For some odd reason, I was never really scared of blood or gore. I grew up watching awfully descriptive war movies with my father, so even as a kid, when I witnessed Jungkook break his knee, I was unfazed by the blood and bone.

However, the horrendous sight in front of me makes me feel like puking.

The first difference I notice is Jungkook's eyes. His brown doe eyes blink into a deep, blood red. They trigger a hazy memory—a forest, two figures, and blood gushing out of my gut.

His eyes bulge as his face contorts in pain. His bones start cracking, shifting under his pale skin. I blindly reach for my phone, unable to turn my gaze from the sight in front of me, but my best friend growls at me.

Don't, his eyes warn.

He doubles over, hands gripping the bed frame until his knuckles are white, and I can see bumpy ridges protruding along the curve of his spine. He lets go of the wood as his nails extend and start to dig into it. I shift onto my knees, watching in horror as his body creaks with painful cracks and snaps.

"Jungkook?" I ask warily. I'm looking into his eyes for an answer but he doesn't budge in the slightest.

Jungkook groans out in discomfort as his bones painfully elongate under his skin like snakes, but his skin steels and stretches. He tightens his jaw and flexes as his ivory-white canines grow out, sharp like the point of a dagger. At the same time, hair shoots out, thick and all over his body.

The veins on his neck bulge dangerously and he growls lowly. There is too much happening at once and I'm not sure if I should be focusing on his wolf-like facial structure forming or his underwear tearing as his bones readjust and reform.

And as quick as it began, the transformation is complete.

"Now do you believe me?" he asks, his deeper voice sounding foreign in my ears.

I pinch my thigh, digging my nails into the flesh. It hurts along with the unfortunate realization that this isn't a dream.

"You're a dog," I say blankly.

He grunts, annoyance laced in his words. "Werewolf," he corrects. "This is a half-shift. If I fully shift, then I'm a wolf." He studies my expression, looking for any signs of fear, but I bet he can smell it wafting from me. "It's painful and slow the first few times, but the more you practice, it doesn't hurt as much and you can do it in seconds."

"Werewolf," I echo. "Right."

"I have freaking red eyes and claws and you still don't believe me?"

I don't know what to believe. This is all too surreal for me to process, and as an individual who has never believed in the supernatural, it's only natural that I'm skeptical. Although, what I just saw is too real for me to not believe Jungkook.

"You're telling me that I'm"—I make a gesture at the beast in front of me—"this?"

Jungkook only nods.

"This is crazy," I say. "How did this even happen?"

Jungkook takes a step toward me and I have to resist every screaming muscle in my body that's jumping for me to flee. Beast or not, this is Jungkook. He sits on the bed in front of me and the only thing that keeps me grounded in place is the fact that I can still see the human in his eyes.

That's right. He's still Jeon Jungkook.

"Do you trust me?" he asks. "Even if I'm... this?"

"Yes."

The word leaves my lips before I can even think about it first. Of course I trust Jungkook—that's always been a given. Can I trust what I'm seeing, though? I'm not exactly sure, but I want to believe that he's right, even if this all seems like something out of a fantasy world.

"Someone attacked you last night at the party, Jieun," Jungkook explains and the memory loss makes sense now. "You were badly wounded and I don't know exactly what happened, but you survived it, and I don't know how; humans shouldn't typically be able to survive a werewolf attack."

I don't say anything so he continues, "I've always kept this from you because werewolves and humans live in very, very separate worlds. You cannot tell a soul about what you are, Jieun, or our kind will be in a lot of danger."

I frown. I understand the need for secrecy, but I don't understand why he never told me before now. "Why couldn't you tell me? We know everything about each other," I argue. I hesitate with my next words so I mutter, "Well, almost everything."

Jungkook's red eyes darken. "I never wanted you to find out about this side of me, much less become part of it." He sighs, aggravated. "I'm an alpha, Jieun. I'm the leader of a pack, and if you become a beta and join my pack, then I can lend you my power."

I need him to slow down. He's throwing all this gibberish about packs and alphas at me, but I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm a dog.

"Listen, Jungkook," I begin sheepishly. "I don't have time for this. Actually, I have an essay due tomorrow so I should—"

Jungkook sighs again, and it shuts me up immediately because I don't want to anger him when he's in this form. "Then let me just show you what you really are."

"No thanks," I stupidly blurt out.

"Jieun," he warns, and I decide to go along with his antics.

Jungkook leans in close. Too close, and for a second, I'm afraid he's going to kiss me. It makes my face burn and all that I can think about is how I don't want my first kiss to be with a werewolf.

But he doesn't kiss me.

He bites my good shoulder.

I hiss in pain as soon as his ivory canines dig into my flesh, tearing into it until blood spurts out. It's a burning sensation that makes me realize just how powerful his jaw is and how deadly his bite is. Maybe Jungkook is right because my pain tolerance is heightened now; I can actually sit through this with slight discomfort.

I grit my teeth as he pulls away. "Nevermind, I shouldn't have trusted you, you conniving little—"

Jungkook rolls his eyes at me. "Jieun, look."

I pause and look at the shoulder he bit down on. I could've sworn it was bad enough that my muscles would be torn and my flesh would be shredded, but the wound is healing itself like magic. The blood is drying almost instantaneously and my pituitary gland must be in overdrive because the bite is almost patched up.

It doesn't even hurt anymore.

"It healed in seconds," I say in disbelief.

"Yeah, because you're a werewolf like I've been explaining for the last five minutes, dumbass."

I glare at him. "This is a lot to take in, okay? I didn't expect all of this nonsense after waking up from a party." I pick up my phone and wave it teasingly in front of his face. "Now go, fetch," I tease.

Jungkook's eyes follow the phone before he growls softly and snatches the phone from me. He's careful not to graze me with his claws. "I'm not a dog," he replies. "Listen, Jinae, you need to join my pack. It's not safe for lone wolves like you."

I don't know what's stopping me. Jungkook's my best friend but I need more answers before I decide on anything.

"I can't right now." I stand up and grab my jacket and phone in a hurry, avoiding the red, piercing eyes. "I have to go."

"Jinae." Jungkook stands up with me. "You're an omega now. It's really dangerous out there for you, so be careful."

I nod in assurance, hoping that's enough for him. But there's something still itching at the back of my head, swimming in my subconscious.

"Jungkook, did you bring me here from the party?"

His jaw sets. I can see his biceps flex, and his claws retract as he balls his hands into fists. The pause of silence makes me feel wary about his answer; I regret even asking in the first place.

But he does answer me, because Jeon Jungkook can never lie to me.

"No, Kim Taehyung did."

[Alice's A/N]
Sorry for the late update and I hope all of you and your families are safe!