"Time to wake up, baby," I whisper into Jin's ear as I comb his hair back.

There is a soft blush coloring his smooth cheeks and a concentrated peace that causes him to furrow his brows. His head rests on my lap and his body curled around my outstretched legs. I sit against the wall with pillows tucked around me.

I look up at the window and watch as sunlight fills through the fabric in thin lines. I watch as the golden light paints down the opposite wall and illuminates the warm bedroom. In the morning light, I clearly see the others spread across the bed.

Yoongi is sleeping on the other side of my legs. He is tucked into a large blanket and his legs are pulled to his chest. He sleeps like a rock and his black hair comes over his face, shielding it from view.

Hoseok, Jimin, and Taehyung are sleeping on the farthest bed. Hoseok has hidden himself in a pile of blankets but I can hear his soft breaths and quiet mumbles. Jimin sleeps on his stomach, burying his face in his pillow, while Taehyung's leg is tightly curled around his waist. Every once in a while, Taehyung would use his leg as a hook and drag Jimin an inch closer. Now Taehyung has captured Jimin and holds him like a body pillow, effectively using his leg to keep him close.

Jin moans quietly in response and turns his head towards my stomach. He adjusts his body and moves closer to me. He mumbles but I don't understand him. It might not be words at all and simply morning nothings.

My stomach aches with hunger and I shift uncomfortably as the growling persists. "I'm hungry," I complain quietly as I observe the bedroom again.

It feels unnatural that Namjoon and Jungkook aren't home. They told us that they would stay in Valentine for the night and be provided with lodging, courtesy of Valentine himself. Namjoon explained that it would be rude to reject their offer and promised to return home in the morning.

I know they are safe but that doesn't mean I'm completely at ease.

Concerning news on the three teenagers and their punishment, Jungkook told us that Valentine was absolutely furious. They called their parents and established guardians, the girl did not have parents, and discussed their punishment immediately. The parents of the first boy, who also serve as one of the colony's main suppliers, set up a list of punishments, most of which included intense farm work and hunting. The parent of the second boy and the guardians of the girl weren't sure what to do with them so Valentine offered another punishment.

They would come back to the cabin and do chores for as long as we needed them. Namjoon agreed to this punishment and explained that they would bring Tanner and Evey when they returned. They will probably help fix the garden they ruined and replace the window.

We don't have time to deal with this. We have two days before our meeting with the Nightwalkers. We should be strengthening our borders and checking the solar panels, not babysitting.

I think back to last night and specifically, remember the girl. She looked wild, almost savage-like with her long hair and dirt-stained face. There was ferocity in her eyes, but I could smell fear leaking from her body. There was no bravery in her when she argued with us. It's hardly impressive. What interested me was that she called me a witch. In a world filled with werewolves, real witches are entirely possible but I am not one of them. I wonder why she called me that and mentioned a spell.

It could be a weird metaphor for being a Luna.

Regular humans don't understand the inner workings of packs, at least most of them don't. Some don't bother to acknowledge our existence as a coping mechanism, others decide to blame us for the fall of humanity. A strange and small number of humans think we're ancient creatures who require human sacrifices for peace, but I have no idea where they are getting their mythology from.

By the looks of it, this girl could have a hatred for werewolves and believes Lunas are witches which means this punishment will be exhausting for everybody. I don't have time to deal with a bratty teenage girl.

Seokjin huffs loudly. He opens his eyes and squints up at me. "Why do you smell bad? Why are you so worked up, Charmander?" he asks tiredly.

Yoongi coughs and scrunches his nose. "Lottie, calm down..." he mumbles.

I hadn't realized I was getting upset. I grimace and shrink back against the wall of pillows. "Sorry, guys." I focus on relaxing my now tense muscles and take quiet, deep breaths in hopes of easing the intensity of my scent. "It's nothing."

"My sweet girl, you only smell like that when you're stressed," Jin comments, reaching up towards my face. He touches my cheek and I lean into his hand, closing my eyes. He takes my hand with his free one and holds it gently. "What's wrong?"

"It's just... the window," I admit quietly.

I open my eyes again and look into Jin's oval almond-shaped eyes. His eyes were the color of rich coffee, sweet and decadent, with small starbursts of gold spreading from the center, illuminated by the sun's morning light. His black hair turned into fluff by my constant running of fingers and pushed back, exposing his forehead. He is handsome with grace, and his body made for a life of luxury. If he lived another life, he would probably be famous.

So how did we end up here? I think to myself.

Sometimes it feels impossible that the eight of us were able to meet and create a pack together. Such diverse and contrasting personalities to become one unit feels outlandish at times. Yet here we are, surviving an apocalypse and continuing to love each other.

They do it so well, I want to be better at this. I want to become a person worthy of such love again.

"You're thinking too hard," Jin says, breaking the silence. "It's too early to worry, you'll give yourself wrinkles," he adds teasingly.

I smile weakly. "You know that all my existential crises happen in the morning."

"You're too young for so many crises..." He sits up and positions himself inches away from my face. He kisses my lips lightly and smiles fondly. "How about you let me take care of you? I'll be gentle today." His gaze flicks to the smattering of kiss-shaped bruises on my collarbone. "I'll be your Jinnie, make a wish." He smirks at his pun.

I chuckle quietly and press my head against his. The scent of saccharine roses blooms from his body and swirls around me like a blanket, swaddling me in his presence. "I wish for peace. Unfortunately, peace only comes after a day of working. We have too many things to do today."

The scent of roses wilts.

My heart wrenches with guilt.

"Let hyungie take care of you," Yoongi mumbles, tiredly gesturing to Seokjin with an absent hand.

Jin's eyes are filled with immeasurable sadness. His ears begin to turn red with embarrassment. He lowers back onto my lap and fights to keep his lips from pouting. "No no, it's alright," he says but his voice is empty.

Yoongi grunts and sits up from the bed. He casts us a dirty look through the corner of his eye, struggling to turn around. "No it isn't," he argues. The spicy scent of bourbon shifts into a powerful wave and suddenly, it's hard to breathe beside him. It fills my head in an instant like a flash bomb making it difficult to focus on important things.

It's too strong, he's going to drag me into another heat.

"Yoongi-ah..." Seokjin's eyes flutter closed as he inhales. A soft blush pinkens his cheeks. "You don't need to fret... it's alright..."

Across the bed, there is a sharp kicking of blankets followed by a messy head of dirty blond hair. Jimin's awake. He looks over at us with mild confusion as he tries to pry Taehyung's leg from his waist. "Hey, what's going on?"

"You can't seduce me to sleep, Yoongi," I scold quietly.

Yoongi's mouth quirks into a half-smile. "Maybe I could. I've never tried it."

"Jimin, what's going on?" Taehyung grumbles.

Jimin glances down at him, amused. "They're trying to seduce Charlotte into sleeping."

I roll my eyes but Yoongi and Jin's scents are beginning to layer themselves. Irresistible are the scents of the oldest members of the pack. They create the scent of absolute sin . The blend of midnight affairs and dirty romantics with sips of bourbon and bouquets of roses. All velvet ribbons and black sheets, there is something classically sensual about Seokjin and Yoongi when they're together.

They could ruin me in the best way possible.

"And I think it's working," Jimin adds in a giggly whisper.

Seokjin melts into a satisfied smile. He tugs on a lock of my hair and curls it around his finger. "Lay down with us... you don't need to leave yet..."

My back is hurting...

Yoongi's eyes glitter with victory. "That's it," he encourages as I start to readjust my body. "Come on, darling, lay right here..." He pats the space beside him and exchanges a look with Jin.

I lay back down on the bed, sliding underneath the blankets, and resting my head on the pillows. I stare up at the ceiling as their inviting scents fall over me. I close my eyes and allow my body to relax. He's right... there's no need to get up now...

Lightheaded and a little dizzy, I breathe in their scents and feel my heart thud against my chest. I soak in their warmth as their bodies pull closer to me. Yoongi presses against my side and places his hand on my stomach. His cheek rests against my shoulder and he plants a kiss on my lips. Seokjin lays down on the other side and reaches over me, squeezing his arm underneath my body. He pulls me closer until there is no space between us. Yoongi scoots closer and closer, sandwiching me between them.

I nuzzle my head against Jin's chest and close my eyes.

"But you know we have to do chores today," I whisper in a breathy voice.

"I know, but that's a later problem," Yoongi replies.

My eyes close and without realizing it, I fall back into a deep sleep.

"Namjoonie hyung and Jungkookie are home!"

My eyes flutter open and I find my face still buried in Jin's chest. I pull back sleepily and look over to find Jimin dancing at the end of the bed. He looks at us excitedly and beckons us to follow, "Come on, come on!"

Yoongi sits up from the bed first and rubs his eyes. "Okay," he says with a heavy sigh.

A small whine is tugged out of Jin's lips before he finally awakens. "Joonie's home?" he whispers.

I nod at him, brushing his hair from his face. "He is."

Jimin dashes out of the room, his hair bouncing with his running steps. The front door opens and Jungkook's voice travels through the house. My heart lifts with relief at the sound of him.

They're home. They're safe.

My joy energizes me and I climb out of bed, careful not to step on Yoongi or Jin's legs. I hop off the edge and jog out of the bedroom. The cold air from outside sweeps through the living room and goosebumps spread across my exposed thighs. I rub my palms against my legs as I approach the front door. Taehyung and Jimin are blocking my view of the door and talking quickly with Jungkook and Namjoon.

"Did it go well?" Taehyung asks curiously.

"It was good, Valentine gave us nice rooms," Jungkook replies.

I move past Jimin, squeezing myself into the doorway, and find Namjoon standing there. He looks down at me with a fond smile and gently ruffles my hair, "Lottie..." his voice softens, "good morning."

My heart flutters with another rush of relief. "Good morning, Joon." I ignore the occasional blast of cold wind and stay outside. The boys carry unfamiliar scents on their clothes. They smell of humans, an earthy and almost clay-like scent. I catch his hand as he withdraws it and pulls it back to me, pulling him closer to me. "Are you hungry? I can make breakfast for everybody," I offer.

"Sweet girl, all you have to do is rest," Namjoon answers. Then he looks behind him and nods, "But breakfast would be a good way to start today."

I glance over and realize they brought the teenagers with them. In broad daylight, I am finally able to take in their features.

The boy's face appears frozen with anxiety and fear while his hands wring nervously. He has thick brown hair and freckles across the bridge of his nose. He wears a winter jacket with a set of snow boots.

The girl, on the other hand, looks mad as hell. Her thin lips form an angry scowl as she ducks her head. She uses her long hair to shield her face from us. Her arms are tightly crossed over her chest and she kicks at the ground.

"This is Tanner and Evey," Namjoon explains, noticing my gaze. "They're going to be helping us around the house. But first, let's go inside..."

I nod quickly and back into the house. Jimin and Taehyung's attention remains fixated on Jungkook as he explains the meeting with Valentine in detail. They start to migrate towards the couches until Jimin's eyes widen at the sight of the teenagers.

"Oh, they're here," he comments.

Namjoon ushers the two humans into the house. "Come on, let's get something to eat," he says in a kind tone. "It's cold outside."

Tanner, the boy, nods quickly and steps inside. Evey lingers in the doorway and casts a suspicious look.

"What are your names?" Jimin asks, studying them.

"I'm Tanner," the boy introduces quietly. "Her name is Evey."

"Nice to meet you," Jimin says brightly, holding out his hand. Tanner takes his hand and shakes it cautiously. "I'm Jimin, this is Taehyung and Charlotte."

Taehyung waves at them before leaning on Jungkook's shoulder. He tilts his head to one side as he looks over the teens. "How old are you?"

"I'm fifteen, she's--"

"I can speak for myself," Evey snaps at him. Finally, she enters the cabin and Namjoon closes the door behind her. The lock on the door clicks loudly and Evey's eyes flicker with panic. She glances nervously behind her before schooling her expression to a false indifferent one. "I'm going to be sixteen next month."

"Where are the others?" Jungkook asks, scanning the living room.

"They're waking up," I reply, gesturing to the bedroom door. "We slept in today."

"It took a lot of convincing," Jimin teases, sharing a look with me.

I smile to myself and roll my eyes. "Not really."

Tanner looks around the darkened living room for a moment. "How many are there?" he asks, still twisting his hands over themselves.

"There are eight of us," Namjoon answers.

"I thought there were more?" he asks in confusion. "I thought packs were supposed to be... big."

"They can be but we're not one of the big ones."

Tanner nods in understanding. "Do you have a Beta?" he asks curiously but Evey shoots him a dirty look. He doesn't hide his wince.

Namjoon's eyes soften at the boy before shrugging. "We don't really need one, but for ceremonial purposes, Hoseok is our Beta."

I raise an eyebrow at Namjoon, wondering when he made that decision.

The bedroom door opens and speaking of the man himself, Hoseok comes out of it wearing an oversized sweatshirt and baggy pants. His eyelids are low as he fights to wake up from his deep slumber. "Welcome home," he greets, his voice still raspy.

Jungkook's doe-eyes light up at the sight of his Hobi hyung. He bounds up to him and opens his arms expectantly. Hoseok smiles warmly at him and brings him into a big hug. They hold each other for a moment before beginning to sway and waddle around in each other's arms, whispering each other's names in goofy voices.

Evey frowns at them.

Jimin gravitates towards me and slips his hand into mine. He gives me a gentle squeeze and a mild look of concern. "You seem stressed," he says quietly.

"We're just a little disorganized."

Jimin's honey and orange scent melts from his lean body as he draws closer to me. He kisses my cheek lightly and his arm slips around my waist. I lean into him, finding comfort in his warmth, and add, "I'm just tired, and a bit hungry."

"Let's go then," Jimin says with a soft look. Then he leads me towards the kitchen and shouts over his shoulder, "Time to eat!"

Taehyung, who knelt down to talk with Tanner, perks up at the sound of the food. He smiles widely at Tanner and offers his large hand, "Come on, we make the best bread."

Tanner hesitates and stares at Taehyung for a moment.

Taehyung's kind expression remains unwavering. Then Tanner takes his hand and allows Taehyung to lead him towards the kitchen.

My gaze lingers on Evey and her stubborn attitude. I wonder what she's thinking about, and why she hates us so much. Part of me feels annoyed that she's throwing a fit about being punished for breaking our window. But deep down, I know that I was once like her. Stubborn and angry about anything and everything.

It took a moment for everybody to gather into the dining room. Jin and Yoongi finally woke up and joined us. I cut slices of bread for everybody while Jungkook prepared the butter and jam for everybody. Taehyung cracked open a new can of jam, popping open the seal, and setting the mason jar on the table. Jimin and I decided to remain standing so Tanner and Evey could sit down.

"Let's start with introductions," Namjoon begins as everybody settles into their spots.

Jimin leans against the counter and gestured for me to come closer. I move towards him and he wraps his arms around my waist to pull me into him. He rests his chin on my shoulder, hugging me from behind, and pushes his hips against me. I stand casually and continue munching on my slice of thick bread.

"Everybody, this is Evey and Tanner. They will be helping us with chores for a while. We'll be focusing on repairing the garden and finishing the harvest today." Namjoon looks at Yoongi, "We can try contacting them through the radio again, but..."

Yoongi runs his hand through his hair and stares tiredly at the table. "Yeah, they aren't answering us. I guess it won't matter much since we'll see them in two days."

"We'll stay close to the house today," Namjoon finishes. "Maybe run some patrols as well."

Tanner shrinks into his chair as he looks around the table. There is clear confusion in his eyes but he keeps quiet. Evey appears to be making eye contact with everybody at the table, either trying to get a read on them or intimidate them? Why is she acting so weird?

Evey turns her gaze to Yoongi and stares directly at him. Yoongi notices her prolonged stare and gives her a strange look. "What?" he asks.

Evey's eyes narrow.

Tanner flashes her a panicked look but she ignores him.

Yoongi stares back at her and furrows his brow. He sucks a sharp breath between the corner of his lips and gives Namjoon a look.

"What are you doing?" Namjoon asks her directly.

Evey's expression twists with disgust as she looks over the table. "I'm not going to let you intimidate me."

I fight the urge to roll my eyes at her dramatic ass.

"Nobody's trying to intimidate you," Hoseok answers calmly.

Tanner gives her a pleading look, "Evey..." he warns.

"Shut up," she hisses at him.

"There's no need to be rude," Hoseok says levelly. He studies her closely and the scent of cactus flowers spreads through the air. "What's wrong? Do you feel afraid of us or is this about doing chores?"

Evey glares at him. "I'm not afraid."

The scent of human fears sharpens in the air.

I share a look with Jimin in the corner of my eye. Fear makes people do strange things. Like enduring a heat alone to reject your biology. Stupid.

"You're being rude to us, and we would appreciate it if you stopped acting as if every word we say was some kind of curse word." Seokjin looks up from his empty plate with a serious look.

"You are here to fix the damage you did to our home," Namjoon continues, holding eye contact with Evey. His deep topaz eyes are overshadowed by the light coming through the window. "Valentine told us that your parents were killed by another pack, is this correct?"

Evey stiffens. "He told you?" she asks with a note of betrayal.

"We are not a violent pack. We are not the enemy here, and there's a reason why Valentine trusts us enough to form an alliance. So we would appreciate it if you stopped treating us like this. We want this to go smoothly, and we'll respect you if you respect us. Understand?"

"It's not just that," she admits quietly.

Tanner looks on the verge of either hitting her or running from the table.

She looks up with newfound bravery, as if she needed it to look at us, and then turns her head to look at me. "You're not natural ."

"You think I'm a witch?" I ask confusedly.

"Huh?" Jungkook blinks at us.

"Ever since the werewolves came... the world fell apart," she says in a strained voice as if she were struggling to contain her anger. "The werewolves ruined everything ."

"Sorry to disappoint, but we aren't the cause for the end of the world," Jimin answers with a sharp edge to his light voice. The scent of oranges turns sour in my mouth. "It was already ending, we just stopped caring about what humans might think of us."

Old memories resurface and I feel a twinge of worry.

This room is filled with werewolves carrying dark pasts on their shoulders. There are shadows of trauma in their dreams to this very day. When the world descended into its madness, the people in this room suffered for it. Every single wolf in this room has witnessed murder and death by starvation. The original Bangtan pack was formed out of fear of being killed by rogues or violent packs roaming the area. The others found us by luck and were in the middle of escaping demons of their own.

It's foolish to blame werewolves for everything, just as it's foolish to believe humans were completely at fault. It ended because people couldn't hold things together anymore, and nature itself turned violent. Horrible people forced that awful reality to stay longer than it had to, and many suffered from their greed for power.

In other words, she is making a terrible assumption about us. The world isn't as black and white as she would like to believe. One day she'll understand that but it's offensive to hear her say it, especially after she and her friends broke our window and destroyed our property.

Evey's eyes only darkened. "You ruined everything, so what's a broken window?"

Namjoon drew in a slow breath and ran his hand through his hair. "It's immature to believe one party is at fault, but you didn't come here to talk politics with us. You're here because Valentine is punishing you for breaking our window and trespassing on our territory."

"Shut up, Evey," Tanner mumbles.

She shoots him a dirty look but keeps her mouth closed. There is rage burning within her body, fighting to break free, but she manages to keep it under control.

Jin slumps down in his seat and watches Namjoon with worry. The backs of his ears begin to turn red and the flush travels across his face like a wave. A hazy look appears in his eyes as he breathes in. The scents of the pack are affecting him. He is still sensitive after his heats.

Taehyung glances between everybody. "Do we have specific sections today?"

Namjoon nods. "Yeah, I'll have Jimin and Hoseok try to finish harvesting the trees. They can take Tanner, and later work on the window. Yoongi and I will try to contact the Nightwalkers again, but we'll come home quickly and help. We'll check the borders on our way back." He looks at me and then goes to Seokjin. "You two, Jungkook, and Taehyung will work on the garden with Evey. You can take breaks as needed."

I nod, appreciating his sentiment but I probably won't take a break today. My post-heat leaves me energized and eager to move. I become restless if I am forced to stay indoors.

"It'll be fun," Hoseok comments lightly and shares a look with Jimin. "It's been a while since I've gone out to the orchard."

"The solar panels... are we checking them?" I ask.

Namjoon shakes his head, "Maybe tomorrow."

"The firewood is done," Taehyung adds. "If we need to test the panels now, we can and keep our heat."

Jimin leans forward on me again and his gaze slides to me. "Who needs firewood when I have my heater right here?" he whispers into my ear. He lays a small kiss on my neck and my body shivers with pleasure.

I smile to myself and sway my hips against his. "Who me?" I ask innocently.

I catch Evey staring at us through the corner of my eye. She quickly turns her head away with a look of mortification on her face. I raise my brow in her direction as Jimin lays kisses on my pulse.

Namjoon finishes up with chore assignments and adds a gentle reminder to be careful. Nobody has said it outright, but now is a time to be on high alert.

All because I shot a gun at their messenger, I think to myself. I try not to grimace or allow those feelings of guilt to resurface. I don't want the pack to worry about me again.

With that, we continue our breakfast and the two humans at the table fall silent for the rest of the meal.