The two alphas ran as fast as their wounded bodies could muster while still keeping Yunho and Wooyoung on their backs. But they could both feel their strength failing.

San prayed that the alpha would recognize him. He could never forget that scent. It was so over powering and he knew it could cause problems in the long run, but he had to try...

Wooyoung whimpered as San jumped over a log and he flicked his ears back. I'm sorry baby, please hand in there. I think we are almost there. He felt Wooyoung tighten his grip in response.

He glanced over and saw that Yunho was barely conscious as he clung to Jongho.

Getting desperate, San let out a long howl.

What are you doing? Jongho growled, almost stopping in his tracks.

Calling for help! Keep running! San said, letting out another howl. Even if they didn't recognize his call, maybe it would at least put them on high alert that there were wolves in the area and they could keep an eye out.

He smelled it again. Mint.

The scent was getting stronger. Soon they saw a light in the distance. The alphas hesitated when they realized it was a house, but San could tell the alpha was in there that he was looking for.

Panting heavily, they walked up to the house, but still kept their distance, waiting for someone to notice them.

Yunho!

San turned to see the beta fall off Jongho's back and the alpha turned to him on shaky legs. He felt Wooyoung shifting on his back to go help, so he edged closer.

But now that they were stopped, he felt his body succumbing to the exhaustion too. He tried to fight through it, but as he watched Wooyoung fall to his knees next to Yunho, and Jongho collapse next to them, his vision started to blur.

He let out one final, weak howl, before he too fell to the ground.

.

.

.

.

"Did you hear something?" Seonghwa asked, sitting up from the armchair he had been lounging in. He and Yeosang had been watching a movie together while their alphas were scouting the area.

"No." Yeosang shook his head, not looking away from the tv. But then he straightened. "Wait, that?"

"Yes." Seonghwa jumped up and ran to the window.

Mingi, Hongjoong, did you?

We heard it. Hongjoong answered. Stay put. We are coming back now. Someone has entered our territory.

Seonghwa felt Yeosang come to stand next to him and he reached out to take the beta's hand while they waited.

In a matter of minutes their alpha's came bursting through the back door and rushed to their sides. "Any sign of them?" Mingi asked, moving Seonghwa behind his back.

"No. I haven't heard another howl yet either." The omega said, reaching a hand up to grab the alpha's shirt.

They waited.

"There!" Hongjoong said.

The four of them watched as two wolves came running out of the trees carrying two boys on their backs.

"Something's not right." Yeosang said, stepping forward. Then he gasped and covered his mouth as they watched the boys fall to the ground, followed by the two wolves.

"I recognize the one wolf..." Seonghwa said. Then he bolted out the front door, followed by the beta. "Mingi! It's San!"

"San? You know San?" Yeosang asked as he knelt next to the boys. "Oh... Hongjoong hurry! They are hurt!"

Seonghwa grunted as he worked to pick up the wolf. Mingi came to his side and helped him carry San's limp body into the house before running back out to bring the other three in.

"San? San, can you hear me?" Seonghwa said, stroking his fur gently. He turned to see his pack lay down the two boys on the floor, and the other wolf next to them. San was the least injured out of all of them. "Wh-What happened to them?"

"I don't know, but I smell other alphas." Mingi said, grabbing some blankets and pillows for the boys. "I have a feeling they were attacked."

"No shit." Seonghwa said as he rushed into the bathroom to look for medical supplies. He could hear Mingi grumbling behind him but he didn't really care. He needed to treat their wounds.

Yeosang appeared at his side and pulled out everything they needed. Bandages, alcohol, towels, and a couple bowls of water.

The returned to the other pack and Yeosang knelt next to the smaller boy while Seonghwa got situated next to the taller. His neck was purple and he had several scratch marks along his chest. He doused one of the towels in the alcohol and started to clean the wounds.

The boy whimpered in his sleep and tremors ran through his body.

Then there was a deep growl and Seonghwa turned to see the alpha stirring. Hongjoong and Mingi were on him immediately. The alpha yelped in pain but also tried to break free. "Calm down, we are trying to help them." Mingi said.

The alpha growled and twisted in their grasp.

"Calm down." Hongjoong snapped. The alpha flinched but then growled back at him, fighting for dominance.

Then he lost it when Wooyoung started to whimper too as Yeosang had started to wrap his side. Both alphas struggled to contain him as he became a flurry of snapping teeth and claws.

"WE ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM." Hongjoong roared.

Suddenly San was there, pushing his nose into the alphas chest and whining softly. His body was shaking as he tried to support himself and keep the other alpha calm. Eventually he did stop struggling and lowered himself to the ground.

"Let him go." Seonghwa said, holding still as the alpha eyed him.

San huffed and watched as well as the alpha crawled across the floor so that he was between the two boys. They both seemed to gravitate toward him even though they were still unconscious.

"Can you shift San?" Seonghwa asked. The alpha looked at him with tired eyes and his body shuddered as he tried to shift.

"Don't hurt yourself." Yeosang said.

Hongjoong moved to San's side to support him.

It looked painful, but San did manage to shift into his human form, but he immediately collapsed. Hongjoong caught him before he hit the floor and slowly lowered him down. "I've got you." He said, running his hand through the alpha's sweaty blonde hair. "Take a deep breath."

The wolf glanced at San and whimpered, causing him to reach out and place a hand on his fur. He was breathing heavily. Then he looked at Yeosang through lidded eyes. "H-Hunters..." He choked out before he feinted.

Seonghwa turned to the beta and saw the color drain from his face as Hongjoong swore. "Mingi, keep watch." He leaned over to get the alpha's attention. "Were you followed?"

The alpha shrugged but shook his head at the same time.

"What does he mean by hunters?" Seonghwa asked as he returned to treating the boy's wounds.

"When we met San, he told us about a group of humans who have trained themselves to hunt our kind. I thought they had died out..." Hongjoong said, still trying to comfort the unconscious San.

"But if they were attacked by other alphas..." Mingi said, not looking away from the window.

"I have a feeling we will have to wait for one of them to wake up to tell us." Yeosang said, still tending to the smaller boy.

Now that things had calmed down a little, Seonghwa could sense the smaller was an omega and he was in front of a beta.

They tended to the back and made sure they were bandaged and comfortable.

Hongjoong and Mingi were on constant alert, but none of them sensed anything amiss. Hopefully they hadn't been followed.

Needing to stay busy, Yeosang eventually got up and moved to the kitchen to prepare some food. Seonghwa went to help him and they leaned into each other for comfort.

They waited for hours before the first one stirred.

.

.

.

.

San sat up and groaned while wrapping the blanket on him around himself. His vision was blurred and his head hurt. He also couldn't remember where he was.

He turned his head and saw... Seonghwa and Yeosang? Why were they here?

Then it hit him. The hunters! The alphas!

San looked at the floor and saw his back sleeping soundly and he sighed in relief as he heard the other two run over to him. He reached out and ran his hand through Jongho's fur while also placing a hand on Wooyoung's head. The omega whimpered but leaned into his touch.

"San, are you ok? How are you feeling?" Yeosang said, dropping to his knees.

He opened his mouth to answer, but he couldn't get any words out. He felt a hand on his back and turned to see Seonghwa there. "It's ok. Take your time."

Then he his senses were slammed with mint and he looked up to see Mingi and Hongjoong rushing into the room. Tears came to his eyes when he laid eyes on the taller alpha and he rose to his feet and shakily walked over to him to give him a hug.

He could feel Mingi tense at the touch, but he needed it. That mint smell had probably saved their lives. He cried into the alpha's shirt and felt him awkwardly pat his back a couple times but he didn't care.

When he calmed down enough, he turned to go back to his pack and fell to the floor next to Wooyoung, placing a hand on his side.

"San?" Hongjoong said quietly, crouching in front of him.

He looked up into the alpha's worried face.

"What happened?"