"There's a wolf town up ahead, about two miles. So we can buy you both suppressants." Jongho stated. He scouted ahead to see what the dirt road they were following lead to, and a weight was lifted off everyone's shoulders when they realized they could finally avoid heats.

Seonghwa nodded, and laced his fingers with Wooyoung's as the group started their trek to the wolf town.

It's been about two weeks since Wooyoung's heat passed, and it went as smooth as it could have. Seonghwa's mark helped Wooyoung go through his heat a little easier, but it still took a toll on his body. San and Jongho kept their promise, they didn't once interfere and stayed put at the camp they set up. San's scent also kept unwanted alphas away, so thankfully the omegas were undisturbed the entire time.

Once San sensed their fellow companions returning to the camp site, he swarmed them with questions, mainly out of curiosity and worry. Seonghwa felt as if his mate was being threatened, and kept Wooyoung hid behind him as he snarled at San. The alpha was taken back, but once he noticed the marks adorning both of their necks and Seonghwa's eyes a vibrant shade of yellow, he stepped back to let Seonghwa know he wasn't trying to harm them. It's rare for an alpha to stand down to an omega, but San has never had ill intentions, and wanted that to be shown. Seonghwa soon calmed down, and they both apologized, but San keeps in mind now to watch himself around the protective omega.

As the group made their way to the town on the main road leading, Jongho voiced his thoughts to the two omegas trailing behind. "If anyone asks, Wooyoung is my claimed omega, and you're San's claimed omega, right?"

"That's the best plan we have." Seonghwa commented, picking up his pace and walking in sync with the two alphas.

They soon arrive at the front gates, and are stopped by two betas on guard. "What's your purpose for coming here?" A tall, lanky beta asked from the top of the gates.

"We would like to shop. We'll be leaving soon after that." Jongho spoke for the group.

Everyone tensed as the other beta, shorter and built more muscular studied the four of them.

"Are the omegas yours?" The tall beta slapped his companions arm. "Isn't that a little personal Daehyun?"

"No it isn't. Zander is pissed those two runways escaped. Do you want to piss him off even more by letting in unclaimed omegas and setting someone else off?"

The tall beta stood down, and his fellow beta, Daehyun, spoke to someone else behind the gate for a few moments before turning back to Jongho.

"You can enter, but keep your omegas close. We've had a few..incidents lately. Nothing to worry yourself with. Just do your trading and leave."

Jongho sighed in relief when the gates opened, and he gently took Wooyoung's wrist, San doing the same with Seonghwa, and they walked in.

Jongho deeply regrets choosing this town to stop and get supplies.

Everything is seemingly normal, there's alphas working around the town, betas and omegas selling goods from stands on the street. There's even children.

But even San can't ignore the smell of distressed omegas. The scent is everywhere.

Jongho looks around nervously, brining Wooyoung closer to him as he feels him shake slightly.

San, something is wrong here. Everything looks normal but I know you smell it.. Jongho quietly says to San through their link.

It's like every omega here is unhappy..But everything looks so normal. What is wrong here?

I don't know, but let's just get the medicine and leave as soon as we can. I don't like it here. Jongho says as he looks at the stalls and searches for something resembling medicine.

Seonghwa gently shakes San's arm and points to a stand with herbs and pill bottles, and the group makes their way to the old omega behind the counter.

"How can I help you today?" The male states, putting his newspaper away to pay attention to his customers.

"Do you sell suppressants for omega's heat?" Jongho states, gently rubbing Wooyoung's hand to calm him. The omega was slightly shaking, and even though Jongho knew he'd much rather be in Seonghwa's arms, this was the best he could do.

"I do, what kind of suppressants are you looking for?" The omega asked, studying Wooyoung and Seonghwa.

"Just enough to keep their heats at bay, we're traveling and can't afford for them to go into heat, do you have anything like that?"

After the pair exchanged a few questions, how long they want their heats to stay away, Seonghwa and Wooyoung's general height and weight, and things of that nature, the group departed with half a year supply of suppressants. Hopefully they wouldn't have to take them for that long, but they want to be sure.

San suggested that the group look around the market a bit more before they leave, just to see if there's anything they could buy that they still need.

While Seonghwa talked to San about getting a few more containers for water, a scream made everyone in the market freeze.

Suddenly, a female omega was dragged through the market by her hair. The alpha dragging her had dark, almost black, red eyes, as he pulled her farther away from the center of town.

"I FUCKING TOLD YOU TO NEVER DO THAT AGAIN, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO LISTEN!" The group watched in horror as the omega was slammed into a bulletin board in the middle of town, and Woooyoung cried out as he watched the omega squirm and cry for her alpha to stop.

"I-I'm sorry! I promise I'll never do that again please just let me go!" The alpha huffed and dropped the girl on her behind, and she scrambled away with tears running down her face.

"If I ever see you talk to another alpha like that I will SKIN YOU ALIVE! Now go home and be useful for once, since you can't even run the stand without being a fucking slut!" The booming dominance in his voice made Wooyoung almost drop to his knees, but Jongho's firm hold on his waist kept him standing up.

The entire market watched as the girl picked herself up, brushed off her clothes, and linked away to the resident cabins, no one following after her as her alpha returned to his stand to sell his products like nothing happened.

The thing that startled Jongho the most was that the entire town carried on like nothing happened. No one ran after the omega, no security said anything to the alpha now trying to sell various odds and ends, the whole pack continued life like the outburst never happened.

The smell of distressed omega made so much sense to Jongho as he put the puzzle pieces together.

San, we need to leave now. Jongho quickly said to San as he grabbed Wooyoung's hand and led him through the town.

I was about to say the same thing. San responded as he held Seonghwa close to him, following behind Jongho as fast as he could.

He abruptly stopped by the bulletin board in the middle of the town square, where he watched the poor girl get smacked into.

"San, we have to go.." Seonghwa urged beside him, but San studied the posters on the board with horror.

There's normal town news, a few local announcements, but what terrified San the most were the posters.

There are wanted posters for runaway omegas, male and female alike. Some were even wanted alive or dead.

But two pictures stood out to him. A petite looking omega with black hair, and an alpha with deep brown hair. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he read the message under the pictures.

Kang Yeosang, omega, wanted dead. Song Mingi, alpha, wanted dead as well. If spotted, please report to Head Alpha Zander immediately. Permission to attack on sight granted.

"San, Jongho is waiting.." The alpha was brought back to reality when Seonghwa tugged on his arm, and without even thinking, San ripped the poster off the bulletin board and shoved it in his pocket, grabbing Seonghwa's hand and weaving him through the people as he approached the exit where Jongho and Wooyoung were waiting.

"Did you find everything alright?" The guard beta asked the group as they passed through the gate, and San answered before Jongho could even gather his words. "Yes, we did. Thank you for allowing us into your town. We'll be going now."

The guard was taken back by San's fast reply, but nodded and closed the gate after the group left the town and started walking back down the road they came.

Once they were a good distance away, Seonghwa ripped himself from San's hold and reached for Wooyoung, pulling the omega as close to his body as he could. "Are you alright? I could smell you the whole time.."

"Yes, I'm fine Hwa.." The two connected their foreheads and began talking through their link, so San walked over to Jongho and shoved his face into the alpha's neck, inhaling the spicy nutmeg. Jongho..what the hell was that place? San said through their link.

I don't know, but I do know that we're never going there again. I smelled distressed omega the whole time, but I couldn't tell where it was coming from. But now I know..every omega in that pack is distressed. They're all scared..so they constantly release those pheromones. A deep rumble filled Jongho's chest as he rubbed his hands along San's back, and the older alpha returned the gesture by wrapping his arms around Jongho's neck.

The entire bulletin board is just posters for wanted omegas..there's dozens of them missing. I think it's a good thing those two mated..It might have saved us a lot of trouble. San lifted his head to look at said couple, and he grinned as he watched Seonghwa scenting the smaller omega, Wooyoung's sour scent getting replaced with calm, sweet tones.

Will you mark me too, Jongho?

The alpha in question pulled back to look at San in disbelief. You want me..to mate you? You'll let me, you know..

Fuck me? San laughed through their link. Yes, I know your wolf will never submit to me. It's a waste of time to even try..but I can make mine submit. I don't care if it takes every ounce of my body..I want your mark on my neck and I want mine on yours.

Jongho couldn't believe what he was hearing in his head, and he almost asked San to repeat it out loud for him, but he saved it and pulled the other alpha in for a kiss. His wolf roared in anger and disgust, but he shut it out and poured his love into his kiss.

I'd never thought I'd love an alpha..in such short time, too. But I feel like I've known you my entire life. San said to Jongho as they pulled apart, and Jongho shoved his face into the alphas neck, inhaling that campfire smoke he's grown to adore.

As well as I.

The two stayed like that for a few minutes, even though it felt like hours. When they finally looked back up, Wooyoung was watching them with a fond smile, and Seonghwa had a blank expression, but his eyes had a warm look to them. Accepting almost.

"Sorry, we should get moving." Jongho chuckled as he grabbed the forgotten bags they dropped in their haste to be in the arms of their original partners. The four of them gathered what they bought in the town and Wooyoung and Seonghwa were given their suppressants.

Once the pills were taken and everyone was accounted for and comfortable, they all shifted once more, and begin their journey to find a place called home once again.

***
Written by sueoku