#i’m so glad she’s back and in full fighting form ❤️ | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

brummiereader · 1 year ago

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What a chapter! There was so much going on in this one I'm glad I added some Bailey's to my hot chocolate 😂! This was well worth the wait, absolutely incredible 👌.

John's funeral scene really pulled at my heart. The descriptions Shark....the bloody descriptions...I was eating up every.single.detail. The crackling symphony of burning wood whispered to the stillness, each pop and hiss forming the melody of a sorrowful farewell to John Shelby. I mean, this was the first line! I knew after this I would be in for a full sensory treat. Your ability to pull us into your AU and feel everything the characters are feeling at every single moment will always amaze me. My heart warmed when Heaven nestled into Arthur. It was such a small action and after how things were left last time it was honestly a relief to see them reconnect in their grief. “I’m not going anywhere. If John is burning I might as well freeze.” this line, wow ❤️. Her devotion to her friend and brother is so strong and pure. Heaven is the kind of friend everyone needs, she'll fight tooth and nail for you. Tommy using John's funeral like that in the series was such a shitty thing to do, I hated that he did that. Does business never stop for him that he continues to use his family even when dead?? Heavens reactions was not surprising at all, she loved John and Tommy was a bastard for doing that. I just LOVED that Heaven didn't pull a Linda when Arthur told her home was 57 Watery Lane. Undermining and shaming a man like that in those days would have been a big no no. And plus, who would do that anyway? Even today? There's no need to beat a man when his already down. And Heaven could see that, she wouldn't have embarrassed him like that ❤️.

NOW WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK TOMMY 😳!! What the hell was he playing it? I couldn't quite figure out if he was just trying to push her and test the waters on how far he could go before she snapped or like at the end of that scene, wanted to be some sort of formidable couple with her, both 😂? He is toxic as fuck with her! She's his brother's wife, I thought maybe he'd respect at least that and not cross anymore line's. I literally gasped at this line "How did it feel when we kissed?" 😯, does he want her or does he like the idea of having something his brother has like some spoilt sibling? She's not a bloody toy that Arthur has to share Tommy! What I really loved from this whole scene was the animalistic, predatory/prey descriptions of their interaction. They both posses those tendencies, and I adored the image of Tommy circling her but her simultaneously keeping her ground and challenging him back, it gave me goosebumps! Arghh I literally squealed knowing she's going to meet Luca! I can not wait to see how that will all play out. And I have to agree with Heaven, even thought Tommy's a dick for constantly putting his family in harms way this was a good idea, and I'm certain Heaven will be able to handle him (she might just lose her shit and kill him at the first meeting 🤭) 👌.

The long awaited smut was 🔥 hun! It feels like it's been a while since we've seen these two reconnect, and you did not disappoint us. Your expertise in descriptions were very appreciated in this scene...I mean this line he unzipped his fly and lowered his trousers just enough to free his half-hardened cock and slid it between your sensitive folds, the pleasure and anticipation crashing against you like a rogue wave against the shore....holy shit 🥵👌! Hot steamy sexy sultry smut aside, can we all just appreciate what an incredible wife Heaven is for being honest with him?She's not there to play games with him, she tells him the truth because what affects him affects her...they are one. I love how she put Polly's "The modern way" to use but in a different context, if anything it makes more sense that way! Also loved how you intertwined the sex with them finalising where they stand on everything in regards to the Italians, it's feels so Heaven and Arthur 😂. “A lamb… When your eyes meet Heaven Shelby’s nobody can’t tell if she wanna braid your hair or eat your heart. Lamb she’s not. This whole last scene had me giggling so much! Barney's oblivious, but Ben gets it 😂.

Incredible chapter hun, I've been waiting for this update and waiting all day to finally sit down and enjoy it. Amazing Shark, you are one of the most talented people on this platform ❤️😘!

Heaven in Your Eyes || Arthur Shelby x Reader!OC

Summary: Running from your past doesn’t work anymore now that you’ve been directly involved in the Vendetta. Between violence, threats and schemes, you understand that you will only retrieve your peaceful haven with Arthur if you get out of this war with blood under your nails. featuring Tommy Shelby x Reader

Words: 7.5k

TW: alteration of canon events, canonical violence, graphic depiction of murder, SMUT +18, hint at gunplay, cockwarming, piv, non-protected , obsessive love, extreme co-dependent relationship. They are sincerely deranged, sorry about that. No proofreading, we die like men.

Notes:

✞ This is the last quiet chapter of Act II, shit will start to get real in the next part. Also, the smut is just a part of the chapter, not the entire thing.

✞ This is chapter 14 of the Arthur Shelby x You series Heaven in Your Eyes. Each chapter can be read as stand-alone but reading the whole series will make the experience far more intense.

The crackling symphony of burning wood whispered to the stillness, each pop and hiss forming the melody of a sorrowful farewell to John Shelby. Amidst the flickering glow you emerged, your white hair cascading like a waterfall of moonlight around your shoulders to the small of your back. The firelight waltzed upon your features, bringing up the mesmerizing interplay of diamond dust and frost that composed you.

How many more?

The question flashed in your thoughts, leaving a trail of caustic soda that scorched your skull from the inside. How many more of your loved ones should you see burn, their flesh eaten by a voracious fire, until God decided He had enough fun tormenting you? Two faint dimples appeared on your cheeks as you gritted your teeth, the cold winter wind blowing at the black veils of your long and seductive black dress that floated elegantly behind you like the sinister drapes of the Reaper's cloak. In utter silence, Arthur lowkey shifted his focus from the vardo to you with concern and, taking notice of the destructive sparkle in your eyes, pulled you closer. The sensation might have been comforting but your body didn’t answer to his affection, remaining limp and disconnected. To be completely honest, you were feeling so physically and emotionally cold that you would have believed you were made of frost if his coat, which was resting over your shoulders, and his comforting hand, that was on your lower back, weren't there to offer you a bit of warmth.

As the scent of Arthur's reassuring cologne kept you anchored to reality, you finally woke up from your gluey negativity and instinctively nestled against your husband, who placed a discreet and tender kiss on the corner of your lips. The familiar ticking of his facial hairs on your skin sent a wave of comfort through your soul and reminded you that, despite everything that had been going on between the two of you lately, he had been, still was, and will always be your only saving grace. You wondered if, maybe, it was time for you to go back home. Not that his betrayal had been forgotten or forgiven, but you needed him more than ever. For a shit ton of reasons.

“You’re frozen, angel. You sure you wanna stay hm?” He whispered, the tender gravel in his voice clearing your morbid contemplation of the burning vardo, which brought to your mind the sickening memories of your mother and little sister burning at the stake. A long exhale escaped from your fleshy lips as you tried to keep the demons of your past on a leash — and ignore a sudden wave of nausea.

“I’m not going anywhere. If John is burning I might as well freeze.” Your reply was a bit blunter than intended, but Arthur got it. The way you watched the flames climb higher and higher left no doubt about the devastating anger raging inside. They will pay, you silently swore to John, convinced he could hear you from where he was. If bringing him back was out of your abilities, at least you could avenge him by bringing upon every single man who plotted his death a demise worse than death. Just like Thomas Shelby, they would soon know how much pain you could inflict with your tiny and delicate hands, the holiness of your appearance being nothing more than a facade to mask the methodical killer you were. To hell with the promise of not killing again, having blood on your hands seemed to be the price to pay for Arthur and his love. While you lost yourself in the meanders of your thoughts, the cacophonic detonations of gunshots roared in the quiet meadow.

You had barely heard them when, with movements nimble and quick, you pushed Arthur to the ground and stood still to protect him in a reflex you couldn’t fight. The booming sounds might have been loud, they didn’t made you flinch. Quite the contrary, your aquamarine eyes stared at the horizon in search of the slightest threat, just in case the shots fired hadn’t come from the Gold. For a very short while you had been the only one standing, all the Shelby clan on the ground with hands covering their head. Even Tommy, who had schemed the attack, played the safety card and remained covered just the time to make sure the shootings came from their side.

"For fuck's sake, Heaven." Arthur barked at you as he stood up on his long legs, ignoring Tommy in the background who was keeping everyone under his control by yelling. The lanky gangster's hand grabbed your fragile wrist firmly and pulled you closer to him again, steel blue eyes glowing with disapproval at your reckless behavior.

"That was Thomas’ plan right?” You simply replied, your reliable source of information being Aberama and Bonnie themselves -- it was a part of the many perks of living with them in the nearby woods.

“Come on, Angel! A plan ain't going to be always working ay. It could have been the Ital—“ The oldest Shelby brother, with his thick brows furrowed, could not finish his sentence for you hushed him by cupping his face with your freezing little hands. Falling silent, the wolf turned into a lamb as you gently pressed his cheeks, forcing him to look at you.

"Chéri." You started, the pink tip of your tongue moistening your enchanting lips. Each of your movements seemed to bewitch him, to the extent that he almost forgot why he had been that irked, the inferno of his rage instantly cooling down, "I am fine see?” Despite the softness of your voice, he could sense a bit of impatience in your steady tone. Without leaving any time for questions or protests, you laid a small kiss on his cold lips, "We are fine." The melody of your voice was merely a whisper that vanished in the howling wind when your winter lips met his a second time for a deeper kiss. Soft and glossy flesh against rough one. A wild storm of happiness coursed through Arthur at the sensation of this long-awaited mark of affection tingling on his skin, and electrifying his heart. A rapture so strong that the world blurred around him for a moment — he would have probably slipped his tongue in your mouth if the moment wasn't inappropriate. When you pulled back from him, your lips curled in a faint but sincere smile before you squished his scruffy cheeks and released his face from your cold grip. After three years together, it was only at this very moment that Arthur understood that he wasn’t the true guardian and fellow protector of the couple. You were.

Fiercer. Crazier. And certainly far more dangerous.

"Put us out there on purpose... To use John's funeral fire as a fucking beacon!" Aunt Polly's outraged and trembling voice erupted from behind, her words stabbing Tommy like red-hot daggers. If they hurt, he didn’t let it show though. Forced to part from you before his brother and aunt went for each other’s throat, Arthur intervened.

"We were never in any danger, Polly."

"You set a trap. You set a trap with us as fucking bait." She blurted out, standing from her chair and walking to Tommy with steps so furious you were pretty sure she was going to plow into him. Indignation was radiating off her, her dark eyes wishing they had the power to kill. If it had been the case little King Shelby would have been already lying in a pool of his own blood, "Who's dead?!"

After his younger brother had tried to explain to the old harpy that the victims were two Italians, Arthur went on, "We got word to them about the funeral, the where, the when… Told them where to stand for the best shot."

"And Aberama Gold will do the rest." Tommy completed his brother's sentence as if he was an extension of himself — which was the case, you reckoned, when he wasn't busy criticizing you for breathing. From then, the voices only escalated, trying to overcome one another and win the argument by screaming louder than the other until someone eventually gave up. Which was a miracle that would never happen since we were talking about Tommy and Polly. Both of them were two equally stubborn mutts fighting for the same bone and how this argument ended had been predictable: The fierce aunt left, Hell shaking under her heels.

Now was the perfect opportunity to talk.

"Arthur," Your divine voice hailing him, resounding in the meadow like a haunting siren’s song, its unsettling melody sending shivers down Ada's spine. She glanced at you and, for a quick second, the memory of you covered with blood flashed in her mind. Years had passed since you murdered Father’s Hughes accomplice with a pair of scissors but she still couldn't forget what happened back then. She wouldn’t admit it but her trust in you had never been the same from this moment.

Snatched from his thoughts, Arthur turned around, frowning. The family argument had soured his mood.

"Hm?"

"Now I wanna leave." You stated, your seraphic tone as sharp as the razor blades in your man’s cap. This hostility wasn’t aimed at him though, but at Tommy for you had pronounced these four words while glaring at him, indescribable hatred burning in your frozen iris. You might have been aware of the plan, it didn’t mean you agreed with it: the idea of using John’s funeral still infuriated you but your mourning soul hadn’t the strength to fight it. "I'm going home.” Arthur's heart missed a beat, afraid of seeing you disappear again in the depths of the woods. It had been one hell of a harsh week without you and while he — hardly — understood that you needed space, his patience was growing thin, worn out by jealousy and overwhelming dependence. After all, if Aberama was a thief, why wouldn’t he steal his most precious treasure? Or worse, he’s son. Younger, healthier and so much more handsome than him, he thought with gritted teeth and hateful eyes.

"Oh yeah? " Coming closer, Arthur tried his best not to let his murderous jealousy talk and, instead, took a long black key from the pocket of his dark duffle coat "Home ain't with the Gold. Home's—"

"57 Watery Lane. I go there, lock the door and wait for my husband. S'that what you wanted to say?" You suggested, one eyebrow raised and your pale eyes staring at him like two fathomless and cursed jewels. Arthur swallowed nervously, the intense eye contact feeling like an eternity. Besides immediate regrets, the reason for his silence was that he was convinced he messed up again, judging by your sudden cold demeanor. So, afraid you’d lash out at him for his sudden jealousy, all he did was nod and try to keep his composure in front of everyone to pretend he was the one in charge. But you knew him too well not to recognize the sadness in his beautiful but vacant steel-blue eyes. You knew exactly what was going on in his head: he was expecting you to reject him in front of everyone, just like Linda used to do. “Alright” You articulated, and yet your reaction was the strict opposite of what he thought you’d do. Bringing your hand to his, you gave it a gentle squeeze before taking the key, "That’s the home I was talking about, love." You added, your glossy lips curling in a faint but oh-so-reassuring smile that made him swoon with indescribable fascination. Punctuating your sentence with a little wink, you finally turned your heels and left the meadow, your walk as elegant and confident as a fearsome lioness coming back from the hunt.

A predatory and frightful confidence that disappeared as soon as you reached your house. You had barely heard the sound of the door closing when, sick in the stomach, you rushed to the toilets and dropped on your knees to throw up.

"Fuck..." The curse escaped from your trembling lips as you quickly wiped them with a towel, tears beading at the corner of your aquamarine eyes. Polly was right: you did know when to pick your moment. As strong as you were, you had trouble coping with the news of your unexpected pregnancy. So much trouble that you couldn’t rejoice and that lack of enthusiasm only added a layer of guilt to your restless mind. “Fuck!” You snarled, teeth bared. Fuck you, them, all, and everything.

The sound of your platform boots' sharp heels echoed in the sanitized corridors of the hospital as you headed towards Michael's bedroom, your hips elegantly swinging to the rhythm of the silent savage drums of your heart. Tommy had called another lengthy and boring meeting to discuss both the Shelby Company Limited's new installments and the Vendetta, and as well as you dreaded his presence you had to be a part of it now that you were a Shelby. Moreover, the whole mess got even more problematic since Luca Changretta had managed to find a way to break into the Shelby factory and directly talk to his turquoise-eyed opponent for the sole pleasure of seeing a sparkle of panic in his eyes when he threatened to kill the rest of his family.

Surprising as it may sound considering your deep resentment for Tommy's long speeches and the man himself, you arrived pretty early. Not for him, but for Polly Gray. By coming earlier, you knew you'd have a bit of time to talk privately with her about the baby, for she had been the one discovering your secret pregnancy. “Hey Pol’!" You cheered, a wicker basket filled with pastries dangling at your wrist, "I've brought some croissants and éclairs. Thought it could help put up with today's meeting." The bright smile you bore soon vanished from your plumped lips when your winter eyes met with the dark silhouette of your brother-in-law, standing in front of you with his calloused hands in his pockets and his cold gaze staring at your angelic complexions with an unfathomable look. Turning into ice again, your small hand immediately reached for the door handle.

"Stay. We have to talk." He stated, his tone cool and composed. As much as he wanted his sentence not to sound like an order, he ultimately failed. As he talked, all the muscles in your body tense and you felt already irked by his presence.

"Don't." You snarled, your crystalline eyes squinting when they shot him a lethal glare, "Don't fucking come any closer." The sour and threatening expression on your face had been enough to stop Tommy. He was now clenching his perfectly carved jaw. Admittedly, he had never particularly cared about your personal space, invading it on every occasion he could just to push you to your limits and make you feel cornered, but since he had a taste of the ghastly and inhumane gift you had he'd rather be cautious.

"Alright," He said, pinching the bridge of his nose before rolling his eyes and moistening his lips in a surprisingly effusive pout. "No need to be that aggressive eh. Please have a sit." He instructed then, indicating a chair with a brief gesture of the hand.

"I ain't gonna sit. Polly tricked me.” You gritted through your teeth, spiteful at the thought of her betrayal. Your voice echoed through the room like sharp shards of frost falling from a winter sky. "You both knew that I didn't want to be left alone in a room with you anymore and still you schemed this twisted little plan." The cadence of your speech, though measured, carried an Arctic chill that made Tommy shiver. Even with the short distance that separated you, he could almost feel the ice you were made of burning his skin through the many layers of his expensive three-piece suit. In fact, you might be calm but Tommy could still feel the rumble of the storm hidden in that soft and enchanting lilt of yours.

"No one tricked you, and yes, indeed, I knew it. That's why Polly will be here with us. She's coming in any minute. Feel better now? Can you fucking sit?" Your only reply was a mocking snort that was quick to stir anger in Tommy's heart despite the placid expression etched on his face. But no matter how fine and cold the marble he was carved from was, you could see the tumultuous current beneath it. Maybe that was one of the main reasons why he hated you: no matter how hard he tried, you always managed to get under his skin and make him falter.

Silent fell in the hospital room, the two of you staring stonily at each other as you both attempted to decipher the opponent's intentions. "Seriously," Tommy was the first to move, coming nearer despite your warning — part of him did it only to prove to himself that he wasn't afraid of you. As he approached, your sharp sense heard the faint sound of his heart beating slightly quicker than usual and his breath struggling to keep quiet. Closer he came, until he stood only inches away from you, the warmth of his body brushing your skin without even touching it, and the musky scents of his cologne ticking your nostrils. " I meant it you know ay. I meant it when I said we have to end this war between us," You remained motionless, eyes staring at him, "Shut the door on it". In the hushed ambiance of the bedroom, he started to move around you with a gait that mirrored the stealthy elegance of a beast navigating its territory. His steps were a silent predatory waltz, a calculated and deliberate one that could have been dizzying if he wasn't walking around you this slowly, "At least temporarily." The air seemed to ripple with a subtle tension as he circled you like a panther, hiding his fear of you behind an aura of primal confidence, "I'm sure we could both benefit from it, ain't that the truth." You slowly exhaled as he talked, realizing you've been holding your breath for a while.

"What about backing off me and shutting your mouth until Polly comes?" You whispered, your aquamarine eyes carefully following every step he took. Admittedly, there was an undeniable magnetism in the way he moved, almost too smoothly and captivating to be human. In a primal reflex, your lips curled and you showed your pearly teeth. Beneath the shared expanse of your untamed wilderness, a silent battle waged within, as his large and strong hand delicately found rest upon your arm. The skin-to-skin contact sent an unpleasant thrill through your body. Tommy was like a big cat facing another one, testing the waters and carefully studying the line he shouldn't cross for you to snap. All in all, it was a contest whose goal was not to be the first to shy away. His fingers ghosted over your arms, trailing down your skin with an unsettling tenderness. Unwilling to cause another scandal or murder him, you gathered all your willpower not to react even when he leaned above you, looking down at your seraphic traits with curiosity gleaming in his turquoise eyes, "How did it feel when we kissed?" His words, like tempestuous whispers, stirred a sudden symphony of panic and indignation within. "Because you've... Felt."

"I did." You finally admitted, tearing through the silence you've been walling yourself in. All the ice melted in a few seconds, and your face relaxed a little bit. Two hopeful details that ignited both Tommy's gaze and ego -- of course you did, he thought.

"Look at me." His voice turned a bit softer as you slowly raised your gaze to his face.

"Do you really need me to say it out loud, Tom?" As you inched dangerously closer to him, he heard the ambient sounds of the crowded hospital fade into a distant murmur

"I do." The drumming of his heart fastened as a faint smile toyed on your lips. The proximity of your mouth, bewitchingly close yet not quite touching, was killing him. Let alone the brush of your skin under his fingertips and the shared warmth of your breaths mingling in the same intimate airspace. How beautiful you would be together. How fierce. How... Unstoppable. That was all he could think of.

"Disgust." It fell from your mouth with the softness of a chainsaw blade cutting through his guts. Tommy's eyes widened, his ego crashing on the ground and shattering like a broken mirror. He didn't react at first, confused by your harsh words, which contrasted with your angelic smile, "I felt disgusted." You tilted your head to the side, your face turning into winter again, "Now you better move from the way if you don’t want me to crush your lungs."

Tommy was about to back off in terror when he saw you moving your fingers in that peculiar way he was too familiar with.

"Sorry for being late." Polly's voice erupted in the room, saving you from spending another minute alone with Tommy. God blessed her.

"Let me help you with that." He finally said, trying his best to keep his composure at the realization that he would never be able to predict you. Never be able to control nor to own you. His fingers closed on the basket’s handle, right above your reddened wrist, and they lifted it to relieve your frail arm from the pain before he quickly stepped away from you.

"Alright, glad to see the two of you didn't butcher each other in my absence. What a wonderful improvement."

"An improvement that is." Tommy replied, pressing his palms against the table now that he had put the basket on its wooden surface.

" I was talking with the doctor about Michael's health. We have a very short time left: he's almost done with him, and both Ada and Lizzie are coming. Heaven, dear, what about Arthur?" Polly inquired, her black eyes meeting yours.

"He's still in his office at the Shelby factory. But I must admit I thought that it would be only you and me." You stated resentfully.

"I know, love and I'm sorry about it but you wouldn't have come if I told you that Tommy was here." Her cold and sly hand gently squeezed your arm in a gentle gesture, so soft and full of motherly love that you couldn't really blame her anymore. Taking a quick look at the clock on the wall, you sighed and took place on a chair just like Polly did.

"Hurry up. Tell me what's about."

"Ain't going to keep you waiting,” Tom started and went straight to the point, motivated by the desire to see you leave this room as soon as possible, “ I want you to meet Luca Changretta."

"Thomas!" You exclaimed.

"No. You listen to me now," The gangster replied, pointing at you with his index finger, "As you know I've encountered him in the meeting room of the Shelby Company factory. We came to an agreement that stipulates that women and children shouldn't be included in the Vendetta. With that, we can guarantee a certain safety for you, Polly, Ada, Finn, and the kids."

"How... Quaint." You stated, pursing your lips in a bratty pout, "And what's the link between your deal and me potentially meeting the man who wants to see my husband dead?"

"Considering this, one of the women of this family can approach him. The idea was that Polly could meet with him and ask him to spare the family, especially Michael. In return, she would lure me into a specific place and at a specific time so that this bastard can set an ambush and kill me." As Tommy explained the original plan, you side-eyed Polly who nodded at each sentence in an attempt to reassure you.

"The problem is Luca knows the strong bond I have with my nephews. Even if I use the role of the mother ready to do everything to save her son, I fear it won't be enough to convince him. But you..." She left her sentence hanging, Tommy's raspy voice completing it. Shelbys, you swore. Sometimes you wondered if they had some telepathic shit going on between them.

"You despise me as much as Luca does but still bore the name Shelby. You'd be perfect." His gaze almost burnt you.

"Makes sense." You replied, fingers playing nervously with your dress' fabric under the table as you swallowed all the information just heard. Against all odds, his idea was impressively clever — Tommy might have a plethora of flaws but stupidity wasn’t one of them.

"Polly will help you arrange a meeting with him in a club. You talk with him, explain how you do this to save your husband, and if he asks more questions proceed with talking about our relationship." Now that they had finished revealing their plan, Tommy and his aunt were both staring at you, impatiently waiting for your answer.

"Well, I've heard enough." You simply said, getting up from your chair and making your way to the bedroom's door under the two pairs of confused eyes. Once you reached it, you grabbed the handle and watched them from above your shoulder, an amused but sharp grin dancing on your lips. "When Apocalypse comes, it seems like even Thomas Shelby wants the Devil on his team." You teased, entertained by the situation. No matter his neutral demeanor, he needed you. And that was a satisfying feeling. "That's fine with me." Your quick agreement was certainly not something Tommy and Polly expected, judging by the way they looked at you, and then at each other to make sure they heard well. But as illogical as it seemed, the reasons behind your will to get involved in the Vendetta were a matter of course: You were sick of playing the nice and fragile wife who nervously waited for her husband. You didn't come all the way back to Birmingham to be a quiet and patient little thing. You came to make them all shatter and shake at your fingertips. All you wished was to protect your man and show the world that they better fear Arthur Shelby's wife as much as him if it isn't more.

Polly followed on your heels when you opened the door, grabbing your arm and leading you outside.

"The hell you're doing?" You inquired, surprised by her sudden strength.

"One last thing. I need you to keep Arthur busy and to make him come too late for the meeting." The fierce aunt's grip closed a bit firmer around your wrist, making you wince.

"Why that ay? He has every right to attend it. He's the vice president deputy of that company as well as the oldest brother." If there was one thing Polly expected, it was you defending your husband tooth and nail. And yet she had many tricks in her sleeve.

"We don't want him to pull the trigger anymore. It's time for him to delegate and stay out of the battlefield. We didn't climb the social ladder this high to keep dirtying our hands."

Polly's speech made you blink, astonished one could scheme behind a family member's back. "Hey, that's freaking unfair for Art. You have to discuss the matter with him, it's his job we're talking. Ouch!" You whimpered when she squeezed you harder, her eyes begging you to listen.

"Think about the baby! It will need its father! We don't want him in danger any longer so please, please keep him busy just like we, women, know how to do. It's the modern approach, White Devil."

"Modern approach. Of course.”

"Oh, Angel." Arthur said, his gravel voice underlined with a light surprise when he saw you entering his office. He was putting on his long black coat, ready to leave for the family meeting. As soon as his piercing blue eyes landed on your delicate frame he walked towards you, "Why you here? You alright? " He immediately inquired, his protective nature had grown far bigger since you'd joined him in this cursed city. The soft glow of affection shone in your eyes as you looked at him, your glossy and plump lips greeting him with a bestowed smile so sweet and radiant with love that the hurricane of worries in Arthur's skull hushed down.

"Everything's alright!" You hung your coat on a hook.

"Ain't it good news, ay." He cheered despite being in a hurry, before putting his large and rough hands on your forearms with an adorable bluntness so specific to him and rubbing them to warm your skin up, "Well look, lovely to see you but I'm late for a meeting."

"Just five minutes." You asked, coming closer until your breasts flattened against his chest, "Five teeny-tiny minutes, please?" The way your eyebrows raised and your mouth pouted enlightened your angelic face with an irresistible bratty look that never failed to get him on his knees. Arthur quickly moistened his lips while weighing the pros and cons, but it didn't take long for him to make up his mind. Especially when gazing upon that woman-child face of yours.

"Alright, alright." His raspy voice blurted out. Arthur brought his fingers in your hair to slip one of your long white locks behind your ear with an indescribable tenderness. "Needy little thing already missed her husband eh?" He cooed with amusement, his strict facial traits melting as he talked to you, tamed by your presence.

"I did.” You purred with a quick but oh-so-sincere smile, “But I also need to talk to you. Sit, please?” You suggested, the amusement of your tone brightening up his dull day. Joining motion to speech, you gently pushed him back with your two index fingers pressed on his chest. Arthur followed your movements, a bewitched smirk etched on his mouth. Just like your own reflection, each time you took a step forth he took one back until the back of his knees bumped against the desk chair. Enthralled and with lust-dilated pupils, his eyes spoke a love that transcended words. Arthur’s body finally dropped on the chair, and if he was already focused on nothing else but you, the whole universe faded into utter insignificance when you sat on his lap, straddling him. The contact between your two hips ignited a vivid desire within, which spread through his bones like wildfire and got a satisfied “hum” from him.

“What it is ye want to say?” Arthur asked, the hoarseness of his voice carrying a softness no one suspected him to hide. Despite everything you’ve been through lately, including the indescribable disappointment due to his drug relapse, you had allowed your relationship to slowly heal. You had been crystal clear, now the ball was in his court. Arthur was obviously still on trial, well aware that he needed to outperform himself to gain your precious trust back but at least you came home right after John’s funeral, and that was all that mattered.

A very short but comfortable silence floated over the room at his question, your reply taking the form of your fingers losing themselves in his slicked-back hair, massaging his head.

“Are you really in a rush?” Your voice, a delicate dance of enchantment and teasing, wove through the air and left Arthur even more captivated than he already was while you relished on every little adorable of his face — his myriad freckles were surely one of your favorite features of him. Finally, a long exhale escaped from your nostrils. How much you would have loved to stay locked up here with him forever, just you, him, and the baby, far away from this cruel world… “Peu importe ce qui se passe tu sais que je serai toujours à tes côtés, n'est-ce pas?” (translation: No matter what happens you know I'll always stand by your side, don't you?)

"I know." He replied in English. The sensation of your fingertips applying the perfect pressure on his head combined with your haunting French got him definitely wrapped around your finger. The lanky gangster was at the very edge of purring, his eyes half-closed and his piercing and intoxicated iris looking at you through his dark lashes.

As he enjoyed your massage, Arthur made the most of your proximity and let his palms wander on your dainty body, unable to keep them off you. In truth, it was nearly impossible for him not to become all handsy when you were around, no matter the where and the when. His rough hands roamed all over your being, invading every part of you. He was everywhere, softly kneading your small breasts, then trailing down your ribs to finally end his exploration on your hips he seized more firmly, almost bruising them in the process “I must say ya one hell of a cruel witch, love. You come here all hot and bratty.” He cooed, the gravel in his voice rumbling. It was so low, so powerful that it didn’t even sound like a voice but a feeling. His peculiar tone was an inextinguishable fire that enveloped your body, scorched your core, and wrapped your tired mind in a comforting haze. “Makes me feel bad to leave without taking care of ya like a good husband would do, right here on me desk…” You replied with an adorable giggle and Arthur slightly bucked his hips to press himself more against you, just for the sole pleasure of feeling his body colliding with yours. It’s not enough, he thought. It was never enough. There was always too much fabric, too much space, too much of everything between you except when he was buried deep inside of your core, both of you making one as you were meant to be. Another wave of excitement coursed through you, and you had to fight against the irresistible haze he stirred within. Delicate as a feather, you put your two tiny hands on his cheeks and raised his face for your eyes to meet — flaring steel sinking in lethal frost. “But tell me, what's that important hm?”

“First you have to promise me to stay calm. Will you?” You asked, batting your eyelashes like an untamable child about to tell her dad she had just destroyed the expensive family vase. The kind of look that drove Arthur crazy. Sometimes he still found himself astounded by how your face could go from terrifyingly cold to adorably childish. Saying that your words didn’t awaken a bit of worry inside of him would be a lie, but one sole glace at your angelic traits was enough to keep his rage leashed.

“Gonna try me best for ya, hm.” His dark blue irises were enraptured by the movements of your lips each time you spoke — your words were blurring, and his attention was turning into obsession: He missed you. Body, heart, and soul. “Hev…” He sighed in delight as your small hands abandoned his face to strip him from his vest, unbutton his shirt, and then paw at his chest.

“You won’t interrupt?” You mused, nuzzling your nose in the crook of his neck and mouthing against his warm skin. Your thumbs were now tracing circles on his chest, smoothing his hairs.

“Told ya, angel. Your Arthur will try to be a good boy.”

“Well… I went to the hospital to keep company to Polly. I thought we would discuss trivial things but then she asked me to keep you busy.” You finally admitted, “She and Thomas wanted you to miss today’s meeting.” As painful words melt with the delightful sensations of your caresses, the sky in Arthur’s eyes darkened with black and stormy clouds. His body stiffened under yours.

“What the fuck that’s s’posed to mean?” He growled, anger already boiling in his veins like a dangerous geyser about to burst. Fortunately enough, your calming presence helped him contain his violent temper — such was your almost supernatural effect on him. Different and yet so similar, Arthur Shelby was made of destructive fire that burnt the people around him as much as him. And yet, his fire never really intended to hurt: quite the contrary, it sought to stay warm and inviting, like a low fire dancing in a hearth. When it blazed out of control, even he couldn't prevent the damage done. You, on the other hand, were made of water. Just like a dangerously cold ocean, you were terrifying, infinite, and relentless, your calm prone to silent but always deadly tempests. “Why the fuck would they do that?!” He cursed louder this time. Feeling your man’s temper wearing thin, you gave a gentle lick on his neck to snatch his attention from his corrosive emotions. Your flat tongue trailed up his sharp jaw to his earlobe — the wet and hot caress on his skin sent thrills of arousal all over him and allowed his mind to focus on something more pleasant than this cruel betrayal.

“Because they want you to stop pulling the trigger.” You explained as quietly as you could, gently rubbing your cheek against his like a cat looking for both affection and attention. It seemed to do the trick: his face was still distorted with latent rage, the thick vein in his temple pumping, but at least he wasn’t turning the office over with his fists nor was he yelling so, overall, it was still a win. “Modern approach they call it.” You added, using Polly's exact words to the difference that you peppered his lips with small pecs, talking between each pair of smooches to make the pill easier to swallow, “You become a general and Aberama takes care of Changretta… That’s their plan.”

Breathing loudly through his nose, the gangster pressed his lips together until they formed a very thin line, “Modern approach ay?” Anger coiled like a snake amids the hurricane of his resentment, its hiss echoing through Arthur’s skull. “They just wanna take me job away.” He stated, more for himself than anyone else, still digesting the news. “And they want to use ya against me? Bloody pricks.” Overpowered by an immense feeling of injustice, Arthur didn’t realize that he was digging his fingers in your thighs a bit more painfully than intended, but his roughness only fanned the flames of your own wickedness. Your skillful fingers explored him, nails brushing his ribs, then palms caressing his slim abs as if seeking to defuse the ticking bomb he was.

“I wanted to tell you everything because nothing in this fucking world will make me stand against you... I may agree with the idea of keeping you safe from harm but not at the expense of your trust.” You confessed, finally pulling your face from his neck and wrapping him in a relieving hug with your frail arms. If he hadn’t kept his eyes open, he would have sworn that it wasn’t your arms that were surrounding him but two soft and protective feathery wings. His rough hands, which hadn't moved, spread your thighs further to feel your warmth through the thin fabric of your lace thong. Fireworks exploded in you at the hard bulge that was pressing between your legs, making you bite your fleshy lip. Arthur finally let out a long sigh and shook his head, wanting the only thing that could wash away the rage that was eating him up — one of his hands left your flesh only for his fingers to slip between your parted thighs and shift your undergarment to the side.

"C'm'here," He ordered, his breathing increasingly louder and faster.

"Love, you should really go to this meeting." You advised, shivering at the feeling of his long fingers fondling your slit.

"To hell with their meeting, they don't even want me here eh. Need ye right now." With skillful movements, he unzipped his fly and lowered his trousers just enough to free his half-hardened cock and slid it between your sensitive folds, the pleasure and anticipation crashing against you like a rogue wave against the shore. "I feel me bloody mind drift again... And I know I'mma butcher someone if yer lovely lil' cunt doesn't keep me warm." The ghost of a little smirk danced on his lips, mustache lifting on the right side of his mouth when he noticed that his words had the effect he wished for: More of your wetness trickled along his shaft and you had started to grind against him, low key moaning. “I don't fucking know what I'll do without ya..." Without waiting another minute, the gangster lined up with your begging entrance and slowly pushed his swollen tip inside.

"Yes, f-fuck them." You sighed, your nails digging into his back and your legs quivering at the overwhelming feeling of him stretching you. Usually, Arthur wasn't the patient kind and, as it was the case at this very moment, all he wanted to slam his far-too-big cock in you in one forceful thrust to have you whimper and wiggle above him, and yet, he wished to keep it languid for now. It wasn't a rough fuck he wanted, at least for now, but sexual and emotional comfort. The first sweet fantasy that plagued his mind wasn't to cum, but rather to enjoy the blissful and addictive sensation of his thick length opening your throbbing walls inch by inch and filling you entirely.

"There, I know ye can take it all." He gently bumped your cheek with his nose while his smirk turned into a sharp-toothed grin pitching half between the remnant of his anger and satisfaction.

“S’too big…” You stuttered, eyes shut and the telltale of a blush painting across your doll face. With toes curling in your high heels and your arms around his neck, you rolled your eyes in the back of your head as he pushed further. It never seemed to end, and yet it always ended up fitting despite your size difference.

“Bloody Hell, how are ya so tight after years of me ruining ya?" His words were spoken with animal growls — The truth was he had always loved the fact you were too small for him in every sense of the term. Despite the pain, a frail whimper escaped from your mouth, soon accompanied by your legs naturally parting more, instinctively submitting to him and his needs. With a meaner thrust, Arthur had no other choice but to force the way one last time to fill you completely, and when it was finally done, he let out a loud moan at the way your tight walls hugged him. "Shh, shh, that's okay." His strong hands seized your hips stronger to keep you from wiggling and pulling them back in reflex, "A good girl ye are hmm?" You nodded. It was only when his length hit your deepest spot that Arthur stopped, buried inside of you, hard and unmoving, your bodies entirely connected. Another whine escaped from your mouth, a little protesting sound that drove him mad with lust and almost made him forget that his initial desire was just to keep you sitting nice and quiet on his cock. “C’mon love, t’wasnt that hard. Ye should be used to it.” The only reply he got was you rolling your hips to adjust to his size for a comfortable cockwarming session — the most effective thing you had found to tame his wicked tantrums or his adrenaline-fueled passions. The first time had been hell for him, who seemed to be unable not to pound you once he penetrated you — and yet he had learned to love every little thing of it: The intimacy, the constant but manageable pleasure, the cock-drunk and appeased look on your face…

"Missed you, Art'...'" You breathed and hummed, barely rolling your hips but still slightly moving on his cock to enjoy it massaging your velvety walls, "Aren't you angry anymore?" You asked a bit too sheepishly to be true, laying a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Nah, not anymore 'cause yer a nice angel for your husband,” He grabbed your ass firmly, long fingers adorned with cold rings spreading on your cheeks to have a wider grip “Making him find peace between your legs ay?” The stretch had become comfortable by now, and you were both fully enjoying each other, him completely high by your warmth and wetness. “Making him pray God with your holy pussy.”

“God…” You sighed, throwing your head back, feeling perfectly full — maybe a bit too much even though pain blurred with exquisite ecstasy. “B-But think about it, Arthur. What about letting Aberama do the job? We would stay locked up in the house and do nothing but fuck until the whole Vendetta is over and we go back home?” You suggested, flush burning your porcelain cheeks and giving them a rosy color. The melody of your words — along with how good he felt deep inside of you —snatched a low moan from him. Yet, as much as he yearned for your offer, his conscience needed blood.

“Got no choice, love.” His two hands left your body shortly to grab each side of your lace dress and take it out, throwing the garment somewhere in his office to have you exposed and vulnerable while he was still fully dressed. Once naked, he cupped your small breasts and started kneading them with blunt caresses that made you squeal: you were already sensitive due to your hidden pregnancy. “John wants me to do it.”

"Fuck!" You cursed when he moved along with you, your hips dancing together and intensifying the burning arousal that was saturating your senses. Soon, splitting you open and having you moaning on his cock wasn't enough anymore. His arms suddenly wrapped you possessively, pulling your two bodies even closer. So close the cold gold of his cross necklace on your skin sent thrills of pleasure down your spine. "He wouldn't want you to risk your life."

“It was me who shot the old man.” Arthur’s mouth, eager to find yours, crashed against your lips in a kiss so passionate that it took your breath away. One of them rough hands stroked your back in an overwhelming cocktail of caresses and scratches, waltzing on every inch of your skin while the other pinched one of your nipples. A second kiss captured your mouth, his tongue making its way into your parted lips to seek yours, not minding the thin trickle of saliva at the corner of them. “John is dead because of me,” He breathed between two savage kisses, “And I’m gonna make it right.” His voice was merely a low whisper combined with ragged breaths and low, gravelly moans.

"S'that was you want?" You managed to ask, losing your fingers in his hair and your mind in a fog of carnal delight. Forehead pressed against forehead, you reopened your frozen eyes and dived into his, words becoming more and more useless as a tornado of raw emotions and sincerity swirled in the blue of his iris: His need to avenge John was visceral and you understood that his mind wouldn't be able to find rest if he couldn't kill Luca Changretta, hence putting an end to the vicious cycle of vengeance. And you definitely hadn't the heart to deny him this unhealthy yet efficient way of exorcising both his guilt and his baby brother's death. “So be it.” You finally granted, endless love shining in your eyes. After all, if there was something you could understand it was vengeance. Torturing and butchering five men didn’t bring your family back, but the pleasure of watching life slipping away from them had nonetheless helped you put up with that excruciating wound, "But when you’ll kill that bastard put two bullets through his head. One for you, and one for me.” You concluded, shifting your body slightly to take the gun that was on his desk before wrapping his neck with your two arms again. And then the mask of the lamb fell, shattering on the ground and revealing the wolf you were. A wolf that was smiling and moaning, its thumb softly caressing the weapon’s metal.

"I'll do that, little one." A smile beamed on his face as you allowed him to carry on his personal vendetta — or as he felt the sensation of the gun resting against his back, his joy finding a delicious echo in his body. The circular movements of his hips turned into deep and full-length thrusts that had you throwing your head back and chanting his name.

“Mr. Shelby! “

“I’m fookin’ busy!” Arthur’s booming voice roared in the office as he slammed the door right at the man’s face. The access to the room might have been forbidden to him, but the cacophony of savage fucking and the noise of the office’s blinds being shaken left no doubt on what was happening. He finally gave up, well aware that nothing would make his boss come. It was only when he told him that two intruders had been spotted in the factory that Arthur stormed out of the room, disheveled, shirt quickly buttoned u,p and with a hammer in one hand. A bloodbath was coming and since nothing could be done to prevent it, Ben went back to work and tried to ignore the upcoming mess. With a bit of luck, they would manage to put down the rabid beast Arthur Shelby was. Soon after his departure, the white-haired girl left, snuggled up in her white fur coat and walking as elegantly as always, even if she was slightly staggering on her heels after what the gangster did to her.

“Poor girl.” Barney — another worker recently hired — stated, glancing at you as you passed by. “She’s nice. Y’know she brings us treats and pastries sometimes… What a shame that young lady had been forced to elope with this bastard.”

“Poor girl?” Ben replied to his colleague, almost choking. “Forced wedding? You’re really new here, mate. Can’t believe the doll blinded you. Something’s off with her. And forced wedding… All you have to do is pay attention to the way they look at each other and then you’ll understand. And it will frighten you.”

“Ya really talking about sweet lamb Heaven?”

Ben scoffed, “A lamb… When your eyes meet Heaven Shelby’s nobody can’t tell if she wanna braid your hair or eat your heart. Lamb she’s not. Don’t get fooled by the dresses and heels, she’s not playing doll. She only makes violence look better.”

Barney became silent at his friend’s sordid statement, the far away sound of Arthur yelling, bones breaking and agonizing screams resounded in the depths of the factory along with the machines’ roars. Amidst the smells of hot metal, sweat, and paint, lingered the spring-like fragrances of your perfume, which confused him even more.

✞ Any comment, review, reblog, or constructive criticism is welcome. Your reactions really motivate me and keep me alive, so please don't be shy. English is not my first language.

✞Taglist: @adaydreamaway08 @theshelbyclan @jomarch-wannabe @esposadomd @zablife @woofgocows @anathemasworld @anastasia000 @kate654 @kxnnxy @babayaga67 @meowtastick@kxnnxy @shelbyssins @sarai-ibn-la-ahad @bluevenus19 @raincoffeeandfandoms @kishie8 @alexandra-001 @dearshelby @alexizodd @helen06dreamer @kmc1989 @emotionalcadaver @peakyswritings @peakyltd

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shuadotcom · 3 years ago

Text

Big Bad Wolf | KNJ (M)

🔴 Summary: Your mom has always warned you not to venture too deep into the forest, for legend has it, in it lives vicious, man eating wolves. You’ve always listened to her words until one day when your love of animals gets the better of you and you end up in the woods, chasing after a wounded cat. When you stumble across a secluded cottage in the middle of the forest and meet one of these “Big Bad Wolves,” you learn that maybe not everything is as it seems.

🔴 Pairing: Wolf Shapeshifter!Namjoon x Human Female!Reader

🔴 Genre/AU: Angst, fluff, smut, fantasy, strangers to lovers

🔴 Rating: 18+ | R (MINORS & AGELESS BLOGS DNI. YOU WILL BE BLOCKED)

🔴 Warnings: profanity, non-descriptive talk of murder, mention of guns/a gunshot wound, unprotected sex, oral sex (female receiving), fingering, knotting, marking

🔴 Words: 19.7k 🥴

🔴 Note: It's finally here - my fic for @hobeemin's Bangtan Grimm Event!! The fairytale my fic is inspired by is Little Red Riding Hood. Full disclosure here, this is my first half human/half animal fic so to anyone that reads this that is much more seasoned with hybrid-esque fics, it’s not the same as others you probably have read lol.

Thank you soooo much to @lavienjin for this amazing banner!! ❤️❤️ ENORMOUS thank you to @playmetheclassics for literally being my hero and beta reading this chonker of a fic in a few hours after I finished it 🥰🥰

This fic has been a journey to say the least. Writer's block has had me in an absolute chokehold these past few months, but I'm so glad I was able to finally finish this! Please enjoy my longest fic to date 😂💖

“And what happens if you meet the wolves?”

“Your mom and dad haven’t told you? They’ll bring you back to their den, deep, deep in the forest, and eat you up!”

May, your neighbor’s daughter, stares at you, wide, brown eyes get impossibly bigger as her lips form a pout. She’s on the verge of crying when your mom and her girlfriend Angela come into the dining room where you’re sitting with the child.

“Y/n, stop scaring May!” Your mom scolds, moving into the kitchen.

“I’m not,” you shrug.

“She asked about the wolves, and I told her.”

“She said that if you go too far in the forest, they’ll snatch you up and tear out your throat!” Your mom gives you a pointed look at the child’s hysterical words.

“What? You told me those same stories when I was her age.”

“And Y/n isn’t exactly wrong,” Angela shrugs, taking a seat next to you at the kitchen table.

“Well, let’s keep those stories to her parents to tell and not traumatize her here, please,” you and Angela roll your eyes when she turns to May to calm her down.

It's true, though; your mom told you the story of the man-eating wolves that live in the forest when you were old enough to properly comprehend cause and effect. You grew up with the idea that if you ventured too far into the forest, especially at night, then you were more or less asking for death.

On top of that, Angela was also a member of the wolf force, and she and your mom have been dating since you were in high school, so you heard plenty of stories about wolves and what they did.

From what you learned growing up, the town you’ve lived in all your life was almost invaded years ago by these wolves, and many people were murdered. The town nearly became devoid of any humans until a few brave citizens formed a separate branch of the existing police force specifically to fight off these monsters. Many of the wolves were killed to protect the town, while the rest fled into the forest where it’s rumored they’ve lived all these years.

Some people have been dumb enough to go into the forest at night out of curiosity or because of dares, and they either come back into town with tales of sharp teeth and half-human half-monster creatures, or they go missing and are presumed dead. It’s something you’ve mostly believed for years, but something about it has always sat oddly with you, but you’re not about to be the one who tests this theory, to be sure.

Once May is calm and goes back to her coloring, your mom takes a few steps into the kitchen to begin making lunch before she goes to the hospital for work. Your phone on the table lights up, diverting your attention to it, and you see a text from your best friend on the lock screen.

Jin: Can I come over?

You don’t even get to reply before you hear your front door opening and Seokjin’s loud voice ring through the house.

“Good afternoon ladies!” Your best friend since birth comes waltzing into the kitchen with nearly too much energy.

“I don’t know why you bother to text me when you’re just gonna bust in here as if you live here.” You say to Seokjin as he hugs your mom and Angela and moves to pick May up.

“It’s called being polite, Red. Not that you’d know about that of course.” He sticks his nose up at you and goes back to giving attention to May, asking what she’s coloring.

Seokjin has been dead set on calling you Red since you first started dying your hair in high school, and even now, when you’re both so close to thirty, he keeps doing it. You don’t mind so much anymore, but when he’s being smart with you, he always says it in the sassiest way.

As if sensing the snarky comment about to come out of your mouth, your mom interjects, asking Seokjin if he wants lunch.

“Oh, no thank you. I just came by to say hi. I’m on my way downtown to see my dad. He and grandpa are finally letting me do a night patrol with them today!” Angela high-fives him at the good news, but you can’t help but taunt him.

“Wow, it only took you like ten years.” You murmur to annoy him. It works, of course.

“Hey! It takes time to get trained for night patrol, thank you very much!”

“Yeah, yeah. What is there to train for? Aren’t you just walking around town making sure no wolves get in?”

“You have to be trained in combat and weaponry, silly girl. You can’t just go limbs and guns flying at a wolf with no proper knowledge. They’ll eat you alive.” He argues, looking to Angela for confirmation, who nods.

“How do you know?” you challenge. “You’ve never even seen a wolf.”

“My father has! And he told me all about it. The cold, stale feeling that overcomes your body. The way your blood feels like it’s frozen in your veins. Your body shakes as you stare into those evil, glowing red eyes while it bares those sharp teeth at you, canines glistening with blood under the moonlight.

Your heart stops, and your life flashes before your eyes. After that, you only have but a second before the creature comes charging at you, and you draw your weapon. The silver bullet has to pierce its head or its heart to assure that you take the monster down. It’ll tear you limb from limb otherwise and make sure you’re alive for every agonizing second until it’s ready to pull your head from your shoulders and eat your still-warm flesh. You need to train.”

There’s a pregnant pause, and the whole kitchen is still as you digest Seokjin’s words.

Poor May, still in his arms, starts bawling, and your mom rushes to comfort her, scolding Seokjin in the process.

“Damnit, Seokjin, I just calmed her down!”

“Sorry,” he says sheepishly, handing her to your mom before saying his goodbyes and heading out.

“Oh, Y/n,” Your mom mentions as May finally settles down. “I need you to go see your grandmother before it gets dark. She's been hounding me to bake my banana bread for her, and I finally remembered. Angela and I are both working nightshifts tonight, so we don’t have time.”

You groan in response. “But I was going to meet up with Victoria and Chaerin today!”

“And now you’re taking bread to your grandmother. Victoria and Chaerin will be around tomorrow. Now I’ve got to finish making a quick lunch, and you get ready to go before sunset.”

You wait until she turns around to let out a quiet sigh. Grabbing your bag in the foyer and the bread from the kitchen, you head outside, calling goodbye to everyone over your shoulder.

With no car, you wheel your bike from the garage and take off down the sidewalk on it, heading towards the forest line and the path out of town. You need to do more saving up to move out on your own. Babysitting the neighborhood kids makes a small dent in your savings account along with what you make at Seokjin’s mom’s bakery, but it wasn’t enough to leave again.

After high school, you had gotten out of town. You went to college away from your suburban neighborhood, having been antsy to start over somewhere else and start on the journey to becoming a veterinarian. You were in school on a scholarship, but after your freshman year, when your grades began to drop due to getting much more overwhelmed by college than you thought you would, your scholarship was gone. You were moving off campus and into an apartment in the city with some roommates you found online.

You only stayed with them for a year before moving out as fast as you could. Between their messiness, inconsiderateness, and overall unpleasantness, you packed up and left as soon as the lease was up. The part-time job you worked at the coffee shop didn’t leave you with enough to get another place, and with no other vacancies nearby, you reluctantly moved back home.

Your mom was more than happy to have you back home and all of your friends who were still there, Seokjin included, welcomed you back, and things picked back up like normal, but you were different. You still want out, and you’re going to work as hard as you can to make that happen.

Having forgotten your headphones at home, it’s just you and your thoughts as you ride through the forest. It’s still mid-afternoon, so you’re not worried as you ride. Your grandma lives about thirty minutes away by bike, longer if you take your time, but you were moving fast. You don’t have any more babysitting jobs for the rest of the day, and the bakery is closed today, so you’re eager to get back home and continue your day.

Eventually, you cross the bridge-covered river that separates your town from the next one over that your grandma lives in. You don’t remember why she moved, only that she lived with you and your mom after she retired from her nursing job at the town hospital.

One day in high school she announced she’d be moving a town over. You recall your mom not being thrilled, there was a big argument, and she stopped talking to her for a while before they made up as best as they could, but their relationship didn’t feel the same. You’ve tried to get either of them to tell you what happened repeatedly, but they deny you every time.

You arrive at your grandma's in record time, parking your bike and having enough time to have bread and tea with her while she goes on with a story about her neighbor she has a crush on.

“Speaking of crushes, how is Seokjin?” She asks once her story is over and the question has you choking on your tea.

“What does he have to do with crushes?!”

“Oh come on, Y/n. The two of you have been inseparable since you were children. Plus, you’re getting older now. Have you ever thought of seriously moving along with him?” Your grandma shrugs but eyes you carefully.

“Grandma, I’ve told you, and mom, and his parents and, everyone else in this town that Seokjin and I are just friends. We’ve never had any remotely romantic feelings for one another, okay?” You assure her for what feels like the thousandth time.

This is only partially true. There was a brief time where you once thought you liked Seokjin but couldn’t imagine being romantic with him. You kissed once when you were playing house as kids, and it was awkward. You kissed again at a party in middle-school and it was still weird. He told you in high school that he’s always liked you, but you had to turn him down. He’s handsome and a great guy, but you're just not attracted to him. He’s like a brother to you.

“Besides, Seokjin just joined the wolf force officially so he definitely wants to stay here. You know I want out.”

She hums, sipping her tea. “I know you do, honey. And you know you’re always welcome here.”

“I know, but I want to go back to the city. No one else is interested in leaving town, let alone going that far out, so I’m just focusing on that for myself. I’m not even thinking about dating anyway.”

“That’s fair. I won’t ask you about Seokjin like that anymore, promise.”

You thank her and finish the rest of your tea before bidding her goodbye. The sky is now orangey-pink which means you’ve got to hit the trail.

With a hug and another reminder that her doors are always open, you’re off, able to ride much faster without the task of protecting a baked good. You’re thankful for this as the feeling of eyes on you stays on you the whole ride home until you break through the clearing and are back in town with the houses and voices of people you know around you.

As the rest of the week crawls by, you live your mundane life, as usual, working, saving up, hanging out with Seokjin and the rest of your friends, and doing nothing extraordinary.

When your grandma is in bed with a nasty cold, you ride to her house with soup and medicine and stay until the sun begins to set and darkness starts to fall. Your grandma is plenty independent for her age, but even the worst cold has her bedridden for a few days.

Once she’s eaten and taken her medicine, you bravely say goodbye, and don’t let her see the way your eyes widen to scan the darkness outside as you sprint to your bike and move your legs as fast as they’ll go. You ride in silence, staying vigilant of your surroundings the whole ride. The sun has finally set when you can see the lights from the houses in town approaching as you push your legs harder.

You’re so close to leaving the forest when out of the corner of your eye, you see a flash of something fast and big. Your bike screeches to a stop as you listen carefully, and you hear nothing for a beat before your ears pick up the sound of snapping twigs and leaves. Turning to the other side of the trail, you stare into the darkness, not seeing much of anything until you see a pair of glowing yellow eyes staring at you. Neither you nor the eyes move or blink.

A wolf. A wolf is staring at you in the darkness of the forest at night. You know what it is, and yet, you’re frozen. Time seems to move slowly, and before you know it, the eyes disappear as you listen to the wolf retreat, leaves crunching under its feet.

Once you’re home, you barely register the way your mom yells at you for being in the forest when it’s dark. All you think about is those yellow eyes boring into yours, seemingly into your soul. You don’t say anything in response, choosing to apologize to your mom until she decides it’s good enough and stomps to her room.

Of course, you didn’t mention what you saw - she’d lock you in your room, being a full-grown adult be damned. Looking at your phone, your finger hovers over the call button on Seokjin’s contact, but you decide not to. You do the same with Chaerin and Victoria before putting your phone on your nightstand, calling no one. Seokjin would immediately call a search party into the forest to hunt the thing down, while your other two closest friends would either freak out and push you to tell someone or tell the wolf force on your behalf.

You came face to face with a wolf, so why did it run away and not eat you? If the stories you’ve heard were correct, it should’ve snatched you right up and dragged you to its lair. You can’t make sense of it no matter how many times you wrack your brain, but something tells you not to tell anyone. The wolf didn’t harm you given the chance, so you won’t harm it, you decide.

The next day, after receiving another scolding for staying out after dark by your mom and Angela, you go to work at Mrs. Kim’s bakery. She gave you the job when you first came back home from the city and even if it didn’t pay that well, you were grateful to have something. There are worse things than working around delicious baked goods all day, after all.

With last night’s incident still fresh in your mind, you breeze through the day, and before you know it, you’re clocking out in the early afternoon and heading home. You have to babysit a boy down the street tonight while his parents are out, so you want to get home and take a power nap beforehand.

“See you tomorrow!” You call to Mrs. Kim as you go out the back of the bakery to throw the trash out on your way.

Before you throw the garbage into the can, a rustling of bags startles you. Hesitantly you approach the overturned trash can to find a sleek black cat rooting through it.

“Well, hi there,” you coo at the cat who jumps and hisses at you. You apologize for startling it and offer a piece of the bread Mrs. Kim sent you home with. Hesitantly, the cat’s tiny pink nose twitches enough that it makes its way over to you, limping as it comes.

Holding the bread away from you, you observe the way it tries not to put a lot of weight on its right front paw. Once it gets in front of you, its tiny teeth nibble at the bread in your hand, and you let it take the piece from you and set it down to continue to eat.

“Poor baby,” you murmur while the cat hunches down. and you get a better look at its injured paw, looking as though it got some crusted blood on it.

When the bread piece is gone, the cat looks at you and the loaf in your hand almost expectantly. It’s hungry but still weary, so you waddle backwards, a little further away, and tear off another piece, tossing it to the cat. It limps over to eat that piece, and you repeat this process with it, all the way to the short distance of your front porch, which is only walking distance away.

While the cat finishes the final piece of bread you’ve offered it, you rush inside for a small bowl of water and set it down near you. After the bread piece is gone, the cat goes straight for the water, lapping enthusiastically while still nursing the injury.

As gently as you can, your hand creeps closer to the cat, finger grazing the injury. In response, the cat leaps backward, staring at you with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry!” You apologize and watch the cat dart away. “Wait, come back!” You sprint after it, both confused and impressed at how fast it’s moving with an injury.

You keep moving though, faltering slightly at the fact that you’re leaving your neighborhood and entering the forest behind this black ball of fur, but it’s still daytime, so you continue. The cat lets out some heartbreaking wail, no doubt in pain from running, but it doesn’t stop. You keep up as best you can because you know that it’ll stop eventually.

Unsure of how long you’ve been pursuing the cat, you realize eventually that quickly approaching in front of you is no longer thick trees but a small cottage instead.

The small house is two stories and looks like one of the wood and stone cottages you’d find in an old fairytale. One of the windows on the second floor is open, and the chimney has smoke billowing out of it, so you know someone must be home. There’s a small garden in front of it with tomatoes, greens, herbs, and a few other plants you can’t identify growing in it. The idea of someone living so far in the forest with the wolves leaves you baffled.

Even so, you know someone has to live here as you finally catch up with the cat as it meows and headbutts the front door. Cautiously you come up behind the cat as it watches you knock on the door, but it doesn’t run away.

You only have to wait a few seconds before the wooden door swings open and the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen in your life is on the other side. He’s so tall and so broad with swept-back blonde hair. His tan skin almost glistens under the sunlight that peeks through the trees above, and when it hits his deep, chocolate eyes, you feel your breath catch in your throat.

He’s scowling at you, but his hard expression melts when his eyes flicker down towards the cat at his feet, headbutting his ankle. He smiles, pink lips turning up and dimples popping into his cheeks.

“Oh, Sugar, where have you been?” He coos, his deep, gravelly timber leaving you nearly trembling in front of this stranger. After scooping the cat up into his strong arms, the smile fades as he looks at you again and this change in expression has you remembering how to form words.

“H-hi. Is that your cat?”

“Yes.” He says, sounding hesitant.

“Well, um, I found it behind the bakery in the trash. I gave it some water and bread, and then I saw its paw is injured, but it ran here while I tried to help it.”

The gorgeous man eyes the cat, then you again. “So you ran after a cat that was fleeing from you and followed it into the woods?”

“I know it sounds dumb, but I’m a vet, well, I’m going to be a vet and I can’t just let an injured animal not get help.” You say sheepishly, realizing how foolish this all was after he recounted it.

The man hums in response and looks down at the cat in his arms as it blinks back at him. Without another word, he turns on his heel and goes back into his cottage, leaving the door open behind him.

Awkwardly, you stand there, weighing your options. Is it foolish to follow a strange man into his home who lives in the middle of the woods while no one knows where you are? Yes.

But he has an injured cat, and he looked at said cat with so much love that he can’t possibly be all that bad.

Against your better judgment, you gingerly step inside the cottage, leaving the door open behind you in case you need to make a quick getaway.

You aren’t sure what you expected, but the house seems completely normal upon walking through the foyer. The staircase in front of you looks normal. The room to your left looks to have a couch in it and a huge bookcase against the wall packed shelf to shelf with books. Glancing to your right, you see what looks to be a tiny dining room, and through that, the entrance to what you see is a kitchen.

The house is surprisingly cozy for being so small, and it feels warm and smells nice. So many questions are flying around your head, but the mystery man appears at the top of the staircase suddenly and startles you.

“Would you mind looking at his paw?” He seems genuine as he looks down at you, and even with a part of your brain screaming at how stupid you are, you go upstairs and follow the man into a bedroom.

“If you’re studying to be a vet you probably know way more about his injury than me.” There’s a bed in the middle of the room with the cat - Sugar - lying towards the edge, licking his good paw. The room is normal, with a dresser and some clothes thrown about, accompanied by many potted plants of all sizes littered throughout the room.

The man sits next to Sugar and scratches his back while you cautiously approach. The cat’s green eyes watch as you cross the room and sit next to him. He watches as you reach out and pick his paw up, letting you inspect it

“This isn’t serious.” You say with relief. “Looks like it’s a pretty shallow cut. It bled a lot, but it’s not deep. From the looks of it, it happened maybe yesterday, and the blood just dried up. A simple clean-up should be all he needs if he’ll let you.”

The man looks more at ease with your words and nods. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” An awkward silence hangs over the room, and you don’t know how to fill it. You have so many questions for the man out here all alone, but you don’t know how to ask without sounding intrusive. “I’m Y/n, by the way,” you finally blurt. “But everyone calls me Red.” You gesture towards your dyed hair.

The man visibly hesitates for a second. “I’m Namjoon,” he finally says.

Biting your lip, you try your best to formulate your next words. “Your house is beautiful. It seems so peaceful, but may I ask why you live out in the forest?”

Namjoon seems to flinch at the question, nostrils flaring before exhaling. “I like to be alone. I like the quiet. It’s safe.”

You have more questions on the tip of your tongue, but the atmosphere feels too tense for you to ask. You simply nod as in understanding before announcing that you need to get home before your mom comes looking for you. Namjoon walks you downstairs after you offer a sleeping Sugar a goodbye head scratch. You go to say goodbye but falter in the doorway.

“I, uh, I don’t know how to get back…” You trail off, eying the thick forest ahead.

“Oh. I’ll walk you.” He offers, leading you through the forest in what has to be the most awkward walk of your entire life. You ask him a few questions about his garden, to try and strike up a conversation, and you see his brown eyes light up. Namjoon goes on to tell you about his little garden, and how he loves being able to eat a lot of the things he grows, and how relaxing gardening is. He then mentions the plants you remember seeing in his room and how he has more around the house. He loves how comfortable and lively they make his quiet space and how they keep him company.

Namjoon seems to realize he’s gone off on a tangent and stops talking abruptly after mentioning that he wants to try and grow an apple tree.

“I admire people who love plants and gardening,” you say truthfully, so he doesn’t feel so awkward.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m great with animals and caring for them, but plants? Total plant killer. It’s probably because my mom is the same way. She’s tried, but everything potted has died in our house, and she passed the gene down to me.” You chuckle.

A small smile graces his lips in response. “It’s not that hard, I promise…” he trails off after that as if he is going to say something else but thinks better of it. He stops then, and you notice that the treeline is a few feet away, and you can see the lights from your neighborhood ahead.

“Thanks for walking me.” You smile at him, and he just barely returns it.

“You’re welcome.” He mumbles out before he turns and heads back toward his home.

After watching him go, you leave to prepare to go through the motions of making dinner for you, your mom, and Angela before they get home from work, but the only thing on your mind is Namjoon.

Namjoon is still occupying space in your mind, which is why two days later you find yourself venturing back into the forest on your day off. You were perfectly safe the last time, plus you feel much more fearless with the sun high in the sky. You don’t exactly remember where his cottage was, but you hope for the best, and what feels like an hour later, you finally see the roof of the small house.

You’re out of breath and feel warm from walking so much, but you’re happy to have made it. You spy Namjoon outside, crouching in front of his garden with his back to you. Sugar is on the small porch, lying on his back, but jumps up when he sees you. The black cat lets out a meow and beelines towards you, making Namjoon turn to see what it is.

“Hi, sweet boy,” you greet the cat, bending to pick him up and inspect the small gauze Namjoon has wrapped about the cat’s paw. Sugar reclines in your arms, purring as you walk over to his owner.

“You’re back,” is all Namjoon says when you approach.

“I am.” You don’t know what to say about why you’re here, but Namjoon doesn’t ask. “Need help?” You ask, nodding towards the garden.

“Know how to weed?”

“Nope.” You smile wide at him, and the man actually laughs, the sound making you flush for some reason.

“I’ll show you. I have an extra pair of gloves. Hang on.”

Namjoon walks into the house and returns quickly with a second pair of gardening gloves. You put Sugar down and take them. They feel comically big on you, but you don’t mind.

You crouch next to Namjoon as he explains what weeding is and why it’s important. You let him show you what to pull and feel giddy inside when he praises you for your successful pull on your first try.

The minutes tick on like this, helping Namjoon weed and water his garden before you pick the ripe vegetables and carry them inside with him. He offers you lunch, which you gladly accept.

The initial tension that seemed to consume Namjoon when you first met him two days ago has since melted in a more comfortable but still guarded aura. You’ve spent most of your time with him doing the talking, telling him about your family, your babysitting, and your job at the bakery. You explain how you’ve wanted to be a vet since you were a child; your love for animals and desire to help them always being present. Sadly, you also recount some good times you had in college and what happened as you had to leave and come back, now feeling trapped back in this town again.

Namjoon genuinely listens the entire time, nodding and offering commentary here and there at the right times. He seems comfortable just listening to you, but you want to know more about him.

When he sits down with you, you voice this, lunch of potato stew and rice between you both. “Well, what do you want to know?” He asks hesitantly.

“I don’t know. Why do you live so far out here alone? How long have you lived here, and why have I never seen you in town? Whatever you want to share. I know I overshare, which is why you got the first half of my autobiography after only meeting me once, but don’t feel obligated to share that much.”

Namjoon chuckles. “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind getting to know you more, plus I don’t have much company really, so it’s nice to have someone so animated here.” He slurps a spoonful of soup after blowing on it. “I’ve lived here all my life - my whole family has until-” He stops himself and shoves more food into his mouth.

“So I’ve just stayed here. The solitude is nice. I only have to worry about Sugar and me. If I need anything like groceries or clothes, I go to the town over the bridge for it.” He shrugs, decidedly ending his short speech about himself.

As much as you want to pry, you don’t and instead make him tell you more about his books that you can see across the house in the living room. This gets Namjoon talking as he tells you how he’s read every book at least twenty times. It’s clear how much he loves reading, the fact that he doesn’t have a tv aside. He explains that he usually spends his evenings in bed with Sugar, a book or his journal, and the radio which is all he needs.

You admire how simple of a life Namjoon lives. This beautiful man lives independently with only his cat and a few essential things in the modern world, no school to worry about, no stress of people expecting something from him, and no real pressure of adulting.

After lunch, you offer to help him with any other house chores he has, and it takes a bit of begging to have him give in, and he begrudgingly accepts your help. Most of your time together is spent with you oversharing some more about your friends, and Namjoon tells you the story of how he found Sugar in the woods a couple of years ago and decided to give him a home.

You’re not sure how many hours have gone by, but once you’ve finally sat down for a glass of water, you notice the color of the sky and how the sun will be setting soon.

“I should go,” you say, ending a story about the senior prank you and Seokjin pulled in high school.

You may be seeing things, but you swear disappointment flickers across Namjoon’s face. “Okay. Do you need me to walk you back?”

“Nope, I know the way.” He walks you to the door, Sugar trailing behind. Biting your lip, you hype yourself up to ask your next question. “Is it okay if I come to hang out with you again in a couple of days? I have work tomorrow and the next, but I’ll be free on Saturday.”

“Sure,” he says hastily, clearing his throat afterward. “I mean, okay if you want. We’ll be here.”

“Okay. See you then.” You want to spend the rest of the evening standing here, taking in his beautiful features, but you know you’ve got to get home before dark. You have half a mind to ask Namjoon how he keeps safe out here in the middle of the forest with the wolves about, but he seems to be doing well considering he’s been here for years. You’ll ask him next time.

Venturing into the forest on your days off quickly becomes a habit. Some of your off days coincide with your mom’s days off from the hospital, so sometimes you end up spending time with her or Seokjin when he inserts himself into your home as usual.

On days you can get away from them and make excuses with your other friends, you find yourself in the forest with Namjoon, slowly learning more about plants and nature in general. He’s the first person you’ve ever met who loves all things green and natural. It gives you a new appreciation for the world around you.

Namjoon himself is so fascinating. He started as what seemed to you at the time, a timid man. This is still true, but as weeks with him turn into two months, you start to see more about him come out. He’s funny and can keep you laughing for hours. He’s so bright - the smartest person you’ve ever met, and that amazes you. He hates cooking but learned it for survival from his mother when she was with him.

You learn so much more about Namjoon, like his likes and dislikes (he’s never had mint chocolate chip ice cream but swears he’d hate it), while also still not knowing so much about him. The other layer to Namjoon seems to be a sad, secretive one. Whenever he brings up his family, he’s quick to change the subject, and you can see the way his expression shifts into a more melancholy one.

Even so, you can’t ignore the very real stirrings in your heart every time you see him smile or hear him laugh. You don’t deny the way your skin seems to tingle every time your hands brush when you take something from him, or your arm grazes his when you’re in the garden next to him. When it would happen at first, Namjoon would flinch away and make up an excuse, but as of late, he seems to keep his arm resting against yours or let his fingers linger over yours for a little while longer.

One evening when you’re going to leave, he asks if you want to stay and watch the stars with him.

“I promise, it’s a beautiful sight to see. Far away enough from town that you can even see constellations.”

You glance up at the quickly setting sun. It’s getting dark. As much as you’d love to, you can’t.

“I want to, but… I can’t. It’s getting dark, and I have to be home. The wolves, you know?”

An unreadable expression washes over Namjoon’s face. “The wolves.” He says flatly.

“Yeah, I mean I know you live out here and you’re safe, which I’ve never asked you about, but I’m sure you know the stories about them and what they do.”

“I do.”

“Right, so I’ve gotta head home.”

“Of course. Be safe.” Namjoon’s back in his cottage, door shut and locked without a goodbye

His tone was back to what it seemed to be when you first met him, but you don’t question him. As much as you enjoy spending time with Namjoon, he does get moody quite often, so you don’t think anything of it. At first.

The next few days you visit him, he doesn’t turn you away, but he seems to have reverted to being slightly standoffish towards you like he was when you first met him. It bothers you, and you want so bad to ask, but you don’t want to drive him away anymore. He’ll come around soon and talk to you.

Well, at least you thought. A few days later, you find something that seems to answer all of your questions about Namjoon and the way he is.

While he’s making lunch for you both, you wander into the living room, your hands sweeping over his bookcase as you eye the titles. Some of them you recognize and some of them you don’t. You’re not paying too much attention and end up dragging your nails over a book spine that is already torn, tearing it a little more.

“Fuck,” you mumble, checking over your shoulder to make sure Namjoon hasn’t appeared in the doorway. You hear him still rattling around in the kitchen and slide the book off of the shelf to inspect the tear. The front and back are blank save for ‘Kim’ carved into the leather on the front cover. The book has seen better days with other tears and scratches over the aging leather.

It’s thick and the pages are worn, so you carefully turn them as you flip through it. At first, it looked like a heavy novel, but you notice the words on the pages are handwritten, and there are photos glued or taped throughout. Every few chunks of pages have different handwriting in it, so you assume it has to be a diary, especially when most of the pictures show a lot of people that look like Namjoon.

“His family’s diary?” You think to yourself as you flip through it. You land on some pages that don’t seem as worn and can’t help but read a bit of it. None of it makes much sense, but you spot a page with Namjoon’s name on it and stop to read.

The humans are moving in fast. They killed Jungho last week. Caught him when he had just shifted back into his hairless form and shot him dead. I slipped away before they saw me, but I have to be the one to tell Hyuna now.

I don’t know what to do. We can’t just leave. Geongmin isn’t even walking yet. I’ll have to tell Namjoon a little about what’s going on. He’ll need to know what to do in case something happens.

“Y/n,” Namjoon’s voice behind you has you nearly leaping in the air as you hug the diary to your rapidly beating heart. His eyes dart down to the book in your arms as they widen and dart back up to meet your gaze.

“Namjoon… are you a…” You don’t know how to say it. You’re scared to ask, but you have to know. It would make so much sense. It explains why he lives in the forest alone and isolated. Why he remains unhurt and alive out here and why he never goes into your town and only the one your grandma lives in since they don’t tell wolf stories over there.

“A wolf?” he finishes, running his fingers through his hair. “Yes.” He sets his jaw as he says it and stares at you straight on.

The silence echoes loudly between the two of you, both unsure what to say or do next.

“I should be scared. I should run out after begging you not to kill me.” You close the book and slide it back onto the shelf.

You slowly approach Namjoon and he flinches when you’re much closer to him. “That’s what everyone in town has told me my whole life; that if I’m faced with a wolf, I’ll surely die and that’d be the last of me…but I’m not scared. You wouldn’t hurt me.”

He shakes his head furiously. “Never.”

Nodding, you go over to Namjoon’s old leather couch, sinking into the cushion, leaving room for him next to you. He perches next to you and lets out a tired breath. His fingers tap against his knee before he begins speaking more than you think you’ve ever heard him do since you met him.

You learn that the wolves lived here for many, many years alone. They fled to this country and traveled around from town to town for years. There was a war in his home country that had many people fleeing which included many families, including his own.

It’s how they learned English and began to teach it down the generational lines. His bloodline in particular and a few others ended up here in this town eventually, and when they found that no one inhabited the land for miles, they decided this was their new home.

Years and years went by, and Namjoon’s kind (shapeshifters, they preferred to be called) lived in peace and were happy. But one day, a large group of settlers stumbled upon them, including the man who founded the town you lived in. They found them and immediately decided they wanted this land. The shapeshifters wanted to cohabitate, but the humans refused, and a small war broke out, leaving most of the shapeshifters dead.

They all ended up retreating deep into the forest, trying to hide in the cover of darkness, but then some humans, whom his people called hunters, decided they couldn’t even have that and would seek the shapeshifters out in the woods just to kill them. They murdered them under the guise of protecting their town when it was just an excuse to wipe out his people.

This continued constantly until Namjoon was seventeen and was the only one left. His family left him this cottage where they all lived until they were found out in the woods and taken from him. He hasn’t left simply because he doesn’t know where to go. This is where he grew up and the only place he knows. He’s just lucky that the cottage is deep in the forest enough that the hunters haven’t found him.

With each word in his story, you can see how truly sad he is. His shoulders slump more and more, and he sounds as if he’s choking on each word. Your heart aches not only for him but his family and friends and everyone that was here.

When tears well in Namjoon’s glassy brown eyes, you can’t help but do the same and, without thinking, reach out to grab him, pulling him into your arms. Namjoon doesn’t pull away but does the opposite. He buries his head into your chest and begins to sob into your shirt. The sound shatters your heart, as your own tears silently slide down your cheeks.

You’ve only known Namjoon for nearly three months, but your pull to him is undeniable. You care about this man and can see just how good of a person he is. He’s so different from anyone you’ve known but in the best way possible. He’s so pure and loving; he doesn’t deserve any of the terrible tragedies that have fallen on him. There is no way this is a lie with the way that sobs wrack his large frame, which seems so much smaller gripping you tight.

Namjoon stays wrapped around you for you’re not sure how long, but you let him stay until he pulls back. His face is puffy and red, and he avoids eye contact with you.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to -” you stop him by placing your finger over his lips.

“Don’t. Please don’t apologize. I should be the one apologizing to you. Like, I know I wasn’t involved, but fuck, I can’t even express how sorry I am. I know it won’t change anything, but I’m so sorry that humans are so shitty - that we are so, so terrible. I’m sorry that people I know are involved in all of this, and… this is all so horrendous, and I don’t have words to properly convey how sorry I am but know that I am so deeply sorry.”

He nods, something indescribable swimming in his eyes. “You know you’re the only human that I’ve seen in this town that didn’t want to kill me,” he laughs, but there’s no real humor behind it.

“Namjoon…” you go to reach for him, but he shakes his head.

“Would you mind if I had some time to myself? I just need to, I don’t know, maybe cry some more?”

“Of course!” You rush to stand up and grab your bag off of the floor. “I’ll stop by tomorrow?” You ask more than tell him and he agrees.

You get home in record time, mostly because your mind is elsewhere the entire time.

Namjoon is a wolf. You’ve been spending nearly all of your free time with a wolf, and you aren’t dead. He’s the only wolf left in town. People that you know, that you’ve grown up with, killed his entire bloodline. The wolf force is nothing but murderous hunters, and it’s likely the entire police force knows. Everyone in power knows. All of the older people in town likely know.

This is overwhelming, and your head is spinning with all of this new information. You briefly wonder if Seokjin knows all of this. He can’t because there’s no way he’d pursue that work. Right?

You get the chance to wonder even more that night when Seokjin pops up at your house for dinner. With Angela working, it’s just you, your mom, and Seokjin who sit down to eat, but you barely have an appetite as you’re still digesting everything from earlier.

“How’s training going? For the wolf force.” You ask Seokjin after he finishes talking about his dad’s new promotion.

“Good. I’ve finished a lot of the weapons training. Dad says I’ll be able to do regular patrols sooner than he thought I would.”

“What does patrol consist of again?”

Seokjin gives you a puzzled look but swallows his food to continue. “Well, it’s keeping everyone in town safe. Riding around the perimeter of the forest and keeping an eye out for any wolf sightings.”

“And what do you do if you see one?” You can’t help the challenging tone you take on now that you know what you do. There’s no way you can ever feel comfortable with this again.

“We kill it, Red.” He says matter-of-factly, shoving more pasta in his mouth after.

Your stomach churns at these words. The idea of anything happening to Namjoon hurts more than you can explain. The rest of dinner is silent on your end while Seokjin and your mom keep any signs of conversation going. He tries to ask what’s wrong before he leaves, but you simply say you’ve felt sick all day, which isn’t a complete lie.

The next day you’re due in the bakery in the morning, and the day seems to drag on before you can leave and you head straight to Namjoon’s. He’s in his garden when you arrive and doesn’t look up when you walk over and kneel next to him.

“I didn’t think you’d come back.” He speaks up first.

“Why would you think that?”

Setting the small shovel down he glances over at you. “Why do you think? I’m the big bad wolf that lives in the woods and kills people, remember? That’s what you’ve been taught your whole life. I figured I’d never see you again.”

“Hey,” you reach out and gingerly touch his arm.

“Remember when I said I wasn’t scared? I was telling the truth. I don’t think I’ll ever be scared of you. You have dimples deeper than the sea, for fucks sake. How can I be scared of that?” You don’t miss the blush that creeps onto Namjoon’s beautiful face, and the sight allows you to relax.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, there’s seriously no reason to ever think I’d hurt you. I’ve never hurt anyone in my entire life. I know that the whole town thinks we’ve killed innocent hikers or whatever, but that’s not true. I’ve watched campers walk too far into the woods and never come back. You may not know it, but the forest goes deeper than most people have ever been.”

“I had no idea. We were never really thought much about the nature out here.”

“And you know, even when my dad first told me what was happening to us, I never felt any sense of revenge. I’ve never wanted to hurt or kill anyone, even though I’ve seen people I know killed with my own eyes. Is that weird?”

“Of course not,” you scoot closer to him, your sides pressed against one another. “You’d be justified in feeling revenge if you wanted it, but you’re way too sweet. I don’t think you have a mean bone in your body.”

“Thanks for saying that.” The words are low, but you still hear them.

The relationship you have with Namjoon shifts after that, seemingly even more than it had leading up to finding out who he is. More lingering touches and more occupying each other's spaces.

It’s not long before you and Namjoon share your first kiss. It happens one afternoon when you’re helping him make lunch. You get ketchup on your cheek, and when Namjoon reaches over to wipe it off, his finger stays, and your eyes meet. It’s terribly cliche, but neither of you cares. When Namjoon’s plump, soft lips finally meet yours, nothing else matters.

Your hands wind around Namjoon’s neck and he lets you enjoy the warmth of him for a few more minutes before pulling back.

“No, why?” you pout and he laughs.

“Lunch isn’t done cooking yet.” He kisses your forehead and gently pushes you aside.

Unfortunately for your growing want for him, Namjoon continues to deny you whenever you’re kissing or holding each other when you try to initiate things further. You’ve attempted to, of course, because how could you not with the way he looks, but he always stops things before they go too far. He keeps mentioning how he’s not only never had sex and never been in a relationship, but he doesn’t even know what’ll happen if he does so with a human.

You don’t want to pressure him, but your desire lingers each time his built arms wrap around you or his full lips engulf your own.

“We’ll try it soon,” he always says, and you promise to wait and be more patient, even if you fantasize about him taking you every night when you’re alone.

The weeks go on, turning into months and soon you’ve known Namjoon for nearly half a year, and you see each other nearly every day. You’ve been romantically together for a month before you decide to claim him as your boyfriend and he does the same with you as his girlfriend.

You’ve never cared for anyone as strongly as you do for Namjoon, and he always says the same about you. Your excuses to your mom and friends somewhere along the line transformed to you going to take bike rides to work out and get more active and surprisingly, they all seem to buy it. Except for Seokjin. He asks more questions out of everyone, but you always manage to shake him.

Today you’re celebrating Namjoon’s birthday, so you pack a backpack with a small cake you asked Seokjin’s mom to make (to satisfy a craving you said). You also slip on the only cute lingerie set you own (a powder blue number) that you hope will show Namjoon that you really want to take the next step with him, no matter the chance.

As you’re mounting your bike, Seokjin pulls up.

“Red!”

“Hey, Jin.” you do your best to hide your lack of excitement.

“Where are you headed?” He inquires, and you know he has many more questions.

“Oh just to my grandma’s. Dropping some stuff from my mom.”

“Ah, well hop in! I’m off today and I miss granny! I know she misses me.” Seokjin boasts, moving to get back in his car.

“No, that’s okay. She isn’t feeling well, so I’m just stopping by quickly. She wouldn’t want you to get sick.”

“I’ll just poke my head in, that’s all. She would make an exception for her Jinnie.”

“Seriously, it’s okay, you know she’s serious about her health and everyone around her! I’ll tell her you said hi, though!” Before Seokjin can object again like you know he will, you pedal away, yelling over your shoulder that you’ll text him later to meet up. He calls your name, but you ignore him and keep pushing forward.

You breathe a sigh of relief as your mind shifts to Namjoon as you bike through town and the woods in what you feel like is record time. When you arrive at the cottage, you leave your bike outside as usual and let yourself in. Namjoon is on his couch, book in hand when you come in.

“Happy birthday!” You cheer, setting your backpack down gingerly before all but diving into Namjoon’s lap.

He lets out an ‘oof’ at you crashing into him but doesn’t push you off. “Thank you, baby.” As usual, the pet name sends a shiver through you as you bring your lips to his and kiss him hard.

“I brought you a cake,” you breathe once you pull away. Namjoon’s eyes light up, and he almost looks more excited about the premise of a cake than his girlfriend draping her body over him. Once you’re up, you pull him behind you and carry your backpack into the kitchen.

“Ta-dah!” You present the cake in a flourish when you fish it out of your bag and set it on the table. “I’m so sorry I forgot to buy you a phone, but I will tomorrow! I hate not being able to speak to you when we’re apart and…” That’s when you notice the tears almost welling in Namjoon’s eyes as he admires the dessert.

“Wh-what’s wrong?” Did I do something wrong? Is the cake ugly?”

“Nothing! It’s just that, the last time I celebrated my birthday was when my parents were…” he trails off, and you rush over, pulling his face to yours to place soft kisses all over his face.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. We can do the cake later if you want?”

“Okay. I just ate so I’m a little full anyway, but I do want it!”

“Well, I know how we can work up an appetite for cake.”

Namjoon cocks an eyebrow at you. “Oh?”

Smirking, you pull away and shrug your jacket off, then pull your shirt over your head. Namjoon’s breath audibly catches in his throat at the sight of the soft blue lace that cups your breasts. You shimmy out of your jeans slowly so he can follow how good your legs look in the matching thong and garters.

“Wow.” Namjoon admires.

“Are you gonna unwrap your present?” You pout, fingers playing with the straps of your bra. You see the inner turmoil behind his eyes as he weighs his choices, and you instantly feel guilty. “We don’t have to if you truly, genuinely don’t want to.”

Namjoon only gives it a few more seconds before crossing the room and pulling you into a kiss. There’s a sound outside then that has you both freezing as you wait for a few seconds before you hear scratching at the door.

“Sugar,” he mumbles, going over to let the cat in. The black cat rushes in and sits by the door, staring outside.

Paying him no mind, Namjoon comes back to you and tosses you over his shoulder, making you squeal.

“Are you sure you want this?” Namjoon asks as he carries you upstairs to his room.

“I wouldn’t be here in what barely constitutes as clothing if I didn’t.” You bounce slightly when he tosses you onto the bed and quickly drapes his large frame over yours.

“I just wanted to make sure… I don’t want to hurt you,” his words are laced with concern, but the drop in his tone still has you biting your lip and spreading your legs open almost immediately.

Namjoon’s hand finds yours above your head and cradles it before he moves to place kisses on your fingers. His lips move down your arm to your neck, your cheeks, then your lips. As romantic as he is, the want that you feel for him is immeasurable.

The kiss is short but sloppy, your tongues frantic as they meet in your mouth. Your fingers move up to tangle in his hair and when you yank the strands, Namjoon lets out a hiss that you feel shoot directly to your core.

He sits up and kneels, yanking his shirt off and tossing it elsewhere in the room. Your eyes sweep over his body. The taut, sculpted muscles of his abdomen are enough to send you into even more of a needy frenzy. You don’t know why you never thought about just how good he’d look without a shirt, but you never want him to wear one again after this.

Namjoon nuzzles into your neck, leaving kisses and nips on your soft skin in between inhales of breath. “You have no idea how good you always smell,” he speaks into your neck. “Always so damn sweet.” He works his way down to your chest, your stomach, stopping at your clothed sex. He kisses his way back up your body, his hands running over every part of you he can touch.

“You’re so beautiful, Y/n. Every single part of you deserves to be worshipped.” He whispers each time his lips meet your skin. He lavishes you with more compliments as he kisses every part of you not covered by fabric, then moves up to help you take your bra off.

At the sight of your bare breasts, you watch Namjoon’s pupils dilate, his hand immediately reaching to tweak one of your nipples, and you gasp. He smiles, bending to take your other nipple into his mouth and bites down on the nub.

“Ah!” You squeal, his tongue quickly lapping at it after biting, then he sucks harshly in time with the way he rolls your other nipple between his calloused fingers. He continues kneading at your soft flesh, wetness pooling in your panties more with each suck and each tug. You’re torn between begging him to touch you where you’re truly aching for him most and not wanting him to stop.

As if reading your mind at that moment, he releases your nipple with a ‘pop’, moving to kiss the valley between your breasts, then back up to your neck. His large, warm hands trail down your body, fingers hooking into your panties to yank them down your legs and tossing them somewhere in the room. His digits immediately move to your pussy, spreading your already moist lips apart.

The sensation causes you to jump, a whimper falling from your mouth, making Namjoon grunt. His teeth nibble harder at your skin as he plunges a single thick finger into you.

“Oh!” You gasp, already feeling full, and he hasn’t even properly started yet. With his finger pushing inside of you, Namjoon finally leaves the bitten skin of your neck, no doubt littered with marks, to shift down your body. He situates himself between your legs, blowing warm air onto your wetness. You feel his nose nuzzling against your inner thigh, then against your clit and you jolt again.

“Fucking delicious,” he murmurs before surging forward, lips latching onto your clit and sucking hard.

“Namjoon - fuck!” You shriek, pleasure shooting through your whole body as he suckles at your sensitive bud, his finger never ceasing its movement in you. He keeps a steady pace of sucking your clit and fingering you, eventually stuffing a second digit in you. You can’t help but reach down to grip his blonde locks, tugging at the hair while you squirm.

Namjoon lets out grunts and low groans as he fucks you with his fingers, and right when you feel as though you may cum, he slips his fingers out, you whimpering at the loss.

He makes up for it quick. As soon as he sucks your juices off of his hand, he dives into your pussy again, this time tongue first, and you nearly pass out. His tongue pistons in and out of you, eating you out as if you’re his last meal. His thumb furiously rubs your clit, the intensity only serving to have you letting out various high-pitched noises as you beg him to let you cum.

“Joon, please, fuck please, let me cum…” you plead as you hold his head in place as you move your hips to match his tongue’s movement, chasing your end as it creeps closer.

“Mmhmm,” he mumbles into you, tongue-fucking you to orgasm, his name tumbling from your lips.

When Namjoon finally comes up for air, he’s beaming down at you, face glistening as your juices dry on his skin.

“You taste even better than I thought you would,” he compliments, a blush creeping up your neck at his words. He leans down to meet your lips, and you taste yourself on his tongue as he moves it into your mouth, your body reacting to him instantly, your hips pushing up towards him with more want.

“Well, how about you find out if I also feel as good as you thought.” You purr when he pulls back, desperately waiting for him to fuck you.

“I want to, so bad,” he sighs, fingertips ghosting over your skin as he surveys your naked body underneath him.

“So what are you waiting for?” The playfulness leaves his eyes for a second, and you can tell his earlier worry of hurting you is resurfacing. “Joon, please. I want you to,” to drive the point home further, you flip onto your stomach, getting on all fours to present yourself to him. “You won’t hurt me, just please fill me up.”

Since you’re looking at him over your shoulder, you watch as the worry etched onto his face twists into something much more desperate, feral even.

“Are you sure?” He grits, bottom lip bit between his teeth while his hands ghost over your ass.

“Namjoon, please take me,” you beg, pushing your ass into his still clothed crotch, feeling just how much he truly wants you. “Now!”

Something akin to a growl comes from him as he tugs his pants and underwear down, his erection visible. Your mouth falls open at the sheer girth of him, and only momentarily do you wonder if he’ll even fit. The stickiness between your legs doesn’t care, though, as you quite literally throb at the thought of him shoving his cock into you.

Namjoon’s hands grip your ass, pulling you closer to him, his hardness rubbing against your pussy, so close to where you want him.

“You have to tell me if you want to stop okay? Say the word and I’ll stop.” He assures you, sounding just like the sweet, thoughtful Namjoon that you’ve gotten to know.

Instead of responding verbally, you simply nod and maneuver your body enough that you can push back against him again. This time his cockhead just barely slips between your lips, both of you letting out identical moans at the smallest amount of relief to your want.

Namjoon takes this as the okay he needs, slowly plunging his thickness into you as a long, low whine slips out of you. Once he’s sheathed completely inside of you, he stills, adjusting on his knees behind you.

“Fuck yes,” he sighs, squeezing the flesh of your ass before he begins moving his hips, matching sounds of pleasure shared between the two of you. With a firm hold on you, Namjoon’s pace quickens, the sound of skin slapping skin rings out in the room, mixing with your desperate sounds.

“Y-yes, Joon!”

“Feel good, baby?” He coos, his caring words a stark contrast from the bruising thrusts he’s subjecting you to.

“So good, Joon! So good!” you shout, savoring the rough drag of his cock against your soft walls. You know you’ll be sore tomorrow, but it’ll be a welcomed pain; your body has never known pleasure like this and you’re hooked already.

“Fuck, you look so beautiful like this, stuffed full of my cock.” He snarls, the speed of his thrusts becoming rougher, his cock sinking even deeper into you.

“You’re taking me so well, baby.” His words are only serving to spur you on more, your body on fire as he quite literally fucks you into the mattress.

Your hands grip at the sheets attempting to anchor yourself. “Namjoon, fuck!”

“Ugh, I love hearing you say my name. Say it again, baby.” He swivels his hips when he says that, his cock easily brushing against your g-spot, making your eyes cross and your stomach twist.

“Namjoon!” You shriek, so close to your second orgasm, this one has you convulsing before it even hits. “I’m so close, please!”

“M-me too. Fuck, Y/n, I’m gonna cum. It - it’s gonna be a lot and -”

“Just do it, please!” You’re desperate, your voice sounding hysterical as you are so, so close. Namjoon harshly hums, only a few more wild thrusts have you finally coming undone, a scream of his name ripping from your throat and into the pillow your face is buried in.

Namjoon seems to roar as his thick cum pumps into you, and his cock swells both painfully while also being pleasurable. His hips stutter in motion, and his heavy, hot body drapes over you as he keeps filling you up, your walls stretching to accommodate him.

You whine, shifting to find a more comfortable position to no avail. “Joon,” you pout, body still shaking uncontrollably.

“I know, baby. It’ll be over soon.” He peppers kisses all over your shoulder blades while rubbing comforting circles on your back.

He’s right, as the pressure does eventually start to lessen, and soon enough, it’s gone and he’s able to slip his softening cock out of your sore hole. You immediately flop onto the bed, legs made of jelly and your body exhausted.

“Knotting?” You rasp once you find your voice again. Namjoon sputters in response, opening and closing his mouth with no answer. You laugh, slowly turning to your side to look at him. His honeyed skin is covered in a sheen of sweat and his hair is flat to his head and even still, he’s just as beautiful as always. “It’s okay. I kind of looked some stuff up online. I was just curious,” you supply, laughing awkwardly. “Is that weird?”

“O-oh, no! Sorry, I just didn’t know what to say is all. It’s okay; it’s the main reason I was afraid, but at least I don’t have to explain it too much.” He lets out his own nervous laughter, the sweet sound making you smile. Unable to help it, you reach out to cup Namjoon’s face and kiss him, which he immediately returns.

A warmth spreads through your body, your heart feeling full of nothing but the care you feel for Namjoon. “Thank you,” you whisper against his lips.

“Thank you,” he mumbles back, nuzzling his nose against yours and your heart clenches again for him at the gesture.

Fatigue quickly replaces that feeling when you yawn, the mid-afternoon sun coming through the window only serving to make you even cozier. “I think I need a quick nap.” You stretch out, tired joints cracking with each movement.

“We can do that. And then we can have cake when we’re up?”

“Of course,” you chuckle at the eagerness in his voice. Namjoon wraps his arm around you, pulling you closer to him. You snuggle into his bare chest his warm skin and heartbeat easing you into a quick, welcomed sleep.

Something tells you to open your eyes, and when you do, you notice how dark the room is. It takes only a few seconds before you realize that you’re not in your room, but in Namjoon’s, and the sun has already set.

“Oh, fuck!” You curse, jumping out of bed and scrambling to find your clothes. Your muscles protest, but you ignore it as you scan the floor.

“What’s going on?” Namjoon jolts up and watches you with tired eyes.

“It’s dark, which means my mom is probably home and is wondering where the hell I am. I gotta go home.” You can’t find your lingerie set and decide to just forgo it, rushing downstairs to retrieve your jeans and shirt, still on the kitchen floor.

Namjoon follows behind, pulling on sweatpants along the way. “Get home safe, okay?”

Once your clothes are on, you give him one last kiss for the night as you zip your jacket. “I will. And I’ll come by tomorrow afternoon after I grab you a phone!” You call goodbye and rush out, hopping on your bike to get home. You’re out of breath when you get there, seeing your mom, Angela, and Seokjin’s cars in the driveway.

“Great,” you groan to yourself and steel yourself when you pass the threshold.

“Y/n! Where the hell have you been?!” Your mom shrieks before you even shut the door, Angela following her and frowning.

“I’ve been home since the sun was setting because I was able to leave the hospital early and I find you nowhere to be seen and not answering your phone for either of us!” Your phone had been in your discarded jeans and there was no way you would’ve heard it while you and Namjoon were having sex.

Seokjin comes around the corner, arms crossed and disapproval on his face like some sort of authority figure. “If I hadn’t come by again when you didn’t answer my texts, your mom wouldn’t have even known you were seeing your grandma.”

“I-”

“I called your grandmother, and she said she hasn’t seen you all day!”

“Yeah, I’m-”

“And I didn’t see you when I was patrolling, Y/n.” Angela cuts in, hands on her hips as she reprimands you. “And I drove all around town, including through the woods.” Angela and your mom may not be married yet, but with them having been together since you were a teenager and her moving in when you left for college, she still, at times, feels like your true second mom.

“You know when I think about it,” your mom starts again. “You’ve barely been home much for weeks except when you’re babysitting or going and coming. What’s going on?!”

You begin to panic, scrambling to come up with an excuse. “I… I’m, I’m just tired of being here, okay!” It’s not a lie, just not the truth to this particular question.

“What?” Your mom asks, only slightly gentler than before.

“I need time to myself! I miss the city, and working these two jobs every day over and over again is so suffocating! I’m a grown woman, and if I want to ride around alone to clear my head, I can, okay?”

Your mom doesn’t say anything, but her face shows sadness. “Y/n, I didn’t realize. I knew you missed the city, but I didn’t know it was this bad.” The guilt in her voice makes you feel guilty, but you push it down to get through this conversation.

“Mom, I love you, I do, but I need to be able to take time to myself. I’ll be thirty soon, and I still live with my mother. I should be allowed to be alone.”

“I’m sorry, you’re right. I just love and care about you, and I want you to be safe.” She softens and comes over to hug you.

“I know.”

“But I also know I can be a little too overprotective.” She pulls back and offers you a smile. “I won’t breathe down your neck about where you’re going, but I still want responses to my texts, at least. I just need to know you’re okay.”

“I can do that. Sorry to make you worry.”

“Yeah, you better be. Don’t do that again.”

“I won’t.”

“I know you won’t.” She gives you a stern look and lets you go, leaving room for Angela to come over and hug you. “Now that I’m done having a heart attack, I’ll order dinner. My nerves are too shot to cook. Pizza?”

“Half black olives.” You and Angela answer in unison.

“Got it. Seokjin, will you stay for dinner?” You forgot that your best friend is still here, looking angry in the background during the whole exchange.

“No. I’ll be leaving as soon as I use the bathroom.” He hurries down the hall, and you take your leave, saying you’re going to go shower before the pizza is here.

Once in your room, you put your phone on the charger and move to pull your shirt over your head, but Seokjin barging into your room makes you scream and pull your shirt back down.

“Jin, are you insane?! How about you knock first!” He shuts the door behind him, fury clouding his features.

“Did you leave your little blue bra at your boyfriend’s house?” He says with too much venom in his voice. Your stomach sinks at his words.

“What did you just say?”

“Or did the wolf rip it off of you as he bred you?”

“Seokjin, get the fuck out!”

“No! Not until you tell me why the hell you’re running around in the woods and fucking a wolf! Is that why you’ve been so distant these past few months? I knew something was going on, but I had no idea it’d be this!” Seokjin spits, disgust in his tone.

“It’s none of your fucking business what I’ve been doing! And did you follow me earlier?!”

“I sure did because I knew you were lying to me. I’ve known you were lying every time you ran off mysteriously, but I finally caught you. How could you, Red?!”

“I can’t believe you followed me. And what, were you fucking peeping in on us?”

“I didn’t mean to see all that I saw! I knew you were lying so I followed you with my car but stayed far enough that you didn’t notice. Then when you got off your bike and walked through the woods, it wasn’t hard to follow behind you. I had my gun on me because we were going through the woods where we shouldn’t be going. I watched you go into his house, and I waited, then I saw you in one of the windows talking to him. Then you were kissing and getting naked for him, and I wanted to burst in and drag you out so badly.”

You’re furious, and it’s taking everything in you not to haul off and punch your best friend. “I don’t even know what to say to you right now. I seriously can’t believe you.”

“I could say the same to you! I just don’t understand what’s going through your thick skull doing the reckless shit you’re doing.”

“Alright, first the fuck of all, don’t you ever follow me again! What you did is such a gross invasion of my privacy.”

“Oh please, I was -”

“Second of all, how do you know who he is?”

“Come on, Red, it’s not hard to figure out. No human is going to live in the woods on their own. If they did, they surely wouldn't be alive right now.”

“Right, because you hunters wouldn’t kill a human, you only wipe out non-humans just for the hell of it.”

Seokjin scoffs. “Is that what your wolf told you? And you believe that animal?”

“He’s not an animal!” You shout, hoping no one downstairs is hearing any of this. “He told me about his past, Jin. Hunters, your ancestors, your grandfather, and your father, they’ve killed off his entire family.”

He doesn’t respond, only looking you up and down, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you. After everything that’s happened to this town and everything the members of my family have done for everyone and you’re saying this. You’re a fucking traitor.”

Seokjin’s words hurt, even though you’re furious with him. You’ve never been in a serious argument, but this just seems to keep escalating. “Seokjin, you need to do your research. The history of this town and your family is very different from what we’ve been told.”

A bitter laugh falls from his lips. “I thought you were smart, Red, but you’re acting so stupid right now.”

“Seokjin -”

“I was going to ask you to marry me!” He screams, face red and brows knitted in the angriest way possible.

“What? Seokjin, we’ve had this talk. I’ve told you before that I don’t like you like that.”

“Right, because you’d rather run around fucking wild dogs. I suppose he’s made you his bitch now?”

“Fuck you!” You yell, lunging across the room at Seokjin, fists ready, but he’s faster and pins your arms behind your back.

“Whatever, Red. I hope you enjoyed your little Twilight fantasy. You just ruined any future we could’ve had.” He roughly lets you go, and you stumble to back away.

“Seokjin, you need to think about this! Why would I lie to you?”

“You’re clearly brainwashed, and I don’t want to deal with this, or you, anymore.” He storms out then, slamming your bedroom door behind him.

You run to your bedroom window and throw it open. Poking your head out, you see Seokjin leave soon after and call him as he walks to his car, but he ignores you. He looks at you before peeling away from the curb but says nothing.

Having heard some of the commotion, your mom comes upstairs to ask what’s wrong. You quickly come up with a lie, saying that you and Seokjin fought about you wanting to move back to the city.

“Oh sweetie, you know Seokjin cares about you, that’s all. I’m sure he’ll come around. You two have never fought for long.”

You hope so, but you doubt it. You barely eat any of your pizza or get any sleep. Seokjin continues to ignore your calls and texts. If you can just get him when he’s calm then maybe you can explain everything, and he can even meet Namjoon and hear it straight from him. Seokjin is stubborn, but there’s no way he’d stay that mad at you forever.

The following morning, you feel like shit, but get dressed and go downstairs anyway. You’re babysitting tonight but want to get Namjoon a phone before then.

“Morning,” you mumble to your mom sitting at the kitchen island as you pour coffee into a travel mug.

“Morning. You’ve just missed all the fuss.” She says, scrolling through her phone.

“What do you mean?”

“Angela just hurried out of here saying there was a wolf spotting last night.” You nearly overfill the mug at her words, almost missing the point where you need to stop pouring.

“What?”

“Yeah, apparently Jin saw it last night on the way home. Someone on the force called her to tell her. He’s leading his father and the rest of the wolf force into the woods this morning to find it.”

Panic overcomes you instantly. Namjoon. Seokjin is going to lead them to Namjoon.

No.

“I need to meet Chaerin!” You call your mom, already running to the front door for your sneakers from yesterday. You’ve got to get to Namjoon first. You have to.

You drop your bike into a bush at the beginning of the clearing to Namjoon’s. You run the rest of the way as fast as your legs can carry you, leaves and twigs snapping beneath your sneakers. When you reach the cottage, you’re out of breath and panting, but the only thing that matters is getting to Namjoon.

Fumbling with the key, you finally get the door unlocked, barging in as he’s coming out of the bathroom.

“Y/n, what’s going on?”

“We have to go, now!” You walk around the small house, trying to identify anything of value that he should pick up.

“Go where? What’s happening?” Namjoon grabs your wrist, turning you to look at him. “Talk to me.”

Fighting back tears, you look at him, heart hurting. This is all your fault, and the guilt is immeasurable.

“Joon, the hunters know you’re here. They’re talking about coming out here today to… get you. We need to leave right now. Please.”

Fear visibly overcomes him as his eyes quickly glance around the house. “Okay,” he breathes. “Let’s get out of here.”

He packs a bag of some of his things while you pick Sugar up, gently placing the cat in a backpack. He purrs the entire time, not even aware of what’s happening.

“We just need to make it through the forest and across the bridge to the next town over!” You call through the house. “The wolf force can’t do anything to you over there.”

Namjoon comes into the room with a duffel bag in hand. “Sounds good. I’m rea-” He freezes, head whipping around to the front of the house without a sound. You try to listen too, straining to hear anything, but you don’t. You want to ask what it is, but that’s when the distinct sound of snapping twigs approaching reaches your ears.

“They’re here,” Namjoon whispers, followed by a loud knock on the door.

You both freeze, holding your breath in hopes that they’ll go away. You have no such luck as another knock against the wooden door rings out.

“Hello?! This is the Wolf Force! I’m gonna need you to open the door.” You recognize the voice of Seokjin’s father and grit your teeth.

“Fuck… okay I’ll answer it.” You whisper, and Namjoon shakes his head. “That’s Seokjin’s dad. If he sees me, maybe he’ll go away.”

“But what if he doesn’t?”

“Then wait by the backdoor with Sugar, and if it goes bad I’ll shut the door, and we’ll go out the back.” Namjoon still doesn’t like this but agrees. You take a deep breath and open the front door.

Mr. Kim is surprised to see you and backs up to inspect you. Behind him are the other members of the wolf force that you recognize from town, including Angela and Seokjin, who is directly behind his father. There’s fiery anger in his eyes that you do your best to return when your eyes meet.

“Y/n? What are you doing out here?” Mr. Kim asks. He tries to look around you, but you keep the front door closed, save for enough space for you to partially step out.

“This is a cottage I found recently so I’m just hanging out. I don’t think anyone lives here, so I’ve just been coming here.” You hope it doesn’t sound like as much of a lie as you think it does.

“So you found a random house in the forest and have just been staying in it?” Angela interjects, eyeing you carefully.

“Yeah, “your chuckle sounds nervous, and you want to kick yourself. “You know I love my mom, but I need my space.”

Mr. Kim doesn’t believe you. “Right… and what were you doing out in the forest this far to find it?”

“Oh, I followed an injured rabbit out here weeks ago and stumbled upon it.” Everyone surrounding the house seems to adjust their guns as you speak subtly, and the dread in the pit of your stomach is only growing. “Don’t worry. It was daytime, so no worries.”

“Seokjin says he saw a wolf walking around very early this morning and that it ran in this direction.”

Your eyes meet your best friend’s again and stay locked on him as you speak. “Oh wow, well luckily I haven’t seen any, and I didn’t run into any when I came out here. Maybe it went another direction you didn’t see.”

“I highly doubt that, Red.”

“Well, Jin, maybe you just didn’t see what happened very well.”

“I know what I saw!” Seokjin snaps. His father places a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

“Look, Y/n, I don’t know what’s going on here, but we’ll need to check the house.”

“For what?”

“Y/n, you know what.” The rest of the force slowly advances towards you. This is only escalating more, and you can tell. You only know the basics of the wolf force from what Seokjin and Angela have told you, but when they want to sweep an area for wolves, they do it. You don’t think they’ll hurt you since they know you, but they will force their ways in since they aren't buying your story. You can’t let them hurt Namjoon. You won’t let them.

“Oh, for wolves? So you can continue murdering them?”

“Excuse me?” Mr. Kim balks.

“Just cut the bullshit.” Whatever’s going to happen will be bad, so why not make your feelings very clearly known. “I know the truth. I know that the wolf force is just an excuse for you all to murder innocent people for existing.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Y/n. Now step aside.” Angela’s tone is stern, but you don’t budge.

“You can lie to my face all you want, but I’m not buying it. And no, I won’t be stepping aside.”

“Y/n!” Mr. Kim bellows, stepping forward once more. “Impeding on the actions of the wolf force is a crime. If you stand in the way of us keeping this town safe, we will be bringing you in.”

You scoff at him, but he doesn’t stand down. This is it - the moment that things will only go from bad to worse. It’s silent for a second with no one moving. You feel a gentle hand on your back from the other side of the door. Your hand that’s holding the door and out of sight from the wolf force, moves slowly, grasping onto Namjoon’s hand and squeezing. He gives you a slight tug, which you know means it’s time to move.

Slipping out of his grasp, you carefully move your hand to the doorknob. No one except Seokjin notices and he’s the one to speak.

“Y/n.” The force glances his way, and you take this opportunity to jerk back inside and slam the door shut, locking it right as Namjoon moves and pushes his nearby console table in front of it.

“Upstairs to my room and out of the window! They’ll no doubt block the back!” He runs upstairs with you on his tail after you’ve grabbed the bag with Sugar from him as bangs sound at the front door.

Just as you reach the large window of Namjoon’s bedroom that faces the side of the house, you both hear a heavy crash as the front door is kicked open.

“Red?!” Seokjin’s voice makes you start to panic. As you know it’ll only take a few minutes before he and the rest of the force find you both up here.

“Hey, listen to me,” Namjoon starts, holding your face to look at him. “This ledge is very narrow, so when I step out of the window, I need you to grab onto my back and don’t let me go, no matter what you do.”

Terrified, you still say yes. You trust Namjoon, no matter what your fears are telling you. Namjoon quickly climbs out of the window, adjusting his bags wrapped around his shoulders, and bends his knees slightly.

“Y/n!” Angela’s voice is close as footsteps begin thudding upstairs.

“Y/n, let’s go!” Namjoon waves for you to climb on. Taking a deep breath and making sure the backpack is securely on your shoulders, you hoist yourself up into the window frame.

“Red - Y/n, stop!” Seokjin’s voice is behind you, and when you whip your head around, you see he’s standing there, gun at his side as he watches you. “Don’t do this. I can make it so that you don’t get in too much trouble. Please come with me.”

You hesitate, only for a second. “What happens to Namjoon?” You don’t miss the dark shadow that casts itself over Seokjin’s features and that’s all you need to know.

Without another word, you latch onto Namjoon’s back, and he leaps from the second story. You feel the ghosting of Seokjin’s fingers on your arm, having been too slow to catch you.

There are still members of the wolf force on the ground who turn towards the sound of Namjoon’s feet hitting the ground with their guns drawn. He doesn’t hesitate as he takes off into the trees, bullets flying past as he weaves and dodges obstacles.

The next town over isn’t that far by bike usually, but you may get there faster with the speed at which Namjoon’s feet are moving. For a second, you only hear the sound of nature whooshing by, but the rumble of ATV motors fills your ears soon after. They’re getting closer, so Namjoon zig zags and goes deeper into the forest, the sounds getting further away.

When you reach a large gathering of trees, Namjoon stops behind one and you get off of his back, both of you sinking to the ground. You can’t hear anything other than your breathing and the faint sounds of the motors.

Namjoon’s face is screwed in concentration as he listens to the sounds surrounding you both.

“They’re heading to the bridge between this town the next.”

“They’re trying to block us from leaving.” You finish his thought. “How far away are we? I couldn’t tell when we left your house.”

“Not too far - a handful of miles maybe. The only issue will be getting around the blockade I’m sure they’re setting up.”

“Can we just keep going through the woods?”

“We can but we’ll have to be fast…” he trails off, eyes darting to you. “I can’t go as quickly as we need to in uh, in this form.” He doesn’t look at you when he says it as if he’s embarrassed.

“Hey, Joon, if you need to shift, please don’t feel like you can’t. I’m okay.” You grasp his hand, placing a kiss on his knuckles. He smiles and kisses your forehead.

“I uh, usually don’t have clothes on for this, so I’m gonna put them in my bag real quick.”

“No need to be so shy, you know. I literally saw you naked yesterday.” Rolling his eyes, Namjoon quickly pulls his clothes off and shoves them into his duffel bag.

“Once I change, you can still talk to me as normal, I just can’t speak back. Grab my bag and hop on my back, and we’ll go. Hold on as tight as you can; I don’t plan on stopping until we’re across town lines.” You nod and watch as Namjoon takes a deep breath before you see it with your own eyes. The tan man with perfect skin and hair shifts in front of you, his long limbs and torso twisting, elongating and changing, and growing honey-colored fur.

In front of you now stands the tallest creature you’ve ever seen before. Taller than any horse or any cow you’ve encountered at childhood petting zoos. Namjoon is just as beautiful as a powerful wolf, his fur looking soft and golden, yellow eyes shining as they meet yours.

Having a real, actual wolf in front of you, you feel no fear. Only fascination and wonder and something that may have been stirring in your heart for Namjoon this whole time the more you get to know him. Seeing him this way, in his other true form, knowing he feels comfortable enough around you to show you this side of him - the word ‘love’ rings in your ears as you look at him.

You snap out of your self-induced trance when he noses at his bag, the signal for you to get moving. You grab the duffel bag, adjusting it across your chest, making sure it’s secure on you. After checking to make sure the backpack still on your back housing Sugar is also safe, you climb onto Namjoon’s back and situate yourself. You bend and wrap your limbs around his body the best you can.

“I’m ready,” you murmur into his fur, but he still hears you. Before you even have a chance to think much else, you feel the fast movement of air around you. The ride is much bumpier than when you were on human-form Namjoon’s back, and you have to make sure you’re clutching him tightly as he weaves through the trees. Your eyes are closed as you burrow your face into his neck and wait to get to a safe spot.

Quicker than you thought, he slows down, and you pop your head up to take in your surroundings. You’re still in the brush, but the bridge is in sight. Police cars and ATVs are lined up in front of it and along the riverbed. You scan the crowd, recognizing nearly every face and feeling nothing but anger. Anger that these people you grew up with would be doing something so terrible and angry that they’re doing this now even when they know you’re involved.

“Are we looking for an opening?” Namjoon grunts at your question, which sounds like an affirmation. You give another once over to the side of the bridge you’re on, just as one of the wolf force members walks away leaving the spot between them and the bridge open with a gap wide enough that Namjoon could probably run through to make it over the river. You point it out to him and he lets out a snuff. He looks at you over his shoulder the best he can and whines quietly.

It’s dangerous and you know that this could end badly if one thing goes wrong. You caress the top of Namjoon’s head and lean down to place a kiss on him. He whines again, then takes a step back. You tighten your arms and legs around him, torn between keeping your eyes open or closing them until it’s over.

You end up opting to keep them open and watch as Namjoon takes off towards the clearing. He’s moving so fast that no one notices him until he comes tumbling out of the trees. The distance to the river isn’t much, and you seem to dodge every obstacle, bullets whizzing over you with each step. You hear a voice that sounds like Angela’s call out your name, but you can’t see her.

Everyone’s face is a blur with how fast you’re going, but the unmistakable expression of anger seems to be shared, except for one face you know to be Seokjin’s. It seems like something akin to sadness maybe or hurt. For a second, you understand it. He’s been your best friend since the two of you were born and because of a lie and violence that started before you even came to be, that friendship is dying instantly.

You give him what might be a comparable expression, even if his gun is raised above you as he does so. Namjoon’s front paws hit the water and he stumbles at the same time that you feel something smash into him. He seems to tumble forward but keeps his balance enough so that you don’t get knocked off. He’s slower but still moving.

You hear more gunshots and it feels like an eternity goes by as Namjoon lumbers to the other side of the river and throws himself onto the wet soil on the other side.

The ground squishes when you fall to the side and onto it. You’re out of breath and panting, but relief floods your senses when you realize you’re lying on the other side in the next town over where they don’t have wolf laws. You’ve made it out.

Sitting up, you see the irate faces of the wolf force staring back at you, powerless. Your eyes meet Angela’s as she says your name, but you don’t respond. Seokjin is next to her and you look at him, unspoken words are exchanged and none of them feel positive. When you finally tear your gaze away from Seokjin and look to Namjoon, you realize why he’s been so quiet.

He’s back in his human form, face contorted in what looks like pain. He’s naked and curled into a ball, blood seeping from a wound on his side. Terror zips through your body like electricity as you watch him bleed.

“Namjoon! Joon, please hold on!!” Your eyes blur with tears.

“Hey, hey. It’s not as bad as it looks, I promise.” He smiles at you, but the expression is switched quickly to a frown.

“Come on, we can go to my grandmother’s, and she can help. Can you move?”

“Mmhmm,” he tries his best to assure you but fails. After helping him stand up, you take him to off to the side behind a tree, so you can help him get at least his pants on.

You’re more than thankful that your grandmother lives close enough that you and Namjoon can limp there in a reasonable amount of time. When you’re through her door after she answers, she’s ushering Namjoon into her kitchen without hesitation and listening to you tell her, through cries, everything that’s happened. You’ve always been able to tell her anything, so the sight of her, and the worry about Namjoon, all compound and you can’t hold it in anymore.

Once she’s dressed Namjoon’s wound and he’s lying on her couch, you properly explain everything from start to finish. She patiently listens, offering hugs and tissues where needed.

That’s when you find out that she knew all of this, and it’s the reason she left town when she did. She and a lot of the older people in town knew the true intentions of the wolf force and the history of where you live. She was always against it but could never do anything to stop it. She finally was so fed up enough to leave town and tried to get your mom to do so. That discussion caused the argument with your mom who also knew the truth but was against uprooting everything and changing the life both only she and you had known. She had her job, you were almost done with high school, she owned the home you lived in, and she had Angela, who your grandma is also sure pressured her into staying.

The thought of your mom knowing and choosing what she was comfortable with over the horrible truth, frustrates you and you know this will be a heavy conversion to be had - but you’re not ready for that right now. You only think of Namjoon and what your next steps will be.

“Do you two need a place to stay?” Your grandma asks as if reading your mind.

“Yes. I wouldn’t ask, but we didn’t anticipate this happening so fast. I have a good amount of money saved up, but we’ll need more for both of us to survive somewhere. And now I’ll need a new job over here to continue to get the rest of that together.”

“Well, you two are welcomed to my guest room while you’re saving. I’ll talk to some folks around town to see if any of them have any open jobs they need to be filled.”

Your grandma moves to get up, and you can’t help but reach out to place your hand over hers. “Thank you, so much grandma. Thank you for being the only one who understands.”

She places her other hand over yours and squeezes. “Of course. I’m always on your side.”

You smile gratefully, letting go of her hand so she can go into the next room. You’re left alone only for a few seconds before you hear a groaning coming from the living room. You’re through the door in a flash, kneeling on the carpet beside Namjoon, Sugar sitting on the couch above his head already purring to comfort him.

“Y/n?” He asks groggily, squinting his eyes to take in his surroundings.

“Hey, hey I’m right here.” You grab his hand, and he squeezes back, brown eyes finally focusing on your face.

“We made it to your grandma’s.”

“Yeah, we did. You don’t remember getting here?”

“Truth be told I don’t remember much getting from the bridge and then here.” He frowns, lifting his head to inspect his bandaged stomach.

“That’s fair. As soon as she opened the door, you passed out, but grandma says you’ll be alright. The bullet went clean through, so she just had to patch the holes up and cover you up. You need lots of rest, but she doesn’t believe it’s anything worth racking up a hospital bill over unless you want to.”

Namjoon shakes his head. “I know this town is different, but I’m not prepared to see a human doctor for the first time just yet.”

Nodding you lean down to kiss his hand. “I was so scared when you were shot,” you whisper after a minute of silence. “And when you passed out I nearly lost my shit. I’m so glad you’re okay.” Tears begin to well again and you reach up to swipe at your eyes before any can fall.

Namjoon shifts to cradle your face in his hands, his own eyes shining as he meets your gaze. “I can’t leave you. I won’t, not ever. I love you.” The phrase has your breath catching as the tears fall anyway.

“I love you too.” Namjoon leans forward, his lips meeting yours halfway as you share a kiss that makes your heart race. You gasp when you pull away, ignoring how he quite literally, took your breath away in that moment.

Resting your foreheads together, you both smile. Despite your lack of a home, abysmal finances, and no thought out next plan, finally telling Namjoon how you’ve been feeling for him eases that burden off of your shoulders. Those unsaid words are replaced with warmth and relief at him feeling the same as you do.

The two of you stay this way for a little while longer until your grandma comes into the room. She checks Namjoon’s wounds and his vitals while telling you she has a few people who’d help you with a job while you stay with her. Namjoon attempts to butt in to ask more which she shuts down immediately, telling him the only thing he will be doing is resting until his wounds heal. Once that’s done, then he can entertain the idea of a job. He obeys, albeit hesitantly.

Your grandma goes to make lunch after helping Namjoon sit up enough on the couch to see the television. You sit on the floor directly in front of him, still feeling relief at how everything has turned out. You know you’ll still need to have a conversation with your mom about everything, but you’ll call her tomorrow maybe.

Unfortunately, your plan doesn’t go that way, when she barges into your grandma’s house while the three of you are eating, and watching tv, Sugar lounging in the middle of the floor.

She looks bewildered at the sight of all of you, but that turns into anger when she sees Namjoon, and then you. You set your bowl on the coffee table and leap up, shielding Namjoon from her glare.

“I didn’t believe Angela and Seokjin - I told them there was no way you’d do this. But you did. You’ve been messing around with a wolf, Y/n?!”

“Yeah, I have, and I’m not dead.”

“I can’t believe you kept this from me!”

“How could I tell you? You would’ve lost your shit and tried to forbid me. And I know you would’ve run and told Angela, who would’ve told the wolf force. But how could you know what’s going on - what’s truly going on - and not tell me or do anything about it?!”

“You don’t understand, Y/n. I’m your mother and it’s my job to protect you.”

“From what?! Because you were never protecting me from anything really except the truth that our entire town is fine with genocide! Do you know how evil that is?”

“That’s just the way it’s always been….” she frowns, her anger smoothing to something akin to sadness.

“That doesn’t make it right, and you know it! What the wolf force has done - what they’re doing now - is monstrous and disgusting.

“I…Y/n if you come back home, they’ll probably try and prosecute you. There’s no law for what you’ve done, but they’ll try and figure something out. I don’t know if Angela can do anything for you, or if she even will. She’s furious.”

“Then I’m not coming home. I refuse to be part of any community that is comfortable killing innocent people. And fuck Angela then! She always wanted to play the role of second mom but if this makes her cast me aside, so be it! And if you still support the wolf force, then I have nothing else to say to you.”

“Y/n…”

“I love Namjoon, and I’m not leaving him, nor am I letting him get hurt by anyone anymore. You can run and tell Angela and the Kims that if you want to.”

Unmistakable sadness and conflict are written on her face as she takes a step towards you, but you move away. She glances at your grandma, who shakes her head. You already know their relationship, even though they’ve worked to repair it, is still on thin ice when this topic comes up.

“I love you, Y/n.” Your mom says finally. You nod in response which seems to hit her hard as she gasps through what is very clearly a sob and turns on her heels to leave.

After she’s gone, no one speaks, and the only sound is the tv. You plop on the floor, shaking as you feel yet another crying spell coming. Namjoon wraps his arm around you, pulling you closer to him.

“Do you think she’ll really choose that town over me?” You choke out the question to your grandma, who has scooched over to hold your hand.

“I truly don’t know. Your mother is hard-headed and prideful - it’s why it took almost a year for her to speak to me again after I moved out. But, let’s hope she comes around to her senses sooner rather than later.” She kisses your hand before standing up to go to the bathroom.

After shedding tears over your mom, you finish eating and sleep on the floor in front of the couch to stay with Namjoon. You do that for the next few days until he’s feeling well enough to move to the guest bedroom to continue healing. You get a job at the grocery store working the cash register to start saving more to get you and Namjoon to the city, which is where you both decide you’ll be going.

It’s only a week after you and Namjoon fled when you’re coming back to your grandma’s after your shift, and you see your mom on her couch, crying into your grandma’s arms after a long-awaited, full reconciliation. When you come in, she bounds across the room, blubbering apologies about how foolish and wrong she was. She had let Angela and everyone around her convince her for her whole life that what was happening is normal and just the way things should operate, and she has been so wrong.

She wasn’t going to sacrifice her relationship with her daughter to keep accepting what’s happened, so broke up with Angela today. It was hard, and Angela was enraged that she was “turning her back” on her and the town; her behavior helped her make the decision easier. She kicked her out and has decided to find a new house close to your grandma. After more shared cries, you finally introduce her to Namjoon. It’s an awkward meeting, to say the least, but she makes an effort which you appreciate nonetheless.

As the weeks fly by, life almost feels as though it goes back to normal. Your mom sells your childhood home and moves everything in it into a smaller house around the corner from your grandma. You work as many shifts as you can, and your bank account seems more and more likely to be full enough for you and Namjoon to get a place in the city.

He seems to feel better as each new week hits and is eventually up and walking around your grandma’s house, and before you know it, he begins working at a cafe in town, doing his best to adapt to everyday life without having to hide who he is. Surprisingly, he acclimates rather quickly, falling into the swing of things.

Quicker than you would’ve expected, you and Namjoon have saved up enough to get your decent apartment in the city, and it’s been less than six months since your lives changed forever and almost a full year since you met Namjoon.

You’re packing the few things you’ve bought ahead of time into your mom’s car when you hear a ‘hi’ from behind you from a voice you had almost forgotten about.

Seokjin is standing behind you at the end of your grandma’s driveway, hands buried in his pockets. You blink at him a few times, but don’t make a move to walk towards him. For what it’s worth, even after everything, you did attempt to reach out to Seokjin, Chaerin, and Victoria.

Chaerin reached out first, texting you and berating you for the rumors she heard. When you confirmed them, she was furious and you both exchanged unkind words before you blocked her. Victoria on the other hand, blocked you before you even could text her.

You didn’t muster up the courage to reach out to Seokjin until a month after leaving, but you did try. You texted him, asking what was he even thinking about all of this. You never got a response, so you simply didn’t try again. There was no way he hadn’t read it or at least caught a glimpse that it was you, but it was clear he wouldn’t be responding, so you, in turn, wouldn’t be trying again. You were coming to terms with the fact that you’d never see him again and yet here he is.

“Are you leaving?” He gestures to the car, and you nod.

“Going into the city for good.”

“Oh.” He doesn’t say anything else so you sigh.

“Why are you here, Seokjin?”

“I…I don’t know actually. I just felt like I needed to talk to you.”

“It took you five months to just show up and see me? Is your phone broken because I seem to remember texting you and getting nothing in response?” You cross your arms after you finish speaking, watching him sputter a few times.

“Look, I know that I ignored your text. I just wasn’t ready to speak to you. I didn’t know what to say to you.”

“You weren’t ready to speak to me? I’m the one that should come over there and beat your ass!”

“What?! What the hell did I do?!”

“Your family has slaughtered people, Seokjin! And you didn’t believe me when I told you!”

“How was I supposed to believe you, Red?! My family fucking created the wolf force, that shit runs in my lineage!”

“Because why the fuck would I lie to you about something like this?!” Your screaming match has your mom, your grandma, and Namjoon coming out of the house, all of them bristling at the sight of Seokjin. Namjoon is at your side in a flash, noticeably on guard and ready to protect you from your ex-best friend.

“Of course, you’re going with him.” Seokjin sneers.

“Yeah, I am. He actually believes me when I tell him astronomical, literal life-threatening things.

“Oh, come on, Red, what do you want me to say? I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, okay? I’m sorry I was too jealous to properly listen to you tell me my family is nothing but a bunch of murderers. Is that what you want?”

“It’s a start. Apology acknowledged, so what are you doing to stop it?” You deadpan, watching him huff and cross his arms.

“What do you mean? They’re all gone now since you’re fucking the last of them, right?”

You frown, anger coursing through you. “Are you serious right now? Is nothing going to happen? Is no one going to acknowledge the atrocities your family has committed? Namjoon deserves some sort of apology, some compensation by someone, something!” Namjoon touches your arm, noticing how your annoyance shifted to anger, and now to rage.

“You and I both know none of that is happening. He’s alive, so be happy. Just don’t come back to town with him because I won’t be able to guarantee that to stay true.” The urge to go over and smack Seokjin nearly overcomes you, but Namjoon’s hand wrapping around yours and gripping helps ground you and keeps you next to him.

“Goodbye Seokjin.” You take a deep breath, steadying your breath before squeezing Namjoon’s hand back. You turn without another word, asking your mom if there’s anything you’ve left behind. She says no, and Seokjin watches as you say your goodbyes to your grandma, telling her you’ll see her soon and thanking her for taking you and Namjoon in.

He’s still there when you get into the car, Sugar in your lap. You lock eyes as your mom reverses and drives past him, onwards on the short drive to your new home, leaving everything and nearly everyone from your previous home, behind.

Life in the city isn’t as lonely as you were afraid it’d be. Other than Namjoon, you’ve got new friends now at your job as a receptionist at the local yoga studio and your classes at the community college have also given you new people to get to know and spend time with. You’re so busy with work and getting prepared to go back to vet school, that your new social and work lives do a good job of keeping you occupied while you cope with the loss of your past life.

Chaerin, Victoria, and the rest of your friends from home have seemed to easily forget you exist, which you have been able to mostly fare with. Seokjin has only attempted to reach out once, trying in a last-ditch effort to convince you to come back home. After you refuse once again, asking him, in turn, to understand why you’ve left, he still seems to believe what his family has done is somehow absolved. While it’s the hardest for you to settle with, you decide once and for all that your relationship is done.

Namjoon is so much more carefree after living a life where it’s safe for him to exist outside. His new job at the city plant nursery isn’t glamorous, but it lets him be around greenery and meet new people, which is more than he’s ever been able to do. Living - truly living - is much different than quickly running errands every few weeks, fearing for his life every time.

Tonight, Namjoon is still as newly optimistic as ever as he excitedly tells you that his boss may let him lead a bonsai clipping class soon, practically vibrating in his seat at the thought.

When you’re both finished eating dinner and he’s finished his story, he happily helps you clean up the table, Sugar begging for scraps at your feet the whole time.

“I still can’t believe it sometimes you know? Like, I’m out of the forest, I have friends, I’m building a life, and it’s all happening with the love of my life.”

“You’ve basically gone and got your happily ever after.” You giggle at your joke.

“Not yet. My real happily ever after will be after you say yes to being my mate for the rest of our lives.”

You jolt at the implication, dropping the plate in your hand into the sink. You turn to look at Namjoon, standing behind you holding a gold ring with a single diamond in it.

“Namjoon -”

“This isn’t the fanciest ring ever, but I promise I’ll get you a much better one once I can afford it. I’ll get you the better version of everything, so everything for you is perfect, just like you.”

It’s unexpected, a question you certainly didn’t see coming even in your dreams, but you have no hesitation in your heart. You practically leap into Namjoon’s arms, ‘yes’s’ tumbling from your mouth like a team chant.

“I love you so much,” you cry, peppering his jaw and neck in kisses.

“I love you too, Y/n. Thank you for truly giving me my happily ever after.” Namjoon says, his own eyes beginning to prick with tears. For both of you, a new chapter is only beginning as your old one, comes to an end.

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