly would not seem to cause a lot of trouble or be a lot of trouble, her aura was enough to boom across the room, so intense with anger and restrained fury that I felt the warmth sizzle down my back in threatening tingles. 

"That's selfish." 

I hadn't realized that the words echoing through the air had fallen from none other than Kyungsoo's mouth. Cute, shy, and quiet Kyungsoo did not at all look like his usual self in that very moment. His eyes were swirling red orbs that flashed with emotion, and his entire facial expression was set hard in stone, his jaw clenched like he was holding himself back from actually pouncing on to his mate and doing more damage than one can imagine. His fists were curled balls at his sides, knuckles white with tension. But nothing could compare to the sudden drop in the temperature as soon as his statement rang througn the air. 

"That's just an easy way out and you know it." Kyungsoo continued as though his newly found mate wasn't glaring at him from across the room, "You only want to protect yourself and play it safe. You don't even know if the myth is true, and the truth is; you don't want to know. You'd rather just stay in your own bubble," His face hardened like steel, gaze dark with seriousness, "And that's kind of cowardly." 

Melody's nose flared with fury, "Don't you dare tell me what I feel or think. You don't know me, and I think it should stay that way." 

She was about to turn on her heel and walk out of the room and out of the house altogether when Haerim quickly blocked her, her hand shot out to press against the opposite wall right before her face. 

"What?" Melody asked bluntly, causing me to flincha at the sharpness of her tone. I must admit, she was scaring the beejeezus out of me, and Kim Seulmi was not afraid of many things. Melody just happened to be one of them. She really looked murderous and could probably take down a whole army of men on her own. 

"You and I are going to have a talk." 
"And who are you?" Melody's voice was grounded in irritation, but Haerim could only chuckle back in response, as though she was a mere little puppy that was trying to compete against an already grown wolf, "I'm Haerim, and I come from a family related to the Kitsune." 

That made Melody pause for a moment, assessing the facts and laying the odds together. 

We were all waiting for her response, all hoping that she would at least take this chance and try even though their was just a slim possibility of a better future with a mate at her side. It might not've been ideal anyway, to have a werewolf mate, but if she did accept the bond and try it out with Kyungsoo, I was pretty sure that she would be one of the luckiets girls walking the earth. I mean, come on, even I would've been wooed by his gentlemanly charms and calm, wise personality. He was a good cook too, which was already a big plus in my book. 

Luhan nudged me. My eyes found his own swimming with annoyance. Stop thinking about other guys in front of me, he mouthed. 

I only rolled my eyes in response to his childish attitude. When I turned back, I caught sight of Haerim's arm shooting out just in time to block Melofdy's sudden punch. The latter looked thrown for a moment, before anger twisted her face into a scowl. 

"We are going to talk." Haerim hissed one more time. And before anyone said anything else, she had pulled the Kitsune by the arm and dragged her away. We heard the footsteps stomping up in the cabin, the wooden floors squeaking in protest as the older female wolf opened a random door --probably her room door-- and slammed it shut after a moment, the noise ringing through the house and sending chills up and down my spine. 

I took a mental note to stay away from Haerim whenever she was in a pissy mood. After all, I didn't want to get my head chopped off, nor did I have a death wish. 

The group murmured amongst themselves and Kyungsoo took this chance to slither away into the darkness, probably going on a walk to clear his head. I wanted to go after him, a surge of pity rolling through my stomach when I realized how confused and lost he must feel. I wasn't an expert at emotions, but they were as clearly written on his face as though he was an open book anyone could read. And I know that look, I was all-too familiar with it, mainly because I had seen that a hundred times already on another face. 

Luhan's. 

"Hey." I felt a nudge at my shoulder, too wrapped up in my thoughts that I almost forgot about having made myself comfortable in Luhan's lap. I made a move to get up, only to be restrained by his arms. Frowning at him, I threw a scowl in his drection as I asked, "What?" 

"I want to show you something." 

I didn't even have time to blink before he had gathered me in his arms and was walking out towards the back. The cold seeped into my skin and nipped at the edge of my clothes as he made his way out into the backyard porch, causing me to shiver and involuntarily lean against his warmth, which I was sure he'd done on purpose. That was exactly what he'd wanted, for me to cuddle up against him because of the cold and because he was still boiling and still just in a tank top and beach shorts despite the weather. 

He set me down on my feet and I was glad for the freedom, except that as soon as he did, a gust of wind slammed into me, my legs wobbling while I in a breath when the cold burned my exposed flesh. After all, I wasn't dressed for the outdoors and impulsively, I threw Luhan another scowl to show him that I was clearly not amused by this. Why in the world had he brought me out in the cold, at such a stupid time of the night? 

But he suddenly tossed something at me and I caught it clumsily between my fingers. "What the--" I almost cursed before I caught sight of the wrapping. Turning it in my fingers, a small frown started to settle between my eyebrows. I didn't dare look up at him, for fear that he'd be satisfied by the surprise and shock on my face (and probably a little bit of happiness as well. No, I didn't want to give in to him that much). 

"What is it?" I asked uncertainly as I kept on fiddling with the gift. 

He snorted, "What does it look like?" 

I proceeded to shake it, "Is it a time bomb?" I said, placing it at my ear to hear for any ticking sounds, and Luhan's face scrunched up into an exasperated look, as though he was dealing with a kid rather than an eighteen year old girl. I had to admit, I was acting a bit difficult when he'd gone out of his way to give me something, but I guess there was a part of me that really liked teasing him, no matter what. 

"Open it." 

I looked up, right into his eyes. They were glittering with a silver light, except there were also swirls of brown and mocha present, b with emotion I couldn't decipher. 

I hated that. I hated the way he looked at me. 

As if he saw everything but what I disliked the most about myself. 

And I hated that I liked it, I liked how he looked at me and I hated the fact that I liked his attention, his care, his devotion. Everything. 

But it felt like my hands had a life of their own, like they had no connection with my brain whatsoever because when I looked down again, I saw the present, unravelled and unboxed, my hands already on the object he brought me. 

I felt a gasp hitch at the back of my throat and contained it. 

In my hand was a necklace, simple and silver, catching the light of the porch and glinting like stars. 

Attached to it was a pendant. It was so small and dainty that I had to squint to take a closer look, letting my gaze focus. 

For the second time that night, I had to stop myself from gasping like a damsel in distress. 

The pendant was shaped like a wolf. 

It howled at the moon, defined and precisely made, as though the crafter itself had fingers of a fairy. 

"I made it." 

My head snapped up, eyes wide, "You're lying." 

He shook his head, taking a cautious step towards me, "Wolves are warm beings. I just used my warmth to bend the metal." 

I didn't want to believe that this-- this beautifully crafted artifact that was so delicate, so ladylike, so fine-- was made by the wolf standing right in front of me. 

"I know you've been having a lot of nightmares even since you got attacked," he reasoned when I gazed long and hard at him, as though I was probing him in explaining himself due to the overwhelming confusion taking over my brain, "So I thought maybe this might help you, whenever you feel unsafe." 

He then added, "There's a little bit of onyx embedded in it. It's a symbol of power. It might help you ward off evil whenever you're in trouble." 

I didn't know what to say, what to do. 

My mother had never brought me any gifts ever since my dad left. We never celebrated Christmas, nor Thanksgiving, nor the New Year. Every single time there was to be a party to attend to or any kind of social event that we were invited to, she'd refuse to go out and lock herself in, cry herself to sleep and get drunk on alcohol. I'd had to make a way for myself, to find ways to earn money where I could pay my education, get part-time jobs and manage the house on my own ever since. 

Getting something as significant as this, getting something so meaningful, it made me want to cry. 

But my instincts told me to hold it in, not because it was Luhan. Heck, Luhan saw me cry before. 

But because my ego was too strong, my pride too flared up to be broken down. 

I wanted to thank him, wanted to tell him how much that meant to me, wanted him to know that right now, in this moment, I had never felt so special, as though I counted in someone's life, as though I was appreciated for who I was. It felt like a badge of honor, a star I would wear pinned to my chest. But I was awkward with words, stumbled over them like a child would try to walk when he only knew how to crawl. I didn't want to make a fool of myself either.

So I did the only thing I could. 

And that was walk straight up to him and wrap my arms around his neck, the necklace still dangling from my fingers.

I didn't hesitate. The warmth in my chest was engulfing me, swirling with emotion. I felt Luhan's presence like another being right by my side, egging me on, tantalizing me with desire, a sparkle of electricity running through my veins and making my head go dizzy. 

The bond was pulling me in, and for once in my life, I listened to it. 

I didn't wait.

I leaned in boldly and, with a slight glance of hesitation at his surprised expression, dropped a chaste kiss upon his mouth. 

I let my lips linger for a while, sharing the same air, breathing in Luhan's scent, Luhan's taste on my lips. I mine unconsciously, wanting for more but not wanting to go overboard either. He was probably already so confused as it was. 

His gaze was a flaming torch scorching through my skull, but I looked right into his eyes and didn't look away. I let myself feel the emotion, the tangled warmth of knots and strings that felt as though my soul was being pulled to his, twining and twisting and turning together in a mess of desire and love and affection. 

When I finally willed my body to pull back slightly and get a better look at his face, he gulped. 

"You're welcome?" He said it like a question, dazed from my sudden attack. A surge of triumph went through me at the thought that I had just as much effect on him that he had on me. 

I bit my lip but the smile stretched right through, and before I knew it, I was chuckling at his reaction. It was adorable and I let myself bask in that feeling, knowing that this wasn't something I normally did. Letting myself think about how good he actually looked standing in front of me, letting myself scan his body and appreciate him as an individual, as someone that I see myself liking-- loving, even, in the near future. 

I felt arms surround me. I got pulled to his chest and gasped. 

Looking up with my hands still tangled behind his neck, I bit my lip at the sudden closeness, the spark of electricity in the air, "What?" 

A smirk graced his face, "That was sneaky, sweetheart." 

"I--" my gaze flickered down to his lips, went back up again, "--don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?" I felt the laughter in his tone, his hand tracing up my neck while the other sat on my hip tenderly, like a caress, barely noticeable and barely there, even. "You really don't know?"

"Nope." I looked everywhere but at him. 

He chuckled once more, the deep sound resonating from his chest. And before I could even blink, he leaned in to capture my lips in his.

A stifled gasp died at the back of my throat as I felt a burning fire coiling up through my limbs, my chest, pumping my heart with desire and attraction. I stumbled from the intensity of his kiss, and Luhan didn't hesitate to slant his lips more insistently against mine while gently nibbling on my lower lip. Sparks flew at the back of my eyelids, feeling his stoic, hard frame pressing onto my soft curves until my back met the cool wooden surface of the wall. 

I gasped again, my hands unconsciously taking a life of their own and tangling up through his brown locks while his lips passionately stained mine, mouths dancing with each other, searching each other, like an embrace that was to be given and yet given back again. His hand, initially settled at my waist, slowly slid through my shirt. The warmth of his palm against the coolness of the night air sent shivers dancing along the back of my spine and I couldn't help the small moan falling from my lips. At that sound, I felt Luhan smile into the kiss before a surge of rebellion woke up the tiger in me. 

It wasn't fair that I was the only one affected in all this. 

One of my hands dropped to his back, went under his shirt, drawing circles along the back of his spine. I was rewarded when the wolf shivered and groaned, his body pressing onto mine and gasping into my mouth when I tugged onto his strands and ran my fingers along his scalp. 

When we parted, it was only because it was getting too hard to breathe. My gaze flitted downwards and I kept my eyes strained on his t-shirt, not wanting to look up for I knew that I'd only be faced with endless teasing, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to face that yet. 

Luhan suddenly reached out and pulled my hands to the front, grabbing onto the necklace that still dangled from my fingers, forgotten due to the small encounter we've had. I opened my mouth to say something smart or witty, maybe a sarcastic comment as to how he looked ridiculous with his hair all messed up (although he probably would know I was lying considering he always looked good) but before I could voice out my opinion, he grabbed onto my shoulders and turned me around, pushing my hair over my shoulder as he tied passed the necklace around my neck and tied it at the back. 

"I didn't know you were so romantic." I had to say something to break the ice, but somehow that was the only thing that could get out of my mouth. I felt like slapping myself twice across the face, wondering where the hell do I even get these kind of comebacks when clearly it wasn't what I genuinely felt inside. 

He snorted, "You underestimate me, sweetheart." 

"Considering you were always a jackass, how could I not?" I retorted back. 

Warm breath washed over my neck and made my skin tingle with heat. He was close, I could feel it like second skin. He slowly lifted my hair back to place it back so that it tumbled down my back, but before he did so, I felt the ghost of his lips gently skimming over the skin at my neck, sending a series of butterflies fluttering up and down my stomach while his voice is a soft murmur at the shell of my ear, "Is that so?" 

"Oh, stop it." I turned around to push him away, but he grabbed onto my wrists in a swift motion, pulling me against him once again while a soft smile dances across his lips, making his eyes twinkle silver and brown in the limelight of the porch, dimly carving shadows in his face. 

"I'm guessing you like it, then." He said with a tone that sounded more like mischief than affection. I was debating whether to slap that stupid grin off his face. How was it that he pissed me off at every chance he got and yet I felt attracted to him like he was the right flower and I was the stupidly foolish bee? 

I didn't reply, but I think that my face betrayed me, for I felt my lips unwillingly pull up into a half-smile, which caused his own lips to break into a -eating grin. 

He pulled me closer without any hesitation, my nose finding the space between his neck and collarbone, his scent enveloping me in a soft cocoon of warmth and buzzing affection, it was like everything felt right when he was here, so close to me, as though our thoughts were becoming one, communicating with each other and going back and forth, laced with intimacy and with a sense that he understood exactly what I felt and what I wanted. 

His lips parted at my ear as I glimpsed of the snowflakes gently floating to the ground like cotton candy. 

"Merry Christmas." 

IT'S BEEN YEARS, I KNOW. 

Slowly, I'm trying to get back into it slowly. I've neglected this story far too much and I'm dissappointing you guys, I know. I've said sorry so many times but I'll say it again because that's the only thing I can say :( But slowly, I'm trying to get back on track and get this fic finished asap because I don't want to delete it nor uncontinue it. It's not in my nature to give up on stories specially not good ones like these, so I apologize if I'm taking my time with this one :( 

Thanks for reading, as always! I love you all, thanks for supporting this story although I'm such a y author. 

love, 

-nutmeggu