Archive of Our Own

Despite the long-awaited revival of nature after yet another tough winter, Seonghwa felt nothing but agony. He had been roaming the woods all by himself in an endless search of purpose ever since the snow had still covered the flimsiest of tree branches. 

Not for the first time did he imagine how his pack had fared during the dark and cold season, knowing full well how hard it had hit them in the past. He knew it was futile to imagine any possible outcomes, since he would never go back either way. He was an outcast now. Exiled. 

Feral.

The words spiraled in Seonghwa’s head and made him walk even quicker even if he had no direction in mind other than further into the woods, away from everyone he had disappointed. Even if he was able to prove himself and show to them all that he wasn’t lost or forsaken , like the elders had called him. After all, he was an alpha now. He was everything they had ever demanded of him and yet they had exiled him anyways.

There was no use in dwelling on these things yet again after continuously pondering about it ever since he had left. But days started to blend together in between all the trees that looked the same to him. It didn’t matter which direction he took, all he had been told was to stay away and to never come back because he hadn’t fulfilled the prophecy.

Seonghwa almost tripped on the uneven ground of the forest but he didn’t really notice, his thoughts were much too quick and distracting for that. Somehow the trees were growing closer together, seemingly trying to hinder him from advancing into the depths of the forest. Impatiently swatting the low hanging branches aside, he pushed onward.

But he had presented!

But not when they had expected him to. Anger pooled low in his stomach, momentarily distracting him from his surroundings. He still wasn’t used to the emotions taking over his entire being as soon as he felt them, rendering him a slave to his instincts, unable to operate his willpower or logical thinking. 

There were many new things Seonghwa still needed to learn to navigate ever since presenting, his heightened senses and his different awareness of his body only being the most prominent ones. There was more but his memory had taken a toll ever since he lost track of time, some parts spotty or even non-existent.

But there was also that ever present unfamiliar wildness inside of him threatening to take over as soon as he heard the rustling of leaves behind him. He didn’t know if this was normal for an alpha, no-one had been with him when it had broken out of him for the first time, the loud, desperate cry of presentation, yearning for the acceptance of their pack.

Only that his pack hadn’t been with him. He had been alone. Rejected and encouraged to leave for good against his will. 

Trying to pace himself, Seonghwa took a few deep breaths, leveling out his frantic thoughts. If he got himself worked up more he would only invite the haze taking over and he didn’t want this to happen, not again. 

These parts of the forest, unknown and foreign as they might be to him, still seemed to inhabit people. He hadn’t made contact very often, too scared of their reaction. Encountering a sole alpha in the woods had always meant trouble in his pack so he kept to himself unless they spoke to him first. 

Some of them had offered him food and company but always withdrew when he inevitably let it known that he had only presented very recently by being unable to control himself. And so he had found himself alone again, wandering the woods without any direction, mindlessly walking, just keeping his feet busy, feeding off of berries and mushrooms questioning why the Goddess of the Earth and Sea had burdened him with a cruel fate such as this. 

The same Goddess who had predicted his life to be that of a pack leader.  

He was destined to be a wise head of a mighty pack to emerge at the horizon, producing powerful heirs to their species. As soon as the prophecy had been known, the elders had taken him under their wing to raise him as their future leader. Their pack was large, with rigid structures and powerful alphas. It was obvious which pack the prophecy had meant.

From a very young age he had been taught to be a person his people would be able to rely on, making decisions that would benefit everyone and not just a few. But it had all been for nothing it seemed since they had refused to wait another moon, leaving him defenseless and abandoned in the middle of nowhere. 

Something wild and hot suddenly flashed through his body, making him straighten up as he picked up the pace in the direction he was going, led by a foreign but powerful determination. A small alarmed part inside of Seonghwa started to panic. He seemed unable to change the direction he had suddenly decided on, firmly pushing through the undergrowth that blocked his path. He had long given up trying to dissect these new emotions that suddenly grew and dominated his mind, only trying to withstand them from taking over completely.

The feeling was intense, strong and irresistible, like he had suddenly fallen ill with a fever. It felt like it too, the back of his neck starting to feel sticky with his own sweat. Ignoring it in favor of getting out of the tangle of branches he had suddenly found himself in, he soon realized that he had trapped himself in some sort of maze.

The light of day that had faintly led his way through the dense thicket of trees before vanished all of a sudden, dousing everything surrounding him in a somber atmosphere. Even the air he breathed seemed colder, more hostile as though his presence wasn’t welcome. But there was also a vivid feeling of want, and an all encompassing desire rising in his chest that egged him on to move forward, paired with his whole body yearning to quench a thirst for something he had never craved before.

Seonghwa felt himself getting hotter by the second, feeling the need to curl into a ball on the floor whilst also contradictingly sensing a ravenous need to run at the same time. He had no idea what was happening to him all of a sudden. He only knew that there was something ahead of him, outside of this maze consisting of leaves and trees that could help ease the scorching feeling in his belly, threatening to sear through his insides until it would inevitably breach his skin, making him burn from head to toe. He wanted to stop and wait for it to be over but he needed to push forward, just a little bit more!

Torn between these two conflicting emotions, Seonghwa’s step faltered. He had lost the little sense of direction he believed he had and it was getting harder to keep everything inside of him at bay. Until he felt it. 

A searing flash of arousal traveling down his pelvis, making him stop in his tracks. 

The sensation seemed to be the cue for every other condition inside of him to increase tenfold. His head was suddenly dizzy with heat, despite the absence of light not providing any warmth between the trees surrounding him. There was sweat on his forehead as well now but he couldn’t stop to try and wipe it away, too distracted by the fire inside of him.

Seonghwa found it increasingly more difficult to think clearly, the roaring part in his head only becoming louder with every breath he took. Tumbling slightly and leaning against a tree to give his trembling legs a rest, he resisted the urge to run forward. 

He needed rest, he must have caught a strange fever! But the wild, unruly part of his mind only beckoned him to run faster. There was something at the end of wherever his instincts were leading him that would be the remedy to all of his pain. The answer to the painful pull in his chest. He couldn’t just stop here and attempt to suppress whatever was driving him to his limits, no. He couldn’t just give up and let it tear him to shreds as he tried.

With a dark grunt that bordered on a growl, he fixated a point in the direction he so desperately was drawn to. Once he was sure the pain in his abdomen was bearable, Seonghwa attempted a few tentative steps and found that he was able to continue his way through whatever thicket he seemed to have found himself in. Only a few more trees and he would be able to step out of it. Behind the next wall of leaves and branches he would find the cure to whatever he was feeling, only a few steps more, he could already see the light through the curtain of leaves…

His breath quickened the closer he got and he felt the hair on his skin rise until a pleasant shiver ran down his spine. Somehow, in between all of the pain, his body seemed to send flashes of pleasure through him. And while the woolen tunic he was wearing was sticky against his skin, the blissful feeling seemed to linger until it pooled low in his abdomen, making him hum in satisfaction. Behind the trees there would be more of that feeling, he was almost there.

There was another wave of shooting pain traveling through him but he barely noticed it by this point, too fixated on the lustful sensation conquering his body, overtaking even the uncomfortable dizziness in his head. The only thing Seonghwa could focus on was the light that shone through the dense maze of leaves until he finally whisked it aside, giving way to freedom.

The sunlight hit his face, prompting him to close his eyes in surprise and causing his feet to lose their footing. The next thing he knew was the feeling of his legs giving out and the sensation of toppling over head first into an all encompassing, shallow plain.

Blinking for a few seconds, Seonghwa assessed his state and came to the conclusion that his whole body was sticky and achy but his fall wasn’t the cause of it. Turning his head and looking up into the sky, he narrowed his eyes, his poor attempt to shield his face from the sunlight futile when he wasn’t even able to raise his hand up to his head, his limbs too uncoordinated and heavy to find the right spot.

Seonghwa groaned in confusion, closing his eyes yet again to let a few of his ragged breaths pass but he jerked up involuntarily when he heard yelling in the distance. The voices came closer until there was a shadow on his face, thankfully offering him a bit of shade and with it, relief. With bleariness obstructing his view, he tried to focus on the shape above him but was only able to make out blurred features of a face.

Finally something in his head seemed to shift and his body belatedly took action. With a heavy sigh he slowly tried to sit up, his dizziness not aiding him in his endeavor. The scorching feeling of being torn apart from the inside was not letting him breathe and his ragged intakes of air only increased once he was in a seated position.

“Who are you?” 

The words sounded distant, delayed, like he was holding his head underwater. When he slowly looked up, he immediately spotted the origin of the voice. A tall man was staring down at him, his eyes were kind but his expression remained firm while he pointed a long weapon made of wood and steel in his direction.

Slowly blinking at the sharp object aimed at him, Seonghwa struggled to form a coherent thought until his instincts finally managed to catch on. He took a deep breath to display his resistance when he noticed the scent surrounding him. Lilies, with an underlying note of-

Omega.

Suddenly several things happened at once; the untamed wild beast inside of him reared up at the prospect of finally quenching that insufferable feeling in him but the other, more rational part with a healthy fear of dying, forced him to look up at the omega in front of him while slowly raising his arms.

How was this possible? An omega with a weapon, staring at him angrily with the confidence of an alpha. The sight was so strange to him, he almost missed the way the gear was pointed at him with more fervor this time. Scrambling backwards in an attempt to protect the omega while also getting away as quickly as possible, Seonghwa was momentarily stopped by the man’s voice.

“Are you okay?”

The concern in his tone didn’t elude him but he couldn’t react in time before the man took a step back, alarm written all over his features when another wave of furious heat overcame him that had him buckling with a pained wince. He could only assume the increase in that confusion mixture of pain and pleasure was due to the presence of the omega’s scent. Digging his nails into his palms, Seonghwa felt the sharp sting of his skin breaking but he was somewhat glad to focus on said pain instead of the intoxicating swirl of desire telling him to follow the source of the scent and to get consumed by it.

“San, he’s in rut!”

Through the fog in his mind, Seonghwa struggled to process the full meaning of the word. Rut? Who was in rut? It couldn’t be- 

His mind reeled with this realization when he noticed a second person approaching. Seonghwa’s instincts flared up again, this time with more aggression. Teakwood with an unmistakable undercurrent of assertion.

Alpha.

The more rational part in his brain warned him about alphas not taking too kindly to their omegas being in danger while said alpha didn’t really make any move to stand in front of his supposed partner. 

“Are you okay?”, the omega asked again, crouching down this time, his weapon lowered. 

Seonghwa wanted to reply, he wanted to say that they shouldn’t be this close because he was dangerous, wild, a feral alpha and recently exiled. But the only thing that made it past his lips was a pained groan.

With a shiver suddenly running through his body, Seonghwa clenched his fists even tighter but looked ahead at the movements in front of him. And despite being unable to do anything other than trying to contain the intense wave inside of him threatening to endanger all of them, he still wanted to talk to him, warn him or say something at least. 

“... ah… please…”, Seonghwa croaked but didn’t get further when the other suddenly turned around.

His instincts reacted before his mind did, making him jerk backwards but the omega didn’t seem to notice since he was too focused on the person behind him.

“Get Hongjoong, he needs help!”

Had he just given orders to an alpha? His command was said with so much firmness and assertiveness, Seonghwa would have almost guessed him to be a pack leader but nothing on his clothing indicated him as such, much less him being an omega. Omegas couldn’t possibly be pack leaders after all. A heavier scent of lilies surrounded him now, making his head spin with every breath he took. 

“I… don’t come closer…”, Seonghwa whispered between a few labored intakes of air. The persistent ache of pleasure seemed to latch onto the sweet notes of lilies taking root in his mind. 

It would be so easy, just a few steps…

“We won’t hurt you, alpha.”, the omega stated calmly, clearly trying to appease his frazzled mind. 

For some reason Seonghwa wasn’t even worried about the weapon anymore or the fact of another alpha in his vicinity, his mind zeroing in on the enticing, floral scent instead. He could feel his resolve weaken, his own willpower dwindling. Unable to put his desperation into words, Seonghwa looked up into the stranger's face again when he saw it. A bite mark. A strange sense of dread made its way past the ravenous part in his mind. This omega was mated. Where was his alpha? Was it the other person who had left? Why had he sent him away? Didn’t he get that the situation was dangerous? He would hurt this omega and there was nothing he could do about it.

The omega was just about to say something again when there was noise behind him, making both of their heads snap up in the direction it was coming from. Two people made their way through the high grass of the glade, distracting Seonghwa enough from the omega’s scent to look up.

Only to be hit by such an intense odor that he could feel his insides go up in flames and start to shiver at the same time. If he had thought the lilies were clouding his mind, inviting him to get closer and have a taste, the new scent was so much worse. The wind must have carried it over to him because he could make out different notes of it even from a large distance.

The deep and sweet aroma of blackberries filled his nose, clinging to every single part of his mind, claiming his senses as if there was nothing else he was supposed to be aware of, leaving him behind hunched over and breathing into the ground. 

The person with the blackberry scent stood in front of him now, the note of it even more dominant and intoxicating but Seonghwa didn’t dare to look up, scared of what it would do to him if he did. He never thought it could get this bad, his mind wondering for a short moment if this was how his rut would feel every time from now on.

Digging his fingers into the ground beneath him, Seonghwa’s entire being seemed to get overpowered by the sensation of how incredibly good it felt to bask in this particular scent. It felt electrifying being in its presence. He needed more. Feeling like he was losing control bit by bit like someone pulled on a string, some part of him desperately tried to scramble for anything that could prevent the unavoidable from happening. 

“Who are you?”

The voice came from above him and sounded calm and gentle and yet, almost cold. Despite the fire in his head, the words made it through to him immediately. And when he had been unable to find the ability to get his tongue to move before, that voice seemed to demand his untamed instincts to settle and speak now.

“Please… please… - I don’t have the… control… Please… tie me up… Please tie me up before I-”

He barely registered what was coming out of his mouth, too frightened to focus on anything other than keeping his rapidly dwindling discipline under control. There was movement above him, murmuring, but he couldn’t pay attention anymore. The blackberries promised him calm and ease if he only let go… let go… let… go. 

—≪ ※ ❖ ※ ≫—

The scent was so intense Hongjoong almost turned on his heel to run back to his tent but San was practically running through the field in the clearing now. 

“He’s probably in rut, Yunho told me to get you. He was begging for something and we can’t just leave him there on the ground.”, San said over his shoulders, the broad muscles in his back displaying high tension.

It had been a while since Hongjoong had seen San in such a hurry, his usual collected demeanor disrupted. Something was really off. Hongjoong tried not to let his own nervousness get the best of him when two figures came into view at the edge of their settlement. 

The scent rapidly became more intense the closer they got, its deep, almost sweet amber notes rising to his head immediately. Hongjoong instantly recognized the heady and dizzying effect the scent of the alpha had on him, his body slowing down, becoming heavier and more pliant with each step he made towards him.

He was aware that other scents had a greater impact on him than on his counterparts, who were both mated and therefore reacted more to their partners’ scents than to strangers. But when his knees almost buckled standing above the strangers kneeling below him, Hongjoong wasn’t sure if it had ever been like this for him.

It was obvious that the alpha was in rut or very close to it, guessing from his shivering frame and the low growls coming from him with every exhale. His hair was dark and longer, hiding his features but Hongjoong knew enough about ruts to be aware of the immense pain he must be going through right now. 

Amber came off of the alpha in waves and it was unlike anything Hongjoong had ever smelled wafting off of another person. It was layered with tart sweetness of a freshly cut tree and came with promises of safety and peace. Despite wanting to crouch down and reach out to the stranger, Hongjoong remained rooted to the spot a few steps away from him, schooling his expression into a neutral one. He didn’t want the others to notice his internal struggle.

Yunho turned his head and caught his gaze, concern written all over his features. Swallowing hard, Hongjoong nodded at him, understanding the silent plea the other was sending him: 

He needs help.  

Then so be it , he thought as he nodded at him. Hongjoong trusted his second in command and oldest friend like no-one else. Yunho had a great judge of character and in all their years of growing up together, his intuition had never been wrong about someone. 

Even if the intoxicating and dangerous promises of the alpha’s scent made every set of alarm bells in Hongjoong’s head go off. This was a stranger, someone from outside their community, appearing at their feet out of nowhere, essentially asking for refuge while going into rut. As a pack leader, Hongjoong would be stupid not to be aware of the danger that this alpha brought into this pack. Especially since he had done everything in his power not to let any harm come to them in the past.

Hongjoong decided to question his identity anyway, knowing full well it was futile while trying to sound more collected than he actually felt. But he couldn’t just let his insecurities rule his judgement when there was someone in need.

The stranger was murmuring incoherent fragments now, intercepted only by growls and sobs. Exchanging a pointed look with Yunho, who finally got up to stand in between him and San, Hongjoong straightened up and tried to fight against the continuous pull he felt towards the person crouching on the floor. 

Hongjoong pushed down the wave of panic threatening to rise in him. The longer he was exposed to this stranger’s pungent scent, the more he became aware of the fact that he had never felt anything like this before being exposed to someone, alpha or not. 

“Do you think it’s okay to let him stay? Just until his rut passes.”, San murmured nervously.

He seemed worried as well, the lines in the younger alpha’s features turning to stone which was never a good sign. He probably knew all too well how the stranger felt, being an alpha himself. Hongjoong nodded absent-mindedly. It only made sense despite being absolutely terrified at the prospect. 

“Tying him up seems like a good idea.”, Yunho added next to him, his voice low and tense. 

As his oldest and closest companion, Yunho was just as aware of the danger this alpha posed as Hongjoong himself, knowing of all of Hongjoong’s secrets, his fears and naturally, his future.

The promised future for him that had the odds to be in Hongjoong’s favor… or could just as well be a prediction of his ruin: 

Your life will be changed forever by a wanderer lost.

He still knew these same words he had been told by the shaman that had found him right before their late pack leader had passed. None of them had made any sense back then but when Hongjoong had found himself as the only possible successor to their pack, the words had slowly taken root. 

He realized that whatever would happen to him would also happen to his pack, every person he talked to, every single one of his decisions could harm them. In addition to that, he was also an omega, a young one at that. He couldn’t have found himself at a more vulnerable position with a prediction like this. 

He still remembered how terrified he’d been, getting his pack through the first few winters, thinking of every possible scenario in which this prediction could come true. It was only thanks to his closest friends that he finally found the strength within him to lead the pack the way he did now, with courage and caution, with heart and mind.

Hongjoong wasn’t cruel. He knew this alpha needed their help. His rut had probably caught him by surprise while traveling and he simply needed a safe environment to let it pass but he just couldn't shake the uneasy feeling settling in his mind with the things that didn’t add up. He had never seen an alpha so incoherent at the threshold of his rut. And then there was the even more important question: how had he found them?

Their settlement was well hidden behind the thicket of the trees growing closer together in these parts of the forest. It was almost like the suffering stranger had known there to be an encampment with people who would be willing to help him. 

An influx of growls diverted Hongjoong’s attention to the kneeling person on the ground again and snapped him out of his thoughts, helping him make a quick decision.

“Put up the ivy tent underneath the smaller tree over there”, he pointed behind them to a tree growing a bit more secluded from their settlement, “and tie his hands to the ground.”

Hongjoong knew his voice sounded too firm compared to his usual manner but the overpowering scent started to play with his mind, making it harder for him to think. He needed to get away from the alpha in need before he lost control over himself. 

He noticed San moving into action, undoubtedly relieved to help the stranger but for some reason it was almost impossible for him to get his legs to move, much less taking a step back. What was happening? He had witnessed members of his pack going into rut, being in rut and he had never felt like he was completely and utterly at the mercy of their scent. 

Yunho helped San hoist the stranger’s body up into a standing position to walk him over to the tree and a painful twinge flashed through Hongjoong which he was only able to describe as… hurt. 

The feeling only added to the confusion in his mind without even registering completely. This was it, he needed to withdraw and clear his head for a moment. He trusted Yunho and San to know what they were doing. 

Spotting Wooyoung standing on the outskirts of the tall grass of the clearing, Hongjoong walked towards him while ignoring the persistent ache in his chest getting stronger the more distance he crossed. Thankfully, the absence of the stranger’s scent seemed to alleviate his shakiness and clouded head, allowing him to take a deep breath and calm his frazzled state of mind. 

“Who is this?”, Wooyoung asked, his raised brows displaying distress that was underlined by his subdued but still prominent scent of jasmine.

Trying his best to voice his thoughts without sounding panicked, Hongjoong murmured:

“An alpha, he’s in rut and pretty out of it. We’ll set up a tent for him now.”

Following Wooyoung’s gaze, Hongjoong turned his head and resisted the urge to rush in the direction of the two figures underneath the tree. The stranger was kneeling on the ground now, looking like all the fight had left his body. It was obvious that he wasn’t dangerous in the slightest but the uncomfortable feeling didn’t leave him. Paired with the contradicting but barely containable need to run towards him and check on him, Hongjoong swiftly looked back at Wooyoung, desperately hoping it would distract him from the uncontrollable turmoil in his head.

His friend’s face lit up suddenly and Hongjoong didn’t need to look behind him to know that San was making his way over to them, both of their scents spoke for them, reaching each other before their bodies did. 

San’s intense but calming teakwood filled his nose when he took a step back to give his friends enough space to greet each other, San nibbling on the very prominent mating bite on Wooyoung’s neck.

Sometimes he wondered how it was like to feel so connected to another person that no words were needed to communicate but he was far from being envious. What these two had seemed to be rare and only displayed by them. San, ever the romantic since childhood and Wooyoung’s sense for community and loyalty seemed to fit together effortlessly. 

Though Hongjoong knew this wasn’t what he wanted out of life. He had learned to be proud to be the one defying the odds. Being the sole young omega leader of a pack didn’t make him vulnerable, it gave him the advantage of being unpredictable. So his mind rarely wandered to the question whether it would be better for him to find an alpha to lead alongside him or not. His pack was all he needed.

A light giggle interrupted his thoughts once again when Wooyoung and San gently parted to let the alpha dash through the settlement in search of the items needed to erect the makeshift tent. 

“Are you okay?”, Wooyoung inquired worriedly as soon as San was out of earshot, knowing Hongjoong enough by now to ask the right questions.

Hongjoong sighed in response, unsure of what to tell him. He hadn’t been able to sort out his conflicting feelings enough to come to a conclusion, even if all the logical facts seemed to point in the direction of the stranger being non-threatening to their pack. For now. So instead of answering Wooyoung’s question directly, he murmured:

“He seems safe but try not to get too close.”

Wooyoung’s eyes on him were saying more than he could have done with words. It shouldn’t be surprising in the slightest considering everything. The other omega knew him well enough, having been the target of Hongjoong’s scrutiny once as well, facing his doubt and hostility over the span of weeks until he had finally been allowed to join the pack for their meals.

And even when San and him had started to share their affection for each other very openly, Hongjoong kept his guard up around him despite the other omega trying his hardest to prove his loyalty to the pack. Now, years later, he was able to see that his need for self preservation had kept him from growing closer to Wooyoung earlier but how could he have known that he was safe from the start?

Despite considering himself to be a kind leader, the words of the shaman never left him, every new encounter leaving him wondering if this person would be the aforementioned wanderer lost and about to irrevocably change his life forever.

Over the years of Hongjoong being the head of this pack, they had taken in numerous alphas and omegas in need, being joined by some of them in similar ways as the stranger now bound to the ground by Yunho behind them and some others while traveling to more secure areas after the winter. 

Wooyoung had joined them in the midst of a hard winter after running from his old pack, in desperate need of protection. From what exactly, he hadn’t shared right away but when the first few glimpses of spring had come around, the omega had found his place in his pack’s heart. And eventually also in Hongjoong’s. 

Now, he couldn’t imagine his life without Wooyoung’s caring nature and hearty meals which made him wonder many times if the oracle’s prediction had been about the omega, whose loud laugh managed to brighten the faces of almost everyone after a particularly rough day of securing the safety of their settlement.

But deep down, he knew something didn’t add up. The prediction was still looming over him. He wasn’t safe just yet. 

Taking another glimpse back to the stranger behind him, Hongjoong eventually decided to head for the security of their community tent, gently putting his hand on Wooyoung’s back to steer him away. Jongho was already making his way towards them anyway, alarm written all over his face that quickly morphed into relief when he noticed Hongjoong’s calm demeanor. 

“Who was that?”, Jongho asked, the suspicion not leaving his features. His scent signaled that he was still on high alert, smelling of smoke and danger.

But when Hongjoong reached him to calm him with a soothing press on his shoulder, the scent was replaced with a much sweeter note of oak that fit him much better. Putting an arm around the young alpha’s shoulder, Hongjoong guided both of his pack mates towards the big community tent in the middle of the clearing that served as a living space.

“Yunho and San have everything under control, Jongho but thank you for looking after the others.”, Hongjoong said softly, unable to hide his adoration for him. 

Jongho had only presented late last summer and his scent was still spiking whenever something unexpected happened. He was also a big asset in aiding Hongjoong keeping their pack safe, even if he was still quite reckless and unable to fully control his instincts, which was the reason he had ordered him to stay back and make sure everyone was gathered around the fire for the moment being. 

Letting his hand wander up to ruffle the young alpha’s hair, Hongjoong received a little growly hitch in response that quickly turned into a whine when Jongho realized what he had done. Growling at one’s pack leader clearly challenged their authority but Hongjoong quickly accepted the offer of submission by putting his head against the other’s lowered head. 

Jongho had joined them as a child. His parents had died in a forest fire and he’d been travelling with a small merchant pack until he had found his place as Hongjoong’s childhood friend. It was heartwarming to see him grow into the alpha he was today, going from a shy little boy to the confident person who was unafraid to show his emotions.

The warmth of the tent, paired with the low, familiar whispers of his pack, welcomed them as soon as they stepped inside. Several heads whipped around to spot them, relief mirrored in several faces when they caught Hongjoong’s calm expression. Wooyoung gave Hongjoong a quick hug and rushed towards the fire, evidently eager to take care of their upcoming meal. 

Hongjoong followed him and made his way towards the fire in the center, making sure he was clearly visible to everyone. As tense as the situation was for all of them at the moment, he really cherished the culmination of all of their scents gathering around the smoky odor of the bonfire in the tent. It gave him a sense of home, of family. Something that was worth protecting. The chatter died down as soon as he lifted his arm to say something. All the eyes were directed at him when he opened his mouth to say:

“The intruder has been taken care of. It’s a lone alpha who seems to struggle with his pre-rut, we’re letting him stay until he’s feeling better. Please don’t go to the eastern outskirts in the meantime.”

Hongjoong looked at several people with small kids in their arms, underlining the last point. More relief seemed to spread through the small group of people when one of the girls sitting in front of him spoke up:

“Is he okay?”

His features softened more when he crouched down to reply to her. Dahee was soon reaching the age of her presentation and he could see the worry in her eyes. It hadn’t been long since she had been filled in on the way alphas and omegas went through their heats and ruts, and all the danger that came with it.

“He will be as soon as the worst is over. Yunho and San are making sure nothing bad is happening to him now.”

Dahee nodded in understanding and looked a bit more reassured, even if there was still a crease between her brows. A hand appeared on her shoulder that Hongjoong instantly recognized as Mingi’s. He looked up to see the alpha’s tall body crouching down behind her. Smiling at his close friend, Hongjoong sent him a grateful look before getting up again to gaze at the rest of his pack, checking if anyone else had worries that needed soothing. When nobody seemed to have an immediate question, Yeosang stepped forward from where he had been standing at the opening of the tent. His usual light and sweet scent of apple blossom was uncharacteristically woody.

“Do we set up guards towards the east?”, Yeosang asked firmly, his expression determined, his eyes glowing with fire in the warm light of the controlled blaze flickering behind Hongjoong’s back.

Yeosang was as wary of strangers as Hongjoong but his fear was deeper rooted than that of any other person in the pack, only narrowly escaping a feral alpha when he was young. And even if he had valid reasons for it, Hongjoong also knew the power fear had. It caused paranoia to flare up and triggered overcaution but most of all, it was tiring. The intoxicating scent of the alpha was still lingering in his nose and Hongjoong knew he needed to protect himself as best as he could with his own mind clouded by irrational fear. He quickly pushed his feelings aside to say:

“Let’s see what Yunho and San have to say once they’re back but I don’t think we need to make a plan just yet.”

He sounded calmer than he actually was but Yeosang seemed appeased for the moment, especially since Jongho placed a hand on his shoulder, distracting the omega enough for Hongjoong to direct his attention to other people. He answered some more concerns from other members of his pack, allowing himself to sit down for a moment.

When Wooyoung placed a bowl with a hearty stew in his lap, Hongjoong quickly caught the other omega’s hand to press it earnestly. It had been a while since his pack had been exposed to an outsider and he was grateful for the sense of normalcy Wooyoung provided unquestionably.

The mood was slowly easing into its usual color and didn’t even shift when Yunho entered the tent. Hongjoong caught his gaze instantly, his senses not easing in the slightest during their shared pack time. Carefully placing the bowl on the ground in front of him, Hongjoong was at Yunho’s side within seconds, trying to behave as casually as possible. San entered the tent behind him but immediately strode towards the fire where Wooyoung was amicably talking to some of his pack members. 

Yunho’s smile was reassuring but Hongjoong could see the concern in his eyes. Something was up. Contemplating calling San back to talk to him before he could announce the issue to the whole pack, he looked over his shoulders but then Yunho spoke, catching his attention:

“We tied him down and brought him hot stones and blankets, so he won’t freeze tonight.”

Hongjoong nodded absent-mindedly, letting the information sink in, desperately trying not to let the tempting scent of amber lure him in. Despite his nervousness, he tried not to give into the calming enticement surrounding Yunho. The omega’s scent of blooming lilies was somehow subdued and Hongjoong wasn’t able to detect it as easily which unsettled him even more. 

“Thank you, is he-”, he asked, still trying to reel his thoughts back on track when he was interrupted by San stepping up next to them.

“His rut started properly when we tied him up but his hands are free enough to move so he’s going to be fine.”

Thankfully, the younger alpha sounded much more collected, calming Hongjoong’s frazzled nerves a bit, only for them to spike again when Yunho and San exchanged a pointed look, as if they were refraining from telling him the full story. He opened his mouth to mention what they had failed to mention when the alpha reluctantly added:

“We… we’re not sure but we assume that this might be… his first rut?”

San looked unsure, as if the words leaving his mouth hadn’t made any sense. Yunho shifted nervously when Hongjoong just stared at them one by one without saying anything. When he finally found his speech again, his voice had resorted to a whisper:

“He looked close to our age, he probably presented a few years ago. Why do you think so?”, he asked and couldn’t help the impatience from bubbling up in him at his most trusted guard’s hesitance. 

Yunho exchanged another look with San but eventually replied:

“He seemed disoriented the entire time we were with him and when his rut hit, he was in more pain, which only happens-”

He didn’t finish his sentence, letting Hongjoong come to the same conclusion. Trying to gather his own thoughts, he lowered his head for a moment to take a deep breath. This alpha having his first rut wasn’t bad per se, even if it was quite late for an alpha of his presumed age. 

Hongjoong almost felt bad that the stranger didn’t have his own pack around him to get through his first rut. Similar to presenting, your pack provided you with the necessary guidance and familiarity during this very difficult time where the body was undergoing change. It must be hitting him harder but he would be fine. 

Nodding, as if agreeing with his own conclusion, Hongjoong looked up again, more determined. Tying him up had been the right call and they would take precautions to help the stranger through this rut. Looking between the alpha and the omega, Hongjoong said:

“This also means his rut won’t take all that long which is a good thing, I guess. Let’s make sure he’s going to be alright. Is he still in pain?”

San was quick to fill him in on the way they had instructed the alpha how to help himself alleviate the burning pain in his groin, emphasizing that this was his first time going through his rut by pointing out how clumsy he had behaved when Mingi joined them at Yunho’s side, kissing his mate softly. 

Yunho quickly updated him on what had taken place when Mingi’s eyes went big with surprise written across his face. His pleasant scent of orange blossom was souring for a moment which quickly evened out again once Yunho lightly nipped at his bite mark. 

“Are you going to set up a guard plan now?”, Mingi hushed curiously while pulling Yunho away from his neck to turn his head to the conversation again.

A small voice in Hongjoong’s head alerted him and loudly advocated to do just that, instructing every single member of his pack to remain in their sleeping tent and wait until the danger passed and guarding the area around the foreign alpha’s tent personally, night and day. 

Under the watchful eyes of San, Yunho and Mingi, Hongjoong struggled to make a decision right away. Would it be fair to them? To force everyone to remain in their tents just because there was an inexperienced alpha among them? He had witnessed plenty of alpha’s presenting and going through their first rut. This wasn’t dangerous in itself, the alpha just needed their help, that was all. 

Determinedly shaking his head, Hongjoong came to a conclusion. As a pack leader it was about making choices that benefited all of them and he was tired of letting his fear rule his decisions. 

“You said that he just seems clumsy and inexperienced, right? We’ll check on him again tonight and tomorrow.”, he said, watching Yunho and San both nod in agreement. 

His trusted friend’s approval was reassuring enough to set his mind at ease, at least for the moment. They would have enough time to figure out why this was the stranger’s first rut, for now he was going to be cared for. He was probably just confused and lost. Maybe Hongjoong could check on him himself to let the other’s frightened mind know that there was no danger coming from him? His prediction be damned. Hongjoong thanked both of them for taking care of the alpha and turned around to care for his pack again. 

With the sun slowly descending between the trees, the usual bustling of the forest around them quieted down and so did Hongjoong’s pack. Everyone around him seemed to settle down, sitting in small groups around the ever burning fire in their large tent and sharing stories and laughter together. 

But Hongjoong couldn’t help but feel restless. 

Every noise coming from outside his tent managed to make his heart jump wildly. He hadn’t heard any sounds from the makeshift tents they had built for the alpha and Hongjoong was starting to wonder whether he was actually still in there. Did he only imagine the slight tinge of amber making its way into the tent?

Sitting close to the fire, Hongjoong lost control over his mind and felt himself spiral yet again, wondering about the stranger’s strong scent. Had he only imagined it? Was his mind playing tricks on him too now? He’d been avoiding Wooyoung’s conspicuous worried looks, but when he suddenly got up and poured some broth into his empty bowl, he gently pressed his friend’s arm, letting him know that he would be bringing the alpha some food and that he didn’t need to worry about him.

Before he could think any better of it, he quickly made his way out of the tent, feeling the cool air on his skin as soon as he was outside, making his way through his quickly darkening surroundings. There was a quiet serenity in the air around him and for a moment, Hongjoong let himself be carried away by the feeling. As much as his gut feeling told him to turn around and hand the bowl over to Yunho instead, there was the enticing scent of amber, offering him clarity and calmness. He just needed to let go and trust his senses.  

The scent increased the closer he got to the tent and with it, the alluring feeling. Clinging onto the warm bowl of food and to the certainty that the alpha was tied up, Hongjoong slowly made his way up to the opening of the makeshift ivy shelter that provided isolation and protection from the weather. The floral muskiness had taken on an even more intense note, almost making Hongjoong’s body react again as he felt his knees weaken once more but he pushed through.

Kneeling on the ground in front of him, the alpha’s torso was bare while he was covered in some of their blankets, letting out pained, soft cries and whimpers. His body was covered in a sheen of sweat getting shaken by continuous rocking and trembling but whether it was in pain or pleasure, Hongjoong couldn’t tell. 

It broke his heart seeing the stranger like this, alone and unaware of what was happening to him, if Yunho and San’s observations proved to be true. The alpha’s head snapped up when Hongjoong made himself known by crouching down in front of him. 

“You’re back.”, the stranger breathed, his eyes widening in shock as if he couldn’t quite believe who he had laid his eyes on. 

Hongjoong didn’t reply right away, too focused on keeping his breathing and his reeling thoughts as even as possible. Placing the bowl on the ground next to the hot stones stacked next to the alpha, he didn’t meet the strangers eyes as he only replied:

“Eat this, you’ll need all the strength you can get for the coming days.”

The alpha’s eyes kept lingering on him, seemingly not even taking in Hongjoong’s words but he was far removed from being as incoherent as a few hours ago, despite his much worse state at the moment. 

“I thought I might have only imagined you.”, he whispered now, his raw voice sending shivers down Hongjoong’s spine. 

Did he feel it too? 

Before he could even think of a reply, the alpha groaned and dropped his head, his body acting on its own accord. Hongjoong couldn’t help but let his eyes wander down the alpha’s body, seeing how one of his arms was gripping the blanket draped halfway across his legs while the other was furiously moving underneath the layer of fabric. The stranger’s pained noises morphed into moans and Hongjoong felt his composure slipping the more he let his eyes linger on the alpha’s… needy movements.

“I’m… sorry- I can’t help it, I-”, the stranger pressed out, struggling to keep his head raised enough to look at him.

Even if Hongjoong had a suitable reply ready, he wouldn’t have been able to get his mouth to form the words when he watched in awe as his low moans became more urgent and a moment later, turned into barely suppressed strangled noises.

He just came.  

Feeling his heart pound up to his throat, Hongjoong remained where he was and watched the alpha trying to catch his breath. 

“It’s okay, make sure you eat something.”, he tried tentatively and pointed to the bowl placed next to the hot stones. 

He didn’t even know if the alpha was paying attention to him but then he suddenly jerked his head up and fixated him with his gaze. Strangely, there was something in his eyes that Hongjoong knew couldn’t be described with mere words and it stole his breath away. The alpha’s face was twisted as if he was in pain but his eyes were clear and attentive. 

“You smell… so good.”, he groaned, his arm relentlessly working on himself already again.

Alarm bells should have been ringing in Hongjoong’s head at the obvious hint. This was dangerous, he was unmated, the stranger was in rut… 

But he remained silent, answering his gaze with as much composure as he could muster. The alpha’s scent had become stronger too, making it harder and harder for Hongjoong to fight the urge to bolt forward and breathe in the source of the earthy amber. 

“How… ngh… I feel better with you here, it’s like I can… think.”

Hongjoong blinked in surprise. This wasn’t what he had expected to follow the stranger’s statement from before. He looked like he was already deep in rut, a slave to his instincts and yet, the way he pierced him with his eyes made it seem like it was the first time he really looked at him.

Struggling to find words, Hongjoong swallowed and in an attempt to bring some distance between them, he lost his balance, ungracefully sitting down onto the rough and cold forest grounds. The alpha’s scent enveloped him even more until the only thing left in his mind was the deep and rich note of a freshly cut tree. Memories flooded him, moments of him and his pack setting up camps throughout the year, cutting trees to build temporary homes, feeling so indescribably free and home in that moment.

“Your scent–”, Hongjoong started and stopped himself right away.

That wasn’t what he had intended to say but he couldn’t remember what his original thought process had been. Why had he come here in the first place? 

With a jolt, the alpha’s entire posture seemed to change at the mention of his own scent. He lowered his face and seemed to crumble in on himself. The hand was still working on himself without pause but something had changed and Hongjoong felt a pang of guilt at the possibility of perhaps being the cause of his change of demeanor and need. 

There was another heavy groan coming from the stranger’s throat as he rode out another orgasm that had him sobbing by the end of it. For a moment they were both quiet, while he continued to breathe heavily. A small voice inside of Hongjoong’s head told him to take it as the perfect opportunity to leave when the alpha’s rough voice interrupted him.

“What… do I smell like? I never–”

At first, the words didn’t register with Hongjoong before his mind made sense of the new piece of information.

For someone to present alone was an incredibly rare occurrence and if he was to believe the rumors, very painful. You usually had the presence of your birth pack or in other cases your chosen pack around you while you went through the transition of presenting. And while you yourself didn’t smell yourself, your pack certainly did. There was only one possible explanation for his lack of knowledge when it came to his own scent. 

He presented alone.

The confirmation brought back his initial suspicion when it came to the stranger. With him so close to his own rut, it didn’t appear that the alpha was feral but the longer he remained without the soothing and ritualistic daily routines of a pack, the more he ran the chance to become a lone alpha, feral. Hongjoong finally found his footing again and slowly sat up, the news undoubtedly raging havoc in his dazed mind. He should leave. He really should. 

His senses didn’t seem to comply so he remained where he was, looking at the stranger’s head. His face was hidden by his sweaty and unkempt hair. Taking a deep breath, Hongjoong couldn’t stop himself from looking for the perfect way of describing the scent to him. 

He should leave.

“Your scent reminds me of the way your hands smell after you climb a tree but deeper and more intense.”, Hongjoong said, his voice almost leaving him by the end.

He was unsure whether the alpha had even heard him, his head still lowered but then he slowly looked up. There was a hint of a smile playing around his lips despite his drawn eyebrows already showing signs of discomfort again or pleasure, Hongjoong couldn’t really tell. 

“Thank you… for telling me.”, the alpha whispered quietly, clearly holding back the strong emotions his rut seemed to impose on him. 

Soon, he wouldn’t be able to fight it off any longer, Hongjoong knew that. So he really needed to leave but seeing the stranger’s odd expression on his face, he couldn’t stop his curiosity taking over. More to himself, he breathed:

“I never asked your name.”

The alpha’s eyes flickered up to him, his expression bordering on something akin to gratitude in spite of the conflicted emotions traveling across his face. Hongjoong felt guilt creep up again. Despite his former reluctance to speak to him, this question, as simple as it was, clearly showed his willingness to offer some sort of humanity to the alpha. No matter whether he was an outcast or a potential feral alpha, he still deserved the decency to be addressed by name. 

“Seonghwa.”, the alpha quietly replied followed by a low groan that turned into a pained gasp. 

Hongjoong had never heard a name as beautiful as this one. He was about to say so when Seonghwa’s breathing became louder and he lowered his upper body towards the blankets again. And while Hongjoong felt like he had slowly accustomed to the scent dominating the tent, he felt it increase in depth, leaving him reeling. He needed air, he needed to leave, he–

“I need to go, please don’t forget to eat. It will all be over soon.”, Hongjoong whispered in a hushed tone.

Without checking whether Seonghwa had heard him, he quickly got up and turned to reach for the opening flaps of the tent. The cold air hit him as soon as his head was outside, throwing him right back into a sense of clarity. Hongjoong managed to close the tent again behind him with shaky hands, focusing on the correct way not to let in too much of the cold of the night.

Breathing in the all encompassing air of the night around him, Hongjoong’s instincts were already showing their displeasure about not being surrounded by the comforting, warming scent of the stranger. Seonghwa.

Shaking his head, Hongjoong tried to clear his head of the confusing thoughts seemingly attaching themselves in the forefront of his mind. Seonghwa. Comfort. Safety.

He was a stranger, an exiled alpha. Hongjoong shouldn’t assume that he was safe in any way. It was probably the warm insulating comfort of the ivy tent that made him think about safety, this had nothing to do with the alpha… Right?

Hongjoong didn’t feel like rejoining his pack just yet, his mind still too preoccupied with what had just taken place so he headed straight towards his own tent. It was proven to be the right decision since his head, as full and overwhelmed as it was, started pounding with an onset of what felt like a weather change and its usually accompanied dip of pressure in the air. He sometimes got them whenever they were in certain areas but it had been many seasons since the last time. How strange.

It would probably be best to sleep it off and see tomorrow. Settling down on his sleeping furs in his own tent, Hongjoong took off his clothing, feeling rather hot even with the low remains of the fire in his tent. He decided to pick up the wet rag from beside his furs to clean himself a little before lying down, suddenly feeling rather sensitive to the touch. 

Maybe he was falling ill? But no one in the pack was currently afflicted by anything that would explain his current state and Seonghwa wasn’t sick, he was in–

He almost dropped the cloth he was currently holding. 

His heat. 

It wasn’t possible. His heat was usually much later, only when the flowers were already blooming on the sunny hill tops. It was still too cold for this. He continued dragging the cloth over his sensitive neck, feeling the way he was shuddering at the sensation. 

No, there was no doubt about that. He was going into heat. 

Confusion taking over his mind, Hongjoong absent-mindedly sat back into his comfortable, undone nest. He usually had a bit more time to prepare for this annual ordeal, instructing his pack of their roles during the time he was absent, making sure he was comfortable around his tent, bringing in more food and water to make it through. Maybe he hadn’t noticed the usual signs that told him his heat was near. 

But apart from the alpha’s scent taking over his senses like nothing he had ever felt before, Hongjoong couldn’t find anything fitting the usual signs that he was going into heat. He needed to inform Yunho, he needed–

The first cramp almost made him scream out loud.

Biting into his furs to stifle his cry, Hongjoong suddenly became all too aware of the unsafety of his surroundings; his nest wasn’t fully done, his tent not secure, no one knew either. Trying to hold himself upright by his forearms, he quickly lost his balance again, too sweaty and weak to even hold a coherent thought. 

This wasn’t good. His heat was approaching much quicker than it ever had and there was nothing that he was able to do about it. Nest, he needed to take care of that before–

Taking deep breaths and trying to calm himself, Hongjoong slowly got into a kneeling position and moved his arms, pointedly ignoring the simmering pain in his abdomen. The pain accompanying his heat was usually quite intense, he had definitely dealt with worse but at least he had always had some time to ease into it until it became really bad. 

Shivering while arranging the furs around him, Hongjoong felt himself losing his self-control more and more until the pain slowly became more bearable and turned into bouts of pleasurable waves rolling through his body, culminating in his crotch. While he continued to bring his furs closer around and underneath him, he gently began to rut his erection against the soft fabrics.

Everything was going to be alright, he just needed to put his trust in his pack. They were going to get through the next few days without him, he just needed to trust…

Trying to breathe to calm himself, he picked up on the scent in the air. Amber, cut wood with an intense sweet top note that was unmistakably safe. Taking in more of the comforting scent, Hongjoong felt his body react to the alpha. His legs were trembling, his erection straining with arousal, slick slowly dripping out of him. The alpha’s rut must have triggered his heat but it was going to be fine, he would be fine.

Whimpering into the furs beneath him, another painful shudder made its way through his body. Holding his breath for a moment, he waited for it to end. Everything in Hongjoong’s vision began to blur. It felt like he had been in the same position for hours but it also could have only been a few minutes. There was barely any fluids in the furs underneath him and he didn’t remember coming once. 

Time was a peculiar thing during his heats. It started to become hazy, slowed down while making him believe he was missing hours, sometimes days during his time enslaved by pain and pleasure. Apparently it wasn’t as bad with someone else by your side, alpha or omega, but Hongjoong had never had the desire or the courage to request someone from his pack to join him, it had always felt… wrong. 

And while his heat seemed to be more intense this time, he also had the alpha’s scent that seemed to guide him through it. At this point he didn’t know if he only imagined it but he was long past caring about it as he let himself enjoy the pleasure taking over. Feeling his mind fully shutting down with his first orgasm approaching, Hongjoong tried to tell himself that he was going to get through this, his pack was going to be fine, he was safe…

The next time he slowly became aware of his surroundings, Hongjoong immediately noticed time had passed significantly. There was daylight outside of his tent and his furs were arranged differently. But most importantly, his whole lower body was covered in fluids, dried and fresh. Trying not to be too alarmed by the elapsed night, Hongjoong slowly tried to open his mouth, noticing he was absolutely parched. This was okay, he was okay. He had experienced this many times already. 

A calming hand appeared on his chin and offered him a bowl with water that he eagerly drank from. He vaguely recognized the person to be Wooyoung but he couldn’t find the strength to form the words with his mouth so he resorted to squeeze the offered hand gratefully before draping himself over his furs again.

Wooyoung spoke to him but he wasn’t able to make out the meaning of the words, he was just glad that the other was there to check on him, careful enough not to take any of the precious furs from his nest. There was more happening, warm liquid in his mouth that soothed a different hunger inside of him that he hadn’t even been aware of and more words he didn’t understand but Hongjoong wasn’t really paying attention anymore, already descending into the calming and profound comfort of his pleasure again that was underlined by the omnipresent scent of Seonghwa. 

The scent slowly becoming stronger and more enticing was what dragged him out of his haze the next time. It was dark outside and the fire was lit and warm a short distance away from him. Still, he was somehow cold, the quickly cooling sheen of sweat making him shiver. Groaning hoarsely, he slowly lifted his head in an attempt to gain more awareness of his body and surroundings. It seemed to be night again, guessing from the darkness that had befallen their camp further removed from the flickering flames. 

The thoughts in his mind felt like they were weaving into each other and losing any semblance of sense so it took Hongjoong several moments to realize that he had temporarily been let go of the clutches of his heat for the time being. At least until the next wave of need would hit him again. He had completely lost the sense of time but from the way he still felt, his heat was far from over. He should really make sure to drink something, maybe even eat some of the dried fruit he usually had around but something stopped him. 

His scent. 

Seonghwa.

It was unrelenting, persistent and it made Hongjoong whine out in pain at how wrong it felt to be so far from the scent. No, no, no. The scent was only a comfort, it helped him through but he would get through his heat without giving into it, he just needed to descend into the blissful darkness of his pleasures again. 

The pain had long morphed into a dull ache between his legs, paired with the chaffing of his thighs but suddenly it seemed to rise up again, making him cry out with the intensity of it. This time it didn’t seem to stop or mingle with the oncoming pleasure though, it remained and made him rut into his own fist helplessly as he tried to rid himself of it. Sobbing at the unsatisfactory pleasure making him spill yet leaving him wanting more, Hongjoong attempted to change his position but ultimately gave up with a frustrated sigh.

A sudden surge in the scent made Hongjoong snap his head towards the tent opening. It was getting stronger. Feeling himself finally falling back into a similar haze he had been in before, Hongjoong sighed in relief, knowing that he’d finally be able to just let go again. So he let himself be completely taken by the wonderful enticing scent that kept increasing in intensity the more he breathed it in. 

Another wave rushed through him that had nothing to do with pain or pleasure, it was just unbridled longing and wild lust that made him tether all connection he had to reality. He only existed for this scent, to follow it, to breathe it in, to be consumed by it so entirely that he wouldn’t know where his own consciousness resided and where the scent ended. Hongjoong was out of his nest before he registered it fully, his sore legs surprisingly swift as he took the few steps towards the tent’s opening. Nothing inside of him wanted to resist any longer, it was time. 

Whatever had held him back before was gone and his agency with it, his body wasn’t feeling the strain of his ongoing heat either, the only thing that remained was the scent of sweet amber and resin that filled his nose, his lungs, his mind and directed him, guided him to a place where there was so much more of it. 

Hongjoong wasn’t scared anymore. He knew he was doing what he was meant to do, This scent was his destiny. 

He ripped the flimsy flaps open, barely feeling the cool night air on his skin, every nerve of his being focused on the source of the scent a mere few steps away from him. With the moonlight providing just enough light, Hongjoong could tell the alpha was looking him directly in the eyes, wearing nothing except the residues of the ropes that had tied him down.

Seonghwa was breathing heavily as he fixated him with his gaze as if he had only waited for him to appear and Hongjoong couldn’t pride himself in his patience either, especially not now. He knew what he wanted so he took a few short strides towards the stranger and pulled him into close, drinking up the delicious and boundless scent that Seonghwa provided. 

Practically dragging the alpha back towards his own tent, Hongjoong felt sparks of electrifying lust run through him wherever he touched him with his hands. His neck first, his chest with his other hand and then finally, finally, their mouths clashed in a fiery kiss, making both of them moan with immense satisfaction. 

Hongjoong’s whole body was on fire, spurred on by the way Seonghwa’s hands roamed over his sides, leaving him breathless and pressing himself closer, yearning for more simultaneously. The way the alpha was responding to him with every step he took towards his nest, made Hongjoong dizzy and more courageous at the same time. Seonghwa was panting into the kiss, interrupted by low groans that turned into growls at every exhale. 

Falling into his nest more than anything, Hongjoong didn’t lose any time pulling him towards him immediately, craving to feel the taunt muscles and hard lines of his body against his own. Something about this felt so intuitively, so right, Hongjoong instinctively buried his fingers into the alpha’s back, feeling the way Seonghwa growled against his neck in response, making his whole body go up in flames. 

He felt his own body being soothed and spurred on at the same time by the other, feeling the way the alpha’s hands possessively clawed at his sturdy waist before they traveled to reach their destination at his hips where they remained, digging his fingers into them hard enough to bruise. 

In all of his life, Hongjoong had never felt so entirely cared for as he was moved back onto the furs by strong hands. In the next moment, Seonghwa’s firm hands gently nudged his legs further apart to make space for his body, claiming his entrance with his hard length in one single smooth motion. 

All the air left him at once to be replaced with the feeling of being so thoroughly possessed, there was nothing else in his mind other than the hot body inside and on top of him. Feeling him move inside of him, sent lightnings of pleasure through his body with every thrust and was damned not to revel in it, taking Seonghwa’s mouth in turn. 

None of Hongjoong’s usual pain or dissatisfaction was present anymore, all he could sense was the way the pleasure seemed to course through his body in a steady motion, rewarding him for finally giving into his instincts. His ankles were intertwined above the small of the alpha’s back now as he urged him on to push in harder, deeper, arching his own back to press himself closer against the hot body moving on top of him. 

Hongjoong could feel the growls vibrating in his own body that the alpha huffed out after each of his thrusts. Throwing his head back to just let himself feel, he suddenly felt Seonghwa’s hips rut into him at a faster pace, the thick heat inside of him growing in size and temperature until it seemed to explode inside of him, dragging him alongside with it. 

Soft and gentle fingers wrapped around his own girth and something in Hongjoong’s mind snapped as he followed the alpha with a hitched moan. Throwing his head back in pure bliss, he let himself be carried away by the hot and heavy feeling inside of him that made him feel so genuinely and wholly full and secure. Seonghwa’s mouth was a whisper away from his own when he murmured over and over again:

“Mine… mine… mine .”

Letting out a high whining noise, Hongjoong basked in the possessive proclamation, only clinging onto him tighter as he guided the alpha’s neck towards his mouth, breathing in the scent that seemed to fuse with his own. Licking over the salty, flushed skin, Hongjoong let out a growl, his own body finally free of this inhibition that had held him back for so long. 

When his teeth pierced the skin underneath, everything he was in contact with seemed to tighten up and come into focus. Seonghwa’s entire body, as taut as it already was, became even more tense and so did his hard length inside of him as it spurted the last remains of its release, making him moan while he fully latched onto the alpha’s neck. 

Nothing in his life had ever felt as good as sinking his teeth into Seonghwa’s neck. He barely registered the short sting against his own neck, his whole body immediately filled with pure ecstasy at the sensation of being so thoroughly bonded with someone. He could feel the slick drip out of his entrance as his whole body seemed to ease into this new sensation, providing Seonghwa’s hardness with more ease for him to move again and so he did. The bolts of pleasure rushing through him sent him hurtling down into a bottomless pit of a never ending orgasm that he never wanted to emerge from. 

The next time Hongjoong came to, he found himself on his knees with his back pressed against the alpha’s chest, feeling warm hands running in soothing caresses up and down his torso. The occasional brushes against his sensitive erection had him gasp with every touch. Seonghwa’s mouth was lapping gently against his neck where he seemed to have developed a new erogenous zone. 

Whenever the alpha’s tongue flicked over the mark his teeth had left behind, Hongjoong could feel it everywhere in his body, from the nerve endings in his toes to the tip of his ears. Fully leaning back, Hongjoong felt himself relax further with the continuous rhythm of Seonghwa’s length sliding into him. The blissful pleasure only added to the sensitivity of his body, causing him to shake with it as he came untouched, hot liquid squirting all over his abdomen. Seonghwa held him through it, gripping him by his waist so he wouldn’t lose his balance and Hongjoong had never felt so taken care of, so utterly whole.

He barely registered losing the tether to reality again but suddenly he was sitting atop of the alpha, rhythmically moving his hips as he chased his own high as he watched Seonghwa’s pleasure mirror his. Balancing himself on the other’s chest, Hongjoong never ceased his movement, his frazzled mind noticing with glee how Seonghwa’s eyes never seemed to leave his face. 

Smirking down at him, Hongjoong basked in the attention he was getting as he increased his efforts, feeling the way the alpha reacted to it. Seonghwa’s hands, previously casually placed on his thighs, slowly traveled higher, their objective more than obvious but Hongjoong had a different plan in mind. He wasn’t about to lose himself in mindless pleasure again, not when his head was finally clear enough to notice its surroundings. 

Mainly what he had right in front of him. Seonghwa’s face was ethereal in the dim morning light they found themselves in. With his eyebrows lightly drawn up and his mouth slightly agape, Hongjoong wasn’t able to avert his eyes as he drew more and more of these beautiful moans out of him with every rise and fall of his hips. 

Letting his hands wander forward until they reached the alpha’s collarbones, Hongjoong marveled at the way his body elicited a spark in him that had nothing to do with his pleasurable length inside of him at the moment.

This was his mate. His beautiful, wondrous mate. All his and no-one else’s.

Draping himself over Seonghwa’s body in one smooth motion, Hongjoong’s hips stilled for a moment, making the other whine in protest but was quickly appeased when he started nibbling at his neck, feeling him shudder at the adoring way he let his affection be known. 

“All mine now.”, Hongjoong murmured in between small bites and licks to the most sensitive part on the alpha’s neck. 

Seonghwa growled weakly in response, his resolve to return the possessive statement clearly intercepted by his own need for pleasure that seized control over his body now. Propping his legs up to obtain a better angle, the alpha started to move again, his cock driving home into Hongjoong’s slick hole, getting rougher with every thrust.

With his face still buried in the alpha’s neck, Hongjoong felt the air being pushed out of him by the intensity of Seonghwa’s hips but it was nothing compared to the bliss spreading in his gut. With every powerful push in the alpha’s strong grasp, his dick was grazing against his stomach, providing him with the glorious friction his body craved. 

All the while, he tried to focus on Seonghwa’s delicious sounds that seemed to be forced pushed out of him whenever he thrusted into him, voice high and desperate every time his hardness fully sheathed itself in Hongjoong. With his hands free and his body held secure by Seonghwa’s arms, he took it upon himself to nibble on his ear, whispering sweet and encouraging words while he unabashedly was making his satisfaction known as well. 

From this angle, Hongjoong could feel Seonghwa’s girthy base of his dick every time it slipped past his rim and he swore he could feel it widen with every thrust. Arching his back more to grant the alpha even better access, Hongjoong moaned wantonly when he felt his grip tighten immediately as he picked up the pace. 

“My mate… just for me… you make me feel so good.”, he whispered against Seonghwa’s glistening neck, instantly getting his reply in the form of a sobbing intake of breath as the alpha drove his hips upward with even more fervor. 

“All mine… My beautiful perfect mate ah–!”, Hongjoong added, his last word turning into a loud gasp as he felt the base of the alpha’s cock thickening inside of him. 

Hongjoong’s whole body felt like it was bursting into a million pieces despite being held down as he finally came in between their torsos with quick spurts. It only took seconds for Seonghwa to follow, the thick base having slipped in for good now, providing Hongjoong with even more pleasure as he was being stretched further, taking everything he was given while pressing his face closer into the other one’s neck. He felt so full, so whole. Nothing was able to separate them now. 

“ Mine… ”, he groaned as he felt himself descend into the blissful darkness of pleasure again.

It must have been way past midday already when he woke again but this time he was completely covered by furs. Slowly blinking his eyes open, Hongjoong immediately knew his heat had come to an end or was about to at the very least. Wondering why he had felt the need to slip in between his furs when the sun was providing enough warmth, he slowly shifted and immediately regretted it. 

Every part of his body hurt. He must have been really deep in his heat mindset this time since he didn’t immediately recall why his body felt this way when he tried to free his arm and bumped against something firm. 

Lifting his head while trying to get his eyes to focus on what was right in front of him, Hongjoong felt all the air being punched out of him at the sight that spread out in front of him. 

Or rather who. 

Fully naked and covered in bruises, Seonghwa was asleep right next to him. In his nest, while he had been in heat, while he had–

Trying to scramble out of his nest in shock, Hongjoong was once again stopped by his bodily limitations. With his head pounding and his limbs screaming at him due to overexertion, he resorted to pause for a moment and slowly slip out of the furs instead. 

Water first, he desperately needed water.

Luckily, the pitcher wasn’t far from his nest so he could easily reach it but he still flinched as he reached for it. 

What happened?

Quenching his thirst enough to finally be able to hold a coherent thought again, Hongjoong looked down at himself, fully intending to assess the state of his body for any serious injuries, spotting several scratches on his torso. Before he was able to inspect the rest of his body, his stomach complained loudly about the lack of food he subjected it to. 

Scrunching up his face as he scanned his tent for anything edible, his eyes fell on some dried fruit and nuts in a bowl a bit further away from his nest. Grabbing one of his tunics from behind him somewhere to put it on, Hongjoong had his hands in the bowl the next moment. His body still hurt while he crouched over his food but at least he wasn’t starving any longer.

After his cycle, he usually woke up achy and with a few bruises, this in itself was nothing new but he definitely didn’t remember why he was in this much pain. Feeling his neck twitch oddly, he absent-mindedly brought his fingers up to rub at it and froze when he felt it. 

The mark was sensitive to the touch and still fresh but there was only one explanation as to why his neck was clearly wounded.  

A mating bite. 

Suddenly remembering the alpha in his nest, he whisked his head around to spot him still sleeping peacefully. Hongjoong finally pieced the missing parts in his memory together. He had spent his heat with an alpha. And not only that, he had bonded with an alpha…

For several moments, Hongjoong just stared at him, his hand still on his mating bite. 

Whatever feeling of shock and distress he was waiting for, failed to appear as he continued to look at his mate whose chest rose with every deep breath he took. The alpha still seemed fast asleep which gave him enough time to sort his thoughts for the moment. He wasn’t scared or angry, for some reason all he sensed while looking at Seonghwa with the knowledge that he was now mated to him, was how right it all felt.

Letting his eyes wander over the alpha’s body, Hongjoong noticed a plethora of marks on him as well and concluded with an unbelieving chuckle that Seonghwa looked much worse for wear than him. There were scratches across his chest, multiple bruises along his waist and love bites all around his collarbones. And of course, the very prominent mating bite on his neck. The sight made a strange feeling bloom in his chest that he couldn’t quite put into words.

Pride, possessiveness and something that he thought would fit the word love the most. 

Right in this moment, Seonghwa stirred and Hongjoong felt his heart skip a beat. How should he even begin to explain? He had barely even registered himself what this meant now, much less fully remembered what had happened but then he noticed something. As the alpha shifted his head to the other side, making sleepy noises, Hongjoong felt him. 

The feeling of safety and comfort and unmistakable, overwhelming affection towards Hongjoong. He knew these weren’t his own feelings but they were definitely there. Struggling to breathe for a second, he examined the feelings further while he watched the alpha fall back asleep with his head turned away from him. 

There was love and soft fondness and thoughts of security and they were all reserved for Hongjoong. 

Unable to control the thoughts running through his mind, Hongjoong suddenly remembered what San sometimes told him about always knowing when Wooyoung needed his help, even if they were on opposite ends of their camp. 

I just know, it’s like an invisible thread connecting us. Even when we are apart, we’re never alone. 

The feelings slowly ebbed away as Seonghwa sank back into deep sleep again, leaving Hongjoong behind, asking himself if this was what San had meant by that invisible thread when a small noise behind him got his attention. Turning his head and immediately meeting Wooyoung’s worried features, Hongjoong hurried to get up. 

His pack. 

He had been so absorbed in his discovery of having found himself with a mate, he had completely ignored how his pack must have felt. They definitely knew because how would they not have noticed the empty makeshift tent and the suspicious sounds coming from his own…

“Wooyoung…”, Hongjoong rasped, not quite used to forming words with his mouth yet.

The younger omega just looked at him with wide eyes, his gaze continuously dropping down to the prominent mark on his neck. He looked terrified but remained where he was at the entrance of the tent. It hurt Hongjoong to see him like this, not wanting to fuel the worry in his pretty features. So he tried to take a step towards him, offering:

“It’s okay, please don’t–”

He didn’t get any further because he simply didn’t know what to say. What was he going for… Don’t worry ?  

For a moment both of them just looked at each other until finally, Wooyoung made a tentative step forward to fall into his embrace an instant later. Hongjoong felt the younger jerk with a barely contained sob when he wrapped his arms around him. Pressing himself against him even tighter, Wooyoung wordlessly cried, no doubt from all the stress of the last few days.

Hongjoong slowly caressed his hair, soothing him as best as he could. His own emotions were a whirlwind inside of him that he was unable to disentangle as he tried to be a good leader, a good friend. Still, there was confusion, anger about not being able to reassure the others as their head of the pack but most of all there was… joy. There was a beautiful alpha in his nest, with tender feelings of safety in regards to him and Hongjoong wouldn’t have it any other way. 

He knew there were many things still unknown such as who Seonghwa was and where he was from. What would this mean for his pack now? But these were things they would figure out soon enough. He’d talk to his pack later but for now he just needed to make sure everyone understood that he was safe. 

“I can’t imagine how frightening it must have been.”, he muttered against the omega’s hair as the other still clung onto him with surprising strength. 

But then again, he was probably just weak from the lack of sustenance over the past few days. Only when wilted, matt jasmine started to spread all around him did he become aware of the strong overlining scent of amber and resin in the air that he hadn’t even noticed beforehand. Seonghwa’s scent. 

“We all thought… the tent was empty and you–”, Wooyoung mumbled into the unmarked side of his neck which was wet with his tears.

Hongjoong instantly knew what he meant without him needing to finish his sentence and just let out a hum of understanding. He never wanted to worry his pack, even hated how much he made everyone scared for him. But he was also aware of how it must have looked to them. He intended to reply but flinched when Wooyoung squeezed a bit too tightly on one of his bruises. He was instantly released, the omega’s face taking on a frightened expression again. 

“I’m fine, Wooyoung, really.”

The omega’s eyes dropped to his mating bite and he didn’t need to say anything to make his question known so Hongjoong added:

“I don’t have any ill-natured feelings, I promise. I think my body knew…”

He sounded calm and collected despite his heart threatening to beat out of his chest but he noticed Wooyoung’s expression softening. Darting forward to give him another quick hug, he seemed at least slightly reassured by Hongjoong’s words when he said:

“You smell happier than you ever have.” 

For some reason this made him grin from ear to ear. He was.

A sudden shadow covering the opening of the tent announced someone else and suddenly Yunho’s face appeared. Hongjoong almost sobbed at the relief written across the other omega’s face. In the next moment they were hugging as well,  blooming lilies reaching his nose. He didn’t need to repeat it all, a few hushed reassuring words were enough to let Yunho know that he was doing alright.

With an excited glint in his eyes, Yunho smiled back at him and Hongjoong was about to ask what he might be hiding from him when Wooyoung’s hand pulled at his arm to get his attention. Turning his head towards the other omega in surprise, Hongjoong immediately understood when he spotted two frightened eyes staring at him from his nest. 

Seonghwa had woken up.

—≪ ※ ❖ ※ ≫—

Safe. Warm. 

Seonghwa couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this calm and protected. Nothing felt bad. The burning fire in his body had finally subsided. As his mind slowly gained consciousness, he noticed that he was lying on soft furs or blankets. Where was he? 

There were voices closeby and something that seemed to pull him there, like a moth to a flame. And emotions. So many emotions. Struggling to get a hold of them, Seonghwa groaned weakly, tentatively stretching out his limbs. He was met with searing pain shooting down his entire body. Confusion rose up in him. What happened? What had he done to cause this?

When he attempted to move again it appeared to be a bit easier but it still hurt, his head sending him a painful reminder to drink some water. Slowly opening his eyes as he finally managed to get himself into a seated position, he was surprised by his surroundings. The tent was big and warmed and smelled so good. It felt safe, secure and like… home.

Confused by his own thoughts, Seonghwa looked down at his own bare skin, spotting several red scratches right across his chest. Swallowing heavily, he tried to piece together how he had gotten here. He had stumbled into a camp–

He wasn’t able to finish the thought when he was hit with a wave of happiness he was unable to make sense of, much less stop it from happening. These feelings didn’t feel like they were his own, why was he feeling so euphoric all of a sudden? More emotions overwhelmed his mind, gratitude, relief, and very clear affection towards him.

Letting out a confused noise at the foreign feelings inside of him, Seonghwa finally raised his head, his gaze instantly fixed on the people standing at the opening of the tent where the sunlight provided them with daylight. Three people seemed to be absorbed in quiet conversation but Seonghwa was only able to focus on one of them. The pull he felt in his chest suddenly got stronger. Towards him.

Seeing the omega brought all the memories back at once. He had been tied to the ground, his body feeling like it was on fire. There was nothing he could do to stop being consumed by flames from the inside but him, his scent the only ease that kept the uncontrollable fire at bay. And then… there was…

He was struggling to connect the spotty images flashing through his mind. There had been more pain and so much desire , he thought he would burst with it until he finally found himself pressed against a body that consumed him in an entirely different way, making him yearn for nothing other than the next touch, the next orgasm, the next–

Seonghwa suddenly noticed three pairs of eyes fixating him with their sharp gazes as he was flooded with the emotions his memory brought back. He was at a complete loss of words, still unable to fully comprehend how he had gotten here, only managing to distinguish the strong pull he felt towards the omega in between the other two.

He didn’t know what to do when the omega slowly approached him, his gaze careful and measured. His mind was screaming but he couldn’t command any of his limbs to do anything other than keeping himself as still as possible.

“How do you feel?”, the omega whispered as he came to a halt a few steps in front of the nest to retrieve something from the ground. 

Seonghwa was unable to avert his gaze from the beautiful omega right in front of him that made him feel all kinds of emotions he wasn’t even sure were his own. There was worry rising up in him, demanding his attention but Seonghwa didn’t have the faintest clue what he should be worried about. The sweet and slightly tangy scent of blackberries invaded his senses and a strong wave of affection suddenly overcame him, he had to close his eyes for a moment as he started to get overwhelmed by it.

When the omega gently placed a small water bowl in his hand, Seonghwa opened his eyes again. As if he had momentarily lost control over his agency, it took him a while to bring the water up to his face to ease the scratchy sensation in the back of his throat. He was still at a loss of words, unsure of how to ask any of the burning questions that were creating holes in his mind.

“What happened?”, Seonghwa eventually croaked, his voice deep and rough from exhaustion. 

It barely covered any of the questions that he still had, fighting the confusion that still lingered and warped every single thought he had. The omega visibly reacted to his question as if he struggled with the same problem. There was a long moment of silence where the omega avoided his gaze as he sat down on the ground, seemingly adjusting the light tunic he was wearing. 

“You and I– We… mated.”, he muttered, looking at his hands resting in his lap. 

The words didn’t make sense to Seonghwa at first, his mind unable to connect the meaning of them but then the omega looked up, hesitantly meeting his eyes and that was when he saw it. The mating bite on his neck. 

As hazy as his own memory was, he would have definitely remembered the mating bite on the omega’s neck when they had talked in the tent. And he doubted any alpha would leave him alone right now if he had mated with him in the meantime. Which only left one option…

With trembling hands, Seonghwa slowly brought his fingers up to feel at his neck and immediately took in a sharp breath. No, this couldn’t be possible, this shouldn’t be– How had they even, how–

A rush of comforting emotions washed over him that he still didn’t quite know how to place but it seemed to work since his frazzled mind calmed down a bit. Whatever came next felt like a metaphorical, warm hug as more feelings overran his own and he was gently nudged to let go and just give in.

Directing his attention at the omega again, Seonghwa could see the slight panic reflected in his eyes but there was also a calm air about him that instantly put him at ease further. Was that him? How was he doing this?

“Shh… You’re going to be fine, we are going to be fine.”, he whispered, his hand in the air like he intended to touch him but had stopped himself midway. 

No matter what he was seeing or feeling, his mind brought up all the horrible scenarios that could have happened and how he had been the cause, the reason why he had attacked the omega and now they were irrevocably linked to one another with no way out and–

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I should have– I couldn’t control– I’m so sorry!”, Seonghwa murmured over and over again.

These troubled thoughts were overtaking each other now as he brought his hand up to his face, trying to cover himself somehow from the omega’s watchful gaze. He didn’t receive a response for a moment and resorted to squeezing his eyes shut for the time being. Maybe if he pretended this was all just a bad dream he would actually wake up from it. But then, very quietly, he heard the omega say:

“Do you hate it?”

His voice was soft, barely audible over the loud rushing in his own ears but Seonghwa was powerless against it. All he could do was let his own feelings take over with an intensity he didn’t expect himself. Waves of feelings for the way the omega looked, felt, tasted suddenly overcame him that were only accelerated when their eyes met. A broad smile spread across the other’s face when he seemed to realize what Seonghwa’s silence meant. And unsurprisingly he loved that smile too. He was beautiful when he smiled.

“I’m glad I can feel you.”, the omega whispered, his lips still curved up into that light smile, all the while he wasn’t breaking eye contact.

His confused expression seemed to amuse the omega since he giggled, actually giggled before going on to say:

“We know how the other feels, watch this.”

What followed was an overwhelming flood of affection for Seonghwa that he was unable to control. How pretty he was, how safe, how it felt to be taken by him, caressed by him, how it felt to love him. Seonghwa had never seen himself in this way. That his body could mean safety, his love feeling like home, his knot providing unimaginable pleasure– 

Staring back at the omega with wide eyes, Seonghwa didn’t know how to respond as he let these overwhelming realizations rush through him. That only seemed to prompt the omega to reach forward, finally bringing his hand up to his face. 

After brushing a few stray strands out of his face, he headed lower, towards his neck. And as soon as he made contact with his mating bite, Seonghwa felt an exhilarating flash run through him, as if someone had just touched the center of his core, the most inner part of himself. 

Seonghwa let his eyes fall shut and just enjoyed the sensation that ran up and down his spine, distantly noticing the satisfaction of bringing him pleasure at the periphery of his mind. After becoming aware of the omega being tethered to him this way, Seonghwa quickly became better at detecting whether it was something he was feeling or something the omega shared with him. 

Trying to open his eyes but instantly getting consumed by that stimulating sensation again, Seonghwa gave into the thrilling feeling again, a breathy noise escaping his lips. 

“I don’t even know your name.”, he mumbled absent-mindedly. 

The thought passed him by, his mind too out of it to be shocked by it. He only noticed he had actually said it out loud when the omega’s eyes lit up with the realization.

“It’s Hongjoong.”, he replied softly and then he giggled again, the sound so lovely in Seonghwa’s ears, it felt like his entire world was suddenly doused in melodic joy.

Once again Seonghwa was hit by a wave of love and affection and couldn’t suppress mirroring the bright smile the omega, Hongjoong , directed at him.

“You like my laugh.”,he said playfully. It was a statement, not a question and he couldn’t have been more correct. 

Led by the light feeling, he simply let his instinct take over and reached out to Hongjoong, who accepted him easily. His hands settled on the other’s collarbone at first, his touch soft and unhurried, without any ulterior goal. When he traveled upwards and brushed against his mating bite, Hongjoong let out a low sound of content. Suddenly all of the omega’s feelings seemed to become more intense, taking up the entirety of his consciousness.

Both of them took in a surprised breath as they came to the same conclusion. Their physical closeness only increased their connection. There was nothing else in Seonghwa’s mind apart from continuing his endeavor of touching Hongjoong so he brought his head down as well to take in the omega’s scent, fully immersing himself in his mate and his particular scent. 

Bringing his lips to his mate’s came natural as if they had already been doing this for years and nothing Seonghwa could think of had ever felt so right. Bringing himself closer, Hongjoong pushed him back into the nest, never breaking the kiss that remained gentle but seemed to open up an entire new world for both of them. 

Hongjoong climbed into his lap, pinning him down with the weight of his hips as he languidly proceeded to kiss him senseless, his fingers grazing his mating bite which continued to send sparks through his whole body. Neither of them cared about Seonghwa’s very apparent nudity, their skin to skin contact exhilarating the bond they shared in their minds already. Breaking away from his kiss swollen lips, Hongjoong breathed against him for a few seconds before saying:

“I never… thought I’d get to have this.” 

The statement was accompanied by a feeling of regret that immediately had Seonghwa on alert. His casually lingering hands on Hongjoong’s sides tightened involuntarily, making the omega suck in a surprised breath. Gently caressing his sides in an attempt to apologize, Seonghwa moved him to the side so he was lying next to him. 

Looking at him with wide eyes, Hongjoong managed to compose himself in the next moment to kiss the tip of his nose, making Seonghwa flutter his eyes shut at the unexpected tenderness of it.

“What do you mean?”, he whispered, feeling an unfamiliar sense of dread rising up in him. For some reason he was unable to detach this emotion from his own. 

By the way they were tangled together with Hongjoong’s legs still firmly wrapped around his body, it was becoming harder to distinguish where his limbs started and Hongjoong’s began, feeling so utterly intertwined with him. The omega in his arms seemed to give his question some thought before he replied:

“There is… I had my future foretold by a shaman who told me that my life would be changed forever by–”

Stopping himself in the middle of the sentence, Hongjoong’s eyes suddenly became big before he started to laugh helplessly against Seonghwa’s shoulder, confusing him to no end. He could sense relief and… amusement? Why was he suddenly laughing? He was suddenly reminded of his own foretold destiny. Had Hongjoong received a prophecy too? 

He was barely able to come to terms with his own reality after having his future ripped away from him so suddenly by his previous pack, much less this new situation, but Hongjoong’s act made his anxiety spike. Gently prompting the omega to look at him, Seonghwa tried to convey his feelings without actually knowing how to put them into words but it seemed like the other understood. 

Hongjoong kissed him again, his lips still curled into a light smile. Leaning over him once more, his weight now resting on Seonghwa’s naked chest, he whispered:

“Your life will be changed forever by a wanderer lost. That’s what I was told…” 

He let out a huff of air, as if he couldn’t believe his own words. Seonghwa was on edge, not fully trusting this just yet, guessing from the regret that rose up again in both of their minds.

“I was terrified of every stranger crossing our path, convinced it meant harm… To my pack. To me.”, Hongjoong continued, his voice barely above a whisper. 

There was a flicker of sorrow passing through Hongjoong’s features, cutting into Seonghwa’s consciousness like a dagger and he instantly pulled the omega closer to offer comfort in whatever way he knew. Freeing himself to get access to his face, Hongjoong was quick to let him know that he was fine by nipping at the soft skin behind his ear, making Seonghwa breathe out in contentment. 

“But it simply meant that I’d meet my mate when I’d least expect it.”, Hongjoong murmured, letting out another chuckle close to his ear that made all the hairs on Seonghwa’s body stand up.

Slowly letting the information sink in, Seonghwa allowed himself to enjoy the way Hongjoong seemed to be able to take him apart by nibbling at his neck. It was difficult to grasp a thought this way but Seonghwa tried anyway:

“So you think this was… destiny?”

Raising his head to look at him, Hongjoong’s expression was confused for a moment before he slowly nodded.

“I don’t know the word but it was in my future. The shamans read it in the stars the night they came to me.”

It was Seonghwa’s turn to look back at him in confusion. He knew other packs, large or small, had different ways of interpreting the makings of the Goddess of the Earth and Sea but he had never heard of reading someone’s destiny in the stars. The elders of his pack held the secrets of the tether to the Goddess and their power always worked in mysterious ways. He didn’t know whether they contacted the stars or the Goddess directly. 

Thinking back on his own prophecy, Seonghwa couldn’t help but question the path the Goddess had chosen for him. Or maybe She had forsaken him altogether. But whatever grievances he once harbored, they seemed secondary now. He was safe. Home . It didn’t matter. Hongjoong biting his earlobe brought him back to reality.

“Tell me where your mind suddenly went, Seonghwa. Your feelings are crushing me.”, he whispered softly, his voice impatient but calm. 

Seonghwa was confused for a second until he realized that his emotions weren’t a secret to his mate. Where should he even start? He sighed, holding onto Hongjoong until they were lying side by side, looking at each other directly. The omega’s eyes were attentive and clear, mirroring the intense emotions whirling inside of him.

“I received my destiny from the elders when I was younger. They know about the all encompassing works of the Goddess. She– They said that I would lead a powerful pack in the future.”, Seonghwa started, not sure how he should continue.

Hongjoong blinked at him, his mouth slightly agape. There was no judgement or scrutiny in his features and Seonghwa realized that he didn’t need to be scared. This was his mate, he could trust him, no matter how he felt about the Goddess. When a wave of affection washed over him, he couldn’t help but smile at the reassurance before continuing:

“The elders saw a powerful leader in me. Everyone expected me to present in my formative years but it never happened.”

He swallowed around the heavy lump forming in his throat, hesitating before he finally said what was weighing heavy on his mind:

“I didn’t fulfill the prophecy so they… sent me away.”

For a moment there was only the echo of his words that filled the silence between them until he felt a wave of outrage hit him with such an intensity, it took his breath away. Hongjoong’s pretty face was drawn together in a bout of irritation when he hissed:

“They exiled you?” 

Speechless due to the force of the omega’s protective outrage, Seonghwa could only nod in response but the anger that simmered inside of him wasn’t unwelcome. His anger was warranted but it felt like it had been years since his only thoughts had revolved around the reasonings of his pack to let him go. Whatever had happened, this didn’t matter anymore, he was holding his mate, his future, his destiny. The only reason he ever needed.

Trying to ease his mate’s furious state, Seonghwa leaned into him, kissing his jaw as tenderly as possible. He was still at a loss for words, unsure how he should voice the complicated emotions he was battling. 

“We found each other, nothing else that matters now.”, he settled on saying, since it was the only feeling he was sure about. 

Hongjoong’s emotions were still wreaking havoc in his mind, anger mixed with sorrow and worry that he couldn’t fully figure out until the omega got into a seated position next to him, never breaking eye contact before saying:

“You presented alone and you went through your first rut in a great moment of despair, forgive me for saying this but I don’t think your birth pack deserves you. They abandoned you at your weakest, simply for not living up to the… destiny that has been bestowed upon you by the Goddess.”

The words settling in Seonghwa’s mind were strangely comforting despite only stating what he had already thought in the past. Finally someone saw him for who he was but he shouldn’t be surprised, this was his mate after all. His perfect, beautiful mate who already knew him on a profound level despite barely spending a few waking hours with him. 

For some reason this thought elicited a chuckle out of Seonghwa and he just looked up at Hongjoong, the smile not leaving his lips when he pulled him back down towards him, putting all the admiration and gratitude into it to make him understand that his mate was the smartest and most genuine person he could have ever asked for.

“Why are you laughing?”, Hongjoong murmured between kisses. There was no accusation in his voice and Seonghwa took a moment longer to enjoy the soft lips against his own. 

“There is no better place for me than by your side.”, he replied and watched the omega’s smile grow as well. 

Hongjoong’s joy seeped into Seonghwa’s mind again and he let himself be carried away with it, simply because he could. He barely registered being pulled upright, too distracted by his feelings as his eyes remained closed. Only when he felt the omega straddling him did he look at him again. With their foreheads resting against another, Hongjoong took a deep breath. 

“I won’t let you go either way, you’re part of this pack now.”, the omega murmured, lightly caressing the back of his neck, causing him to shudder in satisfaction.

Wrapping his arms around his mate’s waist, Seonghwa had never felt more at ease than right in this moment. Both of their bodies were touching now but even if the light friction caused his slowly growing erection to shoot pleasurable flashes to his groin, he was too enamoured by the beautiful omega to think about his selfish urges at the moment.

But there was also something off about the way Hongjoong had addressed his pack. He didn’t dare to ruin their tender moment by asking so he remained silent while he felt him shift in his lap.

“I’m scared.”, he whispered against his lips, prompting Seonghwa to pull him in tighter, trying to ease the thread of fear spreading between them.

“They don’t know you… and I’m their pack leader. They should be able to trust me.”, he added in a somber tone, still letting himself be kissed by Seonghwa regardless.

Pack leader? 

His reaction to that revelation remained only in their shared bond, Seonghwa’s surprise being countered by bashful humility that had him laugh light-heartedly into their shared kiss. Seonghwa had never heard of an omega being the head of their pack but he had nothing but admiration for Hongjoong in his heart. His mate was perfect.

The omega’s scent somehow became even sweeter, its tanginess almost fully dissipated. The sweet blackberry reminded him of the short moment right after waking up, Seonghwa tried to commit it to his memories. Hongjoong’s happiness about his pack member’s presence and their smiles. 

They loved him.

Caressing his cheeks, he said:

“They trust you and deep down, you know that. You won’t have to face this alone either.”

Hongjoong seemed to melt against him in response, sweetly putting their lips together again. For a while they didn’t say anything else as they shifted their conversation to their shared bond, comforting each other simply by being there.

Pulling away with a more determined expression, Hongjoong slid off his lap and got to his feet. Seonghwa felt the emboldened confidence through their fated connection and couldn’t help but let himself smile. He had little to no memory of the members of his pack but something told him that whoever Hongjoong chose to have around in his pack must be kind people.

Seonghwa watched his mate with amusement as the other rummaged through discarded blankets and clothes, clearly looking for something specific. Only when he held up a thicker robe, he finally understood Hongjoong’s frantic search. The tent might be warm but the cold still hung in the air, clinging to the trees and forest floor outside.

He gratefully accepted the robe, sending an affectionate wave over to him which made the omega beam in response. Their communication came inhibited and easy, their affection for one another a constant in the back of their minds. Finding a pair of pants for him as well, Seonghwa found himself being fussed over by the omega when they both stood at the opening of Hongjoong’s tent. 

Seonghwa lightly kissed his fingers as he gently intertwined their hands. He would be lying if he wasn’t nervous about being introduced to a new pack but he still tried to send Hongjoong as much reassurance as he could muster

With his hand firmly in Seonghwa’s grasp, Hongjoong pulled him outside where he was immediately blinded by the bright cloudy sky and several eyes fixated on them. Seonghwa couldn’t make out most of their faces due to the sudden influx of light but by the way they immediately approached their leader, they seemed to be close to him. 

Hongjoong’s voice sounded calm and collected as he started to reassure them but Seonghwa felt the nervousness roll off of him in waves. Being so distracted by the omega’s feelings, he struggled to pay attention to what was being said as several people talked at the same time. 

Only when he was pulled forward by the omega’s strong grip on his hand did he circle back to what was taking place around him. More and more people from the pack had gathered, their curious eyes resting on him. He felt strangely exposed, unsure as to how he should react to all the attention but he was quickly soothed by Hongjoong’s calming emotions and the lovely scent of blackberries he exuded. 

It was clear that Hongjoong’s pack cared deeply about him while also paying heed to every word he said as he directed them to a large tent in the middle of their settlement. Seonghwa noticed a tall omega cutting his way through the people and was suddenly reminded of the first time he had encountered him. The omega with the weapon.

Remembering the way he had directed the alpha and was now exuding an air of authority, Seonghwa noted that he must be high up in the hierarchy of the pack which shouldn’t be surprising to him in the slightest. The pack had an omega as their leader after all. 

He was beaming with joy now, his soft scent of lilies surrounding him as he greeted Hongjoong and nodded at Seonghwa knowingly. Startled by his welcoming gesture, Seonghwa stared at him in bewilderment but was soon distracted by Hongjoong addressing his pack. They had all gathered around him at a close distance in the large communal tent that seemed to serve as their eating area.

“I know you must have been terrified by my sudden disappearance and I am deeply sorry I gave you reasons to worry so much.”, Hongjoong said, loud enough that everyone could hear. 

Everyone was quiet while their gaze rested on their leader with only some of them throwing quick glances at Seonghwa standing next to him.‎ He wasn’t able to detect any hostility in their faces. 

“As you most likely have noticed, there is a mating bite on my neck.”, Hongjoong continued and let out a huffed laugh of embarrassment or so it seemed.

Seonghwa could practically feel the omega’s relief falling off of his shoulder at the words and he squeezed his hand in quiet reassurance, watching his mate take a deep breath before he continued:

“But I can assure you that the decision to get mated wasn’t done out of foolishness or even worse, against my will.”

Murmurs and surprised gasps were audible from the pack but everyone’s focus was still firmly placed on Hongjoong and subsequently also Seonghwa, who decided to rest his gaze on his mate instead of exposing himself to the curious looks of the pack. Hongjoong’s eyes took on an assertive look when he spoke again:

“I haven’t been fully honest with you over the years and I apologize for keeping secrets from you. But I wanted to ease your worries as plenty of hardships have been plaguing us ever since that fateful winter.”

Seonghwa couldn’t help but look back at the pack again who had gone still unanimously at the mention of said difficult season. Hongjoong’s thoughts had dropped to a somber place that he could only identify as grief. It was obvious that the pack was tight-knit after whatever had happened. 

“Shortly before I became the head of this pack… a shaman found me.”, Hongjoong said and flinched at the surprised gasps erupting in front of him. 

Already knowing what the prophecy was that Hongjoong mentioned, Seonghwa wasn’t aware what the full extent of the admission meant when a child standing at the front suddenly whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear:

“Does that mean you will die soon?” 

His mate momentarily let go of his hand and took a few steps forward, bowing down to look at the young girl. His hand was on her shoulder and he reassured her with soothing words, making Seonghwa’s heart squeeze together with the way he seemed so careful with her. He could feel the love and respect he harbored for his pack and the young girl was no different. 

“I know shamans often bring news of death and departure but the revelation they had for me concerned my future mate. They told me: your life will be changed forever by a wanderer lost. This was to be my future.”, Hongjoong continued after straightening up again. 

Several members of the pack seemed to connect some of the dots and let it be known, making Hongjoong’s smile widen as he looked at them. Seonghwa had seen some of them before. One of them seemed to be a close confidant to Hongjoong, hugging him tightly now after already being in their tent right when Seonghwa had awoken. 

Guessing from the flowery scent of jasmine, he was an omega as well. A flash of curiosity about the pack dynamics rose up in him before he could stop himself and subsequently received an amused gaze from Hongjoong, who looked over his shoulder, the other omega still pressing himself close to him. 

For some reason, Seonghwa suddenly became antsy standing there all alone with Hongjoong being surrounded by the members of his pack. Stepping closer and immediately feeling his mate’s hand in his again, the feeling subsided as quickly as it came.

“Let me introduce ‘ the wanderer lost’ . This is Seonghwa everyone, my soulmate.”, Hongjoong calmly said as he leaned into him as he let himself be hugged by Seonghwa, whose whole body was going up in sparks of excitement at having his mate this close. 

Now the excitement was barely containable as everyone began exclaiming their joy at the news. He found himself surrounded by members of the pack and even if there was no hostility directed at him, he still took a few steps back, not used to the sudden attention. 

Noticing immediately, Hongjoong gestured for his pack to quiet down again and give them some space. Despite his average stature and his friendly nature, everyone obeyed immediately. Seonghwa watched in awe as his mate lifted his chin and suddenly exuded the authority of the pack leaders Seonghwa had grown up around. 

“I am as happy about this as you are but I still owe you all an explanation for making you strike down your tents every winter’s end. I was terrified of strangers and my inevitable future.”, Hongjoong said, his voice calm but firm.

Seonghwa couldn’t avert his eyes from his mate. He could still feel his nervousness at the back of his mind but his face showed nothing but determination. There was nothing in his mind but admiration for Hongjoong as he continued to look at his mate from the side whose focus rested on his pack. 

“And I am also guilty of being too distrustful of anyone outside of our pack. I know I must have caused confusion whenever I sent someone away”, Hongjoong continued, his face twisted with guilt before lighting up again, “but I am also grateful beyond belief for everyone who was loyal enough to stay.”

With that Hongjoong turned to the omega who had hugged him earlier, making him erupt into a snickering laugh that had everyone around him instantly join in. An alpha Seonghwa faintly recognized from his first encounter with the pack looked at him with so much fondness, Seonghwa could feel the bond they shared.

More people spoke up, expressing their gratitude about their leader’s decisions and Hongjoong’s imposing aura as a leader seemed to morph into the fond opposite when the young girl from earlier ran forward and hugged his middle.

“You’re forgiven, Hongjoong.”, she mumbled into his tunic and Seonghwa’s admiration for his mate couldn’t have been stronger then.

There was no doubt in Seonghwa’s mind that Hongjoong was a born pack leader but instead of ruling with the domineering display of power that Seonghwa was used to, he seemed to enjoy the pack’s unwavering loyalty simply by being… himself. Nothing of that matched with the teachings of his former pack that valued power above anything else. Struggling to make sense of this revelation, Seonghwa was startled by a voice right next to him.

“He’s a perfect leader, I agree.”

The tall omega guard with the scent of blooming lilies was standing next to him, watching him with an impish smile. Seonghwa questioned for a moment whether he could read his thoughts but before he could reply, he added

“It’s very obvious how you feel about him. Your eyes give it away.”

Seonghwa’s face must have made an understanding expression since the omega laughed, hiding his mouth behind his hand. Seonghwa just stared. After waking up from his first rut mere hours ago and the eventful introduction to this pack, everything still felt a little surreal.

“I know we met before but let me introduce myself properly. I’m Yunho. Sorry for pointing my weapon at you.”, the omega continued light-heartedly, making it impossible for Seonghwa not to mirror him.

There was a moment of silence between them where Seonghwa was desperately trying to sort his thoughts enough to form a meaningful reply. Somehow he couldn’t quite believe that he was being welcomed into this pack so effortlessly. Of course it must be his connection to Hongjoong that granted him this unchallenged entry but he never imagined it to be as easy as this.

“Thank you, Yunho. I can’t possibly thank you enough for giving me a chance, despite–”, Seonghwa started but was interrupted by the omega’s hand in front of his face.

There was a glint of mischievousness in his features when Yunho said:

“No need for the formalities. I knew that Hongjoong’s prediction was about you as soon as you joined him in his tent. You’re part of this pack now.”

Momentarily stunned by Yunho’s words, Seonghwa wasn’t able to come up with a reply in time before he felt Hongjoong’s hand slide into his again. Yunho’s chuckle didn’t escape him when Seonghwa couldn’t keep his attention on him any longer and he was distracted by Hongjoong’s smile when he was pulled towards the rest of the pack again.

With one raised arm, his mate managed to circle the attention back on him once more. Everyone was standing around them now, their gazes curious and open as they regarded Seongwha with increased interest. 

“I hope from this day on I’m able to be more honest with you all. I promise you to do better from now on with the knowledge and duty that I have. All I ask of you is to extend your kindness to Seonghwa and respect his wishes as if they were my own.” 

Despite Hongjoong’s voice being softer again, it didn’t lack any of the authority from before. Seonghwa’s attempt at greeting everyone was drowned out by the overwhelming affirming words from everyone else. 

Being at a complete loss on how to navigate the attention, Seonghwa was timidly accepting everyone’s greetings, clinging onto Hongjoong’s hand like a lifeline and felt his steady reassurance through their bond. Eventually, the pack slowly came apart once Hongjoong started listening to individual matters that had amounted during the time he was gone. 

As expected, Hongjoong’s role in the pack was indispensable as he watched him listen to people’s concerns, giving advice and encouragement when required or simply extending a hug when no other words were needed. 

Seonghwa resorted to observing everything from the side, basking in the emotions that were demonstrated so openly in this pack without an apparent hierarchy holding them back as everyone seemed to go about their day again, smiling at him when he seemed to have found himself cornered by curious children who wanted to extract as much information of the newest member of the pack. 

After answering the question where he came from for the third time with the same sentence, he was saved by the smiling omega smelling of jasmine. He introduced himself as Wooyoung all the while he pulled him away with the excuse of preparing food for him. Seonghwa hadn’t realized how famished he was after days of only consuming small bites of dried foods whenever Hongjoong reminded him to, since he had been barely coherent enough to hold a thought. 

As it turned out, speaking to Wooyoung came as easy as breathing thanks to his likable character and unbridled joy. Seonghwa almost forgot about his initial wariness of everyone around him as he was getting introduced to other members of the pack, namely Wooyoung’s mate, San, who beamed at him despite his imposing stature and Mingi, a tall good natured alpha who turned out to be Yunho’s beloved mate. 

Seonghwa couldn’t have been more fascinated by their relationships, seeing them interact throughout the day. Yunho seemed to exude more authority, directing alphas like San to guard their camp, while Mingi spent the majority of his time with the youngest of the pack. Meanwhile, Wooyoung fulfilled a role that was more familiar to Seonghwa, cooking and taking care of the elderly, but it was very clear that he was comfortable being in charge and giving orders as well.

Slowly getting acquainted with the dynamic of the pack, Seonghwa continued taking in the steady rhythm of their afternoon and the way they interacted with each other. Hongjoong was constantly moving, speaking to guards and caretakers alike, only dropping by occasionally to make sure he was alright. It was strange to be so comfortable whenever he was around, feeling like there was nowhere else he was meant to be and quite the opposite as soon as his mate was out of sight. 

By the end of the day he found himself next to a beautiful omega who eyed him suspiciously before he was ruthlessly questioned about his origins. Only when another alpha joined their conversation who introduced himself as Jongho, did he find out his name. Yeosang. 

The conversation with Yeosang left him feeling like an outsider, making Seonghwa doubt he would ever fit into the pack, much less call it his new home. Hongjoong only returned to him by nightfall when they ate around the fire and it was like Seonghwa finally felt entirely welcome and home after being lost, the events of the day exhausting and confusing him to an extent his tired mind couldn’t grasp.

It was only later, when they were in bed, their limbs entangled and their faces close together, that Hongjoong opened up about the members of his pack. How Wooyoung had joined them while running from his old pack in the midst of winter, making Hongjoong worry for all of their safety, convinced his destiny was catching up with him or how Yeosang’s wariness of strangers, coupled with his own, had caused him to be more and more cautious and desperate to protect his people.

Seonghwa learned that this was the reason they had always been on the move ever since Hongjoong had taken the responsibility of becoming the head of the pack. And he also found out that the decision for him to become their leader had been a unanimous vote of the notably smaller pack back then. And once again, Seonghwa was in awe of his mate. Of his strength, his resilience. All the while Seonghwa was still struggling to get used to his new reality of being an alpha. 

His senses were definitely sharper than he remembered and when he helped extend a tent the next day he noticed that he had more stamina in his muscles, being able to carry whole trunks of wood all across the settlement. He tried to act natural about it, too frightened he would get singled out or worse, seem arrogant in the other’s eyes. He only admitted it to Hongjoong when they sat down for their meal, making the omega snicker and affectionately nibble on his mating bite.

But of course more observant members of the pack picked up on it right away. San and Mingi especially, who seemed determined to gently guide him through his new found abilities without being too patronizing about it. For some reason, Seonghwa was touched by it rather than embarrassed, slowly but surely feeling like he was being accepted into the ranks of the other alphas. They had taken him in without question and the fact that he had presented this late and was very unfamiliar with the customs of their pack, didn’t seem to be an issue at all.

What mattered to them was that he was making Hongjoong smile on the daily, their faces lighting up whenever their pack leader’s giggle was echoing throughout the entire camp. But how could Seonghwa not want to make his mate smile every day when the sound of his laugh filled him with equal joy and a sense of purpose. 

In fact, everything he did was for Hongjoong. His happiness, his well being. He still might have been clueless about his role in the pack but he knew where he belonged. Even if sometimes, in the early morning hours before they rose with the sun, he held his mate close to his chest and thought to himself: What if he didn’t let him out of their tent today? What if he kept him all to himself? 

He always ended up regretting these thoughts, his complicated possessive alpha instincts clearly playing tricks on him. Trying to let his rational observation win over his jealousy that the pack got to have his mate’s attention for a few hours instead of him, he tried to sit with these feelings, instead of addressing them. But it seemed like Seonghwa wasn’t able to hide this inner conflict either.

Jongho had made himself known as the quiet but perceptive member in the pack and nothing seemed to pass him by. But what he imagined to be a stern talk from alpha to alpha, Jongho quietly listened to him, sharing his immature feelings of wanting Hongjoong all to himself as they sat in front of the communal tent.

“I know Hongjoong has responsibilities. He needs to be there for the pack so why do I get angry at them?”, he grumbled in an attempt to explain himself to Jongho. 

The younger alpha only snickered into his palm, as if he knew all too well what he was talking about, garnering a confused look from Seonghwa in response. 

“When I joined the pack, Yeosang didn’t speak to me for several months and whenever I approached him, he would ignore me. But then… I presented.”, Jongho started, amusement still adorning his smile. 

His gaze flew over to where Yeosang was currently sparring with Yunho. Something in his gaze made Seonghwa’s interest spike. What was he getting at?

Jongho and Yeosang?

Before he was able to think about it further though, Jongho added:

“I struggled quite a lot to adapt, somehow everything concerning Yeosang was a possible threat.”

Not hiding his amusement any longer, Jongho reached out to cup Seonghwa’s shoulder. There was a knowing look on his face when he added:  

“I still do it at times. It’s like an urge I can’t suppress quickly enough. But what I’m saying is that you’re not wrong for wanting to protect your mate, it might be new to you considering your journey so far but it’s only natural.”

Realizing what he was implying, Seonghwa nodded slowly, still not entirely convinced. He technically knew this about himself, his instincts were unruly, sometimes all too sudden but Hongjoong wouldn’t appreciate him flaunting his possessiveness out in the open, right? 

When he voiced said thoughts, Jongho’ characteristic beaming smile was unmistakably fond.

“I’m speaking from experience when I say that if you make your case clear enough, he’ll come back to you eventually. And with that mark on your neck there must be a way–”

Cutting himself off in favor of the newcomer joining them, Seonghwa was suddenly overwhelmed by the scent of sweet blackberries clouding his senses. In the next moment, Hongjoong was sliding into his lap and every thought he had zeroed in on the way his mate’s body felt against him. He faintly heard Jongho’s laughter in the back but he didn’t find it in him to care for it much when Hongjoong’s lips already made their way down his jaw towards his neck.

“I could feel you brooding all across the camp.”, Hongjoong murmured between the lightest touches of his lips against his neck. 

Seonghwa wasn’t able to form an answer coherent enough to verbalize his feelings so he resorted to uttering a disgruntled noise that morphed into a pleased sigh once Hongjoong licked over his mating bite.

“My dear alpha, of course I didn’t forget about you. How could I?”, Hongjoong murmured seductively, sending equal sparks of shame and excitement through his body. 

Seonghwa should have known better than trying to hide his feelings from his mate, he thought as he let himself be scented and claimed in what was unmistakably a very public display of affection. 

And much later, when he had Hongjoong all to himself again in their shared tent, bringing him to yet another ecstatic high with his mouth, he knew that his omega’s moans were loud enough to let everyone know about his role in the pack.

Keeping their pack leader satisfied. 

—≪ ※ ❖ ※ ≫—

Several Months Later

Dahee’s presentation as an alpha didn’t come as a surprise to anyone. 

It happened right before the peonies started to break out in full bloom. Mingi had said it was a sign that her first rut would be gentle on her. But she wasn’t scared of it like her brother had been. She trusted Hongjoong’s words that it wouldn't be painful as long as she trusted her instincts. 

Trying to use her newfound senses to her advantage as she advanced into the terrain surrounding their camp, Dahee looked up to check on the position of the sun. It was still a while until she would be called for their midday meal which gave her enough time to explore some more. 

Everyone in the pack had been thrilled about the spot of their new camp which would hopefully be their final one, but Dahee liked the vast uncharted area around their settlement the most. Even if the camp they were building was much brighter and more open than their previous one had been. No more cold and moist corners in their tents and Dahee was convinced that she could smell the sun on her clothes now. 

Maybe that was just because of her heightened senses but there was no denying that ever since finding the spot for their new home, everyone seemed to be in better spirits. Well, it was definitely also due to Hongjoong being-

“Dahee!”

A loud voice interrupted her line of thinking and she whipped her head around to spot the source of the voice. It definitely sounded like it was coming from the direction of the camp. Walking back into the direction she had come from, she sighed in frustration, hoping it wasn’t something trivial she was being called for. She really wanted to explore the rest of the eastern part today.

Her brother was already in sight when she approached the outskirts of their camp with a bright smile plastered across his face. Great, just like she thought.

“Jongho was looking for you, where were you?”, he said, his smile still covering half of his face but Dahee wasn’t really paying attention anymore.

Jongho?

Stalking past him with a nondescript mumble that he should mind his own business, Dahee instantly scanned the settlement for the broad frame of one of her favorite alphas. He was standing on the other side of the camp, a bit off to the side, staring up at a tree. Jongho didn’t give any indication that he had heard Dahee stepping up to him but then he suddenly said:

“How long do you think it’s going to take?”

Dahee followed his gaze and immediately understood what he was getting at. Standing on a large tree branch holding the ropes of one of their large tents in his hands stood Hongjoong, directing some other members of their pack on the ground. At first glance Seonghwa was nowhere to be seen but Dahee didn’t need to check to verify her assumption, he would have never allowed any of this in the first place.

Letting out a snort, she crossed her arms in front of her chest while pretending to give it some thought. In reality, she just watched Hongjoong for a few moments longer as he walked towards the outings of the branch to find a good fastening possibility for one of their larger tents. 

“Seonghwa has been cleaning the furs with Yeosang all morning, it will definitely take him a while.”, she said matter of factly. 

The position of the riverbed was a steep hill down on the other side of where they were right now and there was no way Seonghwa would notice soon enough to catch Hongjoong off guard. Just as Dahee finished the thought, someone rushed past her, only narrowly avoiding her shoulder. 

“Hongjoong, what are you doing?”, Seonghwa shouted up the tree, making Jongho and Dahee stare at each other wide eyed before she couldn’t contain herself any longer and burst into a surprised fit of giggles.

Meanwhile the pack members helping Hongjoong with the tent all seemed to be frozen to the spot as they watched Seonghwa angrily fixating his mate, bringing his arms into the very fed up and telling position of propping them on his hips. Oh, this was getting serious.

“I’m fine, I just needed to fix something.”

Hongjoong’s answer was level-headed and calm as always. No-one in the pack knew how he was able to withstand Seonghwa’s pointed looks of disapproval but Dahee assumed he must be immune to them by now, guessing from the way he actually made no effort to come down, focussing his attention on the length of the rope instead.

“Get down here or I’ll climb up to drag you down myself.”, Seonghwa replied coldly, unimpressed by the casual act of their pack leader. 

The others who had helped Hongjoong with the tent on the ground looked at each other tentatively, as if they sensed the storm coming if they stayed. That only left Jongho and Dahee standing behind Seonghwa. Clearly sensing he wouldn’t get any immediate support from the pack around him, the alpha whirled around and seemed to notice their amusement based on the whole situation. When he glared at them, Jongho raised his arms in defeat.

“Listen, he was already up there when I arrived, might as well be down here to catch him?"

Dahee snorted again and instantly looked away when Seonghwa’s eyes fell on her. She had never been subjected to the piercing gaze of her new pack leader so far but from what her friends told her, it felt like ice cold daggers. The decision from everyone to make him lead alongside Hongjoong was definitely the right one. With their safety in mind and the determination to ensure it, Seonghwa was perfect for their slowly growing pack. Even if it seemed like the member causing him the most trouble at the moment was Hongjoong himself.

When Dahee lowered her head in a dutiful sign of respect. Seonghwa just let out a frustrated sigh and turned towards his mate in the tree again. For a few moments they appeared to remain in a quiet argument, just looking at each other but then Hongjoong tightened the rope to a sturdy branch close to him and maneuvered himself towards the tree trunk. 

Slithering more than climbing back down, Hongjoong was already expected by Seonghwa who wrapped his arms around him as soon as he was able to. And although their pack leader was grumbling something inaudible to everyone around, it was clear that he enjoyed being held by Seonghwa. 

Something in her chest twinged slightly at the loving gesture of Seonghwa pressing his mate close to his chest. Looking over to Jongho, Dahee was greeted with a fond look on his face, not hiding how touched he was as well. But she didn’t know anyone in their pack who wasn’t absolutely enthralled by these two.

“You need to take care!”, Seonghwa insisted, his voice imploring and worried as he let his hands wander down Hongjoong’s front, coming to rest on the growing bump.

Hongjoong’s fiery expression suddenly lit up with a mixture of joy and fondness as he covered his mate’s hand with his own. Neither of them spoke but instead gazed at each other lovingly and Dahee knew that they must be conversing through their bond. So consumed by the display of love and affection, she didn’t even notice more members of the pack joining to watch their leaders in this intimate moment of shared joy.

Yes, she was overjoyed about the place they could call home now but it was nothing compared to the excitement all of them shared for the unborn life growing in Hongjoong’s belly.