ANYA :

At her reply, the atmosphere in the car ramped up a little more. The boys were excited and nervous to leave behind the only known residence. Earlier too when they were given to other people, they were blindfolded and drugged before being transported to the basement or whichever room they were chained to, of their temporary owners.

Anya had asked Jin about this earlier.

This was the first time they were conscious and watching themselves walking away from the building that had housed them since leaving the labs they were trained in.

Anya silently observed them all. The boys, right now, were all timid.

Even Jin and Jimin.

They were being taken out of the only surrounding that they were familiar with, led by the promise of a better future but having no evidence provided for it.

It was just their blind trust on her.

Their blind trust on an unknown person, who had become their owner. A trust that she would take them to a better place, would give them a better life. A life without pain, without humiliation. A life with freedom, respect.

And most importantly,

Somewhere to belong. Somewhere that was theirs.

A home.

The 7 hybrids had given her their all. All that they had.

Their trust, their respect, their faith, their will. And If she wanted, then their bodies too.

Anya knew the tag attached to what they had given her. It read PRICELESS.

As she contemplated it, the weight brought a heavy constriction in her chest.

These 7 boys were born without being asked in world where their servitude was a rule. They accepted their fates of being a low life, someone that the society crushed beneath the soles of their feet. They had taken all the misery they were bathed in and kept their heads down. No single flare of hope ever lit their nights, no bud of dreams for a normal life was ever born in their souls.

So, when Anya saw the shinning awe, the surprised giddiness in their eyes, for the life she painted for them, the way they wept quietly at the prospect of a future without any subjugation, Anya melted.

She melted at the fragility of those budding hopes. She melted at the flimsy veil of yearning they clung to. She melted at the tight desperate grip they had on the tenuous promise of the dream they still refused to believe in.

Even now, Jimin did not look outside the windows. His gaze was fixed on her.

His eyes were screaming at her to reassure him that, this moment, was indeed a reality. That the promise she had made, was going to be fulfilled.

His odd eyes were so childlike in his fear and excitement, so very hopeful in its innocence, so utterly trusting for a person whose past was dripping in the colour of suffering and pain.

Anya leaned forward in her seat to cup his beautiful face in her palms. Jimin wordlessly looked at her, his hands tightly clutched in front of his chest.

"We ARE going home Jimin. We really are." She said to him, her voice carrying the strength he needed.

Jimin closed his eyes at her words, but not before she saw them getting glossy with his emotions.

Yes. This bond, this trust, this faith they gifted her was precious.

And Anya would burn down the entire world before any individual could even think of touching it.

Making a decision, she sat back in her seat and took out her phone, to call Guk. "Hey yes, I know it was fast. Listen, about the check-up, lets schedule it the day after. A lot has happened and I don't think it will be a good idea for it to be conducted now. Yes. Yes. I have already forwarded their heath check up profile to you, right? No, no, ignore it. just use it as a reference. I still want all the tests done the day after. It will also give you better time to prepare. Hmm. Okay. Take care."

"So, we will not go to the Hybrid doctor now?" Jungkook's sweet voice asked her.

"No, I think, its better for your nerves to go to your home without further stops."

Jungkook nodded and then again pressed his face to the window. They had entered the city by now. The lights, the buildings, the crowds, the shops, malls, everything was still bright. The night not drawing to a close for the city yet.

Joon and Jin too were watching the crowd, slightly surprised at the interactions, at the night life. The only crowd that they had ever seen in their lives were when ball, or parties were arranged by their owners, where, they were to be the entertainment.

As such, this normal day to day life was something that was alien to them.

Even though their gaze was avid, they shrunk back a little when the car stopped at a traffic light, and they saw the surrounding cars, with people talking in their normal clothes, of daily things.

This behaviour brought to light just how much they did not know. Watching them right now, Anya realized that they all had basically been prisoners. Trapped away from Life.

"They have hybrids in the car too Master" Joon whispered to her, eyes still fixed outside, "Its easy to spot." His volume though low, still carried with it an awe at the sight of a normal life of a hybrid. One that was not a sex slave.

Anya glanced out to the hybrid in question, when she saw all the boys except Jimin looking at the directed situation by Joon. Jimin's eyes, were lowered, but his gaze was still on her.

The car beside hers was a daily SUV, a man and a woman seated at front. In the back seat, a hybrid sat quietly, his head down, floppy ears clearly indicating a dog breed, lost in thoughts. His neck however, was entirely covered in a painful looking, broad thick collar, with a huge chain attached like a leash to the front. Hell, It was a leash. The chain was clearly held by the woman seated in front.

This, was a common sight.

Beside them on the pavement, a couple walked in the summer night, laughing and talking, while their hybrid walked behind them. The hybrid was being led by a similar looking choke chain attached to a monstrous spiked thick collar around his neck. He was dressed shabbily. His ears and tail, droopy.

This was how the society treated them all.

Anya usually did not even notice these small situations, the nuances of hybrids expressions around her. She realized that their suffering was so common, that even she had been completely impervious to it.

Looking at her boys, she saw they were still nervously happy. The sight not off putting to them. Because even they accepted the world as it was. The collar, the chains, the treatment, all of it was common to them too.

They thought they too, would be treated the same way as they were witnessing their kind, on the street. They were looking forward to it. Happy about it.

But you all will be different. Your life will be completely divergent from the norm.

The lights changed as they pulled away. Joon, Jin, Jungkook and Yoongi kept watching the streets. Jimin kept his eyes on her knees, his hands clutched in front in silent prayer.

Hobi and Taehyung, sat still. Expression blank, head lowered.

Anya puzzled about that. Such a behaviour was expected from Tae, trained as he was, but why Hobi?

She looked closely. And there it was.

Slight tremors continuously racked Hoseok's frame. The grip he had with both of his hands on the seat, fierce.

Her snake was scared. He was petrified of the unknown. Of where they were headed.

Her Python was shaky and uncertain.

She wanted to comfort him, but she saw that their car was turning into the road to their society. They would reach in a matter of minutes.

So Anya sat back to enjoy their reactions. She wanted to see how they would take to their location.

The car entered the gates of the exclusive society after the usual security check by the uniformed officers. They cruised along the road as they saw huge mansions on the either side.

Anya lived in the heart of Seoul City, in a pocket of society catering to the ultrarich. The society consisted of collection of estates neighbouring one another, each at a distance, ensuring their privacy.

Anya's estate was at the end, neighbouring her Brother's. Her estate was the largest and spanned over a small space of woods. Well, small in her terms.

Their car slowed down as it started travelling between the manors on its either side, going deeper in the society where manors gave way to individual driveway leading to each estate. Trees and shrubs lined the sideways, people were out and about, taking evening stolls.

Following the winding roads, it came to a driveway to its left where the road travelling inwards was lined by trees, lit with spacings in between them. The driveway was beautiful with its lights in the night.

All hybrids looked in wonder while simultaneously becoming nervous by each passing second. Their car passed the driveway to reach the last one which had beautiful statues spaced with shrubs running up to a short road leading to a huge and beautiful gate.

Their car turned up to it.

Immediately, all the 7 occupants straightened up. Their ears perking and tails thrashing against each other. Their body tensed up while their eyes widened to its maximum. Yoongi reached out to clutch Jimin's hands, who had by now closed his eyes tightly in anxious nervousness.

He was not alone. Joon reached out to Jin, who in turn grabbed Jungkook's hand. Hobi started breathing fast, looking wildly from one side to another. Now that his dream was so close to fruition, was so close to being touched, being fulfilled, he was filled with an irrational fear.

He was fearful, truly scared, of it all not being real. He was shaking with terror that he would maybe wake up, back in the cell, and realize it all to be nothing but a poor soul's dream. His eyes were so crazed with hope, panic and worry, that he made Anya's heart weep.

Condemned to die the moment he was born, it was difficult to digest that a fantasy, far beyond his reach of imagination, was actually coming true. Yes, Hoseok was frightened.

Only Taehyung remained amazingly calm. He curiously looked at the lit driveway, washed in the pale moonlight and low lights surrounding the statues.

Such was his trust in his Master, that it never occurred to him, to think that any of this was a play, or a joke, or his hallucination. Such was his devotion to Anya, that it never occurred to him to panic. When his Master had told him not to worry, to be happy about going home, he followed those orders from his heart.

His whole being was absolutely devoid of an inch of anxiety, or nervousness.

All he felt was eagerness on coming to a place which his Master had told was his. His home.

Anya smiled at them, understanding each and every emotion running through every hybrid's veins.

All of them are so different in their thoughts, their fears, yet so similar...

Joseph stopped the car in front of the massive wrought iron gate, which was immediately opened by the 2 guards on duty, on recognizing him.

"We are here." Anya whispered to the hybrids on edge.

As soon as her sentence finished, almost as if she had commanded them, every hybrid except Taehyung, closed their eyes tightly. Not looking outside at all, even as the car started moving. They clutched each others hand tighter, their lips pursued, heart beating so loudly that they were deaf to any other sounds.

They had come to their promised land.

Taehyung alone, leaned a bit forward and turned his body to stare out of the window, his face breaking out in a huge delighted smile as he saw the gorgeous manicured lawn with artistically designed plants and flowers, painted in the silver colour of the moon, on both sides of the cobbleway road the car was on.

The car turned to the front of the House and stopped just at the entrance.

Utter silence.

Anya opened the door, the sound of which made 6 people lower their head, a few whimpers heard.

"I promised you a beautiful future being mine. It begins from this moment." She quietly said,

"Welcome to your house."

Saying so, she climbed out of the car, giving them a few moments to collect themselves, not wanting to rush them. It was a huge moment in their life. They needed to navigate it at their own pace.

As soon as she got out, she spotted Arissa running to her, a big eager smile on her face. Anya motioned for her to stop, smilingly indicating the car. Arissa understood at once.

Behind her, Jackson and Peter got out of their car. They nodded at her, then turned to the left, going to their rooms at the back of the house, having separate entrance. The grounds of the estate were as safe as it could get, motion detectors, cameras, trusted security monitoring every centimeter of it, in shifts. That was solely the reason why she had brought her hybrids here. Peter and Jackson knew they were not needed when inside the boundaries.

Glancing back to her car, she saw there was still no movement from the inside.

How horrendous their life had been that they had difficulty trusting something wonderful could actually happen to them? What was the extent they suffered daily that they became fearful of their own good fortune? How much pain had they endured, that it was easier to accept subjugation than freedom?

She turned to Arissa, "The additional last minute changes I requested, was it difficult to get it implemented Ari?"

Smiling warmly at her, Ari enveloped Anya in her familiar motherly hug. She let Anya rest against her shoulder, giving her the opportunity of letting go of all the burdens Anya had taken upon herself, for a few moments, as she soaked up on the genuine love she felt radiating from the older woman.

"It was not a task that could faze me Agi" she told her.

Since childhood Arissa called her baby, and she never stopped. Anya knew, that to her, she would always remain the small baby Ari brought up. Anya and Suhan had been taken care of by Arissa, more than they ever saw their mother.

Burrowing in her comfort a bit deeper, Anya let go of all her worries that she still computed. She found solace in the embrace of a person she knew loved her to the deepest pits of earth. Who knew her better than herself. Who was her mother, in all but blood.

"They are in disbelief?" Arissa asked her, as she pulled back. Nodding her answer, Anya looked back at the car, "And scared."

"Of what?"

"It all not being real. It all being real." She murmured.

Arissa remained quiet as she too looked at the car, Joseph still in the driver seat, patient and kind.

"Was it really bad?" Ari asked her, voice devoid of any emotions.

"Worse than what I imagine hell to be." Anya answered her query about the life of her hybrids.

Arissa's lips tightened. "Let me go back then. In the state they are in, in a new surrounding they have no control or knowledge of, a presence other than yours will weigh them down more. All the maids have retired for the night. We too, shall meet them in the morning. I'll direct someone to switch off the lights in an hour."

Anya agreed.

Ari kissed her cheeks and motioned for her husband to come inside. Joseph understood as he turned the ignition off and climbed out, leaving the car stationed in the entryway for the night.

"Goodnight dear." He bid her, as he joined his wife, together going inside the house, to retire in their quarters.

Soon, the cobblestone entryway was empty of all presence except a limousine and Anya, standing in the light summer breeze, fragrant from passing through the flowers in the surrounding grounds, moon high up in the sky, lights from the splendid white stone manor spilling out, beckoning welcomingly.

Moments later, the door of the car opened, Yoongi's shaky step finding the solid ground. Figure still trembling with the cocktail of emotions running high, he stepped outside to hold the door open for the rest of his pack to hesitantly join him.

When slowly, all the hybrids stood outside of the car, Yoongi silently shut the door.

None of the seven ever turned their heads to look at the lawns. No eyes tracked the house invitingly shinning in warm lights from within.

Their eyes determiningly rested on their Master. Placing the responsibility of guiding them through the unknown waters of the present.

A responsibility she was happy to have.

She smiled brightly at them, "Come . . ."

Like iron to magnets, they felt a tug that led them to her side.

"Wont you look at what is yours?" she asked them softly.

Gulping a little, steeling themselves, one by one, the 7 wild predators took a glance at their home.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

HYBRIDS :

The house in front of them was huge. It was huge, but inviting. It felt . . . safe.

Yoongi looked at the beautiful structure, white stone façade with sloped roof, hiding hidden terraces in them. The huge windows spilled bright light outside, promising a haven to them.

Or maybe, that feeling stemmed from the knowledge that this was the physical manifestation of the promise they had been given. A place where there would be no pain.

Steps still shaky, Yoongi silently followed his Master with the others as they climbed the few steps to enter the place. As soon as he crossed the gate, he was stunned at what he saw.

The house was nothing like the Manor they knew. It was not cluttered with antiques, nor was it cramped at every available space with ostentatious designs, boldly proclaiming the superior status.

No. This place was beautiful. Splendidly elegant. Not clinical or cold. Rather like the person who owned it.

The main door opened directly into a spacious hall, windchimes sweetly ringing above. The hall was tastefully decorated in pastels, a few magnificent paintings adorning the walls. The room looking inviting with green plants placed in the corners, giving it a charming vibe.

As they moved forwards, they saw the hall dividing into separate sections, leading to different doors. This was the receiving hall, he gathered. A sophisticated crystal chandelier reflected the light around it.

"I'll give you all the tour in the morning, okay? This house is deceptively big, the spaces designed in the manner for my personal tastes rather than for it to be open for visitors. In fact, I rarely allow anyone here." Yoongi snapped at the voice of Anya.

"The different doors lead to 2 living rooms and 1 parlour which I'll show you in the morning. For now, we go straight." She guided them, going through the straight short corridor.

It opened to another spacious hall, this one having a sunken are in the middle, where an extremely cozy huge beige sofa set surrounding an equally large television lay. The center glass table held a few magazines. The area beside the sunken floor held a tasteful dinning table, in front of which, a huge open kitchen with breakfast bar was situated.

Opposite to it was a winding grand staircase, leading to the floor above. Behind which, an open corridor was covered in gauzy drapes.

Anya moved to the corridor behind the staircase, the curtains, parted and bound for now. She led them a bit further to stop in front of a door, two other doors further down.

Anya turned to them, "These three rooms are directly below the rooms on the upper floor." She paused as she looked at the silent hybrids.

"The rooms are yours. Although I have furnished it for you, please feel free to change any décor that you want. If you wish for the furniture to be changed or new things to be added, tell me and we'll shop for them together. Okay?"

"Master . . . ?" Joon called out to her in a dazed voice, "I. . . I don't understand . . ."

Laughing a bit Anya replied, "Nevermind, lets show you your rooms for now. We'll talk about this later tomorrow."

Saying so, Anya opened the door to the first room.

Curiously, the hybrids went inside.

The room was huge, decorated in the tones of beige and mahogany. It was spacious, elegant and aesthetic. A huge four poster bed dominated one side of the room, complete with stacks of fluffy pillows and crisp white sheets and comforter. A bedside table and lamps situated both of its sides.

The floor of the whole room was covered in an unbelievably soft carpet, in the soft tones of gold.

One side of the entire wall was sliding windows, opening to the lush green gardens and fountain outside, currently covered by drapes.

A working table in the colour of chestnut with a padded armchair, a massive vanity with shelves present in the other side. The middle of the room had an inviting sofa with an artistic coffee table.

The side wall of the room had a door. The rest of it covered in frosted glass.

Anya led to the frosted glass to slide it open. It opened up to a small room.

"A walk in closet for clothes. Some of it has been added." Anya said.

Looking in, the space had way too many clothes hanging from it already, shoes of different kind stacked up on another shelf.

Anya opened the other door, "This is the bathroom. Although, this bathroom is shared with the room next to it."

The bathroom boasted the décor of black and white.

Jin cleared his throat. "This is our room Master?" his voice quivered a little, completely taken aback at what he was seeing.

All throughout their lives, all they had known were tiny, dark cramped basements of dungeons as the place they could sleep.

Even though Anya had previously promised them their room, none of them had the slightest clue about how elegant, capacious and beautiful it was going to be.

The room was even more beautiful than the one they stayed in the Mansion.

To the people used to cold, small cellars, this was beyond what they could conjure up in their wildest fantasies. This room was a house in itself.

Anya looked at Jin puzzled, "What do you mean by 'our' room?"

Yoongi froze. Wasn't this their room? It couldn't be that she was just showing these only for them to be put in a room smaller than this? Or . . .

Before he could complete his thoughts, Anya continued,

"Not all of your rooms. This is Jimin's room. The room next to this is yours Jin. All of you have different rooms. Your own space."

"My . . . room?" Jimin choked out, while Jin's mouth gaped open, "Individual room?" he said.

Good for them, Yoongi thought, at least they could speak.

Currently, he and Joon were rendered speechless, minds blanked at what they understood.

All of them would get a space of their own. That too something similar to this. Something grand. A place that wasn't shared by anyone, not even their Master. It would be only theirs.

It was inconceivable.

"Mine . . .?" Jimin asked again, tears spilling out as he walked shudderingly towards the center, spinning slowly in circle to look around again. His eyes reflecting his disbelief and unadulterated joy.

His eyes bounced from the walls, to the multiple ceiling lights, to the massive bed, the comforters, the closet, the vanity, the desk, the draped windows.

He looked again at Anya, his tears unchecked, "Truly mine. . .?"

"Yours."

Hearing her words, Jimin's face crumpled up as sobs came hurtling out of his chest. He sunk down on the soft carpet, as his body shook with the force of his cries.

"Mine" he brokenly said, his hand caressing the carpet.

A hybrid used to sleeping on the floor wet with his own blood, bound, gagged and shackled in the cold, stuffed down a cage or a cell, slated to be brutally killed, suddenly had his own room.

HIS own room.

A beautiful room.

"Mine." He sobbed in utter happiness, his tears flowing out with his heavy emotions finally being released. All the anxiety, the fear, the panic, dissolving in a huge burst.

Jimin was overwhelmed at the burden of misery suddenly disappearing, the lightness confusing him in its wake. The torrential euphoria filling him was violently aggressive, diffusing every little part of him with bliss.

So much so that he cried, experiencing the force of his happiness.

He sobbed out his past. He sobbed out all the pain he had clenched and kept locked away.

He let his tears drown his past, embracing the new life his Master was directing him towards.

"My room" he whispered to the floor.

Jimin was not the only one experiencing the emotions. All hybrids affected similarly on the realization of the meaning. The extent of freedom they would experience.

They could all get a clear glimpse at what their lives would be like.

Yoongi kept looking at the small figure of Jimin, crumpled on the floor due to the blanket of cathartic feelings, while he finally understood the meaning of hell.

He finally recognized what purgatory meant.

That was where he had been living in till now.

He understood it, because his Master had just shown him what paradise meant.

Taehyung detached himself from the group. Watching his friend cry, had unleashed his frozen emotions too.

Crying silently, he reached down for Jimin, pulling him in his arms. Jimin readily fell into that embrace, both of them clinging to each other, as the tremors from their realizations continued.

Anya barely held back her own tears.

A room.

Something that all humans had. Even kids.

Something as basic as a room, had affected her hybrids so deeply.

They really had been no better than prisoners, charged guilty for being born, innocent in their needs, their lives nothing but a pit of hellish misery.

Jungkook trudged along to where Tae and Jimin were sniffling now, "Hyung . . ." he said, his voice small.

Both the hybrids in the center looked up at that voice. They stood up when they noticed Jungkook's red nose and eyes, eyelashes damp with his reaction to the heart wrenching sobs of his hyungs. Both Jimin and Tae extended one arm in his direction, inviting their youngest in a hug, which the panther ran to. Clutching at Jimin and Tae, Kook burrowed in the hug, the three of them holding onto each other as they calmed down.

As they started to believe.

As they settled down.

Clearing her throat, Anya said teasingly, "So happy being far from me Jimin. Should I be sad about it?"

It took a while for Jimin to understand her words. When he did, he lifted his head from the hug and looked at her, puzzled.

"Away?" he repeated, then alarm started filling his eyes, "You live here too! Right?"

"Oh I do, but on the upper floor. Four of you will live by my side."

"Wait." Jin too snapped out of his emotions at hearing this, "My room is beside this? I am on this floor too?"

"Yep." Anya answered cheerfully, "And the room next to yours is of Yoongi."

"Hold on!" Yoongi snapped next.

Anya started walking out of the door, "Follow me to see the rest." She said in a sing-song voice.

"No wait Master-"

"Hang on, listen, Master-"

"But I am your favourite hybrid-"

"I am on her floor-"

"Wait for us Master-"

Their loud voices followed her progress, as she laughingly opened the next room. Anya was glad that they could get their feelings out, could let go of their insecurities. From now, they could taste happiness without any trepidation.

"Master, Master!" Jimin came barreling into the room, colliding with her back. He immediately reached out to hold her from her waist, to not make her fall. Steadying herself, Anya turned back to face him.

Jimin kept his hold. His lips pouty, with an adorable expression, he complained,

"Why am I not on your floor?"

"Hmmm? Don't you like your room?" Anya teased.

Blinking, Jimin shook his head forcefully, "NO! My room is beautiful. But . . ."

"Uh huh huh" Anya tsked while playfully tapping his nose, "Getting greedy so fast?"

"No noo." Jimin plaintively denied, trying to explain but coming up blank. He was getting greedy. He wanted his room and his Master.

"This is Mine?" a quiet voice asked from behind them.

Looking over Jimin's shoulder, she saw Jin looking around with wonder in his eyes.

"Yes."

The room was the same, just the colour of the walls were a mix of Bliss, cream, pale pink and gold. The symphony of the pastels created a light, airy effect. The furniture arranged in a pleasing aesthetic, the bold colors of it providing a contrast, giving the room an alluring character.

Just like Seokjin himself.

Jin straight away strode to the far wall, drawing the drapes to one side, to look through the glass at the grounds outside, mysteriously enticing, washed in the moonlight.

His tall silhouette from the back, bathed in the silver rays of the moon, screamed powerful. His agile frame clad in black, magnificent.

He turned from his spot to look at his open walk-in-closet, tilting his head to see the racks already filled with clothes.

Jimin had by now, hugged her to him. Wrapping both arms around her frame, he hugged her closely, pouting as he observed the room.

"The next one is mine?" Yoongi's voice held a note of excitement.

Nodding her head, she tried to move forward while detaching herself from one stubborn clingy snake, who did not let go of her.

Giving up, she hugged Jimin with one arm and slantingly stepped forward so as to walk with Jimin still plastered to her side.

"Can I be excused for a few moments?" Jin's low voice stopped her. He was still facing the gardens, his back to them, his broad shoulders stretching the black Tee he was sporting, "I'll join in a few seconds."

His voice though deceptively steady, still held a note to it. a note of emotion Anya recognized.

"Sure." She answered then moved out with the rest.

As soon as Jin heard the last person leaving the room, he lost the rigid control he had of his emotions. He slid down on the floor while he reached his hands out to place them on the windows, his eyes unseeing but his heartbeat strong.

Yet again, his Master gave him something he never thought he wanted. Thought he didn't have.

Worth.

He was someone who thought tears were a luxury but now?

Jin looked around his room.

Now he understood, love was a luxury.

A luxury he had started indulging in.

He was in love.

Irrevocably so.

With the person, to whom he belonged to.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

HYBRIDS :

All the seven of them were gathered in one room, while Anya had long since retired.

After showing them Yoongi's room, his décor being in the shades of pale grey, white and black, they had all come up on the first floor.

The rooms on the left of the staircase were given to Joon and Taehyung, while the rooms on the same side as Anya were assigned to Jungkook and Hobi.

Hoseok's room being adjacent to their Master's.

A lot of grumblings and complaints had been issued, only to fall to deaf ears.

While Hobi had never felt the kind of elation as he felt when he understood his location. He had a beautiful room, and Master beside him. He was on the highest cloud, and none of his pack could pull him down to earth.

Except.

When Anya bid them goodnight.

Suddenly, the prospect of being alone in the massive house was . . . frightening.

All their lives, they had always been together, or chained to whatever dirty floor they were temporarily rented for. Never had they been together in one location, only to spend the night alone.

Even though they loved their rooms, being left solitary on the first night in an unknown house, caused goosebumps to break out for them.

But their Master had just proved once again, that she not only understood them but also cared for every little thing that could affect them. Their comfort and happiness was truly her priority.

She had arranged for soft, warm, massive futons to be stashed away in Hobi's room, knowing that they would be more comfortable, spending the night together, close to her.

Bidding them goodnight, she asked them to call her if they needed anything, then went to her room. A room which shared a wall with the one currently occupied by them.

The futons were already prepped with Soft cushions, clean and crisp bedsheets, luxurious blankets draped at the bottom.

There were 6 futons and the king sized bed.

Even in the nature of being temporary, Anya had provided them individual beds to sleep in.

They had been directed to wear light pajamas, left on their beds which they promptly changed into.

The material was silken, the sensation of it on their skin, lush.

Quietly, every hybrid climbed on, then settled in.

Few minutes of silence passed in the room where only one lamp, set to the lowest power, dimply spread a bit of illumination. The curtains in front of Hobi's windows were drawn aside, allowing the night outside to cast its shadows inside.

The windows occupied an entire wall, sliding to open into a balcony with settee, rocking chairs and coffee table outside, overlooking the court of lawns and fountains.

"The bed smells nice. Like honeydew and delicate flowers." The solitary soft voice of Jungkook was heard by all the hybrids. "Its clean, and heavenly." He quietly continued. "Its nice."

Hoseok heard the statement but he understood the voice. The small voice contained a tsunami of happiness so strong in its force, that all Jungkook could talk about was small things. His mind still overwrought with joy, he could not say the real reason behind the emotion.

All he could do, was point out the small things.

Hoseok closed his eyes. he could relate.

"The blanket is soft. So very soft. Such soft blankets exist." Tae chimed in.

"The pillows are bouncy." Jimin's voice in the darkness.

Hoseok felt a strange sensation in his chest on hearing these words by the youngest of his pack.

They were all trying to avoid jinxing the truth.

"Proper . . . Bed" a wobbly voice said.

True, a proper bed, Hoseok thought as he rubbed the mattress.

Silence remained for a few beats. Then Joon spoke.

"The first thing I remember being taught was that my birth, my very existence was beholden to the wishes of someone else. That I should be thankful, someone wished for me to exist, due to which, I was created. The first thing that I was taught, was to be indebted to everyone, for them to consider my worthless life important enough, that I was born."

Joon's voice was low, but steady. His tone whisper soft yet clear.

"Everyday, I repeated what they asked me to. 'Thankyou Master for letting a filthy useless waste of space like me service you' as I kneeled down to suck them to their pleasure. I remember repeating it at least 30 times a day."

Hoseok swallowed the thickness in his throat. He remembered the same.

"The days would blend together and the sky would change colour. The trees would go from green to yellow to barren, the snow would fall and give way to flowers, but my belief would stay the same. I was someone who owned nothing. Not even my body. Not even my skin. Even my pain was for the enjoyment of someone else. My dripping blood, the cause of someone's ecstasy."

Joon's strong voice quivered, so did everyone's heart. They had all believed the same.

"Years passed as I complied by what all was asked of me. Even though my conditioning was broken, my soul was too. Why would I refuse? What was there for me to revolt for? When my existence itself was worth only for my agony, when my only goal was prefixed for me, when being a slave was all that I could ever be, what was there for me to protest against? What was there for me to hope for?"

Joon took a deep breath.

"I resented being born. Death was a gift I searched for."

A sharp inhalation followed Joon's quietly spoken confession.

Hoseok was not surprised. He had shared that yearning with Joon. Many of them had.

"Then suddenly, a regal beautiful Queen claimed me. Claimed me and then led me to another door. She waited for me to unlock it, for me to look at the bright spectacular dream. She kept urging me to believe it, to believe her. To forget all that I had learnt, all that was taught to me. And I was lost."

Joon's voice was no longer strong, the tremors in them making it difficult to understand.

"I was lost because what she said, what she showed me, could never happen. In this whole world. She was tempting me to something that my soul craved, that I screamed for. If all of it turned to be a mirage, if she pulled me in the cruelty of a game for her amusement, making me dream just to shatter it all, then I would shatter along with it. Break so irreparably, that even death would turn me away."

Soft sobs dissolved Joon's speech. Echoing emotions radiating from the rest of the six.

"But she didn't, did she? She isn't going to. This is the reality. This is her truth. Her promise was true. Her protection pure. She is gifting us something, something so precious that the debt of the entire planet, would never pay for its cost."

"Life." Yoongi's dark voice completed Joon's statement, "She is gifting us with another birth."

Hoseok kept swallowing back. He clutched the bedsheets below him, twisting them in his grip. He bit his lips to stop the quivering, his tears flowing down his throat.

"And it hurts. This happiness, this joy hurts. Its piercing me, stabbing me in its intensity. The exhilaration in me is so acute, that ironically, only tears can express its presence." Joon said.

The night was velvety around them. Its darkness, their cover.

"Respect, Patience, Understanding, Sympathy, Protection, Freedom, Family, Friendship, Belonging . . ." Joon ticked off, "Love." He said, "All of these, she lay before me. She showered me with it, drowning me in it until I believed her. Until my past teachings were washed out. Until her soft smiles became my Gospel. Until I stepped through that door, into that brightness soaking it all in."

Joon became quiet again, lost in his thoughts. Voicing what he felt provoked him into accepting the facts more deeply, letting it sink and settle in his marrow.

When he spoke, his emotions in it was unfettered.

"Now having the taste of it, I cant let it go ever again. I am reborn. This time, for her. What she gave me is priceless to me. She is priceless. I will destroy everything, burn all to ashes, before letting anyone take it from me. She is my purpose. Her desires, my goal. I wont let her go. I cant."

"So yes," Namjoon said, "The sheets are clean, the fragrance heavenly, the pillows are fluffy, the blanket soft, and these are all ours. Our past is exactly what it is. Past. Don't ever give into it again." He cut to the real reason of that melancholy. "We will never go back to it again. Don't let fear hold you back. If she can do so much for us, then learn to trust her, and become what she wants us to, evolve into someone worthy of walking beside her. Lets promise not to be weak, to not succumb to the fear we still hold of the disappearance of what we have got."

"Instead, be strong enough to hold on, to never let go of it. To become hers."

To become hers.

To deserve her.

Hoseok focused on that. Namjoon was true. Letting the past have a hold on them was an insult to Master.

"Before that, I want to thank you." Tae suddenly said, "Thank Jin hyung and Yoongi hyung. Thank you. It was because of both of you that we are here, beginning a new life. Thank you, for bringing us to her, because we were completely oblivious to her existence. If it was not for you, we would still be back there, Jimin and Hobi probably dead."

"Don't kit. Don't." Jin said to him. The dark night blanketed them into a calm peace, the starry night letting them open up, "My meeting her was fate. Her meeting Yoongi and Jimin was too. Each incidence timed in a manner which was perfect in its balance. Maybe we needed her the most in a time when she needed us too. All of it was a storm."

"Of fates." Yoongi agreed.

"So why would she keep me, Jin hyung and Yoongi hyung the floor beneath her? Shouldn't we get to be close?" Jimin's petulant voice shattered the mood completely.

Jungkook groaned from his bed, "Hyung, you are still hung up on that?"

"I don't believe you are in the position to say that! You room is in her wing!" Jimin argued back.

Hobi smiled at that. Although what he said was the truth. Originally, it was Yoongi, Jimin and Jin who had met her the first evening. Had bonded with her. But she kept those three in the floor below.

"Jaguar over there is already in the beginning stages of imprinting on her Jimin, you and I are not much far behind in that aspect. Maybe it was a way to maintain some distance for our sake?" Jin said.

A snort answered him as Joon replied before Jimin, "As if a single floor can create a distance from that clingy snake or that brooding cat. She knows that."

"Hey! Way to call me clingy!!" Jimin protested

"Brooding? I think you meant serious and collected." Yoongi called back.

"Oh please Hyung. You think you look cool but all you come across as is an awkward short guy with a grandpa disposition, zoned out most of the time." Jungkook teased Yoongi.

"What??" Yoongi 's tone held disbelief.

"Hyung," Joon said wincing a bit, "He is kind of right."

"NO, its just classless people like you would not have the mentality to comprehend my personality." Yoongi turned his nose up at them.

"Whatever, Hobi Hyung, exchange your room with me?" Jimin asked.

"I am the Hyung, if anyone should get the opportunity to exchange rooms, it should be me." Jin argued back.

Hoseok just smiled at the bickering, the voices of his pack, finally reflecting the happiness they had accepted. For once, Their bright tone did not hide any ugly pain. It was pure in its origin.

A hope, a longing, finally finally, coming true.

He sunk down further in his soft bed, pulling the luxurious blanket up to his chin, softly rubbing his cheeks on the pillow. As sleep claimed him in its gentle wings, that smile remained fixed on his lips. His dreams, carrying him to the stunning probabilities the new morning would bring.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

ANYA :

"Good morning!" Anya cheerfully said as she saw all the boys descending down the stairs. They had all worn casual clothes from Hobi's closet, looking fresh and bright after last night.

Arissa had gone to wake them up and introduce herself, walking them through the shower and the closet, on how to use it.

Apparently, her babies had been washing themselves with cold water back in the Mansion. They did not know how to use the knobs to change the temperature. Here, they had been lost on how to adjust the water pressure.

They had warily taken to Arissa, keeping a bit of distance from her, but attracted to the motherly way she coaxed them.

They came down to stand in the bright airy living room, eyes wide while taking in the house. During the morning, it changed to a bright, happy beautiful space rather than the sophistication the night lights lent to it.

Currently, all the drapes were drawn and pinned back, sunlight streaming in through the huge windows.

Anya busied herself with plating the breakfast she had made in the kitchen, directing one of the staff to place the dishes on the dinning table.

Jungkook was the first who saw the food and came forward towards her.

"Sit, sit. Lets enjoy breakfast first." She motioned for the rest to sit.

Jin chimed up, "Let me help-"

"No need, I am done." She smiled at him, coming towards the table to seat herself. The boys slowly lowered themselves on the chairs naturally, looking at the cart of food wheeled towards them.

The staff deftly loaded the table with pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs, Gimbaps, bacon, fruits, Juice and coffee. Maple and blueberry syrups were placed in front, along with strawberry jam, butter and honey.

Jungkook's eyes shone "Is this all for us? We can eat all this? All we want?"

"Yep"

They loaded the dishes swiftly, trying everything. Anya directed them on how to eat the pancakes. Their expressions while they happily chewed the food somehow made her feel full.

Loading her cup with Caffeine, Anya sat back to watch them discover different flavours.

"Master?"

"Hmmm?" Anya gave her attention to Yoongi, who had completed his share of breakfast.

"Why did you cook?" simply asked.

"Ah, since I was small, me and my brother loved different dishes." Anya leaned forward, no hesitation on her part to open up to them. All they wanted to know about her was something that she would directly disclose.

The rest too chewed and ate silently, toning down their excited chatter to hear her.

"So we used to tag along with Arissa as she made our meals. She is an exceptional cook. Suhan and me learnt from her since we were young. We are both moody about our food and love to cook, so it turned out well. To keep from forgetting the skills, I make dinner every alternative nights." She said.

"But, as I know this is your first time tasting different flavours, trying the different textures, somehow, it felt wrong for someone else to make your food. I felt like I should be the one to at least make the major ones for you. So, for the coming days, I'll try to introduce you all to my favourites. I am no where as amazing as Arissa, but I am not bad either." she finished.

"Thankyou." Hoseok said. His tone heavy.

He wasn't just thanking her for the food, or sharing her story.

Anya understood it. "Always." She replied, making a promise.

Looking at the hybrids, they understood her promise well.

"Alright, before giving you the tour, let me tell you about your house briefly, okay?" she leaned back. Anya easily noticed the way they all perked up at the way she described it. "Shall we move to the sofas? Its more comfortable there?"

Nodding, they carefully started to stack their plates.

"No, no, leave it. it will be taken care of." She said to them, indicating her staff smiling at the boys, waiting with the cart, to take care of their part of the chores.

"Oh." A little embarrassed, they let their plates be, as they followed her to the sunken pit, having the butter soft sofa set situated in it.

As soon as she sat down on one end of the central sofa, Taehyung immediately made a beeline to sit beside her, beating Jimin to it, who stood pouting at her.

"Sorry" Tae smiled unrepentantly at him.

Mock glaring at his friend, Jimin sank to the neared sofa set adjoining hers, sitting beside Yoongi and Jin. On the opposite side, Jungkook and Namjoon were wonderingly caressing the material of the couch while Hobi sat beside Tae.

"To start up, briefly let me tick of the spaces in the house. We have 11 rooms, 9 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, this pit, 2 receiving room, 1 parlor, 1 sunroom, library, study, a game room, home theatre, 2 swimming pools, dinning rooms and 1 music room in the house. The one that you see is the smaller kitchen. The main kitchen is a bit inside, beside the dining hall. But we use this one the most."

"This house is that big?" Hobi asked.

"Huh. I don't understand half the rooms mentioned." Yoongi snorted at Hobi's questions, "How do you know the mentioned rooms take up a lot of spaces?"

"Well. Everything here is big!" Hobi defended.

"There is no dungeon here?" Taehyung asked from beside her, ignoring both of his Hyungs.

"Umm, yeah, no. no dungeons. The basement is converted as a celler. My love for wine is legendary." Anya answered.

"I have heard the word celler. You sell wine there?" Jungkook piped up.

"No! that seller. Cellar is different." Jimin answered the perplexed Panther who scowled back. "You just said the same thing!"

Before any argument broke out, Anya interrupted, "I'll show you. It's a place where I keep my collection of wine. Okay?"

Smiling an adorable smile which reminded her of a bunny, with his nose wrinkled and his front teeth on display, Jungkook looked back at Jimin and taunted, "See? She will show me. Not you. Suck up."

"Master said no such thing! She meant us all you stupid Panther!" Jimin replied hotly.

"Are there even more rooms?" Namjoon focused her attention back to him with the easy question, ignoring the bickering pair as if they were invisible.

Laughing a little she replied, "Yep. There are 3 terrace nooks, 1 outdoor house, 3 gazebos, 1 patio. Outside, the front has the lawns and gardens. In the backyard, the grounds extend to a small area of woods. My neighbour is my brother, so mostly we don't have a boundary. But I'll show you the area."

"I think its best to show you the entrance and the buildings at least, you missed it all last night." Anya continued. Rising up from her seat, she continued. "Let me give you the tour to the house before we head outside. Also, it will be better to do it in the open, rather than here."

"Do what?" Jin asked.

Taking out a small magnetic key from her jeans, Anya showed it to them, "To open your collars."

7 pairs of eyes looked at her dumbly. All of them identically surprised.

Anya smiled in delight, "I cant wait to meet your animal halves!"

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

ANYA :

Currently Anya looked amused as she could be, getting to witness their expressions. All throughout the tour, they had kept tripping over themselves, getting to see the whole space inside. She also pointed out the part of her manor, a bit detached from the rest, which had the rooms for Arissa, Joseph, Jackson, Peter, Choi and quarters for the Security Staff.

She knew they already had preferences to the rooms they saw. But mostly, the swimming pools and the outdoor house had been the ones that they were the most awed over. The sunroom and the gazebos came a close second.

They loved the woods in the back, the lush green grounds stretching all around, the flowers plants arranged so artistically by her gardener Choi making the garden a veritable Eden, the cobblestone pathway around the house stretching from the driveway to around the house, the enormous porch on the entryway.

But the gaze which held the most wonder was the house itself. The white stone cottage look loved by them all.

The garden and the fountains in the side adored by them.

And . . .

The maze in the middle of the properties of her brother and hers. The maze was huge, tastefully maintained. It was the pride and joy of Choi, made due to the request of Suhan.

The massive green maze was 20 feet tall, green, leafy complex, taking up enormous space. Anya figured, the predator instincts in them was naturally drawn to it. The center of the maze boasted a beautiful clearing of different shades of roses, with a small glass house in the center.

Multiple times, Joon, Yoongi and Jin had asked her softly if this all really belonged to them or they were just to consider it as their residence. The depth of the question revealed how much enticed they were, how much they loved the place.

Currently, they were in her backyard, the lush grounds having a black gazebo in the corner. Beautiful trees grew out in the clearing, shading them from the sun, which then grew thicker in the distance, becoming a small forest, dark enough to hide in.

Clapping her hands once, she brought the attention of them to her. They were all standing in front of her in a group, feeling the fragrant breeze with the summer sun, embracing them in its delicate warmth. The chirping of the birds a sweet melody in their ears as they gazed up the bright blue sky.

"This," she turned to indicate the entire estate, "Belongs to you. Its not just a house you will stay in. We have many apartments, cottages, holiday homes, chateau in the city and other countries too, but this? This is your primary home. So I need you to understand something."

She looked each of them in the eye, "This space is yours. Which means you can change anything you want here, claim anything you want to, roam anywhere without being answerable to anyone. I want you to familiarize yourself with the whole estate. This is your home, guard it like one."

The breeze fluttered their hair, their tails swished from side to side, their ears twitched, but the look in their eyes remained steady. Their focus, on every single word she said, absorbing the meaning of it to their heart.

"We will start from this house. I want you to explore it, know about everything in this property. Talk to anyone who walks on it, remember, you are the owner. No one employed here will disrespect you, but no one will give their respect to you willingly either. Learn to carry your decorum with you. Learn to grow from being slaves. Learn to be my Companions."

"Did you understand?" Anya asked, her voice gentle.

They did not need to answer. Their expressions clearly answering for them.

Okay! Now for the most, most, most awaited part!!

Ever since learning about their breeds, this was something Anya was looking forward to!

"So. Now on to something important. After transforming to your animal parts, you need to hold that form for some time. Understand your needs and emotions of the baser side of you. Please understand that I will love both of your sides, so don't rush to change back. Do so naturally when you feel like it."

As Anya was making this statement, nervousness shrouded all of her hybrids simultaneously.

Huh?

She raised her brow questioningly.

"Will it be wise Master? Knowing our Codes?" Jin asked

"Seokjin, believe in yourself rather than an assigned colour name by a scientist in some lab. If you find it hard, believe me. Trust me when I say, you wont harm me." Anya reassured him with confidence.

Adora had sent over the promised files. Unbeknownst to the hybrids, she had actually stayed up all night to study the torrent of information Adora had sent her way. The facts, the evidence, the observation, led her to a conclusion. A very, Interesting one.

One she did not wish to share with them yet.

"What about me? About us?" Jimin said. He came closer to her, but did not touch her. He stood close to her front, his eyes worried, his breathing fast, "You don't have all information about snake hybrid yet Master. There are reasons why . . ." Jimin hesitated.

"Reasons why. . .?" Anya prompted

"Why we are dangerous." Hoseok said unflinchingly as he came to Jimin's side and wrapped a hand around him.

Anya knew that. Snakes did not disclose information about themselves, even while put in observation. They kept their habits and needs a close held secret, many hybrids embracing death while being tortured for that information.

The way things stood, their fear generated not only from the inability of the scientist to condition them, but the very real threats they carried. Especially a venomous breed like Jimin and a Python like Hoseok.

The only people of this world who could elaborate all about snake hybrids were themselves.

Anya smiled up to both of them. She eliminated the remaining distance between them and cupped both of their faces, their cold skin a familiar sensation to her now.

"I know I don't know a lot about you, but I also am sure that you will share it with me when you feel comfortable. Maybe turning into your animal will amplify certain feelings in you that might be a bit dangerous to me, but suffocating one side of you to cause an overload of sensation from your human side is unhealthy. Something that cannot continue."

She looked into their beautiful face, "trust me, I can take care of myself." She winked at them.

Actually, Anya had a very good idea about what could go wrong. Based on the facts she had about snakes, their possessiveness would be the root of the problems.

Not just the snakes. The Codes in them all would also trigger the rest into giving into their darker needs. Their imprinting nudging them into clinging to her, craving her, craving her touch in an animalistic desire.

The worst would be Jimin.

Even though she had another unclassified with her, the identity, still unknown, whoever he would be, still would be less lethal than Jimin.

His venom elevating him to that level.

Giving into his animal needs would generate Jimin's venom more. His need to bite the person he bonded with would cloud his mind.

That would be her.

That was what Jimin was most afraid of.

But she knew it was inevitable. In fact, being bitten, would be . . . beneficial.

Anya chose again, to let it pan out naturally, not letting anyone know that she already possessed the knowledge about what was to come. They needed to understand it, accept it on their own, without any help from her. Without any for of guidance from her.

When they turned back to their human halves, all her hybrids would be darker. More savage.

Transforming would trigger their Codes. It would shatter the remaining ropes of the compulsion they still carried. It was the reason they were restricted from doing so for so long. For almost all their life.

It was also, exactly what she wanted from them.

This act was not just for them, she was an equal participant too.

For the entire time they would undergo it, Anya needed to be there with them. Appreciating the changes they would reflect, keeping an eye on the personality that would be revealed, understanding the predators which would be unleashed.

Anya needed to bond to the animals inside of them. She knew that the desires, the cravings, their wants were different from what they were now. Even though they were the same soul, the suppressed animal side had a grittier, more sharper edge in them.

Their predators inside were suffocated. Which meant the balance between the two conscious in them was off. The animals were the ones responsible for their Codes. The inference of it was simple. The wild predators were not conditioned. Their spirits, never broken.

The predators, were never once made docile. They did not know the meaning of slavery. They were free.

The predators, did not belong to anyone.

It was, indeed a risk for her.

But, the part of them which imprinted was also that of the animal. Meaning, that the animals would be confused about her. They would want her, at the same time, not understand the threat she DID NOT present.

This was the reason why Anya needed to be there. Once, both the conscious matched each other, balanced itself out, then their true rebirth would take place.

She had no idea how they would change. But she wanted to find out.

"Thankfully, your Codes are compatible to each other. Your animals recognize each other as pack. But still, you all need to transform as one. Not before or after each other. So wait before giving in to the urge that will no doubt swamp you when I release the collar. Wait till I give you the signal. Okay?" Anya said to them.

Then she reached for the key, going to Taehyung first.

He stood still as a statue as he felt his Master go to his back. A gentle pressure on the collar and suddenly, the pressure that had always been present around his neck since his birth, was gone. The suffocating sensation, released.

Taehyung breathed in deeply. Never realizing just how constricting the collar had always been. He reached up to touch his neck, feeling the raw inflamed skin, the depression on it. He gently rubbed it.

Anya had by then released Jin and Jungkook, making her way to Yoongi.

Just as she reached him, the Jaguar spun her around and clutched her in his arms. He tugged her forward until her soft breasts collided with his firm chest. Reaching out, he cupped the back of her head in one hand while his lips came crashing down on hers.

Yoongi kissed her roughly for a few seconds, the kiss burning her from the inside, melting her awareness. His lips moves desperately over hers, branding her taste in him.

He bit down gently on her lips, sucking a little to relieve the sting.

Pulling back from her, he rested his forehead on hers, breathing in the same air that she breathed.

"Promise me you wont let me hurt you." His harsh whisper brushed her moist lips, red and plump from the force of his kiss.

Anya reeled her mind to the present with extreme difficulty, having been transported in the unknown.

She knew that to Yoongi, the kiss was a way to settle himself, quieten his own fears, strengthen his resolve.

While I, am drowning heavily in my desires. Maybe I am starting to get why Mrs. Han was so damn mesmerized by this wild Jaguar.

"Promise. Stop worrying." She managed to make her voice completely unaffected, but the slight smile on Yoongi's lips, the sparkle in his dark eyes conveyed to her that his far superior sense of smell had already picked up on her true state.

Flustered on the inside, she projected a calm mask as she freed herself from his dark embrace and moved behind him to release his collar.

Once done, she reached Joon, who turned and lowered himself for her, to make it easier to reach his collar.

At last she looked to her snakes. Both of their eyes were dilated in fear, making it look even more unnatural. As she approached them, both took a step back in tandem.

"Don't." She infused the word with all the command she could muster.

Going still, Jimin closed his eyes while Hobi's chest rose and fell faster.

Quietly she reached Hoseok.

He too grabbed her and tugged her to himself, but he, promptly kneeled down in front of her, resting his head on her abdomen, his arms encircling her waist.

"I will not harm you Master. So please don't fear me. Please. I need you to promise not to fear me." he said to her in a tone of prayer.

"There is a lot that is vicious about us, a lot of things that may be deemed dangerous, but I vow to you. None of those things will ever touch you. I cannot hurt you. My urges, my cravings vanish when I perceive it to possibly lead to your pain. I know I will change after the transformation, but only my habits will, my tone will. I will still remain your Hobi."

He whispered, speaking on her body.

Anya tunneled her fingers through his silky hair, "I think you need that reassurance more than me Hoseok. I wont change."

Saying so, she reached behind his neck for his collar. Hobi tightened his grip on her, closing his eyes tightly, as he felt the collar open.

Detaching herself, she turned to her Unclassified, who looked like a fantasy painted to life with magic, standing in the sun, with his silver hair gently mussed by the wind, a prince on the field of trees.

She went ahead to hug his rigid frame. For once, he did not hug back.

My Jimin truly adores me. He is frightened, for me.

Anya raised herself a little to reach Jimin's ears and whisper, "Wont you let me see your beautiful form?" then she kissed his ears, reaching out to free him.

Jimin shivered a little. As the collar came undone, he opened his eyes to stare at her.

This close, he looked far to ethereal to be truly present. Far too beautiful to be real.

"I am yours?"

Anya reached up to kiss his nose. "Always."

Saying that, she stepped back.

There she stood, behind her house, in the luxuriant green grass, trees swaying in the wind, sun shining bright in clear blue sky, with seven Code Red, Black, Silver and Unclassified wild predator hybrids, on the verge of transformation, completely weaponless.

Clearly, she was someone who loved living her life dangerously.

That, or she was a certified lunatic.

Either way, the moment had arrived.

She backed away a little from them, towards the shade of a huge oak tree, as she felt the heavy dark stares of her hybrids on her.

"Transform."

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

ANYA :

At first, nothing happened, except the breeze moving the leaves, the chirping birds in symphony with the rustling sound. The 7 people before her remained well preserved statues.

She waited.

She knew it would take some time, but when it happened, the change would come out aggressively.

"Open your clothes" she chimed at them.

Everyone obeyed instantly, while Taehyung stared at her, his eyes shining with naughtiness at her statement, "If only you can order us to do so in another situation Master." His deep voice seductively curled around her.

Taehyung kept eye contact, as he boldly reached down to unbutton his jeans.

Hmmm, so the change first took hold of him. Which meant his animal was the closest to the surface.

Jin too had paused a bit to look at Tae. He narrowed his eyes in understand and whipped his head to her. Anya titled her head slightly, acknowledging his warning.

"Hurry Tae." She called out to him, ignoring his seduction.

Taehyung's smiled dipped a bit hearing her tone, but then just as quickly, it rounded in panic.

Hurriedly, he started pulling his clothes, almost tearing it apart in his haste.

He still, could not get everything off.

The transformation violently shook his frame, throwing him to the ground, as he shouted out in agony at the bones crackling and rearranging itself in his body. His shirt stretched out, constricting him, as he reached for it blindly with his claws, to tear it into pieces.

Anya immediately understood the reason for the brutal pain when the process should have been smooth.

She wildly searched for Jungkook, spotting him looking horrified at the state Taehyung was in. At least he had stripped successfully.

"Jungkook, let it flow, its going to be the same-" she never got to finish her statement as she saw helplessly as his body rocked on to itself at that instant, seizures wreaking his frame, as he too cried out in pain. His heavy form fell on the ground, writhing on it, as the change started.

Taehyung and Jungkook were the two hybrids whose Human conscious was at complete odds with their animals. Their animal halves were apex predators, boasting complete freedom while their human sides were the picture perfection of a model slave.

The instincts, were so in odds with each other, that the Codes of the animal and the human were divergent. The friction caused the wild animal in them to emerge aggressively, clawing its way to the surface, more ruthless, crazed and vicious due to its absolute suppression.

If her theory was correct, then . . .

She looked over to her snakes. They stood watching Jungkook and Taehyung easily. With no apparent distress. Their nature was similar to their animals. The change would not be hard on them. In fact, it would be the easiest.

They realized it too. They were simply waiting for the others.

They did not have to wait for long. Joon bent down on the ground, at the same time as Jin fell to it.

Yoongi grunted deep, but slowly lowered himself, controlling his movement rigidly. With strained eyes, he looked at her, his determination to be in control of his animal, making his gaze steely.

Anya kept her eyes on his, watching his pupils dilate, watching his eyes become wild. Watching his dark gaze shrink to the middle to be covered around with a brilliant gold.

She watched, as Yoongi's eyes transformed to that of a huge wild Black Jaguar.

A Black Jaguar, that was undoubtedly bigger than any typical animal. He was easily 7feet long weighing almost 150 kg.

The animal, sat down on his haunches, keeping his eyes trained on her, not blinking once. There was no doubt in his or her mind that he considered her his prey.

Anya knew, this was an animal, which was never liberated. An animal, which was more threatening than any normal wild animal could be. She had no idea, if Yoongi's conscious was still melded to the animal, or had the animal suppressed Yoongi completely.

The only thing she was sure of, was that the predator watched her keenly. His tail, lazily swaying from one side to the other, his gaze, trained on her every breath.

"Jimin, Hoseok." Anya murmured while going completely still, eyes held in the clutches of the Jaguar's lethal gaze. Swallowing a little to wet her suddenly dry throat, she continued addressing them, "I need you to change right now."

The Jaguar lowered his head, eyes still at her level, as he crouched a little. Lifting up his massive body, he pulled back his mouth in a corner, showing her his fangs.

His low growl, chilled her blood.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw that more figures of animals were sitting on their haunches, no humans left, but for the life of her, she could not break her gaze from the golden eyes.

Another terrifying low growl from the left, involuntarily made her look towards it, breaking the intense gaze, only for Anya to shiver.

A massive tiger rested on the ground, the wild cat bigger than any she had seen. It was watching her too. Beside him, a jet black Panther lay. A panther, whose wild eyes were feral, its mouth pulled back to show its fangs, growling viciously at her.

Jungkook is not in control.

Even though the Panther was obviously angry, Anya's eyes went back to the Tiger calmly looking at her.

Her breaths quickened. The Tiger, defied proportions. Normally, the largest tiger recorded would be some 10 ft long with 300kg weight, but Taehyung crossed that limit. The size of the predator, sitting merely a few feet away from her was Frightening.

The Tiger yawned, stretching his mouth out to show its deadly fangs, dripping with saliva.

He emitted a deep grumble from his chest, the sound booming and loud. The sound resonated in her chest. It was a sound that should not be heard by any human without the protection of a car or a glass separating the wild animal from them.

The Tiger emitted another Growl this time, the noise vibrating and loud, making the hair behind her neck stand up. She looked at him as he stared back at her. Anya could find no hint of recognition. None.

The eyes held no millimeter of human comprehension. They were one hundred percent the eyes of a wild predator.

This was not normal. This was in no way or manner normal.

She knew that only domestic animal hybrids were given the liberty to change form. The wild species hybrids were kept in their human forms throughout their lives which caused them to die young, still, how different could it be?

The domestic animal hybrids reflected proper knowledge in their eyes. Looking at one, any human could easily understand whether it was an animal or a transformed hybrid. Even children could point out the difference.

But here? Here only the size of the three cats indicated their abnormality from real animals. The instincts in them were as chilling as the reality.

Anya's gaze bounced from the massive Tiger, to the angry Panther, to the extremely watchful Jaguar. Sweat dotted her forehead.

She was standing in a ground with a forest behind her, while massive carnivores sat in the sun, with no partition between them, their eyes following her every move.

True fear.

That is what she felt. Goosebumps inducing spine chilling cold raw fear.

What was worse, was that, the ferocious predator cats in front of her could probably smell it too.

Anya slowly started to back away from the animals, towards the tree, mind completely blank over her actions, when a short feral howl sounded alarmingly close to her side.

Anya badly startled at the sound, jerking and falling down in surprise. The Panther in front of her, let out a bloodcurdling growl at that, his jaws snapping at her direction.

Cold sweat dripped down her back steadily as Anya saw a giant Grey Wolf petrifyingly close to her, steadily walking towards her.

Anya drew in a huge breath, straightening herself as she sat still and looked at its eyes.

Looked at it and for the first time since they transformed, breathed out in relief.

The eyes of the renowned savage beast, legendary for its brutal hunting skills, shone with human intelligence. It held reassurance, it held warmth. The recognition in those eyes was extremely apparent. As was the strong adoration.

Namjoon was in complete control of his beast.

The Wolf, was simply a changed version of him.

Anya sagged down completely.

The wolf reached her. He was just like the rest of his friends, abnormally massive, his height easily reaching 4 and a half feet, Namjoon towered over her.

Slowly, so as to not startle her, Joon lowered himself in a way that his head rested on her lap. Anya reached down to caress his soft fur, gently petting the huge creature.

Finding her voice at last, she said, "You have no idea how much your eyes stabilized me Joon. Thank you." Leaning over, she kissed him on his snout.

Immediately, the wolf licked her, playfully nudging her face, covering her in tiny licks.

Code Silver. His inherent Code dictated his animal presence to be less dominant in its consciousness.

Even though, Joon's awareness had eased a bit of her fear, Anya still did not forget the rest of the three cats. How could she? When one of them kept up the bone chilling growls continuously.

From her peripheral vision, she detected movement. Sharply looking up, she witnessed in time to see an enormous Black Eagle, its height almost 4 ft, stretch out its wings. The black feathers shone a deep blue in the sun, its wingspan reaching out to be more than 8 feet.

It was majestic, as was it truly scary.

The sleek regal bird flapped its wings, the gust of wind created by it causing her hair to blow back, as it launched itself to the sky. The eagle shot up unnervingly fast, becoming a mere dot in a matter of few seconds. It circled around the grounds from high above, feeling the cold wind and warm sun on its body, and then just as abruptly, shot down towards her, like an arrow launched from above.

Joon instantly stood up and covered her with his body, pushing her a bit down. He had kept his eyes on the predator bird.

Seeing the wolf cover her up, the black Eagle changed its course, landing beautifully in front of her. It looked at her and then took one step, its wicked claws tearing the grass below.

Joon growled at the bird, who screeched at him viciously, flapping its wings in a show of dominance.

This was the real Jin. This was the glimpse she kept getting.

A long loud roar cut off any other conflict or sound, its volume, thumping like a bass in her heart. The roar pierced her ears in its violence and moved beneath her skin. The sound of an agitated Tiger.

Anya realized one thing at that moment.

She could not get out of this. Joon could not battle all of them. The animal halves needed to bond with her too. They were the ones who had imprinted on her, there was a huge percentage of chance that they would not kill her.

She could not be a coward. Even in the face of a danger which would reduce any human to mere quivering mess, she unfortunately could not enjoy that luxury.

It was Anya who wanted the result of the actions taken today. There was no way that it could be done with her full safety guaranteed. She had known it.

If she wanted to enjoy the loyalty of these dangerous, ruthless hunters, then she needed to be able to prove her worth. This time around, Anya needed to be worthy enough for them. That would not be achieved by hiding in fear.

The most that would happen would be a few injuries. She was fairly certain, her death, was not on the cards today.

This was just a one time thing. This would only happen the first time they changed. Once the symphony between the two consciousness was achieved, it would change both the human and the animal in them, to co-exist, peacefully.

Which meant that if the animal did not respect her, the trust their human halves placed on her, the deference her hybrids treated her with, would be halved.

And for them to survive in the world, to be presented to it in the manner they would be exposed to, their unshakable trust in her was a must.

Anya tapped on the front legs of the Wolf still guarding her, "Move aside Joon" She gently pushed the Wolf aside.

Surprised at her actions, Namjoon let out a surprised yelp and bounced back before her, nudging her with his body to stay back, while he squared off with the still provoked Eagle.

"Joon" Anya said in a strong voice, "don't question me. its not about staying safe. Trust me."

The Wolf turned his head at that. His head reaching her upper abdomen, he looked at her with fear in his animal eyes.

She smiled at that and nudged him again. Clearly troubled, Namjoon stepped behind her.

As soon as he backed out, the Eagle folded its wings, calmly taking another step towards her.

Anya waited.

It stopped in front of her. A thrill zinged through her veins as she looked at the massive bird, reaching a height of her navel, standing still at a distance where she could reach out and touch him.

Clearly logical thinking will get me nowhere. Better to screw it all to the four winds. Go with your gut feeling Anya.

She decided to embrace the stupidity in her and slowly extended her hands.

The eagle curiously looked at her extended arm, then reached for it with its beak. He lightly bumped her hand twice with his beak, then bumped it again with its head. It retreated then.

That's it? that was easy. If this is how -

Her thoughts were interrupted when the hunter bird suddenly flapped its wings violently towards her, jumping to the air to remain above her. He attacked her with its wings, a high pitch whistle deafening her, as she raised her hands to shield her ears.

Right at that moment, the eagle attacked again, with his deadly claws, extended at her.

Anya saw the movement, but did not jerk or even try to defend herself.

Once she had given in to her stupidity, she stubbornly held on to it. something in her told her that this was a test.

All she did was lower her hands from her ear.

That was a mistake.

The eagle had really been testing her, its attack, never reaching as far as to touch her face, swiping its claws from a safe distance.

But the arms lowering coincided with the timing of the sweeping claws. Its hooked sharp edge catching the delicate skin of her forearm, ripping it up like paper. Blood gushed out of the wound dripping down on the grass, while a shock of pain coursed like electricity through her arm.

The eagle, frantically started whistling, while it landed on the ground. It ran up to her, its wings reaching up to her hands, trying to somehow stem the flow, trying to do anything to help, while Joon, whined low in his throat from behind her, still remaining in his directed place.

As for Anya, she smiled.

Having mentally prepared for the possibilities of injuries, she wasn't surprised when the pain bloomed. Frankly, she had expected it as soon as she saw the attack.

The reason for her smile was simple.

Looking down at the Eagle, wetting its wings in her blood, she realized something crucial.

Seokjin took control. He is back.

Ignoring the throbbing pain, Anya crouched down to envelop the beautiful bird in an embrace. The Eagle, instantly stilled.

"Its okay Jin. I promise. Its okay. Calm down. I'm fine." She reassured him as she softly petted his silky feathers.

The sun got covered in some clouds as the bright day turned a bit grey.

Maybe Jin would have reached up to caress her with his wings again, maybe Jin would have jerked frantically again, maybe he would have done something entirely different.

But she would never got to find that out, because the Tiger behind the bird, had apparently had enough.

It let out a horrifyingly blood chilling roar, so loud in its wake, that she knew security would be coming out to check it.

Anya pushed Jin to the back as she looked at the Predator gone completely Feral.

The Tiger and the Panther were growling and roaring together now, their sounds blending in with each other, while their faces pulled back in a look of a vicious monster. Both of them had their eyes trained on her.

From the side, a shout reached her. She looked up to see 2 of her security officers reaching for their communicator, while another hand reached for the speaker.

The Panther and Tiger noticed it.

Frighteningly, they went absolutely quiet. Their bodies coiled tight as they displayed their fangs at the intrusion, their paws sinking into the grass, readying themselves to pounce at the approaching figures.

"Don't!" Anya shouted at them, "Back the fuck off! Do not come here. Clear the area right fucking now!"

The security looked at her, alarmed, but they thankfully stopped.

Both of them were people who had worked for her, for a very long time. They knew when to listen to her. Especially when she cursed.

Slowly they started backing away, but the animals still focused on them.

"Come on Tae, Kook. Why are you both so angry?" Anya coaxingly cooed at them, her voice cajoling, gentle.

She moved forward towards their seated forms, calling herself 50 shades of idiot in her head, her legs shaking, as she steadily covered the distance between herself, and the two animals whose species were universally feared.

Sensing her approach, the Panther let out a low long growl, alerting the Tiger too.

Both their eyes warned her a second before they pounced.

Horror coursing through her blood, freezing it like ice flowing through her veins, Anya could just gape as she saw the predators pounce in her direction.

Their huge forms cut through the air as they launched themselves towards her, the forest around her, strangely quiet.

But her horror did not last for very long.

Both the animals landed before her. Because she had her eyes locked on their face, she saw their expressions turn baffling, a second before both of them collapsed on the ground.

Puzzled, Anya kept on observing.

The Tiger shook its head once, then tried to stand up, only for its legs to wobble violently and then give away, spreading in all four directions as he went down hard again. Looking like a lost little kitten, the massive Tiger gazed at the Panther.

Its friend too was not faring any better. With a look of concentration in its animal face, the Panther too whole heartedly tried its best to stand. He first sat back on his haunches, steadying his front legs. Then slowly he raised his behind, putting his weight on the hind legs.

Just as he did that, his front legs wobbled adorably and gave out, the Panther giving out a small surprised yelp before falling on his face. Still lying on the ground, his very confused face turned to the Tiger.

Her babies could not walk in their animal forms!

That look of a helpless kitten on the predators, somehow pushed an extremely inappropriate button in Anya's psyche causing her to respond in a beautifully dumb manner.

She burst out laughing.

Gales of laughter rocked her body as she sank to the ground. At the remembered look of animal confusion and bafflement in the faces of her animals, peals of laughter came out of her, ringing melodiously in the air.

The out of place idiotic humour at the situation, completely vanquished her fear, making her stupidly at ease. Anya decided to roll with it.

"Aww my poor kittens." She cooed at them both, who looked at her, still confused.

She got up and reached them, patting both of their heads with her hands, as they lay down in a heap.

Looking at Jungkook, she said, "lets start with you. They never let your animal out for it to learn how to stand, right? Okay, lets try." She went over to him, placing her legs on either side of its body, reaching down to grab his stomach.

"Try again, I'll try to support you." She encouraged him.

The Panther, somehow understood her.

It tried again, wobbling his way to stand again. Now that she had her hands around his body, she understood just how unsteady he was. Promptly, his legs gave out. Such was his weight, that the paltry efforts of Anya, in supporting him, went down the drain.

She lost her balance as she fell down with him, landing on his body.

Laughter spilled from her lips again, as she rolled her body away from him, lying down between Tae and Kook.

The animals seemed mesmerized by her laugh. The Tiger, slowly approaching her by crouching and dragging his body a little.

She saw him but still lay down on the grass. The Tiger came to a stop beside her, then he reached down to her injured hand, licking the bloody wound. Its scratchy tongue actually hurt the torn flesh, but Anya suppressed the whimper of distress. He left her wound alone, but cleaned up the blood surrounding it.

She gently extracted her hands to reach up to the Tiger's face, holding him by his jaw, turning him a bit towards her.

There it was . . .

Brushing his face a little, she murmured to him, "Hello Taehyung."

Taehyung happily chuffed back at her.

The Panther, headbutted her from the side. Chuckling at that, Anya turned to caress his nose, softly petting his head as she looked in his eyes and said, "Jungkook . . . my beautiful Panther." Another happy chuff was her response.

She knew she still had Yoongi to deal with, but something about him, honestly confused her. She could easily read the rest of the animals, but the Jaguar, he remained a mystery.

The Jaguar had silently observed it all, his gaze never leaving hers.

Well at least that was in complete sync with Yoongi.

But the eyes were all wrong-

Anya stiffened. Her eyes still remained closed as she was made aware of another presence. In the face of dealing with the cats, she had forgotten 2 very special hybrids of her.

She could feel a strange sensation on her ankle, a cold, dry scaly mass moving on her, coiling itself around the ankle. The sensation was uncomfortable. Her whole body rejected it.

She opened her eyes to see the eagle, wolf, panther and tiger playing together under the shade of the oak tree, the wolf and the eagle somehow encouraging the other two to keep trying to stand. The Jaguar still sat a little to her right.

The reptile slithered over her body, sinuously wrapping itself around her thigh, then moving upwards. The snake coiled around itself on her stomach, while Anya's mind tried to train itself to associate the sensation to someone she loved.

The snake kept coiling.

At last she looked down at her body.

A silver white cobra had a huge coil on her, the scales delicately glinting, reflecting the sun as it shifted and turned around, the sleek body moving continuously.

What was he doing?

The continuous coiling caused her plain white tshirt to slowly lift upwards from her stomach a little.

That was all that the snake was looking for. It headed straight for her skin.

Anya gasped out, hollowing her abdomen when she felt the cold skin of the snake, the dry scales rubbing on her delicate skin as the snake moved under her shirt.

The cobra slowly approached her chest inside the tshirt, and then slithered to her breasts. It moved in a coil again over her bra for a few moments, the sensation making her whole body break out in goosebumps. Then it went straight again, to emerge from the neckline to her throat. Once there, it raised itself from her flesh, looking at her from inches above her face. Its tongue flicking out.

Reaching up, Anya wanted to stroke his head, but he simply wrapped itself around her hand, now travelling along that.

Okay, so her snake was clingy. There was no way Jimin was not in control.

Anya sat up and then stood. The snake sinuously moved over her body, wrapping itself securely around her waist, over her breasts and now moving around her neck.

The way it wrapped itself around her bare skin, almost brought tears to her eyes, the feeling on her skin that foreign to her, but she knew there was no point in trying to get him away. This was going to be something that would happen too often. It was a reality she needed to accept.

She went to the group trying to make two shaky cats stand.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

ANYA :

The afternoon sun was slowly turning lazy in the sky, while Anya spent it under the shades of the tree. Arissa had sent a security with a safety kit for her wound, leaving it at a distance. Namjoon had gone and fetched it for her.

Over the course of time, Taehyung and Jungkook were able to stand on their own. Walking too had become easy, but they still fell when they tried to run.

Over the same course of time, the Jaguar had remained in the place it had been, watching them, while she actively had not looked for the Python. Her body had needed a little break from the onslaught of fear it had ridden through.

Jimin never left her alone, happily slithering all over her as he pleased. Her body was his personal ride. The form of his snake was long too, if she recalled, his health check up indicated a length of 15ft.

Finally feeling ready, she needed to see the jaguar. She knew he was patiently waiting for her.

"Jimin?" she called out softly.

The slithering silver rope around her adjusted as it came to her face. "Leave for a while? I need to go to Yoongi."

While the snake flicked his tongue out, its body slowly tightened around her.

Ah, that would be a no.

"Please? I'll give you a kiss."

The snake instantly moved to her face, lightly moving his mouth to touch her lips and then moving away.

"Yes, on your lips."

Apparently those were the magic words. Jimin very happily moved down her body to wrap himself around Joon, who startled and yelped at suddenly finding a snake around his neck.

In his surprise, the wolf moved sideways to bump into the Panther, who went down again, releasing a mournful groan. Poor Jungkook had fallen down enough times to last an entire lifetime.

Anya simply walked to the Jaguar, who sat up on her approach.

His golden eyes watched her. She went directly in front of him. It still watched her.

Its wildness was extremely apparent, but its behaviour was of Yoongi. His eyes though, were devoid of recognition. Instead, it burned with a different emotion.

"What is going on Yoongi?" she murmured to him

The wind silently blew, as she sat down in front of the beast, who easily dwarfed her. As soon as she settled down, the jaguar leaned down to her now wrapped hand, sporting the injury.

He closed his powerful jaws around her wrist, and slowly lifted it up.

She couldn't help it, her heart started galloping at the feel of his fangs digging in her skin. If he so wanted, he could tear her hand from her body, biting hard into her flesh, but all he did was gently hold it with his teeth, his golden eyes burning into her.

Anya truly did not understand what it wanted.

Then, his eyes still fixed on her, he started putting light pressure on her wrist with his teeth.

Anya sucked in a breath.

The pressure steadily kept increasing, as the massive animal kept his intense gaze on her. His tail was coiled around himself, ears perked up. Eyes fixed.

Another test.

The pressure from his teeth now reached a point of pinching pain, his teeth slowly denting her skin deep.

He wants to mark me?

On the heels of her thought, the Jaguar's fangs, pierced her skin from above and below her wrist, blood welling out. Anya looked at him, his eyes still wild, but calm as he tasted her blood.

The force did not stop, his teeth digging deeper in her flesh. Tears welled in Anya's eyes at the pain, but she wanted to see how far he would go.

Her blood flowed easier now, his fangs making a small hole on her wrist from both sides. Then suddenly, he stopped. He released her hand but growled a little, warning her to keep it there.

Anya held her hand in position, as the Jaguar's warm scratchy tongue wiped the flowing blood. Tasting it. Savouring it.

Then he stood up, headbutting her neck, he licked her once there and then walked past her to where the safety kit lay. He picked it up and dropped it in her lap, sitting down again, to watch her.

Anya's fear quadrupled.

The Jaguar's eyes did not resemble Yoongi's at all, even though, his actions were coherent. Which meant,

It was Yoongi who was influenced by the Jaguar.

The balance for him did not go as it went for the others, the human mind melding and taming the animal in them. No, it went opposite. The animal in him, melding with the human.

The deficiency in him was not in the animal side, it was in the human side which needed to be filled.

Anya carefully disinfected her wounds and applied the necessary bandage to it in front of the watchful Jaguar, as she tried to absorb the implications.

Yoongi was going to become darker than he was.

The Jaguar headbutted her again, to get her attention. Now when she looked up at him, she could understand him a bit, in the light of her realizations. He was still holding himself back.

Yoongi got up and then stretched, his sleekly muscled body a beautiful sight to behold.

Emitting a deep grumble, he urged her to her feet, then started leading her somewhere. Silently, she followed. Yoongi stopped at the other side of the oak tree, others were still playing beneath.

With one casual leap, the enormous cat jumped on the sturdy branches, easily climbing up the tree. The dark shadow quickly moved up, getting lost in the branches, then settling down on the top. His enormous black body, directly above the others, his watchful eyes on everyone, guarding them, keeping a look out.

He lazily swung his tail as he closed his eye.

If an intruder were to come in the estate now, they wouldn't even know or see the deadly shadow perched above any tree, their silent death manifested in physical reality, would they?

But why did he lead her here?

She silently checked the branches, only for her gaze to stop at the python staring at her. Its body coiled around a huge branch.

One look at it, and she understood immediately why Hoseok had urged her about his motives. Why he had repeatedly asked her not to fear him.

All she could do was stare back at him.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

ANYA :

Anya sipped her iced tea inside the glass house situated in her backyard, watching all her hybrids, still in their animal forms playing outside.

Jungkook and Taehyung had finally started to run, chasing poor Jin until he was forced to fly away. Jungkook had even swiped at Yoongi and made him fall, then both the Tiger and the Panther had proceeded to jump on him, trying to keep him pinned, while the Jaguar and let loose a long suffering groan as it battled the energetic younger kits away, trying multiple times to go back to his perch. Somewhere Jin sat contentedly, out of reach from the kittens.

Although, it was not for long before the Python sneakily wrapped itself around him and delivered him to the delighted Tiger, who started chasing the bird happily, while the bird in question ran away on the field.

The Poor wolf was also terrorized by the younger cat, but the clingy snake around him made it even more difficult for him to run away.

Right now, Yoongi was chasing the Panther around in circles, trying to playfully return the bite Jungkook had given him, while the Tiger was smothering the wolf in his affection, who looked like he just wanted to hide away.

The cobra and the panther lying peacefully on the branches where Jin sat.

"They look like they are having a good time." Arissa observed as she came to the glass from which Anya was looking out.

Sipping her beverage, Anya nodded, "The animals recognized each other as pack right from the beginning. Their chemistry had a solid foundation. I was never worried about them."

"What you did today was beyond foolish Anya." Arissa's voice was serious.

"I know. But it had to be done."

"How were you sure that you wouldn't be killed? There is a reason why exotic wild species of hybrids are not sold just anywhere, why you need a legal sanction to buy them. Why they are exclusively trained. They are never meant to be liberated this way."

Anya just sipped her Tea, her eyes still on them. She knew it all.

Sighing, Ari said, "Do they know you knew this might happen? That their Codes would push them to test you? That their Codes would demand physical contact for the imprinting to progress further?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because they would have locked themselves away if they thought they might hurt me Ari. They did not understand how very important this step was. They were essentially living a life of constraint, not because of the conditioning, but because a part of them was never given a voice." Anya turned to the older woman.

"If I want what I do, I need them whole. I need them to be like me."

"You also want something else. Why cant you voice it?" Arissa dryly said.

Turning away from her, she looked back at Jin spreading his wings, preparing to take flight. Knowing that there was no way that she could keep this from Arissa, she confessed.

"I wanted their loyalty. More than any other bond, I wanted their exclusive loyalty, inherent and given to only one person in their lifetime."

Arissa quietly asked, "Did you get it?"

Chuckling a little Anya replied, "No idea. All I knew was that for a dangerous beast to respect me, be loyal to me, I could not be a coward. I did what I truly wanted to, to the hybrids that I love Ari."

"Why was it so important?"

Anya saw Jin soar high above in the sky. She lifted her glass to sip the sweet brew again.

"I never knew I would connect to someone this deeply in my life. Let alone 7 someones. In a matter of few days, they became important to me, their adoration, something that I wanted to always keep. The smiles on their faces, the sparkle in their eyes . . . Ari, it's a sight to behold. I wanted to give them those moments even more. But I also wanted them bound to me. Bound in a way that would be permanent. Bound in a way, that would not hurt, would not be toxic. I wanted them to truly belong to me. Not be my slaves. Never that. I needed them to be my equals.

That can only be achieved though true feelings and emotions Ari. Through love. And love requires respect, trust. If I wanted to command it, then I needed to equally give it to them too. There is no one way about it. That is what I did today. Gave them my trust."

"Some would call what you did idiotic." Arissa interrupted.

Anya shrugged, "I know the hybrids themselves would. Once they change back, I will be hearing an earful." She chuckled a little, "But today would only come once in both their and my lifetime. This moment of bonding, happening only once. It was crucial that they trust me."

Arissa knew what she was referring to.

She joined her on the couch and looked outside. The python had coiled itself around the playful panther, holding him down for a while.

"The Python . . . how did you react to him?" Ari asked.

"Extremely poorly." Anya laughed. "Look at him, how could I not?"

Her python, simply put, was a monster. He was over 40 feet in length. When Anya had seen him, she had turned into the tree the Python was hanging from.

She had remained standing still for god knows how long. The Python had slowly reached her, then coiled its body around her from her feet.

He had wrapped itself around her, inch by inch, until all the was left of Anya was her head. She was voluntarily in the coils of a Reticulated Python.

Thinking about it made her laugh now, "Suhan would have a field day!" she cackled wickedly at the thought of her small snake fearing brother meeting the animal forms of her hybrids.

"Be nice!" Ari scolded, but her lips too twitched at that thought.

"I asked them to keep their form till the animal side of them did not fight for dominance." Anya spoke up after sometime.

"They will change." Ari nodded.

"I am counting on it." Anya said as she saw Jin return.

Arissa looked over at her worriedly, "You do understand that their possessiveness for you will become ruthless Anya, they will no longer resemble any form of a slave to any other individual."

"Any other?"

"Their loyalty to you once established will still make them want to serve you. Their conditioning would shift to just you completely. Tell me you knew that."

Eyes wide, Anya quietly shook her head.

Arissa sighed, "From what you gave me about their codes, it was plain for anyone to understand."

"I was mainly looking for the transformation and what to expect. Must have glossed over it. Tell me. I'll go read it in details later." Anya asked.

Drawing a deep breath, Ari began, "If the higher Codes establish a single person, they choose to be loyal to, then they give their voluntary submission to them. The part of human psyche which underwent the conditioning, shifts it in their melded mind to the person they bond with. Their possessiveness gets attached to the compulsion."

Anya understood, "In other words the urge to serve in the capacity they were taught would ride their skins for the person they bond with?"

Ari nodded.

Whoa. I am screwed.

Their needs would include wanting constantly to serve her. Their slave training internalized to her.

They were the best sex slaves.

And she, was their Master.

Their attitude would resemble the charisma and confidence of their wild side, while their cravings would include being close to her. Ari stated the truth. Their possessiveness over her would be as ruthless as their attitude of being her slave.

Their ferocious violence and savage observation for others would only be balanced out by their submission to her.

"Shit." Anya breathed.

"Read through your material thoroughly Anya! How many times do I need to remind you of that?" Arissa exasperatedly said.

"Doesn't matter, does it? You know what we need to start doing to them from tomorrow." Anya quietly said.

Arissa abruptly turned towards her, "From tomorrow? Why? Give them some more time at least. Let them enjoy a bit more."

"No. I cant delay it. No matter the changes, they are still essentially the same. Their confidence and boldness might go up, but the other attributes are the same. You know the ones I am speaking of."

"I know. You told me of your plan since the day after you bought them. Its just . . . having met them now, I just want them to enjoy-"

"The ripples have already started Arissa. Soon it may become turbulent. The world knows now that they are mine, my enemies became theirs the second they all acquired the status and the wealth I do. A game has already begun. One where I don't know the opponent, I am not aware of the rules. All I know is that they will be caught smack dab in the middle of it. I cannot delay Arissa. I cant."

Arissa knew.

"What will you do?"

Anya looked out to them, still playing so innocently with each other in the evening sun. The interactions were pure and innocent between the lethal, brutal predators.

"For now, let them play a bit longer, then ask them to transform back for dinner. We'll talk, have fun, have some pizza. I'll show them the television. And then tomorrow, talk to them about it. Explain it all, then begin."

Anya sipped the last of her tea and then stood up.

"Where are you going now?" Arissa asked.

"Its time I call my Uncle."

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A/N : 18.1k

Hybrids are home, at last. They changed forms too, but the triggered change in their personalities would slowly start manifesting.

I hope I could make you all visualize their animal halves a little...

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