JIMIN POV:

"Space for one more?" I ask as I shuffle forward, body drawn irresistibly to the sight of the impromptu nest on the living room floor.

There's a quiet restless want to surround myself by the two of them, feeling something worm and gnaw at my mind at the fact that today (Y/N) was getting picked up by Joon... I always picked her up.

And though there's nothing wrong with it, though I would be fool and heartless to begrudge the thumping pup the giddiness, scent bloomed fresh and crisp, and he'd gone one way and I'd come back home.

It's earlier than usual. I'm never usually home at this time, always with (Y/N) around this time, waiting for her to finish up her shift.

It's gratifying and a massive soothing relief to my instincts to find my younger two mates curled together, all soft and curled together. Tugging at my need to be closer, to be drawn into the safety of their scents and let myself sink into the softness too.

It was rare that the second living room was in use but from the way the scents of anise, vanilla and cotton seem to have settled here, it makes me realise that it was still a reprieve, a space for the three of them to get away for a bit.

And right now the sweet rich scent of strawberries entangled with cotton, much like how Tae's sprawled over Kookie, caging him under the wide splay of his limbs sandwiching our bun to the blanketed and duveted carpet is inviting and entrancing to my instincts.

Tugged to the sight, unable to turn away from it and tail swishing eagerly at the sight. At the thought of sinking down into the pillows and blankets and letting their scents cling to me.

Glossy brown ears perk upright as he turns underneath Tae, as much as the pinned weight allows for, a scrunchy grin curving his lips and welcome shining in his bright eyes as he presses pause on the film they'd been watching. Swishy stripey tail stilling and curling as Tae turns too, hair slightly damp and wild curls bouncing as he beams, boxy and fangy. Eyes gleaming as they rake over my clothes, approval shining in them.

"You're dressed fit to nest and snuggle. C'mon... it's getting to a good bit." He calls, tail curling and brushing against my side when I rush forward, carefully stepping into the nest without disturbing the meticulously arranged barriers of pillows, soft fur grazing my calf as his tail wraps around me and tugs. Delighted as he draws me into their sprawled forms.

Impatient and eager, cheek bonking against my own in greeting, nuzzling and scenting as skin rubs against skin, his cheek warm and soft and squishy and so delightfully perfect for me to nip at in greeting before I peck a line of kisses across his jaw, head dipping to nose at perked ears and giggling when they flop almost immediately. Folding as he tilts to the touch, eyes fluttering contentedly and half-rolling so he's peering up, hand reaching out to tug at the swiped jumper, it's mine now regardless of the caramel sweetness clinging to it, and his nose nudging against mine, lips so prettily pink and swollen from kisses I can't do anything but indulge as I lean down to steal some for myself. Lips chasing the giggled murmurs as his lips press up soft yet hungering, impatient and needy as well as softly giving just as he takes from me. Eyes warm and fond and cheeks bunched.

"Movie time now hyung." He whispers as he sprawls back, contently tucked under Tae's weight, his tail tugging until I'm half sprawled over him, my own weight adding to the pinned position our bun's in. But he just gives a soft pleased sigh, easily handling the added sprawl as he absently reaches for popcorn, pressing play to continue the animated film.

My eyes are drawn to the screen, attention piqued by the bunny officer and con-artist fox duo. Lips curving up when my gaze briefly drifts to how wide-eyed Kookie is, watching with rapture and Tae's eyes amused and fangs peeking as he watches the duo interact with a sloth.

I hum, leaning to poke a flopped ear, lips curving when it flickers and perks in the slightest.

"You'd look great in a uniform bun." I lilt.

He laughs, the sound warm and rich as it entangles with Tae's croon.

"Guess that'd make you a trickster... I'm sure you'd be a whole different level of attractive as the bad guy, the outlaw." He teases.

"You know he's actu–" I begin, cut off simultaneously by both of them, scandalised gazes meeting mine unimpressively.

"No spoiling."

"Were you going to ruin the film for us?"

I raise my hands in surrender, eyes creasing when their mumbles quieten, turning back to the screen, the day and everything beyond the nest falling away as I sink more readily against the two of them, limbs entangled and loosely sprawled, fingers absently brushing through curls, skin skimming across silken ink against my hand as I scratch gently at his scalp, rub circles onto his nape, rub my fingers across the back of his ears in a sweeping repetitive motion.

Deep, slow quiet rumbles entangling into the scented space, head tilting to the touch. Ears flickering as I rub, attention drawn to the movie and occasionally... occasionally drifting to my two mates, cosily snug and dressed in clothes swiped from each other I realised.

Heart thumping quicker with fondness at the thought that they might've given each other their clothes to wear, that they'd chosen the clothes to dress the other in. Layering blatant claims on each other that went beyond the pretty blooming bitten marks colouring their throats, the only difference was that Koo's throat bore the evidence of fangs scraping and sinking in hard enough to leave slight indents, bodies loose and pliant.

I knew Tae had an off today, I wondered whether he'd swiped a bun early from work or ambushed him the moment he stepped through the door.

I didn't even know where the others were, didn't know which of the hyungs had swiped (Y/N). Didn't know anything beyond this nest.

Habitually playing with Tae's curls as the movie progresses, vacant hand at some point drawn into Kookie's hands, trapped between his palms and the distracted by his idle traces, fingertip mapping knuckles, veins and the sleeve of the jumper, featherlight scenting to my wrist glands he marks with his pheromones, with his touch.

"Can I groom your tail later?" Tae mumbles, voice soft and slow with the content calm of the nest but eyes brimming hopefully as he eyes my ears too, shining with eagerness. His eyes rake over my ears and hair, lingering on them.

He'd taken to always lightly scratching at my scalp, nose burrowing into hair and fingers rubbing against my ears. A habit that seems to be settling with how much he seems to have been doing it in the past few days. Even now he watches my ears flicker with the narrowing set of his eyes as if he's already impatient to sink his fingers into orange.

My smile curves wider and deeper.

"Need you even ask?"

"Bun want me to do yours?" I offer, eyeing the glossy brown with a wistful longing, knowing his tail was so, so much more sensitive, required a knowing gentleness and delicacy only entrusted to Jin hyung as of yet. But his ears... my fingers itch to take care of him just as wonderfully and thoroughly as hyung does.

When he shakes his head, his ears bounce a bit.

"Maybe tomorrow... m afraid Yoongi hyung beat you to it." He says abashedly, though there's a pleased burst of cotton at the mention of the panther and smile turning tender and bashful as he peers at me under the sprawled cage of Tae's arms.

"You want to?"

Tae groans, lips curved into a boxy affectionate grin as he playfully nips at a flopped ear.

"Who wouldn't? Such a pretty bun... it'd be an honour to get to groom our sweet prey mate." I murmur, voice low and softer, the pleased rumble building in the back of my throat at the sight of the two of them, at his pink flushed giddiness.

"Cos you're always hogging fawn fairy... I'm sure at this rate bun smells all... mintless." Tae teases, snuffling at Kookie's crown, chuffing with pleasure and the rumbles growing deeper and heavier and satisfied when all he can seem to detect is berry.

And when I duck closer to confirm if there's truth in his tease, my nose is swamped with saccharine strawberries; juicy, ripe and bursting with sweetness and Tae's pheromones drenching Kookie, not the faintest trace of the barest curl of mint.

A disgruntled chirp slipping past my lips, growled discontent as I tug Tae's arm up to worm against Kookie, bodily tugging the bun closer, fangs scraping skin and trying to add my own layer of mint; attempting to penetrate the fog of sweet berries.

But in the intent, in the thorough scent-marking, nose nuzzling against his throat, lips and tongue flicking and chasing the thudding pulse and the cotton of his own scent seeping out in response, the movie lies long since forgotten by me.

Inadvertently distracting the two, smile quirking against Koo's skin when he shudders, throat arched as his breaths tremble, body curved taut when Tae's fangs sink onto his other shoulder; a pleased rumble reverberating against bared skin, hand splayed on the low of his back to push the curved arch of his back down to pin against the duvet and blankets, hips unconsciously bucking forward.

The animated film becomes static, background noise, everything fading away save for the deep chuffs rumbling louder and heavier and lulling the sweet bun caged underneath us; scented by the both of us to sink pliantly into the nest, ears flopping as his scent slowly becomes branded by the scent of strawberries and crushed mint. Sweet and fresh and crisp.

And yet, despite sprawled limbs and loosely flopped ears indicating just how settled and calm Kookie is now, how eagerly he sinks into the scenting with a soft sigh, his head tilts slightly, resting on his arm and peering up at the screen, doe eyes shiny with focus and lips parting silently in awe and confusion. A fond huff of breath exhaled against his throat, cheek rubbing against his, brushing against skin with soft, indulgent scents.

Fingers reach out to brush against the top of my ears; featherlight at first before they begin trailing downwards, rubbing at the base, scratching lightly at my scalp and coaxing a rumbly content chirp from the depth of my chest as I tilt to him, encouraging the light grooming, lips curving at the small nibble to my ear lobe, nose nudging against skin and breathing me in.

"Pretty orange... always stealing my preys." A low rough drawl, dripping with tease and rumbled predatory instincts and when my eyes drift to meet his, there's sparkling warmth in his eyes and a loose grin curving his face, pouting and tilting his face downwards to mine for a kiss that I only happily oblige to give, fangs nipping gently and lips slotting to his.

Hissing when his fangs sink in sharper, a sudden bite that's all too stirring of the quietly, contentedly settled predatory instincts. Tail swishing as I groan against the curved lilt of his mouth, taste his scent on my tongue with how richly it blooms. And it's him who draws away much too soon, before I even get the chance to surge forward to bruise his lips with kisses. See his eyes glint as he ducks his head to press slightly slick lips to the curve of Kook's jaw, until his head turns to meet the kiss, something shining in his large eyes, ears flopping endearingly as he clutches at Tae's wrist, fingers forming a bracelet, tugging him closer.

Kiss broken by soft laughter when the sudden lurch has the three of us tumbling into a messy pile of limbs, entangled and sprawled over each other, Tae's arm suddenly buckling and the sudden weight at my back bringing me sinking into the nest.

Nose burrowing happily into strawberries and cotton.

I can still feel the tingle of Tae's fangs sinking into my lips, feel his tail tease at my jumper before slipping inwards to flick against skin and settle there, a warm draped band of stripes.

See his smile gleaming and teasy and so, so Tae before he burrows insistently against Kookie's nape, fangs nipping as he sandwiches him fully.

Slowly drawn back to the movie, eyes wide with rapture as they rewind and settle again and my body curves close with a happy contentment, my bones sinking with satiated instincts.

Eyes fluttering when the gentle rubs to my ears begin again, drifting to massage my nape, the enticing pressure coaxing me to relax, to let my eyes close and rest.

------------

There's no bun when I wake. No napping bun with flopped ears tucked under me and Tae when my eyes stir, scent flaring when I pinpoint exactly what had woken me and the curl of heat simmering low in my gut. A rough, hoarse groan still laced with sleep slipping past my lips as I turn my head. Half sluggish and disoriented with the warm lull of sleep hovering just out of reach but graspable...there if I just reach for it.

"Tae..."

His fangs continue to sink into skin, tongue flicking over the stinging trail of bitten claims he leaves across skin; humming his assent where he continues to place open-mouthed kisses, the trail of where his tongue drifts and tastes my scent on him and leaves his own behind, flicking over where I can feel the pleasurable ache of the bites. Tingling skin and heat pulsing thicker as it winds around my limbs, has them sinking into the nest, legs parting with invitation, ankle hooking around his calf to tug him down, hands reaching out for him, smile sluggish as he leans down into me, grinning at me before his head dips to brush his lips against mine, indulgent and slow in the same sweet, syrupy way his scent curls around me, slowly entangling with mine as my fingers curl into his t-shirt.

"Awake pup?" something so low and rich and smitten as he says it, eyes bright and tender and fangs nipping at my lips, tongue brushing across the sting as he tilts his body to mine, lets me drag him closer with a groaned assent against his mouth.

Something about the sweetly doting nature of the tiger hovering over me that quietens my predatory instincts immediately, snuffs out the weak briefly flickering urge to nip back as I sink pliantly into the nest, tugging him closer and closer until his weight pins me. Until he settles in the space between my legs to lazily brush kisses against my lips and trails away to map a line to my throat, nose brushing against skin, nudging against my gland in silent invitation for my scent to seep out at his gentle ministrations.

"Where's Koo?" I mumble, head falling back to arch my throat, to invite the scrape of fangs across the column of my throat as he noses and nuzzles in slow scent-marks, rubbing his berry-sweetness onto me.

"A caramel dropped by for him, can't be hogging the preys all the time." he murmurs with a smile in his voice, eyes sparkling as if he doesn't mind, not when his weight tilts to mine and his arms bracket me, lips brushing kisses to my throat, teeth scraping across my gland, pinching slightly.

"Need to learn to share foxy~ before the others just swipe them away." he coos, voice low, nose brushing across my gland before his lips drift lower, teeth pinching at the skin of my collarbone between them and suddenly clamping down in a sharp bite that has my back arching from the soft cushioning, throat arched as his body pins mine, forces it under his, hands clamping onto my hips to still the restless buck, tongue flicking slowly against the blooming mark I know will decorate my skin.

A tiger claim sinking beyond skin deep as his hands drift under the jumper, dragging it upwards with a slowly dwindling patience as he tugs it off, shorts already long since discarded and the scent of the pack scattered about the nest, fingers scrabbling to draw his own shirt off, hands roving impatiently and needily across the smooth planes of honeyed skin, nails dragging across the front of his chest as he dips his head, hovers over me as he watches me.

Takes me in.

"I share." I refute, fingers slowly drifting down his navel, stopping just above the waistband of his boxers, eyes drawn to the way his track the movement, his tail curling and swishing with anticipation.

He grins, fangs gleaming as he hovers over me in a half-crouch.

"Today... I won't. Want my foxy to myself... can I?"

Voice a crooned plea.

I nod, hands winding around his nape to drag him down, lips messy and hungering and needy against his own, face tilted to his and fangs nipping and tugging at his bottom lip.

"Anything for you berry."

Hips rising as he drags off the last article of clothing, fingers skimming across bare skin as he maps me under his touch, already achingly familiar with how my body responds to his, with how easily my scent blooms sweeter and stronger at the natural strength and predatory ache in every touch and movement. As if constantly it hungers for more.

"Shower? Don't want to ruin the nest with how prettily you'll spill for me." he groans against my throat, the words heavy with want, teeth scraping against the side of my jaw, dark hungering eyes pinning me, hands dragging my thighs open to wind around his waist, locking together as my back arches. Moving closer to him.

His body fluid and seamless as he stands, cradling me to him; warmth seeping into me and a grin felt against my cheek as he nuzzles, curls tickling skin. Arms steady and unrelenting, tightening when my own lips begin pressing kisses to his shoulder, trailing across the broad width to skim my teeth and tongue lightly, nuzzling and mouthing at his gland to taste the thick pulse of arousal fog his scent.

Teeth tugging at the sensitive tissue of his gland, fangs sinking in, aching to mate him, mark him, but at the moment mating and breeding instincts don't pulse heavily in my gut. Rather there's a simmering heat and sinking looseness to my limbs as I surrender to the possessive sprawl of his limbs wrapped around mine, clutching me to him as he moves to the bathroom, his steps sure and certain, my head resting against his shoulder, fingers curled loosely around his nape.

Content to be held, content and satiated instincts chirping with happiness as my tail swishes, brushes against his arm.

"Tired?" he murmurs as he sets me down on the edge of the tub, arms slowly unwinding from him, eyes fluttering as I peer at him, gaze slowly trawling appreciatively over his body that in this moment towers over me.

I shake my head.

Grogginess has long since melted away for a loose-limbed curl to my body as I lean against the wall, heat simmering under skin and pleasure thrumming as my eyes drift over the colouring marks beginning to bruise and mark skin, fingers absently drifting over them; the pleasurable sting of his slowly suckled marks flaring when I skim over them.

Head tilting to examine him, eyes dropping to his waist.

"Nope. Not going to undress fully?" I ask, voice still husky and rough from disuse, unfurling as I push away from the tub, closing the distance of a few steps before I sink down to my knees. Fingers hooking into the waistband to drag the offending fabric down, discarded easily before my lips immediately find their place on his skin.

Dragging across the inside of his thigh and brushing pecks upwards, teeth scraping slightly, hand curled around his ankle and breath ghosting along his hardened length.

"Pretty pup, look so good on your knees." he murmurs, voice gravelly, pupils dilating slightly as he looks down at me, fingers drifting from the back of my ears to sink into my hair, long fingers entangling into strands and tugging slightly, drawing me closer, hips bucking restlessly at the sweeping open-mouthed kisses slowly drifting to his length, fingers curling around him in a semi-tight grip, lips curling up as he thrusts into the touch.

"Is that so tiger? Going to take care of me then? Of your pretty pup?" I murmur, tongue flicking against his tip, mouth slowly sinking around him in an unhurried movement, sheathing him into the stretched wet heat of my mouth, gripping his thighs tightly as he bucks forward with a rough groan, thrusting deeper.

My fingers tap against his thigh, eyes peering upwards at the shaky restraint as he stills himself, lets me guide the pace as I draw myself deeper, cheeks hollowing as I suck, tongue flicking against him, relishing in the rough curse as his hand tightens, body still but hand tugging me closer, the tight grip veering on the painful-pleasurable sting as he angles my mouth deeper, sheathing himself in before I draw back.

Hips slowly rocking back and forth, thrusting deeper as my fingers dig into the taut muscles of his thighs, ears flickering at the shaky groans, the rough praise and the gleaming pinning weight of his eyes on me, watching me take him apart.

I draw myself off, lips slick and breath shuddering, head tilting back into the touch as I look up at him.

"Doing good enough tiger?" I tease lightly, voice slightly breathless as I lean forward to brush my lips over his hip bone, fingers tracing circles on his other thigh, feel his grip loosen, fingers gently scratching at my scalp as he swallows heavily, throat bobbing and scent rich and sweet and intoxicating; clouded with arousal, the scent entangling in my lungs with every shaky inhale.

He groans, hand slipping down to curl against my nape; the pressure and weight tight enough that my scent blooms softer and sweeter, giving where his takes, nuzzling against skin as he curls his fingers around his length, thrusting into the tight grip his hand makes, bucking for relief, for reprieve, to spiral further into the heady pleasure that fogs the bathroom with our intertwined scents.

His eyes flutter as he shudders out my name, a soft quieter plea that has my fingers coaxing his away, replacing his touch with my own.

Drawing him deeper immediately, length buried deep into my mouth as I tug and reel out his pleasure, fingers bruising sinking into his legs, feel the flicker of his tail as it winds around my wrist, anchoring me to him, pleasure reeled out quicker and mercilessly until he stills with a cry, bucking forward roughly and hands gripping me as he spills down my throat.

The two of us gripping tightly to one another, instincts and need reeled to the surface and flaring hot-white and my breath ragged once I draw away, once his hips have stopped their shallow thrusts, drawing away and fingers immediately curving around my jaw, thumb brushing over swollen slick lips; shaky exhales shuddering against his hand.

Body half-curved to his, his hands slowly slipping to curl around my forearms, drawing me up, even as his head is already tilted with impatience, groaning against my lips as he tugs me close, the lines of his body melding to mine.

"So good to me, so good for me. Want you to mate me in the first wave of your rut. Want your knot... want your bite, want my mate when your rut hits." he pants shakily, wantonly, voice clouded with need and lust and desire and eyes blazing with the fierce aching intensity of his words.

"Really? Will you even be able to take it? Will you be able to submit and take my knot?" My voice is rough and my eyes gleam at the fierce pride radiating off him, at the confidence and assuredness, hands skimming appreciatively over skin, knuckles grazing over the low of my back.

Something primal and heavy curling in my gut at the thought of the tables turning and even if he wanted to fight for dominance; an in-rut mating was entirely different, was entirely out his depth of what he knew, what he'd experienced.

He nods regardless.

Breathless with a wild need as his tail bands around me, lips searing wherever they trail, pressing to my jaw, to my throat, small nips and bites that leave a smattering of smaller claims to colour and bloom across skin.

Heavy breaths ragged with the thought as his fingers press to the low of my back, dropping lower to tug me against him, hips rutting against mine, eyes gleaming with predatory want as he feels my aching hardness pressed flush to him.

"Even if I can't take it... make me." he groans.

And that quiet contentment in letting Tae's own flared tiger instincts lead, to guide the momentum and pace and let him be the dominant predator in this moment threatens to melt into background noise when the growling need pulses strong at the thought of mating him, knotting him.

Of his predator instincts thrashing to fight back, to pin me instead, to let his own triggered instincts and biology nudge him to dominate rather than submit to my rut. The heat curls hotter and fiercer, burning a path through my body at the thought. Threatens to ease away the comforting lull so I can pin the same tiger against the shower wall.

"Want me to make you now? I could take care of you cub..." I offer.

But his smile widens and his eyes brighten, arms tugging me closer and lips brushing in a sweeping gesture across my collarbone.

"Oh I have plans for you Minnie~ so why don't you let me? Let me be selfish... let me ruin you." he croons, voice lilting and low and honeyed rich warmth cloying with molten promise that saturates his berry scent, seeps headily into my skin as he tugs me impossibly closer.

Draws me alongside him, lips brushing kisses across his throat, arms wound around him and nails pressing in hard enough to the broad, firm plane of his back, relishing in the small hiss of breath, the snap of fangs at my ears that rumbles a playful warning out my own chest.

"Do your worst Stripes." I taunt, laughter muffled against his throat, letting him unfurl an arm to twist at the dials, a shuddered yelp when the cold water batters at him first, pressing against me to shield himself, the stiffness easing away as the water heats. Warms against his back.

And in turn his posture loosens, draws away and stands directly under the shower spray, hot water battering at skin and streaming off in strong rivulets across the lines and divots of his body, clinging to his curls and soaking them, plastered messily to skin.

His scent seems to seep into the water itself, the cascade of hot water over the two of us as his arm wounds around my waist, berry-scented, as if the shower itself brands me as his.

The grin that greets me is all predatory, all mischief and all taunt as he backs me against the shower wall, fingers skimming across slick skin, head dipping to suck dark bruising marks of his claim into skin, teeth sinking into flesh with a rumbled assent as his curls and ears tickle the underside of my jaw. Tongue flicking against my collarbone, sucking harshly to deeply stain reds into skin as he slowly navigates my body.

Something so inherently pleased in his scent as I sink against the glass wall, hands sinking into hair and entangling tightly, groaning at the stinging blooming marks that leave a fiery trail of heat licking up my spine, pooling in my gut, hips bucking as his mouth trails lower.

Teeth catching at a nipple, tugging harshly and tongue flicking against the sting, thumb and finger working the other to a stiff aching hardness that leaves the scrape of his nails against it an aching spark of desire that fans out pulsing heat low in my gut as my back arches into the dual simulation. The wet heat of his tongue and mouth working one and the cruel twist and tug of his fingers at the other, hips grinding forward to pin mine more solidly against the wall, to still the movement and relishing the friction as he growls against me.

"You bruise so prettily Minnie... going to show Joon hyung and the others how well you look with my claims." he groans wetly, lips trailing lower as he sinks down, voice husky as the growl deepens in his tone, the rumbling tiger sinking deeper into being the claiming predator. I hiss when he sucks a mark into the side of my hip, teeth sinking in harsher as he grips me, the span of his fingers sprawling across my abdomen to push back, my hand tightening as I tug him closer, wanting and needing the weight of his body settled firmer against me, the lazy swish of his tail curling with satisfaction, fur sodden and darkened with water and streaming down his face as he tilts closer, tongue flicking as if to taste the imprint of his scent left behind, thumb pressing down on the mark to coax a flare of the stinging throb that morphs into pleasure.

My head tilts back, resting against the wall as my breath shudders, scent seeping off in thick, strong rivulets; entangling with the saccharine liquid sugariness of berries, crisp sweet mint that sinks into his skin and claims him too. Nodding as my skin aches with a need, heat pulsing through my veins and want clawing at me from the inside.

I nod in agreement, voice shaking when his hand curls loosely around me, brisk strokes that have my hips bucking into the touch, a moan slipping past my lips as my fingers tug at his curls.

"Stop teasing. Unless you want to be bent over." I groan, hand slipping to press against his nape, squeezing tightly. Lips tugging up at the rough sound that escapes his lips, fangs sinking in unrepentantly to the inside of my thigh, almost hard enough to break skin, force enough to make it bruise, body jerking instinctively.

But this time he stands, lets my hands tug him upright before my lips are against his, all fangs and tongue and teeth, messy and needing and bruising in the snap of control as I growl against the seam of his lips, tongue flicking demandingly for entrance, sweeping through his mouth and combated by the equally feverish scorch of his mouth melding to mine, fusing as his fingers sink into my waist, gripping tight enough to bruise before a hand skims down to grip at my thigh.

"This way or bent over?" he groans, throat bobbing when my lips slide away to mouth at his jaw, nose skimming across skin and tongue flicking to taste our scents off him.

"This way. Want to see you." I murmur against his throat, teeth dragging across the column of his throat, fangs raking with both warning and promise; he will have my mating bite when the first rut hits. The first time is his.

A vow in the unspoken. And when rut would hit he'd be bent over and bred.

But for now... for now that inferno isn't present. Instead a liquid pulsing heat entangles the two of us together, bodies slick with water as his hand slips to hitch my thigh up, curved around his waist to anchor myself to him. Body steady and yet when his fingers slip lower, heated trails as he grips me tightly, I need the support, head resting against his shoulder, moans muffled against his throat, wet shaky pants against his gland as I suck at it, mouth at skin when he works me open.

Gripping tightly at him, his own hand bruising where it clamps onto my hip, rough growled praise against my skin where he presses me against the glass, body shielding and bracketing and pinning mine.

"Look so pretty like this..." he shudders, teeth sinking down onto my shoulder, the cry tearing past my lips before his fingers retreat from working me open for him, the curled thrust of his fingers slipping away before his hands grip my thighs, tugging them wider open and settling into the space he makes between them, body supported by his entirely and pinned against the glass.

Water trickles down my hair and face, blurring my vision slightly as I look at him, see his mouth hovering close and fangs peeking, curved and warm and eyes bright and assessing.

Watching me as he presses against me, chests almost flush, hips slowly rutting forward, dragged grinds against me before he works himself in. Slowly pushing forward before he begins to sheath himself in, hips slowly rolling against mine, driving himself into me.

Slow and unhurried and shaky pants entangling with my own.

Breath ragged as my fingers clutch at his shoulders, blistering pleasure blazing a path through my body, driving my need hotter and hungrier, hips rocking down to drive him in deeper, to thrust to meet the slow push of his body.

Feel his fingers dig in tightly, bruising, warningly.

Voice a rough rasp.

"Stop or I'll..." he groans, sheathing deeper, body pushing forward, legs caged by his body, held up and splayed for him to work himself in, rocking his hips up sharper and deeper, a fiercer snap that has my breath seizing in my lungs.

My nails scrape across skin in retaliation.

"I told you to do your worst cub." I murmur, teeth catching at his earlobe.

The sudden sharp thrust as he drives himself entirely in has my lungs tightening and a rumbled growl shuddering past my parted lips, breath wet against his throat, nosing at skin. Clinging tighter as he swears, stills as his hips lie flush to mine.

Bodies entangled as he slowly draws back, the drag unhurried and lazy and torturous in the slowness before he thrusts back in deep and quick and rough, the alternating pace makes my head swim pleasantly with the fog of pleasure that sinks heavier and headier over the two of us. My hips rock back to every thrust, rolls down to meet every sharp snap of his body driving deeper to keep him there, hands dragging across slick skin and mouthing at his skin, lips trailing over his shoulders and dipping to skim across the stiff nubs, teeth and tongue tugging out rough grunts, rumbles I feel pressed against my own chest.

Feel his contentment and pleasure seep in heavily, pressing to my skin and reverberating with the heavy batter of water still cascading over him, spilling onto me, the glass behind my back heating and fingers scrabbling futilely for purchase against the water-slick surface when he angles his hips, hands hitching my thighs higher and wider, every thrust sparking an unbearable pleasure to spark across my spine, arching off the glass as I cry out his name.

Instincts flaring to the surface with a great satisfaction, submitting readily to the predatory need of the tiger whose weight pins me, thoroughly and roughly thrusting deep, claiming going beyond skin deep, the rough rolls of his hips grinding deep is accompanied by growled words incoherent against me. The blistering arousal shudders through me, hips frantically canting back, an ache only satiated by his touch, by his own impatience unravelling his control.

Gripping at him tightly, the simmering heat of him, my tiger, my mate, mine in every way clawing at me as I press open-mouthed kisses to skin, warm breath shaking as I inhale the sweet scent of his arousal pulsing through the two of us, teeth catching at his collarbone as the tight tautness in my gut winds tighter, liquid heat pooling under skin and slowly dragging the two of us into its heated depths.

I can feel his own tether tightening, coil tight and about to snap, control and restraint snapping at the brutal, hammering pace, relentless and sharp, pleasure turning into an almost unbearable tinge; delirious with it, the dizzying mix of berries and mint saturating skin and lungs as I push back to meet every thrust, uncoordinated and erratic.

Teeth tugging at the soft, sensitive tissue of his gland, sinking into the bump to coax out his scent, groaning when the next snap of his hips slams deeper, hands bruising on my thighs and growl sinking into skin. Fingers clinging to him and back pushed against the glass.

"So good for me... my tiger." I pant, back arching when the winding pressure making my body taut snaps, slamming waves of release that spills between us, overwhelming ecstasy mounting higher at his own unravelling before his hips still, jerking forward and moaning against my shoulder, burrowing impossibly closer to meld our bodies together. To fuse them in an entangled embrace and curl of limbs unable and unwilling to let go of the other.

Breaths coming out in shaky, uneven pants, water warm and spilling over skin, his head tilting back, drawing away and the column of his throat beautifully marked, curls wet as he inhales.

"You're... fuck. Perfect. You're perfect." he groans.

Hands gripping tighter reflexively before they loosen.

Drawing my thighs down as he slips out, spilled release trickling down in a mess that the water will wash away, legs trembling slightly and hands still gripping onto him, moving down to skim and curl across his forearms.

Knuckles rubbing against water-slick skin. Lips curving in a loose, satiated smile.

"That's some strength Tae..." marvelling at his arms, absently letting my fingers drift to knead at the muscles, gripping appreciatively.

Letting my fingers skimming across the prominent veins, lips brushing against skin, tasting his scent, nuzzling at his cheek, peppering kisses across the slick warmth.

He huffs out breathless laughter.

"How else can I pin a mate? Although it's another thing entirely to see Kook pinned. Sweet bun." he confides, soft whisper and chest rumbling with growing exuberance and contentment, lazily mapping me under the touch of his broad palms.

"And~ how else can I take care of my mates? Means fiercer hugs and the best rubs." he promises confidently.

Hands gently manoeuvring me against him, body bracketing mine as he holds me, back pressed to my chest.

Unspoken tenderness in the way he cradles me to him, tail sodden but still banding around my calf, lips brushing kisses across my shoulders and nape, affectionate nuzzles that makes the chuffs grow stronger and louder and rumblier against my back.

Hands careful as they work shampoo into my hair, lathering it up and fingers massaging at my scalp, nails dragging lightly; the petting makes a quiet chirp slip past my lips, eyes fluttering under his ministrations. Hand shielding my eyes as he steers me back with him, angling my head under the spray so it washes off the suds. Suds that are pink foam as they trickle down skin and are sluiced off, vanishing down the drain.

His contentment grows in the sweetness of his scent, in his chuff as he presses a smile to my shoulder.

Berry-sweet.

The shampoo was undoubtedly too berries. Lacing me in a claim as if his marks, his scent hadn't sunk in deep enough. As if I wasn't branded by it already in ways soap and products couldn't quite wash off.

Not unless it was Scent Scrub and Tae detested any scent removing products, batted them away because like the rest of us he relished in smelling like pack and smelling pack on us.

It was just more invitation for him to lather himself up in scents and roll around, nuzzling or draped or tucked under to allow scents to settle onto him. It was so Tae to find him immediately plastered to a packmate the moment the scent blockers were washed off skin.

And it's so Tae to wash me with berry scented products, hands careful and gentle as they skim across my body, as I turn to do the same to him, lips tugging when he chooses mint and orange.

Yoongi hyung's claim entangled with my own.

And I know it'd tug a gummy smile to his lips.

His head tilts into the touch, eyes fluttering with contentment as his body curves towards mine, easy trust and compliance in the way he allows me to manoeuvre him in the same likeliness he'd done to me mere minutes ago.

Above it all Tae was just an adorably tactile, possessive cub and the way our bodies entangled, loosely intertwined as we shower off, his fingers brushing through my scalp, carding through hair and playing with the strands with a pleased gleam in his eyes.

Tactile cub.

Adorably clingy and snuggling against my side when he insists on towelling me off, hands patting me dry and holding onto me as he bundles me up, almost swaddling in his endearing need to bundle me post-shower, a towel rubbing at my hair and drying it, nails dragging lightly across my scalp.

Chuffs growing louder as he pushes the strands away from my face, my eyes constantly drifting over him, scent sweetening with response to his tenderness, to the band of his tail winding around me to keep me close and his fingers scratching at the base of my scalp. Coaxing out a chirp.

"You're unfairly pretty Minnie~ a rarity to hog you like this." he mumbles, nose burrowing into my hair, nuzzling at my crown, hands looped loosely as he breathes in my scent. My lips curve against his jaw, fangs scraping lightly before my nose drags against skin.

"You're all soft on me today."

He hums.

"You're softer." he mumbles, fingers sweeping touches across my waist, featherlight, smile felt as I squirm slightly in the touch, letting my own brush through his curls, tugging lightly.

"Pretty cub with pretty curls."

His grin widens, endearingly boxy and fangs, fingers lightly tugging at my own strands.

"You've gone all pink from the shower, all berry, perfect to just... take a bite." he whispers, teeth nipping at my cheek, flushed and warm from the hot water, tilting to offer the other cheek with a smile.

Tail damp and needing to be groomed.

Maybe I could find another packmate to help.

The kiss that bruises my lips is hard and surprising and all warmth and smiles as he tugs me to him before drawing away. Reaches for another towel, body still wet as he wraps it around his hips. Loose enough that should I tug, should I reach for the edge and give a small yank, it'll come tumbling off him, my eyes fixatedly mapping the way water trickles across his skin; dripping from damp curls onto his shoulders and bare chest wet as they trail down. Disappearing under the towel, soaked into it, fangs aching and hands itching to drag the towel off, mint pooling heavily at the sight of him. Damp and barely clothed, skin glistening and the water making the darkening marks seem slick, as if my lips have barely since moved from them.

My fingers trail across his chest when he leans close, mapping glistening skin under my fingertips as his lips slot to mine. Unrushed and lazy and thrilled.

This is my tiger, my mate. And the fierce possessiveness sears through me as his hands settle on either side of me, skimming across the towels and lips curving into an ever-growing grin pressed to my mouth.

"Pretty foxy."

Fingers skimming against my side even when I draw away, fond as I look at him, eyeing the swollen state of his lips.

"Go find some clothes."

Though I'm far from complaining at his current state of undress.

"I'll clean up this mess." I laugh, eyeing the discarded clothes, drawn off with a hunger that'd pooled in his eyes and coaxed my scent to entangle with his; impatient to claw and press against skin, to feel his body bracket mine, to be tugged into the solid warmth of his.

Turning towards the fogged mirror, hand swiping across condensation to peer at myself; first seeing my eyes, further swipes revealing the bottom of my face and throat; coloured marks just shy of my gland and then... that can't be right.

Blinking as I stare at the obscenely bright shock of pink damp hair, eyes widening with alarm when the same rich bubblegum pink seems to have spread to my ears, pinning back as a growl rumbles in my throat.

Whirling on him, eyes flashing as I take in the boxy grin, eyes bright with delight as his smile widens, fangs pooling over his bottom lip.

"You... you did not just..." I breathe, voice pitched and spiked with alarm.

Eyes narrowing onto the satisfied curl of his tail swishing from where it peeks under the towel.

"Did what?" faux innocence as if he doesn't know what horror he's wielded on my hair.

I feel my fangs prick my bottom lip.

He didn't... he didn't... he did.

"You... you made me pink. That high... you scented me into a high on purpose you... you..." incredulity and dawning comprehension making my fingers loosen around where the towels had been bundled around me, body freezing before I'm twisting, tugging at the towels to peer at the same pink fate my tail's fallen victim to.

"Guess that leaves me as the only orange in little fawn's heart~" preening and chuffing, fingers brushing through his curls and flickering across his ears, damp but orange.

My chest rumbles, lips twisting with a snarl as I lunge forward for him, towels falling away as he laughs, tugs for the door as his eyes brighten with mischievous delight.

Lips surging forward messily to press a hard kiss to my lips before he stumbles back, towel slung loose, my hand darting for it but he's already dodged away.

"Kim Taehyung when I get my hands on you."

(Y/N) POV:

An arm curls around my waist and the slightly ticklish brush of a nose immediately burrowing against my throat despite the lack of scent, blockers needing to be scrubbed away. Despite the small frown I can feel against my skin, he remains intently curled that way, nuzzling at my neck regardless, lips brushing softly over my gland, over a mating bite that ties me to him and to our foxy.

"Hi Joonie." I murmur, lips curving up as I finish filling up the forms for the intern, watching his eyes flicker as he slides his gaze away from the sight with a flush, head dipping into a bowed greeting.

I can hear the content thumps of his tail cutting back and forth, can feel the amusement in Yoongi's posture and scent as he stands slightly off, watching the sight with a curled grin tugging at his lips, tail swaying and curling contentedly. The frazzled snarls and hisses quietened and abated by staying with me for the rest of the day, his scent hidden away under the blockers he'd had to apply, but there's no denying his eyes had remained razor sharp throughout, that even now there's a protective edge to his eyes as he watches us.

A scowl, unfriendly and possessive, as his eyes flicker to the intern, a quiet grumbled discontent caught in his throat as he steps close, hand possessive on the arm banding across my waist. Making it blatantly clear to the flustered intern that I was off limits.

It's almost endearing to see how possessive Yoongi's silent mannerisms are coming across as, at the citrus I know will be sharp under the blockers, eyes narrowed.

The displeasure had only grown exponentially when he'd found out that the intern had received the delivery, had dropped by to hand it off—once again unsigned and unnamed, its contents dumped into the bin promptly, a prickly hardening firmness that chased away the numbness with resignation.

Even though I'd told him time and time again that if it hadn't been the intern working reception today, it'd have been the clucking mother hen who worked near my office, it'd be one of the other employees, hybrid or human but the cup would have wound its way to me in nauseating familiar habit.

It doesn't ease his instincts regardless and he waits, a fierce predator intently staring down the intern that just ducks smaller at the act, at the intensity of his stare pinning him there. Hard and sharp enough that Joon's contentment falters slightly, scent thickening in unconscious protectiveness, rallying against a threat or unease he doesn't even know or care for save for the firm knowledge he wants to erase it, fingers entangling with Yoongi's as I hurry to fill the last-minute forms.

Eyes drifting up to the intern, smiling apologetically as I nudge the papers forward.

Expression contrite on their behalf.

"I won't be in until late afternoon tomorrow for my half-shift, so I've already organised the carers for the first half of the day. Can you just make sure they get the assessment papers?"

He nods, perking up slightly, eyes remaining steadfastly on me and not the two flanking predators, nodding his head.

"Get some rest, you shouldn't overwork yourself. Interns should rest all they can." My lips curving up at his quick nod, at the flush deepening on his cheeks.

"Yes (Y/N) ... you should rest too. You barely take paid leave. Have a good night." He mumbles, eyes dropping away in silent submission to the predators stares, the rich blooming earthy musk strong enough to demand an automatic response to the dominating pheromones. And Yoongi doesn't even need his scent to trigger the same response, tail curling silently and tugging me away once the paperwork is grasped.

Grumbles spilling out the moment we leave reception, moving towards the car park.

"Yoongi, you scared him. I've never seen him so flustered. And I've seen the interns with Jisoo." I chide, though my lips only quirk at his unrepentant expression, ears flickering with pride as he shrugs his shoulders loosely.

"What happened? That made Yoongi hyung go all fierce kitty?" Joon laughs, arm curved over my shoulders, fingers squeezing briefly, eyes bright as he hands over the keys without complaint, opening the passenger door to steer me in first before clambering in beside me.

"Another drink. And the poor intern happened to be the one to deliver it, he's already always tiptoeing around Hobi, I can't imagine how he'll be after Tae meets him. Possessive kits." I sigh, feeling Joon stiffen beside me, see Yoongi's face shutter for an instant before he lets a wry, stubborn smile tug at his lips as he starts the car. Resolute and sticking by his point to the end.

"You should know that felines especially don't share. And he kept making lovestruck eyes at you!" he grumbles, ears flickering as his eyes narrow in the rear-view mirror, reversing out.

"It's a work crush! I crushed on you for years, so did Joon!" I laugh, feeling my cheeks warm when it makes his expression turn partly smug, partly flushed and entirely pleased, the wolf beside me making a small whining sound in the back of his throat.

But there's still a flickering worry in his eyes as he grasps my hand, pressed against my side and letting his head tilt to burrow against my side regardless, breath warm as it ghosts along my nape.

"Are you deflecting? It feels like you're deflecting." He mumbles quietly to me but it's undoubtedly picked up by Yoongi. My fingers reach for his, drawing his hand onto my lap, tracing over skin.

"Not really. Just want this for now... is that okay?"

A softer growl rumbles in his chest, presses against me as his other hand bands around to draw me close against his side, nuzzling gently at my cheek and jaw.

"That's okay. Your pace is okay." He murmurs, fingers skimming across my side when my own trace the veins on the back of his hand, trailing down to his wrist, brushing across the watch.

Gentle sweeps of my fingertips and thumb across the inside of his wrist, skimming across the small glands there, soft scents that seem to coax him away from the fretty edge his scent had taken, softens the citrus too in the car.

The drive back is largely quiet, but there's a greater unspoken comfort in tactile touch, in the soft reassurance I can feel flickering to the two of us from the front.

Surprised that rather than heading home first, the car slowly decelerates as he approaches a drive-thru, Joon's head turning slightly from where it rests against my shoulder, a rumbled happiness in the sign he spots.

"Ice cream before dinner? And winter too." He enthuses.

There's a curved smile tugging at Yoongi's lips as he watches our eyes settle on the menu, glued and transfixed onto the options, uncaring of the cold that still seeps into skin, that doesn't allow for windows to be opened without the risk of shuddering limbs.

"My treat. And besides... spring will be here soon." Dismissing the half-hearted worry before it can even form, pride in the way our eyes delight on the treat when he drives forward to the collection point, his own cone plucked by me as I lean forward, holding it out for him between pauses. Leaning as far as the arm allows me to before a tug at my wrist and the tilt of his head has me clambering over the console to sprawl into the front passenger seat.

Easier to coax the frozen treat towards parted pink lips, recoiling when the cold hits his fangs directly but still eats it happily, lets the treat and company chase away the stiffness of today.

When he'd turned up for lunch, neither of us expected it to take the turn it did, his hissed words hovering over the two of us uncertainly. A fear that neither of us wanted to accept or acknowledge but one that we'd have to tell Joon at some point.

But not now.

Now we relished the comfort and ease shared between the three of us, the content thumps in the back and the rumbled whines. The soft purr and the teasing flick of tongue and fangs scraping against my fingers to distract me, drawing my eyes to him.

Silently promising and reassuring and grounding.

It'll be okay, it'll all be okay.

And I entrust that feeling to Yoongi, that knowledge that he won't allow it to be any other way, sweet, stubborn panther.

But the wolf now curled in the back, half angled inwards still unfurls to reach out, hovering close to nuzzle at my cheek affectionately, soft quieter rumbles and whines that ease and leech at a stiffness I wasn't even aware still made my spine stiff. Loosening and sinking comfortably into the seat, fingers momentarily cradling me to him as he lightly scents, nuzzling because there was no way his alpha instincts were missing the slight restlessness still thrumming in Yoongi's posture. And desperate to ease it away.

Sweet alpha wolf.

"Later." He murmurs, voice slightly gravelly with a rumble.

Later.

Home first.

Wanted to be home first.

----------

"Courting?" The voice that echoes the word is brittle and accompanied with a flinty gaze that hardens with a rough protectiveness I haven't quite associated with my swan. Never like this. With flashing eyes and flared wings and a face carved from marble as he stills past the doorway.

Posture towering and imposing and the full span of his wings encompassing and alert.

Voice hard with an edge none of us have ever heard, even Hobi's ears flicker at the tone despite his own stiffened expression.

"It's... Yoongi mentioned that the drinks were my preference all the time. That it felt like a courting gesture. That means it's a threat for me, its courting for them. They give me what I like." Voice controlled but for all that I contain the anxiety, it still makes my words tremble.

Jin's face shutters, emotions warring on his face before the always smiling, warm lips twist with a bitter, angry grimace. Eyes fluttering as his wings seem to sag, droop heavily at the mention, throat bobbing as he swallows back whatever sits on the tip of his tongue.

Because courting with food is such a swan thing, it's intrinsic to the mating and courting and biological satisfaction of providing for his mates and seeing them enjoy what he's spent time on that has his eyes drowning with emotion, lips pressed tight.

Because it was Jin's thing and it was being used by someone I didn't know, keeping me on edge and making my skin prickle with discomfort because they clearly knew me.

The scent of burnt sugar, bitter and cloying and suffocating thickens the air and the sharp fire brewing and drowning the warmth of Hobi's eyes has my stomach twisting itself into knots. Clenching painfully.

Eyes holding mine and there's no mistaking the horror and grief and rage in them.

Voice shaky and quiet.

"At the... at the very beginning. Your office was broken into. The nest was drenched with this scent and the mauled toys had it too."

A sinking chill settles in my bones, makes the wolf beside me growl, a rumbling, furious response to a threat making my ears flicker and head duck instinctively at the dominating scent.

"Whoever it was. Was marking her place as theirs. They were establishing territory." He surmises.

And despite being seated, the world under me seems to violently lurch, fingers curling tightly as my lungs tighten.

But it hadn't ever been me... it'd been about Min-Junie, it'd been because he'd escaped and I'd helped him recover. It was a vendetta because I'd saved the baby bear and he was successfully being rehabilitated.

Not because whoever it was, was trying in a sick, terrifying way to court me. And that too long before I'd become friend, packmate and then mate to the newly formed pack.

As if they were staking a claim and reinforcing it because they started the ritualistic gestures of courting and providing before the others had gotten too.

And that's what Joon's letters had been about. That I was theirs. Whoever it was that had decided that I was theirs, their prey, their animal.

Closing a noose around me only for me to realise it was a leash attempting to collar me to this faceless, nameless scent that made my skin prickle and body shudder.

There's a ringing in my ears, an overlap of voices and scents that in this moment, as the words sink in, seem so far away from me, unable to find comfort in the tail banded around me or the body that pressed close to my side, soft rumbles that only grew with intensity as he processed the words. Head ducking as my body curves inwards, trembling at the thought. Breaths shaking and laboured, head spinning at the new angle the case has been thrown into, stomach twisting viciously into painful knots that extend to wind around my lungs, crushing and merciless.

And suddenly there's air unclouded from scents, soft and gentle and light as I shudder, drawing in weak inhales of it, fingers unfurling when something soft and warm and small nudges against skin, blurry eyes drawn down to peer at the ball of brown fur, there's a gentle snuffling at my knuckles and hands cupping my face, drawing me closer to warm skin that's unclouded by the burning taint of anger and protectiveness that simmers with a feral tinge.

There's softness battering at the harshness and coaxes the ragged of my breathing down as I draw in shaky breaths of the lightest trail of vanilla.

"Sweetheart they're not getting you... no-one's getting to you." voice equally firm as it's featherlight and softly murmured. Fingers brushing against my skin, sweeping under my eyes in a soothing motion and repetitive pattern that quietly, instinctively I remember as Binnie and Woo.

Feel my throat tighten at the thought of them, of them knowing, of just how much messier it actually was.

"It wasn't Min-Junie... It's me. I'm their target." voice quiet and stunned and trembling, a raw ache scouring at me.

It wasn't just that Min-Junie was safe and recovering, it wasn't that Ji Ah was also slowly successfully receiving treatment. It was me.

It was something that tied them to me.

And I couldn't figure why, when and where did our lives entangle and where did they decide that I was worth the undivided attention of their courting?

And who was it?

"I don't... I don't like it. I don't want it, I want it all to be over. I want... I want..." words trembling, and face coaxed to the crook of Jin's neck, breathing ragged as I ground myself to the soft constant of his light scent, of his unwavering fierceness and the brush of wings curling close to lightly encircle me as best as he can.

"My brave chickie, my sweet mate, no-one's getting you. This... this just makes everything for them much worse. No-one... forces anything onto my mate."

It's not new... it's not new... the actions, the gestures, the behaviours are old. But the meaning it suddenly takes is new, the new sickening light on it makes my stomach clench painfully, soft snuffles distracting me, loosening the tight curl of my fingers until they lie open, receptive and awaiting the gentle touches, the soft brush of fur against my palm and wrist.

"Nothing changes pup, you're okay. You're okay and we won't have it any other way." Joon promises, voice low and rumbling with promise, with oath, nose skimming across my temple and nuzzling against the back of my flickering ears. Hand settling comfortingly on the low of my back, knuckles grazing the curve of my spine as I clutch at Jin, embraced and cradled in turn by the protective swan.

"But...why me? I don't even know who it is... I've never... even assigning different caretakers isn't going to... Is it the centre? Is my information leaked? Do I even know who–" I ramble, words spilling out in an anxious torrent, pulse hammering wildly under my ribs, beating frantically as I'm drawn closer, clutching desperately at Jin, desperate to drown my fears and bitter, nauseating scent under the layers of soft calming vanilla.

"Breathe."

The command isn't saturated with predatory command, it isn't steeped with dominant pheromones, it isn't rumbling and demanding and yet it's one my body and mind and biology obey and accept immediately, lips parting as I shudder, curling closer to the crook of his neck, chasing away the sour decayed tinge to my own scent by burrowing closer to his clean, crisp freshness.

"Just breathe chickie breathe. One step at a time. Let's take this one step at a time."

One step. One step at a time.

Breathe. Breathe.

That's the first step murmured to me over and over until the tightness abates, until I'm not recoiling from my own scent, until the hammering pulse quietens, calms under the gentle ministrations of the swan holding me and the bun curled close, pressing against my fingertips and nuzzling.

Brushing a twitchy nose across the inside of my wrists.

Breathe. Breathe. Think.

Be rational. Be rational... This doesn't change anything.

This doesn't change anything... If anything, it takes the threat away from the children. Ji Ah and Min Junie aren't in immediate danger. They're not the ones at least one of the traffickers are focusing on.

Every exhale is easier when I focus on the two children.

They're safe.

They're safer.

Breathe.

The baby bear and meerkat I'd do anything for were safer because they weren't in the direct eyeline of whoever was trying to threaten or 'court' me. They weren't in their direct focus.

"It doesn't change how everything works; it just makes me feel unsettled. I don't like not knowing." I mumble, scent spurting out; still carrying its bitter underlying decaying edge that still broadcasts how much the news rankles my instincts, rankles their instincts as a courting pack, with my mated wolf beside me.

His scent is sharp. Cloying earth and torrential rain, clogging my nose with the thick weight of his scent but there's nothing that expresses that in the softness of his eyes. In the arms that draw me closer, tail unfurling from my calf in the slightest momentarily before Yoongi just shuffles to close the distance.

Sore but dry eyes drifting down to Koo, lips curving up in the corners slightly.

At how his first instinct wasn't to bristle, to rage and seethe. It was to comfort. It was to ground me as soon as he could. It was a response entirely different from the predators of the pack, it was so him.

I find comfort, greater and more readily, in the brush of his fur against my fingertips, not realising when he left his curled space beside Hobi, not knowing when he'd shifted, when he'd known I needed him in a way only he could be here.

It's okay. Every exhale, every soft burst of cotton and the slowly softening scents, instinctually lightening in response to soothe me, calming me down, their raging predator instincts quieting in the greater want for closeness, for proximity. Minds whirring behind the calm, Hobi's face apologetic and subdued, Jin's softens once he sees me lean back, feathers rustling as he sinks back onto his knees.

"This is why you wanted me to pick you up." Joon murmurs quietly, eyes knowing, hand still a resting weight on the low of my back.

I nod.

Minnie would've been volatile and explosive in his reaction, far, far too attuned to the slightest subtle changes. Whether that scent was still blocked by suppressors, the smallest shift in expression or body language. He read me too easily.

And whilst Joon had been quietly accepting, content to talk later, I know Minnie wouldn't have had the same reaction, fretting and anxious and on-edge the more his instincts mounted.

It was good he'd already been huddled into the other living room with Koo and Tae, that he was still with Tae now, their scents currently absent from the slowly diffusing fog of heaviness.

And I didn't know how he'd react when he knew, face burrowing against Joon, cradling Koo closer as my fingers continue to rub at fur.

One step at a time.

"Minnie's... he's going to tear apart someone for it." I whisper.

The hand seems to settle heavier, sprawled possessively.

Voice calm despite the underlying rumbling threat to whoever was tied to souring the pack's scent.

"I will too. But you come first. Your needs come first."

"I'm sorry."

Voice soft and apologetic and rough. Body tugged towards it immediately as I turn, eyes widening at the guilt etched deep into Yoongi's features, ears folded with dismay.

Yet his hand still reaches for mine, entangles together and squeezes as his tail curls more securely.

"I... it just felt like that to me. If Hobi hadn't... if that incident didn't tie to it, then I could say it was me being jealous. But... but it's all so wrong. It's not fair to you."

My fingers curl tighter.

"It's their fault Yoongi... not yours. You did good... now Joon knows there's more ways to tie potential suspects." even if the tone is slightly subdued, slightly anxious, his eyes soften; reading every emotion clearly.

Knowing full well that everything recently seemed to be spiralling together.

And all I wanted...all I wanted was to breathe knowing it wasn't with some sort of surveillance on me, that there weren't eyes on me.

That I wasn't constantly being watched, that there wasn't someone waiting for whatever reason.

I wanted this to be over.

But it wasn't their fault. It wasn't my fault.

And suddenly, battering through the ever-dwindling fog of protective predatory scents is a sweeter, brighter, richer. Forces away the final vestiges of hardened anger and worry, sweet sticky pheromones filtering through the air long before Tae even enters the room, rushing away with quick padding footsteps that recede towards the other end of the apartment.

It's surprising just how much scent alone changes the balance of the atmosphere, how easily and unknowingly Tae's scent has reeled the pack towards a stable footing, the final chuff that'd caught my ears still ringing there, warm and delighted.

How much it eases away my stiff concern with sweeping waves of sticky sweet satisfaction and giddiness that thrums through the air, body sinking more easily and readily against the others.

"Kim Taehyung when I get my hands on you..."

The threat shatters the quiet, uncertain fragility, effectively and unknowingly batters at the simmering dredges concern and anger rolling off not just Joon but Jin and Hobi too. It startles the bun on my lap, ears perking with alarm and Koo shuffles that tiniest bit closer at the fury and horror radiating in the words.

There's the sound of a door being shoved open, the rippling growl that shudders through the air and the hurrying rush of steps too raged to be quiet and noiseless in their chase.

There's nothing predatory in the loud scrambling as Minnie dashes about trying to catch the offender, rumbling growls of his name and loud, bubbling laughter that spills out without restraint. At odds with each other and yet so, so entangled in how the pulse of sweet saccharine berries approaches alongside rumbling chuffs, the affronted yells accusing and threatening and growling.

The accused tiger however comes bounding in without regrets, perfectly content in Jin's swiped clothes, cheeks flushed slightly, and curls still damp as he hurries to Hobi's side, grinning infectiously, knowing full well the chaos he's wrought. It softens the caramel into something sugary, sweet and warmer.

Bright eyed and tail swishing and curling happily as he rushes forward, a breathlessness that goes beyond the sudden chase, perhaps more aligned with his elation in riling up the fox to such an extent and the entangled steeped mix of their scents embedded heavily into his skin. Blooming bite marks making the deep reds prominent on his shoulder and throat, the shirt doing little to hide it and everything to draw attention to it.

Tae burrows happily against Hobi's side, whose own bubbling anger quietens, and his scent softens in automatic response of the proximity of the berry happy-proud-giddy pulse of pheromones seeping into skin. So easily diffusing the air without even conscious effort as he chuffs, boxy grin unhidden as he waits for the owner of the yell to emerge, eyes wide and tail swishing with anticipation.

Watching with anticipation, coiled up and eager, desperate for us to see exactly what he's done. No-one is prepared for the sight of the seething fox to enter, ears pinned back, tail cutting and swishing air threateningly and the startling shock of pink hair, damp and roughly towelled replacing the vibrant orange. The same pink extends throughout, ears and tail a bright pink that's so startlingly different yet so endearingly sweet on him.

It catches my eyes immediately, lips parting slightly whilst beside me the stiffness in Joon's scent softens with an undignified snort of bemusement but when Minnie's eyes flash at the sound, narrowing at his mate, fangs bared as if to warn he'll bite, the amusement turns coy, and his dimples deepen as he grins. Perked up and successfully distracted from the heaviness that threatened to make the anxiousness flutter more than I'd allowed it to.

Under my touch, Koo stills, nose twitching and ears perking with curiosity.

And the pack's gaze and attention diverts from the heavy fog of the conversation still hanging over us and batters at it, completely wipes it away with the distracting sight of bright pink hair, seeming to tinge his fur, ears flickering as he growls, eyes narrowing onto the unthreatened, sprawled sight Tae makes curved against Hobi.

"You... you ruined my hair; you ruined my fur."

He shrugs, lips tugging up at the reaction, pleased to have riled up his fellow not-so-orange mate.

"It's pretty!" he refutes with mischief sparked in his eyes.

He growls as he lunges forward, Hobi easily detaching and slipping back with a small, wry grin as he watches Jimin tackle Tae, their bodies entangled as he fists a hand into Jin's swiped shirt and bares his fangs. Pink tail swishing with fury and eyes glinting as he hovers over Tae, breathing ragged and sharp and yet the scent of each other clings to both. Fingers dart out to brush the strands that fall forward, nipped briskly and the intruding fingers curl away with a yelp, laughter bubbling as Minnie's ire grows and his pout deepens.

"Stop laughing! I let you shampoo my hair thinking it was berried not pink."

His laughter spills out deeper and intoxicating in its infectious giddiness, tugging smiles even as Jimin remains on top, pinning the pliant tiger under him.

The pink is new, the mannerisms, the coiled-up fox is familiar, the sharp tinge to his scent makes my skin instinctively prickle even if my lips curve at how the pink is just adorable, damp and drooped but bright. Catching my eyes and keeping them from straying.

The rumbled growls hover in the air between the two of them, fangs bared with a predatory sear in his gaze. There's a tightness to his knuckles as he grips at the shirt, leaning close, rumbles sinking into Tae's skin.

"I trusted you... see if I'm giving you my knot now!" he gripes, voice low and growling.

But there's no denying for all that he says it... Minnie would never deny Tae or himself of their mating. The entire pack knows, everyone can see just how roughly their tethers unravel around each other, how easily their primal needs slot together to fuse into something blazing and unstoppable.

It has its desired effect and Tae whines low in his throat, the sound submitting to the growls as well as petulance and plea etching into his features, lips jutting out and eyes shiny.

Plaintive and contrite, even as his lips twitch betraying, tugging him closer.

"It really suits you more than I thought! It's almost unfair to me!" he bemoans, bubbling laughter softening as he nudges his nose against Minnie's, fangs nipping his lips playfully.

Softening the ire.

"My pretty berry." he whispers.

The tension bleeds out his posture and yet his fangs dip down to sink a bite into the bare skin of his shoulder, groaning and huffing against skin as he pins Tae down, fingers forming clamped weights over his wrists and draws them back.

There's something so primal about a much larger prey pinned and subdued so easily, so readily that has scents blooming with interest. Even though there's no doubt that if he wanted Tae could readily tussle, that if Jimin wanted he could lose himself to instincts.

Not for the first time, not for the last time I realise and know just how easily they all wielded control over their biology rather than the other way around.

And just how comfortably the entire pack accepted their biology; it wasn't seamless, it was bound to veer closer to more tussles and snaps with a largely predator pack, but it didn't mean it didn't work. It didn't mean it was perfect in its own definition and by its own fluidity.

Still. Still though the tension slowly ebbs away, a dark bite mark colouring skin before Jimin growls against his skin, muffles the laughter with a sharp nip, there's no denying he still feels uncertain about it. Fingers consciously brushing the pink strands away as he draws back, instincts soothed by having pinned his pup.

"Better earn that mating." he grouses, drawing away even if the frazzled energy slowly ebbs away from his body.

But there's still a hint of uncertainty, an air of stiff, endearing shyness towards the rest of the pack for the newly pinked hair and fur, tugging consciously at his tail he habitually draws over his lap. Fingers stilling slightly before smoothening over the bristled fur.

Beside me, Joon's dimples deepen and his tail thumps against the sofa's upholstery.

"He's not lying... you make quite the pretty pink pup." voice only slightly teasing.

But it's enough to make the mint flare at the comment, deciding whether it's merely a disguised tease or truth. Fingers pausing in their self-grooming.

Jin however is smitten, wings fluttering as he stands up to move to him, drawing the foxy into his arms from behind, nosing along his ears and damp hair and presses a smatter of kisses there.

You look like mine. Pink fox, pink fawn... I'm sensing a pattern..." voice proud and awed, fingers carding gently through damp strands.

My eyes are yet to tear away from the pink, startled and entranced by it, Yoongi's tail tightening around my calf tugs my gaze away to see a gummy smile directed knowingly towards me.

However, he takes the silence as foreboding, drooping and curving into Jin's side as if to hide there, wilted as he looks at me.

"You don't like it."

My body jolts, hand curving against Koo as I shake my head frantically, ears flickering and folding and scent spurting out in a knowing tell.

Far, far from it.

"I love it Mimi... prettiest foxy. You look like Tae's berry. Pretty and pink." I coo, lips curved wide at the chuffed approval of the name, trying to disentangle myself from the huddle only to find that no-one moves.

Instead, he barrels forward, sinking onto his knees in front of me, head drooping onto my lap, the pout softening when his eyes settle on the bun staring with shiny, shiny eyes at him, ears perked and nose twitching as he shuffles forward a bit. Baleful eyes drawing up to meet mine, voice quieter.

"You mean it? I don't even look like your foxy mate like this. I'm not orange," dismayed and shooting a dirty glare towards the unrepentant tiger who beams at the words.

A small inkling of understanding blooming at the teasing deed.

Confirmed when Tae voices it, burrowed happily against Hobi's side, nose nudging at his cheek and jaw.

"Now I'm her only orange~ but that's okay Minnie, you can be her only pinky."

"It's not ruined... Minnie baby, I know Tae's a tease... but he won't have used anything but Hybrid Care hair dye." Yoongi soothes gently. Tail unfurling slightly as it sways, a threatening, chiding curl to it.

Tae nods eagerly.

Proud and awaiting the moment to boast about it but sensing he needs to calm his mate's hissing instincts first.

"It was never a competition... one's my stripes, one's my foxy. But Tae's right... now you're the only pink baby." Fingers reaching to brush through his hair, marvelling at the rich hue, at the way his ears flicker and fold, a dismayed chirp quietening at the rubs and pets; the light grooming and petting soothing his worry almost immediately.

Especially when he sees how well it's received, when Joon's eyes soften entirely for his mate.

The sharpness of his mint dwindles slowly, losing its intensity as it softens, muffled chirps as his own fingers reach out to pet Koo's fur, rubbing over the back of his ears that flop and tilt to the touch, nose scrunching and cotton tail twitching with contentment.

And when I think, it's almost gone undetected, almost gotten by unseen and unnoticed, his eyes trail to me, fingers skimming over my wrist before curling around it. Drawing it down to nose at my wrist, fangs scraping across the inside, sensitive skin raked over, lips brushing across the glands as he holds loosely.

"I don't know what you were talking about before we entered but I know something's wrong."

"Later. It can wait now pup; it can wait now that the pack's gotten settled." Joon's voice is quiet and firm in its unwaveringness, unyielding to the sharper flash of eyes drifting to his, tail swishing and ears perking.

"Later. Please." I murmur, quieter.

Sensing how immediately he chooses to quieten, protest snuffed out immediately, even if it's clear he wants to know, that he will find out later.

Head drooping onto my lap.

"Later." He echoes.

But for now... for now the pack remains quietly curled, my fingers remain entangled in drying pink strands and the berry scent only sweetens.

-----------

There's no panda in sight, but despite that there's a smile curved across Amina's lips as she watches me enter, gaze drifting from the files she'd been pursuing on her lap, fingers stopping their skimming over Joon and Jimin's case files.

"Hi, no officer today?" she asks, eyes drifting past to see if anyone follows when I draw the door shut, my lips tugged up into a smile automatically at the mention of them.

"They have a meeting with a legal team, to represent the victims, to close the cases for the people who were caught in the raid... they might not be in today, or tomorrow." I muse, eyes habitually raking over the room, limbs relaxing over the soft pulse of sweet, faint honey and peaches and Woo and Binnie's entangled scents of woody musk and hazelnut. The scents make me want to roll in the blankets, to tug them up and slip in beside Mina.

She pats the spot invitingly, eyebrows wriggling with tease and knowledge, something soft and inviting in the curve of her lips, fangs peeking out as she tugs some of the files aside.

"Come to nap?"

I shake my head, watch her ears flop exaggeratedly, sighing as she reaches for the file, her lap still occupied by a napping kit, though the blanket remains invitingly drawn to the side, eyes filled with tease as she watches me drift to her side intentionally.

Leans against me, chirps quiet and rumbling with contentment when I rub at her ears, a small bubble of laughter, quiet and fond, at how they flop immediately, bending for the continued ministrations.

"KitKat takes after you, she loves her naps."

Smelling the pride in her scent as she chirps slightly louder, fingers drifting to rub across the soft tummy, rubbing at the tuft of fur.

"That's my kit, such a good learner." Pride apparent, radiating in her voice.

There's no doubt that between the two of them, a mother-daughter bond has been established, that from day one of their lives entangling, it'd stemmed from pure need and dependency.

And right now, her eyes appraise her kit with tender eyes, fingers petting lightly as she examines the papers again.

Eyes drifting to me a few minutes later, curled slightly against my side.

"You've been the primary caregiver for both children but the adults... what happens to them? Does the centre not treat them?" curious and wondering.

"There's different caregivers for adult hybrids, I specialise in children hybrids."

She hums, the sound of a chirp rumbling quietly in the back of her throat.

"So, you haven't met any of the adult victims tied to this case? Haven't heard about the cases of the missing hybrids?"

I peer over her shoulder.

Eyeing the pages, ears flickering when her chirp is more warning and gently chiding.

"No added stress, I know I've missed months, but your pack hasn't. I've heard how rough it's been...I'm not dragging you into cases, not when I'm barely just about cleared to read."

I let my lips curl upwards at the slightly huffing tone, at the gentle rebuke.

"I don't know about the missing cases... but the serpent? His trauma keeps making him lash out anytime there's a female doctor or nurse on rotation, refuses treatment... he needs to get sedated at times. I—what I've heard is he was sexually assaulted long-term, that just won't vanish overnight. Or even days or months from now really. Trauma is worked through at its own pace."

Her fingers dither over the pages.

"Will it take me that long too? I've already lost months; I don't want to lose more." Voice quiet, subdued in a way that just doesn't fit with the bubbly, vibrant fox.

"It'll take you as long as your mind needs... don't overexert yourself trying to remember, don't think that you becoming ill to help the case is what anyone needs." Voice firmer. Knowing full well the stubbornness and insistence, knowing full well that being in the room, being at the centre was making her cagey... that soon enough she'd grow antsy.

Impatient to sit and lie and rest.

"But the case... it's much bigger than we thought. You're somehow involved too, and I can't just lie around, for a mind broken and worthless at remembering." Voice inching louder, growing slightly with distress.

She hadn't been happy to find out the following day, her scent souring and plunging into the sharp, biting heaviness of tidal waves threatening to slam and consume and engulf everyone in its salty tang that made my eyes water, that I felt at the back of my throat.

That had Minnie's own forcefully calmed demeanour spiking with a sharp mint edge that made my lungs shudder with each inhale.

Legs faltering and stumbling back a few steps at the entangled rage of their scents battering and clashing with their intensities, eyes stinging at the heaviness of their pheromones as I cradled KitKat to me, heard the snap of a voice low and furious.

A hand steadying me, settled on the low of my back.

And SJ, towering and seething and standing resolutely in face of the scents slamming into him, antlers adding to the imposing height.

"Control your scents. If not for (Y/N), then for KitKat."

The fury and distress and anger from her scent still lingered in my mind and as I look at her, know full well restraint can only go so far.

And though both their scents had softened, marginally enough that every inhale wasn't sharp and prickling at my lungs, that my instincts weren't recoiling to hide from the predatory scents, there was a sharpness to Amina's eyes, a weariness that tugged her ears to droop just that much further.

"But..."

I reach for the files, drawing them away far enough her eyes snap upwards with confusion.

"Believe it or not, the best way to let your mind remember, it's to let it rest and heal. Don't just think about the case."

She slumps backwards, fingers still brushing through fur.

The disgruntled expression she sports is not entirely different to the officer duo sport whenever they're told they have to wait, patience isn't a virtue that goes well with the nature of the cases.

With the knowledge that waiting just means somewhere more hybrids are still being hurt, more being sold, more being marketed.

Because I knew... I knew the barn raid was one hit. Knew there must be more.

"Keep me in the loop?"

I nuzzle gently at her temple.

"Of course, though Minnie and Joon are a better source." Lips curving up.

Her eyes narrow playfully even if her words are soft.

"They're good people... from the little I know, they're good for you. Protective predators for our sweet fawn." She murmurs.

The small, curled bundle on her lap stirs slightly, ears flickering.

"And a fierce mama foxy for the sweetest kit."

----------

I stare at the sight of the nest in my office, door closing much quieter behind me, scent pulsing strong, trying to escape the barrier of scent-blockers as I look at the curled figures.

Approach quietly to the asleep tiger and baby bear, eyes having first caught onto the wild, messy curls and flickering stripey ears peeking from the swaddled bundle.

The next is the squished cheek pressed to Tae's collar, nuzzling unconsciously at the forest green jumper, pink and smooshed, head tucked under Tae's. The sweet baby-powder scent fresh and clean and content as the two nap, hidden under blankets, breathing deep and even.

Curled together and asleep since maybe post-lunch, the faint rumbles of sleepy chuffs filtering through the air; the first thing that'd initially alerted me that my office hadn't been as empty and unvacated as I thought.

The chuffs seem to coax Min-Junie into a deeper sleep, coax him to be entirely pressed against Tae, in search for the warmth the sound is imbued in.

My eyes brighten at the sight, lips stretched wide as I quietly slip towards the nest, clambering on carefully, painstakingly slow as I move towards the huddled duo, unwilling to disturb their rest.

And as I move closer, I make out that an arm is curled protectively around Min-Junie, half out of habit to hold as he sleeps but the tucked cradle is of a tiger shielding the bear cub even in sleep. Half curved to make a cocoon of his limbs around him and soothed by it, Min-Junie sleeps deeply, scent a constant, stable and settled.

Rather than drifting back to the large desk, my fingers reach out for the cushions, carefully drawing Tae's head up to settle a pillow underneath, watch as my fingers drift away and his head sinks into the softness, curls sprawled over it, unconsciously shifting in the slightest, breaths softer and the faintest swish of his still tail.

Registering me there, registering me even if he's asleep, his instincts are aware.

I let my fingers skim across the curls, across the slope of his face before ducking to briefly scent his gland, know that his scent will still seep out even if its undetected, smile warming at the thought of the berry sweetness trickling out, move to do the same to my baby bear.

Fingers skimming across growing hair, lightly letting my nails scratch faintly at his scalp, rubbing gently. Drawing featherlight circles onto his nape, heart softening with tenderness when my gaze drifts to the healthy flush to his cheek, to the soft roundness that I can't help but lean in to peck and nuzzle against gently, body half-curved over him momentarily. Kisses pressed to the apple of his cheek, rewarded by the baby-powder scent spurting stronger, resisting the urge to either draw the blanket aside and press close or to scoop the bear who's grown to mean everything for me. Whose carved his own space and settled into it comfortably, immersed himself into my life.

It'll be hard to let go, it'll hurt to let go.

But as long as he goes to a happy home, goes to where I can already see his heart and biology take him; he'll be fine.

As I look at him, drawing back, it's hard to place him to the half-wild bear cub who'd first arrived, who'd brought with him the tart scent of fear and mistrust and a foxy officer. He'd been terrified, he'd been conditioned so deeply that seeing the habits break, seeing the unconscious behaviours falter and seeing him grow into the bear he was always meant to be, always meant to naturally become... seeing my baby bear grow and heal and love made my heart clench painfully at the thought of not seeing him every day. Of not seeing him and being greeted with hazel eyes bright with joy and body immediately plastering close for affection. Of not seeing him shuffle endearingly to the other kids, bashful but eager, made something twist painfully.

But it was a pain worth bearing.

When he got his happy ending, his new beginning... it was all worth it.

And when I see him, I know how much Amina sacrificed, at what cost she let herself be tortured and hurt. She did it for him. Because of her I got to have Min-Junie, because of her rescuing him, Jangmi got to find a way to heal more and more.

Amina didn't just sacrifice herself for countless hybrids now rescued and now being rehabilitated, she sacrificed herself for Min Junie too. The bear who for months has been mine.

She brought me Min-Junie.

And unable to bring myself away from the two of them, I settle on the nest, settle beside them, body half-tilted to them, fingers gently skimming across hair, scenting lightly. Soothed by the sight of them resting deeply and undisturbed, fingers straying more often than not to light brown hair and wild black curls. Soft under my fingertips, grooming and petting the two of them.

Both my babies.

And unknowingly, one stirs. Stirs under the touches, tilting into my hand, chuffs deepening with a rumbled content, not truly realising or acknowledging the louder rumbles until lips brush against my palm, skim to mouth lightly at my wrist with a sleepy, sluggish endearing slowness that has my eyes drifting to meet the sleepy slant of my tiger peering upwards.

Blinking slowly as he draws a hand out to loop against my wrist, nuzzling at skin with slow drags of his lips and fangs against skin, breath warm and ghosting along skin, body shifting under the touch, goosebumps elicited by his slow, sluggish ministrations.

Rumbling against my wrist and palm.

"Hi baby." I whisper.

His nose skims across my gland, eyes fluttering as a sleepy smile curls across his lips.

"Hi baby cub." He murmurs back, lips moving against skin.

The endearment makes my skin feel warm, ears flickering as I register it, see his tail swish a tiny bit more under the blanket, humming against my gland.

"You like that. My baby cub." He repeats, sensing it without scent betraying me, a pleased lilt to his voice, low and gravelly and slightly hoarse with disuse.

His voice seems to rumble too, eyes blinking up at me even if one arm remains furled around Min-Junie, the other holds me to him. An anchoring grip.

Loose and light yet banding across entirely, fingers curled around my wrist.

"Sleep well?" I ask by lieu of answering, but his eyes drift to the pink heat I can feel in my cheeks.

See his fangs peek out at the sight.

"Mhm... didn't mean to but your nest is so comfy, so pretty...and Min-Junie wanted to sleep too. And it's my mate's nest, I couldn't possibly be rude and not settle into it." He mumbles, a smile tugging at his lips, boxy and affectionate.

Fangs nipping my wrist gently.

Tongue flicking over it immediately to nuzzle at it, to soothe the non-existent sting.

"Who could blame you? Pretty tiger at home in my nest, makes me feel all sorts of things." I whisper quietly, eyes bright with tease, ears flickering at the richer rumble against my skin.

"Such as?"

Eyes curious and holding mine, in the crook of his arm, Min-Junie nuzzles closer to the chuffs, stilling again after a few moments.

"Like~ making a nest in your room, sleeping in a nest you've made for me... nesting together. Being berry scented, scenting my berry, sharing scents." I list, watching his eyes brighten, sleepy nuzzles turning into more indulgent, unhurried drags of skin against skin, leaving a claim that can't be detected by scent, can't be picked up by anyone... not even ourselves but instead it becomes a quiet, intimate secret. A claim that both of us know lies there, sinking into my skin with the puffs of warm breath, the soft kisses that begin as pecks and turn to open-mouthed brushes against skin and glands.

"I want that." Plaintive and honest and warm in how much the thought appeases him, tail beginning to swish quicker and quicker, moving restlessly under the blanket; almost trapped under the confines of the swaddle he'd made for the two of them.

"Makes me wish we were home." I admit.

Watch his brows furrow slightly, thumb smoothening out the crease.

"Why?"

"So I could wake you up with kisses, so I could lie down with you, so I could actually smell how happy and settled my tiger is. My Stripes."

His rumbles are brighter, richer. Enthralling in sound alone, the reverberations felt against my skin, just coaxing my body to lean closer.

"Fancy vanishing?"

"Home? To nest? Somehow, I know at least one officer, pink and minty, that won't be happy with AWOL mates." I laugh.

But he's undeterred.

"We could call Joonie hyung or what's to say we can't rope a foxy into it too--- hmm, no he won't share if that's the case." He mumbles to himself, the loose curl of his fingers tightening in the slightest.

I tilt my head.

"Not in a sharing mood?"

He grumbles at that, chuff turning into a growled rumble.

Fangs nipping at soft skin.

"No. Don't want to share. Always have to share."

My eyes soften at that, fingers reaching out to brush against his curls gently.

Vacant hand continuing the grooming, the gentle rub to his ears, all the whilst the other remains captive to his touch, to the quieter rumbles as his head tilts closer, tugging me forward to bridge the distance.

There isn't the usual tease or griping possessiveness in his tone that there usually is, the amused good-naturedness that usually filters his voice is absent. Subdued.

As if the thought of sharing truly is making him droop.

And I wonder whether dyeing Minnie's hair and fur pink was beyond a teasing prank, beyond the gentle ribbing and griping they usually do as fellow, and thus competitive, oranges.

He truly doesn't want to share. Wants to have time alone, wants to be as close and as possessive as Minnie often is.

And I wonder quietly whether I neglected him. Whether I've been part of that reason.

Or whether I haven't been able to give him that time.

I can't tell if his scent sours, can't tell if like the corners of his smile and ears droop whether the berry pheromones do too.

Can't bear that possibility.

And vow to do better by him, better for him.

Lean forward to brush my lips against his, apologetic and contrite, promising and silently vowing, breath hitching when he surges upwards more, hand splaying across my nape and dragging me forward towards him when he rumbles against my lips.

Tugs me forward to him with an aching hunger and need that only makes my lips sink more readily against his, parting at the quick swipe of his tongue, complying easily. The softer growl pleased against the seam of my lips before his tongue curls forward, sweeping past to flick against mine, the kiss despite its languidness is wanting, something about it that makes my breath catch in my throat. Trying to draw back when his fingers curl reflexively, fingertips pressing to my gland, pressure enough that the arm that steadies me, hand bracketing him in and me up and off the two of them buckles slightly, fingers curling, gripping at the blanket.

The impatient, harried scrape of fangs dragging across my bottom lip accompanied with a rough groan that I can feel shuddering against me, fingers tight and unrelenting, a buckling pressure to my gland and the possessive, weighted sprawl of his palm that demands the compliance.

"Want to hide you away, want to bury myself into your skin and scent." He groans, lips demanding and taking, a fierce intensity that brings with it swelling waves of a rough breathlessness that leaves my lungs shuddering even as he tears away.

Pupils dilated and curls wild and lips swollen and red, breaths shaky as he turns away because the figure in his arm stirs. Because somehow forgotten in the searing moment of his lips melding to mine, Min-Junie remained tucked securely against Tae.

My fingers loosen from the blankets, heart thrumming in my throat, ears flickering as I draw back, feeling the wild racketing of my heartbeat as I lean away.

A shakiness that makes my spine tingle with the weighted intent in dark eyes of the tiger lying sprawled in my nest.

Needing to put some distance between us before he tugged me back, before I leaned into him once more. Breaths trembling as they slip past lips that tingle still with the weighted press of his own.

"Want me to settle him into his room? He can sleep with Ji Ah; she always loves holding him." Voice shaking slightly.

His lips part into a long exhale, eyes fluttering as he drags a hand across his face, pushing his curls aside.

"I'll bring him, lead the way little minx."

Slowly dragging himself upright, drawing the blankets away as he moves to scoop Min-Junie, swaddled and all, when my eyes drift and settle on the rucked muss of his clothes, shirt ridden up and gaze lingering on the expanse of golden, warm skin.

Aching to press close, to let my fingers skim across.

And sensing the gaze, appreciating and basking in it, his eyes gleam as he carefully scoops Min-Junie to his chest, a bundled blanketed burrito cub secured against him, stripey tail swishing as he moves, clambers off and comes to stand beside me. Tail curving and teasing along the back of my legs before winding around a thigh and squeezing.

Fangy, boxy smile as he grins at me. Knowing as he appraises me, eyes lingering on my lips, on my glands.

"Don't worry baby cub~ the moment I set my eyes and heart on stealing you away... no mate, no biology, nothing is stopping me from sinking fangs deep into you."

Words stirring coils of heat that make my skin flush, biology and scent battering at the scent-blockers for an escape.

"But~ I don't want an audience. Whether that's my mates or a baby. So lead the way little minx." He repeats, voice low and thrumming with his deep drawl.

And on legs that threaten to tremble with the weighted intensity of the tiger's gaze behind me, I lead the way; the lack of scents clogging the air somehow making my skin tingle more intensely, tail flicking at the conscious awareness that the person following me isn't just my mate. He's a predator too.

And it remains as he settles Min-Junie's swaddled form beside Ji Ah, who turns from her notebook, fingers trembling as she senses our presence, snapping it shut and eyes wide; breaths calming as a smile curves across her face.

But the book is still shoved out of sight and her attention turns to the sleeping cub carefully set down beside her, eyes brightening.

Fingers immediately moving to brush through his hair, lips curved in silent joy as she leans down to press pecks to his cheek, affectionate and protective and fond when he sleepily curls inwards, a small, burrowed baby that even asleep leans towards his meerkat noona.

My eyes linger to where the book's disappeared. But it's something she'll divulge in her own time, knowing full well it acted both as diary and way of communicating.

Some pages shared, others hidden or torn.

"She'll share when she's ready." Tae murmurs, in echo to my thoughts as he draws back, tail swishing and curling as he watches Ji Ah move to lie down, arm sprawled over the bundle and nose nudging gently against a pink cheek.

Eyes wide and watchful and protectively settling on her baby brother.

I nod, fingers reaching for his, eyes still focused on her.

"Ji Ah, do you want someone to stay?"

She shakes her head, burrowing further against Min-Junie, content to hold him and lie next to him, her pheromones soft and gentle, always gentle for him. Tugging at the blanket with a fondness that makes her lips twitch at how resolutely he's tucked up.

Trying to free a corner with determination so she can burrow closer.

Watch her triumph as she tugs the blanket free and shuffles closer, tucking herself alongside him before the blanket's tugged over to make a small, huddled burrow for the two of them.

My lips curve wide at the sight.

"That's our cue to leave." Tae whispers quietly, the loud hush of it coaxing a burst of scent from the huddle, amusement laced into the pheromones.

And let myself be drawn away, eyes lingering on the sight, smile fading when the door closes.

What would happen to Ji Ah when Min-Junie left? What would happen to him?

Sensing the quiet turmoil, the fingers entangled with mine squeezes tighter.

"They're both going to be okay (Y/N) ..."

The buzzing of my phone cuts me off, a vibration and ringtone that immediately distinguishes it as a centre call, tugging it out of my pocket.

Jisoo's name flashes on the screen repeatedly as I hurry to swipe, bringing the phone to my ear, hear the ragged breathlessness in his tone and the sound of grunts and heavy breathing.

It makes my posture straighten, fingers unfurling from Tae's before his tighten and tug me forward, sensing the urgency in my posture and the voice that filters through the speaker.

"Jihyun's lashing out. The serpent he's knocked out a nurse and he's out his room... get me sedatives from the infirmary ward." Voice rushed and urgent.

My hand tugs at Tae, steering him the other way, fingers disentangling as I rush forward, ducking down past the counter before I rush forward, eyes scanning for the medication Jisoo's voice lists out with a fast, hurried command.

"He's not out of the room, is he? He's volatile and I have a mother and kit down two hallways." Panic making my voice rise as I rush back, barely realising that Tae's figure keeps pace with me, hurrying after me as I weave past employees, breaking into a run to get to the emergency ICU ward.

"He's..." ragged curse sharp and the grunt of pain has my fingers tightening.

"He's... I'll hold him." He promises before the line cuts.

Message conveyed.

It's heavily guarded but still... there's a serpent acting purely on instinct.

And when snakes get cornered... they bite.

And knowing full well that Amina isn't at her optimum state, that she'll be shielding and protecting a kit first and foremost, leaving herself unguarded, and open to getting hurt.

Nausea wells up at the thought of her getting more hurt, biology snapping me into a hurried rush towards the ICU, ignoring the startled exclamations, the people I collide with as I duck forward, lungs seizing around nothing.

I don't realise or recall just how violently the serpent reacts to women staff until he rears back, body stumbling back with a sharp venomous hiss, eyes slits and scent blank, swallowed whole by the intensity of his panicked rage.

Don't realise until there's a growled curse, a sharp yank before I'm staggering back, forcefully pushed behind a barrier formed by a defensive stance and the bright shock of pink hair and tail.

Minnie.

"Are you mad? He's volatile and you thought the best thing was to rush at him?" voice sharp and trembling; betraying the panicked edge as his body brackets mine, shields it from view, hand tightly gripping my wrist as his tail swishes sharply.

"He needs to be sedated, Jimin move, Jisoo... I need to check on Jisoo." voice sharp and taut.

Another body brackets mine from behind, the two of them an unconscious flank even if I tug myself free, eyes ducking away from the sharp, aggressive slits that pin me, hissing sharply.

My tail flicks quickly, jitters compressed forcefully as my biology pushes to run, hide, eyes not challenging his but there's a taut tension crackling in the air.

"(Y/N) be careful." Tae murmurs, voice a gravelly rasp, fingers unloosening unwillingly when I tug myself free, falling away from my waist where it'd clamped on.

I approach him carefully, every step measured and controlled, posture loose and unthreatening.

Recoil at the bitter hiss, the snap of his fangs and eyes burning with hatred.

"Move away from me."

Threatened and on-edge, the words guttural and sharp.

My eyes remain ducked away, staring past him, waiting with a taut spine, breaths relieved when a dishevelled, slightly scratched up wolf appears, body immediately straightening; breaths ragged but somehow overlooked in the face of the serpent's frantic, maddened rage.

Thrashing and recoiling for a reason that I don't even know yet.

Silently, Jisoo moves up behind the serpent, noiseless and quirt; a deadly precision and lithe grace despite being winded because with it comes with decades of experience.

Easily stabilising himself, posture alert and coiled, noiseless as I continue to move forward, arms forcefully restraining him, binding his arms back even as he screams; the sound agonised and betrayed and tormented.

Lurching and thrashing in his hold, Minnie rushing forward to help restrain him, still him between the two; three predators entangled in a mess of limbs. Rough hisses and snarls that make my skin prickle as I rush forward, brushing past Minnie to grip his arm, fingers skimming carefully to find a vein.

My fingers clutch tightly at the injection, angling it carefully and watching the needle pierce skin. There isn't time to waste and as the sedative is pumped into skin, administered to him, his scream and yells turn vengeful, twisting and hissing and venomous eyes pinning onto me. Glaring at me.

And the intensity of his rage is one I won't forget. One that condemns me and resents me. One that promises to get back at me.

The sheer rage and hate rolling off him; triggered and heightened because of his trauma hurts to be confronted with. His body sagging between Jisoo's broad frame and Minnie's that steadies him when he staggers, legs buckling as the absorbent sedative quickly filters through his bloodstream, the anger still burning in his eyes until the last moment. Until he slumps in Jisoo and Jimin's hold. Carefully drawn back to his room, the tremor in my legs making themselves apparent when Tae's arm winds around me again.

Voice softer and quieter.

Reassuring and grounding.

"You did good baby...you did good."

And yet Jihyun's eyes burn themselves into my mind.

But I let myself be held, sink back into the protective curve of his embrace and silently remind myself that not everyone... not everyone in the centre is someone I can help.

Not everyone needs me. He certainly didn't.

And though it stemmed from necessity, from the situation, I might've inadvertently enforced his distrust towards women even more.

And that doesn't sit right, stomach working into painful knots.

KOOK POV:

The workday, both beginning and end, is fairly structured. Repetitive in the cycle and motions of opening up shop, preparing for the day, heating the ovens, batch preparing, selling, serving, cleaning up and winding down after food prep for the next day. Because nearly every day is the same, nearly every day has this regularity that never fails to bring warmth and pride that we did it, we really did it... we opened up our own bakery.

And yet every day has slowly shifted to become different. Different with how much our lives seemed to have changed since the moment a tiger first walked into the bakery. Different with how it went from me and Jin hyung, to a slowly forming pack, to a fawn, to courtship to... this.

Whatever could be called the bonds we had now, the lives we had now and the people we'd gained. And yet... yet largely that never extends to the bakery. The bakery is still a refuge, a home, a sanctuary that both me and Jin hyung have toiled endlessly to raise off the ground.

And yet rather than go home, the two of us find ourselves with Binnie when the café closes, boxes of food packed and prepped and the new presence of a slightly anxious panda bear; the four of us loitering outside the car once we've pulled up outside a large but nondescript homeless shelter.

The only person confident is Binnie, ears perked and eyes bright as he tugs out Jangmi, drawing her out of the back passenger seat, arm curled protectively around her, a familiarity that's warm and soothing and flanking with how his form towers over hers.

Jin hyung's wings flutter, flapping restlessly behind him, body flanking mine, pressed close enough I can feel the heat of his body try to seep into mine. To make its home there.

Hand nudging me from the low of my back forward, towards the boot where Binnie's drawing out the boxes, eyes bright as he hands some over to me.

It's more than what he usually does.

And there's a bright, burning fierce determination in his eyes as he waits for Jin hyung to hurry forward, the car beeping as it locks, before hyung moves to take some boxes too.

The four of us bearing food as Binnie leads the way towards the entrance, Jangmi sinking back behind him, eyes sharp and observant but also wary as she clutches at the box, honey scent sharp and bitter around the edges.

"How often do you visit Binnie?" she asks, voice quiet and soft. Eyes peering past him as he nudges the door open, the slam of scents cloying and old and unwashed immediately battering at my nose.

I can't help the scrunch, the twist of my instincts shrinking away from just how many countless scent trails are entangled together; forcefully clumped together under a singular living space, under the same roof yet the squirrel is unperturbed as he leads the way. Navigating the hallways with ease.

He leads the way to a communal kitchen space; equally clogged with scents, but this time entangled with cooking, with burnt and bitter and sharp mistrust as straying eyes drift to us.

Unconsciously, I shrink back slightly, following Binnie's lead to set the boxes down onto the large table, scuttering back when a woman leers with sharp eyes, gaze raking with an intensity that makes my skin prickle, makes Jin hyung's hand clamp tight on my shoulder as he draws me away, steers me out first before his body brackets mine from behind. Wings slightly flared as he guards and shields me from sight.

"It's okay bun." He murmurs softly, soothing away the prickling unease with the soft strength of his voice, of his body hovering close.

Binnie's face shutters with apology, lips parting before I shake my head firmly.

"So, you come to visit... El..i?" Jangmi prompts, steering the conversation away from the kitchen, the atmosphere of the shelter despite its simple and well-kept appearance still made me feel antsy; a similar expression found in both a panda and swan.

Her eyes are confused though, uncertain as she peers at him; half-expecting him to say no, to correct her. Something about her is just disoriented and lost and when he smiles, nodding brightly, it lifts a tension off both their shoulders.

That she remembers, she wasn't imagining it.

"Eli is the homeless woman you met how long ago now?" she asks.

He hums, hand reaching for hers to squeeze lightly, entangled and swinging loosely between them.

"Weeks? Don't know if it's been months but... long enough. Eli doesn't like being near the others—she's usually holed away."

And when his head tilts to peer into a side doorway, a smile tugs at his lips, hand drawing Jangmi alongside him as he gestures to the room to us.

This is it. This is where Eli is.

And for all that I'd imagined, for all the glimpses he'd shared, I expect somehow to know the woman when I step through. Woefully wrong when her eyes sharp with scrutiny and thinning lips, as they press together, greet us.

Shrinking back into the blanket, tugging it around her as she recoils from the sight of perhaps so many people in the room with her all at once.

And she's... human.

A human in a largely hybrid homeless shelter from the glimpses I'd seen, of the people I'd caught sight of as we'd wandered in.

A human in a hybrid shelter. That was...new.

And clearly so are visitors if the way she shirks back is any indication.

The second thing I notice is how distinctively older she is than us; her face lined with maturity and time, eyes hardened and posture stiff.

Commandeering a silent authority within herself, one that in this instant yells silently stay away.

"Eli, these are my friends! They wanted to visit... aish, you're still so cold. You need to see a doctor for that." Conversation streaming easily as he bustles about, sets down a bag of food, hands cupping hers with a frown.

Rubbing briskly to try instil some sort of heat into hands that seem healthily flushed to me but given how he frowns, concern making his brows furrow, his tail twitch and stiffen as it stands tall, tells me otherwise.

"It's fine. I just run cold."

"Not like this, this is what humans call hypothermia."

"No. It's hypothyroidism... if she's always cold it's hypothyroidism." Jangmi murmurs, voice quiet enough that it startles the woman, eyes flashing as they hold the panda's.

She shrinks back under the hostile gaze, under the narrowed set of eyes before the woman shrinks back in herself, draws her hands away from Binnie's with a defensive stance. Long sleeves shielding her from further cold; layered as much as she can.

"Can't really walk into a pharmacy, can I? Treatment costs."

But there's something unspoken and sharp and assessing in the usual warmth of Binnie's eyes, something that's surprisingly mirrored and reflected back with empathy and understanding in Jangmi's eyes as she slips away to draw food out the bag.

Eli's eyes drift to the two of us, tired and wan and yet alert.

Assessing the flared wings and our bodies instinctively curled close.

And something gleams in her eyes, a smile curving her lips.

"You two look good together. A rare couple." Half-mumbled, eyes dipping away as she reaches for the food Jangmi proffers. One hand still clutching at the blanket to tug it closer to her.

Despite running cold... it doesn't seem to affect her. As if she's long since become accustomed to the chill her body regulates.

Something possessive shines in Jin hyung's eyes as his lips curve into an easy grin, fingers squeezing tightly at my waist.

"We are." He replies easily, before I can even say that we're part of a bonded pack. The tidbit gone unspoken, unshared.

But there's nothing giving about hyung's expression as he brushes past, drawing me alongside him; distance enough that Eli isn't crowded, near enough that he can help.

Flinching slightly when her hand stretches out to take the proffered bottle of water and his wings flap at the sight of a swollen bump at her wrist; irritated and flushed, her fingers absently scratching it when hyung's hand darts out.

Sharp and brisk, tugging her fingers away unrepentantly, uncaring of the sharp hiss of breath when she glares, trying to tug her hand free.

"Who stung you?"

Jin hyung's grip is unwavering, tight and voice sharp; eyes fixed onto the sight.

She grits her teeth, trying to yank free, even if hyung's careful to avoid actually touching her skin, to even accidentally skim near the puffy skin.

"Just an insect bite."

"Who stung you, Eli? That's a venomous bite." Binnie echoes the question with raised alarm.

Binnie's gaze has turned sombre and sharp, stony slightly.

"Is it those two again? The ones you said were bothering you."

"Who?" my voice is softer in comparison to Binnie's.

"Scorpions. There were two... maybe three who moved to the shelter a few days after I brought Eli here..."

Scorpions.

To abuse their biology like that, to secrete venom into their bites to hurt other people under the same roof makes my stomach lurch.

Foot tapping at the ground restlessly at the thought that even shelters couldn't entirely protect its inhabitants.

"Didn't... there's a few wanted scorpions at the moment, Eli-ssi did you get mixed into the wrong crowd?" words hesitant and so painfully careful of not saying more than I needed to.

It was the first unspoken rule I'd sensed between the officer hyungs duo. Never divulge unintentionally even in front of strangers. Never divulge more than necessary to people. Rule long since modified by the hyungs to share with pack, withhold from outsiders.

There's a defensive hardness to her features, a sharp cutting look that doesn't have me shrinking back this time, nothing about her lack of animal biology is threatening... somehow makes her seem more so vulnerable. Especially in light of the knowledge that a human seeking shelter has had her safety threatened by scorpions sinking venomous pincers in.

"They were bothering me and when I tried to push back, they cornered me."

"You need to report it."

"When the majority if not all of us stay at shelters because we need the safety of no questions asked, no identity needed? When people have it worse and need to hide? I'm not stupid."

I can feel Binnie's resignation; can smell his displeasure.

Whilst he drops it for now, I doubt the issue's left behind.

And after a while, quiet stiff silence simmering in the room, Eli's voice is curt as she speaks.

"You should go. I don't need to get onto people's bad side for dragging in outsiders. You shouldn't visit so much either Moonbin."

"You should at least get an antidote for that, it'll make you sick... venom doesn't react well to added biological immune systems, it'll damage a human's." Jangmi says, voice slightly louder, assured and certain, eyes flashing with an insistence, posture stiff and straight even as she draws Binnie back; silently drawing him beside her when she sees Eli's posture remain coiled up.

Tugs her squirrel alongside with a small shake of her head, earnest and fierce gaze from behind her glasses as she looks at Eli, turns away to rummage in her bag.

Draws out a card she hands over, presses into cold hands, scent souring under the sharpness of Eli's gaze but resolute, nonetheless.

"They do discrete treatments for free. And you can leave an anonymous medical report, just specific names or descriptions. No-one else needs to be dragged into it and you can still be safe."

"...thank you."

The stretched out, painful silence before those two words are uttered, not as prickly, has my scent burning sharp to my own nose, foot tapping restlessly and wings rustling behind. It has Binnie's tail stiffening with agitation and the honey scent cloying and hardened.

And those two words... two words that has a tightness unloosening.

I didn't want to see people hurting, didn't want to be confronted with this and wonder just how Binnie didn't bolt and run from the sharp edge to everyone's scents here. This feeling of hostility clinging to the air and the overwhelming sense that eyes were watching; and whatever they saw was something they didn't like.

It felt intrusive and my body remains strung-up with the need to leave.

And even though Eli doesn't want to bring unnecessary attention.

The thought that no identity, no questions were asked and therefore no safety net existed didn't sit right with me, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth and an anxious nervousness that prickles at my skin even when we leave.

It takes a while, chasing the soured scents with cool balmy air, to realise that the bitterness is sharp honey and decaying, stale hazelnut and the prickliness is Jin hyung's own absence of vanilla scent; consumed and washed away and dissolving the barriers of sweetness. Lost under the natural absence of his scent.

That their scents had left me on edge.

And I wasn't the only one who thinks so.

----------

"I don't... that shelter doesn't feel like a good place. It just—" Jin hyung begins when we're in the safety of the car, his eyes flicking to the rear-view mirror where Binnie's eyes are already holding his.

Something agreeing and dismayed in his eyes as he holds hyung's gaze.

"It's Eli who's not safe there."

I remain silent, eyes peering past the window. It's not just Eli, the space doesn't feel safe.

"Something about... something about Eli..." Jangmi hedges carefully, eyes drifting to Binnie but resolute as she says it.

An unconscious shudder wracking her body as she shrinks inwards, head ducking into her scarf, burrowing against the peach scent.

The protective scent-claim tugs a smile at my lips regardless of what's being mentioned.

"I don't like her. Something about her doesn't match up." Blunt even if her eyes flicker with apology, my head turning to see the way Binnie's hand tightens on hers. Eyes flashing with hurt.

She draws her eyes away, guilt making her avert her gaze, briefly flickering to mine.

There's ghosts that seem to always linger in her eyes, phantoms that cling to her within vestiges of sleep and remain with her even if she's awake, a weariness that is paired with slight caution and apprehension.

I didn't know her long, didn't know her well.

But I'd seen her at the café over the week, had seen her slowly thaw as she became accustomed to the place and yet saw the almost assessing gaze in her eyes.

Tightly coiled up instincts that refused to settle easily.

Jin hyung echoes Jangmi, nodding, jaw tight as he drives.

"I know you've known Eli longer Binnie but something, I don't know what, about that entire place doesn't sit right. Something about the shelter..." he muses.

"Why did you choose that one?" I ask curiously, voice softer to help diffuse the slight prickliness in Binnie's posture.

He shrugs his shoulders.

"It's the one closest to the city centre."

And whilst Binnie is accepting, only seeing a normal, to me, to us—seeing the place first time, that anxious feeling flares. That still.

Still something didn't fit.

----------

A sudden flurry of movement that immediately dispels the quiet of the spare living room; the other part of the apartment seems worlds away and the constant, soothing presence of the panther dozing on the couch behind me, a protective citrus flank that stays with me, with the quiet purrs that soften, lighten.

Maybe he hadn't been napping as deeply as I thought.

But he remains, quiet and comforting even as two other predators scurry towards me.

I can feel their eyes before I turn, feel them trained sharply onto me before a scampering of paws and the dual sounds of whines and chirps greet me, phone batted out of my hand with a paw and the scampering of a fluffy pink foxy taking seat in the middle of my crossed legs before a wolf can drape over me.

Sad petulant whines as he paws at Minnie to try get him to move; eyes baleful and wide and ears drooped, tail not wagging as quick and snuffling as Joon whines at my cheek and neck, nuzzling sadly.

Laugh at the sudden joint attack by the two as they tug at me for attention, a paw tugging at the hem of my shirt, a cold nose pressed against my jaw, dipping to snuffle at skin, rumbling as a paw settles on my thigh and he leans forward, wolf burrowing against skin to scent and chase my own scent in turn.

Chasing away the soured tinge that remains even after we'd come back from the shelter.

A stiffness chased away by over-eager pup hyungs in shifted form barrelling towards me; determined to chase away the unease in my pheromones with their swishy and thumping tails and fangs nipping gently, nuzzling at skin.

Forest dew and mint.

"You waited to pounce!" I laugh, squirming at the cold nose dipping lower as Joon whines against skin, weight leaning into me, thumping tail cutting air quicker when he nudges against my gland, buries his nose against the soft tissue.

The pink foxy is all swishes and fangy, proudly accepting of my accusation, as he scampers towards me, front paws stretched upwards, trying to clamber on further, chirping when my hand settles to rub at his ears, scratching lightly at the back of his head, nose nudging at my wrist and paws trying to catch my arm so he can nuzzle against my wrist glands, scent sweet and fresh.

Chirping against the hollow of my throat, fur brushing against skin, the two of them effectively trapping me and pin me under them, body pressed against the bottom of the sofa, their scents entangling and bursting richer and stronger in their combined effort to stop mine being laced with lingering worry.

Their unspoken comfort doing more than words can to soothe the anxiousness and it's sweet irony that the very two I wanted to tell about the shelter were the ones who sought me out to ease my worries.

And Joon bats at Minnie, paw swiping at pink fur to move him so he can crowd me, the two lightly tussling in a playful mix of fangs snapping and tails swishing and wagging; chirps and whines and rumbles as they scrabble to take up most of my lap.

And it takes the two of them to settle only when I lift my shirt up in invite to Minnie, knowing hyung loved to scramble close to press directly to skin, that he'd done so countless times with (Y/N). Though predictable and expected, it still makes my scent bloom softer when he chirps happily, tail swishing before he scurries upwards, paws scrabbling against skin, nose skimming across as he chirps and rumbles contentedly.

Burrowing against skin gladly before his head pops out the loose neckline, ears perked and flickering and fangy greeting, chirps pressed to my throat and jaw, warm weight settling against me.

And lap free, Joon hyung bounds forward, paws scrabbling as he tries to settle himself across my lap, pawing at my legs until I uncross them, hand settled over my shirt to cradle the foxy lump whilst a wolf settles between parted legs, curling into the vacated space, paw resting on my leg, head settled on my thigh.

Whining happily when my vacated hand settles into fur, rubbing across glossy brown fur, scratching lightly behind his ears; the reverberations of his whines and soft rumbled growls sinking into skin, nose skimming across skin as his head droops there.

Comes to settle there, my body sinking more laxly against the sofa, squirming at the playful nibbles and scrape of fangs brushing across my collarbones, nose nudging at my jaw and pawing at skin as his tail swishes, chirping for pets that he rewards me with a burst of sweet mint that filters through my mind and chases lingering thought away.

Earthy dew winding around me in a protective draped embrace; the two of them holding me, comforting me with soft paws and the brush of winter fur. Tactile touch soothing my instincts, coaxing them to relax under the safety blanket of two predator mates. Soothed by their more dominant biology, their protective roles in the pack hierarchy and beyond it.

Knowing deeply and intrinsically that they're safe, they mean safety. And when I tell them, they'll help. They always know how to help.

And whatever wrongness I felt from the shelter—they'd look into it. And make it safer for the people seeking refuge there.

Minnie's nose nudges against my jaw, snuffling as he rubs fur to skin, scenting me lightly, chirps quieter but eyes sharp and knowing. Watching and waiting for me, paw settled against my chest, tail skimming and brushing across my stomach.

My fingers brush against his ears, rub between them and watch his flicker and fold, tilting obligingly into the touch as if his scent doesn't sweeten and the look in his eyes doesn't turn softer somehow.

It's also easier to talk somehow when they're shifted, knowing full well that they'll listen intently, that in this moment all they're doing is hearing me out, processing until they decide to shift back.

Behind me, the purrs have turned softer, lighter. Tail flicking briefly against my shoulder, a loose fleeting reminder of his presence; scent a steady bloomed sweetness that threads through their scents.

"I think... I think Binnie's helping someone who's being pinpointed by bad people."

I feel the head on my thigh turn, eyes peering at me, gently probing and waiting. Ears flickering.

"I don't know who they are, and Eli doesn't want to be caught into the crossfire, doesn't want to make the shelter unsafe for others by dragging the police in."

Minnie snuffles against my jaw, chirp low and quiet.

"You know Eli, right?"

Soft rumbles affirm my question.

"Well she's been hurt by some scorpion hybrids. They seem to be brute force."

The snuggling foxy stills in his scenting, in his grooming as he nuzzles at my skin, the next chirp rumbled and angry.

"I... I don't know Eli, she's not a friend, she's a stranger. But still... still safety human or hybrid should be a given." I mumble.

The rumbled growl that shudders past Joon hyung's mouth ripples with agreement and authority, scent bursting richer and stronger; fierce and protective.

"And if you do—whatever you do, please just... just leave Eli out of this." And the whined chirp against my throat tries to dispel

"I think... I think someone's in trouble. But I don't really know who the people hurting her are, but they're scorpions. And I know... I know you're looking for missing scorpions from that warehouse raid... there could be so many scorpion hybrids in Seoul but it's... gut instinct that these people are bad." I confess.

The stream of chirps are quiet and gentle, rumbly against skin and paws press to my chest, giving leverage as he curls against me, paws at skin gently, fangs scraping against my jaw and cheek; nuzzling sweetly and leaving a trail of fresh, sweet mint, a balm that's brushed against my instincts just as much as it is skin.

It'll be okay, hyungs will make it okay.

Hyungs will make it okay.

A whine, low and plaintive, draws my eyes to the wolf curled between my legs, head drooping more readily against my thigh, eyes earnest and soft.

Pawing lightly.

Tail thumping briefly, flicking against my leg.

Gaze holding mine earnestly.

"Not you directly... no more adding to your workload... but can you?" voice quiet.

He whines, head dipping into a nod, ears flickering as he tilts against me, paws folding under his head as he settles there.

Hyungs will take care of it.

And as I settle with the two shifted hyungs, the third shifts slightly on the couch, quiet movement before a nose snuffles at the back of my head and ears.

Soft exhaled puffs of breath and quiet purrs to soothe as Yoongi hyung moves behind me, tail skimming across my skin, citrus sweeter.

His awake presence coaxing whines and chirps; scents pulsing sweet for the eldest predator, for the protective flank he unconsciously makes around the three of us.

Citrus purrs against my ears, nose skimming across my hair, rumbled reassurance against my nape; coaxing my limbs to loosen and droop.

Sink more readily against the flank of warm fur.

"You were awake." I murmur.

His rumbled purr, gentle and quiet, is all the answer I need.

Hyung was here, hyung is here bun.

-----------

Jiminie and Joon hyungie both seem to drift more, circling the pack more with a protectiveness that's unmistakeable, always within arm-reach to either me or (Y/N) hovering close enough to rub scent on, pheromones layering up, especially on her mating bites, chasing a reassurance for words unspoken.

But the weight of whatever bears down on their shoulders isn't a burden they need to shoulder alone, there's an unspoken knowledge that though their burdens tie to the case, tie heavily with (Y/N)'s protection, it doesn't mean they try brave it through alone. It doesn't mean that in the safety of the pack, at home they can't and won't find safety and escape. That the elder hyungs won't just as easily shoulder the more protective, herding instincts; scents stronger and dominating.

And even now, Joon hyung curls around (Y/N), drawing her onto his lap, arms wound around her as he burrows against her gland with a rumbled whine, tail thumping happily at holding her, at having her in his arms. I don't miss the way a few minutes later, clad with Tae hyungie in tow, Minnie hyung shepherds the two onto the couch; half sprawled over both of us, weight settling as a pinned weight but settled across our laps for playful touches and scents and petting he chirps happily for, sinking into a more contended loose drape as his scent blooms sweet and fresh in my lungs.

"Good day at work hyung?" my fingers don't pause their light scratches at his scalp, carding through strands of hair, eyeing the rich pink hue with an admirable envy, because it suits him so well, a cotton candy foxy, softening his features further. Framing them with a pretty pink tint that colours his fur so prettily too.

Tae hyung's prank backfired.

Watching as he arches his head back into the touch, eyes fluttering with contentment, lips parted slightly and tail swishing happily under Tae hyungie's touch, chuffing as his hand sinks into pink thick fur, petting his tail with a noticeably sweeter quality to his berried scent.

Preening at how much his fellow orange has turned into Tae hyung's berry mate.

"Productive." He murmurs, voice a low rasp.

Tired out but happy.

There's no tell-tale sourness to his scent either, nothing in his posture or pheromones that suggest his words mean otherwise.

He's a sprawled, loose-limbed figure stretched across two laps, tilting readily and eagerly into the grooming touches.

He doesn't share information not immediately.

So when my finger reaches out to poke his cheek, his eyes blink open, lips curving into a loose grin, head twisting to try nip at my finger when it reaches to poke again, fangs trying to catch at skin. Chasing the touch.

"Aren't you going to ask about my day hyungie? Is courting one-way especially after the gift I left for you in your room?" teasing and sighing, ears perking when he half-twists, hand darting out to catch mine, nose burrowing against my open palm to snuffle and slowly scent, fangs scraping playfully as his eyes brighten.

"Does that mean you haven't seen the pretty pyjamas I got you then?" he retorts back easily.

My ears perk up, body wriggling slightly under the half-sprawl of his torso across my legs, scent burning stronger. His pleased, loose smile is telling, eyes twinkling with tease as his ears flicker, tilting and nudging at my palm with his cheek and head, encouraging the scenting and rubs.

Dragging my hand to his hair when I just wriggle slightly; impatient to try find where he's hidden them.

"You can find it later bunny, and then show me?"

I nod eagerly, tilting down to press kisses to his cheek and temple, giggling when his head tilts to try catch my lips, chasing the movement with pouted, jutted lips to try press to mine, a soft pleased rumble when his hand reaches out to yank at my shirt and a startled quiet sound is pressed and swallowed against his awaiting lips.

Fangs gentle and unrushed and indulging in slowly scraping against my bottom lip, mouth mapping mine to his, tracing and exploring and tongue flicking lazily over the harder nips, where his fangs sink in with the promise to mark and leave behind a blooming sting that fans heat in my cheeks, mouth turning pliant for him.

Soft presses of my lips chasing his, a soft content sound slipping out when his hand trails away from my shirt, unloosens and instead drifts to my neck, scent-marking with the pad of his thumb as he brushes circles into skin, coaxing out the pulse of scent for him.

The rumbling chirp against my lips softer and quieter than the chuffing happiness that accompanies a burst of sticky sweet berry pheromones; broadcasting how elated his instincts are, lips tingling with the scorching, soft press of Minnie hyung even when he draws back, eyes glittering and thumb brushing across my bottom lip, dragging against it, gaze darkening slightly.

"Pretty bun."

"Prettier hyung." I echo back, fingers drifting to cup his cheek, brushing across the happy-pink-tint dusting his cheeks, more apparent by the pink strands framing his face, the flushed heat of his skin from warmth and the shower he'd stripped away to take; dragging with him a delighted caramel hyung whose rumbled purrs and crooned words had sent the minty sweetness pulsing responsively to the hand sprawled possessively on the low of his back. Already making quick work of shucking clothes, tugging the shirt free from hyung's belted waist, nails dragging lightly across skin.

Even now the caramel sugariness seeps off his skin, has settled there, a sugary warmth and underlying nuttiness that pools headily, a mouth-watering combination.

My eyes drift from hyung to the caramel kit in question, find a dark, hungering gleam in his eyes as he watches Jimin hyung's thumb tug at my lip, press to its softness, ears twirling even if the curve of his posture against Jin hyung is a loose sprawl, curved against him and pressed close.

Eyes settling on the two of us, lips quirking.

Silently wicked in their teasing intent that simmer in the burning weight of his gaze.

Unspoken but there.

Unexpressed or acted on for now.

I know full well the history and the depths of it that he shares with Jin hyung, know full well that their bond, their history and their confidence assuredness with each other; the twinkling unspoken tease flitting in my swan's eyes as his hand curls a fraction tighter around Hobi hyung's waist. Squeezing lightly.

I know should the two ever tag-team, should turn their joint efforts to one person, to me in the way their settled gazes promise and plot—it was a different story entirely. Swan and feline; unflappable and possessiveness mixing together.

And it makes a heat climb my cheeks, body feeling flushed at the combined weight of three hyungs contemplatively assessing, gauging.

"They're going to eat you up bunbun." Tae hyung's voice rumbles with amusement and teasing observation, eyes tearing away from the enthralling weight of both hyungs, drifting past Jiminie hyung as his fingers slip away to loosely curl into my shirt, to focus on the boxy, fangy grin. Ears flickering and perked, scent sweetening with his words, tail swishing.

Eyeing me with a predatory lilt to his loose grin, his own focus drifting to where Joon hyung and (Y/N) have become half-entangled in each other; fingers brushing through dark hair and rubbing circles into hyung's nape as he lazily scents, her legs drawn over his lap and his hand settled there; fingers entangled in a loose hold with each other.

Something fond flittering through his expression, loosening the sprawled set of limbs further, something molten and heavy however, gleaming with interest as he watches Yoongi hyung enter through the kitchen, slipping into the vacant space beside the two easily; nudging their cheeks and temples with a brief, affectionate tactile nuzzle. The sweetest, lightest scent before his head rests on Joon hyung's shoulder.

There's something needing simmering in Tae hyung's eyes and despite how his posture and scent say otherwise, he seems predator in this moment. Eyeing his prey and waiting for the opportune moment to pounce.

Something lazy and observant.

As if he has all the time in the world.

As if he's got time to play and silently relishes in it.

As if that makes the wait that much more torturously sweet.

As if the wait is just as thrilling for whatever waits on the other side of it.

(YAAAAAAAY! I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH HOW LONG THIS CHAPTER IS!! 24K!! WHOOOOO!! AND THE PLOT THICKENS~ OR RATHER IT WILL BEGIN TO EVEN MORE! BUCKLE UP PEOPLE, MORE TRAFFICKER SUBPLOT COMING!! AND SOME OFFICER ACTION TOO!! GOING TO HAVE MORE ROMANTIC INTER-PACK BUILDING TOO SO FLUFFY LOVE COMING TOO!! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS CHAPTER LOVELIES!! @MIDIIPLIER DID I FAIL WITH VMIN OR PINK FOXY AGENDA!! SO MUCH ACTION WAITING TO HAPPEN IN EVERY CHAPTER!! STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE LOVES!)

QUESTION... just something you want to see in Claws? A specific pairing... a specific scene idea? No promises but... who knows~

Mine is... writing some MiniMoni for how they got together, how they were as officers together at the beginning~

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3