Jungwon was breathing heavily, his shirt sticking to his body and his bangs sweeping across his forehead in every direction, as he repeated the same choreo over and over again.

He had needed to leave the dorm and get some space. Sitting around the kitchen or lounging in their living room just felt odd, when everyone was either taking care of Sunoo, who was slowly getting over the last waves of his heat, or running around to get bottles of water and towels for Niki, whose rut had been keeping eveyone on their toes.

The first one was always unpredictable. Just like Sunoo, he needed to be alone at times, relieve himself of his wolf's urges or sleep off his headache, but most of the time even then, all of his hyungs were tending to them behind the scenes.

Washing sheets, cooking food, getting Sunoo Ice cream because the boy swore it cooled his heats.

Jungwon knew that was a lie.

Nothing he could eat or wear or do could 'cool' a heat down.

But he would never expose the boy's secret. It felt like an unspoken Omega code that you never get in the way of their pampering.

Nothing but one thing could relieve his heat - and Jungwon didn't ever want to think about his bandmate doing that one thing with his other bandmates. Especially Heeseung.

Jungwon shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts and the ugly stinging in his chest. This was exactly why he had to leave. He had to get everything out of his system.

So Jungwon arrived at the company as soon as the clock deemed it socially acceptable and booked his favourite training room to cool off.

One of their managers had seen him on his way, which had let to an hour long conversation about their scheduels and the changes that needed to be made to accomadate for the surprising cycles.

Which in turn, came with more concerned glances and questions about Jungwon himself, and he hated how quickly he was starting to dislike having to deal with his company and everything being an idol entailed.

What he fought so hard for felt like a burden now.

His coping mechanism, his members, were a whole other source of distress for him lately.
And Jungwon wished he could go back to the days when dancing didn't feel like a chore and living didn't feel like lying. When his members meant comfort, not concern.

The beginning of the song rang through the speakers once more, and Jungwon kept going, chasing for that feeling he yearned for.

When he closed his eyes, it worked. When he didn't watch himself, his soft cheeks, and recently widening hips in the mirror, he could pretend that nothing had changed.

And really, when he had laid in bed one night after he had first presented, he thought that nothing actually had changed.

If he was an omega now, then he had always been one. He really hadn't changed. He was just made aware of his real self. But that thought had only comforted him very shortly because reality still felt so much different.

As he moved through the song, he felt free.

Until his phone, which was connected to the speakers, gave off a loud 'pin' noise. He tried to ignore it, but when two more followed, his responsible nature urged him to check the source of disturbance. What if someone needed him?

Two messages from Jake asked him where he was and that he should come home soon.

One was from Sunoo.

It's over.

A cute emoji decorated the simple sentence, and Jungwon scrambled to get his belongings and rush through the door to search for someone to take him back to the dorm, his worries suddenly forgotten.

While Sunoo's clinginess used to be too much for Jungwon sometimes, now he missed having him attached to his hip at all times.

It felt so wrong to avoid his room, to ignore the calls and sobs he heard whenever he rushed through the hallway, calling for him and Niki.

Jungwon had missed Sunoo just as much as Sunoo had missed them. Because Jungwon knew how earthshattering and heartbreaking it felt to be apart from your pack during your heat.

Like a constant chattering from a demon over your shoulder, telling you that your loved ones are rejecting you. Or maybe hurt and unable to get to you.

Not being with your pack, even unbonded, meant abendonment and fear and pain.
And Jungwon hurt just as much when his wolf screamed at him to make it right, to hold Sunoo and Niki, to protect them.

So when Jungwon rushed through the door of their dorm and Sunoo greeted him right behind it, Jungwon practically ran into his arms and almost picked the boy up to bring him right back into their room and make the most fluffiest and safest pillow fortress Jungwon could ever make (Not a nest, puppies don't nest).

"Jungwon-ah," Jungwon could hear Sunoo's bright smile as he giggled into the embrace, arms circling his waist.

"Sunoo-hyung, I missed you so much. I'm so sorry I couldn't help you. They wouldn't let me go anywhere near you."

"I know, Won. I'm sorry i kept bothering them about it. And I'm so sorry I scared you like that."

"It's okay, you didn't. You didn't scare me." Jungwon tried to convince the Omega who was looking at him with sad sparkling eyes now.

"You know you can always come to me when you're feeling bad."

Sunoo nodded and squeezed his leader even tighter.

God, Jungwon wanted to squish him and keep him in his pocket, and most of all, he really wanted to scent him right now.

He still smelled faintly sweeter than usual, and Jungwon couldn't help but lean into the scent.

Not willing to let his precious pack member leave his sight or his arms, Jungwon slowly nudged them into the direction of their couch, waddling like peguins.

He heard water running in the kitchen, and Jake was already sitting in their living room as both Omegas finally arrived.

It finally felt like their dorm was alive again.

The others must either be with Niki, likely their betas, and that only left Heeseung, who Jungwon concluded, was the one roumaging in the kitchen. Jake smiled at the tangle of limbs that flopped down next to him and chuckled slightly when Jungwon promptly pulled Sunoo into his lap.

His Omega was wagging its tail in Jungwon's mind, so excited to finally be able to take care of Sunoo himself. He needed to make sure that Sunoo was warm and cosy. and there was no better place than right on top of Jungwon.

"How are you feeling? Are you still in pain? Do you need anything?"

Sunoo blushed slightly at the attention, cheeks and ears becoming rosy red as he looked at Jungwon's hands, which had intertwined with his own around his stomach.

"I'm okay now. Just tired. " Jungwon hummed and set his chin down on Sunoo's shoulder, enjoying the warmth radiating from his Hyung.

"Have you eaten?" he asked once more.

But Jake answered instead. "Heeseung-hyung's making ramyeon."

Of course he was.
Part of Jungwon wanted to keep nagging, ask about how long the eamyeon are going to take and if he should get Sunoo a snack in the meantime, but even Jungwon knew that Sunoo would live for the 3 moinutes preperation time it took for the noodles to boil. So he just hummed in acknowledgement once again and tried to quiet his instincts by simply holding onto Sunoo.

But he wanted to keep hearing Sunoo's voice, a sweet sound he had never missed so dearly before, so he made him talk about his week.

He let the older ramble on about the drama episodes he watched, the nest he had built, the clothes he had stolen from Jungwon's closet, and the mountains of ice cream Sunghoon had gotten him.

And Jungwon kept listening and encouraging him, even when Heeseung sat down next to him, thigh touching his thigh, with a huge pot of multiple packets of instant noodles and smaller bowls and chopsticks.

He obviously let the Omega eat, loosening his hands from Sunoo's.

Weirdly enough, Jungwon felt a rush of calm as he watched his hyung eat and contend settled deep in his bones. The dread of the past days finally falling off his shoulders.

Heeseung, however, was watching Jungwon as he chatted with Jake and Sunoo and filled an extra bowl with noodles for Jungwon to eat later, when he wasn't occupied by his member anymore.

Before their chat that morning in his room, Heeseung would have been jealous. He would have stared at the cuddling pair in sadness, thinking about how perfect they seemed together. How he could never be what his leader saw in Sunoo.

But as he watched them now, Jungwon looked at Sunoo with so much appreciation and adoration that he realised that he didn't need to be.

The oldest alpha, knowing that Jungwon loved their Omega like family, couldn't help but admire their care for each other. Heeseung's hand found Jungwon's almost automatically as he witnessed his eyes coming alive with happiness to be reunited with his pack member.

As Heeseung saw Jungwon embrace the boy, he knew his thoughts of Jungwon meeting someone behind their backs was ridicolous. Completely foolish.

Jungwon loved his pack so openly and vividly and painfully obviously that Heeseung knew Jungwon would have long introduced them to everyone had there actually been someone.

"And then, the girl was like 'do i look like I'm a puppy to you' and the male lead was so embarrassed it was hilarious, Won you really need to watch the next episode with me! Maybe we can even convince Niki and have a maknae-line movie night. That would be so cool! Wait....Where is Niki anyway?" Sunoo suddenly broke from his ramble, and Jungwon stiffened underneath him.

Niki was still in the pack room. Without him. He felt Heeseung tighten the grip on his hand.

Had no one told Sunoo yet?

"Sunoo," Jake paused, trying to find the right words. "Niki is in the pack room. Last night, there was a little incident. Niki presented. Niki.. he's in a rut now."

Sunoo's hand sank to stablise and ground himself on Jungwon's knee as he slowly took in the new information.

"How.. How did it happen? Is he okay?" The worry in his voice overshadowed the former joy.

Jungwon clearely heard the underlying question,'Was it because of me?'.

So Jungwon answered both as quickly as possible. "He was with me when it happened. I fell asleep with him in the pack room, and Niki was all protective when I woke up. It had nothing to do with you, don't worry."

"He's okay, Sunghoon and Jay are with him right now. He's pretty lucid." Heeseung added, thumb drawing shapes onto the back of Jungwon's hand in an attempt to also soothe their leader.

Jungwon was grateful to hear that Niki was okay. He still worried about what Niki had decided to share with their betas, but knowing that Niki was fine made it less scary.

He just wished he could take Sunghoon and Jay's place. Even if it meant putting cold wet towls on Niki's forehead and getting new bottles of water for him every few minutes. Being there for him would be worth it.

Sunoo seemed to share his sentiment, but he also understood that it would be anything but smart to enter the lions denn as a still sweetly smelling Omega who just got off his heat.

It was a recipe for disaster. So Sunoo stayed in Jungwon's lap, grateful that one of the leader's arms was keeping him steady in his place, blocking him from jumping up and running to their youngest.

And Jungwon also knew that Sunoo's weight could keep him in his spot, just like Heeseung's hand in his, slowly gliding his fingers over his knuckles and drawing little shapes on the back of his hand uncounciously.

And there were those damn butterflies again. His hand felt so warm and soft and secure that Jungwon couldn't help but notice the difference to the way he had roughly gripped his hips before.

He noticed how big they felt compared to his, and he was unwillingly reminded of the feeling of their touch when his fingers spanned across his waist and the small of his back.

Just existing next to Heeseung made him feel blessed by his presence, but cursed by the desire he felt for the man now that he knew the taste of his lips and the tingling of his touch.

So when Heeseung and Jake reluctantly got up to clean the dishes, Jungwon was glad to be left alone with the personal heater ontop of him as his thoughts didn't sound quite like a mushy romance novel anymore.

"Are you okay,  Wonie? I know it's been a lot this last week" Sunoo broke the silence, shifting to sit sideways next to Jungwon now to be able to survey his face for any discomfort, legs still splayed across Jungwon.

"Yes, you don't need to worry. I'm all good. All you need to focus on is getting back to normal and feeling good again. I guess it must be hard to deal with all of the cycle stuff without your pack."
Jungwon deflected.

"I'm completely fine know, as long as I keep getting my ice cream" Sunoo smiled sweetly,  and Jungwon had to spress a chuckle as he spotted the olders attempt at getting free food immediately. But he couldn't blame him.

Still, he felt bad and needed to make sure that Sunoo knew that he wasn't abandoning him or his wolf by staying away.
He knew Sunoo knew the logical reasons, but he also felt that it would be very nice for Sunoos Omega to hear, still.

"Sunoo, I'm still sorry I wasn't there for you. I asked them to let me see you every day. If I could have,  I would have stayed with you the entire time."

Sunoo looked down at his leg,  and Jungwon knew he was right.
"I know. It justdidn'tt feel right without you." his voice was tiny.

"I know that they didn't let you go. And i know they were right. Heeseung-hyung told me that you couldn't come every time I asked for you."

Of course,  it had been Heeseung. When wasn't he the root of his desperation lately?

Sunoo must have seen the sour expression cross Jungwon's face,  and Sunoo's words grew nervous and quicker.
"You know he's not trying to claim me and separate us in anyway, right? We're really not like that. It wasn't a territorial thing, he was just worried for you!"

Jungwons face transformed from frustrated to amused, his chin wobbling under the threat of laughter breaking loose.

Sunoo got the wrong idea.

That was so far off from Jungwon's worry that it seemed comical.

Was Sunoo really worried Jungwon thought that Heeseung was trying to keep Sunoo from him because he wanted Sunoo to himself?

The man's tongue had been down Jungwon's throat not even hours prior to the heat. He really didn't seem to mind sharing things or getting all up in each others "territory" with Jungwon.

"Sunoo, first of all, for God's sake, don't ever call yourself territory again. You're not anyone's possession. Secondly, I really didn't think Heeseung was pursuing you by keeping all of us safe. We're all just looking out for each other. Also you don't need to explain yourself to me. Even if there was something, you don't owe me anything."
The last sentence stung, but it was true.

"Well, we're not. I have absolutely no interest in Heeseung."

Despite his words, the finality in Sunoo's tone filled Jungwon with deep satisfaction.

While he knew, anyone listening in on their conversation would think Sunoo and Jungwon were acting as jealous lovers reassuring each other, Jungwon, in reality, felt deeply at peace upon hearing that there was no interest between the current pack alpha and their 'only omega'.
Jungwon felt incredibly glad, and he wished he didn't.

Sunoo only said those words, not to appease a lover, but because he felt a deeply rooted loyalty towards the person holding him so safely right now. He felt a need for absolute transparency and honesty towards his leader.

The two Omegas spend the rest of the day like this, cuddling were ever they went. And Jungwon tired his best to not think about anything or anyone else. Not the alpha in rut and not their oldest either.

So when night came and Jungwon had to retake his suppressant and visit Heeseung for his routine scenting and go to bed away from the rest of the maknae-line, it felt strange.

But it was even stranger when morning came around and everyone around him was in a zomby like state.

Jay had resorted back to drinking coke right after waking up, needing caffeine to survive the next hours and Sunghoon and Jake looked ready to fall asleep ontop of each other when Jungwon entered the kitchen.

Aparently, while Jungwon enjoyed sleeping in his own bed for the first time in a while, Niki had started demanding to see Jungwon during the peak of his rut. Demanding for his clothes and his presence, just begging to see he is safe as he isn't in the pack nest.

All night and during the next day, Niki's shout were heard, and Jungwon's heart clenched each time.

All day he saw member after member running up to Niki's room with some kind of item in hand, but as soon as they entered, they were send out of the room again by Niki, who was now refusing to do anything before he got to see Jungwon.

"Just let me face time him. At least let me call him!" Jungwon had argued at one point.
But their manager, a quite short male alpha, had declined.

"Jungwon, you can't contact him now. If we let a young alpha walk all over us just to get what he wants, we won't be able to controll him later on.
If you go in there now, or give in to his wishes, his alpha will question your authority as the leader. We can't let that happen."

But all Jungwon heard were outdated stereotypes, balled up and thrown at their pack. It was a ton of bullshit.

If Niki was anything, it was his Maknae. A way too young puppy, separated from his family, traumatised by his job and now further traumatised by being alone and worried while everyone ignored his cries.

There was no fucking way Jungwon was gonna let that happen. Not to Niki. Not to his Pack.

So when eveyone was asleep the next night, Jungwon took his phone and sneaked out to the bathroom, carefully not to wake any of the others.

He couldn't allow his secret to keep messing with his pack's dynamic.

He made sure to lock the door and move quietly as his thumb anxiously tapped his phone screen.

Only a single beep rang through the speaker before Niki accepted his call.

"Hyung?
Hyung is that you?
Jungwon, please tell me that's you?"

The damage done the past days was so apparent in Nikis voice that Jungwon started crying on the spot.

"Yes." He rushed. " it's me. Im hiding in the bathroom. Puppy, are you okay?"

"Oh god, am i okay? are you okay? They just took you away and I was so scared and when Jake got me more lucid again, you were gone." He heard a sob.

"I hate this feeling. I hate this. Please, Jungwon I need to see you. I don't care what they said, I just need to make sure you're okay."

Nikis voice was borderline begging. And Jungwons heart broke even further as he heard the youngest distress.

Jungwons secret had ruined everything. Their baby was crying and alone as he presented, just because he had been keeping secrets about himself. 

Just because Jungwon couldn't be the alpha they wanted, his loved ones were suffering.

And Jungwon couldn't take it anymore.

"It's okay, Niki, it's okay. I'm coming. Please stop crying. I'll be right there."
He ended the call and splashed his face with cold water.
He needed to see him, and he needed to now.

Jungwon found himself infront of the packroom door, that caged Niki inside and twisted the key to push the door open as quietly as he could.

As his eyes finally adjusted to the dimly lit room and the door was locked behind him again, he heard a voice from the bed.

"Jungwon-hyungie" Niki was sitting there, eyes red and cheeks tear-stained, hands reaching out, grabbing into the air infront of him, towards Jungwon.

"Oh puppy" a pitiful gasp left Jungwon and his legs carried him to Niki's side, arms finding the young Alpha's, whose skin burned through his shirt.

The window stood wide open and a cold breeze grazed their figures as Jungwon hugged the boy close and let him feel his presence.

He finally felt better, being with his bandmate. The endless guilt that drove his mind crazy finally simmered down.

All of the managment's worries about dumb stereotypes were wrong. Alphas weren't always aggressive or territorial or sexual. And society could go fuck itself if it meant Jungwon could keep the boy safe and in his arms for eternity.

And Niki's whines finally stopped, the broken sounds he had heard echoing through the halls all day and night finally stopped.
Niki finally felt home again.

They stayed like this for a bit, not saying a word.

Only after a while, Jungwon didn't know how much time had passed, he didn't even know what time it had been when he entered the room, did he notice the protein bars and water bottles, unopened and abandoned next to the door across the room and Jungwon grasped the actual damage done.

"Niki did you eat?" The head that was pressed against Jungwon wiggled slightly from side to side, almost hesitatingly.

"Niki-yah, you have to eat." Jungwon reasoned as softly and non judgmental as he could. He hadn't been great at taking care of himself in his heat either, but the protein bars were enough indicator that it wasn't for a lack of being able to get his food himself, but actual refusal. The bars laid so chaotically splayed out, that someone must have thrown them across the room.

"I just couldn't" niki sounded tired, and frustrated with himself.

"Can you do it now?"

Niki looked up at Jungwon, eyes glossy. He was still effected by his rut, and it showed in his sparce words.

His shoulders lifted uncertainly, but his head nodded slowly.

So Jungwon fed the boy all of the protein bars he could find spread across the floor, 7 to be exact, and forced a water bottle into him aswell, all while stroking the hairs away, that were sticking to his heated forehead.

"Feel better now?"

"Thank you, hyung"

Jungwon smiled sadly.
"Is there anything else you need? Can I do anything?"

Niki hesitated, eyes not meeting his leaders.

"Hmm?" Jungwon hummed, trying to encourage but not pressure Niki.

"I have a question."
Niki paused for a second, no matter how he worded it, it sounded wrong, so he just asked the question however he could.
"We're a pack right?"

"Of course, Niki!" Jungwon answered incredulously staring at Niki without a second of hesitation.

"So when will you mark us?" Niki was looking right into his eyes now. "When can we finally bond? We're all presented. We all care for each other." He took another deep breath.

"When will you bite us, Luna?"

Niki's eyes flashed red as they stared into Jungwon's soul.
And Jungwon's inner wolf howled in delight at the prospect of a bond, tail wagging at the name.

Luna.

Jungwon knew he was his pack's Luna, but out of said pack, only Niki was aware of this.

And being addressed by Niki as such, filled Jungwon with a sense of fondness and pride that he couldn't even fathom with words.

A pack meant home. Love. Safety. And Niki accepting him as home made his heart swell.

"Niki you know I love you guys, okay. We are pack. I would want nothing more, than form that bond."

"So why don't you?" The boy's hazy mind just couldn't understand.

"You know I can't" Jungwon whispered the words regretfully.

"No, no I don't." Tears welled up again. "If we're pack, than show me. Please Jungwon, it just hurts. I don't want to be alone anymore."

And Jungwon understood.
He would never know what it felt like to be hundreds of miles away from your family, in a foreign country, always followed by cameras and caged during your presentation.

But he understood that he was the only one blocking Niki from escaping the misery the alpha in Niki felt at all of this.

And once more, Jungwon could do it anymore.

With another "Please, bite me, at least bite me, please." out of his little brothers mouth, Jungwon leaned down and Niki pulled him right into his skin.

His gums felt like they were ripping into pieces and his ears were ringing as his teeth settled deeply into the skin on Niki's shoulder.

A pained gasp escaped the youngest before it faded into a deep inhale, amazement taking over his features.

Far away from the scent glands, but deep enough to leave a permanent mark, a mark every wolf within a pack wore proudly formed into his skin.

A pack bonding.

And the shift was immediate. They felt the bond settling in instantly, vibrating through their bodies in waves before dimming into a subtle hum.

And immediately, despite the heavy medicine Jungwon was under, Niki smelled the scent of his leader, his luna, next to him.

And Jungwon picked up on every nuance of emotion within Niki's scent. Every little note revealed something about Nikis entire being to Jungwon. Like he suddenly understood every pore of the boy sitting in front of him, saw him for everything he was.

When he believed his care for the other couldn't be deeper, he was wrong.

Because with every second he understood what it meant to be a pack. And he knew that he wanted this with all of them. He wanted to feel their souls connecting like this with all of Enhypen.
He finally understood what it felt like to be a luna.

"Thank you. Thank you, hyungie."

Jungwons head shook violently.
"No Niki, thank you. Thank you for wanting to be my Pack. Even when I'm like this. Thank you."

"Hyung, I wouldn't want you to be any other way. None of us do. I just hope you realise that one day."
Their bond was whitness to Niki's truth, telling Jungwon Niki meant every single syllable.

And Jungwon believed Niki that the boy believed in his own words. But he didn't believe the words themselves. Not when all his life he experienced the world differently.

Still he was thankful for Niki. He was more grateful than ever for having a pack, for having Niki, who believed in him so blindly.

Sometimes he even thought he didn't need anything but his pack.
Because to his heart, nothing else mattered.

If it just weren't for his mind. If it weren't for his surroundings. If there were none of those damn Expectations.

Maybe he would always be as happy as he was in that moment.