"That's the fourth one this week."

Minho clicked his tongue as he examined their surroundings, but he already knew he wouldn't find anything. As San said, it was the fourth deer carcass they'd found in the span of a single week, and they weren't any closer to catching the rogue that was hunting on their territory.

They were strangely elusive. Even with Yeosang and Jeongin on the case – their best trackers – they couldn't catch a scent at all, nor could they find a trail. They found traces of the rogue all over their territory, from fur to claw marks, but never enough to actually lead them to wherever the intruder was hiding.

It was quite problematic. They couldn't just allow a rogue wolf to do as they pleased on their pack's territory. Not only would it mess up the whole dynamic, but it was also already starting to have an impact on the local fauna – their preys were starting to become harder to catch because of the rogue's excessive hunting.

The intruder didn't even eat most of their catches, which was an absolute blasphemy for wolves. It looked as if the rogue was only killing their preys for the sake of shedding blood, which meant the pack was now dealing with a dangerous, unstable individual – there was no way of knowing if the rogue would try to attack them should they cross paths.

They needed to find that wolf, and soon.

.

It was now three weeks after the rogue's first appearance, and they still weren't anywhere close to catching them. The pack was growing incredibly restless and frustrated, even more so because the full moon was right around the corner, which would leave them incredibly vulnerable once it'd passed.

Minho was the pack alpha, the leader. He wasn't the oldest, but he was the strongest, and so the others hadn't protested much when he volunteered to step up as the head of their pack. Seonghwa was also an alpha, and the oldest wolf in their group. Then there was San, another alpha, Yunho and Yeosang were betas, Wooyoung was their sole omega, and finally there was Jeongin, their youngest and newly presented alpha.

They were quite a big pack, with slightly unbalanced dynamics that somehow worked out well for all of them, since they all cared for and respected each other deeply. Their bonds were strong, and a single rogue wolf didn't present much of a threat – unless said rogue wolf used the aftermath of the full moon to attack them in their weakened states.

No, Minho couldn't let that happen. They needed to find that rogue, and they needed to find them before the next full moon, in two days – hence why, with the help of his pack, he set up human traps all over the forest. They all absolutely hated it – they despised anything human-related, really – but, considering their circumstances, they didn't have much of a choice left.

Though, as it turned out, it'd been the right one.

"Minho! One of the traps was set off!"

It could be a false alarm. More than a few random animals had been caught in the traps they'd set. This time around, however, Minho felt strangely hopeful and, with a silent order through their bond, he roped Yunho, San, and Jeongin into following him.

The trap wasn't too far from their den, which only added to Minho's suspicions – preys never got that close, knowing the danger that lurked near. And, when they got close enough, angry growls and snarls echoed, and Minho couldn't help but grin.

Got the bastard!

They silently spread out, surrounding the trap so, if the rogue wolf somehow got out, they'd be able to intercept them. Once everyone was in position, Minho slowly approached the net now suspended a few meters above his head. He couldn't make out any definitive traits of whoever was trapped inside, but he knew it was exactly who they'd been looking for.

"Hey!" he called out harshly. "State your name and your business here!"

The person in the net only grew more agitated upon hearing his voice, the growls and snarls growing louder and more threatening. Then, without warning, one of the ropes snapped. Minho instantly backed away, bracing himself to face the angry wolf, and the net fell on the ground with a resounding 'THUD'.

There was a faint whimper, followed by more snarls as... the rogue stayed trapped, wrestling with the net in an attempt to get out, but only getting more tangled up. Upon realizing that they truly weren't getting out on their own, Minho slowly walked up to the figure writhing in the dead leaves.

It was a boy, with dirt caked all over his hair and face. He was struggling like the devil himself, baring his teeth as Minho appeared in his line of sight, and the alpha was quite taken aback by the sight of his pale blue irises – clearly inhuman, but not entirely wolf, either. His curiosity getting the best of him, Minho crouched down and started examining him more closely, unbothered by the threatening snarls and the underlying stop-get away-don't touch me message underneath it all.

He didn't have a scent, which didn't make any sense. Humans and wolves alike had distinctive scents, but his was just... nonexistent. It certainly explained why they hadn't been able to track him down earlier, but it didn't make any sense – how could someone not have a scent?

"Minho," murmured San, eyeing the boy with a frown. "He's un-presented."

Well. That certainly didn't make things any easier. From his appearance, Minho could tell he wasn't much younger than them, so how come he had yet to present? All wolves presented at the age of twelve, and the one before them was obviously older than that.

"Can he even understand what we're saying?" asked Jeongin, tilting his head in confusion. "I mean, look at his eyes – his pupils are completely blown out. He looks... he looks completely feral."

That would certainly explain his actions, at the very least. When a wolf went feral, they lost all control and inhibitions, their humane side vanishing forever and leaving place only to a merciless, bloodthirsty beast. However, when a wolf went feral, they fully shifted into their wolf skin – which, obviously, wasn't the case for the boy.

"It looks as if his mind was completely overtaken by his animal side," remarked Yunho, keeping at a distance. "Minho, what do we do?"

Minho didn't answer for a moment, staring intently at the boy at their feet. He was wriggling and writhing still, growling and warning them to stay away as he tried to free himself, but becoming more and more exhausted each passing second.

And then, Minho noticed the tears streaming down his face.

Damn it.

"We're bringing him back," he announced, keeping his voice firm, fully expecting the others to protest his decision. "The full moon is in less than two days. If he can hold out until then, we might be able to communicate with him in our wolf skins."

Surprisingly enough, none of them said anything against it, and it's only then that the pack alpha noticed the shared feeling of pity in their bond – they obviously wanted to try and help the boy, too, even if it might not amount to anything.

Hopefully, he wasn't too far gone. If he was, they'd have no choice but to put him out of his misery.

.

The full moon was the only time wolves like them could shift into their wolf skins, and it wasn't by choice, either. It was a forced, complete change of form during which they were more animal than humane and, at the very end of it, they were exhausted and sore for the entirety of the next day, weakened and barely able to move, which meant they were extremely vulnerable.

Bringing a partially feral wolf into their den was a bit of a hasty decision, even more so considering how it'd turn out if they couldn't communicate with him as Minho hoped, but it was a gamble they were willing to take, if it meant helping one of their own.

Minho and San carried him, still tangled up in the net. He'd stopped trashing at some point during their journey back to the den, too tired to keep fighting them. It hadn't taken them long to realize he was more scared than angry, which only hardened their resolve of helping him.

Seonghwa, Yeosang, and Wooyoung, who had stayed behind, were understandably uneasy as they brought the rogue into their home, but didn't say anything. They laid him down in the furthest corner of their homely cave and, once there, Minho used one of the numerous vials of medicine they had lying around sedate him. It was made from aconite, which poisoned anyone who ingested it, but was a particular weakness to wolves. However, when mixed with a specific assortment of herbs, it could be turned into a strong sedative that could knock out even the most crazed wolf.

As soon as the boy passed out, Minho got to work on untangling him from the net, at last. He cringed a little upon noticing the sorry state of his clothes – or at least, what was left of them – and also the deep bruises already left behind by the ropes. He started gently rubbing his arms and legs to get the blood flowing again, while Seonghwa got started on cleaning him up a bit.

As soon as the dirt and dust were washed from his face, the boy appeared even younger – soft traits, freckled cheeks, button nose. Tears still escaped his closed eyelids every few minutes, and his sleep was visibly agitated as soft, barely perceptible whimpers escaped him, and he sometimes spasmed or kicked his leg.

(Minho wondered what kind of trauma the boy had had to endure to end up in such a state. He also wondered if he really wanted to know.)

They eventually decided to undress him. The rags he was wearing barely covered anything anyway, and they were dirty, smelled awful, and were completely soaked. Taking off his shirt revealed expanses of dirty, but pale skin, numerous injuries, and a severely malnourished body. Carefully cleaning him up, they soon found that even though he had a lot of fresh injuries, the worst ones were the healed ones – scars, of all shapes and sizes, littered across his back, his chest, his arms, and his thighs.

What really worried them, though, was the large bite mark on his neck, where his scent gland was supposed to be – the poor mimic of a mating mark.

"His scent glands haven't developed at all," murmured Seonghwa, a frown marring his beautiful features. "And yet, this bite..."

If someone had attempted to mate the boy before he even presented, it'd surely explain why he'd gone insane. Mating an un-presented wolf meant messing with their body before it had fully matured, disrupting a fragile balance of dynamics that had yet to make their appearance.

You couldn't just do that. It was painful, and cruel, and most definitely not something any of them had ever thought would be an issue. In the human society, it would be the equivalent of rape and juvenile assault.

Whoever did this was a monster, and Minho wished with every fiber of his being that they had met a very painful end for it.

"What are we going to do, Minho?" softly asked his fellow alpha, gently brushing some strands of pale blond hair out of the boy's face.

"He's not entirely gone," replied Minho, carefully wiping away the few stray tears strolling down the boy's freckled cheeks. "If he had gone truly feral, he'd have shifted, and he certainly wouldn't be crying. He's still in there, somewhere – he still has a chance."

Seonghwa nodded in agreement, then left to inform the others of the situation regarding their mysterious guest. Minho stayed by the boy's side for a little longer, wishing there was more he could do, but knowing he could only wait, and hope for the best.

"Stay strong, little one," he soothed as the boy's face scrunched up in a pained expression, gently rubbing his head. "You're going to be okay, I promise."

It wasn't a promise Minho could afford to make. There was no way of knowing if the boy would truly be able to snap out of it, no way of knowing if Minho and his pack could actually save him. And yet, he found himself promising anyway, because the poor boy deserved some hope to hold onto, at the very least.

.

They kept the boy tied up in one of the smaller alcoves of the large cave they used as their den. Knowingly chaining down one of their own as if he was nothing more than a simple-minded dog, like humans would, made their skin crawl. Unfortunately, they didn't have much of a choice – the boy was just as hostile as he'd been when they first found him, which meant they couldn't risk letting him run free.

Wooyoung wasn't allowed to approach him at all, and even the betas kept their distances, not wanting him to be triggered by their scents. Only the alphas visited him, giving him food and water that was promptly rejected, and sedating him when he started struggling to the point of hurting himself.

It pained all of them, to hear his beastly growls and feeble whimpers alike – it pained them, because no one deserved such a fate, let alone one so young.

Needless to say, they were all waiting impatiently for the full moon to rise.

When the full moon was finally upon them, Minho ordered for all of them to leave the cave and shift further into the forest, so he could deal with the boy alone. He sat on the floor not too far from where the boy was tied up, whimpering as his bones began to crack loudly, and the shift started.

While disagreeable, the shift had long since stopped being painful to Minho – he and any older wolf got used to it, after so many years, and it barely took him thirty seconds to shift into his wolf skin. However, as he connected with his animal body once more, he belatedly realized that fur had only just started to break out all over the boy's skin.

"Minho? What's taking you so long?" asked San, his voice echoing in the back of his mind.

"He still hasn't shifted."

"What? It's already been a few minutes – even Jeongin's done!"

As their youngest, Jeongin was the slowest to complete his shifting. So, for the unnamed boy to not even have begun his own properly could only mean one of two things – either he was even younger than Jeongin, which was unlikely, or... it was his first time shifting.

Which, obviously, didn't many any more sense than his lack of scent or presentation.

The boy was crying again, hoarse exhales and choked-out moans of agony rattling up his throat as his body violently contorted and writhed against the bindings. Not thinking twice, Minho quickly padded up to him and used his claws to cut through the ropes – screw safety measures, the kid was already in enough pain as it was.

It's not like the boy had the strength to move, anyway. The moment he was freed, he flopped onto his back and let out a strangled cry, his eyes wide and unseeing as his muscles tore and his bones broke and his flesh teared, spasming and gasping for air as he unconsciously ripped to pieces his own clothing and started digging into his own skin with his growing claws.

There was no denying it: this was the boy's first shift.

Moved by instincts, Minho started gently nuzzling the boy's neck, lapping at where his scent gland should be, hoping to bring some amount of comfort. The first shift was always the worst, and older wolves were usually there to numb the pain thanks to their pheromones and scents – and thankfully, it seemed to work.

His body still spasmed from time to time, but the boy stopped literally tearing himself apart, his half-lidded eyes staring at Minho with so much pain and despair...

Kill me, he seemed to say. Kill me, and put me out of my misery.

But Minho wouldn't do that – not if there was a chance of saving him. So, he simply thickened his pheromones, helping the boy slip into a headspace where the physical pain induced by the shift wouldn't affect him as much.

He used his paws to carefully roll him over onto his front, and then helped him move his limbs into a more comfortable and appropriate position for shifting. The boy was too weak to fight him at that point, and fairly high on pheromones too, so Minho had an easy time moving him as he liked.

With his limbs in proper position, arms folded underneath him, thighs flat on the ground and legs half-spread on each side, Minho pressed his snout against the boy's feverish, sweat-coated forehead, the coolness of it helping a bit. He kept on switching between cooling his forehead, nuzzling his neck, and readjusting his limbs every time another bone cracked – if he didn't know what it felt like to take care of a pup before, he certainly did now.

And then, after minutes that felt like hours, the last of the shift occurred. His fur completely grew out, his body completely transitioning to his animal form and, with one last weak howl of pain, he collapsed right back on the floor, now completely in his wolf skin, exhausted. Minho started gently lapping at his head and ears to offer comfort and encouragement, soft rumbles that could roughly be translated to well done-did so well-good pup escaping his maw and mind alike and, after a few more minutes, the pup finally regained consciousness.

He wouldn't be able to communicate with Minho the way San or any other of his packmates could, since the boy wasn't a member of his pack. However, now that the boy's body and mind were balanced – wolf mind in wolf skin – he should be stable enough for Minho to at least establish his dominance.

If it worked, upon waking up, the boy should no longer be feral. If it didn't, then Minho truly wouldn't have any other choice but to kill him.

Thankfully, though, luck appeared to be on their side.

Who-Hurt-Lost-Help was what Minho made out of the soft, somewhat lethargic whimpers now escaping the younger wolf. Kin-Lost-Help-Kin-not alone-not alone.

Safe here, replied Minho, rubbing their snouts together. Pup safe. Pup home.

It looked like Minho wouldn't even have to try – the younger wolf instinctively bared his neck the moment the alpha started scenting him, obviously acknowledging him as superior, although it was most probably done unconsciously. It would appear as though the pain of the first shift had been enough to shock his mind back into place, so to speak.

Now, Minho could only hope it'd still be the case once the boy woke up in his human skin again the next morning.

After a few minutes of scenting, Minho started gently nudging him so he'd start moving. Even if he was exhausted and hurting, still, he needed to move in order to get used to his animal form and ensure that everything had shifted into its proper place. He was a bit whiny about it but, with insistent encouragements and nudging, Minho eventually managed to get him up on his paws.

He was trembling pretty badly, the poor thing. He walked slowly, awkwardly, not used to walking on all fours even though he'd done exactly that when in his human skin. Still, Minho was patient and, eventually, the two of them made it out of the den.

Outside, keeping their distances, the pack was waiting.

"It worked," Minho communicated to all of them. "So far."

"He's acknowledged you?" ascertained San.

"Submitted before I even asked. He's too exhausted to be hostile, and I believe he may have... imprinted on me."

"Pups are usually guided through their first shift by their parents," remarked Seonghwa, sounding a little amused. "I suppose it would only be natural for him to grow attached."

Imprinting usually happened when a wolf found their mate. However, there were some instances when a pup, separated from their mother too early, emotionally latched onto the next best thing – an authoritative figure capable of protecting them and caring for them until they grew old enough to take care of themselves.

(Everything about the boy was unusual. While the outcome of him potentially imprinting on Minho hadn't exactly been expected, considering his previously feral state, it certainly gave him a much greater hope of recovery and, well, Minho wasn't about to complain about that.)

Jeongin was the first to approach, ever the curious one. The newly shifted wolf watched him approach cautiously, the others distinctly amused when he unconsciously backed into Minho's side in a feeble attempt to hide.

Pack safe Minho told him, gently nudging him toward Jeongin. Safe with the pack. Trust in the pack.

It took a little more insistence but, eventually, the pup gave into his own curiosity and carefully approached Jeongin. The two began scenting each other and, soon enough, the others also joined them, all curiously scenting their new addition – who, once again, didn't have a scent of his own, for some mysterious reason.

After that, it didn't take long for the pup to grow comfortable enough to try and explore their surroundings. Minho laid down on a rock, observing from afar as Jeongin, Wooyoung, and Yeosang started playing with the pup, helping him get used to his animal form and cheerfully encouraging him when he started running. 

San, Seonghwa, and Yunho also observed from the sidelines, ready to interfere if something went wrong, but mostly relaxed as they watched the younger ones play. Still, the pup grew exhausted rather quickly and, eventually, he dragged himself back to Minho's side, flopping on the ground beside him with a tired huff.

Amused, and admittedly a little endeared, Minho let him snuggle into his side as he pleased. The pup obviously found comfort in his scent, and who was he to take that away? The poor baby deserved some rest and peace, after everything he'd endured.

And, hopefully, tomorrow would be the start of a better life for him.

.

Felix woke up hurting and barely able to move a toe, his entire body feeling heavy and unresponsive, for some reason. It took him an absurdly long time to realize he was lying on a thin mattress in some sort of cave, and it took him even longer to remember—

Danger. DANGER DANGER DANGER—!

Despite the pain, despite the exhaustion, the sudden burst of adrenaline managed to get him moving. He gasped, tears filling his eyes as he stumbled out of the cave. He needed to get away, he needed to get to safety, he needed to run run run run run run run—

"Hey!"

There. Safe. There.

Completely ignoring whoever was calling out to him, Felix stumbled toward a dark-haired figure standing a little further away, practically collapsing into his arms when he finally reached him. He clung to him tightly as the man carefully wrapped his arms around him, the freckled boy burrowing his face in the man's neck and inhaling deeply his scent.

Safe. Safe, safe, safe, safe, safe, his frazzled, hazy mind chanted.

"Shh, you're okay," murmured the man, rubbing his back as his other hand pressed gently against the back of his head, letting him scent him as he pleased. "You're safe, now. Everything's going to be okay."

Bits and pieces of memories he couldn't quite reach filtered through Felix's mind faster than he could follow, but what little he did manage to glimpse only made him clung tighter to the man. Even know, deep down, Felix knew he didn't actually know the man, his instincts were practically screaming at him that he was safe in his arms.

And Felix needed safety, so he didn't let go – he doubted he ever would.

.

The mysterious boy suddenly stumbling out of the cave was quite unexpected, considering his weakened state. It hadn't taken much time for Minho to realize he was stuck in another headspace – though, thankfully, he was no longer feral. Since the boy was considerably exhausted, Minho had indulged him and hadn't tried to pull him out of it, simply providing reassurance and comfort as best as he could.

The boy eventually passed out in his arms, still exhausted, and Minho had carried him back inside the den. This time around, though, he wasn't able to leave him alone – the boy clung onto him too tightly, and the sheer despair and need in that action broke the alpha's heart. So, he simply laid down with him and kept on holding him, knowing his packmates could take care of themselves for a little while.

(It was actually two days after the full moon. As expected, the first shift had taken a lot out of the boy, and today was the first time he'd regained consciousness.)

The boy slept for the following hours, with Minho still holding him, and the others occasionally coming to check up on them. And, while the pack alpha did feel a little restless after staying down for so long, he couldn't bring himself to let go – not when the boy seemed to rely on him so heavily.

It's only once the sun started setting that the boy woke up again. He looked a little groggy, visibly confused and disoriented. He wasn't freaking out again, and he didn't appear stuck in a headspace anymore, and Minho let him reconnect with reality at his own pace.

"Who... who are you...? Where- where am I...?"

Well, the boy's voice certainly didn't match his face. Still, Minho was too relieved to hear him talk coherently to actually mind it. He helped the boy sit up, first, and he was quick to untangle himself from the alpha's arms, visibly wary. Still, not wanting him to slip again, Minho grabbed one of his blankets lying near and carefully wrapped it around the boy's shoulders.

(He visibly relaxed as he was once again engulfed by the alpha's scent, though he also looked even more confused by it. He didn't take off the blanket, though.)

"My name is Minho," the alpha finally introduced himself. "And you're in my den."

"Den...?"

"What's your name, pup?"

The boy's brows furrowed. "Fe- Felix. But what do you- what do you mean by den?"

"My pack's home."

"Pack?"

Their conversation was running in circles. The boy, Felix, obviously didn't understand a single thing Minho was saying, and the alpha was starting to wonder if his lack of the most basic knowledge about their kind was possibly linked to everything else.

Before he could say anything else, though, Felix's eyes widened.

"Your- your eyes..."

"What about them?"

"You're- you're a wolf...?" he whispered, suddenly afraid.

Minho quirked a brow. "Yes. And so are you."

"What are you- what are you talking about?" protested the boy, his panic and fear rising almost instantly. "I'm- I'm not a wolf – I'm human!"

Well.

That certainly complicated things.

.

Lee Felix, barely twenty-one of age, was born human. Him, his family, and his friends lived in a small, somewhat secluded town, and didn't have many contacts with wolves – there weren't any packs living near them, and the wolves that occasionally passed through were usually left alone by the townspeople, who didn't want any trouble.

It was the kind of town where everyone knew everyone, and people rarely left, content in the simplicity, safety, and peacefulness they could find there. Felix, in particular, was quite happy – he helped his mother run their family's bakery, and enjoyed every little thing his hometown had to offer. 

His older brother, Chan, was a little different. He'd long since dreamt of traveling and eventually settling down in the city, where he could earn a living by making music. His family and friends were supportive of his dreams and, albeit sad to see him go, they'd wished him the best when he finally left with his two best friends, Changbin and Jisung – Felix had been nineteen at the time.

Everyone was quite surprised, however, when the trio returned barely a year later.

They'd changed. While they acted as if everything was normal, saying they'd returned because they simply missed their home, Felix and everyone else had sensed the subtle shift in their personalities. They were more... intense, more prone to outbursts, and though Felix loved his brother more than anything else... Chan began scaring him.

And then, the foreigners showed up.

Eunkwang, Changsub, Peniel, and Minhyuk. Four men whom, by appearances alone, didn't stand out too much. They were nice enough, and apparently friends Chan, Changbin, and Jisung had made during their year of travel – the reason why they suddenly decided to drop by and visit, apparently.

Felix, who was usually pretty open-minded, didn't like them very much. They were weird, and he couldn't help but feel like they were the reason Chan and his friends had changed so much. The one he was the most wary of, however, was most definitely Minhyuk. A handsome man, most definitely, with a kind smile – but Felix always felt uneasy whenever he was in his presence. The man stared at him too intently, his smile was always just a little too sharp to be considered "kind", and Felix's guts churned every time their gazes met.

He did not trust Minhyuk. In fact, he didn't trust any of them.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't save him or the other townspeople.

Felix had just turned twenty when it happened – the Blood Moon. There were always many legends related to it, suspicions and myths passed from one generation to the next, be it as a warning or for the simple thrill that accompanied the uncertainty attached to those stories of old.

On legend, in particular, was known to all: that the Blood Moon was the only time during which a wolf could turn a human. Now, some people would argue that the bite of a wolf would turn a human into one of their kind at any given time, but the truth was that such a thing was only possible during the Blood Moon – and not just anyone could survive the transformation, either.

(It was actually an ancient ritual, back when relations between humans and wolves weren't as bad as they were today. Back then, since the wolf population was much lesser, it wasn't unusual for a wolf to find their mate amongst the human kind, and the Blood Moon was often used to turn those mates and thus allow their union.)

The foreigners weren't wolves, but hybrids – humans turned into wolves, but through an artificial injection of the lycanthropy gene, rather than a bite from an actual wolf. It was practically unheard of, and most definitely unnatural. Apparently, the four of them were amongst a few of dozens of human subjects who were used as lab rats in a government-funded research facility, and the only ones to survive the process, too.

Hybrids were much stronger than a normal wolf. Be it in their human form or their wolf skin, they were leagues beyond a natural wolf – but also a lot more unstable. As such, it shouldn't have been much of a surprise when the four of them, angered over the loss of their friends and at having been turned into weapons against their wills, turned on their creators. They ravaged the facility and broke free, with only one goal in mind: to make the ones responsible pay. There were only four of them, though – they definitely wouldn't be able to overthrow the current government by themselves.

So, they formulated a plan: they would create their own army of hybrids, and would become unstoppable.

They'd started by kidnapping unsuspecting homeless people, loners, and travelers – and such was the fate of Chan, Changbin, and Jisung. Each bitten by one of the four hybrids, and locked for days into a room that mimicked the effects of the Blood Moon, they managed to survive the change, but became almost mindless slaves to the older hybrids.

Not all survived, of course, but those who did were forced to follow the leadership of the four older hybrids, who had all presented as alphas. The others couldn't disobey without suffering greatly and, eventually, their minds broke and they became no better than feral pets.

After a few months, they decided it was time to make their first big move. It just so happened that Chan's and the other's hometown was secluded enough for it to work and, no longer in control of themselves, the trio had had no choice but to play along while their alphas put their plan into motion.

And so, when the Blood Moon occurred, all of the hybrids who'd been hiding in the surrounding forest shifted into their wolf skins and went on a rampage in the town. Their mission was to bite as many people as possible, and kill those who put up a fight. It was an absolute bloodbath, and many died that night.

Felix's parents were amongst the unfortunate victims, but Felix himself survived.

Chan, in one rare moment of lucidity, had managed to lock him up in the attic – and, when the massacre began, Felix instantly stopped calling for help, understanding with no little amount of dread that staying hidden was his best chance at getting out of this alive. So, he'd curled up in the corner and hid under a bunch of old blankets, muffling his cries and keeping his hands pressed tightly against his ears to try and block out the screams and pleads for help of everyone he'd ever known and cared about.

Unfortunately, when morning came and the door of the attic was unlocked, it wasn't Chan who came in – it was Minhyuk.

"What a disobedient mutt, hiding you away. Did he really think I wouldn't find you?"

Minhyuk had been looking for Felix all night, determined to sink his fangs into the boy and claim him as his – but, because of Chan's little stunt, he hadn't been able to find him in time, and the Blood Moon had passed. He could still bite the boy and try to turn him, but his chances of survival wouldn't be as great without the Blood Moon's influence.

(What Felix didn't know at the time, and only learned later, was that Minhyuk had imprinted on him the moment they met. The hybrid was highly unstable, and firmly believed Felix to be his mate, meaning he wasn't going to let him escape any time soon – not even in death.)

Those who survived the massacre underwent the forced change. Many died throughout the process, be it because of the incredible amount of pain, or because their bodies simply weren't suited to host the lycanthropy gene, and a few even ended up killing themselves to make the agony stop.

(Chan, Changbin, and Jisung all presented as alphas sometime during the process. Even with their new dynamic, however, they weren't strong enough to counter their pack alphas' control and influence.)

As for Felix, well, he was locked away in what basically became Minhyuk's room. The man had claimed an entire house for himself, and Felix wasn't allowed to step a single foot outside "their" room. Even if he couldn't be controlled by his alpha voice and pheromones, he was definitely too weak to fight back – and, once Minhyuk started using his friends and his brother against him, he had no choice but to give in.

Minhyuk was waiting for the next Blood Moon to happen so he could turn Felix and thus properly claim him as his mate, for good. Since a Blood Moon only happened once every six months, though, he had no choice but to wait – but it didn't mean Felix was safe.

(Felix didn't go into the details of what he'd had to endure at Minhyuk's hands, while relating his story. There were a lot of things he simply couldn't remember, his mind locking away the trauma because it was simply too much to bear, and the rest... the rest, he simply didn't want to think about anymore.)

He wasn't allowed to see his friends or his brother. The only person he ever saw was Minhyuk and, occasionally, one of his fellow pack alphas – though they weren't allowed to interact with him, and Felix was too scared to disobey Minhyuk, so he ignored them and kept his mouth shut whenever they visited.

One thing that really annoyed the older hybrids was that, so far, only those who presented as alphas fully survived the change. A beta made it on the occasion, too, but the rare few who survived long enough to present as omegas usually died shortly after. The issue with that situation was that alphas were naturally more confrontational and, as such, it could be quite hard to reign them in at times.

Tensions were running high, and conflict broke out more often. Things became even harder when Changsub, one of the pack alphas, was killed by a newly presented alpha that had gone completely feral.

Needless to say, Minhyuk was pissed – and he took it out on Felix.

When the Blood Moon finally came around again, Minhyuk wasn't gentle in any way. He took Felix in every sense of the word, breaking him down over and over again, forcing him to submit and acknowledge him as his alpha before eventually biting his side, thus initiating the change. However, too impatient and frustrated, he barely waited a day before laying a claiming mark on Felix's neck – and that's when the younger finally snapped.

Felix's mental state was already pretty fragile because of the constant abuse Minhyuk put him through and, with the mating mark now completely messing up a biological and psychological change that had barely even started, it really shouldn't have come as a surprise when his mind caved in and his most primal instincts took over.

Turning completely feral, Felix managed to hurt Minhyuk and escaped the house. He ran, soon disappearing into the forest, and only running faster when howls echoed behind him, signaling the beginning of the hunt. He ran and ran, until he eventually reached a waterfall – and between Minhyuk and potential death, the choice was easily made.

He jumped, and that's when the last of his human side crumbled away, letting the animal inside completely take over.

(Felix couldn't remember anything after that, and he seriously wasn't sure if he actually wanted to. It was already hard enough to wrap his head around the fact that he'd somehow survived the changing process so far, and he really didn't want to know what he'd done while his animal side was in control.)

All Felix could remember was the sense of danger, the need to run, the need to find safety – and that's exactly what he'd found, now.

.

"We can't make him leave."

Surprisingly, it was San who spoke up first. Frankly, Minho had expected him to be the most reluctant about letting a human – a hybrid – stay with them, but it looked like he'd grown attached to the boy just as much as the rest of them. Though, after hearing his story, it really shouldn't be such a surprise.

Felix had already suffered enough. He'd lost a home once – it was about time he was given a new one.

"This has to be an unanimous decision," announced firmly Minho, worry churning in his guts. "All in favor of Felix staying with us?"

After a moment of stillness, Jeongin and Wooyoung raised their hands, along with San. Then, Seonghwa, Yeosang, and Yunho did the same. Distinctly relieved, Minho also raised his hand, thus cementing the pack's decision: Felix was going to stay with them.

"I'll go give him the news," he announced, offering them a small smile. "Jeongin, Seonghwa, Yunho, can the three of you go to the human market? We're going to need some clothes and extra supplies for him. San, Yeosang, Wooyoung, you three are in charge of finding dinner."

"Yes, sir!" they all chorused.

They all laughed a bit, quickly splitting up. They were obviously in high spirits, glad about how the situation with the rogue had turned out, and apparently excited to add a new wolf to the pack. As they quickly dispersed, Minho returned inside the cave, where Felix was anxiously waiting for them to come to a decision.

He tensed up when Minho approached, his eyes somewhat dull. There was so much pain and loneliness in them...

The alpha crouched beside him, gently patting his head. "Rest easy, little one – you're not going anywhere."

At that, any tension left in Felix snapped, and the boy let out a strangled sob, instantly slapping his hands over his mouth to try and muffle it. The tears started falling again, tears of relief, and he eventually threw himself in Minho's arms.

"Thank you," he sobbed, clinging to him tightly. "Thank you, thank you...!"

"Everything will be fine," simply replied Minho, nuzzling his forehead. "You don't have to run anymore, pup. You're safe, now. You're home."

Felix only cried harder at that, and Minho simply kept on holding him.

.

Wooyoung nudged San, amused. "Look, look!"

A tad confused, the alpha did as told and looked in the direction Wooyoung was pointing at... only to snicker as he realized what was happening.

It was now a few weeks after they'd welcomed Felix into their midst. The freckled boy had started regaining his strength, and had taken to following Minho... well, everywhere. He trailed after the older alpha like a little duckling, staying just far enough that he wouldn't be in the way, but also close enough to reach him quickly if need be.

Not only did he follow Minho all the time, but he'd also taken to instinctively mimicking everything he did. If Minho raised an arm, Felix raised an arm. If Minho started running, Felix started running. If Minho crouched to examine a trail, Felix also crouched down and examined it, even though he had no clue of what he was looking for.

It was almost painfully endearing, and the others always had a fun time teasing their pack alpha about it. Minho had always been a little rough around the edges but, whenever Felix was involved, his tough persona seemed to melt like snow under the sun.

Though, he wasn't the only one soft for their new addition.

Seonghwa had grown just as protective of the pup, if not more. They'd often joked in the past about him being a mama bear but, with Felix, his protective urges were taken to a whole new level – he'd fuss over the smallest scrape, and always urged him to eat more even when he was already full. Any of them would have grown annoyed at being babied constantly, but Felix seemed to take comfort in it. After so many months of abuse, he took great solace in being cared for so genuinely, and the mere fact that he let Seonghwa baby him to his heart's content only brought the two closer.

Then, there were San and Wooyoung. Though the pair had officially mated, they were kind of in an open relationship with their fellow packmates (there wasn't really a way to define or label it. Labeling relationships was such a human thing, they didn't really get it. The entire pack cared about each other greatly and they definitely loved each other, and that was all that mattered to them). As such, it didn't take them long to extend their need for skinship with the freckled boy.

Felix flinched every time someone moved too hastily or touched him without warning but, at the same time, he craved physical affection. The slightest head pat made him flush with contentment, and he always clung tightly to whoever he cuddled with, as if believing they'd disappear the moment he let go.

Wooyoung, alongside Minho, was the one with whom Felix grew the most comfortable the fastest. It probably had something to do with him being an omega and, as such, his scent completely differed from that of an alpha. Even if Felix hadn't been a wolf when he was with Minhyuk, he'd still been subjected to his pheromones, so the boy had instinctively deemed Wooyoung's omega scent as safe, like Minho's.

As for San, well, he liked anything his mate liked, and he couldn't help but feel drawn to the freckled boy, often taken with the urge to just hug him to try and take all of his pain away. More often than not, he would join Wooyoung and Felix when he found the pair cuddling together.

("They're so cute! My heart can't take it!" he'd said once, a tad over-dramatically.)

Yunho and Yeosang had volunteered to start teaching Felix basic wolf things. The freckled boy already felt a little bad about monopolizing Minho's time so much so, whenever he had a question, he went to one of the two betas for an answer. They were patient with him, and also a lot more in control of their own instincts, and Felix felt safe with them – not just physically, but also emotionally.

Whenever Felix breached the subject of what he'd gone through, the alphas would either grow angry on his behalf, or even more protective, if possible, while Wooyoung would become incredibly saddened and distressed. And, while Felix appreciated their empathy, there was no denying that sometimes, when he was already overwhelmed with his own emotions, it was easier to confide in the two betas knowing they wouldn't add to his emotional burden.

Finally, Jeongin was the one who'd taken it upon himself to make Felix truly feel at home, so to speak. He encouraged Felix to slowly separate from Minho so he could start becoming more independent, playing with him and taking his mind off his painful memories whenever they surged up without warning. If Felix grew depressed, then Jeongin was usually the only one capable of making him smile again. He knew when to offer comfort, and when to offer a distraction, and he was probably the first one Felix consciously acknowledged as "friend".

All in all, the pack was absolutely smitten with Felix, and they'd already long since passed the point where they'd be okay if the boy left them. They wanted him to stay with them forever, and they would do their best to convince him to officially join their pack after he presented, though they had no clue of when that would happen.

.

"Felix? What's wrong sweetheart?"

"My neck itches so bad..." he groaned, scratching at the skin with enough force to leave deep, red marks into it.

Seonghwa frowned a bit. "Let me see."

He tilted Felix's head to the side, gently palming at the irritated skin, and it didn't take long for him to notice a very small lump located at the base of his neck. Checking the other side, he found a similar lump forming there, too.

"I think your scent glands are breaking out, baby," he sighed, relieved it wasn't anything bad. "Come on, Yeosang should have some lotion for this."

Scent glands were usually a part of a wolf from the moment they were born, but they only really "broke out" once the wolf presented. When that happened, though, the itch could become almost unbearable, and many pups accidentally hurt themselves while scratching at their neck.

Thankfully, they'd long since developed a lotion to reduce the itchiness and, from how big his scent glands already were, Seonghwa could tell he was only a few days away from presenting, now. He was quick to lather the boy's neck with the soothing lotion, gently massaging it into the irritated skin for better effect, and the boy almost instantly went boneless in his hold, a soft rumble almost akin to a purr soon escaping him.

.

Unfortunately, the more they used the lotion, the less effective it became. And, in addition to the natural itchiness caused by the growing scent glands, Felix's neck developed a pretty bad case of rash because of how much he kept on rubbing against it.

So, they had to resort to more... definite methods.

"It's not funny," whined Felix, whacking Wooyoung's arm.

The omega simply kept on laughing, leaning against Jeongin so he wouldn't fall, and the alpha wasn't in a better state. Yeosang and San were also snickering, while Yunho tried to his best to hide his smile, but failed miserably.

"Hwa, they're being mean!" pouted Felix.

"I'm sorry, baby – but it is a little funny," admitted the red-haired man, pressing a kiss to his temple in apology.

Felix's pout melted away at the show of affection, instinctively leaning a little more into it, before remembering the alpha was the reason why the others were laughing at him in the first place. With a huff, Felix got up and went to sit next to Minho instead. Plopping on the ground, he glared at his hands, which were now stuck in large mittens he couldn't take off even if he tried.

It was really inconvenient, because he couldn't scratch his neck wearing those – which, obviously, was the point, but it didn't make Felix any better about it. Also, they looked riddiculous.

"Come here, pup," chuckled Minho, spreading his legs a bit and patting the floor between them.

He didn't need to tell Felix twice. If he could have a tail while in his human form, it'd surely be wagging happily as he quickly settled down in front of Minho, happily leaning back against his chest as the older wrapped his arms around him.

"It hurts," he mumbled, sinking a little more into the man's warmth.

"I know, baby. Can I try something?"

"Mm-mm."

Felix had no idea of what Minho was talking about, but he trusted the alpha. He was a little surprised when Minho suddenly started lapping at his neck, directly over his left scent gland, but he quickly relaxed as he realized the gentle ministrations seemed to soothe the itchiness and irritation.

Once he was done with the left side, Minho moved on to the right side, and Felix's head started to bob as the mix of the alpha's scent and his ministrations made him partially slip into a headspace. At that point, the others had stopped laughing and were chatting in low tones so as not to disturb them, obviously taking pity on him.

They all distinctly remembered their own presentation – it wasn't agreeable in the slightest, and they would do their best to help Felix through it.

(There was also the lingering anxiousness that he wouldn't make it. If Felix didn't present as an alpha, then his chances of survival didn't look good. Though none of them mentioned it, not wanting to stress the boy out even more, they were all painfully aware that the next weeks would mark a decisive turn in Felix's new life as a wolf.)

.

In the next few days, Felix started growing clingier to everyone. He'd latch onto the nearest person and cling to them for as long as they'd let him, and then he'd move onto his next victim. While it wasn't unusual for him to seek physical attention, since he was so touch-starved, it was still a little worrying.

Clinginess in the days preceding a wolf's presentation was one of the first indications that they would present as an omega – and, obviously, that didn't bode well for Felix.

Not only did he become clingier, but he started showing clear signs of submission. He bared his neck the moment an alpha approached him, he laid on his back whenever he went to sleep next to one of them, and he was quicker to lose himself in a headspace the moment he scented one of them.

And then, after about four days of the same routine, Felix woke up incredibly weak and feverish, with small, bleeding scratches all over his neck because he'd somehow managed to rip off the mittens in his desperate need to alleviate the itch, and a mix of blood and clear fluid was now drying on his skin.

His scent glands had broken out during the night, and he'd presented as an omega.

When a wolf presented as an alpha, they often went feral and had to be reminded of the current pack dynamic – much like what Minho had done with Felix, or at least had been planning to do to snap him back to his senses. They became moodier and were quicker to lose their temper, and often challenged the other wolves to establish dominance and try to secure their spot in the shifting pack dynamics.

Presenting as a beta was way less trouble for the pack, in the sense that it didn't affect their biology too badly. They were the middle of the hierarchy, the ones meant to provide support in any way they could. They were the ones the rest of the pack relied on for balance and assistance. So, their scents were milder, less overwhelming, and their presentation usually ended at that.

If presenting as an alpha was the most troublesome for the pack, however, presenting as an omega was the most troublesome for the individual. The need to submit, to belong, occupied their every thought and plunged them deep into headspace – which usually triggered their first heat at the same time. They needed to be taken care of, to be reassured constantly and, most importantly, they needed to be protected.

An omega in heat could drive any unmated wolf mad with their instincts. However, an omega couldn't be marked during their first heat – it'd disrupt a dynamic that had yet to settle properly, much like a premature mate mark would (the way it happened with Minhyuk, in fact). As such, it was usually the job of the other omegas and betas of the pack to keep the alphas away while the presenting omega underwent their first heat – which wasn't easy for anyone, since alphas grew restless and more agitated, and the presenting omega would keep on begging for an alpha's touch and comfort.

Considering Felix's usual personality, and also the numerous displays of clinginess and submission, the pack had expected with no little amount of dread that he would ultimately present as an omega. As such, when his scent glands broke out and it triggered his heat, they were ready. 

Yeosang and Wooyoung took him to the smaller alcove deeper inside the cave, where Wooyoung usually spent his own heats, since it was the most easily protected part of their den. In the meantime, Yunho kept a careful eye on the alphas, ensuring none of them would follow.

They had good self-control, but that meant nothing when an omega in heat was involved.

Jeongin, the youngest alpha, was quick to leave the cave altogether, knowing he would only cause trouble if he stayed any longer. San was quick to follow him, both to keep an eye on him and to ensure himself wouldn't lose control, either. Minho and Seonghwa, however, wouldn't budge as easily.

Beyond being instinctively drawn to an omega in heat, their protective urges won out – they wouldn't step a single foot out of that cave while one of their own was so vulnerable and, considering their preexisting bonds with Felix, it was no wonder that their need to protect him was much stronger than their basic, primal urge to breed the omega.

Back with said omega, Wooyoung and Yeosang were now trying their best to make sure he was as comfortable as possible. His body would be incredibly sensitive to any outside stimulus, and he'd already slipped into a headspace, meaning he might hurt himself by accident if they didn't keep a careful eye on him.

"Alpha, alpha," he begged, tears streaming down his face as he writhed on the soft mount of blankets and pillows. "Please, need alpha, please...!"

"Shh, it's okay Lixie, you're going to be okay," soothed Wooyoung, gently kissing his tears away. "We're gonna take care of you, it's okay."

Since they'd been dreading this turn of event, they had had to have a serious talk about boundaries while Felix was still lucid enough to set them. He would have an easier time getting through his heat if Wooyoung, Yeosang, or Yunho satisfied his sexual urges but, considering his traumatic experience with Minhyuk, they didn't want to do anything he didn't want.

However, Felix trusted them. At that point, he was almost desperate to just believe he'd found people who genuinely cared about him, and the hell he'd endured at Minhyuk's hands had only reinforced that need. He hadn't listened to his instincts before, when they told him something was wrong with Minhyuk, his brother, and everyone else, but he wasn't going to make that same mistake.

His instincts told him to trust Minho and his pack – so, he did.

He was only truly comfortable to fully trust his body with Wooyoung, since he was also an omega. However, he wasn't against the betas helping him should Wooyoung be too tired or unavailable – though he'd rather they avoid it, if possible.

Though, with how far gone he was already, it's not like he'd notice.

"Want your pups," slurred Felix, his eyes rolling back as Wooyoung thrusted sharply into him. "Please, want your knot, please..."

"Doing so good baby," murmured his fellow omega, kissing his inflamed scent gland. "You're so good, taking me so well."

Praises went a long way for any omega, but they were even more vulnerable to those when in their headspace. They needed constant reassurance, and Wooyoung was more than happy to provide it. While he usually helped the alphas with their ruts, it was the first time he got to actively take care someone else.

It was an almost addicting feeling, to have someone relying on him so much when he was usually the one who had to rely on everyone else.

"Close, I'm close...!"

"You're good baby, go ahead," urged Wooyoung, going faster.

Hoping it'd bring Felix some relief faster, the omega gently bit down on the boy's shoulder, not enough to pierce the skin, but enough to mimic the pressure of a mating bite – and that set Felix, pushing him over the edge in an instant. He cried out, loud and sweet, as Wooyoung kept on thrusting into him, focusing more on pleasing his partner than chasing his own pleasure.

He had a knot, like the others, but it certainly wasn't as big as an alpha – however, since Felix's heat was just starting, it would work on satisfying him for a bit. It was definitely enough to get him through the first wave, at the very least, and Wooyoung laid down on his side, holding Felix close and gently scenting him. 

Felix's newly developed scent was almost enough to send him in a headspace of his own. It was a little hard to describe, like a mix of honey glaze, freshly fallen snow, and summer sunspots – warm, sweet, and homely. He started scenting him a little harder, seeking more of his scent, but a small whimper instantly made him stop.

Right, his scent glands had just broken out – they'd be sensitive for a while.

"Lixie?" he called out softly.

Pulling away a bit to take a better look at his face – though he couldn't go far considering how tangled their legs were, and how they were quite literally stuck together at the moment – and found the boy's eyes half-lidded, visibly fighting sleep, but lucid.

"Hey, baby," murmured Wooyoung, pushing some of the hair out of his face. "How do you feel? Was it okay? Do you need anything?"

Felix shook his head, wrapping his arms around Wooyoung and nuzzling his chest for a bit. After a few seconds of comfortable silence, Wooyoung realized that Felix was crying again.

"Lixie? Felix, what's wrong, baby?"

"I'm scared," choked out the younger, clinging to him a little tighter. "This- this means I'm an- an omega, right? But I don't- I don't want to die...! I don't- I don't want to leave, I only- I only just found you guys...! Please, I don't want to go...!"

"You're not going anywhere, love," assured firmly Wooyoung, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "We've got you, and you're going to be just fine, I promise. You'll get through your heat, and then you'll join the pack for good, and then we'll all be happy together."

"You can't- you can't promise that," sniffled Felix.

He really couldn't. And yet, something told Wooyoung that he was right.

"You're not going anywhere," he simply repeated, tucking the boy's head into the crook of his neck and releasing some soothing pheromones. "We're not letting you go, Lix. You're one of us, now, and you're safe – that, I can promise."

Felix let out a small sob for only answer, and Wooyoung simply kept on rubbing his head, trying to keep him grounded for a little longer. As if on cue, Yeosang came in, carrying a tray of food and a glass of water.

"You need to eat and drink something, Lix," he urged gently. "Come on, open up."

Felix whined a bit, too exhausted to move but, with the help of the beta and his fellow omega, he managed to drink the entire glass of water and take a few bites of bread and cheese. He needed to try and regain his strength in-between the waves of his heat, since those would be the only times he'd be lucid enough to do so. 

It was a little hard, considering his current position but, after eating and drinking as much as he could, Felix finally dropped back down, his eyes closing by themselves. He didn't have much time left until the next wave, so they'd let him rest for now.

Wooyoung's knot went down, and he carefully pulled out of Felix, though he still kept on holding him just as tightly. Yeosang used that opportunity to carefully clean the freckled boy's neck and his brand-new scent glands – they were popping out right now, as they always did for any omega in heat, but they'd retract as soon as it was over.

And then, Felix started whimpering again, his body already starting to grow hotter and hotter by the second with sweat breaking out all over his skin and his sweet, enticing scent quickly permeating the air again. Yeosang patted Wooyoung on the back before exiting the alcove, leaving the two of them some privacy.

"Alpha... alpha...!" cried out Felix, not even conscious, but already prey to his headspace.

"Shh, I've got you, it's going to be fine—"

"No, no...! Want- want alpha! Alpha...!"

This... was going to be a long week.

.

It was a long week, indeed – for everyone, really.

Felix and Wooyoung were passably exhausted, one from his heat and the other from helping him through it. Yeosang and Yunho had been splitting their time between keeping the alphas at bay, taking care of the two omegas, and ensuring Felix's health wasn't deteriorating throughout it all. Finally, the alphas were also tired from constantly staying away from the den and fighting their instincts to go to Felix's side and, in an attempt to have better control, they'd tired themselves out with long hunts or races in the wild.

When Felix's heat finally came to an end, exactly nine days after it began, the alphas were more than happy to take back control, so to speak. Yeosang and Yunho were forcibly dragged to bed to get some much-needed rest by Jeongin and Seonghwa, while San and Minho picked up the two omegas so they could take them to the small river nearby – as amazing as they smelled, they could definitely use a nice wash.

The two boys were barely even conscious, all too content to let the alphas take care of them. They were quickly stripped and lowered into the lukewarm water, and San and Minho couldn't help but scent them as they helped them clean up – being separated from their omegas for so long had definitely triggered their instincts, and they wouldn't leave their side for a week, at the very least.

"Minho..." The alpha hummed in answer as Felix's hand fell over his, cradling it against his cheek as their eyes met. "I- I'm going to be okay, right...?"

Minho's heart clenched painfully in answer to the genuine fear in the boy's eyes, and he promptly leaned down to kiss his forehead, hoping Felix hadn't noticed how his eyes reflected those same feelings.

"You will," he assured softly. "Just close your eyes and let alpha take care of you, now."

With a tired sigh, Felix let his eyes flutter shut, leaning completely into the older, and Minho was once again struck with just how much faith Felix had in him. It felt amazing and, at the same time, absolutely terrifying.

He couldn't let Felix down – he wouldn't.

"Alright, I think we all deserve some rest, now," remarked San, carefully picking Wooyoung out of the water and wrapping a large towel around him.

With a nod, Minho did the same with Felix, who only appeared even tinier when so defenseless and vulnerable in the alpha's hold.

How could anyone harm someone so innocent? He thought sadly.

As he and San carried the omegas back to the den, he idly wondered if, had circumstances been different, they would have still befriended Felix – if the boy had still been human, would they have accepted him all the same? Sought to help him? Or would they have been blinded by their hate for humans as a whole?

In the end, monsters are monsters, he concluded, a tad somberly. And innocents will always get hurt by them, no matter their kind.

Leaving the somber thoughts to be dwelled upon on another day, Minho brought Felix back inside the den, with San and Wooyoung right behind them. They found the rest of the pack already huddled together, Yunho and Yeosang deeply asleep. Jeongin and Seonghwa moved a bit to make more room, and the last four wolves were quick to join their packmates.

The moment they laid down, Felix shifted so his face could rest against Minho's neck, lazily rubbing his nose all over his scent gland.

"You smell good," he mumbled. "Have you always smelled this good...?"

Minho chuckled, gently rubbing his nose over Felix's scent gland a few times. "You smell good too, baby."

Felix offered him a small grin, though he didn't have the strength to even open his eyes and, with a soft huff, he went lax in Minho's arms. Chuckling some more, Minho then quickly did a headcount. Once certain his pack was complete and safe, he let himself drift to sleep, finally able to rest at ease for the first time since Felix's heat started.

.

Much to everyone's great joy and relief, Felix's health didn't deteriorate – if anything, he grew even healthier than he was before. The mate mark Minhyuk had imposed on him was all but gone, only very pale dents left in the soft skin, and he had a lot more energy to spare. Finally presenting seemed to have brought balance to Felix's body and mind – a successful, complete change. Frankly, at that point, any wolf that came across him wouldn't even suspect he'd once been fully human.

With his increasing health came increasing hope. As soon as Felix realized that, unlike the other hybrids who'd presented as omega, he wasn't wasting away or dying, he quickly regained motivation and a marked eagerness to experience everything.

He was no longer the scared, half-pup they'd stumbled across so many months ago. He was now a fully grown wolf, healthy and happy. He was always the first to wake up in the mornings, and the last to go to sleep. He often dragged Jeongin or Wooyoung into his explorations, and he was overjoyed when he was finally allowed to join their hunts.

And yet, even if Felix started growing more independent, some things simply didn't change. As eager, curious, and full of life as he'd become, at the end of the day, he always returned to his packmates' sides seeking affection and comfort. He was still a mighty cuddle-bug, he still let Seonghwa baby him, he still clung to Minho almost every night – in summary, even as a fully grown wolf, he was still pretty much their little pup.

They were happy, to see him bloom so beautifully. His smile grew a little bigger and brighter every day, and his nightmares became scarcer. He no longer flinched away from unexpected physical contact, and he'd even started taking great pleasure in the shift that occurred every full moon (not the pain accompanying it, of course, but he always enjoyed getting to run around in his wolf skin, and he had a pretty high pain tolerance, too – nothing could be worse than the first shift, anyway).

All in all... life was pretty good, now.

"Careful, boys! No teeth!" warned Seonghwa.

Jeongin and Felix pretty much ignored him, still playfully wrestling on the ground a little further away. They often got into playfights, nipping each other's ears and chins as they tried to make the other submit. Normally, Jeongin would naturally have the upper hand since, as an alpha, he was physically stronger – however, even as an omega, Felix was still a hybrid, which meant they were pretty much even in terms of physical strength.

With a playful growl, Jeongin managed to flip them over and pinned Felix to the ground, straddling his back, with the freckled boy wriggling and squirming to try and free himself, heavy pants with giggles escaping him nonstop and making it a little hard to breathe.

"Say it," Jeongin ordered with a victorious grin, nuzzling the back of Felix's head. "Say 'You're the best, Innie'."

"No...!"

After squirming some more, however, Felix had to come to an understanding: he well and truly lost this round. With a tired huff, he let his cheek rest on the ground, peering back to glance at his packmate.

"Fine," he groaned. "You're the best, Innie~."

"Hmm... Not good enough."

"Innie!" whined Felix.

Still laughing, Jeongin moved to nuzzle his neck – and that's when he caught Felix's scent, so sweet and enticing it made his head spin. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd scented Felix but, with the adrenaline currently running through his veins, and the position they were in, Jeongin's instincts suddenly went overdrive. He growled again, a little lower than before. Felix was still whining and giggling, begging for him to let go – and then he called him alpha, and Jeongin snapped.

He started scenting him with much more fervor, Felix's struggles becoming weaker by the second as Jeongin's sudden increase of pheromones sent him spiraling into a headspace. A softer whine escaped him as Jeongin started licking one of his scent glands, and that's when the rest of their packmates finally realized something was wrong.

"Jeongin!"

San, Seonghwa, and Yunho were on him in an instant. They forcibly pulled him off the now motionless omega and, a tad too far gone at the moment, Jeongin started violently struggling against them and growling threateningly. Minho quickly came to pick up Felix, while Yeosang stayed by Wooyoung's side in case Jeongin's focus shifted.

Minho gritted his teeth upon noticing the glazed-over look in Felix's eyes – the omega was definitely in a headspace right now.

"My omega!" growled Jeongin, his pupils dilated, and his scent – oh, that's what's happening.

"He's going into rut," warned San, growling low in his throat when Jeongin offered a particularly threatening snarl. "Take Felix away for now, help him clear his head – we'll handle things here."

With a nod, Minho quickly made his escape, taking Felix with him – the faster they separated him from Jeongin, the easier it'd be for the young alpha to regain control. It wasn't Jeongin's fault, really – while alphas could usually stay fairly lucid during their ruts, an unmated omega was just too sweet a treat to pass up.

"Ugh... what happened..." mumbled Felix, his head lolling on the side, still not strong enough to hold it upright.

"Jeongin's rut just started. Are you alright?" softly asked Minho as they reached the river.

"Mmm, I'm fine... Felt nice..."

Minho heaved out a small sigh of relief. Had this incident occurred a few months earlier, Felix would have surely undergone a subdrop but, as it was, he trusted Jeongin enough to feel safe with him even when he lost control like that.

Minho sat down, placing Felix on his lap and cradling him against his chest as they let their feet dip in the water. The refreshing coolness of it and the small, rhythmic current helped in grounding Felix faster and, after a few minutes of comfortable silence, he finally regained enough strength to sit on his own.

Still, he didn't move – Minho's lap was too comfortable for that.

"How long does a rut last?" he asked curiously.

"Between two and three days, usually. It's not as intense as an omega's heat, though – we're still mostly lucid for pretty much all of it, and there's more time between each wave, even more so when we're accompanied by an omega."

"Will I.... will I still be able to live in the den in the meantime?"

"Don't worry, Wooyoung is there, so Jeongin shouldn't come after you again – though, you should avoid getting close to him in the meantime. If he catches your scent, his instincts might go into overdrive again."

"And why... why can't I help him, too?" asked Felix, now a tad hesitant. "I- I mean, I'm an omega too, right? So shouldn't- shouldn't I help like Wooyoung does...?"

"Just because you're an omega doesn't mean you're obligated to help any of us through our ruts," replied firmly Minho. "If you genuinely want to participate, we do need to have a serious conversation about it first – and with how deep into headspace you were earlier, that obviously wouldn't have happened."

"And how- how would it work?"

"Well... First thing first, you'd need to mate with one of us. That'll help regulate your scent, and also your heats. Once you're officially mated, it'll be harder for you to slip into a pheromone-induced headspace caused by an alpha that isn't your mate. With that being said, normally, omegas become rather dependent of their mate – which means that you most likely won't be able to spend your heats with anyone who isn't your mate – and alphas become rather possessive – so you wouldn't be able to help the others with their ruts."

"But... Wooyoung and San are mates, aren't they...?"

"That's why I said normally, pup," replied Minho, teasingly flicking his nose. "Our pack is a little unusual. Since we all have such a deep bond between each other, we're capable of overcoming our most basic instincts and find solace in every member. Unlike most wolves, we're capable of sharing – though, at the end of the day, a mate bond will always be a little more special, of course."

"And who..." Felix gulped, hesitantly looking up to meet his eyes. "Who would be my mate, then?"

"I daresay that'd be up to you. It's an important decision, because wolves mate for life. Both wolves involved need to be absolutely certain. But you're not in a rush, baby – you can take as much time as you want to choose. Though, with that being said, you don't have to choose. It'd make things a little easier for you, of course, but none of us would ever force you to mate. I'm sure anyone would be happy if you picked them, though—"

"And you?" cut Felix, tad breathless. "Would you be happy if- if I picked you?"

It was, most assuredly, the boldest thing Felix had ever said in his life. It was already too late to back out now, though, so he simply kept his gaze locked with Minho's, anxiously waiting for his answer. For the first time since they'd met, Minho looked genuinely taken aback. Felix would have probably laughed at his dumbstruck expression, had those been different circumstances. As it was, though, it only made his anxiousness grow tenfold.

"For- forget I said anything," he blurted out, the heat of shame creeping up his face as he moved to get up. "I'm- I'm sorry, forget it—ack!"

He was abruptly pulled back into Minho's lap, his back now pressed flush against the alpha's. His blush only darkened as the older wolf pressed his forehead against his shoulder, heaving out a shuddering breath.

"You can't just say stuff like that," he grumbled.

"Mi- Minho...?"

"It'd make me ridiculously happy, Felix." Time seemed to stop, but then Minho sighed again. "But this is just the imprint talking. Your instincts are all messed up because of it, you need more time to bond with the others—"

Felix instantly spun around, straddling Minho's lap. The alpha's hands instantly went to his waist to steady him, while Felix cradled his face, forcing their eyes to meet.

"Look at me in the eyes, and tell me the love I feel for you isn't real," he whispered, his voice breaking a little at the end.

And Minho... Minho couldn't. Because he could see it all in Felix's eyes, always so wide and expressive, practically an open book. Frankly, the alpha had been grasping at straws, but he knew the imprinting had long since passed – Felix was no longer a pup, after all, and so he didn't need Minho to look after him anymore.

And yet, he still wanted him to.

"Felix..."

"Alpha, please..."

That broke the last of Minho's defenses and, without thinking, he surged forward and pressed his lips against Felix's. The omega let out a sharp gasp but, as soon as the shock of the moment passed, he started kissing him back with an almost desperate strength. Minho's hold on his waist tightened as the older pulled him even closer, deepening the kiss, and Felix let out a small moan, instantly submitting to him.

The omega tasted like wild berries and mountain breezes and sunshine. Warmth spread in Minho's heart like it did every time Felix was with him, except this time the feeling was so strong he almost drowned in it – and gods, what a good way to go that would be.

When they finally pulled away, panting hard and eyes closed, Minho pressed their foreheads together.

"I love you too, Lix," he murmured, his lips pulling up into a smile as the younger started nuzzling his face. "And I would be honored to become your mate."

For only answer, Felix simply kissed him again, all sweet and perfect and demanding affection, and Minho was all too happy to indulge him.

.

They waited for Jeongin's rut to pass, which took almost three full days, and then they announced their intention to mate to the rest of the group. San had grumbled a bit about favoritism, though there'd been no real bite to it, but Felix had assured him and all the others – with a lot of blushing and stammering – that he loved them all equally.

That night, they all slept in a big cuddle pile.

After that, everyone instantly became a lot more open with skinship. They'd always indulged him whenever he asked for hugs or cuddles but now, they added kissing and gentle touches to the entire ordeal.

San was the first to kiss him after Minho (and Wooyoung, and also Yeosang, technically, since they'd been the most involved in his first heat), and Jeongin was quick to follow. Then, Yunho's turn came and, eventually, Felix had to initiate it with Seonghwa because as much as he enjoyed being babied by the older, he was still very much a full-grown wolf who wanted nothing more than to develop their relationship further – and Seonghwa had happily agreed once Felix made his intentions clear.

It was... nice.

It was a little weird, to figure out how the whole... romantic, side of the pack's dynamic functioned. There weren't any definite labels for it, because it was a weird mix of friendly, familial, and romantic love that could basically be translated to "I trust all of you and I want to spend the rest of my life by your sides".

Even if it was unfamiliar to him, what with how he used to be human, Felix couldn't deny that he quite liked it – to know there were so many people who loved him and cared for him so deeply.

A few weeks passed, their relationships developing at a steady rhythm, and Felix's growth as a wolf soon reaching its full potential, so to speak. After a thorough examination to ensure he was still in good health, Yunho had concluded that Felix's lycanthropy genes' growth had caught up with that of his body – in other words, everything was as it would have been had Felix been born a wolf in the first place.

As such, it didn't come as much of a surprise when his second heat hit barely a month-and-a-half after his first one. Since he was unmated, still, his heats would happen more frequently, since his biology was instinctively trying to draw potential mate to him for breeding purposes.

(It was possible to claim an omega as a mate outside of an omega's heat, of course, but Minho was sensitive to Felix's past trauma. He didn't want Felix to freak out when he laid his claiming bite, since it'd be practically the same thing as what Minhyuk did to him all those months ago. So, they'd both discussed it and easily came to agree on waiting for Felix's next heat to hit, so he wouldn't be as conscious of what was happening to him during that vulnerable time.)

It was Felix's first heat after his presentation, so it was his first time going through pre-heat. Wooyoung was more than happy to guide him through the steps and explain why he felt certain urges, or why he did some things without thinking, such as nesting, or seeking the alphas' scents in any way, shape, and form possible.

After three days, Felix's heat finally broke, and Minho wasted no time in taking him to the alcove where he'd built his nest. The others had quickly vacated the den, not wanting to be tempted into joining – Minho would lose it if any of them approached Felix while he was claiming him as his mate, it'd take a few weeks for their pack's unusual dynamics to win over his instinctive possessiveness.

Minho made quick work of discarding Felix's clothes, inhaling sharply as the omega's enhanced scent hit him full force. He started nibbling on any expanse of skin he could find as he eased two fingers inside of Felix, the slick making the glide easy. It only took about a minute of Felix weakly pleading for more before Minho pulled out his fingers and promptly replaced them with the real thing.

Felix keened loudly as Minho thrusted into him sharply, the ridges of his shaft rubbing delightfully against his throbbing insides. He needed him closer, deeper, he needed him, he needed Minho, he needed—

"Alpha!" he cried, wrapping his arms around the man's neck, and burrowing his face against his scent gland, inhaling more of his musky scent and pheromones. "Alpha, please! I- I need- I need—!"

"I've got you, baby," murmured Minho, picking up the pace. "So good for alpha, such a perfect omega. Who's my perfect omega?"

Felix's eyes rolled back a bit as Minho's hips grounded against him, reaching even deeper than before. It took him a moment to register what he'd been asked, whimpering as Minho slowed down to playfully nip his earlobe.

"I asked you a question, baby."

"I- I am!" gasped out Felix, his nails digging into Minho's bare back as he started thrusting himself down on the man's length. "I am!"

"That's right." Satisfied, Minho picked up the pace again, making Felix cry out in pleasure, his thighs shaking. "My perfect little omega. Do you want alpha to breed you? Fill you to the brim and make you carry his pups?"

"P- please!"

Felix's moans and gibberish pleads only grew louder as he felt Minho's growing knot now pulling at his rim, stretching him a little more every time. Tears spilled out as he begged for release and, with a growl, Minho snapped his hips forward one last time before his knot popped.

The omega came on the spot and, not wasting a second, Minho leaned down and bit the exact same spot Minhyuk did.

("Are you certain?"

"I want you to erase him from me. Make me yours, Minho.")

His fangs sunk into the offered flesh, Felix's protruding scent gland throbbing against his tongue as he infused his own pheromones within it. He grinded a few more time against the omega as he also came inside of him, Felix shaking and crying as the shock of the mating bite made him come a second time almost immediately. Minho finally retracted his teeth, now gently lapping at the wound to clean it up and soothe the sting. Felix whimpered softly under the soft ministrations, baring his neck even more, completely boneless in Minho's hold.

The alpha eventually pulled back, rolling onto his side, and taking Felix with him, tightening his hold around him. He then proceeded with softly kissing his face, making it his mission to kiss every single freckle he could find, and slowly drawing him out of his headspace. After a few minutes, Felix shifted slightly, moving his head to rub his nose against Minho's neck.

"I love you," he mumbled, a tad drowsily.

Minho smiled at that, kissing his lips. "Love you too, baby."

.

Felix had had to endure a lot in the past year. After months of physical and psychological abuse, he'd literally turned into a mindless beast, and only the kindness of a pack of strangers had managed to save him.

His heart still ached for his family, sometimes, but he'd long since stopped longing for his home – his home was the den, now, with the pack. However, Felix didn't want to linger on the past anymore. He wanted to bask in his newfound happiness and cherish this second chance at life he'd been given.

He was doing a pretty good job of that, too. Now mated, he didn't slip into a headspace as easily, and he was finally, officially inducted into the pack. Readjusting the group's dynamics with his mating to Minho had been startlingly easy and, before long, their bonds became even stronger than before.

As happy as he was now, though, Felix couldn't help but feel on edge.

In two days, a Blood Moon would occur. It'd be the first one since the night Minhyuk turned him, and the second one since his hometown had been massacred, and he already dreaded all of the painful memories it'd unavoidably dredge up. Though, then again, it'd be a full moon, so they'd all shift into their wolf skins, so maybe—

A howl, sharp and loud – a warning. He sprung to his feet in synch with Jeongin and Yeosang, whom he'd been hanging out with in the den to keep an eye on Wooyoung, who was on his third day of pre-heat, and stood to attention. It was Seonghwa who'd howled, but he wasn't saying anything else—

"I found an injured wolf by the river." It was still strange, to hear his packmates' voices in his head. Felix hadn't quite gotten the hang of the trick to communicate that way just yet. "An alpha. He's unconscious and losing a lot of blood, but... I think he's a hybrid. Minho, what do I do?"

"Who's at the den?" asked their pack alpha, out on a hunt with San and Yunho.

"Felix, Jeongin, Wooyoung, and I," answered simply Yeosang.

"Okay. Yeosang, bring some stuff to treat his injuries. Felix, if Seonghwa's right and he's a hybrid, there's a chance it's someone you know. I won't stop you if you wish to go and identify him, but you're not obligated to do anything. You can stay at the den with Jeongin and Wooyoung if you don't want to risk it."

Felix hesitated, then nodded to Jeongin, who offered him a small smile in return.

"He's going," announced the young alpha.

"Alright. Just be careful. We're coming back as quickly as we can."

With their orders received, Yeosang quickly started gathering some medical supplies and, after sharing a brief kiss with Jeongin and Wooyoung – who whined a bit upon seeing his packmates leave – Felix ran ahead to identify the intruder.

Part of him hoped Seonghwa was wrong, that it was just a random wolf and not someone from his past that'd just mess up the new life he'd managed to build for himself, but another part of him was also desperate for some answers.

How is everyone? Who's left? Is Chan okay? Where's Minhyuk? Does he know I'm still alive? What happened while I was gone? Did more people get turned?

The uncertainty had been driving him mad for a little while, now, but it's not like he could risk going back and checking things out himself. So, it was with very mixed feelings that Felix finally made it to the river, easily tracking down Seonghwa's scent until he found the older wolf kneeling beside a prone form, shielding it from view.

"How is he?" he asked, jogging up to them.

"The bleeding's stopped, but the wounds are pretty deep. He probably got into a fight with another wolf. I assume it's a hybrid, because they're claw marks and, well..."

Wolves couldn't merge their human form and their wolf skin. If that man had been injured by a wolf like Seonghwa suspected, it should have happened weeks ago, when the last full moon occurred – but with the freshness of the wounds, that wasn't possible. It could only mean that someone, most probably a hybrid, had managed some sort of partial transformation.

And, when Felix finally took a look at the unknown alpha's face, he instantly understood that such was the case.

"Hyunjin!"

It truly was him. His long, golden hair had been reduced to a messy, soaked lump that barely covered his neck, when it used to reach lower than his shoulders. He was still as handsome as Felix remembered him to be, though his traits were shadowed by dirt, blood, and little scars all over his face.

"You know him, then?"

"We- we used to be friends," admitted Felix, gulping a little. "I didn't- I didn't know if he'd survived the attack, Minhyuk wouldn't let me see anyone, but I'd always hoped... We- we've known each other since childhood. We were practically raised together. I- I'm glad he's okay – somewhat."

"Do you think he's a danger to the pack?"

"... I don't know. I'd like to say for certain that he isn't but, with how the rest of the alphas turned out, there's no way to know until he wakes up."

Seonghwa nodded in understanding and, as if on cue, Yeosang showed up with the medical kit. He instantly got started on treating the four deep gashes in Hyunjin's side, while the alpha communicated with the rest of the pack to keep them updated. Tuning them out, Felix hesitantly reached out to grab Hyunjin's hand.

It'd been almost a year since he'd last seen his friend, let alone touched him, but his hand was as warm as he remembered it to be. Surely, that had to mean something, right?

.

Once Minho arrived at the scene, it was decided that they'd bring Hyunjin back to the den. He and Yunho, Yeosang, San, and Jeongin quickly left after that to secure the perimeter and ensure whoever had injured the alpha wasn't around anymore, while the others settled him down in a smaller, separate alcove further down into the cave. 

Not wanting to risk anything, they'd tied him up. They sincerely hoped he hadn't gone feral, because it'd be much harder to snap him out of it since he'd already presented, and he was also under the command of another alpha.

Felix only relaxed when his mate and the rest of the pack returned safe and sound, assuring they didn't find anyone else. However, even while knowing Minhyuk hadn't found them – found him – he still couldn't rest at ease. There were too many questions and doubts plaguing his mind and, eventually, Minho had to use his pheromones to make him slip into a headspace and lull him to sleep.

He woke up barely a few hours later as mournful cries echoed further down the cave.

Hyunjin's awake!

It didn't take long for the rest of the pack to also wake up. From the sound of it, Hyunjin was still very much in a humane headspace, so that was good. Determined to get some answers, Minho, Seonghwa, and Felix went down to meet with him.

The moment they entered the alcove, Hyunjin's eyes widened in fright.

"Please, please... Don't hurt me, please..."

Felix's heart instantly broke and, not thinking twice, he pushed the two alphas aside to rush to his friend's side. Hyunjin let out a sharp gasp as their eyes met, and Felix promptly knelt beside him, already working on untying his bindings.

"Oh, Hyunjin..." he whispered, feeling a little sick. "What have they done to you...?"

"Felix... Lix, you're alive...!"

The moment Hyunjin was freed, he threw his arms around Felix and pulled him into a tight hug. Two distinct growls instantly echoed in warning behind them, and Hyunjin flinched, immediately retracting his arms. Felix shot a half-glare at his packmates before carefully reaching out, hugging Hyunjin instead.

"I'm alive," he confirmed softly. "I'm okay – more than okay, really."

"You... presented. You're- you're an omega...?"

"Hmm."

"No hybrid who- who presented as an omega made it..." he murmured, a little in awe as his finger brushed against the skin covering one of Felix's scent glands. "And you're... mated? Is that what that bite mark is?"

"Yes, I'm mated. I- I found a pack – or they found me, really. They took care of me. I wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for them."

Hyunjin offered him a weak smile at that. "I'm glad. You deserve to be happy, Lixie. After- after what that monster put you through... I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Lix, I'm so sorry—"

"Shh, none of that. No one could have helped me. I'm just glad to see you alive." Felix finally pulled away, giving him a worried glance. "What happened, Hyunjin? How did you get here?"

"... things are bad, Lix. There's less than forty of us left, and we're all alphas. About half of us are completely gone, and the rest can't do anything against their control. Everyone's so angry all of the time... and- and since there isn't anyone around to help with ruts, alphas just lose control and- and take whoever's too weak to defend themselves..."

It didn't take a genius to notice the tremble in Hyunjin's voice, or the glazed-over expression that took over his face – he'd obviously suffered a great deal, and Felix's heart broke all over again in sympathy. He knew how painful it was to be violated in such a way, and he simply wished his best friend hadn't had to know that pain.

"How did you get away?" asked abruptly Minho.

As much as he empathized with the other alpha, Minho needed to put the safety of his pack first. He didn't know if they could trust Hyunjin, and he certainly didn't know if Minhyuk or any of the instigators of this fucked-up situation were still on his trail.

"I- I did like Lix. Ran- ran into the woods, made it- made it to the waterfalls and- and jumped, hoping for the best. But Peniel- Peniel got me just as I jumped. They can- they can shift their upper limbs, now. It only makes them more dangerous."

"Is there any way they could track you down?" insisted Minho, on edge. "Any—"

Without warning, a howl echoed in the far distance – not one of them.

Hyunjin instantly started shaking again, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry...! I didn't- I didn't mean to bring them here, I didn't think they'd follow me...!"

"Shit!"

Minho rushed out of the alcove, soon followed by Seonghwa. Feeling the panic and wariness rising in the bond he shared with his packmates, Felix also got up – only for Hyunjin to grab his wrist, eyes wide with fear.

"You can't- you can't go out there," he whispered. "If Minhyuk finds you again, he'll never let you go...!"

Felix didn't have the time to linger on this. As scared as he was, he needed to stick with his pack and figure this out. So, he offered his old friend a smile, gently but firmly pushing him so he'd lay down again.

"You're going to be safe here, Jinnie, I promise. Just stay here and get some rest, alright? We'll handle this."

"Felix...!"

Felix admittedly cheated a bit, and used his pheromones to soothe the distressed alpha, who almost instantly went under. Omega pheromones were pretty powerful in their own right, they could easily knock out an alpha if they were in a less stable mental state – a powerful form of defense against alphas who lost control during their ruts, actually.

Once certain Hyunjin would be alright, Felix quickly rushed out to return to his pack, who were now all gathered at the entrance of the cave, tensed and anxious.

"How many?" he asked, a tad breathlessly.

"I've heard nine different howls so far," answered San, gritting his teeth as he glared daggers into the dark woods surrounding them. "But I know there's more."

"They're still quite far, but it won't take long for them to stumble upon our den – even more so if they're somehow tracking Hyunjin's scent," added Yunho.

And, as if the situation wasn't already pretty bad, Yeosang ran out of the cave to join them with wide, slightly panicked eyes.

"Wooyoung's heat broke out!"

With a growl, San instantly rushed back inside – he was not leaving his mate alone when in such a vulnerable state, and even less when there was another, unknown alpha barely a few meters away.

"If they're already unstable, the scent of an omega in heat will definitely make them go feral," warned Seonghwa, tensed. "We can't let them come here."

"We can't send a party to distract them, though. They're alpha hybrids, they'll outnumber and outpower us if we split up," replied Minho, thinking fast. "We can't—"

"I'll go."

"W- what? Felix, what are you—"

"Minhyuk is with them. I can hear him," admitted Felix, shuddering a bit. "That means I'm the only one not in danger right now. Plus, I'm most definitely a priority target. If I go alone, Minhyuk will definitely switch the hunt on me—"

"No."

"Minho—"

"No!"

"You know I'm right!" snapped the omega. "It's the only way! If they get here, then all of you will be in danger! And can you just imagine what they'd do to Wooyoung if they got their hands on him? No, we can't let that happen. I'm the only one he won't kill—"

"He's going to hurt you again!"

"He's going to hurt all of you if I don't go! You have to protect the pack, Minho!"

"In case you've forgotten, you're a part of this pack! And you're my mate, Felix – it's my duty to protect you!" retorted angrily Minho, obviously at a loss as to what to do.

It's only then that Felix noticed the tears gathering in his eyes. It was the first time he'd seen Minho truly helpless, and he calmed down a bit at that. Heaving out a sigh, he crossed the distance separating them and wrapped his arms around him, Minho instantly hugging him back tightly.

"Then protect me," he murmured. "I'll run, for as long as I can. I won't stop running until you come for me. I'll be counting on you, alpha."

Minho swallowed down a sob but, after a few seconds, he slowly nodded. Pulling away, he then cradled Felix's face and brought their lips together, trying his hardest to make the younger feel all the love he held for him, and the omega happily returned it with just as much passion.

Understanding their pack alpha was giving his permission, the others couldn't do much to stop Felix from acting out his crazy plan. Since there was no time to waste, the round of tearful goodbyes was kept brief and to the point and, as soon as he faced Minho again, the alpha stole one last kiss.

"Don't stop," pleaded Minho as they separated. "We'll come for you, so don't stop, and give them a hunt worth their while."

Felix simply grinned at that, sharp fangs glinting in the moonlight. "Yes, alpha."

.

There he was – Minhyuk. He hadn't changed. He was still so tall and imposing, dangerous and with an aura of viciousness tainting him. Felix gritted his teeth as he observed the man and his feral alphas from above, hidden behind some thick bushes higher up the mountain while the rogue pack roamed all over the river further down, obviously trying to pick up Hyunjin's scent.

He couldn't let that happen. He needed to protect his pack, no matter how scared he was. Minhyuk might have hurt him a lot, but Felix wasn't the person he used to be – he'd grown stronger and, most importantly... he was faster.

Bracing himself, Felix let out a shaky breath... and stepped out from his hiding place.

"Minhyuk!!!" he barked, his deep voice echoing all the way down to the small valley.

The man instantly looked up, baring his teeth... and his eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight of Felix, standing tall and very much alive. There was a moment of stillness as everyone froze, the tension between Minhyuk and Felix thickening by the second. Then, a gust of wind carried Felix's scent below, and Minhyuk's pupils dilated as he realized he wasn't only dealing with Felix – he was dealing with a hybrid omega.

Hook, line, and sinker, thought grimly Felix, tensing up.

"Felix." A violent shudder ran down the boy's spine, but he forced himself to stand his ground. "Come back to me."

Felix flinched as the Alpha Voice rang in his ears, urging him to submit. It never worked as it should in the past, since Felix wasn't a wolf at the time, but it would have definitely worked now - had it not been for Minho's mating mark.

So, fighting through the fog that was trying to take over his mind, Felix crouched down and bared his teeth at the alpha.

"Come and get me yourself, asshole," he growled.

And then, he took off. A moment later, frightening howls echoed in the distance behind him, and it only made him run faster.

The hunt was on once more, but Felix had no intention of becoming the prey.

.

With Felix acting as bait and effectively distracting Minhyuk, his control over the other wolves wasn't as great, meaning it gave his pack the perfect opportunity to pick them off one after the other. It was decided that San and Yunho would stay behind to guard Wooyoung and help him through his heat, while the others would go after the intruders. If they could simply kill the three hybrid alphas in charge, then the chain of command would collapse, and the rogues would scatter in the wilds, free at last.

But for that to happen, they needed to make the most of the distraction Felix was providing them.

"Let's go," growled Minho.

They were going to save Felix and put an end to his nightmares once and for all.

.

Felix was still running.

I promised.

He'd been running for hours already. The sun had long since risen, slowly arching its way above the forest to return to rest behind the mountains once more. He'd only allowed himself very brief breaks to drink some water and rest, but he never stayed put for more than a minute, and only slowed down his pace when he felt like his lungs were about to burst from the amount of pressure he put them under.

He couldn't let Minhyuk catch him. He promised.

He was focused on one goal, and one goal only: draw Minhyuk and his pack away from his newfound home and family. As such, uncaring of the strain he was putting on his body, Felix simply kept on running. He most definitely disassociated at some point, slipping into a strange headspace where he didn't each breath that burned through his lungs meant an hour had passed.

But, soon enough, the sky darkened, and the Blood Moon rose once more. Felix had no choice but to stop as he endured the shift into his wolf skin, internally crying because he knew the snapping of his bones and the tearing of his muscles made enough noise to give away his position as it was – he'd definitely be in trouble if he let out the slightest whimper.

As soon as he was capable of moving again, Felix wasted no more time and started running again. With more stamina to spare thanks to his new form, and reenergized by the Blood Moon, the young omega easily picked up the pace once more, determined to put even more distance between himself and Minhyuk, whom he knew wasn't too far behind him – his taunting howls gave him away.

And so, Felix kept on running. He ran for almost the entire night, only slowing down a few times to catch his breath, but he never stopped moving – he knew that the moment he stopped, he wouldn't have the strength to start running again.

"Lix?" Felix almost cried out in relief as Minho's voice echoed in his head. "I know you can't answer me, baby, but we're on our way. We already took out one of the hybrid alphas in charge, and those who were with him are helping us out, now. You're doing so good, Lix, we're so proud of you baby. We won't be much longer, alright? Just stay strong."

Oh, how Felix wished he knew how to reply. Still, he took comfort in his mate's voice and words, and in the encouragements the rest of his pack provided right after. They soon fell silent after that, though – they couldn't afford getting distracted when tracking down the rest of the rogues, after all.

Still, to know they'd already taken down one of the pack alphas was good news. It obviously wasn't Minhyuk, but Felix knew for a fact that the third pack alpha was still in his hometown, to keep in line those who hadn't followed on the hunt for Hyunjin.

Peniel is dead, then, he concluded.

He was the one from whom Hyunjin had escaped, after all – there was no way he wouldn't have participated in the hunt. Those under his direct control were now helping out Minho and everyone else, though, which would definitely turn the tide in their favor.

He just needed to hold out for a little longer.

.

Felix had failed. He'd stopped.

He didn't even remember stopping. When he woke up, though, the sun was shining brightly above his head, and he was back in his human form (boy, was he glad they always shifted with their clothes). His entire body was aching and sore, but ten times worse than what he usually endured after a full moon.

I wasted too much time, he thought, horrified, as he clambered to his feet. I need to get moving again, I need to run—

The freckled boy let out a yelp as something heavy rammed into him. He made a few barrels before landing on his back, and he was almost instantly pinned to the ground... by none other than Minhyuk.

Oh gods, how long was he watching me!? He wondered, sickened by the thought of the alpha watching as he slept.

"You gave a good chase, little one, but you're not getting away again," he growled tauntingly, leaning down to start scenting him. "To think you were still alive after all... And to present as an omega, at that..." Felix flinched as he playfully bit down on the exposed skin of his collarbone. "You really are the only one for me. My mate—!"

He stiffened and, though terrified, Felix couldn't hold back the smug grin spreading on his lips, because he knew exactly what Minhyuk had just found – Minho's mating mark.

"Not yours," he replied, gritting his teeth.

Minhyuk snarled, ripping off part of his shirt to fully expose his mating mark. Felix used that distraction to knee him in the guts and shove him off. As soon as he was freed, he scrambled to his feet and tried to make a run for it. He barely made it a few steps before the alpha pounced on him again, though. 

He cried out in pain as he hit his forehead on the ground, the impact making him see stars for a few seconds. He was quickly snapped out of his daze by a sharp pain in his shoulder, though, soon followed by another – Minhyuk was biting him, sharp fangs digging mercilessly into the flesh of his exposed back and nape.

"Get off!!!" he snapped, struggling to free himself.

"You're mine, Felix," snapped Minhyuk, grabbing the back of his head and slamming it into the ground again. "You are my mate, my omega, mine, mine, mine!!!"

Felix was already mated, however, and no amount of biting would change that. Still, that didn't stop Minhyuk from trying to lay his claim, drawing blood and adding to the scars that already littered Felix's back.

"Mine, mine, mine—argh!"

Minhyuk's weight suddenly vanished as, from the shadows, another alpha pounced and tackled him to the ground. It took Felix a few seconds to realize he was free again and, as he shakily rose back to his feet, he found the two alphas now wrestling a little further away.

His eyes widened. "C- Chan...!"

"Run, Felix!" snapped his brother, pinning Minhyuk down by the throat. "I won't be able to hold him back for long! Your pack's coming, just run!!!"

Just as he said that, however, Minhyuk managed to throw him off him – literally. Felix could only watch in horror as his brother was thrown smack into a tree, which cracked under the impact. Chan then collapsed on the ground, knocked unconscious.

Minhyuk growled again, and Felix instantly released a bunch of pheromones. Instantly, Minhyuk swayed in place, growing dizzy, and Felix didn't think twice before taking off once more. As overjoyed as he was to see Chan again, and as much as he hated to abandon him of the sort, his brother would have a better chance of survival if Felix acted as bait again and forced Minhyuk to chase him once more.

He wouldn't be able to get far, though, that much was obvious. He was exhausted and in pain, blood running freely down his back. His pack wasn't too far, he knew it was only a matter of time, but with Minhyuk overcoming the pheromone-induced haze and slowly closing in on him again, Felix knew he didn't have much of a choice left.

With a howl, he abruptly switched directions and started running in direction of the waterfalls, which he'd heard earlier. It was where he'd gotten away the first time. Where he'd jumped, uncaring if he'd die upon reaching the bottom, only determined to get away and never suffer at the hands of Minhyuk again.

That same determination gripped his heart just as tightly as the first time.

He burst through the line of trees and ahead of him was an all-too-familiar cliff. It would seem his mad dash through the woods for the past day or so had brought him back to the exact same spot where he'd started, which was quite ironic, really. However, just a few meters before the void—

"No you don't!!!"

He threw himself on the ground, rolling to avoid Minhyuk, who'd pounced at him from behind. However, the impact knocked the air out of his already bruising lungs, and he groaned as a sharp pain spread from his back and through his entire body, his limbs cramping up and effectively paralyzing him.

Fuck, fuck, fuck! Not now!

Minhyuk was panting as he came to loom over him, blood all over his face and a deep cut on his forehead. He was shaking with barely restrained anger, adrenaline obviously pumping through his veins as his pupils kept on dilating.

"Done running, little omega?" he seethed. "Do you finally get it? This is where you fucking belong – groveling at my feet and submitting to me! You are beneath me, and it's about time I fucking make you remember. It's time to make you remember who's your real alpha!!!"

In his anger, Minhyuk didn't think twice before harshly kicking him in the side, a few ribs instantly fracturing underneath the strength of his blow. Felix let out the smallest whimper, fighting back his tears as the alpha mercilessly kicked him over and over again – he wasn't going to shed any more tears for that bastard, he wouldn't.

A particularly nasty blow made blood rise in his throat and he managed to curl up on his side, hacking it out and wheezing, but still unwilling to beg – which, obviously, only angered him more because he was so used to Felix begging him to stop.

Never again, swore Felix, gritting his teeth and closing his eyes. Never again!

"SUBMIT TO ME!!!"

Pain exploded in his skull as the alpha kicked his head, and darkness almost instantly took over.

...

...

...

Felix came to with a sharp inhale. He was disoriented and in serious need of medical attention, but he was still at the exact same spot as before, just a few meters away from the edge of the cliff. Minhyuk was no longer by his side, however, and it took Felix's frazzled mind a few seconds to focus.

He's... fighting...

His sight was blurred by blood and a very probable concussion but, as he stumbled back to his feet, he finally realized that Minhyuk was currently fighting with another wolf.

"Minho," he choked out, both relieved and horrified.

It was his mate. Minho was there, he'd caught up, he'd come to save him like he'd promised... but, as strong and as determined as he was, he simply wasn't as strong as a hybrid alpha. Even exhausted and injured, Minhyuk was too strong, and he was obviously started to get the upper hand in their duel. 

With a snarl, the hybrid grabbed Minho by the throat and pinned him down, and he started choking him, obviously intent on crushing his throat. Minho struggled and tried to pry his hands off, but his physical strength simply didn't match that of the other alpha.

Minho... Minho was going to die.

He was going to die, and it'd be Felix's fault.

No, he thought numbly, swaying in place. No. No more.

He'd already lost too much to Minhyuk. He wasn't going to lose Minho too.

He took a step forward, only to lose his balance and fall back on the ground. He hissed, trying to focus and grasping all over the ground in hopes of steadying himself—

What- what's that?

His hand landed on something thick and solid – a branch, long and pointy. Knowing Minho was running out of time, he didn't think twice before picking it up and forcing himself back to his feet. As he managed to get up again, he saw that Minho's struggles were growing weaker by the second, and he saw red.

NO MORE!!!

With one last burst of energy, he closed the distance separating him from the dueling wolves and, with a shout, he brought down the pointy branch through Minhyuk's exposed nape. With how much desperate strength Felix put into it, the branch got about halfway through before snapping in two – but it was still enough.

Minhyuk started suffocating because of the branch now piercing his throat, and Minho finally managed to shove him off. The hybrid alpha stumbled back, eyes wide and blood gurgling out of his mouth as his entire body spasmed, struggling to breathe. And, seeing there an opportunity, Felix didn't hesitate and threw his entire body weight against him.

He fell on the ground once more, but Minhyuk wasn't as lucky. With a strangled noise, he stumbled over the edge of the cliff, and fell. Felix leaned over the edge, panting and dizzy, just in time to see the alpha's head harshly hit a large rock protruding from the water. Blood splattered all over it but, before Felix could see more, Minhyuk's body was washed away by the heavy current and, soon enough, he disappeared under the water.

To think... I could have died like that, when I jumped from there... and Hyunjin too...

(They'd most likely survived because, contrarily to Minhyuk, they'd jumped, and the momentum had been enough to make them land into a deeper area of the pool.)

"—lix? Felix?"

With a sharp gasp, Felix pushed himself away from the edge, and almost instantly collapsed into Minho's awaiting arms. The alpha appeared uninjured, saved for some minor scratches and the bruises blooming over his throat, and he was so warm...

"You're safe, you're okay, it's over now, he's gone, it's over," repeated Minho, gently rocking him. "You did so well, Lix, you were so, so strong. It's okay, now, you don't have to be scared anymore. You were so brave, I'm so proud of you..."

Finally safe again, the last of Felix's strength dissipated and, with a shaky exhale, he closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep, content and reassured in his mate's hold.

The nightmare was finally over.

.

Five days later

.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer?"

"You know we can't, Lix. But I promise we'll keep in touch, okay?"

Felix's wounds were healing nicely and, though more scars would be added to his collection, he didn't care much for them. Minhyuk was officially dead, his body having been found further down the river two days ago, and so was Peniel – meaning only Eunkwang was left, back in their hometown. Chan had been a part of the hunting party sent after Hyunjin, but Jisung and Changbin were still very much alive, and stuck under Eunkwang's control. So, obviously, Chan wanted to go back and finish things once and for all, and free all hybrids for good.

Felix was saddened to see his brother go. After so long of being apart, and genuinely believing they'd never see each other again, their separation left a distinct ache in the young omega's heart. He knew why his brother needed to leave, but he still wished they didn't have to part ways so soon after reuniting again.

"We're going to free everyone. After that, we're going to rebuild our town. We'll make proper graves for everyone, too. And, when that's done, you and your pack can come visit us, alright?" Chan offered him a somewhat bittersweet smile as he glanced at the den, a little further away. "Even if you've found your pack, you'll always have a home with me, okay? Don't be a stranger."

Felix sniffled a bit, pulling Chan into a hug. "I'm gonna miss you. Please, just be careful, okay? And- and send someone to tell us as soon as you're done, so I know you're all safe and okay. Promise?"

"I promise. I'll send news as quickly as possible." They kept hugging for a little longer before Chan pulled away and kissed his forehead. "I'll see you around, Lixie. Stay safe, and don't get into any more trouble, okay?"

The freckled boy let out a watery laugh, stepping back as he quickly wiped away the few tears rolling down his cheeks. "I- I should be the one telling you that. You've always been the troublemaker between the two of us."

"True." With a soft smile, Chan then glanced at the wolves gathered at the entrance of the den. They were obviously trying to give the brothers as much privacy as possible while still keeping an eye on their injured omega. "You've found a good pack, Lix. I'm really happy for you."

"They might be my pack, but you're still my brother," gently reminded Felix, offering him a smile. "Always will be, okay?"

Chan's smile widened a bit. "Okay. Take care, Lix. We'll see each other again before you know it."

With a firm nod, Felix took another step back and waved as his brother turned around and started walking away. The rest of the hybrids were waiting further away in the woods, along with Hyunjin, and they had all seemingly elected Chan as their new pack alpha. Felix knew that, under his brother's care, they'd be just fine.

He stayed rooted in place, watching until his brother and his packmates fully disappeared. Even after they were gone, though, he didn't move, almost wishing Chan would change his mind and come back to him, after all – which was selfish, obviously, but he couldn't help it.

A hand gently squeezing his shoulder snapped him back to reality. "You good, Lix?"

With a sigh, Felix glanced back at Wooyoung and offered him a smile. "I'm good."

With a nod and a smile back, Wooyoung gently guided him back to the den, half-supporting his weight since Felix couldn't walk properly yet because of his injuries. As soon as they returned, Minho quite literally swooped him off his feet and carried him back inside the cave.

It'd surely take a little while before Minho let him out of his sight – or out of the den at all, really. Ever since Felix woke up, he'd grown incredibly protective, and insisted on being the one to tend to all of his injuries, seemingly feeling guilty for them no matter how many times Felix had reassured him that it was Minhyuk's fault, and not his. Still, there was no denying that, after everything he'd been through, Felix enjoyed being pampered a little. It felt nice, to be constantly swaddled in his mate's affection and his packmates' familiar, reassuring scents.

He was home. He was safe.

"I love you," murmured Minho, kissing his mating mark.

Felix smiled, the ache of the separation already lessening as he sunk a little more into his mate's hold, relishing in his warmth and attention.

"I love you more," he simply replied, nuzzling Minho's neck. "All of you."

He was home. He was safe.

Everything would be fine, now.