Turns out that my results weren't as bad as I thought they would be, for I managed to score a 75% average, with a good solid eighty on my biology exam which I had studied my off. That made me really happy, considering that I didn't think of myself as an academic individual in the first place. The fact that I even managed to pass my maths exam was somewhat of a miracle. 

Soon enough, application deadlines for universities and colleges were slowly starting to creep up on my calendar, causing the pressure to rise within me whenever I thought of what exactly I wanted to do with my life. Some part of me wanted to be of help to society, wanted to give a helping hand to the people who needed it the most and yet, I wasn't sure how I'd be able to do that. I wasn't the best at communicating my feelings and thoughts, much less adapt at understanding others. So how was I even supposed to help them if I couldn't emphasize or sympathize with them? 

Luhan was more than ecstatic, jumping up and down and practically throwing me in the air as he laughed in joy. I reprimanded him, asking why he seemed happier than I was, when he told me straight out how concerned he's been since he could smell the anxiety and fear that had managed to consume my entire being during the week prior to that. I forgot that we were closer than never, connected by a link that I couldn't see yet was so tangible I could practically reach out and feel it with my fingers if I really wanted to. The rest of the pack was just as happy at my success and they decided to throw a small party on the weekend itself, although Krystal had confessed that it had been more of an excuse to unwind after all the trepidation of events that had occured throughout the past few months. What with the random coyotes and the newly found mates, it had definitely been an eventful year for the pack and they were more than happy to be able to lay back and relax for a little while. 

"So who are we inviting to this party?" I asked the group girls one Thursday night on the eve of the party. We were busy washing the dishes; me soaping and Sarang rinsing while Krystal and Taehee dried them off. Haerim proceeded to put everything back in place and the low hum of the wolves' voices filtered through the living room, a nice comforting sound to end the day. 

"Definitely Melody." Haerim's voice held so much mischief that I turned to look at her 

"Now that's an idea." Taehee chirped, "What do you guys think of her?" 

"She didn't talk much when she was here," Krystal lifted one shoulder in a shrug, "But she must've probably felt uncomfortable with all of us around." 

"That's true. Did you see how Kyungsoo looked at her though?" Taehee wrapped her arms around herself and giggled slightly like a little schoolgirl daydreaming about her crush, "He's keeping his distance but I can totally tell from his face." 

"So you don't think that Melody being a Kitsune is a threat?" I directed my gaze towards Haerim. The older girl returned my gaze with a firmness that suggested she believed this would work out somehow, "I think that the myth is just a whole load of bull. And I hope that Melody realizes that too, soon enough."

"I hope so too." Mihye's voice echoed through the room and we turned to greet the older female that spread her arms in a gesture of help, only to get pushed away by Haerim and ordered to sit down for a change. 

"I talked to her briefly," Sarang said then, sparking interest in the group, "She didn't seem like she had any bad intentions. I think she's just having a rough time." 
"Why'd you say that?" I asked with a frown. 

"I think it's cause she's just afraid of hurting people," Sarang said, "She spent her whole life being told not to do this, not to do that. It's probably really hard for her to open up even though she wants to." 

"That's true." Haerim added as she put away the last dish. I turned off the water after rinsing the sponge while Sarang dried her hands onto the dishtowel. We then scuttled into the living room and were faced with twelve pairs of eyes swivelling our way, wolves finding their mates' gaze and my own brown orbs finding Luhan's amidst the crowd as if I already knew where he was without even having to glance twice. 

He offered me a small smirk, to which I replied with a roll of my eyes before walking over to him. The rest of the girls had settled themselves with their respective mates and I took a seat on the couch, grabbing a hold of the blanket he had snuggled up into as Sehun and Jongin battled over what kind of movie we were to watch tonight. 

"You chose the movie last time," Jongin scowled at the younger wolf, who only pulled out his tongue had hid behind Haerim as he quickly switched the channel. Sarang pulled Jongin back, murmuring into his ear as he gave up with a slight growl in Sehun's direction. 

Everyone was up bright and early the next morning. I had decided to take a day off from work in order to help around in the house, because apparently the rest of the guys had invited some of their other pack friends over and that meant food. Some of the pack hadn't been able to get off their shifts, but those that did had driven down to the grocery store to get some drinks and snacks for our guests, while the other girls had started decorating the place and organized the house so that there was enough seating for everyone. Sarang and I had decided that we would be of help to the kitchen, and thankfully Kyungsoo had decided that some of the dishes would have to be ordered due to the lack of time. But he'd tossed aprons at both Sarang and I before assigning us to our respective roles that very morning. I got to barbeque the meat outside while Sarang got stuck shredding all the vegetables, to which she had grumbled slightly as Kyungsoo turned away to prepare the hot dogs. 

"Why can't I grill the meat?" She whined at Kyungsoo like a small puppy, to which he threw her a pointed look, "I trust Seulmi more with the meat. Last time you tried you almost burnt down the whole house." 

"That's not true and you know it," Sarang protested, crossing her arms, "That was all Jongin's fault."
"I heard that!" Came Jongin's voice from the other room. Sarang shouted back, "Good! Look how I'm suffering because of you!" 

Kyungsoo shook his head and murmured something along the lines of 'annoying mates' underneath his breath. But I caught on and nudged his side before giving him a pointed stare of my own. If he was about to complain about mates, then he shouldn't be talking too fast now that he actually could put his finger on his significant other. 

He scowled back but didn't say anything as he proceeded to soak the frozen meat in the sink to thaw it out.

I couldn't help laughing at his expression, "You look like you got a needle stuck up your ." 

"Oh shut up," he grumbled back, "You were just like that a few months ago." 

"It'll be good, Kyungsoo." I tell him with an understanding smirk, "I promise you. It's not that bad." 

He snorted, "Look who's talking." 

"Exactly. So you should take me as an example. Nothing could be worst than this," I motioned towards myself, "Right?"

Kyungsoo grumbled some more incoherent words but fell silent, which I took as a silent agreement to my statement. Satisfied, I made my way out with the meat in my hands and proceeded to light the barbeque to get the fire started. When I got some decent heat rolling off the grill, I placed a few pieces of chicken legs and hummed softly to myself as I waited for them to turn golden brown and crisp. 

The day was gorgeous; blue skies without any sign of clouds in the horizon. It was warm enough to shed my thick coat, with the after effects of winter still reeling. But it was clearly getting warmer as the year went on, and I thought it funny how so many things had changed within a year of me knowing Luhan. A year ago I wouldn't hvae imagined myself to be here, a year ago he was just a crazy, annoying human that kept popping up at random places that I thought was stalking me to no end. And now, look where we were. 

Look how far we came. 

Something me. 

I yelped, jumping back on impulse before I caught sight of the silver grey wolf with its mouth curved upwards as if reminiscent of smirk while its eyes crinkled slightly as though it was laughing at me.

Stupid Luhan, I thought to myself, "ing scared me, man." 

He titled his head, the smile still present as he pattered over to knudge my side with his snout. I looked down at him with a raised brow, "You're not getting anything, if that's what you were expecting." 

He whined a little and though I felt my heart soften at the sound -- I had a soft spot for animals that whined okay?-- I wasn't about to give in to his frenzies. If he wanted some grilled chicken then he should wait like everybody else. Ignoring his presence, I proceeded to flip the meat while saying, "Keep staring. Your eyes might fall off." 

Before I could blink, I felt his hands wrapping around my waist, a surge of warmth glowing from the heat of his palms as his chest pressed against my back. I gasped, head swivelling up to meet his eyes with shock and slight embarassment at the precarious position that we've taken. 

"Wh-What do you think you're doing?!" I stammered out with heat crawling up my neck at the prospect of having him so close. Sure, I got used to cuddling up with him, but having him in my personal space in broad daylight seemed like a completely different affair that threw me off my axis altogether. 

And did I mention how cute he looked with his dishevelled hair and casual white t-shirt and jeans that he could pull off like a model? No? 

You'll thank me later. 

Luhan's eyes were sparkling like a doe's and I almost got jealous because of how pretty they looked with the reflection of the sun bouncing off his irises, "I'm not doing anything," He replied innocently, "I'm just helping my girlfriend out."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah right. What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to help the rest of the boys out?" 

"I was," He jerked his chin towards the house, and before I could say anything else, he turned me around with a firm grip on my hips so that I could look beyond the windowsill looking into the kitchen, just in time to spot Jongin bending down to press a kiss onto Sarang's nose. 

My own nose scrunched up at his action, "Thanks. I think I might throw up now." 

"Why sweetheart, that's not what you said last night--" 

I slapped my palm over his lips, but the mischief glimmered through his eyes, "Shut up," I scowled with narrowed eyes.

He pulled my hand away, his own quickly slipping down my wrist and tangling themselves with my fingers. A small smile danced across his face, "You don't look too bad with charcoal on your face."

"What?" my hand instinctively shot up to wipe at my cheek, but he beat me to it. He gently wiped the dirt off my cheek with his thumb, patting my face gently in affection, "Yeah, I think I liked you better with the dirt on." 

"Not my fault that you have bad taste." I scoffed, turning to set the grilled meat aside before replacing it with another batch. I could feel Luhan's gaze as I worked and it made me slightly uncomfortable that he was staring so insistently. Of all days, why did he have to be so close when I probably smelt like burnt charcoal and sweat? 

"I think I've smelt you in worst conditions, Seulmi. It's fine." he suddenly said. 

I flushed, "I told you to stop reading my mind. You're not supposed to see all that stuff." 

"I can't help it," he shrugs, "You practically scream it out loud. See? He points at the air as though words are actually floating in space like bubbles, "Your embarassment is glowing bright pink." 

"Oh shut up, Luhan." 

"I'm serious though," he persisted, "I can see your thoughts." 

For a minute, I doubted his ability. Could it actually be a thing? Werewolves were just so weird. "you're kidding, right?" 

"No, I can actually see it." Luhan kept pointing at the air, "see? Now the letters are moving along with your thoughts." 

I took a minute to ponder over what he was saying, but then he burst out laughing upon seeing my expression and I realized that he had been making fun of me all along. 

"Oh my god!" he couldn't stop folding in half and holding his stomach, "Oh my god. You're so gullible, sweetheart."

"Very ing funny, Luhan" I snapped, "Just piss off." 

But he kept on laughing and laughing so loudly that he could practically be rolling on the floor in tears. I huffed, growing more and more irritated at his teasing, specially when it frustrated me to no end. I don't know why I let myself get so affected by his antics, for I should've been used to it by now. But somehow it riled me up to see him make fun of everything I did. It pissed me off and I didn't care if that was childish. 

It pissed me off even more that I even let myself be affected by such useless, stupid things. 

Luhan probably felt the swirling anger that was busy simmering at the bottom of my stomach, for he grabbed onto my hand before tugging me to him. I resisted, avoiding his gaze and deciding to focus on the meat instead. 

"Come on, sweetheart. I was just teasing you," He tugged a little bit harder, but I quickly whipped my arm away to show that I was more than a little annoyed and that he should probably get lost before I snapped his head off. But he persisted, backhugging me once more as his head came round to stare at my face as I worked. 

I flipped the meat over, "Don't you have anything else to do?" 

I hoped that he heard the tone of my voice. Because I really just wanted him to leave me alone. 

"I do," He remarked, "But you're mad at me." 

"Very perceptive, einstein." 

"Fine, fine. I'm sorry." I felt his gaze at the corner of my eye but I barely gave him a second glance. He nudged my cheek with his nose, but I still ignored him, giving him a dose of his own medicine. 

"Seriously? You're going to stay mad at me?" there was the scratch of a wine at the back of his throat. I was about to snap back a snarky answer, only to get interrupted. 

He pecked my cheek. 

He peeked at me hesitantly from the side, "Are you still mad now?" 

I nodded. And he kissed my cheek again, this time lips lingering a little bit longer. "And now?" 

I sighed in exasperation, "Luhan, kissing me won't change any-- Hey!" He cut me off with another kiss, and another, and another as I shrieked at the sudden attack. Trying to pull away from his embrace, it was no use as he tightened his grip and proceeded to pepper another bunch of kisses over the side of my face, grinning. I couldn't help but laugh as I tried to push his face away, only to have him persistently his face into my own before nuzzling my cheek with his nose. 

"Okay, okay. Fine!" I yelped as he landed another kiss on the edge of my nose, "I give up. I'm not mad at you anymore!" 

"You mean it?" He challenged, eyes flashing with amusement. 

"Yes!" 

"Fine," relaxing his hold, he let me move around in his embrace as I hurriedly put another set of chicken legs to grill. From the back, we heard Kyungsoo's shout, "I don't care what you guys do, but if you burn the meat then you're dead! Do you hear me?!" 

I flinched while Luhan yelled back a "Yes ma'am" and proceeded to snigger as Kyungsoo turned his attention back to Sarang's handiwork in the kitchen. My own lips curved into smile as I exchanged knowing looks with the silver-eyed wolf, for we both knew that once Kyungsoo would get a taste of what it felt like to have a mate, he'd undestand the power of that bond. 

As if reading my thoughts -- which I bet he did -- he said, "I can't wait to see him and his mate together." 

"You think they'll be able to manage? What with the curse and everything." 

"Even if it is true, I'm sure Kyungsoo will find a way," Luhan looked down at me, face softening slightly, "We always do." 

I nodded. That was true. I don't think there had ever been a moment where these wolves had failed, whether it was in their mission to do so or not. They were loyal and they were like family, two things that bonded them together and made everything possible. 

Evening was a soft orange glow sweeping through the house as the light of the day ebbed away and disappeared behind the trees. It cast a golden halo around the house as we took turns washing up and getting dressed more appropriately for the event, before our first guests rang the doorbell. I heard the commotion downstairs and I saw Haerim's smirk in the reflection, her lips curved upwards as she tied the necklace at the back of my neck. 

"Can you tell me why you're smiling?" I narrowed my eyes at her, for I knew that there was more behind that particular smile. Haerim was good at managing her facial expressions, and that was one that she intended me to see. 

She looked smug when she answered, "It's nothing. Just excited that you and Luhan's relationship seems to be taking off quite well." 

I flushed, "Shut up." 

"Seulmi, it's written all over your face," She laughed, "You can't deny that." 

"I'm not--" realizing that I couldn't say anything to that, I backtracked, "I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Sure, as if I didn't see that little scene in the garden," she nudged me slightly and giggled, probably noticing how flushed I had become. I was pretty sure that Luhan could hear us even though he wasn't physically present. They had a way of knowing things, and I couldn't help but grumble at the lack of privacy. It was more than annoying at how there were no secrets in the pack and everybody knew of everybody's business. 

I whirled around and threw her the scariest glare I could muster, "You didn't see anything." I said lamely, unable to cover up for the indiscretion and cursing Luhan mentally in my mind. 

I bet he could hear me. I could also bet that he was laughing his off at my embarassment. 

"It's fine," she flipped away my embarassment with a dismissive flick of her hand, "You don't have to feel embarassed, Seulmi. We all went through that." She glanced at the closed door before continuing, "Imagine; even I was like that with Sehun and it bugged me to no end how affected I was everytime he was in the same room as me. It was like lighting my skin on fire." 

"Seriously speaking though," I gazed into my own brown orbs, watching the light of the evening sun glow through the mirror and reflecting back into them, "I don't like how I'm the only one feeling so many things. He looks so in control, as if he doesn't feel anything." I look at Haerim, "Please tell me that's not a one way thing, cause that wouldn't be fair." 

"God no," She burst out laughing, "Of course he feels it too. He's just better at hiding it. He's got years and years of experience from it, don't forget that." 

"Right." I grimaced at myself. Why, oh why, of all wolves, I had to pick one that knew what he was doing? 

"Hey, if that's any help, It was more embarassing to have a new fledgling cub trying to woo me." Haerim said.

The thought of it was just as unnapealling. My grimace turned into a scowl and I was about to mutter a witty remark back when Krystal burst through the door, "The lynx pack is here, and Junhoe's brought his mate along." 

"No way" Our jaws dropped at the mention of Junhoe's mate, and I wondered how his pack had taken the revelation considering that she was of a different species. I hurriedly made my way down with Haerim in toy and Krystal taking the lead, practically falling into the living room before catching sight of our guests settled comfortably in the assorted chairs the girls had organized in a way to make space for movement. 

"SeulmI!" Donghyuk's voice caused my head to turn just in time to see the male practically suffocating me with a huge bear hug. I reciprocated the action, bearing in mind the blazing fire that was Luhan's gaze practically scorching through my back as I did so. 

"I missed you at the shop today," he pouted. I ruffled his hair in affection, "Dude, it was just a day." 

"I know but still. You wouldn't believe how many times the manager told us off for not wiping the tables properly," He said, rolling his eyes, "Seriously, like I can't already see my reflection on there." 

I chuckled, "who knows how many germs you left on there as well." 

"Excuse me, that table should be honored to have my germs." 

"Your feline germs." 

He gave me a look of mock horror, "hey, leave my feline germs alone!"

Junhoe's head suddenly pops up in my peripheral, and I manage to throw Donghyuk's arm off to give him a smile, "Hey, how are you?" 

He flashes a smile of his own, "Couldn't be better." 

"Yeah, Junhoe's got a woman now," Donghyu's lip jutted out into a pout, "He ain't got no time for the guys."

"Bull," the said lynx shoved him playfully and Donghyuk pulled out his tongue before he got called by someone else. As he diverted his attention, I managed to murmur softly enough so that only Junhoe could hear: 

"How did they take it?" 

"Pretty well, actually." He replied back, eyes crinkling with unsaid emotions, "They didn't kick me out the moment they heard it, which was a pretty good reaction considering she wasn't even human but an entirely different lycanthrope altogether."

"I bet it must've been hard to digest." 

Junhoe nodded in agreement, "It was hard at first because they didn't know what they could do to help, nor did they know whether it was all possible really. But it got better once they got to know her as herself, not as the weird mate who's not even the same species." He chuckled quite amiably, "Speaking of which," He turned as though he'd felt her presence all along, and grabbed onto the girl that had been hiding behind his back all along before pulling her to his side. 
Upon closer inspection, I noticed the glasses framing her face and her attempt to dodge my gaze. She hid behind her bangs, eyes downcast as if the floor was more of her interest, with thick brown locks that reached to her shoulders and a small, petite frame that was practically drowned by Junhoe's tallness. 

"This is Fei. Fei, that's Seulmi. The girl I was talking to you about." 

Fei glanced up shyly, a hint of a timid smile gracing her features as she bowed, "Nice to meet you." 

I greeted her back, winking at Junhoe out of the corner of my eye in approval. She was the cutest thing I laid eyes upon and Junhoe was definitely a lucky man. While she looked like a newborn lamb and Junhoe wasn't exactly the definition of a stereotypical good guy you'd instantly trust your gut with on the street, the chemistry that sizzled between them was one that baffled me. It almost felt as though to touch it would mean to get a shock.

More guests trickled in as the evening went on and the party started. Low ambient music made its way out of the speakers as I attempted to exchange a few pleasantries with a few boys from another pack. They were Suho's distant cousins and if I wasn't mistaken, the one with the smiling eyes and gentle face was named Hoseok, while the one that looked like an anime character fallen from heaven went by the name of Taehyung. They kept me entertained for a while with a good sense of humour as we dove straight in to real conversation and skipped small talk altogether. I could feel Luhan's growing possessiveness as the night wore on, and finally excused myself when the heat radiating from his stare was getting too much for me to handle. 

As per my gut feeling, I found him in the kitchen with his fingers curled around a beer can and wearing a grim expression. He scowled at me as our eyes met. "wow, who do we have here?" He said with dripping sarcasm. 

I huffed, folding my arms over my chest as I contemplated his little jealousy act, "What? Are you gonna go all territorial on me?" 

"Did I say anything that would make you think so?" Was his stubborn reply. 

I rolled my eyes, "You are such a kid." 

He kept silent and decided to look away, silver eyes blazing with irritation. I didn't have to hear the words falling from his mouth to know that he was slightly annoyed at the fact that I spent most of my night with other people while completely forgetting about his existence for a little while. But wasn't that the goal of having a party? To socialize with people and get to know them better? 

Was he really going to be childish about it and sulk in a corner? 

I didn't want to fight again for something so trivial, and deciding to be the bigger person, I strode over to the kitchen counter, grabbed a beer and settled myself at his side, which earned me a raised eyebrow from the said man. 

"So," I attempted to change the subject as I popped open the can and took a sip, "Nice party, huh?" 

He smoothly whipped the can out of my grasp before I even saw his hand coming. Yelping slightly in surprise, I throw him a glare, "Give it back." 

"Minors aren't allowed to drink." he stated. 

"And I've been drinking since I was fifteen," I replied sassily. I reached out my hand for the can, "Give it back."

He hummed as if contemplating, before smirking, "How about no?"
"You're really going to play this game?" 

"What if I am?" 

I tried not to let it get to me, but couldn't help but snap in frustration, "You're so ing annoying." 

I knew it was a lost cause and so decided that it was useless to try and get it out of his grasp, considering his height and the fact that his reflexes were much better than mine. But he gave it back as soon as I stopped protesting, and I whipped it away from him violently to showcase my irritation.

What a nice way to ruin my evening, I grumbled to myself.

"What do you think about Fei?" was Luhan's sudden question. I chortled, for it was all too obvious that he was trying his best to lighten up the dampened mood that he was responsible for. 

"She's cute." I muttered, "She looks like a nice person." Before throwing him a nasty look to emphasize my point.

"I'm a nice person." he retorted.

"Excuse me?" I snorted, "You're kidding, right?" 

"I am where it counts." 

"Yeah, other than that you're just a ." 

"Oh come on sweetheart," His arm suddenly wrapped around my waist and pulled me close, causing a soft gasp to die at the back of my throat. My gaze flew up and clashed with his own silver orbs shining with softness, "if that's any help, I think you're doing a great job at tolerating my presence." 

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." 

"No seriously," His expression was one of seriousness, the furrow in his eyebrows creating a shadow. He averted his eyes then, like he was suddenly taken over by embarassment, "Thank you, for being here." 

The witty reply on the tip of my tongue melted along with the rest of my sarcasm. He was being brutally honest and maybe it was the alcohol. But I needed to stop being surprised at Luhan's sudden bluntness that came and went whenever he felt like it. He wasn't one to talk about his feelings, and the fact that he was genuinely thanking me meant something to him. What with all the trouble and trust issues he had with Vivian, it was no wonder that he always felt insecure about his mate and constantly asking himself whether he was worthy enough of being loved. The thought of that alone stirred some empathy within my stomach. 

After all, Luhan was just as human as I was. He still felt things, and right now he was letting himself be vulnerable.

I was too caught up in my own world of thoughts that I didn't realize the warmth of his breath on my cheek, before his nose nudged the side of my head. He breathed in shakily, taking me in as the hand at my waist pulled me even closer if that was possible. I felt the heat traveling from his body to mine, and shivered. The electricity that coursed through our bodies and strung the bond together like pieces of wire sparked fireworks behind my eyelids, and it would be a blatant lie to say that I wasn't affected by it. 

This man, who first was a stranger, was now someone I couldn't even imagine living without. This man, who gave me everything without me having to ask, who was always doing his best to make me happy despite the circumstances, who protected me like it was his own life, was someone that I should hold on to with both hands, no matter what. 

And, I told myself, I needed to realize how lucky I was. Pushing the weird werewolf mating process aside, Luhan was everything I could ask for. And although I kept kidding myself that he was doing this because of the bond (which in part, was the truth), there was just something about him, something about everything he did, that made me feel worth much more than just a mate chosen by fate. He treated me as if he had a choice to make, and he showed me that this choice in question was the best one he could ever make.

"Please don't let me interrupt."

Baekhyun's voice seared through and caused us to jump apart as though electrocuted by his words. I stumbled back and my arm hit the fridge out of surprise, which caused a soft yelp to erupt from my mouth. In seconds, Luhan had made a grab for my said injured limb and examined the skin, narrowing his eyes at the said intruder.

Baekhyun didn't even flinch under the older wolf's gaze, reaching out for some rum and coke before pouring each in his glass. "Hey, this is a public space. Don't you dare look at me like that."

"You didn't have to scare her,." came Luhan's hiss. 

"God, it's barely a scratch." Baekhyun rolled his eyes, "It's not like she's bleeding to death or something, are you Seulmi?" 

I threw Baekhyun a smile, lips curving dangerously and eyes telling him to get lost before I set off my temper on him, "Sure." I let out through gritted teeth. 

It was only when the younger wolf bid us goodbye with a smirk on his playful lips that Luhan's countenance relaxed beside me. He breathed out a breath, and I chuckled at his attitude. I didn't even have time to get hurt and he was alread on to me like a mother hen. 

"What?" he asked upon noticing my stare, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh you know, it's just cute," I couldn't hold back another snigger, which caused him to throw me the same glare. I continued on persisting, getting back at him for all this teasing from earlier. "You're whipped." 

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, "I'm what?" 

"Whipped. Totally whipped." 

"No I'm not!" I felt a wave of frustration crash into me, and giggled some more at his overreaction. Luhan throwing a tantrum was the cutest thing ever and I never imagined myself saying such a thing. 

"You totally are." 

"I'm not." 

If he could stomp his feet on the ground, he totally would. My smile grew wider. "You so are--" I yelped upon feelings his arms caging me, body pressed against the counter and his own, while he looked into my eyes, dark and serious and brooding. And pissed. 
"You don't scare me, you know that right?" I said, though he clearly picked up on the stammering heartbeats resonating through my chest. 

"Sure," He leaned closer and I drew back on instinct, hating how quickly he had me eating out of his hand, "Say what you want, sweetheart." 

His lips covered mine in the most sinful kiss. Groaning against his mouth, I felt electric sizzles dancing up and down my spine and managed not to collapse under the pressure of the emotion I felt coursing through my blood as if I was on an adrenaline spike. Luhan's hands on my hips shifted, and before I knew it he had propelled me up onto the counter, settling himself between my legs as he kept kissing me like it was the last time we'd see each other. His mouth tasted sweet and soft and warm at the same time, fireworks were exploding around in my brain as I grabbed onto his back and smoothed my fingers out over his spine. He shivered in delight, a groan erupting from the back of his throat, lips still seeking mine. 

His teeth suddenly bit down on my bottom lip, and as I gasped, he took this opportunity to delve his tongue in and meet mine in an exotic dance that only we could understand. It took all my energy not to let out a moan at the way he was kissing me, my fingers tightening over his shirt and feeling the desire pulse through my body like a need. Warmth pooled beneath my stomach and as he slowly backed away from the intense kiss, I saw the mirroring expression in his silver orbs, ones that told me of the battles going through his mind.

He practically growled before looking away. I surveyed his actions, and wondered what was going on through that head of his when I got a whiff of all his emotional restraint. 

I flushed. Is that what he'd been thinking of all along? I couldn't help but ask myself and it was like he heard me. He looked at me with his jaw slightly agape, "I-I didn't--" 

I shook my head, "It's fine." 

"No it's not," He bit his lip and tried to stammer out a response, "I shouldn't-- that's not what I was thinking of, really." 

I had to smile. He looked more agitated at the thought of being misunderstood, annoyed that I would think of such a thing of him, and it was really cute how concerned he was with how I viewed him. I nudged him and he moved aside, watching me with wary eyes as I hopped off the counter and then asked with a small snigger, "Can't keep your little wolf tamed now, can you?" 

He flushed bright red with embarassment. I don't think I've ever seen his ears burning with such a red tint. It was adorable. He was adorable. 

"Come on," I grabbed his hand and pulled him along with me and towards the party, "Let's go mingle with the people." 

For once, he decided to let me lead the way, and my lips curled upwards as I thought: I could get used to this side of Luhan. 

Melody didn't like parties.

She hated the noise, the music, the amount of people that swarmed around her and stuck to her sides with their sweaty skin. It smelt of a stuffiness, of human bodies rocking together, of skin brushing against skin.

Parties were like ual parodies of , where everyone made out with just anyone. If you were lucky, you'd manage to get your hands on someone you actually found decent. All through high school she'd had to survive through these countless nights, shoving off random guys trying to her or others who not-so-sublty slipped weird things in her drinks. She never joined in the fun with her friends although they told her what kind of a party pooper she was, but Melody was proud of being different. After all, she didn't need anybody to affirm her identity. She knew who she was and that alone was enough.

But this party. This party was quite different. 

First off, she'd never been surrounded with so many lycanthropes at the same time. 

And second, people weren't grinding onto each other the first chance they got! That was what she called progress! 

But Melody, despite all this, still felt alienated, felt like she was regarded as one that wasn't included into the group. Although there were also Lynxes present, she still felt like she stuck out like a sore foot. 

"Hey." 

She turned just in time to catch Kyungsoo's gaze in the dim light of the living room. It reflected off his face and made him appear mature, as if the angles of his face were lit precisely for a purpose. 

Kyungsoo wasn't her type. The moment she'd laid eyes on him, she wondered why she had turned out with a guy on a short side, with wide eyes like a surprised child, and a face without any distinguishable oriental features. Melody's type veered more towards the feminine looking, oriental traits that made one appear fragile and delicate, and Kyungsoo was literally out of these expectations. 

She wondered absentmindedly if she was his type. Probably not, considering they had been ill-fated from the very beginning. 

"Hey," she replied back, taking a sip from her drink and averting her eyes to her party when she felt his own gracing her face. 

A significant pause followed, before he said, "I didn't think you'd come." 

Melody's eyes flickered to him, "Why?" She muttered. 
"I don't know," Kyungsoo rubbed the back of his neck. She could sense his discomfort from miles away, "I wasn't entirely sure parties were your style." 

"They're not." She took a sip of her drink and let the alcohol swish around her tongue, "I hate parties. Not that kind, but parties in general." 

"Let's go somewhere quieter." He suggested. She was taken aback by his bluntness, and yet didn't have time to protest for he turned and started walking away from her. Cursing under her breath at his lack of indiscretion, she pushed past the throng of bodies and managed to follow his figure to the backdoor, where he held it open for her. She stepped through and onto the back porch, the wind fluttering through her clothes and washing away any sign of sweatiness and stuffiness she had been feeling inside, and as if on instinct, Melody's lips parted to let out a sigh. 

Kyungsoo's gaze was on her face, she could feel it practically sorching through her skin and causing her nerves to tingle like crazy. She felt uncomfortable under his stare, but before she could voice out her thoughts, she felt his eyes slide away to look at the darkness of the yard instead. 

"Okay seriously," She couldn't help it anymore and had to say something to stop him from staring. It was getting too suffocating to have him eyeball her at every chance he got, especially with those huge eyeballs of his. They were like goldfish. They could be cute and adorable, but right now it was just creeping her the hell out, "What is it? Is there something you want to say?" 

Kyungsoo cleared his throat loudly and looked away, suddenly ashamed that he'd been blatantly, rudely, gaping at her without shame. "No." he mumbled, "I just-- I didn't imagine it would be this difficult." 

His bluntness struck a chord inside her chest, causing her heart to pinch slightly, "I didn't think it would be this way either." She murmured, "I didn't want a mate. It wasn't how I was planning to live the rest of my life." 

"I wanted a mate." Kyungsoo said, "I just didn't know how bad the implications would be." 

They looked at each other then, a silent message of agreement exchanged between their shared gaze. Melody laughed dryly, "Must've been quite a shock, huh? What did you expect? Normal wolf girl with a normal life and normal family? That would've solved some major issues." 

He shrugged and decided to stay silent. 

Melody continued chattering, not caring that she was hurting him with the sharpness of her words. She was being blunt and if he wasn't going to accept that then they were already on the wrong foot, "If I'd discovered the bond first, I wouldn't have said anything. It would've been so easy to avoid it and ignored your existence. I mean, it'd be hard, but it's not like I could encounter you by chance, so I think it'd be bearable." 

"Is that what you think of me?" Kyungsoo asked, "Do you take this as a joke?"

Despite the seriousness of his words, he didn't sound the least offended by her statement. And the truth was, she did take it as a joke, mainly because she still didn't believe that getting a mate was possible. Even her mother had told her that the chances were slim, for Kitsune people were usually independent and lived a solitary life.

But the slim chances had missed Melody altogether. 

"I wanted to," She admitted as she curled her hands into her hoodie, hiding from the coldness of the wind, "You don't know how much I wanted this to be a joke." 

A verbal silence. She could practically hear nature roaring around them. 

Then, "I'm sorry." 

Her eyes cut a glance at him in surprise, "Sorry,' she repeated slowly, as if mulling them over, "For what?" 

Kyungsoo didn't dare look at her. "For this, I guess."

"It's not your fault," She stifled a laugh, "God. That has nothing to do with us, wolf boy." 

He glanced at her, "Wolf boy?" 

"You don't like it? I find it quite endearing."

Kyungsoo pressed his lips together and tried to come up with something else to say. He failed, only to release a soft sigh from his lips, which caused her to look at the wolf and notice the mixed expressions dancing across his face. The tension that rose from his shoulders and the confusion swimming through his scent was enough to cause a slither of concern to trickle through her mind. He was practically a stranger, and yet they were still tied in ways she couldn't explain. She felt partly responsible for all the things he was going through.

"Hey," Melody managed to nudge him out of his pool of thoughts, "You said it yourself, right? Let's make sure the myth isn't real." 

It felt like a long minute passed before the said young man's head dipped into a nod of acknowledgement.

"I guess we have no other choice than to prove it wrong," he said.

Melody nodded albeit the fact that she was still a bit reluctant to believe it was the case. There was so much hope and faith in his voice, so much light that she didn't want to shut him down by telling him that there might be a chance of no happily ever after. 

Another chapter update! And yes, your girl has finally decided once and for all to write this story out and let the flow of the plot take me. I'm trying not to structure it too much because I feel like the characters are enough to lead the story on their own :) There are so many strong things happening at the moment, but I'm not going to drag this on for too long considering it's still just a side story. But anyway, hope you liked this chappie! 
What did you think of Seulmi and Luhan's relationship? What about Kyungsoo and Melody? Do you think they have a chance? 
Comment your thoughts down below! 

Thank you so much for reading and supporting. It means a lot to me and I hope that you guys know how much I cherish all these words you give me. :) 
Love y'all, 

- nutmeggu