#werewolf!jeno

[fadedncity]

(blood)thirst

wc: 11.2k

pairing: jeno x fem!reader

cw: smut, supernatural!au, lycan!jeno, vampire!reader, natural enemies to lovers, a tad bit of a slowburn (i swear i ain’t mean for it to be this long 😫), injuries, blood, angst, mention of death and family loss, reader is technically older (physically the same age) so..age gap(?), flirting, sexual tension, teasing, pet names, oral sex, multiple orgasms, slight blood play (very minor), unprotected sex, pretty sure that’s it

song inspo: closer by nine inch nails | acquainted by the weeknd

a/n: i’m sorry for the wait, edits took longer than expected but ty for the patience 🙏🏽

TUESDAY [3:31 AM]

Rain pours in sheets, pelting against your skin. Your footsteps are silent as you sprint through the underbrush, hot on the heels of the Lycan ahead of you.

Even with his head start, it took you no time to catch up to him. Your pace matched his as you zeroed in on his steady breathing and rhythmic drum of his footfalls. Lycans are fast, and he hadn't even shifted forms yet. But still, you had no trouble keeping up with him.

All the while you closely trail the Lycan, you're cautious of your surroundings, keeping your ears peeled for any sign of a presence accompanying you both in these woods.

Just as you were about to fall in line with him, an unexpected sound sliced through the night—a whistle, followed by the unmistakable twang of a bowstring.

An arrow whizzed past your head, embedding itself in a tree trunk to your left. Stopping in your tracks, you tilt your head, seeing sparks and smoke emitting from the arrowhead now embedded into the old pine tree. But you aren't given any more time to investigate as you're tackled to the ground by the Lycan.

Before you could push him off, his body shields you from the explosion of blinding light so bright you could've sworn it was day for a split second.

He just saved you.

"Are you okay?" Jeno asks, rain dripping from the ends of his hair as he stands from the dirt.

"Yeah," you nod, hesitantly taking the hand he offers. "Thanks," you say, looking at the tree bark melting off the trunk.

The humans have UV explosives. Great.

Both you and Jeno hear the sound of cars approaching from the nearby road and take off running again. Without a word, you plunge deeper into the forest, your movements synchronized with Jeno's by necessity.

"How did they even find us?" Jeno asks, looking over his shoulder, his voice barely audible over the rain.

"I was just going to ask you the same thing."

The hunters were relentless, their shouts echoing in the distance, along with the pounding of their boots. You moved swiftly, navigating the maze of branches and roots with an ease born from decades of practice. The forest seemed to close in around you, the trees pressing in like silent sentinels bearing witness to your flight.

Then shots start firing off, the sharp cracks of bullets cutting through the air. It sounds like they were coming from every direction, the rain making it harder for both you and Jeno to locate where the hunters are.

A bullet soars past you and stops whistling in your ears when it hits flesh, tearing through skin and muscle. Jeno beside you roars out in pain and begins to slow down as the metallic taste of blood enters the air around you. You shoot him a look of concern over your shoulder.

"I'll be fine," he says. But when you see his hand pressed to his shoulder, blood seeping from an injury that should've already started healing, you know he's far from okay. "We need to get out of these woods," Jeno winces as he applies pressure to the gunshot wound.

"I know a place not too far from here," you tell him.

[6:37 AM]

The moon's silver glow was waning, giving way to the first light of dawn. The storm had passed, leaving the forest dank and muddy. Urgency rose as you were closing in on daybreak. You and Jeno raced through the forest, the scent of his blood and sweat mingling in the damp morning air.

Jeno's breath was labored, each step accompanied by a pained grunt as he pushed himself forward. The wound on his shoulder, though not fatal, was slowing him down.

"The sun's gonna be up soon," Jeno pants, his voice weary.

"I know," you raise your eyes to the sky, "But we're almost there."

As you ascend the mountain, you spot the entrance behind a thick curtain of ivy and moss. The camouflaged door was almost invisible against the rocky face.

The two of you approach the fortified door. But not before you start to feel the uncomfortable sensation of pins and needles all over your body, a warning of the daylight's deadly approach.

The air grows warmer with the first rays of sunlight piercing through the treetops, casting long shadows stretching like skeletal fingers across the ground, leaving you exposed. You scream out in pain just before you can reach the door, feeling the severe burns blistering across your body under the sun's relentless gaze.

Without hesitation, Jeno quickly removes his jacket and throws it around you, shielding you as best as possible from the searing sunlight.

You reach the door with trembling hands and enter the security code to unlock it. You hear the mechanism click and attempt to push the door open, but it remains stubbornly shut. The hinges, unused for so long, now rusted, obstruct your entry.

"It's stuck," panic edges your voice.

Using his good shoulder, Jeno presses his weight into the door, helping you push it open. The thick metal gives way with a heavy creak, welcoming you inside. The moment you both are through, Jeno slams the door shut behind him, enveloping you in the safety of darkness.

The flickering emergency lights cast long shadows across the walls, the only illumination source along the steps down to the bunker. As you descend further down, you can hear the sounds of the forest growing distant, muted, and distorted through the layers of earth and stone.

With the adrenaline from the chase already simmered down, the reality of your situation sets in. Here you are, a vampire, with Jeno, a lycan, forced into hiding together by humans hunting you both. The silence stretches between you, heavy with unspoken words only filled by the sounds of Jeno's steps behind you.

Your burns are already beginning to heal now that you're out of the sunlight. The cool, dim interior of the bunker feels like a sanctuary, the pain in your skin subsiding by the time you lead Jeno into a high-ceiling room.

"Thanks, again," you break the silence, returning his jacket. Even in the shadows, you can see Jeno's eyes examining your burns. "I'll heal," you assure him. "You, on the other hand, aren't for some reason."

"I'm fine," Jeno lies.

"You're not. You're still bleeding out. I can smell it."

Jeno stays silent, knowing there's no use in arguing with you.

"I'll go see if I can find the generator and a med kit or something," you say.

The underground facility is large enough to house an entire clan and well-equipped for emergencies—or at least it was once. The thick and impenetrable walls provide a sense of security, but the darkness within is oppressive, the silence deafening.

You move through the narrow corridors, blindly navigating yourself through the place. The emergency lights give off a faint glow, barely enough to see by. The bunker has an air of abandonment from years of sitting unused here. Cobwebs clung to the corners, and dust motes danced in the faint light.

Jeno isn't sure how long you're gone, as all he can focus on is the agonizing pain in his shoulder, further slumping against the wall to support his weight.

The lights finally flicker on, and you return with a med kit in hand, finding Jeno right where you left him. His breathing was shallow, face pale and drawn, sweat glistening on his brow. From where he stands, the light casts deep shadows across his face, highlighting the strain etched into his features.

"Sit," you say, opening the case of medical supplies on the table.

"I can do it myself," Jeno mutters, though his voice lacks conviction as he weakly pushes himself away from the wall.

"You look like you can barely stand on your own. You lose anymore blood and you won't be doing anything yourself anymore," your words are punctuated by the snap of latex gloves you slip on.

Jeno has no energy to protest. He drops his jacket onto a chair and peels off his shirt, sitting on the table before you.

You don't have much time to ogle over the Lycan's chiseled physique as your eyes are drawn to the discolored skin around the bullet's entry point. In all your years of existence, you've seen some pretty bad shit. But even this sight—Jeno's bloodied and seemingly infected shoulder, is enough to make even you wince.

"There's no exit, which is probably why you're not healing. Whatever specialized bullet hit you is still in there," you observe, examining the injury closely.

"Great," Jeno groans, throwing his head back. "Think you can get it out?"

"Sure, but it's not gonna be fun," you tell him.

"Let's just get it over with."

Using saline solution from the kit, you clean enough blood off his shoulder to be able to clearly see the entry point before you grab the forceps and carefully search for the bullet. Jeno clenches his jaw, deeply breathing through his nose with flared nostrils.

"I've almost got it," you tell him. You pick up the pituitary rongeur once you locate the bullet. Jeno grips the table's edge so hard you hear the slightest splintering of wood in his grasp. You pull the bullet out of Jeno's shoulder, his skin sizzling until you've got it out completely.

"Pure silver," you study the small piece of metal, holding it up to the light. "A few more hours and this thing surely would've killed you." You toss the bullet into a stainless steel tray with a clatter.

"Now it's my turn to thank you," Jeno grimaces, holding the piece of gauze against his shoulder as you silently asked. "Would've had second thoughts if I knew getting shot would be like this." he jokes.

"I don't have to tell you silver's poison to you guys but since it was lodged in there pretty good for so long your healing won't immediately kick in. But you should be good in a few hours," You wrap bandages around Jeno's arm, securing it with medical tape.

He gently grabs your hand, getting you to stop working and meet his eyes, "Seriously, thank you," Jeno says.

"You're welcome," you quietly reply, unable to pull yourself away or at least break eye contact.

A shrill sound echoing off the stone walls breaks the fragile truce. You glance at your phone and see Draven's name flashing across the screen.

You put some space between you and Jeno as you step away to answer the call, trying to keep your voice steady. "Draven."

"Are you alright?" Draven's voice is sharp, filled with concern and authority.

"I'm fine. It was the hunters. They knew about the meeting and ambushed us. Only Jeno and I got out." you reply.

"Where are you now?"

"We're at the old Valor safe house."

"We? You're still with the Lycan now?" Draven asks.

"Yes," your eyes flicking over to Jeno, who's having a similar conversation with his father, "I trust him. He saved my life."

"You're mother's daughter you are," Draven mutters on the other line.

"And what about it?" you ask, an undertone of malice in your voice at the mention of your mother. "How the fuck did they find us, Draven?"

"This is no time for that conversation," Draven lowers his voice, "I will say you might be better off where you are right now."

"What happened? Is everyone alright?"

"Seems the humans had planned a coordinated attack. We've been taking in vampires all night from all over the city. People are shaken up, scared, angry," Draven says. "It might take us a while to come out there and get you. Are you sure you'll be okay until then?"

"Haven't really had a chance to settle. Don't know what's left around here, not sure if there'll be much left to find."

"We'll try to get out there as soon as things calm down. It's getting late and after the night we've all had we ought to all get rest. Take care of yourself."

"Take care of yourself too, Draven."

You turn to find Jeno already having ended his call with his father.

"Everything okay?" you ask.

"My father said we should stay put," he says, clenching his phone so tightly in his hand that you worried he might break it.

"Draven said the same thing," you can practically feel Jeno's anger broiling from across the room, "But something else happened?"

"A few members of the pack got attacked last night. They're okay but they barely made it out."

"A few of our nests got raided too."

"And we're just supposed to stay here? They attack us unprovoked and we're just supposed to take it? Do nothing?? How can you be so calm about this right now? I mean aren't you angry?" Jeno asks.

You furrow your brows, "Of course I am. But there's nothing that we can do about it right now. We are miles away from the city, our people, reinforcements. And everything that happened last night was proof enough that we are severely out of league here on our own, okay. And let's also not forget to mention that it is daytime and I quite literally can't do a fucking thing right now," you say, "So we take a minute. We recuperate here. Heal," you nod toward his arm, "Rest," you tiredly sigh, rubbing your temples.

At this moment, Jeno was envious of how you seemed to keep a level head, now slightly ashamed of his outburst.

Jeno's resolve softens. "You're right, I just-" his words abruptly stop once he looks at you, "Shit, are you okay?" he asks, concern etched into his features.

Your brows furrow at his question before you feel the blood dripping from your nose. Somewhat embarrassed, you curse under your breath as you wipe the blood from your face.

"Yeah, it's just my body telling me I'm overdue for sleep." With not enough time to explain much else to Jeno, you say, "Doesn't matter which room you choose. Showers should still work and clothes should still be in the closets. Take what you want" before rushing out of the room.

He nods, "Thanks—" Jeno can barely get a word out before you've already disappeared down the hallway, locking yourself away in your own room, "…Goodnight, I guess."

[6:42 PM]

Lukewarm water sputters out of the showerhead, and you take note of the poor water pressure, silently cursing the antiquated plumbing. The water drips down your body in an inconsistent stream, making it a less-than-satisfying experience. You scrub away the remnants of the previous day, feeling the grime of dread and tension wash away.

In a new change of clothes, before you did anything else, you knew you needed to scour this place for a charger since you woke up to find your phone dead.

On your way toward the kitchen you find yourself stopping in front of a half-open door, peeking inside to find Jeno still asleep. He's sprawled on the bed, his brow furrowed even in his sleep, a testament to the strain of last night and this morning's events. The sight of him stirs a mixture of emotions as you watch his chest slowly rise and fall—relief that he's safe and a flicker of something deeper that you quickly suppress.

With your luck, you were able to find a charger as well as additional supplies to help sustain you and Jeno while you're staying here. It's not much but you'll take it over nothing.

You open the fridge door and to your disappointment, only find one bag of o-negative in there. You didn't even get a chance to feed yesterday as you were planning to after your meeting with Jeno. And we all know how that ended.

You don't dwell for too long, your attention immediately going to your buzzing phone on the kitchen counter.

"Hey," you answer.

"What the fuck?? Draven told us what happened, are you okay?" Tyra asks.

"Could be better. All I have access to right now is O, and there's barely any of that but the hunters are off our trail, so hopefully Jeno and I won't be stuck inside this ancient tomb much longer."

"You're with Jeno? Like Jeno Lee?"

"Do you know any other Jenos?" you ask.

"Draven didn't say you were cooped up with a Lycan. And him? He's like the hottest Lycan to ever grace this earth. Maybe he can help you break this dry spell after two centuries." Tyra lighthearted jokes.

"First of all, fuck you. Second, I wouldn't say all that."

"Are you telling me he's not hot?" she questions.

"He's…" you trail off, "Alright."

Tyra scoffs on the other line, "Why do things like this never happen to me? If I were you, we'd be settling more than just a peace agreement."

You laugh, "Yeah, I need a break from you. Maybe being stuck here ain't too bad."

"You sure ain't wrong about that. It's a fucking shit show here—just a second!" Tyra yelled to someone in the background, "I gotta go, I'll talk to you later though."

"Talk to you later, Ty."

Just as you hang up the phone, you hear the faint creak of a door opening. You look up to see Jeno emerging from his room. Now adorning loose dark grey sweatpants and a white button-up with about only two buttons fastened.

"Evening," he greets you, his voice husky from sleep.

"Good evening," you clear your throat, "How're you feeling?"

He shrugs with only one shoulder, "Like I've been shot. Took damn near half the morphine in the med kit for me to sleep a wink."

"You definitely slept more than a wink," you mumble, beckoning him over to you, "Do you mind if I....?"

"Be my guest," he effortlessly undoes the couple of buttons with one hand, letting the shirt fall off his shoulders.

You carefully unwrap the gauze, allowing the bloodied bandages to fall to the floor. Jeno watches you examine his wound.

"What is it?" he asks, seeing your brows stitch together.

"You should've started healing by now," you frown, seeing as his shoulder doesn't look any better than before. Instead, it seems as if the infection is spreading. And in your predicament, your options are pretty limited. "Do you trust me?" you ask.

"Do I really have much of a choice?"

"Not really, no," you say, grabbing his forearm with both hands, "I'm sorry about this."

"What are you-" But before Jeno can finish, you snap his radius in a clean break. Jeno's angry howl bounces off the aged stone walls.

"Jen-"

He growls, pushing you away, "Get the fuck back," Jeno glares at you with black beady eyes.

You keep your distance and watch as his shoulders heave and the muscles in his back ripple under his skin. Claws start to grow from his nail beds, and his ears stretch until they're pointed. You can hear the fabric of his clothes tearing as Jeno grows twice in size before your eyes. Roars of pain continue to rip from Jeno's throat with his transformation completely overcoming him.

Standing across from you is no longer the man you had gotten yourself acquainted with over the past 24 hours. Instead, this half-man, half-beast towers before you, baring sharp canines and a senseless predatory hunger behind his eyes, absent of his humanity.

You glance at the dining table, spotting your desert eagle where you left it this morning, and try not to make any sudden movements that could possibly aggravate the Lycan.

"Now, you know I was just trying to help," you say, your voice steady but soft as you slowly inch closer to the table.

Jeno's growl reverberates through the confined space, a guttural warning before he lunges at you with alarming speed. Instinct took over. You dodge Jeno, vaulting yourself into the air, flipping over him, and landing on the table gracefully.

Your fingers curl around the grip of your pistol, aiming your gun at Jeno before he can even think about charging at you again. Your finger hovers over the trigger, the metallic click of the safety being disengaged echoing loudly in the tense silence.

"Jeno, you've saved my life and now I'm just trying to save yours. Do not make me shoot you," you warn, your voice a low, deadly calm. You aim at his leg, sure to temporarily debilitate him instead of shooting to kill.

A beat of silence passes before Jeno's breathing begins to normalize. The wildness in his eyes gradually softens as his shoulders drop and his posture straightens. His transformation recedes, muscles shrinking and claws retracting until he is once again in his human form. You watch his eyes change from feral black to their original deep chestnut brown, now filled with exhaustion.

"Sorry," Jeno apologizes, his voice rough with lingering regret.

You wave off his apology, "Don't sweat it," With a click, you reengage the safety and lower your gun as you hop off the table, "It worked," you grin triumphantly, noting the lack of any wound or scar on his shoulder.

Jeno looks down at his shoulder and arm, flexing both experimentally. "That was extremely stupid of you, you know," he says, shaking his head,

"The moon isn't the only thing that influences your transformation," you shrug, "If you transform, your healing factor kicks in and it did. Besides, it's not like you'd be the first Lycan to try and attack me," you say with a faint, wry smile.

WEDNESDAY [9:18 PM]

"They wouldn't be able to find this place, right?" Jeno asks in a hushed tone like he was afraid to break the silence.

"I highly doubt it. Many vampires don't know about this place, I only do because I was brought here when I was younger," your eyes are still trained on the monitors in front of you, "However considering they shouldn't have been able to find out about our meeting, I wouldn't put anything past them," you tear your attention away from live surveillance footage to give it to Jeno.

"How do you think they found out?" The light of the computer monitors cast an artificial glow across Jeno's features.

"That's what I've been wondering since," you say, with a suggestive glance.

"What are you insinuating?" Jeno turns his chair toward you.

"I'm insinuating nothing. It's just interesting. Your father and Draven were supposed to meet but something happened last minute and neither of them could attend so they send you and me instead? And then we get ambushed. It's just not a coincidence is all I'm saying."

A beat of silence passes as Jeno thinks over your theory, the buzzing of the fluorescent lights from the halls filling the space.

"Are you saying that they knew?"

"I don't know your father much so I can't speak for him. But Draven..." you wince, "It wouldn't surprise me."

"Why would Draven risk your life if he thought it was a setup anyway?" Jeno furrows his brows.

You shrug, "He knows I'd be able to handle myself, and I did." you pursed your lips. "I'm not saying he knew what exactly was going to go down but Draven is pretty paranoid. He doesn't trust many people. So if he got a feeling he was being betrayed, especially by one of his own, he'd hold his card pretty close to his chest."

"He didn't tell you he was thinking any of this?"

"Draven doesn't necessarily have to tell me anything. I just know. He was suspicious of a mole within the coven, which is why I didn't ask any questions when he requested I go in his place."

"You're making it seem like this isn't the first time something like this has happened."

"Well not this particular situation, but close enough. I mean, you've met Draven. This ain't the first time someone would've tried to take him out," you smile, "Why do you think there are so many security cameras around this side of the mountain?" You leave Jeno to keep monitoring the cameras if he wishes as you go to take a shower.

. . .

Stepping into the library, your eyes adjust to the dim lighting as you find Jeno seated at a table. His expression is one of deep concentration and fascination, absorbed in the pages and pictures laid out before him.

"Keeping yourself entertained?" you ask, your muted footsteps shuffling into the room.

The glow of the old chandelier shines a warm, golden light from overhead, casting a soft halo around Jeno, "Yeah, actually," he chuckles, "Is this you?" Jeno asks, holding up a photograph. The sepia tones capture you and Draven in a snapshot of joy, the two of you laughing amidst a gathering of friends, your clothes reflecting the exuberance of the roaring 20s.

"Yeah," you murmur. Taking the photograph gently, a wave of nostalgia washes over you, "That was a long time ago."

It was almost adorable, the curiosity that glimmered in Jeno's eyes, thousands of questions swimming behind them. You roll your eyes, pulling the chair next to him out.

It was unexpected of Jeno to be able to draw you out of your usual reserve. It doesn't even register to either of you that minutes turned into hours stretching into the early morning.

"How long have you known Draven?"

"Too long," you laugh, "He knew me when back when I was still human. He's been around longer than almost anyone."

Too enamored in the pages before him, your eyes steal a few glances at the man next to you. You study Jeno silently as he carefully picks up each photo. He is handsome, and undeniably so, it's evident he's been blessed by Aphrodite. The way the light plays across his features only accentuates his striking looks, and you can't resist your admiration.

Trailing your eyes up his neck, your mouth waters, watching the beat of his pulse throb beneath his skin—Damn, I'm gonna need to feed again soon. You snap out of it.

Jeno's voice pulls you back to reality, "I recognize this picture. Who is this?" Jeno asks, sliding another photograph across the table toward you.

Your eyes flicker from the photograph to Jeno, "Where have you seen this before?" you ask, your voice tinged with surprise.

"In my house," Jeno replies, pulling out his phone, "My mother has the full picture." He shows you a family picture taken in the living room of his house. "She's standing right next to her," he says, zooming in on a framed photo behind his sister's head.

Surely, it's the full photograph. Your mothers, standing side by side, their smiles as radiant as ever.

Jeno watches the sadness fill your eyes as you give a small smile, "It's my mom," you say.

Sensing the shift in your mood, Jeno quickly apologizes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"It's okay," you stop him, "I just...don't talk about her much." The room feels heavy with unspoken emotions.

Jeno nods, not wanting to push further. "I understand, I'm sorry. I didn't know, I wouldn't have-"

You stop him firmly, yet gently, "No, Jen, it's fine, seriously," you rest your hand atop his, "It's not that I don't want to talk about her. It's just I have a hard time doing it sometimes."

Despite the somber turn in conversation, Jeno's presence is a comfort as he closes his fingers around yours. You weren't expecting to feel the warmth of his hand in yours, but it offers you solace. The silence returns, but this time, it feels more like a shared moment of understanding rather than discomfort.

"What was she like?" he asks quietly.

Flipping through the weathered photo album you thought had been lost all these years, a warm smile takes over your face. "She was beautiful. And funny, and smart, and full of love," you say, your voice tinged with pride and sorrow. "She was raised by witches, so she was no stranger to any of this," you wave your hand, indicating the room filled with arcane books and artifacts, "That's how she met Draven and probably how she knew your mom."

"I can't believe my mother never said anything about her."

"I'd understand why. Her death hit a lot more than just me pretty hard."

You knew it was coming sooner or later and waited for the question to fall from his lips. "What happened?"

"We were attacked by Lycans," you say, and Jeno's face is immediately taken over by guilt mixed with empathy. "They were infected with vampire venom." You begin to explain, "Usually it's harmless. The humans even have found ways to use it as another means to get high. But in large enough doses, our venom for you guys-"

"Turns us into rabid animals. I know, my father has told us the stories," sorrow and compassion are etched into Jeno's features, "I'm so sorry, y/n."

You continue, "My mom didn't care about surviving herself. She used her last breath to make Draven promise to save me at all costs. Next thing I knew, I woke up completely healed with a fatal allergy to sunlight and an insatiable bloodlust."

A heavy silence settles between you two as Jeno carefully chooses his next words.

"Do you know what happened to the Lycans?"

You shook your head, "Draven and a few others had tracked the pack across a few states but by the time he caught up with them they were dead."

"I'm sorry-"

"Please, Jeno, once was enough," you squeeze his hand, still unable to look him in the eyes, "I don't blame you or any Lycan for that fact. All that anger and pain," you let out a shaky breath, "I'm holding it for the right person."

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"Lycans know the risk of vampire venom so they couldn't have willingly taken it. And I mean a whole pack?" your brows furrow, "Someone purposely infected them. We just don't know who or why."

"You know I could ask around see if anyone in the pack knows anything."

"Draven would've already thought to do that years ago already. Every trail went cold. A part of me has come to terms with the fact that we'll probably never get those answers."

Jeno nods, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. "I'll still keep an ear out. Maybe something new will come up."

You nod, a small but genuine smile touching your lips despite the heaviness in your heart. "Thank you, Jeno."

Jeno nods in understanding, stroking the back of your hand with his thumb, a shared understanding passing between you. The library feels smaller now, filled not just with books and memories.

THURSDAY [8:19 PM]

This is gonna be a problem.

Each moment without feeding stretches into an eternity as you stare at the empty shelves of the fridge.

"What was that?" Jeno's voice echoes across the room from his spot on the couch.

Fuck, he heard me? "Nothing," you reply, closing the fridge quickly.

Your stomach growls insistently, hunger gnawing at your insides, and you begin to reminisce about that last bag of O-neg you had.

The thought of descending from the safety of the mountain to seek sustenance in the nearest town flitted through your mind, but the ever-present risk of hunters finding you keeps you rooted in place. You decide against burdening Jeno with your dilemma, as there was little he could do to remedy the situation without endangering both your lives anyway.

When you turn around, you nearly collide with Jeno's chest as he had moved across the room faster than you anticipated. He's standing close enough you can feel the warmth radiating off his body. You keep your shoulders square even as Jeno's intoxicating scent invades your space once again.

"What's wrong?" he asks, his brow furrowing with concern.

"Nothing," you repeat, attempting to sidestep him, but he blocks your path, his expression unwavering.

"You're lying," He narrows his eyes, scanning your face as he takes a step forward.

"No, I'm not," you counter, backing up until you feel the refrigerator door against your back.

"Then move," Jeno presses, his voice firm but not unkind.

"Why must I?" you challenge, crossing your arms defensively.

"You always this stubborn?"

"Since the day I was born," you grin proudly.

"Must I demonstrate how easily I can move you, sweetheart?" Amusement tinges Jeno's tone.

Sweetheart? Oh, we're going there?

You smirk involuntarily, unfolding your arms. "That's cute but you're just a pup, Jen. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves now," you teasingly pout.

Jeno pokes his cheek with his tongue at your comment and accepts your challenge. He starts by attempting to move you aside, but you catch his wrist in your hand before he can lay a finger on you. He tries to grab you with his other hand, but you're still faster, blocking his arm before you hit him directly in the middle of his chest, making the Lycan stumble back.

Jeno laughs.

You haven't moved from your spot, waiting for his next move before he launches himself into a series of swift strikes aimed at testing your defenses. You retaliate by throwing your fists almost faster than he can block, aiming for his midsection, and landing a hit. Jeno's knocked back a few steps, putting enough space between you both to give him time to catch his breath.

"Draven's right, you really do know how to handle yourself."

"Of course I can, that's how I saved your ass remember? Now we gonna keep talking or are you gonna show me something worth my while?"

The rhythm of this spontaneous spar intensifies as you both circle each other.

The kitchen area echoes with the sound of your footsteps, grunts of exertion, and the occasional light laughter as your movements adapt to one another's.

But it all comes to a stop in a silent blink of an eye, your back lands on a flat surface as you're pinned to the dining room table. You underestimated his speed, unable to leg sweep him as you planned, now your faces only inches apart.

Jeno gives you a lopsided grin as he looks down at you, his chest heaving, his eyes dark as they peer through silky curtains of hair. The tension between you crackles in the air as you have him trapped between your legs. The room's atmosphere seems palpable and charged with you both unexpectedly in this vulnerable position, but you neither move as the seconds stretch on.

Jeno seemingly snaps out of the trance first, letting go of your wrists and weaseling his way from between your legs. When he swings open the fridge door, the triumphant smile on Jeno's face drops as he stares at the empty shelves. "There's nothing in here."

"Exactly," you sit up, swinging your legs over the table's edge, "There're no more blood reserves," you say.

"And you weren't going to say anything?" Jeno's concern turned to incredulity.

"What's the point? The closest blood bank is 50 miles that way," you gesture vaguely, "And in case you forgot, we're down here hiding from humans who want to kill us."

"And what's going to happen to you if you go too long without feeding?" Jeno presses, his voice softening with worry.

"I'll start decomposing from the inside out," you reply bluntly, "But it'd be a while before that happens."

"So what, you were going to hide this and just suffer in silence for god knows how long we're stuck here?"

You shrug, "It could be worse," you murmur as if it would lighten the mood, "But what exactly could you do to help me in this situation?" you retort, a note of resignation in your voice.

"You could feed from me," Jeno suggests quietly.

"Jeno, I'm not drinking your blood," you shake your head.

"Why? Because you're above drinking Lycan blood, princess?" Jeno's tone is gentle but insistent.

You narrow your eyes at the use of the pet name, "I never said that. Blood from banks is processed and centrifuged, so it's essentially watered down compared to drinking from a live...donor," you explain, your words measured. "When vampires directly feed from someone, we get some of their memories, feelings, and thoughts. It can get pretty intense and somewhat very intimate. Something similar would happen if you were to consume my blood as well. Which is why I wasn't sure whether to give you any when you weren't healing, so—"

"So you broke my arm to trigger my transformation to heal me instead," Jeno interjects, his voice tinged with understanding.

"Yeah. I am sorry about that, but like I said, I had faith it'd work," you admit, your tone apologetic yet resolute.

"Do you not trust me?" Jeno's question hung in the air, laden with unspoken implications.

"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't be refusing," you reply softly, "My bad I consider you a friend rather than food," your tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Friends, huh," Jeno muses, a hint of a smile touching his lips.

"Don't push it," you warn with a small smirk.

"When was the last time you fed?" he asks.

"Two days ago. It'll be enough to hold me over for another few days. So let's just hope we're saved by then," you say.

FRIDAY [7:50 PM]

"Jeno?" you call out, stepping into the common area.

Still no answer. You woke up to find the bunker suspiciously quiet. You already checked his room, and the lights in the library were still off. No TV was on, no shower being run, not even a creak of a floorboard. The usual draw of breath Jeno's lungs take could no longer be heard by your ears that had grown finely tuned to the Lycan.

If he's still here there's no way you wouldn't be able to detect him.

You reach the security room, your eyes bouncing around the screens, searching for any sign of Jeno. Your worry is quickly replaced with fury when you spot a shadowy figure approaching through the trees.

Jeno calmly strolls along the path that leads up to the main entrance with no sense of urgency in his stride. With his hands in his pockets—it even looks like he's whistling. He can't be serious right now.

When Jeno returns to the bunker, he finds you waiting for him at the bottom of the steps, your arms crossed over your chest.

Jeno flashes you the sweetest smile when he sees you, "Hey-"

"What the fuck?" you ask, brows stitched together.

He looks around, confused, "What?"

"What? Where were you?"

"In town," Jeno answers simply.

"You went into town?" you narrowed your eyes.

"Yeah," he mocks your tone as he drops his bag onto the counter with a heavy thud, beginning to unload its contents, "You needed blood. And since you weren't going to drink mine, I just got some more for you," Jeno opens a mini cooler, placing a blood bag in your hand, "Plus I was really starting to get tired of beef jerky and crackers, and decided to grab a few things for myself since I was already out."

You sigh, feeling a surge of conflicting emotions, as you hold the bag of AB blood in your hands. He got your favorite type without even asking. "That was extremely stupid of you, you know," you say, fighting a smile threatening to spread across your face.

"It was worth the risk. I'd rather have another run in with those hunters than let you die of starvation on the hope that our families will come get us in time."

"Seriously, Jeno, if anything had happened-"

"And as you can see, nothing did. I made it back home safe and sound, making sure I didn't leave a trail that could compromise us. You do know I am capable of handling myself right?" he says, "But if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were worried about me, sweetheart," he tilts his head at you.

"You're young, of course you don't know any better," you scoff, teasingly rolling your eyes, "What I'm saying is, I hope whatever else you got was worth it."

"It definitely was," he grins, pulling out a bottle of red wine. "Join me?"

"I don't drink ," you tell him.

"I know. I still like your company," You don't know why you feel fluttering in your chest, your heart doesn't even beat. "I mean with all this, I really don't wanna dine alone."

The corners of the lips curl upward, "You're asking me to have dinner with you?"

"Yes," he answers without missing a beat, "I mean it's Friday night, neither of us is going anywhere. What's the harm in a little normalcy role play?"

"Role play? We haven't even made it to dinner yet," you joke. You lean closer, "On one condition."

Jeno leans in as well, a curious smirk playing on his lips "And what might that be, princess?"

. .

The kitchen was filled with a mouthwatering aroma of sizzling meat, rich herbs, and melted butter. It was dimly lit, the only light from the soft under-cabinet lights casting a warm glow over the countertops. One of Draven's old jazz records you found plays softly in the background, its sultry notes weaving through the air.

You sit perched on a barstool by the island, wine glass in hand, watching Jeno concentrate intently on the stovetop. His hair's slightly tousled, a few loose strands falling over his forehead as he focuses on the skillet before him.

"Make sure you sear it evenly on each side," you call out, "You want that perfect crust to lock in the flavor, otherwise, you'll end up with a dry, sad piece of meat."

Jeno turns his head slightly, giving you a sideways look. "Yes, chef," he drawls sarcastically, but there's a hint of a smirk on his lips. "Anything else, or are you gonna go back to sitting there looking pretty, silently criticizing my every move?"

"I'm also simply admiring the view," you reply, meeting his eyes and holding them for a beat longer than usual. Jeno's smirk widens, and for a moment, the sizzling of the steak seems louder in the charged silence that follows.

"Where'd you learn all this stuff by the way?" Jeno asks.

"When you've been around as long as I have, you're bound to pick up a few things."

"Wouldn't have taken you for such a food connoisseur."

"Why, because I don't eat?"

"I mean, yeah."

"Well I don't eat anymore. I used to love cooking, when I did though. I loved the satisfaction of a good meal, good wine. It's almost better than sex." you reminisce.

"Almost?"

You laugh, "Let it rest for a few minutes when it's done. Don't rush it. The juices need time to settle."

Jeno nods, stepping away from the stove impatiently hovering, however.

The corner of your mouth lifted. "Patience not one of your strong suits, Lee?"

He scoffs, "I have plenty of patience," he counters, turning off the burner and setting the pan aside. He wipes his hands on a towel, moving closer until he's standing directly in front of you, a playful glint in his eye. "Especially when properly motivated."

You raise an eyebrow, "And what exactly motivates you, Jen?"

"A lot."

"Like?"

Jeno leans in slightly on his elbows, close enough that you can smell the faint scent of the wine on his breath mixed with the aroma of herbs and spices wafting in the air. "Proving you wrong is one thing," he murmurs, gaze locking with yours. "But maybe it's just the way you look at me when I do something right."

You somehow manage to keep your composure, "Keep talking like that, and I might start thinking you're doing all this to impress me."

"Is it working?" he asks, eyes hopeful.

"And if it is?"

Jeno steps back, giving you a wicked smile as he turns to plate the steak.

.

Jeno had finished eating nearly two hours ago, but you two had still not moved from your seats. His empty plate sitting between his second glass of wine and your fourth of AB.

The low hum of the jazz record is now barely noticeable beneath the sounds of your laughter mixed with Jeno's.

You notice his gaze lingering just a little too long every time you meet his eyes, and the way his lips curve into a subtle smirk when you catch him.

Every time his knee brushes against yours under the table, a subtle but deliberate touch, your skin prickles with awareness. You felt the weight of his presence adjacent to you, the air between you simmering like the heat still rising from the abandoned stove.

Jeno's leaning back comfortably in his chair. His eyes study your lips as you take a sip from your glass, watching as you catch a drop of blood from the corner of your mouth with your thumb before licking your finger clean. Jeno holds onto every word that comes out of your lips, and his wavering eyes give him away.

You shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable, but each movement brought you closer to him, your leg brushing against his, and that simple contact sent a jolt of heat through your body.

"Sorry," you softly apologize, already pulling away. You don't get too far before he's bringing you back.

"Don't be," He gently tugs your leg into his lap. His eyes never leave yours as his hand circles your calf, his touch soft yet confident as he begins to massage your flesh. "Continue," Jeno tells you.

You couldn't even remember what you were talking about. Jeno's eyes bore into yours like he was gazing into your soul, leaving you breathless, your nerves seemingly burning beneath his palm.

Suddenly feeling suffocated by the mounting tension, you stand. You think about clearing the dishes from the table so you can distract yourself from Jeno's eyes quietly undressing you or ignore how good it felt to have his hands on you and how you desperately yearned for more. But just as you're on your feet, Jeno takes your hand, and you let his fingers close around yours.

"You know what you're doing," you murmur accusatorially.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asks.

"No," you sheepishly answer unable to look at him.

"Then why are you running, princess?" he asks, getting you to meet his eyes.

"I'm not," you protest.

"You are," he retorts, "Cause you only think it's fair for me to be the flustered one here, huh?"

You roll your eyes, all but verbally confirming his verdict, "You're enjoying this way too much."

"You have no idea," Jeno grins.

You hike up your dress with your free hand and straddle his lap. The space closing between you feels electric, charged with unspoken desire.

You cup his cheek as he snakes an arm around your waist. His skin is warm compared to yours, your fingertips feeling like an icy cold kiss on his cheek. You catch his eyes darting down to your lips once again.

"Do you want something, Jen?"

"Yes," his hand inches up your thigh.

"Then why haven't you asked?"

"Can I ki-" you don't let him finish, crashing your lips into his.

The kiss starts soft and exploratory but quickly deepens as the tension that's been building between you both finally finds release.

His hand travels up your back, sending shivers through you while your own hands take hold of his face, deepening the kiss. The world beyond the two of you seems to fade away, leaving just the two of you in this moment.

You taste the sweet bitterness of the red wine on Jeno's tongue as it pushes past your lips, dancing with your own. His hands on your thighs set your skin aflame as they inch up higher and higher. You hum into Jeno's mouth when his hands cup your ass, softly squeezing.

Your hands travel down his chest, and you feel the contours of his muscles beneath his shirt, now wanting it so desperately out of the way. Your hips move on their own accord, dragging against Jeno's, allowing you to feel the outline of his cock through layers of clothes. Jeno comes up for air, heavily panting with swollen lips, staring up at you with lust-drowned eyes.

You barely process the time you spend in the air as Jeno lifts you by your thighs from his lap onto the dining table.

"Has your appetite not been satiated enough Mr. Lee?" you lightheartedly ask, hooking your finger in the belt loop of his jeans, pulling him close, and locking your legs around his hips.

"Not if you think I'm skipping out on dessert," he softly grips your thigh, hungrily attacking your lips once more.

Jeno's lips leave yours, traveling lower. His teeth graze your neck before latching onto the sensitive spot just below your ear. "Jeno," You moan, craning your neck to give him better access while your hands thread through his hair.

Jeno continues his journey south, his tongue flicking out to taste the delicate skin of your collarbone. You shiver, the sensation both ticklish and tantalizing. His hands familiarize themselves with your body, roaming every inch. Cupping your breasts in his large hands, Jeno litters kisses across your chest, gently tugging the neckline of the dress down.

Jeno's eyes darken as he takes in the sight, kneading your flesh, thumbs circling your nipples until they tighten further.

"I want to make you feel good," he whispers into your hair.

"You are," you mewl, your head lulling back.

"You know there's more I could give you."

"What else do you want, Jen?"

"To taste you."

Your words are cut off by a gasp, feeling his warm wet mouth enclose around your areola. The sudden suction sends waves of pleasure coursing through your body. He alternates between sucking and nipping, his teeth sharp enough to elicit cries from you, not of pain but pleasure.

You squirm on the surface of the table, wanting desperately to close your legs and relieve the pressure built between your thighs. Jeno seems to sense this. A plea falls past your lips when Jeno's fingers press into your throbbing clit through your panties.

"I can already smell how wet you are, sweetness." his voice grounds you back to reality, "I need to hear you say you want it."

"I want it," you say breathlessly.

"What?" Jeno questions with a smirk.

"You—god, Jeno, I want you," you roll your hips into his hand, "Please," you couldn't care less about how pathetic of a whine your voice comes out as.

The sounds of dishes and silverware clattering and crashing to the floor don't phase you as you lay down on the table, Jeno silencing your impatient whines with his lips on yours. Jeno then lowers himself between your legs, slowly kissing his way up your inner thighs.

He wastes no more time, not even bothering to properly remove your underwear, only pulling them to the side before kitten-licking your clit. You practically melt, feeling his warm tongue on your pussy. Jeno weakly groans as you entirely overwhelm his senses. He pushes your knees to your chest, his hands on the back of your thighs to keep you right where he wants you.

"God, I can sit here and eat you all night," Jeno darkly chuckles, savoring your essence covering his lips.

Spit dribbles from Jeno's mouth onto your pussy, his saliva mixing with your arousal before he parts your folds with his tongue. He tugs your clit between his lips, making you loudly moan. The sound was music to Jeno's ears, and he'd give anything to hear it again. He buries his face into your cunt, lapping up all the sweet juices flowing into his tongue.

"Fuck—don't fucking stop," Your eyes roll back into your head, every nerve in your body sparking with ecstasy.

Your hand finds its way into Jeno's hair again, curling around the dark locks, gently tugging. He flattens his tongue, vigorously moving his head side to side. You already feel the knot in your lower stomach tightening, too enamored in the pleasure you're getting from Jeno's mouth alone.

His skilled tongue slivers down to your slit, weaseling inside of you. The wet muscle explores you intimately, curling against your soft walls. Jeno hums approvingly, feeling the way your pussy pulses around his tongue. The vibrations from his mouth reverberate through your entire body, ascending you higher to your climax.

Jeno pulls you closer to the edge of the table, laying his arms flat across the backs of your thighs to keep you from writhing any more than you already have been. He gently pulls the hood of your clit back, swirling and flicking his tongue against the bundle of nerves. You cry out, your legs attempting to push back against Jeno's arms. But his strength doesn't allow for it, and he continues to eat you out like you'd be the last meal the man ever has.

"God, you're too good at this."

"What makes you say that?" he chuckles between shallow breaths.

"You're gonna make me cum."

"Duh, that's the point," a drunken grin stretches across his face, "Come on, I can take it, baby," he tells you before going back to tonguing your clit.

"I don't know, can you?" you tease.

A half-smirk stretches Jeno's face when he finally decides to add his fingers to the mix. Your back arches away from the table, two of his digits stroking your sweet spot in a come hither motion while he tongues your clit.

You cum with a loud curse of Jeno's name. You whimper and writhe atop the dining table, your legs closing around Jeno's ears as he's too concerned with lapping up your juices.

With a whine, you tap Jeno's shoulder, getting him to let up before overstimulation overcomes you. Jeno sat back, licking his lips of remains of your slick, wiping the rest of his face with the back of his hand. He gently rubs your thighs, helping you sit up, one hand holding your waist, the other cupping your face. Jeno's lips reach yours with the taste of you still staining them.

The high of your orgasm simmers down, the euphoric fog lifting. You slip your hand under Jeno's shirt, sliding your hands up his torso until he pulls it off, mindlessly discarding it. Your eyes fall from his face to his defined muscles, subconsciously tugging your lip between your teeth.

You palm Jeno over his jeans, grinning when you feel his semi-hard length in your hand even through the various barriers of clothes.

"God, you're so fucking beautiful," he groans, slowly rocking his hips into your hand.

Jeno shivers, feeling your tongue run along the side of his neck before you nip his earlobe, "You're one to talk," you say.

"Oh? So has your opinion of me being the hottest Lycan to grace this earth changed now?" he teases.

Of course he heard that.

You poked your cheek with your tongue. "Eavesdropping, were we?" you tilt your head.

"Technically, no. I can just hear everything," Jeno says, "Was kinda hurt though, when you said I was alright."

You laugh, "I'm sorry, babe," you kiss the put on his lips, "But I only said that cause I knew you were listening," you pull him closer, your hands roaming the contours of his body, "I couldn't let you know then how badly I wanted you to fuck my brains out the second we met."

"That makes two of us," Jeno darkly laughs.

Jeno picks you up, barely giving you time to process how fast he moves over to the couch. His hands snake up your thighs, reaching beneath your dress to tear your underwear off your hips. All the while, your fingers swiftly undo Jeno's jeans, pushing them along with his underwear down far enough to let his cock spring free.

"I've barely even touched you. All this just from eating me out?"

A growl deeply reverberates in Jeno's throat when you pump his cock in your hand. You swirl your thumb around the head, smearing his precum around the pink tip.

"Fuck, yeah. You have no idea what you're doing to me."

"And what exactly am I doing, baby?" You tighten your fist around his dick, and a broken whine falls from his lips as you swivel your wrist.

"Fucking killing me," Jeno throws his head back against the couch, "I need you," he desperately claws at your dress.

"I'm right here."

"I need to feel you. Be inside you—for fuck's sake, please." you silence Jeno's pleas with a kiss.

You lift your hips, Jeno assisting you as you guide his cock to your entrance. Your head falls back as you fully sink down onto his cock, filling you to the hilt. Your pussy hugs his length in a vice grip, gently pulsing, slowly sucking him further in.

"Holy shit," Jeno says, his eyes fluttering shut. "you feel fucking amazing,"

You don't even realize that you've moved from the couch until you feel the hard surface of the refrigerator against your back. Your head lands against the door with a soft thud, feeling Jeno deeper inside you in this position. He sets a steady pace, each stroke hitting deeper than the last. You cling to him, your nails digging into his skin, leaving angry red streaks in their wake.

Your face twists into a flustered scowl, "Faster," you demand.

Jeno dryly laughs, "Uh ah, I want you to feel it all, feel what you're doing to me," he slowly draws his hips back before sinking back into your heat even slower, "S'all for you, princess," he rasps.

Jeno takes time to revel in the feeling of your warm wet walls snuggly hugging his cock like a perfect sleeve. You feel every inch of him leave you empty before filling you back up to the hilt. It's torturous how agonizingly slow he's fucking you, and your patience is wearing thin.

"Jeno, please," you cry.

Jeno complied, the corners of his lips turning upward as he drew his hips back before slamming back into you, making your toes curl. The room becomes blurs of motion in your peripheral. The world fades away, leaving only the two of you locked in this primal dance.

You don't notice Jeno's brought you to one of the bedrooms until you're placed on top of a vanity. The sound of the mirror banging against the wall is drowned out by your sensual moans.

Jeno then stops, slipping out of your heat. You shudder now feeling empty, biting your lip to silence a whine.

Jeno takes a step back, never taking his eyes off you. He pushes his jeans down his legs the rest of the way letting them pool at his feet along with his underwear.

The tension is stifling. You let your eyes fall from his face, drinking him in in his entirety. You watch Jeno take his cock into his hand and begin stroking his length.

"Get on the bed," he instructs.

Your lips curl into a mischievous smirk. You slip your dress over your head, throwing it to the floor along with Jeno's clothes.

Jeno already heard the words before they came out of your mouth, "Make me."

He rolls his eyes before throwing you over his shoulder and tossing you onto the bed. You land on the mattress with a soft bounce, pushing yourself up on your elbows. You teasingly turn away from Jeno to crawl your way up to the pillows but before you can get too far, Jeno grabs your ankle pulling you back to the edge of the bed.

You arch your hips into the air as Jeno trail his hand down your spine. Jeno runs his fingers between your folds, coating his fingers in your arousal. "God, look at how wet you are just for me, princess," Your jaw drops, feeling one, then two of Jeno's fingers curl against your walls. You push your hips back against his hand, your head falling to the sheets, muffling your low groans.

He parts your folds with the tip of his cock, teasing your clit. You see stars behind your lids, feeling the delicious stretch of your pussy accommodating his size. Jeno's fingernails leave crescent shape impressions on your ass as he spears into your drooling cunt.

Jeno cages you in beneath him with his arms. You feel his chest against your back every time your hips meet. Jeno grabs onto the headboard for leverage. His hips snapping back and forth with a speed and power that leaves you gasping for breath.

Each thrust is deeper than the last, filling you completely and making you feel utterly possessed.

Jeno snakes his arm around your waist, reaching between your thighs. His fingers quickly find your clit, pinching and rolling your bundle of nerves between them. You squirm in Jeno's arms, your body involuntarily twisting and jerking as you feel heat blooming in your abdomen.

Mindless blubber stumbles out of your lips as Jeno kisses the side of your neck.

"What was that, beautiful?"

"Good. So good—god, Jeno," your head falls back into his shoulder.

His arms flex, keeping you flush against his chest. Jeno lowly moans in your ear, feeling your walls flutter around his cock.

"You close, baby?"

"Yes m'so fucking close," you pant.

"Cum for me. Let me feel your pretty pussy cream my cock, sweetheart" he smiles, feeling the way your body reacts to his words.

Your body tenses, preparing for release, and Jeno senses it. With a deep grunt, he doubles down on his efforts, his thrusts growing nearly ferocious in their fervor.

Your fangs grows on the their own volition, triggered by the euphoria coursing through your veins.

"Jeno—fuck!"

Your hips rock along with Jeno's chasing the high of your orgasm. Your nails lightly scrape Jeno's scalp as he sinks his teeth into the juncture between your neck and shoulder.

Your nails dig into Jeno's forearms, just breaking the skin barely drawing blood. The wounds close just as fast as they appear. Jeno deeply grunts, his hips stuttering against yours as his cock twitches from the pain of your nails in his skin. He releases his load inside of you, pumping you full.

"Fuck," Jeno gently pants into your ear.

Jeno's damp skin clings to yours, regardless of the discomfort, you keep holding him close. The steady drum of his heart beating in his chest against your back soothes you out of your post orgasmic stupor.

Your pussy continues to gently flutter around his cock. Jeno pulls out before he's too overstimulated but he's quick to replace his cock with his hand as you slump against his chest. He swallows your moans, your thighs clenching around his hand.

"I'm gonna need a minute," he tells slowly circling your clit, "But my god, you're insatiable. I'd do anything to see those cute fangs again," he teases.

Your lips meet again, and Jeno sucks your bottom lips into his mouth, sinking his teeth in and drawing blood. He smears the blood on your lips before grabbing your jaw and initiating a passionate kiss, the taste of copper staining both of your lips.

"Don't start something you can't finish." You lick the few drops from Jeno's lip, quickly healing the wound before pulling away.

"Oh you know I'll do more than finish it."

SATURDAY [7:29 PM]

You and Jeno both hadn't gone to sleep until the sun had risen, so it's no surprise you find him still sound asleep beside you when your eyes first flutter open. You snuggle closer to Jeno, stealing his body heat as you find it comforting enough to put you back to sleep.

But the sound of a blaring alarm jolted you both out of bed. Jeno had no time to ask any questions as you had exited the room already, without a word. He follows your silent, hastened steps down the hall to the surveillance room.

"What is it?" Jeno asks, eyes bouncing around the screens as you search for what tripped the alarm.

Then, you see four escalades ascending the dirt road. Oh fuck.

[8:39 PM]

The words exchanged between the three men you're watching from afar fall on deaf ears even though you can hear them from this distance. Jeno glances over his father's shoulder at you before reverting his attention back to whatever words coming out of Draven's mouth.

"You two fucked, didn't you?" Tyra asks in a whisper.

"What makes you think that?" you snap your head toward her.

"You almost let your disappointment show when we pulled up," she answers, "Plus, I can smell him all over you."

"I'm not disappointed," you scoff, "I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"Not many other people knew about the meeting Draven set up with the Lees. Four of them are dead. The rest are all standing right here."

Tyra's eyes scan the vampires and lycans standing in the underbrush. "Are you saying it's someone here who's working with the humans?"

"It's only a theory. But how else could the humans have known when and where Jeno and I were meeting?"

"Have you shared this theory with your lycan lover?"

"No," you glare at her, "And he's not my lover."

"You don't think he's..."

You shake your head, "No, I don-"

"Think I'm what?" Jeno asks.

You know he was listening to the conversation, "Old enough to be in grown folks business," you tease.

"Haha," he deadpans.

You shoot Tyra a look, and she pretends to find something else to occupy herself with, leaving you and Jeno alone.

"I guess this is it," he sighs.

"No need to shed tears. You'll see me again," you say.

"If that's the case," Jeno slips a piece of paper into your hand, "Call when you start missing me," he smiles.

"As if," you laugh.

You watch Jeno retreat back to his father's car. He looks back at you one last time, shooting you a wink before ducking his head to climb into the vehicle.

"You seem to be extremely fond of the lycan," Draven says.

"He's not bad company," you reply.

"And an even better fu-" A cough interrupts Tyra as you elbow her in the ribs.

"Shall we go home?"

tagged <33: @peachesmilk @doyotint @jaehyunpeachyy @hyuckiegirlfriend @mrsjohnnysuh @binniesbabe @imwutim @marsoverthestars @everything-fine-n-peachy @yukisroom97 @stqrgr7

a/n: i’m so sorry this took so long i really thought it would be ready early october but life and shit yk. ty for reading. feedback is appreciated!!

[fadedncity]

(blood)thirst (teaser)

wc: 1.6k (teaser)

pairing: jeno x fem!reader

cw: supernatural!au, werewolf(lycan)!jeno, vampire!reader, natural enemies to lovers/forbidden love type of situation, injuries, blood, full fic tags: smut, angst, mention of death and family loss, flirting, sexual tension, teasing, pet names, oral sex, multiple orgasms, unprotected sex, way more plot than i expected, plus more

a/n: hey yall so i finished this fic a while ago and it’s just been sitting in my drafts and then i was kinda unsure whether i wanted to post it but i still might. so lmk what you think!

full fic out now

TUESDAY [3:31 AM]

Rain pours in sheets, pelting against your skin. Your footsteps are silent as you sprint through the underbrush, hot on the heels of the Lycan ahead of you.

Even with his head start, it took you no time to catch up to the him. Your pace matched his as you zeroed in on his steady breathing and rhythmic drum of his footfalls. Lycans are fast, and he hadn't even shifted forms yet. But still, you had no trouble keeping up with him.

All the while you closely trail the Lycan, you're cautious of your surroundings, keeping your ears peeled for any sign of a presence accompanying you both in these woods.

Just as you were about to fall in line with him, an unexpected sound sliced through the night—a whistle, followed by the unmistakable twang of a bowstring.

An arrow whizzed past your head, embedding itself in a tree trunk to your left. Stopping in your tracks, you tilt your head, seeing sparks and smoke emitting from the arrowhead now embedded into the old pine tree. But you aren't given any more time to investigate as you're tackled to the ground by the Lycan.

Before you could push him off, his body shields you from the explosion of blinding light so bright you could've sworn it was day for a split second.

He just saved you.

"Are you okay?" Jeno asks, rain dripping from the ends of his hair as he stands from the dirt.

"Yeah," you nod, hesitantly taking the hand he offers. "Thanks," you say, looking at the tree bark melting off the trunk.

The humans have UV explosives. Great.

Both you and Jeno hear the sound of cars approaching from the nearby road and take off running again. Without a word, you plunge deeper into the forest, your movements synchronized with Jeno's by necessity.

"How did they even find us?" Jeno asks, looking over his shoulder, his voice barely audible over the rain.

"I was just going to ask you the same thing."

The hunters were relentless, their shouts echoing in the distance, along with the pounding of their boots. You moved swiftly, navigating the maze of branches and roots with an ease born from decades of practice. The forest seemed to close in around you, the trees pressing in like silent sentinels bearing witness to your flight.

Then shots start firing off, the sharp cracks of bullets cutting through the air. It sounds like they were coming from every direction, the rain making it harder for both you and Jeno to locate where the hunters are.

A bullet soars past you and stops whistling in your ears when it hits flesh, tearing through skin and muscle. Jeno beside you roars out in pain and begins to slow down as the metallic taste of blood enters the air around you. You shoot him a look of concern over your shoulder.

"I'll be fine," he says. But when you see his hand pressed to his shoulder, blood seeping from an injury that should've already started healing, you know he's far from okay. "We need to get out of these woods," Jeno winces as he applies pressure to the gunshot wound.

"I know a place not too far from here," you tell him.

[6:37 AM]

The moon's silver glow was waning, giving way to the first light of dawn. The storm had passed, leaving the forest dank and muddy. Urgency rose as you were closing in on daybreak. You and Jeno raced through the forest, the scent of his blood and sweat mingling in the damp morning air.

Jeno's breath was labored, each step accompanied by a pained grunt as he pushed himself forward. The wound on his shoulder, though not fatal, was slowing him down.

"The sun's gonna be up soon," Jeno pants, his voice weary.

"I know," you raise your eyes to the sky, "But we're almost there."

As you ascend the mountain, you spot the entrance behind a thick curtain of ivy and moss. The camouflaged door was almost invisible against the rocky face.

The two of you approach the fortified door. But not before you start to feel the uncomfortable sensation of pins and needles all over your body, a warning of the daylight's deadly approach.

The air grows warmer with the first rays of sunlight piercing through the treetops, casting long shadows stretching like skeletal fingers across the ground, leaving you exposed. You scream out in pain just before you can reach the door, feeling the severe burns blistering across your body under the sun's relentless gaze.

Without hesitation, Jeno quickly removes his jacket and throws it around you, shielding you as best as he can from the searing sunlight.

You reach the door with trembling hands and enter the security code to unlock it. You hear the mechanism click and attempt to push the door open, but it remains stubbornly shut. The hinges, unused for so long, now rusted, obstruct your entry.

"It's stuck," panic edges your voice.

Using his good shoulder, Jeno presses his weight into the door, helping you push it open. The thick metal gives way with a heavy creak, welcoming you inside. The moment you both are through, Jeno slams the door shut behind him, enveloping you in the safety of darkness.

The flickering emergency lights cast long shadows across the walls, the only source of illumination along the steps down to the bunker. You can hear the sounds of the forest growing distant, muted, and distorted through the layers of earth and stone as you descend further down.

With the adrenaline from the chase already simmered down, the reality of your situation sets in. Here you are, a vampire, with Jeno, a lycan, forced into hiding together by humans hunting you both. The silence stretches between you, heavy with unspoken words only filled by the sounds of Jeno's steps behind you.

Your burns are already beginning to heal now that you're out of the sunlight. The cool, dim interior of the bunker feels like a sanctuary, the pain in your skin subsiding by the time you lead Jeno into a high-ceiling room.

"Thanks, again," you break the silence, returning his jacket. Even in the shadows, you can see Jeno's eyes examining your burns. "I'll heal," you assure him. "You, on the other hand, aren't for some reason."

"I'm fine," Jeno lies.

"You're not. You're still bleeding out. I can smell it."

Jeno stays silent, knowing there's no use in arguing with you.

"I'll go see if I can find the generator and a med kit or something," you say.

The underground facility is large enough to house an entire clan and well-equipped for emergencies. Or at least it had been once. The walls, thick and impenetrable, provide a sense of security, but the darkness within was oppressive, the silence deafening.

You move through the narrow corridors, blindly navigating yourself through the place. The emergency lights give off a faint glow, barely enough to see by. The bunker has an air of abandonment from years of sitting unused here. Cobwebs clung to the corners, and dust motes danced in the faint light.

You quickly locate the electrical room and, after a few tries, manage to get the generator running. The lights flicker on, and the air kicked on, ventilating the compound. As you make your way back down the corridor, you pass the uniform lockers, and just with your luck, you find a med kit sitting at the bottom of the cubby. You grab it and hurry back to where Jeno's waiting.

You find Jeno right where you left him; leaning against the wall, face pale and drawn, sweat glistening on his brow, damp clothes clinging to his defined muscles. From where he stands, the light casts deep shadows across his face, highlighting the strain etched into his features.

"Sit," you say, opening the case of medical supplies on the table.

"I can do it myself," Jeno mutters, though his voice lacks conviction as he weakly pushes himself away from the wall.

"You look like you can barely stand on your own. Just let me patch you up so you can at least stop bleeding all over the place," your words are punctuated by the snap of latex gloves you slip on.

Jeno has no energy to protest. He drops his jacket onto a chair and peels off his shirt, sitting on the table in front of you.

You don't have much time to ogle over the Lycan's chiseled physique as your eyes are drawn to the skin turning black and blue around the bullet's entry point. In all your years of existence, you've seen some pretty bad shit. But even this sight—Jeno's bloodied and seemingly infected shoulder, is enough to make even you wince.

"There's no exit, which is probably why you're not healing. Whatever specialized bullet hit you is still in there," you observe, examining the injury closely.

"Great," Jeno groans, throwing his head back. "Think you can get it out?"

"Sure, but it's not gonna be fun," you tell him.

"Let's just get it over with."

a/n: please lmk what you think! if i do post the full fic it is 11k so be weary 😭 thank you for reading! <33 feedback is appreciated!!

[calibabii21]

I'm crying because no matter how many times I started over, Jeno was the only person that would fill my brain😭

….mating press w a werewolf while he mumbles “get pregnant” over and over🥲🥲🥲🥲

anon you can't say these things to meeeeeeeeee



fucking- alright. Imagine being a cute little human with no fucking clue about the volatile breeding kink your werewolf boyfriend has. anything domestic you do has him hard as a rock. you're just trying to do dishes and all he can think about is making you his cute little house spouse, full of his puppies.

He's obsessed with wolf-courting rituals. his home is always cozy but maybe just a bit too big for two people, hint hint. he spoils you with expensive gifts and tons and tons of food. As much as he loves seeing you do domestic things he also loves showing off how good he can be around the house. He would be such a good husband! He would be such a good father! So hurry up and ditch the birth control already-

God help you if you mention anything about wanting to get married or have kids he will take that as an open invitation to knock you up. he can smell when you're ovulating and he basically doesn't let you leave the bed, he's so busy pounding you full of his cum. he calls you his "bitch in heat" while he does it too.

Really though I like to imagine his breeding kink really only comes out in the middle of sex. you think you're just having a romantic night but then he's got your ankles over his shoulders and he's moaning about how he's going to knock you up.

" 'm gonna cum in this sweet pussy and make you a mommy. you'll take it, right? Be a good bitch and take it all for me-"

and of course, as he fucks himself deeper into you he can't help but moan "get pregnant" over and over again. you can't really tell if he's talking to himself or commanding you to get pregnant already, and with the way he's bullying his thick cock into you, you don't have the mental energy to do anything but moan- let alone ask for clarification.

He knots you. Of course. As if it's even a question. He loves watching your stomach bloat with his cum and there's just so much of it, some of it can't help but slip out around the base of his knot. all the more reason to fuck it back into you.

If for whatever reason he couldn't knot you, he'd make you wear a plug, to keep his seed inside of you when you go to work or are out of the house. he likes that it makes you smell like him. he likes knowing that you're full of him even when you two are apart.

[taexoxosgf]

PARK JISUNG FIC REC LIST

s, smut | f, fluff | a, angst

includes most of the fics from my old rec list. not all are on this list because those fics have either been deleted/privated or the account themselves has deactivated.

recommendation masterlist

my masterlist is here if you want to check out my jisung fics!

chasing pavements , part two [ brother’s best friend!jisung x fem!reader ] s,a

let me teach you how to smash [ badminton player!jisung x fem!reader, enemies to friends to lovers ] s,f,a

the quiet boy has a big dick?! [ quiet bad boy!jisung x fem!reader ] s

gooner [ jeno's younger brother!jisung x jeno's fwb fem!reader ] s

more than i should [ idol!jisung x stylist fem!reader ] s

louder [ jealous boyfriend!jisung x fem!reader ] s

8 letters [ baseball player!jisung x fem!reader ] f,a

arcade [ boyfriend!jisung x fem!reader ] s,f

(ask) [ fwb!jisung x fem!reader ]

auralism, part two, part three [ voice actor!jisung x fem!reader ] s

teach me [ established relationship ] s,f

the one that got away [ best friend au, unrequited love au ] f,a

full moon [ werewolf!jisung x fem!reader, established relationship ] s

1:29 AM [ friend’s brother!jisung x fem!reader ] s

testing… [boyfriend!jisung x fem!reader ] s

20cm [ childhood friends au, summer love au ] f,a

first snow [ boyfriend!jisung x fem!reader ] s,f

jealousy [ boyfriend!jisung x performer fem!reader ] s

sweeter than honey [ private prepschool au ] f,a

(ask) [ secret fwb au ] s

too young [ werewolf!jisung x witch fem!reader ] s,a

lollipop [ perv boyfriend!jisung x fem!reader ] s

park jisung x bimbo!reader [ park jisung x bimbo!reader ] s

gameboy [ gamer!jisung x gamer fem!reader, fwb to lovers au ] s

mask off [ boyfriend!jisung x fem!reader, role playing au ] s

no hands [ idol!jisung x fem!reader ] s

untitled [ best friend!jisung x fem!reader ] s

(ask) [ boyfriend!jisung x fem!reader, dreamies thinks he’s a virgin ] s,f

i.l.y. [ boyfriend!jisung x fem!reader, first time ] s,f

[starlightkun]

🎶🛌

[starryhyuck]

pairing: alpha!soulmate!jeno x afab!omega!reader

words: 2.9k+

summary: your first meeting with the notorious lee jeno sends you spiraling into heat.

genre: smut

warnings: a/b/o dynamics, knotting, breeding kink, cunnilingus, degradation, mating, some public sex

“You’re coming with me to the Governor’s Ball tonight.”

Your eyebrow raises at Hyewon, who is eagerly sitting across from you, practically jumping out of her seat. The Beta in her is naturally timid, so she must be extremely excited to be acting this way.

“And why would I do that?” You ask, displaying no interest in the event. “It’s just going to be a room filled with rowdy Alphas.”

“That’s why we’re going, duh,” Hyewon says as if you’ve lost a few brain cells. “It won’t just be an event with any regular Alpha — these Alphas will be the most handsome and richest of all!”

Hyewon comes from an affluent family that has an expectation of her to marry wealthy. You know she has been trying for years to pair with any man who has millions in his bank account, yet none of them can match her standards.

You, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about finding an Alpha to mate with. You’ve always envisioned yourself with a calmer Beta, someone who had realistic goals and expectations and wasn’t driven by the feral nature of their genetics. Alphas are known for being possessive and dominant, and it just doesn’t seem like an ideal relationship for you.

“Hyewon, I really don’t think that’s my scene.”

“Come on,” she pouts at you. “Do you know how lucky you are to be an Omega? I would kill to present like you and have every Alpha bend to my whim.”

The statement is slightly exaggerated but not entirely untrue. As an Omega, you do recognize that you have more of a leverage with Alphas as your scent is naturally more alluring to them than a Beta’s. However, you have always opposed the idea that Omegas are solely born to satisfy Alphas. They see you as nothing but a hole to fill and a neck to be marked.

Hyewon clutches to your wrist and pleads loudly, drawing looks from other students lingering in the cafe.

“Please, please, please-“

“Okay!” You huff, withdrawing your hand and looking down bashfully. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”

She throws her arms up and cheers happily.

—

Hyewon wraps you in a stuffy, form fitting dress which is covered head to toe in expensive crystals. She insists you have to shine at the event in order to stand out from all the other Omegas in attendance tonight. Despite your indifference, you let her play dress up as she wants.

She tugs you into the lavish Governor’s Ball, where most of the political leaders of your town are gathered. Hyewon’s eyes lock into the Lee family, the most influential household in werewolf existence.

You don’t know much about the Lee family despite their powerful presence, but Hyewon is quick to fill in the gaps. “That’s Lee Taeyong,” she whispers to you as she points to the stoic man standing across the room. “He’s the oldest, and he’s actually nicer than he looks. The one next to him is the middle child, Lee Mark.” The man she points to has a similar bored expression painting his face, slowly swirling his champagne glass to find a source of amusement. You can tell from the lilt in Hyewon’s voice that he is the Alpha she has her sights set on for the night. “And that guy is the youngest, Lee Jeno. Don’t even try with him, he’s a waste of time.”

Your eyebrows furrow at the Alpha, who appears angrier than any other male in this ballroom. You can practically feel his disdain coursing through your veins.

“Why is he so… grumpy?”

She laughs at your question. “I told you, he’s a waste of time. He’s always pissed off at these events for no reason and hates it when any Beta or Omega tries to make conversation with him. He’s the worst Lee brother to mate with.”

Hyewon soon leaves you to your own devices, heading off to try and win Mark over. You awkwardly make conversation with a few other Omegas around you, but they seem more interested in gathering the attention of the Lee brothers than actually engaging with you.

Midway through the event, you head to the bathroom down the corridor to freshen up. You gasp when you turn the corner and suddenly ram straight into someone’s chest. Your champagne glass falls to the floor and shatters across the marble, but that is the last thing you’re concerned about.

Your body suddenly starts to feel like it’s on fire, heat spreading through your core rapidly. You choke and clutch your stomach, glancing up to see the reason behind your misery.

Jeno stands in front of you, eyes blooming red as he drinks you in. You pant and take a step back from him, recognizing the signs of your approaching heat.

But that can’t be possible — your heat isn’t due to come for another few weeks.

“W-What did y-you do-“ You wheeze, embarrassed by the slick dampening your panties.

“Omega,” Jeno says, stern glare painting his face as he reaches for you. “Calm down.”

His fingers brush by your mating gland and you gasp. His touch feels like someone rubbed a match and lit a fire against your skin. You turn and run as fast as you can, reentering the ballroom and darting straight for Hyewon’s figure. Every Alpha’s head turns at the scent of your growing heat, baring their teeth at your lewd display.

“Hyewon,” you beg, clutching her arm. “You need to take me home.”

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

As a Beta, Hyewon can’t smell your growing arousal or detect the signs of you going into your heat. All she sees is her friend with a desperate look on her face. Mark, who is standing across from her, shifts his predatory gaze to you. Hyewon notices the change in him and she quickly pulls you behind her.

“A-Are you going into heat?” She asks quietly.

You nod and whimper. She asks no further questions, wrenching your figure close to hers and locating the nearest exit. She shoves you into the first limousine in the parking lot and shuts the door behind her, shouting your address at the driver.

You grasp her elbow and cry. “Hyewon, this is a strong one-“

A wave of arousal shoots down your spine, causing you to fall deeper and deeper into your subspace. If Hyewon doesn’t lock you in your bedroom soon, you’re afraid you might offer yourself to the first Alpha you see.

“Why didn’t you say you were about to go into heat?” She chastises, grabbing a tissue to dab at your sweltering forehead. “Let me call Jaemin.”

You stop her from taking her phone out of her purse. “N-No, don’t call him. I don’t want him.”

“What? You always use Jaemin for your heats.”

“No,” you shake your head, still unsure of why you’re denying her. She’s right — since your first heat, you have always asked Na Jaemin to come over and take care of you. He was a family friend and never took advantage of you at your worst. However, there’s a sinking feeling in your gut that’s telling you Jaemin is the last Alpha you want to see right now. “Just get me home.”

You barely register Hyewon helping you into your apartment, faintly remembering her guiding you to your bed.

“W-What should I-“

“Please leave,” you say, writhing and desperately pulling at the zipper of your dress to get it off you. “Trust me, you don’t want to see me like this.”

She frowns, her voice filled with concern. “But-“

“Please, Hyewon,” you plead. “Thank you for getting me here but you need to leave.”

You hear the front door close just as you fling your dress to the floor, quickly locating your vibrator in your nightstand. You pull your panties to the side and sigh in relief when you sink the toy into your heat. It only quenches your pain slightly, but it’s enough to simmer down the fire in your belly.

You’re unaware of how much time has passed when there’s another knock at your door. You’re writhing on the bed sheets, begging for another orgasm as your hand has grown tired of lazily pushing your vibrator in and out of your dripping pussy. Your fingers circle your clit slowly as you plead for the moon to end your misery.

You miss the sound of your door rattling off its hinges, mind overtaken by a cloud of fuzziness. Loud stomping echoes throughout your apartment and a large figure invades your room, growling when he sees the sight of you hopelessly twisting your hips to gain any sort of comfort.

A hand wraps around your throat and squeezes, forcing another gush of arousal to leak down your thighs.

“What do you think you’re doing, Omega?” His voice scarily questions, nearly spitting in your face. “How dare you touch what’s mine?”

They used to spread stories of true mates when you were in high school — stories of how when an Alpha meets the destined Omega they were born to be mated with, it would immediately send the Alpha and Omega into their corresponding ruts and heats. You always thought it was some odd wolf propaganda created centuries ago to carry on the belief that true mates still existed. However, as you look at Jeno hovering above you, there is no doubt in your mind that he is your true mate.

The fuzzy parts of your brain start to clear. “J-Jeno?”

He grins, leaning down to lick at the shell of your ear. “That’s Alpha to you. Present yourself.”

You scramble to follow his order, shoving your head into the pillow and arching your ass up in the air. He clicks his tongue mockingly.

“A pretty, submissive Omega. You know, I always wondered what cute little thing I was destined to end up with. I never thought the moon would grant me a beautiful mate like you,” he hums, digits collecting the remnants of your orgasm across your thighs. He groans as he licks the taste of you off his fingers. “You want your Alpha’s knot, baby?”

You nearly unravel at the thought of him filling you deep with his cum, giving you so much of it that it spills out of your tiny pussy.

“A-Alpha,” you whine. “Please Alpha, please knot me.”

You hear the clink of his belt buckle and your body thrums in excitement. He plants his knees down on the mattress, shrugging off his slacks and throwing his stuffy blazer to the side. He ducks his head to lick a stripe up your folds.

You shudder, bunching the sheets in your fists and practically sobbing at the need to have his cock inside of you. You’ve never felt this hopeless during your heat before, never craved another Alpha’s cock like this.

Jeno’s hands tighten around your hips as he laps at your cunt, groaning at the sweetness of your taste. It only takes a few seconds for you to gush into his waiting mouth, the sounds of him eagerly swallowing your release filling the room.

Your body slumps on the mattress at the weight of your orgasm. You barely have time to recover when you feel his tip prodding your entrance.

He growls. “Beg for my cock, Omega whore.”

“Please, Alpha, please fuck me. I want your knot to fill my pretty pussy, want you to mark me and make me yours-“

The thought of you being mated to him is what sends Jeno feral. He pushes his cock inside your waiting hole, slick dripping down your thighs and giving him easy access to slide in. You sigh in relief when he’s finally deep inside you, quelling the fire in your stomach that was pleading for him.

He doesn’t waste time — ramming into you at an inhuman speed, hands angrily digging into your sides and slapping your ass until his palm is imprinted on your backside. Your head lolls to the side, officially giving Jeno complete control to use you as you wish.

Just like with your other heats, your body throws you into climax after climax until the pleasure molds itself into your skin. Jeno is still spitting the most filthy, degrading words at you as his knot slowly approaches.

“Look at you, silly Omega. Offering yourself up to the first Alpha you see. Would you have given this cunt to someone else, hm? Let them take what’s rightfully mine?” At the shake of your head, he smirks. “That’s right. Pretty Omega’s pussy is made only for me. Designed for my knot, designed to breed for my future pups.”

The thought of him impregnating you with the future of the respected Lee line prompts you over the edge again. Jeno hisses and grabs the back of your neck, hoisting you up easily to his chest as you hear the sound of his balls slapping against your cunt forcefully.

“Gonna keep cumming around your Alpha’s cock? Never had a heat like this one before, have you, baby? That’s because the moon has finally brought you to your true mate, and you never have to spend another heat without me again.”

You cry in pleasure at the thought of being able to spend every heat with Jeno. You never minded Jaemin being your heat partner, but this satisfaction and connection is something you’ve never felt with anyone else. You genuinely think you’ll die if you go through another heat without Jeno beside you.

“A-Alpha,” you whimper, steadily holding onto his arm that’s securely wrapped around your middle. “Please knot me, Alpha. You’re the only one who can.”

“Yeah?” He groans at how desperate you sound for him. “Want your Alpha’s big knot? Want to be bred like a good little Omega?”

You nearly sob. “Y-Yes! Yes, please!”

He tilts your head and exposes your neck. His fingers carefully run over your mating gland, causing a shiver to run down your spine.

“And this? Is this for me to mark, Omega?”

You frantically nod. “Yes, Alpha. Only for you.”

You know it’s a big step, a permanent marking that would tie Jeno’s Alpha to your Omega forever. Your mind screams at you to reconsider this decision when you have a clearer head, but your heart tells you that there’s nothing to mull over — Jeno is your Alpha and you need the whole world to know.

As his knot begins to swell inside you, his teeth sink into your mating gland, uniting your souls into one. Every feeling Jeno’s ever had courses through your veins, multiplying your pleasure tenfold. Your thighs begin to shake at the amount of gratification flowing through your body.

You almost pass out from the overwhelming sensation, and your body goes slack in Jeno’s hold. His cum shoots deep into your womb, filling you and marking you as his until his release is leaking down your thighs.

You both collapse on the mattress, with Jeno pulling you close to ensure his knot stays rooted deep inside you.

Your head starts to free from your subspace temporarily, and you carefully scan your room as he licks at the wound on your neck to clean you up.

“Did you- Did you break my door?”

Indeed, you can see your front door laying flat in the hallway, nearly shattered. Jeno hums softly.

“It was in my way.”

You think about how your apartment floor must’ve had to evacuate from the profound smell of your scent mixed with Jeno’s. You would feel guilty about it but considering Jeno has no shame over it, his emotions overpower yours.

“Want to fuck you again, Omega,” he hisses against your skin. “Love being mated to you.”

His honest confession forces another wave of arousal to spill from your pussy, leaking around his knot.

“Yeah, Alpha?”

He grunts and starts thrusting into you again, only being able to move a few inches as his knot is still plugging his cum into you. You gasp and pull him down to kiss you.

“My friend-“ you murmur in between moans. “My friend told me you hate Betas and Omegas.”

“Of course I do,” he hisses, propping your leg over his hip so he can push in deeper. “I hate every Beta and Omega who thinks they have a shot at being my mate.”

“You looked so grumpy when I first saw you.”

“I am grumpy,” he mumbles, hands darting to knead your breasts. “Grumpy for everyone except you.”

He grins when you squirt around his knot, your cunt sensitive from the constant rounds of fucking. Your eyes roll to the back of your head at your unexpected orgasm, body twitching in your Alpha’s hold.

Jeno fucks you until the sun rises to indicate the start of a new day. You two barely sleep, exploring various positions throughout your apartment and even the hallway of your complex, ushering more and more residents on the lower floors to evacuate from your scents. Their dirty looks are quickly changed when they see the notorious Lee brother claiming his new mate for all to see.

His cock doesn’t allow your pussy to rest until he’s sure you’ve been impregnated.

When you finally come to, you’re sprawled on your living room floor with a mix of your slick and Jeno’s cum surrounding you. He continues to lick at your skin as if he’ll die without fully receiving his taste of you.

It’s odd since despite only knowing him for less than a day, you feel like you’ve known him your whole life.

“I want-“ you pant, trying to regain your breath. “I want to fuck you forever.”

He chuckles. “Is that so, Omega?” He raises his head to see you, a predatory gaze lingering in his eyes. You wonder if you have it in you to go another few rounds.

“Lucky for you, we’re mated for life. I’m not going anywhere.”

[bee-the-loser-recs]

~~~☼ My Haechan One-shot Fic Recs ☼~~

𖤓 Drippin' By @ncteez 16.2k, NCT Dream 00' line x reader, non-specified au, close friends, birthday sex, smut, technically polyamorous, messy, slight fluff, comedy, teasing

𖤓 Send in the clowns By @smileysuh 10.6k, Haechan|Mark|Jaehyun x reader, college au, frat boys NCT, best friend Jungwoo, friends to lovers, karaoke friends, smut, polyamory, slight fluff, Halloween parties, dressing up

𖤓 Roommates By @smileysuh 8.3k, Mark x reader x Haechan, college au, frat house NCT, best friend Jungwoo, polyamory, smut, stoners, getting high together, slight fluff, mentions of Jeno having a crush on reader

𖤓 The V week spy By @smileysuh 20.1k, Jaehyun x reader (romantic) ft. Haechan | Yangyang | Jungwoo | Jeno, college au, frat house NCT, sorority member reader, stupid traditions, no strings attached situation, smut, slight fluff

𖤓 Energizer bunny By @smileysuh 19.1k, hybrid au, bunny reader, dragon Haechan, bartender reader, club owner Haechan, boss x employee relationship, genuine interest between the two, smut, slight fluff, Mark is reader's brother

𖤓 Carpe diem By @kiachiako 5.1k, college au, gamer!Haechan, coder!reader, mutual friends, slight fuckboy Haechan, genuine feelings for one another, fluff, angst

𖤓 Indica dreams By @hazyhae 11.7k, unspecified au, non-idol au, plug Haechan, reader gets high for the first time, one bad experience on edibles, fluff, slight angst, smut, best friend Jeno, reader has problems sleeping

𖤓 Us By @hazyhae 900, stoner!best friend!Haechan, high conversations together, confessions when high, mutual pining, anxieties about the future

𖤓 Cold By @rainbowhao 0.5k, established relationship, fluff, cuddling in their apartment, bribery, temperature being rather cold, clingy Haechan

𖤓 Sugar, butter & the royal crown By @haechwrites 17.1k, royal au, prince Donghyuck, baker's daughter reader, fluff, slight angst, unsupportive mother, pining, forbidden relationship, reconnecting after multiple years, pet names

𖤓 Sucks to be him By @loudstan Magic au, werewolf Haechan, witch reader, fluff, imprinting, slight angst, reader has a boyfriend at first, Haechan refuses to give up, reader is slightly older and owns a store

𖤓 Triple Lee; naughtier the better By @p4p1l0nn 9.1k, Mark | Haechan | Jeno x reader, non-idol au, stoner au, plug Haechan & Mark, stoner Jeno & reader, roommates, smut, slight fluff

𖤓 NCT dream exposes y/n's crush on Haechan in the gc By @wooyukh SMAU, non-specified au, meddling friends, exposing their friend's crushes, fluff, trying to hide their feelings, confessions, cute

𖤓 Quarantine chronicles 3 By @domjaehyun 43k, Jungwoo|Jaehyun|Johnny|Jaemin|Mark|Jeno|Haechan x reader, Quarantine au, roommates (except Mark, Jeno, Haechan), lots of tension & flirting, smut, slight fluff, friends with benefits situation, crack, part of a series

𖤓 Hush Hush By @domjaehyun 19.5k, Jeno|Jaemin|Haechan x reader, college au, friends to lovers??, sleepovers, smut, foursome, mentions of friends Mark & Renjun

𖤓 Surviving no nut November By @domjaehyun 28.8k, Haechan x reader x Mark, college au, friends to lovers, no nut November challenges, smut, trying to trip them up, teasing, slight fluff, weed consumption, pet names

𖤓 Pussy fiend [part 1] & [part 2] By @domjaehyun 28.2k & 40.7k, college au, enemies to fuck buddies to lovers, smut, humour, pissing each other off, cocky Haechan, denial of feelings

𖤓 Tangerine love [favourite] By @domjaehyun 21.8k, neighbours au, mutual attraction, smut, domestic behaviour between the two, fluff, light humours, mentions of a Christmas party

𖤓 Random texts with bf!Hyuck By @catboyieejeno SMAU, established relationship, menace Haechan, jealousy, suggestive comments, fluff

𖤓 Achromatopsia By @neoneversleeps 8.7k, Haechan has Achromatopsia (colour blindness), school au, meet cutes, relationship developments, fluff, angst, anger outbursts, making out

𖤓 Truth or dare By @irregular-idol-imagines 1.2k, friends to lovers, playing truth or dare, fluff, kissing on a dare, friendly teasing, alcohol

𖤓 'Manifesting Mayhem' [part 1], [part 2], & [part 3] By @suhnshinehaos SMAU, mini series, university au, mostly fluff, a little bit of angst, humour, Haechan has a crush on a classmate, reader runs a crystal shop, reader has a crush on Haechan, hidden identity

𖤓 Round & round By @hwaflms 6.1k, college au, weed use, stoners 00'line & reader, playing spin the bottle, wanting to kiss one another, bad luck, smut, slight fluff

𖤓 Hits different By @neowinestainedress 44.8k, college au, strangers to fwb to lovers, smut, angst, fluff, reader self destructs a lot, emotional support, best friend Jonny, past traumas, reasoning behind their actions, emotionally running away

𖤓 And they were roommates By @tyonfs 17k, college au, part of a one-shot series, reader is Haechan's "crushes" roommate, smut, friends to lovers, dumb Haechan, realising feelings, fluff [I suggest reading the prequel & other one-shots too, they're all so well written]

𖤓 Lucky strike By @heartseungs-archive 2.3k, arcade employee Haechan, high school au, Haechan has a crush on a reader, cute, fluff, asking them out

[jwirecs]

Hii can you compile all the arranged marriage au fics please it’ll be so easy and helpful

Thank youu!!

helloo!! seems like i;ve had a few asks regarding arranged marriage aus. i will do my best to find fics from all of the groups that i read from but i will apologize a head of time for the spam in the tags since i will be tagging all of the groups..😅

**apologies to the authors for being mentioned in two posts (tumblr be kinda messed up rn where i cant tell if the author is linked in this or not..), the anon req for me to compile the post all in one so that its easier**

** anything in parentheses and bolded are my thoughts that can be disregarded if needed **

🔞smut || 💔angst || 💕fluff || ✅completed || 🔄ongoing || 💯favorite

Arranged || @minyoongijjangjjangmanboongboong💕💔✅(ceo au, yoongi x reader)

Belong || @v-hope💕💔✅(smau, taehyung x reader)

Best Friend's Best Friend || @ktheist🔞💕💔✅(chaebol au, jeongguk x reader)

Covenant || @junghelioseok🔞💕💔✅(werewolf au, hoseok x reader)

Drugs || @euphoriyoongi🔞💕💔✅(jimin x reader)

Kiss Me More || @mosaic-opine🔞💕💔✅(yoongi x reader)

Pink Sapphire || @jiminrings💕💔✅ (jeongguk x reader)

Please Love Me || @ahundredtimesover🔞💕💔✅(ceo au, jeongguk x reader)

Shadows of Doubt || @theweasleytwinsownmyjuicyass💕💔✅(seokjin x reader)

The Crown That Is Ours || @taeshobipop🔞💕💔✅ (royalty au, taehyung x reader)

Til Death Do Us Part || @justimajin🔞💕💔✅ (namjoon x reader)

To Turn a Bad Thing Good || @chateautae🔞💕💔🔄 (jeongguk x reader)

Anon Request || @alluringjae​🔞💔✅ (jeno x reader)

Before I Go || @yutaholic​​​​​​🔞💕💔✅ (doyoung x reader)

Binding Bonds || @jaedore​🔞💕💔✅ (jaehyun x reader)

Coming Home || @cupofjae​​​​​​🔞💕💔✅ (smau, yuta x reader)

Lucky Number Seven || @paintmebare​🔞💔✅ (johnny x reader)

MOON RIVER || @ppangjae​​​​​​​🔞💕💔✅ (jaehyun x reader)

Seed of Pomegranates || @anashins​​​​🔞💕💔✅ (jaehyun x reader)

Accidentally In Love || @suhnshinehaos💕💔✅ (smau, vernon x reader)

I Found Love In Your Smile || @wonlouvre💕💔✅ (wonwoo x reader)

Saturn Without Rings || @dropsofletters💕💔✅ (royal au, wonwoo x reader)

Vampire Kisses || @horanghaejamjam🔞💕💔✅ (junhui x reader)

[dalivanmagritte]

NCT FIC REC : JEONG JAEHYUN

back to the nct fic rec

favs

just us. (fav, smut, fluff, royal!au)

promise of duke (fav, smut, nobless!au)

oops, baby (i love you) (fav, smut, fluff, angstish, modern royal!au)

a summer love (fav, fluff, suggestive, 60's!au, smalltowngirl!au)

seeds of pomegranate (fav, angst, smut, fluff, greek mythology!au)

no smut

just friends (fluff, college!au)

i've got my eye on you (fluff, deaf!jaehyun)

je ne sais quoi (fluff, suggestive)

stars, moons & other celestial bodies (angstish, fluff, retro!au)

boyfriend material (fluff, fake dating!au, angstish, college!au)

7:37 (fluff, college!au)

pastas? (fluff)

classics (smut)

team captain (smut, fluff, college!au)

the charming (smut, housemate!au, college!au)

romanée-conti (smut, fluff, sugardaddy!au)

the v week spy (smut, fluff, college!au, stvalentine!au)

king of the streets (smut, fluff, angst, streetracer!au, journalist!au)

begin again (smut, angst)

die in your arms (smut, angst, spooky!au)

rose bud (smut, fluff, angstish, college!au)

pregnant partner (fluff, smut)

boy toy (smut)

body party (smut, boxer!au)

milf (smut, fluff, milf!au)

no distraction (smut)

one of the girls (smut, neighbor!au)

sleep well, princess (fluff, smut, brotherbff!au)

horizon (smut, office!au, ceo!au)

chained (smut, arranged marriage!au)

Fucking up the sheets (smut)

back for more (smut)

our little secret (smut, ceo!au)

teacher's pet (smut, teacher!au)

deadly kiss (smut, office!au)

jaehyun's new secretary (smut, office!au, ceo!au)

stress no more (smut, ceo!au)

make a mess for me (smut)

racer (smut, angst, streetracer!au)

trick or treat (smut, halloween!au, dad!jaehyun, neighbour!reader, ceo!au)

trick or treat (smut, halloween!au, neighbour!au, voyeur!au)

a nonsense christmas (smut, camgirl!au)

christmas puppy (smut, fluff)

cockwarming (smut)

runway (angst, fluff, smutish, e2l!au, fashion!au)

you have one missed call (smut)

tits obsessed (smut)

19:30 (smut)

heart aches (smut)

honeymoon avenue (smut, angstish)

around the corner (fluff, angst, rich!au)

deadly kiss (smut, fluff, office!au, architect!au, engineer!au)

baby making (smut, new parents!au)

daddy in the streets, husband in the sheets (smut)

bf! jaehyun (smut, fluff)

hearts won at practice (fluff, smut, junior footballplayer!au)

that's it (smut)

popsicle (smut)

perv! jaehyun (smut)

handle with care (smut, office!au)

alternate universe (magics, gods, royalty, etc...)

just us. (smut, fluff, royal!au)

sleep well? (smut, incubus!au)

of sunrise and roses (fluff, suggestive, demigod!au, mythology!au)

on the shore of the styx (angst, mythology!au)

son of zeus (fluff, demigod!au, mythology!au)

son of lachesis (fluff, angstish, demigod!au, mythology!au)

son of dionysus (angst, demigod!au, mythology!au)

two worlds appart part.2 (angst, smut, royal!au)

midday reverie (smut, angst, fluff, abo!au)

not so charming (fluff, hogwarts!au)

twilight (smut, vampire!au)

shapeshifter wolf (fluff, angst, witch!au, shapeshifter!au)

head over broomsticks (fluff, suggestive, hogwarts!au)

wrong hands (smut, bodyguard!au, mafia!au)

motives (1) (smut, demon!au)

perfume (smut, werewolf!au, witch!au)

can't get you out of my mind (smut, fluff, angst, abo!au)

with another member

danger x johnny (smut, abo!au)

can you handle it? x johnny, jeno, jaemin (smut)

i wanna make you scream (smut, ghostface!au)

send in the clowns x mark x haechan (smut, halloween!au)

[loudstan]

The Moon Makes no Mistakes

Summary: It had to be some type of sick joke. There was no way Jeno had imprinted on his best friend's mate.

Pairing: Werewolf! Jeno x Female reader x Werewolf! Jaemin

Warnings: smut, A LOT OF angst, Jaemin has baby fever but what's new, this fic is VERY LONG SORRY. Also, there is some JenoxJaemin action so if that makes you uncomfortable, do not read this! OKAY LET'S GO

“So…,” Renjun spoke casually from he kitchen, without looking away from the sandwich he was making. “Do you wanna talk about it or…?”

“Huh?” Jeno asked absentmindedly, too occupied munching on his own sandwich and finishing the movie he and Jaemin had started earlier, before the later had gone out. “About what?”

Renjun hesitated, wondering if it was the right time or if it was even worth mentioning. Right now most of the pack was out working, in class or hanging out with friends. Only Jeno, Chenle (who was wearing earbuds and laughing at videos on his phone) and Renjun were in the living room, and he knew they wouldn’t get more privacy than this. It was now or never.

“Well,” Renjun sighed, making his way to the sofa and sitting down next to Jeno. “You were smelling Jaemin’s hair… again.”

Jeno choked on his food and coughed loudly. Renjun quickly gave him a glass of water and slapped his back until Jeno pushed his hand away and cleared his throat. With wide eyes, Jeno turned to look at Chenle, and sighed in relief when he saw that he was still laughing at whatever dumb tiktok he had found, meaning he hadn’t heard Renjun’s ridiculous accusations.

“What are you talking about?” He hissed in panic.

“Okay, we don’t have to talk about it yet-“ Renjun tried to calm him down.

“Talk about what? I never did that?!”

“You so did,” Chenle’s voice said from the  corner of the room, his eyes were now on Jeno and he had put his phone down on his lap. “You’ve done it a lot in the last couple of months. You keep scenting him too.”

“You-,” Jeno wanted to accuse Chenle of eavesdropping, but in the end he decided denying the allegation was more urgent. “I didn’t smell his fucking hair!”

Renjun and Chenle looked at each other. 

“Fine,” Renjun said. “But I just want you to remember that we’re a family. No one’s going to judge you for who you like-”

“But it’s our duty to tell you that it’s stupid to have a crush on a mated wolf,” Chenle said.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Jeno groaned. “I don’t have a crush on Jaemin!”

“Who has a crush on Jaemin?” Yuta asked, entering the room. He had just woken up from a nap. 

“No one,” Renjun said.

“Jeno,” Chenle said at the same time.

“Oh,” Yuta simply said and made a dismissive gesture with his hand, like it was old news.

Jeno was almost offended by it. “What do you mean ‘oh’?!”

“Weren’t you two a thing some years ago?” Yuta asked, making his way to the kitchen.

“No?” Jeno replied, very confused at this new accusation to add to the list.

“Mark accidentally walked into you,”  Chenle said as Yuta came back to the living room with an apple.  “You two were watching porn and jerking each other off-“

Jeno gasped. “We were not jerking each other off. We were jerking off next to each other!”

“Shame,” Yuta shrugged and took a big bite off the apple. “Somebody else’s hand always feels better than your own.”

“We didn’t touch each other,” Jeno insisted. “We just watched porn together. Friends do that!”

“I don’t do that,” Renjun disagreed.

“Jisung and Chenle have done it!” Jeno insisted, pointing at Chenle.

“I ended up watching alone,” Chenle said. “As soon as Jisung got hard, he stood up and ran away.”

“What if he had stayed?”Yuta asked. “Would that have stopped you from getting off?”

“…No,” Chenle admitted.

“There you go!” Yuta said. “Nothing wrong with two best friends touching themselves in the same room. Case dismissed!” He declares, walking towards his room.

“But I don’t smell my best friend’s hair,” Chenle muttered.

Yuta stopped on his track and turned around. “That’s different,” he said, now giving Jeno a worried look. Jeno hated it.

“Okay, enough! I admit it, I really like the way he smells lately,” he confessed. “I don’t know if it’s a new shampoo or perfume or… I don’t know but his scent changed…”

“Really?” Chenle paused to think. “I haven’t noticed anything different.”

“Maybe it’s his mate’s scent mixed with his,” Renjun said.

“That makes sense!” Yuta agreed, nodding. “And I guess Jeno perceives it because he’s always been the closest to Jaemin.”

“It’s just the scent,” Jeno insisted. “I don’t like Jaemin like that. I don’t even like men.”

“…Jaemin is a pretty man, though,” Yuta gave the apple another bite. Everyone laughed and Jeno silently agreed. He had seen girls and boys alike fall head over heels for Jaemin since… forever. If he were into men, then Jaemin would have been his first love. Instead, his first love was his highschool homeroom teacher; a woman with an  hourglass figure, long eyelashes and a sweet voice, who didn’t even look in Jeno’s direction no matter how hard he tried. When she got married to her fiancé, Jeno cried for hours, with Jaemin next to him trying to comfort him but also telling him that he was an idiot for thinking he stood a chance. Jaemin had always been there for him, and he for Jaemin. They were best friends and pack brothers. Nothing else. He just happened to smell really fucking good lately.

It was a couple of days later that he confirmed the source of this new scent. Jaemin, who had finally decided to go back to med school to become a healer, called Jeno and begged him to go to the apothecary where he and his mate worked.

“I’ve been so busy studying that I completely forgot the products we ordered would arrive today,” Jaemin whined on the other side of the line. Lack of sleep and excess of caffeine were evident in his voice. “I don’t want Y/N to carry those boxes by herself! She pretends to be tough but she’s my baby,” she rambled on and Jeno cringed at the pet name. “Please, Jeno! I have an exam in 7 minutes and 38 seconds, I really can’t-“

“I know, I know,” Jeno interrupted him, speaking in a calming manner. “I’m already putting my shoes on. I’m on my way.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Jaemin breathed. “I owe you.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s really nothing. Now go ace that test!” Jeno hung up and put his phone in his pocket, walking faster towards the bus stop. He started thinking about how no one in the pack knew Jaemin’s mate yet. They had met Jisung’s mate years ago, before they even got together , Doyoung took his time but ended up briefly introducing his mate to the pack, Haechan dragged his mate to a family dinner and Mark’s mate ended up being introduced to them against Mark’s will because everyone kept visiting her store out of curiosity. But Jaemin’s mate was a complicated case; she had had a bad experience with a werewolf in the past, which made her reject Jaemin at first. It took him months to get together with his mate and he was very protective of her, so Jeno felt honored Jaemin trusted him enough to let him be with his mate alone.

When he entered the apothecary he was immediately surrounded by the scent that had been haunting him for the last couple of months. It was floral and calming, like having a cup of tea by the window on a Sunday morning, and it came from a woman carrying a huge box. ‘Shit,’ Jeno thought. Jaemin would kill him if he found out his mate had to lift a finger.

“Hi, I’m Jeno, Jaemin’s pack brother,” he quickly introduced himself and easily took the box away from you, putting it on his shoulder and  holding it with one arm. “And he says you can’t be carrying these.”

“Oh, hi! I’m Y/N,” You said, offering your hand to shake his but taking it back awkwardly when you saw that he was now holding another box, having both hands occupied. “Jaemin told me you would come, but I can do this myself, really!” You smiled at Jeno and he almost tripped. You had the prettiest smile he had ever seen and he had to physically shake his head to wake himself up.

“Nope, sorry, you know how he is,” Jeno said, leaving the boxes next to the shelves and walking back to get more, a bit surprised by how natural it felt to talk to you. “And this really is nothing for me- Hey! What did I say? Put that down!” He groaned when he saw you struggling to pick up a box.

“I won’t let you do everything by yourself!” You argued, walking slowly not to drop the box. “This is my job, anyways. There was no need to call anyone…”

Jeno snatched the box from your hands and gave you a pointed look. “I’m already here, so sit down and  let me take care of this.”

You huffed and went to grab another box, making Jeno lose his patience. He grabbed your shoulders firmly and guided you towards a chair, making you sit down. 

“Please, stay still,” Jeno pleaded. Your scent was starting to feel suffocating and he just wanted to finish the job and go get some fresh air. “For Jaemin?”

 You sighed. “Then at least let me make you some coffee,” you bargained, standing up anyways and making your way to the little room at the back of the store where you and Jaemin often took breaks and ate. 

 Jeno nodded reluctantly. He was fine with it as long as it kept you occupied for long enough for him to carry the remaining  boxes inside. He took his hoodie off because it was ridiculously hot in there and got the job done as quickly as he could with the way his body was acting up. He felt weak and  warm like he was about to catch the flu, and the strong floral scent, which he now recognised as yours and Jaemin’s signature essence, was making him short circuit. He was this close to sprinting out of the apothecary and escaping when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Without unlocking it he read the messages that kept popping up.

Jaemin: is y/n ok??

Jaemin: sheisn ot replyi

Jaemin: ng

Jaemin: not replying***

Jaemin: did she get hurt??

Jeno unlocked the phone to type that you were just fine when another message came in.

Jaemin: can u send me a pic 

Jaemin: of her?

Jaemin: can’t call bc I’m in class but

Jaemin: I need to see her

Jeno groaned. If there was one word to describe pre-rut Jaemin it was clingy. He typed a short ‘ok’ and followed you into the small resting area where you had just finished preparing two cups of coffee. 

“Hey, Y/N, Jaemin wants me to send him a picture of you to prove you’re safe,” Jeno said, right as you turned around to offer him his coffee.

“Of course he does,” you rolled your eyes playfully. “Go ahead!”

Jeno pointed his phone at you and stared in awe; you looked gorgeous standing in front of him and holding a cup of coffee you had made especially for him, smiling at him, smelling so good for him-

Huh? 

Jeno shook his head for the second time that day. What are you thinking? She’s Jaemin’s. She’s smiling for a picture for Jaemin, not at you!

He snapped a picture of you and quickly sent it to his best friend without even looking at it, and ignoring Jaemin’s complaint about it being too blurry.

“Your coffee-,” you offered but then you paid attention to how much Jeno was sweating. “Oh… hold on, I’ll make it iced!” You said, walking back towards the fridge to get some ice and fixing his drink. “You should have let me help you if they were that heavy!”

“They were not heavy,” Jeno huffed. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t want you to think he was weak. “It’s just hot in here.”

“Hot?!” You repeated incredulously, handing him the cold drink and studying him. The AC was on so there was no reason for his shirt to stick to his body like that. And what a body he had; as good as Jaemin. His face was also pretty; but unlike Jaemin’s soft and beautiful features, Jeno’s strong jawline made him look almost hypermasculine. Not that one was more good looking than the other. Both were just different. And it didn’t matter anyways, because you only had eyes for your mate-

 The sound of Jeno’s teeth pulverizing the ice after he gulped down the drink interrupted your train of thought. You looked Jeno in the eyes and noticed a familiar reddish tone on them.

“Jeno! That’s why you’re feeling so hot!” You exclaimed, placing a hand on his forehead. “Your rut is soon, right?”

“What?” No, it isn’t-“ Jeno started saying, but then his eyes widened in realization and his face became very pale. All the symptoms of pre-rut were there but the idea didn’t even cross his mind because 1. He had had a rut no more than a month ago and 2. There was no stimulus that could have triggered his rut except…

…You. 

You and that damn scent.

“I… I think it’s my rut,yeah,” Jeno said awkwardly. “I should go. I can still make it home before it hits…”

“Wait!” You called after him, going through the shelves until you found a little jar with a sparkling blue potion and offered it to him. “This will calm your pain.”

 Jeno grabbed the jar hesitantly and turned it around to see the price.

“Don’t worry about it,” you hurried to say and started pushing him towards the door. “It’s the least I can do after what you did for me today!”

“Y/n,” Jeno sighed and silently reprimanded himself because of how much he was starting to like the way your name sounded when it came from his lips. “This shit’s expensive.”

“I told you not to worry about it,” You giggled. “Just don’t tell Jaemin,” you added playfully.

 Jeno let out a shaky breath, his eyes were shining bright red and he was fighting his brain from coming up with different scenarios of things he shouldn’t tell Jaemin. 

Before he could stop himself his arms surrounded you and he lifted your body, rubbing his cheek and nose against your collarbone and murmuring weak ‘thank you’s.

 It took you by surprise at first, but you knew wolves were not particularly rational during their cycle and this was probably just him being grateful for the potion. Ignoring the shiver that ran up your spine, you laughed and patted his back in a friendly manner before replying. “No problem! Now go before your actual rut hits.”

Jeno slowly let go of you and gave you a small smile and a polite nod, before rushing out of the apothecary. He was lucky to catch the bus right in time to get home in less than twenty minutes, and even luckier to find the house almost empty, saving him from the awkward questions about his hair sticking to his sweaty forehead and his obvious boner.  As soon as he swallowed some suppressants, he quickly locked himself in his room, and desperately fought the button and zipper of his jeans with his sweaty hands. He sighed in relief once he freed himself from his jeans and boxers and was met with his reddened cock begging for attention. 

‘It’s okay. It’s fine. It must be a mock rut. I’ll just rub one off real quick and it’ll be over,’ he thought, quickly laying in bed and unlocking his phone to find some short porn video on twitter. Instead, the first thing he saw was the picture he took of you, making his cock twitch with interest. 

“No, no, no, fuck-” Jeno quickly circled the base of his cock and squeezed it hard as punishment for the precum that was already leaking. “Don’t you fucking dare,” he warned himself. What was even turning him on about that picture? It was blurry and not aesthetic at all, but it was clear enough to distinguish your features. Your smile was as bright as he remembered it and even though he hadn’t taken a full body picture, he could see you from head to your breasts…and you were wearing a v-neck shirt. Not low enough to be scandalous but if you had bent forward just a little, and considering that Jeno’s height gave  him an even better perspective, he would have been able to see…

 “No-Stop!” he hissed, squeezing harder, genuinely feeling betrayed by his own body. Jaemin was his best friend, and you were Jaemin’s mate. Period. He was not getting off to your picture. He quickly opened twitter and went to his favorite nsfw account, mindlessly scrolling down to find something, anything, that would make him cum fast. He clicked on a video he had seen before; it was a blowjob pov in which a woman would suck on the viewer while he was gaming. One of his to go videos, honestly. So he let go of the death grip he had on his base and started stroking himself slowly, letting out a shaky breath. But the relief didn’t last long; he soon noticed that the woman’s hair was similar to yours in length and color, her eyes looking up to the viewer innocently reminding him of the look you had given him when he had sat you down and asked you to stop moving the boxes yourself. Not that you and the actress had the same face, but for some reason she was reminding him of you…in the worst possible moment.

 “Fuuck!”He pressed his thumb on the tip, trying to stop more precum from coming out, disgusted at himself and deciding to try a different video. 

This time, he tried watching a video of straight up raw fucking on a sofa, the guy on the video going so fast and hard the woman could only scream and beg. That was hot. Jeno could definitely work with this. So he jerked off fast, grunting at the orgasm that was already so close. He imagined he was the dude in the video fucking her so good she was losing her mind.

“O-oh…,” he tilted his head back and the veins on his neck became visible as he sped up the movements of his hand. “Shit, you like that, Y/N?”

 As soon as your name left his mouth he almost came. ‘Jeno, you disgusting piece of shit. Stop it! There are thousands of hot women in the world, pick another one. Literally anyone but her,’ he told himself, focusing back on the video and hyper fixating on the details that made the actress different from you as he once again tried to get off as fast as possible before he even had the chance to think of you. Everything from her hair, to her skin and her voice faking the moans were not like yours at all, but he still found himself imagining you under him on the sofa at the little room in the back of the apothecary, letting him fill you to the brim. 

“No, p-please-” he begged himself at this point. He really didn’t want to do this. He felt sick just thinking about his best friend’s mate in such a way but he just couldn’t stop. “Please, please, I c-can’t-,” he mumbled incoherently but his dick paid him no mind, leaking more at the thought of being inside of you as Jeno fell deeper into temptation. One thing was for sure: this wasn’t a mock rut, but a real one. A disastrous very real rut.

 Without a clue of what you had just triggered, you walked home and took a warm shower after a long day of work. You knew Jaemin would arrive soon, like he often did after class, and maybe stay the night, so you ordered his favorite food (no way you would cook after working all day) and patiently waited for him. 

 The moment he walked through the door, you knew his rut was going to consume him anytime soon. His red eyes were glossy, he was breathing heavily and his warm hands were almost burning your skin as he pulled your body close to his and kissed you fervently.

“Safe,” he mumbled between kisses. “You’re safe.”

 You knew how protective Jaemin was, but during his rut it was a whole new level.

“Of course I’m safe,” you giggled, pressing your forehead against his. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Boxes are too heavy for a pregnant woman,” he replied as if it was obvious.

“I’m not pregnant, Jaemin,” you deadpanned.

“Shh… I’m manifesting,” he whined, his eyes closed as if he was praying to the Moon.

“Jaemin,” you sighed. You had had the baby talk before and you had finally convinced him you both didn’t have the means to provide for another human being.

“I know,” he said, opening his eyes to look at you pleadingly. “But I start my internship next week and with my curriculum I’ll get a good job in no time after graduating. I’m just saying that if we made a baby right about now,” he trailed off and his eyes landed on your stomach, biting his lip. “I would be able to provide for both of you by the time they are born.”

“What about healthcare while I’m pregnant?” You questioned. “Honestly, Jaemin, let’s just wait until you graduate and then we can have this conversation again.”

 Jaemin didn’t reply, he gently caressed your stomach and let out a soft moan instead.

“Jaemin!”

“Sorry,” he said, slightly dragging his words like he was drunk. “Logically speaking I know you’re right, but…”

 You knew. Jaemin’s baby fever was ridiculous whenever he was in rut. Denying him right now was pointless and straight up painful for him, so you could just let him live his little fantasy since you had started taking birth control once you both got together anyways.

“You should eat something before you can’t think straight anymore,” you suggested, trying to guide him to the kitchen.

“Too late,” he said, pulling you in the opposite direction, towards your bedroom. He pushed you on the bed and climbed on top of you. “Need you,” he whispered before he connected your lips again, this time more desperately than before.

 You kissed him back and let him rut his hips against yours, his half hard cock already twitching in his pants. Tentatively, you lifted your pelvis and pressed it against his, eliciting a groan out of him.

“Y/N,” he moaned against your lips, then kissed your jaw. “Y/N, my baby, my-,” when his lips reached your chest his body suddenly tensed. He then pulled away and stared at you intently. “…Jeno?” He whispered to no one in particular, sounding confused.

“What?” You asked back, noticing the way the mood changed. “What’s wrong?”

Thankfully, Jaemin had some self control left and managed to pull a diplomatic smile. “You met Jeno today. How was it?”

 His tone was calm enough, but you could tell something was bothering him.

“It was fine!” You quickly assured him, remembering how hesitant he was about you meeting his pack, wanting you to feel comfortable and safe. “He helped me a lot. He’s very nice.”

“He’s very nice,” Jaemin repeated automatically, nodding slowly. “Did he…” he gulped, not quite sure of how to ask and maybe not wanting to ask at all. “Did he t-touch you?”

 You frowned and tilted your head. That was an odd question. But then it clicked that you probably smelled like Jeno, and Jaemin’s nose was very sensitive during his rut.

“Well, he took the boxes from me so yeah, a little,” you replied honestly. “And then he gave me a goodbye hug before he left. That 's all.”

“A goodbye hug?” Jaemin asked skeptically. “He’s not a hugger…”

“It’s probably just his cycle,” you assured him, trying to ease whatever worry he had. “You also get more clingy when it happens.”

“His cycle?”

You nodded. “His rut also started today. You told me you two were close, but I didn’t know even your cycles were synced!”

Jaemin remained silent for a few seconds. His cycle and Jeno’s  were synced in the past. Then Jaemin met you, which triggered an unscheduled rut and they were not in sync anymore. Jeno’s rut was not due today, he was sure of that. But then, like you said, maybe they just synced again because of how close they were. Maybe hugging you was just a friendly gesture. Maybe scenting you was accidental. He had always trusted Jeno and he wanted to continue trusting him.

 However, he couldn’t stop his possessive side from diving back into your neck and scenting you, trying to cover up Jeno’s scent. 

“Jae- Jaemin,” you breathed out while he bit and sucked on your neck. “Is everything-…Are-ah!… are you o-kay?”

“Mmhm,” he simply replied, too focused on his task of getting you both undressed as quickly as possible.

“You sure?” You asked, shivering at the contrast of  the cold air caressing your naked body and his hot skin against yours. “Y-you don’t wanna talk about it…?”

“Not right now,” he said shortly, pressing his member against your pussy lips and moving back and forward to create pleasurable friction for both of you. “Mmh… Oh!”

 “Fuck, Jaemin,” you breathed out when the head of his cock rubbed your clit. “More, baby- ah!”

“Mmyeah?” He panted, rutting against you hard and making you sink deeper into the mattress. “My baby loves it right here?” 

“Fucking love it- Aaah! Jaem- oh!” you moaned when he rotated his hips, and one of his hands pinched your nipple playfully. “Fucking love you.”

 Jaemin hissed and decided he couldn’t wait any longer. Lining up against your entrance and sliding in as slowly as he could in his frenzied state of mind (which was not slow at all). After months of being mates to Jaemin, you had learned to take his size, but the stretch was always a bit uncomfortable if he didn’t open you up first. Thankfully you thought ahead, and knowing his rut was coming, you had prepared yourself in the shower before he got home.

“Y/N,” Jaemin called for you when his cock was completely engulfed by you. “Say it again , baby.”

“I love you,” you said firmly although you could barely think with the way the head of his cock was kissing the right spot before he even started moving.

“How much do you love me?” He asked darkly, staring into your eyes and sliding in and out of you slowly.

“S-so much,” you babbled , somehow not breaking eye contact. “I love y-you so much…Ngh!”

“Enough to let me give you a baby?” He asked, thrusting into you hard and pulling your hips against his. “Mmh?”

 You knew the rut was feeding Jaemin’s baby fantasy and that he would actually wait until you were ready. But right now? You felt like you would give him anything.

“F-uh… fuck yeah, give it to m-me,” you hissed, still maintaining eye contact with your mate, whose jaw went slack and let out the loudest moan yet.

 He started fucking you faster fighting his eyes from rolling back in favor of the intimacy of looking into your eyes as you fell apart for him. “Gonna make you the p-prettiest mommy,” he promised and his hands looked for yours to intertwine your fingers and pin you against the mattress. “Fuck! Knock you up for g-good n’ take care of you f-ooh… forever.”

Leave it to Jaemin to be romantic and domestic while dirty talking.

“Oh my g-god,” you whined, feeling your eyes roll back. “Jaem—Aah… Hah, oh!”

“Look at me,” Jaemin demanded, but made it very hard on you by snapping his hips harder and faster than before. “Don’t you d-dare look away from me,” he warned, resting his forehead against yours.

 Somehow you forced yourself to look back into his eyes, although yours were full of tears of pleasure now. 

“Love it when y-you … Hah ah, mmm- love it when my cock m-akes you cry, baby,” he admitted, panting against your open mouth. “Fucking love it w-when you feel s- suh… so good all you c-an do is cry and cum over, and over,” he groaned, stressing his words with sharp thrusts. “I fucking love you, Y/N.”

“J-jaemin,” you moaned, wrapping your legs around his waist. “L-love you s-so muh uh! Oooh, fuck! Fuck, Jaemin, baby-,” your eyes finally rolled back and you came with a silent scream. Jaemin didn’t seem to mind that you broke eye contact. He still got to relish on the way your face twisted in pleasure and your walls contracted around him.

“That’s it, baby,” he licked his lips and continued to look at your post orgasmic face. Nothing could get him off faster. “Gonna cum, fuck, gonn-aaah! Fuck, Y/N!” He panted like a dog in heat while his knot expanded enough to confine his cock inside of you, the bulbous head kissing your cervix and prolonging your pleasure. Jaemin had lost all capacity to think. “Baby, gonna cum, I’m g-…aaah shit, Y/N I’m gonna- ooh, baby, fuck yeah! Make me a daddy, baby, c’mon, be a g-good girl and- Ah! Ooh, hah… ah, fuuuuck t-take it baby, take it all- Oooohhh…” 

Jaemin’s body trembled on top of yours, and his brows furrowed in pleasure as he emptied himself inside of you, his red eyes eating up the way your eyes unfocused as more tears fell down your cheeks.

Once you both came down from your highs, Jaemin kissed you sweetly and caressed your face as you enjoyed the warmth of your bodies against each other.

“…That’s the fastest you’ve popped a knot,” you commented, making Jaemin laugh breathlessly. “Was it because I told you to give me a baby?” 

 Jaemin’s dick jerked excitedly inside of you and he let out a pleased hum, letting one of his hands travel down to your belly with gentle touches. He seemed very pleased with the idea.

“What is it about pregnancy that gets you like this?” You genuinely asked. Not that you were complaining. It was hot, but you had never been with a guy who was so excited about it before.

“Mmh… many things,” Jaemin shrugged,kissing your cheek as his fingers drew patterns on your stomach. “I want to be a dad, and I think you would be the most beautiful mom. I also like the idea of others knowing I did that to you?I know this is very primal, but I want people to know I fucked you so full you are carrying my baby. Other guys would know you’re taken and wouldn’t dare make a move.”

 You snorted. Normally Jaemin wouldn’t say things like that, because he wanted to respect your autonomy. Boyfriend Jaemin knew he didn’t own you, but wolf Jaemin hadn’t yet agreed to that.

“Don’t worry, Jaemin. No one even looks at me,” you assured him and yawned, ready to sleep for a bit before the next round.

“No other guy should hug you either,” he said under his breath, barely perceptible.

“That was just Jeno,” you mumbled, slowly losing consciousness. 

“Yeah,” Jaemin said, tightening his arms around you. “Just Jeno…”

 Somewhere else, at the very same time, Jeno had come all over his phone, white drops of cum tainting your picture zoomed in on the screen. Jeno  was panting heavily, with his hand still holding his hard cock and his eyes were full of tears of guilt and regret. He looked out the window to see a full moon shining brightly, like it was mocking him. Because this had to be a sick joke. There was no way he had imprinted on his best friend’s mate.

The words you had casually said to him when giving him a painkiller potion echoed in his head with a totally different meaning now.

‘Don’t tell Jaemin.’

 He wouldn’t. He could never tell him.

 Once his rut was over he deleted your picture and swore he wouldn’t see you ever again, because Jeno was no homewrecker and he was a loyal friend. He couldn’t help thinking about you, but he would be damned if he did something about it. One of the biggest obstacles was the guilt he felt whenever Jaemin was around, but he tried his best to act normal. 

 Jeno was sure if he just ignored his feelings for you, the problem would go away.Plus, he had heard of wolves surviving without mating the person they had imprinted on. Sure, they lived a miserable life, incapable of loving and slowly isolating from everybody else, but they didn’t die.

 Jeno’s plan went great for a couple of weeks. All he had to do was take a cold shower whenever he thought of you, not go anywhere near the apothecary and not reply to the message Jaemin had just sent- oh god…

Jaemin: Jeno

Jaemin: I need a flavor

Jaemin: favor**

Jaemin: Can you please drop by the apothecary?

Nope. No way. If he just pretended he didn’t see the message then maybe Jaemin would ask somebody else.

Jaemin: Someone broke into the store 

What?!

Jeno: wtf? 

Jaemin: it happened during the night 

Jaemin: when she got there everything was a mess and there was a dude sleeping on the floor

Jeno: fuck is she alone?

Jaemin:  yeah I can’t leave until my shift is over

Jaemin: if I go I’ll fail this stupid interview

Jaemin: internship*

Classic Jaemin. He tended to make typos when he was nervous. But now Jeno was nervous too. Someone broke in? And you had to face it alone? No, it didn’t matter, it wasn’t Jeno’s problem because he had nothing to do with you.

…But it was Jaemin’s problem. And Jaemin’s problems were Jeno’s too. He was going but only as a favor for Jaemin, and not because he was dying to see you.

Jeno: Omw

Jaemin: Thanksgiving 

Jaemin: Thanks** stupid autocorrect

Jeno didn’t see the last message because he was sprinting to the bus stop. He got on the bus and sat down, his leg bouncing anxiously all the way until the closest stop to the apothecary, where Jeno got off and ran for a couple of blocks until he reached his destination and pushed the door open.  There you were, casually cleaning the store like nothing had happened.

“Oh, Jeno! Hi!” you smiled at him. “Jaemin called you, didn’t he? I’m sorry he made you come all the way here.”

“He didn’t make me do anything,” Jeno assured you, walking in and inspecting the place. Besides being a little messy, there wasn’t much damage. You also seemed to be fine. Almost too calm to be normal. “...Are you okay?”

You nodded and laughed. “I’m good. It was just surprising.”

“What happened exactly?”

“A guy broke in last night and thought this would be a good place to sleep. He didn’t even steal anything? I mean, he did open a couple of potions and drank a bit of each, but that’s about it. I think he was high on mushrooms or something,” you laughed but your laugh grew quiet when you saw Jeno scowling at you. “Anyways, he woke up when I arrived and he looked like he had no idea where he was. He just stood up and left.”

“Did you call the police?”

“Yeah, they left a while ago. I’m sure it wasn’t half as bad as whatever Jaemin told you.”

“It’s not— Ugh, Y/N, what if that man had done something to you?”

You stopped to think about it for a second and then went back to organizing the shelves. “But he didn’t.”

“But what if?” Jeno insisted. “You know this isn’t the safest neighborhood, right?”

“Well, what was I supposed to do then? Not coming to work? How was I gonna know there was a dude spending the night here?”

Jeno bit his lip. You had a point. It wasn’t your fault, and you hadn’t done anything unreasonable. You came to work, saw a stranger inside and called the police. But he was so angry at the possibility of you being in danger, even if it was no one's fault, that he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he finally asked.

“...Mmh, not really,” you again gave him that killer smile. The smile he hadn’t stopped thinking about for a second in the last few weeks. The smile he had popped a knot to. “I’m sure you have stuff to do, so you can go. Thanks for checking on the store!”

Jeno grimaced. He wasn’t checking on the store. He didn’t give a fuck about the store. He was checking on you. “I don’t have anything else to do. I’ll stay until Jaemin finishes his shift.”

“You don’t have to-”

“Did you eat anything?” Jeno asked abruptly. 

“Uh…,” you trailed off when your stomach growled. “I was about to make coffee.”

Jeno scoffed. “No, not that. I mean actually eating. I saw a bakery down the street. I’ll be right back!” and Jeno was gone before you could complain, coming back a few minutes later with a paper bag.

“I don’t know what you like, so I bought…everything,” he said, walking towards the kitchenette and placing the bag on the table. You quickly hung a sign to indicate that the store was closed and followed him. You were planning on closing the store early today after what happened, and Jaemin was about to pick you up after his shift anyways. You could use a little break and eat something before heading home.

“Thank you! Anything would have been fine, honestly,” you giggled, looking at the wide variety of bread and pastries Jeno had bought. “I’ll make some coffee then, okay?”

“You know,” Jeno said as he looked for some plates to put the food on. “Too much coffee is not good for you. Jaemin’s a bad influence for you,” he half-joked. 

“You’d be surprised. Actually, Jaemin doesn’t want me drinking much coffee,” you hummed, boiling the water. “I used to drink way more, but he’s made me cut it down to one cup a day.”

Jeno was indeed surprised. That didn’t sound like Jaemin at all. “Why?”

You shrug as you finish preparing the coffee and pour it in the mugs. “Something about too much caffeine being bad for pregnancy.”

Jeno choked on his saliva, staring at your tummy with wide eyes. “Preg–...a-re, are you…?”

“No!” you replied and you couldn’t help but laugh at his comical reaction, taking the mugs and walking towards the table where the food was waiting.  “He just thinks it’s better to cut caffeine down in advance, just in case.”

“O-oh,” Jeno replied dumbly, following you and sitting down in front of you to eat together. “Are you two t-trying to…?” he asked awkwardly. He didn’t mean to intrude, but he was dying to know.

“Mmh…Jaem really wants to, but we’re not ready,” you said, using your fork to stab a piece of strawberry cake. “He needs to graduate first and then we can plan it properly.”

Jeno nodded absentmindedly. He knew Jaemin wanted to be a dad, and now that he was mated it was only natural for his wolf to want to start a family as soon as possible. After all, a wolf’s animal side was driven by their purest desires. “Jaemin will be a great dad. And an even better mate. He’ll take care of you.”

“What if he falls out of love when he sees me gaining weight during pregnancy?” you joked. “I’ll probably look like a mess.”

“You’ll look good,” Jeno whispered, his eyes glued to your body like he was in a haze. “Very good,” he added.

You blushed. The room suddenly was feeling very hot. If you didn’t know better, you would think Jeno was checking you, his best friend’s mate, out. You let out a  nervous chuckle. “I don’t know about that, but we’ll see when the time comes.”

 The awkward conversation was interrupted by the door bursting open and showing a panting, sweaty Jaemin, still wearing the hospital lab coat. His terrified eyes landed on you and he ran towards you, lifting you from the chair and hugging you tight.

“J-jaemin! Calm down, I’m fine, I promise! I’m okay!” you stuttered, as he inhaled your scent and pulled you impossibly closer. 

“I can’t do this Y/N,” Jaemin’s voice cracked as he tried not to cry. “I can’t do the internship when you’re in danger.”

“I am not in danger!” you argued, putting some distance between you.

“I’m not too sure about that. I know you hide stuff from me because you don’t want me to worry. You told me about today’s incident hours after you called the police, and only because I called you.”

Jeno, who had been trying to make himself small on his chair, feeling like an intruder in this conversation, gasped and glared at you. Now he too was annoyed at you, because if you had told Jaemin sooner, then Jaemin would have contacted Jeno sooner, and he would have come to make sure you were safe sooner. “Hours?! You should have told him immediately!”

Jaemin, who had completely forgotten about Jeno, turned around in surprise but quickly recovered to team up with him. “Right?! How can I do the internship if I know she won't tell me immediately when something bad happens?”

“I would be freaking out if my mate did that, the fuck?!” Jeno agreed.

“I just can’t trust her to be alone at night when closing the store.”

“Absolutely not.”

You looked at the two men incredulously. “I’m not a child. I can take care of myself.”

“I’m not calling you a child, Y/N. I just want you to stop trying to solve everything by yourself. This is not the first time. Why won’t you just…ask me for help?” Jaemin’s broken voice asked, holding one of your hands between his.

“You’re busy,Jaem. And you’re already stressed.”

“I can handle it,” he quickly assured you.

“But I don’t want you to. I don’t want you to deal with stuff that I can fix myself. I don’t want anyone to have to deal with my problems. Everyone is already busy enough.”

“I’m not,” Jeno suddenly said, catching everyone’s attention. You tilted your head in confusion, but Jaemin’s eyes bore into Jeno’s as if he was reading his mind, with a glint of hope in them. “I graduated last semester and I’m taking a break before applying for a job. I’m not busy at all,” Jeno repeated, his voice getting quieter as if he regretted what he was saying half way through the sentence. He knew he was definitely crossing the line with what he was offering, but the indirect suggestion escaped his mouth before he could stop himself. 

“Jeno…,” Jaemin called his name softly and raised his eyebrows in a silent question. 

Jeno sighed and nodded before looking away. Jaemin nodded too, as you gave them both a confused look.

 “What’s going on?” you finally asked.

 Jaemin slowly teared his eyes away from Jeno and gave you a gentle smile. He seemed incredibly relieved compared to when he entered the room. “I’ll tell you after Jeno and I talk for a bit. But first let’s get you home; you had a long day,” he said, kissing your forehead and looking for your coat.

 You let Jaemin help you put your coat on, as Jeno packed the remaining pieces of cake for you to take home. After closing the store, both walked you home. Jaemin held your hand as he told you all about his internship and how he was surrounded by idiots, but at least he had good chances of getting a good job later on. Jeno walked a few steps behind you, in complete silence.

“You’re not staying the night?” you asked when you reached your apartment and Jaemin kissed you goodbye.

Jaemin shook his head. “Not tonight, baby. I’m going home with Jeno.”

“Okay,” you said, giving him another kiss and then looking at Jeno, who was staring at his own feet awkwardly. “Bye, Jeno!”

 Jeno gave you a smile and waved his hand and you walked into your place, leaving the two men outside. They started walking by the seaside,  towards their house in silence until Jaemin spoke up.

“Jeno,” he said and stopped walking.

Jeno stopped walking too and looked at Jaemin. Jaemin’s voice was stern, and for a moment he feared he knew something. “Yeah?”

“What you said earlier… Does it mean what I think it means?”

Jeno’s attention was on a little pebble on the floor, which he kicked weakly just to keep himself occupied. He nodded.

“So you are offering to take care of my mate when I can’t be around,” Jaemin stated. It wasn’t a question. 

 Again, Jeno nodded.

Jaemin didn’t say anything for a few seconds. They could only hear the sound of the ocean waves, the street empty of cars and people due to the late hour. And then Jeno heard Jaemin sob. 

 Jeno quickly looked up and saw his best friend desperately wiping away his tears with the lab coat sleeves. 

“Why– what’s wrong?!” Jeno asked, alarmed.

“I’m not a good mate,” Jaemin sobbed louder.

“W-what?! What are you talking about?!”

“I can’t take c-care of her and I ended up dragging you into this and I–...” Jaemin cried and it broke Jeno’s heart. “I need to g-graduate so I can offer her a b-better future but I worry something will happen t-to her while I’m away and–”

Jeno pulled Jaemin into a firm hug and patted his back in a comforting manner. “You’re a good mate, Jaemin,” he said.

Jaemin scoffed and cried on Jeno’s shoulder.

“I mean it. You’re good to Y/N. You’ll take good care of her and your family,” Jeno said, trying not to show the sadness in his voice. He always knew one day he and Jaemin would imprint on someone and go separate ways. What he was not expecting was that both would imprint on the same woman and that Jaemin would be the one to have her. The reality was that his best friend was going to start a family with the woman of Jeno’s dreams. And Jeno was not in the picture.

“...Really?” Jaemin asked in a tiny voice, sniffling. 

“Really,” Jeno assured him. “You’re just stressed. But I’ll help you, okay? I’ll keep an eye on her until your internship is over if that makes you feel more at ease.”

Jaemin nodded, still hiding his face on Jeno’s shoulder and they both stayed in silence once again. 

“Jeno…,” Jaemin whispered when he calmed down. “You’re scenting me again.”

Jeno tensed, but didn’t move. He knew if Jaemin was uncomfortable he would have pushed him away already.

“You’ve been doing it a lot whenever I’m stressed or tired,” Jaemin continued. His tone wasn’t accusatory. “Thank you, it does help. You’re a good friend.”

Jeno gulped. He certainly didn’t feel like a good friend with the thoughts he had of you. “It’s nothing,” he said softly. “Now let’s go home.”

 You woke up to a call from Jaemin reminding you of how much he loved you, thanking you for supporting him in his career and letting you know that Jeno would be working at the apothecary with you for a few months. You tried to argue that he didn’t need to bother Jeno, but he had to hang up because his shift was starting, so you had no choice but to accept that you had a new coworker.

 Or maybe you could reason with Jeno.

“Nope,” he would simply reply whenever you tried to convince him to go home. “I’m staying right here. I’ll be around whenever Jaemin can’t.”

You groaned when he snatched yet another box from your hands and carried it inside himself. “I don’t remember mating both of you,” you mumbled, and then bumped into his back when he abruptly stopped walking. “What?”

Jeno sighed and pushed the thought away. “Don’t say stuff like that,” he said, putting the box down and opening it to take the products out. “It’s…weird.”

“And you being my babysitter isn’t?” you argued.

“That’s not what this is.”

“You’re right. Your best friend simply asked you to hang out with his girlfriend when he’s busy. Not weird at all.”

“Listen,” Jeno groaned, finally turning around to look at you. “When a wolf has mated, they need to spend more time with their partner to feel at ease. Jaemin can’t do that now because he’s trying to graduate to take better care of you in the future. The stress of studying and knowing his mate is on her own and possibly in danger is killing him. I’ve never seen him this distressed before,” he confessed, his tone going soft. “He will feel better if he knows someone he trusts is with you. Can you just do this for him?”

You bit your lip. It was a bit suffocating to have someone watching over you all the time. But if it was just for a few months, you could compromise. For Jaemin. 

“Fine, but you let me carry boxes too.”

“No.”

So Jeno and you spend most days together at the apothecary, working, eating and talking. At first he tried to keep the conversation minimum, wanting to control his growing feelings for you, but the way you talked and smiled to him had him falling harder than he would ever want to admit, and he naturally started speaking more, laughing at your jokes and listening to you go on and on about some cringe show you were obsessed with. Sometimes his eyes would linger on your body for a bit too long, and sometimes you would catch him staring. And he knew you knew he was staring, but both of you would pretend it never happened. It was like a silent agreement between you. 

Jeno was crazy about you, as any imprinted wolf would be, but he already considered himself lucky enough by spending this much time with you so he would never act on his feelings. 

You, on the other hand, thought staring was just a thing that men did, and that it didn’t mean that he was attracted to you, but simply that he was a man. You felt safe with him, not only because Jaemin trusted him, but also because there was something about him. You couldn’t quite tell if it was a wolf thing (although you never felt that way with your ex), but whenever Jeno was around, you would feel at ease, just like when Jaemin first hugged you months ago.

 In Jeno’s opinion, you felt too comfortable around him;  and that’s how one afternoon he found you napping on the sofa, unguarded, in such a position that your skirt had rolled up and was barely covering your ass. Part of Jeno was glad you felt safe with him, but the other part kind of wished you were more aware of the fact that he was still a man. A man who was very attracted to you and could now see your panties as you stirred in your sleep. A man with needs, who quickly locked himself in the restroom and tried to solve his problem before you woke up.

 When you opened your eyes, you noticed that it was getting dark already. It was probably time to close the store and you felt bad that Jeno had done most of the work and let you sleep. You went towards the front desk and saw that he indeed had finished everything and closed, but his coat and backpack were still there, so he hadn’t left. You walked through the shelves, looking for him to thank him when you heard a muffled sound coming from the restroom. 

The sounds grew louder as you got closer and you could distinguish what sounded like Jeno’s voice groaning. But before you could call his name you heard him speak.

“Oh god, o-oh fuck,” he cried, sounding pained like he was trying his best to be quiet and failing miresably. “J-just like that, yeeess.”

Oh

Oh, he was doing that…

Feeling your face get really hot, you decided to leave and give him some privacy, but then he called your name.

“Y/N,” he whispered and you took a deep breath in, ready to tell him you didn't mean to listen. “Ah…Mmh, Y/N… such pretty legs…”

You opened your mouth in shock. What?

“Y-yeah…pretty legs, pretty smile uuh- fuuuck,” he hissed, panting faster and mumbling nonsense. “Bet you have a p-pretty pussy too, yeah?”

‘Oh, my god,’ you thought, getting a little wet at such dirty words coming from him. 

“Oooh wanna– oh, fuck wanna taste you,” he whimpered, sounding desperate and close to his climax. “S-shit Y/N...should’ve… should’ve buried my face between y-your legs right there, fuck– Aah! Y/N,Y/N!”

You couldn’t take it anymore. You walked away quickly and grabbed your stuff, almost running to your apartment and taking a cold shower as soon as you got in because you would not allow yourself to get horny because of Jeno, even if he had shamelessly touched himself thinking of you (unless he knew another Y/N). You tried to find a logical explanation to what had just happened, but there was none. 

 Your boyfriend’s best friend moaned your name while touching his cock. He said you were pretty. He said he wanted to taste you.

You weren’t blind, you had seen the way he looked at you when he thought you weren’t paying attention, but you didn’t think much of it because you knew how loyal he was to Jaemin. 

 You were loyal to Jaemin too. You were madly in love with him. No matter how hot (again, you weren’t blind) Jeno was, or how warm your chest felt with each of his sweet gestures, Jaemin was the only one for you. 

So when Jeno texted you asking you where you had gone, you tried to keep your cool. You told him you thought he had already gone home so you left too.

Jeno: Why would I go home??

Jeno: You know I always walk you to yours first if Jaemin isn’t done with his stuff

There he went again, reminding you of how both he and Jaemin basically took turns to be with you. No wonder Jeno had mixed things up if he had to spend so much time with you. He was just confused. Yeah, that must be it.

Y/N: Sorry, I didn’t think of that

Jeno: Just don’t do it again

Y/N: Ok

And with that, you went to bed, deciding to pretend today never happened. 

“You’re acting a bit…weird lately,” Jeno said one day.

“Weird how?” you asked monotonously, pretending to be too busy checking the tags on a random product. 

 Instead of answering, Jeno stood right behind you and reached for a product on the top shelf, making you jump and move away faster than he could blink. “This. This is literally what I’m talking about. Why are you so nervous?”

“I’m not!” you defended yourself and walked towards another shelf, standing on your toes to reach for a specific jar with dried herbs.

“Let me help you,” Jeno offered, trying to do it for you, but once again you scurried away, this time so fast and clumsy that you lost your balance, accidentally pulling Jeno to the floor with you. You landed on your back, and Jeno on top of you, caging you with his arms on each side of your head to avoid crushing you with his body. “See? You’re being jumpy and weird! Why?!” Jeno scolded you.

You let out a shaky breath. Jeno looked so big and intimidating and the position you were in was dangerous. “I…I’m not–”

“You are!” He groaned. “There’s no need to be so tense. It’s just me!”

“Exactly,” you mumbled to yourself, trying to move from the awkward position you both were in.

“What was that?” Jeno asked.

“Nothing.”

“No, Y/N. You said ‘exactly’. What does that mean?” he insisted, not letting you go.

You sighed. “Jeno, let’s just forget about it, okay?”

“About what? Seriously, what even is your problem? You’ve been distant ever since…,” Jeno trailed off, suddenly remembering the last time you had been your normal self around him had been right before he got a boner because of you flashing him in your sleep. “Y/N, when you went home without me on Tuesday,” he gulped and spoke nervously. “Why did you really leave?”

“I told you. I thought you had left already,” you lied.

“Lies. You saw, didn’t you?”

You tried to avoid making eye contact. “I didn’t see a-anything.”

“Did you hear, then?”

When you took a little too long to reply, he knew he was screwed. You knew his secret. ”You did. Fuck. Listen,” he sighed, pushing himself a bit further away from you. “You were not supposed to hear that. I thought you were sleeping.”

“Yeah, obviously,” you spit. “Look, I know it was just a moment of weakness. Boys will be boys, right?”

Jeno glared at you. He wished it had been a moment of weakness instead of the months of unreciprocated devotion. “Right,” he grumbled.

That’s where the conversation should have ended. You didn’t need to dig deeper. But you did. “I get it. It’s just because you see me often. Otherwise any other woman would do.”

Jeno’s jaw tensed and he clenched his fist next to your head. He knew the best option was to agree with you and let you believe whatever you wanted. But it made his blood boil that you thought you were just like any woman for him. Hold it, Jeno. Don’t say it-

“That’s not true,” he said through gritted teeth, ignoring the voice of reason yelling at him to stop speaking. “I couldn’t control myself because it was you.”

You forced yourself to laugh. “What, you got a crush on me or something?”

“I imprinted on you,” Jeno growled. 

You weren’t laughing anymore. Your boyfriend’s best friend was hovering over you, while you were still lying down on the floor, and he had just confessed to the worst possible crime.

“That’s not funny,” you hissed.

“Damn right it isn’t. It sucks,” he said seriously. “I imprinted on my best friend’s girlfriend. I think about you day and night, and I can’t do shit about it, even when we spend almost everyday together. So yeah, it isn’t funny. It fucking hurts.”

You breathed shakily and squirmed under Jeno’s intense gaze, which was turning red. “J-jeno, you’re just confused-”

“I wish I was,” Jeno scoffed. “I’ve been sensitive to Jaemin’s scent ever since he mated you, you triggered my rut when we met, I can only cum when I think of you and it kills me to know I’m not the one mated to you, but what’s even worse is that by feeling like this I’m betraying my pack brother.”

“Jeno I…,” you gulped. “I don’t know what to say…”

“Don’t you feel anything for me at all?”

“I’m in love with Jaemin.”

“That’s not what I asked,” he said, looking at your eyes pleadingly. “Do you not feel the pull?”

 You’d be lying if you said you didn’t. There had always been a weird feeling of comfort whenever Jeno was with you. You found yourself missing him when you didn’t see him and you couldn’t deny a small part of you was attracted to him. But all those sensations were often overpowered by your love for Jaemin. 

“It doesn’t compare to what I feel with Jaemin,” you said honestly.

“Ah, but there is something then,” Jeno confirmed his suspicions, licking his lips. He knew if a wolf had really imprinted on someone, that person would feel desire for them too. It was never completely one sided. Of course what you felt for Jaemin was stronger because you were mated to him, but it didn’t mean that you were indifferent to Jeno.

“Nothing worth thinking about,” you said proudly. “Now get off, and let’s never talk about this again,” you said, trying to push him away but he didn’t budge. 

How Jeno had managed to control himself around you all this time was a mystery. But he was reaching his limit, and having you in such a compromising position was making him lose his mind.

“Since the cat’s out of the bag anyways,” Jeno murmured, leaning closer to your face. “I want to test something.”

 Afraid of how close he was to your lips, you turned your head to the side, but Jeno aimed for your neck instead, gently rubbing his lips against it until you got goosebumps. 

“J-jeno what are y-you…”

“You really don’t feel anything?” he asked hopefully, placing a single chaste kiss where Jaemin’s mark was.

“N-nothing.”

“Then why are you shaking?” Jeno asked innocently, tracing your neck with his tongue, now too lost in his fantasy to control his instinct. “Why can I smell your arousal?”

Embarrassed, you tried to close your thighs but one of Jeno’s knees was between them, so you ended up accidentally brushing against it and gasping. “Jeno...”

Yes, Jeno wanted you to say his name just like that. But louder.

“You’re so pretty, Y/N,” Jeno said, pressing his knee harder against your center. “I could bite you right now and overwrite this mark,” he panted against your neck, bearing his teeth and growling. “You’d be mine–”

“No!” you yelled, pulling at his hair. “JAEMIN!”

Like you had said the magic words to break a spell, Jeno pulled away from you abruptly, his eyes shining a golden hue now and his face pale. Now he had done it, he had been this close to claiming somebody else’s mate and losing his best friend forever. Fuck what the fuck is wrong with you.

You crawled away from him and both of you stared at each other. 

“Fuck… I’m sorry,” Jeno said, visibly shaking. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me…”

“...When’s your rut?” you asked nervously.

Jeno swallowed, trying to do the math in his head. “ Uh, by the end of next week…probably…” he whispered.

You nodded. Just in time for the end of Jaemin’s internship AND his own rut too. “That must be why you’re behaving like this,” you tried to reason, still in denial. “I think you’ve helped me enough. I’ll work on my own next week, okay?” you said standing up.

Jeno knew you weren’t telling him that for him to rest. You were trying to push him away. “No,” he said quickly. “Jaemin said to take care of you,” he reasoned.

“It’s just one more week. I will be fine.”

“Exactly, just one more week!” Jeno tried to bargain, quite desperately if he was being honest. He hadn’t noticed how fast time had gone by and he wasn’t ready to stop seeing you just yet. “One week and I’ll be out of your life. But just for one more week, let me–...”

You didn’t answer. One more week with him, would mean you would be together right before his rut started. Judging by what had just happened, he probably wouldn’t be able to control himself. You were not too sure if you would stop him a second time either. “I wanna go home,” you simply said.

“I’ll walk with you,” Jeno said.

“No,” you quickly replied. “I want to be alone.”

Jeno let out a small whimper, but he nodded, knowing he had fucked up badly and you needed space. “I’ll close the store.”

“Thanks,” you said, grabbing your bag and walking through the door, sparing Jeno one last glance. “Goodbye,Jeno.”

The way you said it made Jeno anxious. He knew it meant he wouldn’t see you again and he felt a sharp pain in his chest that had him bending over as he saw you leave. All those testimonies from wolves who survived without mating their real love must have been lying. He felt like he could die right now. He needed you.

You also felt heartbroken when you left teary-eyed Jeno in the apothecary alone, but you wouldn’t risk your relationship with Jaemin. You walked home fast, wiping your tears away. 

Why were you even crying? 

When you opened your apartment’s door you were greeted with a smiling Jaemin, wearing an apron.

“Surprise!” he exclaimed. “I finished a little earlier today and I thought I should make dinner for my beautiful, hard-working… were you crying?”

You shook your head quickly. “Well, a little,” you admitted when he furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief. “I missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Jaemin cooed, kissing your forehead. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy. But after next week I’m all yours, baby.”

You nodded and let him guide you to the table, where he had prepared a warm meal for the both of you, with a bottle of wine and some candles. Since tomorrow was Sunday, none of you had to worry about work or studying, so you had plenty of time to catch up. You talked about silly little things, and he smiled brightly when you complimented his cooking skills. Then he asked you how you felt about meeting the rest of the pack after he graduated, to which you gladly agreed, and it led to Jaemin telling you funny stories about his life as a wolf with the rest of them. Most of his stories were about Jeno.

“How did you meet Jeno?” you asked, when you both were cuddling on the sofa as he played with your hair.

“Mmh…we were the only wolf pups in the village where we grew up. They were not too accepting of… our type in that place, so we often were bullied by other kids…and adults,” he huffed. “We were each other’s only friend for a while and we decided to move to a bigger city for high school and look for more wolves together.That’s when we met Taeyong and Doyoung hyung.”

“...You’ve been together for a while, then,” you murmured.

“We’ve always been there for each other,” Jaemin confirmed. “He’s an amazing friend. Even now he’s helping me so much.”

“Y-yeah, about that,” you mumbled, sitting up straight and pulling away from his grasp. “I think he’s done enough already, so I told him not to come to the apothecary next week.”

“Oh… Yeah, he has been working really hard but,” he scratched the back of his head in deep thought. “Why not let him stay until I finish my internship by the end of next week?”

“No!” you quickly yelled, making Jaemin give you a surprised look. “I mean, it’s only a few days. I’ll be fine on my o-own, just… just tell him to stay home.”

Jaemin stared at you gravely. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“I’m n-not lying.”

“I didn’t say you’re lying. But you’re not telling me all the truth;” Jaemin said, turning his body in your direction to sit face to face with you. “What’s going on?”

You bit your lip and tried to stop the tears from escaping your eyes. “I think it’s better to keep some distance from Jeno…”

“Why?” your boyfriend asked, confused but slowly growing more anxious.

“It c-could be that– maybe he’s confused…”

“Confused about what?”

You looked at Jaemin and then at your lap, wondering if it was really worth saying. You didn’t want to ruin years of friendship for what could be a misunderstanding. 

“The truth, Y/N,” he commanded. “Now.”

You took a deep breath in. “He said he imprinted on me.”

Jaemin frowned in confusion, catching himself before he could ask you if you were sure of what you were saying. He knew you enough to know that you would always avoid telling him about things that could upset him unless it was absolutely necessary. If anything, the situation was probably way more serious than you wanted to admit, and you were playing it down right now.

Everything started making sense for Jaemin as he remembered that Jeno had scented you when he first met you. The reason Jeno’s rut had synced with his again, had to be you. Jeno didn’t offer to help out in the store just because he was a good friend, but because he wanted to be around you…Fuck. He felt betrayed, but mostly he felt dumb. How did he  not notice the way Jeno looked at you? How could he 

 trust him with you while he was away? The fact that you were now asking him to tell Jeno to back off meant that Jeno had crossed the line…and you had had to take care of it on your own.

Jaemin had basically offered his mate on a silver plate. 

Jaemin palmed his face and cursed under his breath. “What else?” he growled. “What else did he say? What did he do?”

“Jaemin, please consider that Jeno’s rut is just around the corner,” you tried to defend Jeno, for the sake of his friendship with Jaemin. You knew losing him would be devastating for your mate. “He c-can’t control himself–”

“What the fuck did he do?!” Jaemin shouted, pulling his hair. “What the fuck happened to finally make you tell me about this?!”

“I…I wasn’t hiding anything from you,” you breathed out. “I just found out today…”

“You would have dismissed it as a joke if he had simply said something like that out of the blue, Y/N. Something else happened. What did he do?” he snarled, hovering over you and trapping you on the sofa.

You blinked away your tears, deciding to show him instead of telling him, and tilted your head to the side, offering him your neck. Jaemin gave you a confused look, until he picked up on a scent he was familiar with.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Jaemin hissed, getting closer to your neck and inhaling deeply before letting out a possessive snarl. Jeno’s scent was all over Jaemin’s mark. That had to be the most disrespectful shit a wolf could ever do. “That son of a bitch,” he breathed out, completely forgetting about years of friendship for a moment.

“H-he couldn’t c-control it,” you hiccupped in between sobs. 

“Don’t you fucking defend him. The only reason a wolf would get this close to someone’s mark is to overwrite it,” he said severely. He then cupped your face with his hands. “Do you understand what this means, Y/N? I almost lost you today. Another wolf almost claimed you while I was buying ingredients for dinner. You almost became his mate. I’m such an idiot. I should have never trusted him,”

“He’s your best friend,” you whispered sadly. 

“I don’t care, Y/N. He’s still a man and I left him alone with you all this time. It’s almost like I invited him into our relationship.”

“Because you trust him,” you reminded him. “He controlled himself the entire time until now. He didn’t want to betray you…”

“But he did. And he’s the reason you were crying today, right?”

You looked away.

“Do you still love me?” Jaemin asked you seriously. He had never doubted your feelings before, but he needed to confirm if you wanted to continue this relationship with what was happening.

You glared at him. “Of course I do. I’m crazy in love with you.”

Jaemin smiled at you and kissed you gently. “Then Jeno has to go,” he whispered, before deepening the kiss.

The next day Jeno felt like he had got hit by a train. He couldn’t sleep all night, crying and overthinking everything instead. He knew it was your right to not want to see him, but it pained him that your last encounter had been such a mess. If only he hadn’t confessed he could still be around as a friend. If only he hadn’t lost his temper, he wouldn’t have scared you. And now he couldn’t even be alone to drown in self-pity because absolutely every single member of the pack was home, making a lot of noise while preparing everything for a full moon family dinner. 

“No, you can’t skip dinner,” Doyoung told him, passing him more plates to set on the table. “Kun finally came back from his business trip and I want everyone here because I have to make an announcement. If you’re really not feeling well, just stay for a bit and then you can go to bed– Chenle, put that down!” he yelled at the younger wolf who was practicing levitating plates with magic instead of carrying them with his hands. 

Jeno was about to argue when he heard Haechan’s voice yelling. “Our future healer is here!”

“Dude, you look…tired,” Mark told Jaemin, who was making his entrance. 

“Didn’t sleep,” Jaemin mumbled.

“Didn’t shower either,” Haechan said. “You reek of sex.”

Jaemin chuckled. “I took a shower…but we did it again after.”

Mark whistled, impressed. “Things going well, then?”

“Better than ever,” Jaemin forced a smile, walking past them to greet the rest of the pack. When he saw Jeno, he tensed. There were many things he wanted to say to him, but the moment he made eye contact, he still saw the pup he grew up with. His best friend. “Jeno…”

Jeno gave him a weak smile and wrinkled his nose at his scent. “How’s school?”

“It’s fine…” Jaemin said vaguely. Why wasn’t he angrier at Jeno? He had made a move on his mate. He couldn’t go soft on him now. “Listen, I gotta talk to you–”

“Jaemin, you’re here!” Doyoung interrupted the conversation and pushed Jaemin to the table. “Take a seat, food is ready– Jaehyun, no! Wait until everyone is sitting.” 

Jaemin sighed. Maybe he could talk to Jeno after eating. He didn’t want to make things awkward with everyone there anyways.

 When everyone took their seats by a long table in the backyard, Taeyong stood up to ask for everyone’s attention. “Thank you for coming, brothers! I know everyone is busy, so I’m very grateful that you still found the time to share a meal with your pack. Although we don’t need a reason to call everyone here, one of our members has an important announcement to make,” the leader said, sitting down and looking at Doyoung.

“Okay, here we go uh…,” Doyoung mumbled as he stood up.

“LOUDER!” Yuta yelled.

“IF YOU WANT TO HEAR WHY DON’T YOU SIT CLOSER,” Doyoung yelled back, taking a deep breath to collect himself. “As I was saying… I uh…I’m getting married.”

Immediately everyone started cheering and clapping, except for Haechan, who let out a shocked ‘WHAT?’

“I proposed last week,” Doyoung continued, now a bit more relaxed and smiling shyly. “And she said yes.”

Louder cheering exploded around the table, mixed with Haechan’s ‘NO WAY!’

“I wanted to be the first,” Haechan whined when everyone calmed down. “I bought the ring and everything…No, Jisung, don’t even think about it!” he warned when he caught the youngest daydreaming at the mention of a ring.

“I didn’t say anything!” Jisung defended himself, blushing. 

Jeno laughed at Jisung. “Take it easy, pup. You’ll scare her away if you go too fast.”

“I wasn’t going to!” Jisung insisted.

“Hyung,” Jaemin suddenly asked Doyoung. “Have you found a good place to live yet? Y/N and I are looking for a house to move in together too.”

Everyone’s attention was on Jaemin now, yelling their approval. Jeno tensed on his seat in front of him.

“What about Y/N’s apartment?” Doyoung asked.

“It’s okay if it’s just the two of us, but we’re planning on starting a family,” Jaemin confessed, making everyone scream in delight and surprise.

“WHAT?!” Haechan shouted again, frustrated that he wouldn’t be the first to do anything. 

“Isn’t it too soon?” Jeno asked before he could stop himself, his serious tone making everyone stop cheering. 

Jaemin glared at him from across the table, remembering that Jeno wasn’t just his pack brother anymore, but a wolf who wanted Jaemin’s mate for himself. Of course he didn’t want Jaemin to start a family with you. “No,” he replied superbly. “As a matter of fact, I do not think it’s too soon.”

 Everyone remained silent around them. This was not an atmosphere that they had ever felt between Jeno and Jaemin.

“Last time I checked, Y/N thought you two weren’t ready,” Jeno said, mentally reprimanding himself because what was he even trying to accomplish by delaying the inevitable.

“Ah, you must have checked a long time ago,” Jaemin replied, faking a smile. “Because when I checked last night she really wanted it. In fact, I double checked today and she really, really wanted it.”

“Maybe she just agreed because you want it,” Jeno said pettily, shrugging.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jeno shrugged again. “I’m just saying.”

Jaemin nodded. He was smiling, but he seemed far from happy. “You are  just saying.” He repeated slowly. He had planned to have a proper private conversation with Jeno, but if he was going to disrespect him and his relationship in front of the entire pack, then Jaemin wouldn’t hold back either.

By now everyone was alert. These two had never talked to each other like that before. The youngest members, especially Jisung, were getting nervous because of the excess of alpha pheromones being released. The more experienced wolves could see that this was a territorial battle and were getting ready to intervene if things escalated, but why?! Why would Jeno and Jaemin fight?

“That’s an awful thing to just say,” Jaemin said. “But you seem to be saying weird things a lot lately,” he purred maliciously. “For example, yesterday you told my mate you had imprinted on her.”

Immediately all eyes were on Jeno. A few members let out audible gasps, while others straight out cursed in disbelief, slowly putting two and two together. This wouldn’t end well.

“Did you also just say that? Or did you mean it?” Jaemin asked.

Jeno gulped but he couldn’t continue lying. He looked Jaemin in the eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said.

Jaemin’s eyes were clouded with tears that he fought as much as he could. “Fuck you, Jeno. You said you would keep an eye on her so I wouldn’t worry, but you were trying to steal her away? You deceived me for months!”

“That wasn’t my intention! I really wanted to help—“

“Then why the fuck did you try to overwrite my mark yesterday?!” Jaemin shouted, standing up and causing several other members to stand up too, ready to stop whatever was happening. “All these years of friendship mean nothing to you?! How could you look me in the eyes and think of fucking my mate?!” Jaemin asked with a pained tone. 

 Jeno felt a couple of tears slide down his cheek. He had screwed up. He had hurt his best friend and he had no idea what to do to make it better.

“Stay away from us,” Jaemin tried to sound intimidating, but he just sounded tired and sad. He turned around and left, not being able to handle seeing Jeno for another minute.

Everyone was quiet, staring at Jeno who was sitting still on his chair. 

“What are you all looking at?” Jeno asked, annoyed. “You think I wanted this to happen? We can’t choose who we imprint on. And it’s not like any of you had an ideal courting stage anyways,” he added, laughing bitterly and turning his attention to Doyoung. “Hyung, you’re getting married now, but your mate drank a potion to break the bond before,” he accused.

 Doyoung gave Jeno a sad look, but he didn’t reply. 

Jeno’s next victim was Haechan. “You pursued a woman who was already in a relationship. So you and I aren’t too different,” he said, laughing, but Haechan didn’t find it  funny. No one did.

“You,” Jeno continued, this time staring at Mark. “Only approached your mate because you were afraid she would suck Yangyang’s cock if you didn’t.”

Mark clenched his jaw and looked away.

Jeno pointed at Jisung. “And your mate…”

“Jeno,” Taeyong said in a warning tone, but Jeno was too blinded by anger and sadness to listen.

“Your mate got dicked down by Jaehyun hyung,” Jeno spat, his eyes boring into Jisung’s.

“JENO!” Taeyong roared. “That’s enough!”

 Jeno didn’t think it was enough. He had plenty he wanted to say, but the way Jisung had whimpered brought him back to reality. He knew how sensitive the youngest was to his mate’s past with Jaehyun and that he was trying his best not to let his insecurities affect the pack dynamic. When Chenle scented Jisung in a comforting manner and glared at Jeno, he took it as his cue to leave, locking himself in his room and hoping no one would bother him.

But of course it was impossible to be completely alone in a house with more than 20 men. 

“May I come in?” Doyoung’s voice asked from the other side of the door, knocking gently. 

Without a word, Jeno got up and unlocked the door, sitting back on the bed. Doyoung entered the room and closed the door behind him and walked cautiously towards the bed and sat next to Jeno.

“I’m sorry,” Jeno finally said. “...For what I said.”

“I didn’t come here looking for an apology,” Doyoung said. “What you said wasn’t a lie. We all have made mistakes when it comes to our mates.”

“No mistake is worse than mine,” Jeno mumbled sadly.

“You didn’t choose to imprint on her,” Doyoung argued. “It was the Moon’s choice.”

“The Moon fucked up,” Jeno said. 

“The Moon makes no mistakes.”

 Jeno looked at Doyoung through mournful eyes. “Hyung,” his voice cracked and he started sobbing quietly. “I don’t know what to do…”

“Oh, Jeno,” Doyoung cooed, hugging the younger. “You kept this to yourself all this time. Suffering on your own…”

Jeno cried louder, allowing himself to be taken care of for once after months. 

“You’re not a bad person,” Doyoung insisted. “This isn’t your fault.”

“W-what do I d-do?” Jeno asked between sobs.

“First, let’s give Jaemin some space,” Doyoung suggested. “It will be alright…”

 You were surprised when Jaemin came back to you not even an hour after he left. “You’re back! What happened to the family dinner?”

 Instead of replying, Jaemin kissed you desperately, pushing you against the wall. You kissed him back hesitantly, wondering what got him so worked up. “Jaem– hold on…” you mumbled, breaking away from the kiss, which he took as a chance to kiss down your neck until he found the mating mark, and he finally broke down crying.

“Jaemin? W-what happened?”

“He w-wont bother you again,” Jaemin replied, sniffling.

You hugged him tight and patted his head. “Did you two have a fight?” you asked fearfully.

Jaemin kissed the mark on your neck and remained silent, the only sound coming from him being his weak sobs. He had lost a friend and a brother, but he had to protect his mate. If Jeno had said the truth about being imprinted on you, then Jaemin really resented the Moon right now. What a twisted sense of humor She had.

That night, Jaemin cried himself to sleep with your body curled against his, and the next day he went to the internship like nothing had happened. He decided to just stay with you that week, not wanting to see Jeno, but also feeling incredibly clingy due to the proximity of his rut. He was glad the internship would be over by Friday, right before his rut hit, so he could spend it with you in peace. 

 It was Wednesday night when you heard a knock on your door and your door and you were greeted by an unfamiliar face.

“Hi, is Jaemin here?” the handsome man with doe eyes asked.

“Uh…Sorry, but who are you?” you asked suspiciously.

“I’m Taeyong. I’m the leader of Jaemin’s pack,” he introduced himself politely. “And you must be Y/N,” he said, scanning your face.

“Hyung!” Jaemin’s voice called out from behind you before you had the chance to speak. He rushed to the door and positioned himself in front of you protectively. “What are you doing here?”

“Just checking on you,” Taeyong said casually. “You haven’t answered your phone nor dropped by in a few days.”

“Sorry,” Jaemin whispered. “I’ve been busy…”

Taeyong smiled. “Are you too busy now too? I was hoping we could go for a little walk…”

“He would love to!” you replied before Jaemin had the chance to come up with an excuse not to. Jaemin gave you a look that made it clear he was not in the mood for a walk, but you ignored it. “He needs to exercise,” you insisted, pushing him out the door. He had been looking depressed since Sunday and you hoped his pack leader could cheer him up.

“I’ll bring him back by 10!” Taeyong smiled at you, resting his arm on Jaemin’s shoulders, who let himself be dragged along hesitantly.

“This is a nice area,” Taeyong sighed, sitting on a bench where he could see the sea. “If you two move in together around here, you’ll be able to listen to the ocean waves all the time.”

Jaemin sat down in silence next to him.

“Or do you prefer a house closer to the forest? I saw this little house for rent the other day–”

“Just spit it out,” Jaemin said, tired of the small talk. “What did you come here to say?”

Taeyong bit his lip nervously. “Talk to Jeno.”

Jaemin rolled his eyes and stood up, ready to leave.

“You know we don’t choose who we imprint on.Do you think he would purposely fall for the mate of the person he cares for the most?” Taeyong said, making Jaemin halt. “From what he told Doyoung, he tried to avoid Y/N at first but you asked for his help. And then he thought it would be fine to stick around just until you finished your internship. He really tried his best to control his feelings.”

Jaemin frowned, sitting down again slowly. “So? What do you expect me to do?” he hissed. “I won’t give him my mate.”

“Just don’t cut him off,” Taeyong pleaded. “He’s willing to live as an unmated wolf, but not without you.”

“That’s dumb,” Jaemin replied. “He’ll be in pain whenever he smells Y/N on me. It would be a pathetic excuse of a life.”

“But he would rather do that than losing you,”

“That’s dumb. He’s dumb,” Jaemin repeated, wiping away a rebel tear. “… How is he?”

“Well… he’s not eating,” Taeyong disclosed.

“That idiot,” Jaemin groaned. “Force him to!”

Taeyong chuckled. “You know how stubborn he is…but I think hearing from you would make him feel a bit better…”

“I’ll…text him, or something,” Jeamin mumbled.

“Thank you,” Taeyong smiled at him. “That would mean a lot to the pack,” he said, standing up, ready to go back.

“Hyung,” Jaemin called out abruptly. “Is it true that an imprinted wolf can’t fall in love with another person?” He asked anxiously. He had been dying to ask that for days. “Jeno won’t love again?”

 Taeyong had met wolves who hadn’t mated their person before and in all cases they lived empty lives. They usually started by avoiding eating and spending time with others due to sadness (which Jeno was doing right now), and after a while they would leave their pack to avoid the pity looks that others gave them and live alone in an isolated hut in the mountains. But Taeyong couldn’t tell Jaemin that when he looked like he was about to have a breakdown.

“Maybe he’ll be the exception,” Taeyong offered instead.

“What are the odds of that happening?” Jaemin insisted.

Taeyong shook his head sadly. Even if Jaemin forgave Jeno and they remained friends, chances were Jeno would not imprint on someone else, and once everyone in the pack had found their destined partner, Jeno would be alone.

Jaemin was thinking the same thing. 

“Is there nothing we can do?” Jaemin asked.

“We can only be there for him,” Taeyong replied. “There’s nothing else we can do if there’s no destined partner for him.”

“There is a destined partner for him,” Jaemin groaned. “But she’s mine.”

“Only because you met her first,” Taeyong shrugged. “If Jeno had been the one to find her, then you would have imprinted on her later on and the problem of one of you two ending up alone would still be there.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“She’s your destined mate as much as she’s Jeno’s. But he decided to take a step back and live alone instead of challenging you. Because you’re the most important person to him.”

Jaemin stared at his own feet for a minute, processing everything he was hearing. “What if…what if there’s another way?”

Taeyong raised his eyebrows in interest, waiting for Jaemin to continue.

“What if the Moon gave us the same mate for a reason?” Jaemin whispered.

Taeyong smiled. This was exactly where he wanted the conversation to go. “The Moon makes no mistakes, Jaemin.”

 Jaemin came back exactly at 10PM.  He looked a bit more energetic, restless. He walked around the apartment, and looked at you nervously from time to time, opening his mouth to say something but changing his mind and walking away. You knew something was in his mind.

“Did you enjoy the walk?” you asked him when you were both lying down in bed about to fall asleep.

“It was…interesting,” Jaemin croaked, lying down on his side and looking directly into your eyes.

“Mmh? Interesting how?”

“We talked about Jeno,” Jaemin admitted. 

You nodded. You had guessed that much would happen when the man on your door introduced himself as the leader of the pack. 

“...And?” you asked, hoping to hear good news. Jaemin didn’t seem as blue as before, so whatever Taeyong had talked to him about had to be good.

Jaemin licked his lips and scooted closer. “What if…I mean,” he gulped and inhaled deeply. “Do you like Jeno?”

You sighed. “I’m in love with you, not Jeno,” you whispered, a bit hurt at what you thought was an accusation. 

“I know, baby, I know,” he assured you, placing his palm on your cheek. “I’m not testing you. This is an honest question.”

You frowned at him and he sensed your uncertainty so he decided to explain a bit further. “Do you remember when we first met?” he asked you.

You nodded, kissing his palm softly.

“Do you remember feeling something pulling you towards me even though you fought it?”

You nodded again. “You called it the pull,” you replied.

“Exactly,” he murmured. “When we imprint on someone, the pull makes it hard for that person to resist us.”

“I know,” you chuckled. “You didn’t make it easy for me.”

Jaemin laughed too, caressing your cheekbone with his thumb, before getting serious again. “If Jeno imprinted on you, you must feel something.”

Your smile dropped, feeling judged again. “I would never–”

“I know,” Jaemin repeated, kissing your lips gently. “I’m not mad, baby, I promise. I just need you to be very honest with me on this, okay? Do you feel the pull with Jeno?”

You looked at Jaemin. His eyes were sincere. He really wasn’t angry at you, nor was he sad. If anything, he looked excited. So you nodded in defeat. “I’m sorry,” you sobbed, feeling your eyes getting teary. “But I wouldn’t cheat–”

 Jaemin interrupted you by connecting his lips to yours, kissing you passionately and pulling your body against his. “Shh…It’s okay, baby,” he uttered. “We’ll be alright, I promise.”

“I won’t even look in his direction,” you pledged desperately. “I want to be with you. P-please, don’t break up with me,” you cried incoherently.

“Wolves don’t just break up with their mate, Y/N. Especially not after all I went through for you to be mine,” he whispered, pushing you on your back and kissing your neck and chest. “No, you’re staying with me…”

“Thank you, thank you,” you mumbled, tangling your fingers into his hair and pulling him closer as he pulled your shirt up and positioned himself a bit lower, biting and sucking on every bit of skin he found.

“...But maybe there’s space for one more?” he asked, looking up at you innocently.

You lifted your head to look at him. “W-what do you mean?”

Jaemin shrugged, kissing right between your boobs. “Jeno’s not that bad…,” he said, moving to your left breast and licking your nipple slowly, while maintaining eye contact. “He took care of you all these months,” he continued, sucking it into his mouth lewdly. “I mean, it’s kind of like you had two boyfriends the entire time…”

You arched your back and gasped, confused at the situation you were in. Why was he talking about another man while touching you like this?

“I’m not following…” you panted.

“No?” Jaemin pouted, releasing your nipple and kissing down your stomach. “Don’t you think Jeno deserves a little reward after everything he’s done?” he asked playfully, licking your navel and making you shiver.

You bit your lip and shook your head. “Jaemin, what are you t-talking about?”

Jaemin sighed. “I guess I need to be more explicit,” he agreed, positioning himself even lower so his face was hovering over your shorts. “What do you think about having two tongues licking your pussy?” He breathed out.

 You let out a scandalized gasp and tried to close your legs, but Jaemin pinned them firmly to the bed and licked your core over the fabric lazily. “What do you say, baby?” he moaned, pushing your tiny shorts to the side and cursing under his breath when he found out you were not wearing any panties. He dove in, licking all over your cunt messily. “Mmmh…why don’t we let Jeno have a little taste?”

“J-jaem,” you moaned, your thighs shaking against his firm hands. “Fuck, baby, are you–aah! o-oh… are you serious?”

“Mhmm,” Jaemin hummed around your clit, vibrations making you scream. He detached himself from it and started circling his tongue around the bundle of nerves just the way you liked it, as if he was trying to convince you. “Imagine both of us doing this to you…” he coerced, giving your clit another harsh suck before kissing it gently. “Bet you would cum real good, yeah?”

You tried hard not to imagine that scenario. Jaemin had to be messing with you.

“Don’t fight it, baby,” Jaemin cooed in between sucking and licking. “I told you this isn’t a test. I’m being serious,” he said  like he could read your mind. “Wouldn’t you like that?”

“I j-just–nngh… oh g-god,” you panted, close to reaching your climax. “I d-dont know– aah, fuck, Jaemin!”

“No?” he tilted his head. “You don’t know if you want to feel two tongues all over your body?” he asked, feigning innocence. He trailed two of his fingers between your pussy lips, getting them nice and wet before placing them against your entrance. “How about two cocks?” he proposed, as he slid the fingers into you with a slick movement.

“F-fuuuck–” you groaned, rolling your eyes to the back of your head and squirming under Jaemin’s skilled hands. “Oh…m-my god, fuck, fuck…” you moaned when he fucked you with his fingers and  flattened his tongue against your clit, letting you fuck yourself on his face. “Jaem–...Jaemin I’m g-gonn–ah! Aah, oh…Oh my god!” you moaned, tilting your head back when toe-curling orgasm finally hit.  Jaemin kept pressing his fingers inside of you, giving your clit little kisses until you weakly pushed his head away.

“W-what the hell was that?” you croaked, still panting and shaking.

“A proposal,” Jaemin replied simply, resting his head on your thigh and caressing your belly. 

���You’re proposing we let Jeno in?”

“...When I found out about Jeno’s feelings I was furious,” Jaemin said. “And wolves are possessive by nature, so I wanted him away from you but…” he sighed, looking up to meet your eyes. “I adore Jeno,” he confessed. “And I love you. I don’t want to lose any of you.”

“And you think all three of us being together is the solution?”

“Yes,” he replied simply. “All three of us have a bond. Jeno and I bonded as kids. You and I bonded when I imprinted. And then the same happened when Jeno met you. All three of us love and care for each other, so why wouldn’t it work?”

“...And will you be okay with him touching me?”

Jaemin tensed and squeezed your thigh possessively. “I will be after we set some rules…”

You stared into the ceiling in deep thought. To be fair, it was true that all of you were already connected. You didn’t want Jaemin to lose his best friend for something none of them had control over and to be honest, you also didn’t want to stop seeing Jeno completely; after spending months with him, you had grown used to his comforting presence. And Jaemin was right; you could feel the pull.

“...So?” Jaemin asked hopefully. “Can we give it a try?”

“I’ll think about it.”

 Jaemin let out a relieved sigh and kissed your thigh. “Thank you.”

On Friday morning (more like midday), Jeno woke up to a text from Jaemin. His heart beat fast in anxiety as he opened the message, ready to read everything about Jaemin not wanting to see him ever again.But he found none of that.

Jaemin: Jupiter’s 8th Moon Restaurant 6PM

Jaemin: See you

Jeno re-read the message a couple of times.

 Jaemin wanted to meet him. Fuck, that could be really good news or really bad. But just thinking about seeing his best friend again gave him the energy he lacked for the last few days. He quickly got up from bed and looked around. 

His room was a mess.

He was a mess. He hadn’t showered in days.

He picked up the clothes from the floor, opened the curtains and window, seeing the light for the first time in a while. He adjusted his eyes to the light, made his bed and grabbed a towel to go take a shower.

After finding a decent outfit, and overthinking every possible scenario in his head, he left the house and found his way to the restaurant. He was so nervous, he ended up arriving half an hour early. To his surprise, Jaemin was already there.

“You’re early,” Jaemin blurted out in surprise, looking up from the menu.

“...Y-you too,” Jeno stuttered.

“Yeah…I was too anxious to wait at home,” Jaemin admitted. “Why don’t you sit down?”

Jeno dried the sweat off his hands with his shirt and sat down across Jaemin.

“What do you want to eat?” Jaemin asked calmly, making Jeno even more uneasy.

“I’m good,” he replied quickly. “I’m not hungry.”

Jaemin closed the menu and stared right into Jeno’s soul, making him squirm in his seat. 

“That shirt didn’t look this loose on you before,” he spoke through gritted teeth. “You can’t continue like this. You’ll eat a proper meal and then we’ll talk,” he declared sternly before calling the waitress to place an order for both of them, ordering enough food to feed an army.

Jeno couldn’t protest when large plates of food were served to him under Jaemin’s severe eyes. Only when he grabbed a fork and started eating, Jaemin turned to his own food and ate too. They had been eating in silence for what seemed like an eternity and Jeno couldn’t take it anymore.

“The internship,” he mumbled awkwardly. “D-did you finish?”

Jaemin nodded. “Had my last shift this morning.”

“Oh, c-congratulations...”

“Thanks,” Jaemin said, putting his fork down. “Now let’s talk about what really matters.”

Jeno sighed and sat up straight, ready for what was going to come.

“I’m not mad at you for imprinting on Y/N,” Jaemin said.

“I know…,” Jeno sulked, looking down. Then he frowned and looked back up. “Wait, did you say ‘not’?”

“That’s what I said. It’s not your fault,” Jaemin confirmed. 

“...Aren’t you taking it too well?” Jeno asked suspiciously.

Jaemin sighed. “ Fine, I admit I was mad when I found out, but I’ve been thinking about it and… it really wasn't something you could control.”

“I guess I’m the Moon’s least favorite wolf,” Jeno half-joked.

“What do you mean?” Jaemin asked, sipping from his glass of wine. “She chose the prettiest mate for you.”

Jeno rolled his eyes. Of course Jaemin would rub it on his face. “But she gave her to my best friend.”

“So? We’ve always shared everything since we were kids.”

Jeno tensed and glared at Jaemin incredulously. “It’s not the same.”

“Why not?” Jaemin asked, cutting a piece of steak from his food and putting it on Jeno's plate. Jeno blinked twice. Jaemin couldn’t be serious.

“Jaemin, I’m sorry I didn’t control myself that time, but it won’t happen again,” Jeno said, pushing the piece of steak to the side. “I don’t need a mate.”

“The hell you don’t,” Jaemin hissed. “You weren’t even going to tell me you imprinted on her. I bet your dumb plan was to keep it a secret, cry at night  and then die alone in the woods, while I married the woman you love.”

Jeno blushed. He didn’t plan to cry at night, it just happened naturally. 

“I’m your best friend, Jeno,” Jaemin said softly. “You should have told me sooner.”

“You would have been mad anyways.”

“Yes,” Jaemin agreed. “But we would have solved this sooner too.”

“I’m sorry,” Jeno whispered.

“I forgive you,” Jaemin said. “Y/N isn’t angry either.”

 Jeno’s eyes sparkled at the mention of your name and Jaemin chuckled.

“Is she okay?”

“Mhmm…She wants to talk to you,” Jaemin beamed. “Right after dinner.”

“...I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Jeno argued. “My rut is due–”

“I know. I’ll be there the entire time, you won’t hurt her. It will be okay. ” Jaemin purred, stabbing the piece of steak he had put on Jeno’s plate and offering it to him. “Now eat,” he persuaded Jeno by swinging the piece of meat close to his mouth. 

Hesitantly, Jeno ate what Jaemin was feeding him and Jaemin smiled slyly. 

“Would you like anything for dessert?” a waitress who had approached the table asked politely.

“No, thank you,” Jaemin replied merrily. “We’re having dessert at home.”

Jeno soon recognised the path Jaemin was taking in through was the way to your apartment. He thought about protesting, insisting that it wasn’t a good idea, but Jaemin had said he was forgiven and that you wanted to talk to him. This could be his only chance to make things right, so he tried to calm his racing heart and keep up with Jaemin’s cheerful conversation.

Jaemin opened the door to your apartment and turned to look at Jeno, who was pale and squirmy. “It’s okay,” Jaemin whispered, grabbing Jeno’s hand and pulling him into your place gently. “Come in.”

Jeno had walked you to your place many times, but he had never been inside. As soon as he entered, your scent surrounded him and made him stumble back towards the door.

“It’s okay,” Jaemin repeated, now holding both of Jeno’s hands in his. “C’mon, Y/N is waiting.”

Jeno nodded and let Jaemin guide him to a room at the end of the corridor, trembling as he smelt more and more of you. When they were both facing a door, Jaemin took a deep breath in and opened it, showing Jeno something he hadn’t seen even in his darkest fantasies:

What seemed to be your bedroom was illuminated by tons of candles, and there, on the bed, were you, wearing a white set of lingerie and…oh fuck, are those stockings?

“Hi, Jeno,” you said shyly and Jeno cursed under his breath, ready to turn around and leave, but Jaemin pushed him in, locking the door behind them.

“Baby,” Jaemin purred. “Isn’t that right we’re not mad at Jeno?”

You nodded, standing up from the bed and allowing them to appreciate your outfit (or lack of it).

Jeno was breathing heavily. “What’s going on?” he asked, thinking that maybe Jaemin hadn’t forgiven him, and this was some sick way of punishing him. Pure torture. 

“Isn’t it obvious, Jeno?” Jaemin spoke softly, approaching Jeno from behind. 

“No?” Jeno replied.

“I said it before,” Jaemin whispered next to Jeno’s ears, making him shiver with desire. “We’ve always shared everything, haven’t we?”

“Jaemin, if this is a joke…,” Jeno hissed in annoyance, but hope was growing inside of him.

“Is this a joke, baby?” Jaemin asked you.

You shook your head. “This isn’t a joke, Jeno,” you assured him, playing with the strap of your bra and pulling it down your shoulder. “Jaemin and I were talking and…We would like you to be part of this. Of us…unless you don’t want to…”

 Jeno was taken aback. Was this what Jaemin had tried to imply earlier at the restaurant? Did you dress like that for him? Was he really allowed to  touch you? Apprehensively,  he lifted his hands and reached out for you, but as soon as his fingertips made contact with your skin, Jaemin’s hands were on his, pushing them away from your body and pinning them to Jeno’s sides. Jeno cursed out loud. So this had been a test after all.

“Not so fast,” Jaemin warned him. “I agreed to this, but my wolf won’t like it. Especially during our rut.”

“Then what the fuck do you want from me?!”  Jeno was losing his patience. You were basically naked in front of him and they wouldn’t let him touch you. He was pissed.

“We need to trick my wolf,” Jaemin said as if it was simple. “He won’t like another alpha touching my mate…unless he doesn’t perceive you as a threat.”

Jeno nodded slowly, still looking at your body covered in lace. “How?”

“We make him believe you’re my mate too,” Jaemin declared, nuzzling Jeno’s neck with his lips. “You know what that means…”

Jeno gulped, getting goosebumps at the attention his neck was receiving. “But…an alpha biting another alpha…,” he didn’t finish the sentence. Both of them knew it would mean the bitten alpha was submitting to the other. Was Jeno willing to give up his pride?

Jaemin sensed his hesitation and exchanged a worried look with you, releasing Jeno’s hands. Maybe it had been too much for Jeno. Maybe he would really rather die alone than whatever this was. Jaemin was about to call it off when Jeno took off his shirt swiftly and threw it somewhere on the floor.

“Bite as hard as you want,” Jeno growled, looking at Jaemin over his shoulder.

Jaemin stared back at him with wide eyes. “Are you sure?”

Jeno nodded. “I have nothing to lose,” he said, allowing his eyes to land on your body again. “And plenty to gain.”

Jaemin looked at you, giving you one last chance to change your mind. When you gave him a reassuring smile, he moved closer to Jeno’s neck again. Now he was getting nervous. What if Jeno’s wolf rejected the bond? Then it would really be over for their friendship. But he had to give it a try. Without wasting another second, he sank his teeth into Jeno’s skin, right into the crook of his neck. Jeno groaned and squirmed, his instinct trying to set him free from the supposed threat, but Jaemin quickly put a hand around his neck as a warning and hugged his waist with his other arm to keep him in place..

You took a step back, seeing how the defiance in Jeno’s eyes soon softened and became pure want. Jeno panted heavily, and finally tilted his head back to rest it on Jaemin’s shoulder, letting out a weak moan. 

Jaemin hummed appreciatively and licked the wound, allowing his hands to caress Jeno’s body comfortingly. He then nodded, letting you know it was safe to step forward.

 You got closer to the wolves and placed both your hands on Jeno’s pecs, making Jeno jump slightly and look at you in anticipation. 

“Is this okay?” You asked. 

Jeno nodded quickly and let out a shaky breath when you ran your nails over his skin.

“What about you, Jaemin?” You asked your mate.

“My wolf doesn’t seem to mind you touching Jeno,” Jaemin breathed out, still holding Jeno in place and nuzzling his neck. “Holy shit, it worked…,” he let out a chuckle. “How do you feel, Jeno?”

“Dizzy as fuck,” Jeno mumbled, letting out little whimpers as Jaemin and you continued feeling him up. “Can’t believe this is happening…”

“Baby, I think Jeno needs some reassurance,” your boyfriend told you, giving you a sweet smile when you hesitated. “Go ahead. I’m okay.”

 You bit your lip and moved closer to Jeno, whose dilated pupils were set on your mouth. He seemed to know exactly what you wanted to do, and didn’t hesitate to kiss you back when you gently pressed your lips against his. He sighed into the kiss, finally relishing on the feeling he had denied himself for months, and placed his hands on your cheeks, pulling you even closer. The kiss remained sweet and slow, because you didn’t want to overwhelm Jeno and he wanted to savor the moment for as long as he could. But as much as he wanted to take things slow, your scent, your lips and Jaemin’s mouth on his neck were driving him crazy.

When you felt something  hard rubbing against your lower abdomen, you looked down and gasped at the obvious tent forming on Jeno’s pants. “Can I?” You asked as your hands landed on Jeno’s belt and the way both he and Jaemin nodded in sync was almost funny.

You unbuckled his belt and pulled his jeans down roughly, kneeling down until you were face to face with his impressive erection trapped in his boxers. You licked Jeno’s bulge through his boxers, starting at the base and slowly making your way to the tip, tasting the salty precum.

“Oh god, oh f-fuck,” Jeno whined, trembling in his best friend’s arms. “This is a d-dream… I have to be dream—aaah! Mm shit, Y/N…”

“Do it properly, baby,” Jaemin instructed,placing his hands on Jeno’s hips to prevent him from moving. “Show him how lucky he is to have imprinted on you…”

 Looking up through your lashes, you pulled down Jeno’s boxers torturously slow, letting out a pleased mewl when his cock was freed and bounced against his lower abdomen, the reddened tip oozing precum. Jeno’s wide eyes were focused on you, his hands holding onto Jaemin’s arms for support because of how much his legs were shaking.

 Without breaking eye contact, you gave the tip a teasing lick and relished in the way Jeno’s whole body convulsed, as he kept repeating ‘I must be dreaming, this is a dream’ over and over.

You sucked on the head gently and Jeno’s knees buckled. He would have fallen hard on the floor if it wasn’t for Jaemin’s strong hold on him.

“Oh fuck, o-oh please, more. M-more—aah! Ah! Oh!” Jeno cried out as you swallowed more of him. “Oh my f-fucking god…”

 You bobbed your head up and down his length, hollowing your cheeks once in a while and seeing Jeno slowly lose his mind. His trembling fingers dig into your hair.

“I’m not gonna last,” he warned you, out of breath. “Y/N… Ah, s-shiiiit Y/N, gonna c-cum, gonna fucking cum—“ his slurred words were interrupted by a high pitched moan when you circled his tip with your tongue and Jaemin used his hands to pinch his nipples hard. “F-fuck! Jaemin—aah! Ha… Oh m-my god— Y/N-“

Unexpectedly for all three of you, Jaemin pulled Jeno’s hair and kissed him hard, wasting no time to slide his tongue into Jeno’s mouth and making him moan into the kiss. Right then, you deepthroated Jeno and swallowed around him, making his dick twitch desperately as thick cum slid down your throat. Jaemin swallowed Jeno’s broken sobs, with his hands still playing with Jeno’s nipples.

You released Jeno’s cock and sat down on the floor. Soon Jeno and Jaemin fell on their knees in front of you too, both a blushing mess, with a string of saliva connecting their mouths. 

“Do you still think you’re the Moon’s least favorite wolf?” Jaemin asked Jeno, giving the mark on his neck a languid lick.

Jeno shook his head tiredly. 

“That’s right, look at our pretty mate,” Jaemin purred and his eyes and Jeno’s focused on you, making a shiver run up your spine. “Only we can have her like this, nobody else. Isn’t she lovely?”

Jeno nodded like he was in a haze, his eyes starting to turn red. 

“Wanna know something?” Jaemin whispered in Jeno’s ear, massaging his arms and shoulders. “She tastes just like she smells.”

Something snapped in Jeno at that moment. You yelped when he pounced on you, grabbing your legs and manhandling you so you were on your back with him between your legs. Immediately he buried his face between your legs, inhaling as much of you as he could and letting out muffled moans. He was shuddering in bliss, finally being able to be as close to you as he wanted. He was getting hard again just by smelling your arousal.

You were mortified, shrieking and covering your face.

Jaemin chuckled at the view. “Why don’t we get her on the bed first?” he suggested, gently grabbing Jeno’s shoulder to push him away from you, but Jeno replied with a feral snarl, like he was a starving animal protecting the only source of food he was able to find. 

Jaemin appreciated the enthusiasm, but not so much the challenge. One of his brows lifted in disapproval and he requested for cooperation once more. “Let her go, Jeno.”

 Jeno’s fingers dug into your thighs and he shook his head stubbornly, brushing your clit with his nose in the process and making you mewl. Not only was he entering his rut, but he had been dying to do this for months. There was no way he was just going to let you go when he was this close to tasting you.

Jaemin inhaled sharply, his own eyes starting to turn red too. In the blink of an eye he grabbed Jeno by his hair, pulling his head back and making him hiss. “Don’t be ungrateful, pup,” Jaemin warned.

Jeno shivered. Normally we would fight back, but just the thought of defying Jaemin made his fresh mating mark hurt. He wanted to be good for him. So he whimpered and lowered his eyes.

“Patience,” Jaemin cooed, massaging Jeno’s scalp. “You’ll get what you want, but we have to make sure our baby is comfortable. You don’t want her to hurt, right?”

Jeno shook his head quickly and looked at you with sorry, watery eyes. He feared you were now scared of him and he had ruined his chance with you. Plus his rut and Jaemin’s mark were making him unreasonably sensitive. “Sorry.”

“I’m okay,” you quickly assured him, trying to close your legs in embarrassment. You knew what you had gotten yourself into, but having this much attention on you was something else.

“Still okay, baby?” Jaemin asked you. 

“Yeah,” you said confidently. “Just a bit nervous…”

“Mmh…,” Jaemin kissed you tenderly, before curling his arms around your body and carrying you to the bed, lying you down carefully, with your legs hanging out the edge of the bed. “We’ll help you relax,” he assured you, kneeling in between your legs and kissing your thighs lovingly. “Won’t we?” he asked, turning to the other wolf.

“We?” Jeno asked hopefully, looking for the other alpha’s approval. 

“We,” Jaemin confirmed with a cheeky smile, forcing your legs to open wider and making you gasp.

Jeno didn’t need to be told twice. He stepped out of his wrinkled pants and boxers and crawled towards you, situating himself beside Jaemin and waiting for further instructions.

“These are very nice,” Jaemin commented absentmindedly as he ran his fingers over your stockings. “I haven’t seen them before…”

“I-I bought them yesterday,” you said, tense at the view of two wolves slowly being consumed by their rut staring at your legs. 

“Oh? For our special guest?” your boyfriend asked.

You nodded, and then yelped when he grabbed the elastic of one of the stockings and snapped it on your thigh.

“You hear that, Jeno? She bought these for you. What do we say?”

“T-thank you,” Jeno stuttered, ready to pass out. His hands hovered over your legs cautiously. “Can I?” he asked no one in particular. Or to anyone who was willing to give him permission.

 Jaemin looked at you, silently asking for confirmation.

“Y-yeah…if you want…” you said shyly.

 Jeno placed his hands gently on your legs, drawing delicate patterns with his fingertips which soon turned into rough grabbing and kneading. He placed a daring kiss on an area of your inner thigh that was not covered by fabric and then turned to look at Jaemin, hoping he hadn’t gone too far. But his best friend just gave him a lazy smirk, resting his head on your other thigh. 

 So Jeno became braver and gave your thigh an open, wet kiss, making you moan out loud and shiver. He groaned, sucking on your skin candidly. “Taste so good, s-so sweet…” he breathed out.

“You have no idea,” Jaemin alluded, lifting Jeno’s chin with his hand to divert his attention somewhere else. 

“Oh, fuck…Oh, god,” Jeno weeped when he saw a dark stain on your panties. “Please, I need to…”

Smirking, Jaemin took the lead and licked the border of your underwear, right where your thigh and your core met.

“Ah!..haa… Jaem–,” you mewled, tilting your head back when he slid only the tip of his tongue under the fabric. 

Hesitantly, Jeno joined him, kissing the visible wet patch before giving it kitten licks, groaning at the taste.

“Shit…” you cursed. They had barely touched you and you were dripping.

Jaemin pushed his tongue deeper under your panties, and Jeno followed, both licking blindly and collecting as much of your wetness as they could. But soon it wasn’t enough, and Jeno started pulling your panties down, and although Jaemin would have loved to tease you more, he was losing himself to his rut too, so he assisted Jeno in taking your underwear off and exposing your wet pussy. 

You didn’t have time to get shy at the sudden exposure, because immediately both mouths were on you, Jaemin attaching himself to your clit while Jeno penetrated you with his tongue. Jeno couldn’t believe his luck; he had you where he always wanted, but he couldn’t help thinking that it was unfair that he couldn’t have you sooner. He had to make up for all the wasted time. He had to devour you. 

He licked and sucked everything on his way, until he reached your clit and joined Jaemin in licking it.

“FUCK! F-fuck o-ooh…w-wait ahh–AH!” you moaned brokenly and lied back on the bed when you felt both tongues on each side of your clit, licking up and down, slow and then fast, occasionally colliding with each other and moaning at the wet mess they were making. “Jaem, b-baby this is…,” you had no words to describe it. “J-jeno…”

Jeno groaned, and gave your clit an open kiss, right at the same time Jaemin was toying with it with his tongue, which ended up with them messily making out with your clit trapped between two mouths.

“Haa…ah, shit,shit,shit.. oh my f-fucking…,” you panted heavily, squirming and pulling the bedsheets desperately. “T-this is insan–Aah! Ah, ah–oh–Fuh–!” you arched your back when you felt someone’s finger slide inside of you, making you cum harder than ever before in your life. Jeno hummed and Jaemin chuckled, the vibrations making you feel like the climax would never end. 

 Jaemin was the first to pull away and got undressed, while Jeno was still drinking your release and making you whimper in oversensitivity. Once Jaemin got rid of his clothes, he got on the bed and pulled your helpless body towards him, ignoring Jeno’s protests.

 “I wasn’t done!” Jeno growled.

“You can have more later,” Jaemin said.

“…Promise?”

“Promise. But now I need to breed her,” your boyfriend explained, positioning you on your belly with a pillow under your hips for a better angle.

Jeno choked on his saliva and climbed on the bed. He had walked into your place without knowing what to expect and now they were talking about breeding? Like, being inside of you? He stared at Jaemin with pleading eyes.

“What? You want to fill her up too?” Jaemin asked casually. “Hmm… I guess the more cum the better if we want pups. But you have to wait for your turn.”

Jeno nodded dumbly. He would agree to anything if that meant he could cum inside you.

You tried to rock your ass against Jaemin’s hips, letting him know you were growing impatient and he let out a breathless laugh. 

“Yeah? You want to be full of cum? Hmm?”

“P-please…” you hiccupped. 

And who was Jaemin to say no? At first he slid only the tip in, enjoying seeing you squirming for more. He was going to tease you by making some mean comment, but just when he opened his mouth, Jeno (who had positioned himself behind him) grabbed your hips and pushed you towards Jaemin harshly, making him enter you all the way and all three of you moan.

“J-jeno!” Jaemin yelped in surprise and pleasure. He was trapped between Jeno and you, feeling his best friend’s erection on his ass cheek and your warmth around his cock. “Jeno I told you to… w-wait for your t—oohh!” He moaned, his body bending over yours as Jeno thrusted against him and pulled you closer rhythmically.

“I’ll wait b-but… wanna— wanna feel good too…” Jeno slurred, sliding his cock between Jaemin’s ass cheeks and rutting against him harder without letting you go.

“If…if you p-put it in I’ll kill you, I swea—aah!” Jaemin moaned, inevitably letting the pace be decided by Jeno.

“I won’t,” Jeno promised, going faster. “Juh-just like this, I’ll d-oooh! Do it just like this, fuuuck…”

 Letting out broken moans, you looked over your shoulder and saw Jaemin lost in pleasure, for the first time letting somebody else be in charge and god his facial expressions were so hot you felt yourself close to your release in record time.

“F-faster… Jeno, harder—Mmmh fuck, yes! Yeah…aah,” Jaemin pleaded, the volume of his moans escalating. “Need to…need to g-give her pups, need t-to fill her…”

 Jeno groaned and pressed his whole body against Jaemin’s, using his weight to give forceful, animalistic thrusts that had your clit chafing the pillow and seeing stars.

“Jeno! I’m s-so close— too close gonna… ah! Ah! Oh, Jaemin’s too… too deep, gonna—“ as if wanting to show you it could get deeper, Jeno pushed hard, forcing Jaemin’s knot inside of you and making you come undone. You screamed as loud as your lungs allowed you and shook violently while Jeno and Jaemin kept fucking into you.

“Oh shit…,” Jaemin panted, feeling himself losing all control. “Gonna give you my pups, one after the other, you won’t… haaa fuuck yes, you won’t remember what it’s like n-not to be pregnant, baby, gonn—aaah! Ah! Uuuhh…” Jaemin babbled incoherently until his release, emptying himself inside of you and groaning.

Jeno sighed, continuing to rut against Jaemin very lightly for a bit, before he removed himself from top of both of you to let you rest.

 But Jaemin had a different idea: holding your shaking body against his, he sat up, pulling you with him, so he was now sitting with you on his lap, cock still buried inside of you. 

“J-Jeno, get in front of her,” Jaemin requested. “Let’s make her cum again.”

You shook your head weakly and whined and Jeno seemed unsure you could take it.

“She has to cum again,” Jaemin mumbled incoherently, all rational thoughts gone, just his primal desires left. “Help her suck my seed deeper inside… secure a baby…”

Jeno groaned in approval. He hadn’t thought of pups until today, but Jaemin made it sound so right… and you would look so good…

  Carefully, Jeno sat in front of you and kissed your lips softly, before moving to your cheek and neck, this time avoiding Jaemin’s mark as a sign of respect. Gently, he lowered the straps of your bra and exposed your boobs, taking turns to  kiss and touch them equally and listening to your sighs… and then he remembered, Jaemin had promised Jeno he could taste you again.

 So Jeno wasted no time in positioning himself on his belly in between your and Jaemin’s legs.

“Jeno…w-what are you…?” You whispered tiredly.

Jaemin caught on faster, his eyes glinting maliciously and reaching for your thighs to force them to remain open. “Shh… you’re gonna love this,baby…”

“Wha—FUCK!” You screamed when you felt Jeno’s tongue on your pussy again, moving his head up and down enthusiastically. “J-jeno I…I can’t…”

“She can,” Jaemin contradicted you. “Suck on her clit, hard,” he instructed the other wolf.

Jeno did just that. His mouth surrounded your clit and he suctioned it like it was the sweetest candy.

“Oh…hoo,fuck, please, I can’t—“ you cried, trembling in Jaemin’s strong arms.

Jeno looked up and let go of you falteringly.

“No! She was so close,” Jaemin lamented. “Why did you stop?!”

“She's crying…”

“Already?” Jaemin turned your head towards him to check on you. “Oh, baby… are you loving it that much?”

“Is she okay?” Jeno asked

“Yeah… she gets like this when she’s too cock drunk,” Jaemin chuckled, kissing your tear stained face.“Keep going,” he commanded Jeno.

“You sure?”

“She has a safe word, don’t you, baby?”

You nodded weakly.

“Do you need to use it?”

This time you shook your head.

“See? She’s fine…” Jaemin purred, kissing your neck comfortingly.

 Jeno got back to lapping at your pussy, but very delicately compared to before. Jaemin rolled his eyes and grabbed the back of Jeno’s head, pushing him as close to your core as possible. Jeno groaned and you screamed, throwing your head back and fidgeting, your hands scratching Jaemin’s arms in desperation.

Jaemin kept Jeno’s head in place and started rutting into you messily until you finally let out a silent scream and your walls contracted around his cock, squeezing some more cum out of him.

“O-ooh yeah… That’s right, baby—take it…Nngh…” Jaemin grinned. “That’s a good girl…”

You sobbed, trying to push Jeno away, but he didn’t move even after Jaemin set him free. He was just lapping at your core happily. 

“Don’t be selfish, Y/N,” Jaemin scolded you playfully. “Jeno has been taking such good care of you these months. Let him have some fun.”

“I k-know but I…it hurts,” you complained faintly.

“Fine,” Jaemin said, successfully pushing away a pouting Jeno and lying you down on your belly again. “Ah, shame…my knot is deflating,” he grunted as he started to pull out of you and his cum leaked out. “What a waste…”

Jeno, now sitting next to Jaemin, was mesmerized by the view of your release mixed with Jaemin’s dripping out of you. Jaemin glanced at his friend and smirked. 

“...You wanna help me push it back in?” Jaemin suggested casually.

Jeno nodded, using his fingers to push some sticky cum into your hole as you whimpered and squirmed. 

“Not like that,” Jaemin laughed. Jeno gave him a confused look and Jaemin sighed, frustrated. He really had to do everything himself around here. “Don’t you think she could use something bigger?”

Jeno, feverish and dumbed out because of his rut, stared down at his hands, never before considering he had small hands…until what Jaemin said clicked, and he looked down at his hard cock, and then at your wet pussy, and then at Jaemin.

“R-really?”

Jaemin shrugged. “I’m getting her pregnant today, with or without your help. You might as well help, since you’re here.”

“Oh shit…” Jeno mumbled. This was really happening. 

“If you don’t want to, I’ll just go again–”Jaemin warned him, already positioning himself in your entrance again. 

“NO!” Jeno blurted out. “Please, I’ll…I’ll help.”

Jaemin bit back a smile and got off the bed, giving Jeno as much space as he needed.

“C’mon, don’t be shy,” he encouraged Jeno.

Jeno nodded nervously, kneading your ass cheeks and staring at your presenting body. But something wasn’t right. This wasn’t how he wanted to have you, so he placed his hands on your hips and turned you around, making you face him. 

You blinked in surprise at the man on top of you and he gave you a shy smile.

“Hi,” he said.

“H-hi…”

“I want to see you. Is that okay?” he asked quietly, like he was afraid it would be too intimate for you. Because he wasn’t the one mated to you, after all. He wasn’t Jaemin.

You lifted your upper body and kissed his lips sweetly, trying to relieve his nerves. “I’m okay with that. Now fuck me…”

Jeno groaned and slid into you in one smooth movement. You arched your back and moaned, while Jeno bent over you, his abs contracting in pleasure. 

“Fuck, I can’t b-believe this is happening,” Jeno’s lips trembled with each word, slowly pulling out and in again. “Wanted this for so long, Y/N…”

“Nngh…ah…”

“So wet for me…” Jeno purred, giving a harsh thrust and hitting a spot that made you shake and scream. “There?”

“Y-yes…the-AH! You yelled when he aimed at the same spot repeatedly, accelerating his movements.

“Yeah? Is t-that where you like it, baby?” Jeno hissed, the nickname slipping after hearing it so many times. He avoided it before because he thought it was something Jaemin could call you. But now that he had you impaled on his cock it was hard to see where the boundaries were.

 Jaemin was enjoying the show next to the bed, palming himself slowly. “Give it to her harder, Jeno. Like you mean it.”

Jeno’s eyes met Jaemin’s and he saw a challenge. So he grunted and snapped his hips harder and faster, pulling your legs around his waist.

“Aahh… O-oh my g–ooh…” you moaned, fat tears sliding down your cheeks and staining the bedsheets.

Jaemin  kneeled next to you on the bed and caressed your face. “Is Jeno doing a good job, baby?”  he whispered.

You nodded and sobbed.

“Should we keep him?” your boyfriend asked.

You nodded faster and Jeno fucked you even harder.

Jaemin chuckled. “Jeno,” he called out. When Jeno managed to focus his eyes on him, Jaemin pushed your hair away from your face and neck and he pointed at a spot on your neck on the opposite side of where Jaemin’s mark was. “Here,” he instructed. 

Jeno’s movements halted and he stared from your neck to Jaemin with wide eyes. But when Jaemin gave your forehead a kiss and stared back at Jeno, expectantly, Jeno knew exactly what to do. Not wanting to give Jaemin time to take it back, he dove in and bit your neck, holding your fidgety body firmly against his while Jaemin whispered comforting words in your ear. When Jeno let go of your neck, and looked at you, your dazed face was enough to almost make him cum in the spot.

“F-fuh…fuck she looks so pretty…”

Jaemin nodded dreamily. “She’s definitely meant to carry two marks on her skin…,” he agreed, but then he looked at your stomach. “But there’s something else I want her to carry right now…”

“Leave it to me,” Jeno said, grabbing your hips and pulling you harshly towards him.

“Aahh! Too much…J-jeno…too-ah! much…”

Jeno groaned and bounced you on his dick harder while Jaemin cooed, massaging your boobs and kissing you here and there. But your boyfriend couldn’t continue ignoring his painful erection, so he positioned himself next to your face and turned your head to the side, rubbing his tip against your lips. You opened your mouth wider eagerly, allowing him to fuck your mouth lazily.

“Your tiny mouth’s so good baby,” he panted, throwing his head back and pushing his hips closer to your face. “Normally I would think it’s a waste not to cum inside of you…but I think once is okay, since Jeno will make sure you’re well bred, right Jeno?”

Jeno nodded automatically, watching his cock disappear inside of you over and over. His thrusts became more desperate when his knot started to grow and you tried to squirm away unconsciously, but Jeno’s strong hands on your hips and Jaemin’s hold on your head had you trapped.

“You’re getting s-so tight, Y/N…,” Jeno grunted, fucking into you sloppily and rolling his head back. “Born for this, for me, for us…Maybe one day this pussy will take both our knots, hmm?”

You choked and moaned around Jaemin’s cock and he fucked your face faster, sighing and panting. “Fuuuck, we’ll breed you s-suh…so good,” Jaemin mumbled deliriously. “Day and night, baby–oooh!”

“And you’re gonna t-take it all, yeah?” Jeno groaned in pain, finally pushing his knot inside of you and rutting into you hastily. “Take all our cum? Carry our pups, y-yeah? O-oh…oh shit, Y/N I’m… oh fuck, fuck, fuck I’m gonna…Ah! Aaaah fuck, Y/N FUCK!” he moaned loudly, finally releasing his cum inside of you and rubbing your clit fast until you tightened around him and spasmed, swallowing your moans along with Jaemin’s cock. “Ooooohh fuck, yeah…”

Jaemin let go of your head and took his cock out of your mouth, jerking himself off furiously until he released all over your face and chest, panting heavily. Once he was content with how he painted your skin, he sighed and laid down on the bed next to you, caressing your hair until you started dozing off.

Once Jeno calmed his ragged breath, he hovered over your body and started licking Jaemin’s cum off your skin. Jaemin looked at him tiredly, raising an eyebrow.

“I know I asked this years ago but are you sure you’re not… bisexual or something?” Jaemin asked.

Jeno snorted, giving your fresh mark a kiss. “Says the one who kissed me first.”

“Oh please, like you weren’t humping my ass,” Jaemin scoffed.

Jeno laughed. “To answer your question, I’ve never liked men. But I guess I’m okay with you…”

“I guess I’m okay with you too…” Jaemin conceded, starting to feel sleepy too.

“Jaemin…” Jeno whispered.

“...Hmm?”

“Can I really…be with you two? Is this really okay?”

Jaemin sat up and glared at him like he was the most stupid creature on Earth. “Jeno, I marked you. And you marked Y/N. Where else would you be if not with us?”

Jeno shrugged. “Just asking.”

“You ask the dumbest shit. If we imprinted on the same person, it was because we’re meant to stick together one way or another.”

“Yeah…,” Jeno sighed remembering what Doyoung had told him. “The Moon makes–”

“...No mistakes…” Jaemin completed his thought. “Who told you that cringe inspirational quote?”

“Doyoung hyung. Who told you?”

“Taeyong hyung.”

“...”

“They set us up, didn’t they?”

[neowonderland]

Jeno, Jaemin, and Renjun as dark fairytales

Pairings: Werewolf Jeno x reader, Prince Renjun x reader, Prince Jaemin x reader Warnings: dark content

Dark Content, Minor please DNI

Disclaimer: this is a work of pure fiction. I do not condone the actions of any characters in this story and the actions do not reflect the idols in any way.

Jeno- Little Red Riding Hood

The villagers always warned against you taking the trail in the woods to your grandmother’s house.

They said it was dangerous for a young one to go alone, to beware of the fairies, the witches, the wolves that might lure you astray. They would try to scare you out of taking the trail by telling you stories, describing in detail people who had gone missing only to turn up mutilated beyond recognition. They told you stories of the people who had gone missing that were never found, never heard of again.

You never listened, ignoring the warnings, always putting your responsibility to take care of your grandmother first. Your grandmother was already isolated enough in the woods, not having many visitors due to the path taken to her home. It didn’t help that she was getting older and older and you never knew when your visit would be the last.

But, in hindsight, you should’ve listened. If you had listened, you wouldn’t have ended up in the scenario you were in now, heart pounding, head dizzy from the adrenaline, sprinting through the woods, a werewolf hot on your trail.

You tried your best to lose the werewolf, Jeno, taking turns you thought you knew down the dark, winding path in the woods. You realized it was a mistake as the surroundings became more and more unfamiliar until you were completely lost, caught cornered in a dead end covered with brambles.

“Little Red, are you done running from me?” Jeno asked, taking confident strides towards you. You cowered, avoiding Jeno’s gaze.

Renjun- Cinderella

“You look so scared. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. I'm just going to make you mine."

It wasn’t supposed to happen this way

It was supposed to be your night out. It was supposed to be your break from the nightmare you called your home-life.

Instead, you were trapped in the center of the ball, trying to free yourself from Prince Renjun’s grip on your wrist. You were surrounded by hundreds of people, gazes burning into you as they all watched your beautiful dress turn back to rags as the clock struck 12.

You can feel your knees grow weak and the tears fall as you heard the gasps of shock and disgust ripple throughout the audience, whispers starting to arise. You tug against Prince Renjun’s grip again, trying to free yourself from his grip again. Everything became too much, the bright chandeliers overstimulating instead of welcoming, the whispers growing louder, the room spinning as you try time and time again to free yourself from Renjun, collapsing onto the floor as your begin to sob.

Renjun watches you as you fall, still gripping your wrist tightly, a soft lovesick smile on his face.

“I’ve found you, my Cinderella. I’ll never let you go.”

Jaemin- The Little Mermaid

You’re trapped, fully dependent on Prince Jaemin

You bang against Jaemin’s chest as Jaemin embraces you.

It’s your wedding day with Jaemin and you want to go home, you want to go back to the ocean and be with your family. Coming to the land and chasing after Prince Jaemin was a mistake. You never should have step foot in the land of the living.

Now you’re stuck on land, unable to communicate with others that you’ve been held captive by Prince Jaemin. You can’t even walk back to the sea, your legs being broken by Jaemin for trying to run away.

You want to shout at Jaemin, scream at him to let you go, tell him that he can’t keep you here and that meeting him was a mistake. You try to scream, you try to yell, but nothing comes out. Jaemin smiles.

“My love, are you throwing another one of your tantrums again? Do you want me to break your arms too like how I’ve broken your legs?”

[sluttyten]

UNHOLY - Chapter Eighteen

full masterlist || UNHOLY chapter index

summary: you've been anxiously waiting the reunion with Ten and Yuta. But first, you have to break them out of their imprisonment in Hell. And, who knows, maybe while you're there, you'll learn some new stuff about yourself, too

length: 19,907 words

tags: supernatural, demons, happy stuff, stressful and nervous stuff, scared and angry stuff

<-previous || next–>

You wish you could say the first day of planning went splendidly and you were ready to go marching into Hell the next day. 

That wasn’t the case. 

Each day, your planning meetings end with nothing truly decided. Each night, you dream again of Hell, of the Queen of the Night, of the torture that Yuta and Ten are enduring. Each morning you wake feeling more stressed than you had been the day before, more afraid of what is happening to them, and how different you might find them – they’ve been imprisoned in two separate prisons, possibly tortured, who knows what sort of effect that’s had on them since you last saw them.

You cover lots of things in the meetings that should reassure you of the success of this mission, but they don’t necessarily reassure you of anything.

Jeno and Jaemin tell you about the layout of Hell, of secret entrances and passages and exits while they also regale you with amusing stories of their time at Hell’s boarding school. Johnny tells each of you how shadows work – not the obvious way, but the magical way that lets him twine them around his fingers and send them away to do his bidding. There are skills lessons – Ira instructing you more in the ways of the Watchers, Jaemin and Jeno giving you more information about demons that they’d learned in their demonic boarding school, combat lessons from Jaehyun the werewolf (which Haechan seems only too eager to go head-to-head with some of your new companions). Ira and the sirens discuss various plans to leave the island and to return, revealing the secrets you’ve been wondering about since Renjun brought you here.

You keep your distance from the sirens, still a little wary of them after the dream you had a week ago in which they’d drowned you. It doesn’t help that all three of them have a mildly terrifying aura anyway, and it only gets worse every time that you see Seulgi watching all of you like you’re her prey during Jaehyun’s combat lessons. But you know that the sirens are actually rather sweet. Sunmi is kind and truly nurturing with her sisters. Seulgi actually is quite adorable and soft-hearted when it comes down to it — one day after Johnny’s shadow-talks, you see Seulgi playing with his shadow tendrils like they’re kittens while Johnny watches on with amusement. 

Minnie, though, shows such affection for Renjun. She acts cute and flirty and clingy, constantly trying to steal his attention away from Haechan who, in turn, tries to steal Renjun’s attention back. 

You try hard not to find the dynamic between the elf, the vampire, and the siren very amusing and familiar. 

Finally on the morning of the seventh day, you wake in the darkness of your bedroom to find that Mark’s side of the bed is empty.

It’s late. Or early. The sky outside the window of your bedroom is still a deep, dark shade of blue with stars just barely visible, tiny pinpricks of silver light in the sky. You can see the ink of the sea in the distance, whitecap waves reflecting moonlight.

The night is truly silent tonight. Your view out the window could be nothing more than just a pretty picture in the frame for all the sound you catch – no wind blowing, you can’t hear the waves rushing against the shoreline. No one whispers in the halls or other rooms of Ira’s house. The only sound is the thundering of your own heart in your ears and the dull sizzling sound of your handprints you’ve burnt into the sheets where you’ve been clutching them.

A nightmare is what woke you.

It’s similar to the one you had a week ago, centered on Hell. Every part of it was confusing and disappointing as each element of your plot to rescue Ten and Yuta fell through completely. You woke when the dream couldn’t possibly have gotten any worse.

You saw them burning. 

Everyone.

Everyone burned. Yuta and Ten, although that should have been impossible. Mark and WinWin, Ira, the sirens, the others that Ira has drawn here to his island to help you with this mission. 

They were all burning in your dream. The dream was so vivid that you could smell burning hair and flesh; you could see the terror in their eyes; you could hear their cries and screams. You had heard the vile laughter of the Queen of the Night, cackling with wicked delight while they burned and she made you watch.

Now, as you lie here in the waking aftermath of your nightmare, you try to focus on your surroundings to ground you in the present. 

Behind you, WinWin is unmoving, an arm pitched above his head, the sheets twisted around his hips, one exposed leg visible and covered in white scars like lightning bolts originating from the silvery bite mark left behind by the Fell Beasts. Tonight he’s unbothered, deep in dreams so he doesn’t budge even as you leave the bed, as you quietly dress yourself. 

Soft snores sound from the bedrooms you pass. There’s no sign of anyone being awake, no sounds of the unsleeping vampires being aware of you moving through the house. You creep down the spiral stairs, taking careful steps to keep quiet as you make your way out through the front door. 

Dawn is just beginning to touch the perfect blue darkness of night. Peach colored sunrise swirls through the navy clouds and the steel gray of the choppy sea. Deep shadows remain over much of the island, and you stick to them, remembering Johnny’s advice of bending shadows to help hide you, which you apply skillfully as you leave the eaves of the house towards the cliff’s edge.

As you walk forward, you glance backwards, attempting to look up at the lighthouse tower’s peak, trying to see if maybe Mark is up there. You know he’s got a tendency to climb up the tower so he can sit there and stare at the stars. If he’s up there right now, you can’t distinguish him from the dark. And if he is up there, he must not notice you because he doesn’t descend to join you or stop you either way.

You don’t want him to join you.

The nightmares that have been plaguing you all week have been bad enough, but the one you just awoke from truly has put you in a state of panic. No one else can come with you, you saw the argument for that in your dream. Everyone here on the island has been helpful in these planning stages, but if they come with you, they’re just weaknesses for you, they’ll hold you back and make you much more noticeable than if you just go by yourself.

You know how to get off the island now, and you have a plan for exactly how you’re going to get into Hell, how you’re going to locate Ten and Yuta, and how you’re going to escape. You’ve even got a Plan B tucked away in the back of your mind in case your original plan goes awry.

The beach looks nearly the same as it had the day that you arrived. Foamy white waves crash against the shore, rushing through the pebbles as you near the water’s edge. 

Since your arrival to Ira’s island, you’d wondered several times how the portal magic worked for the island. Ira and Renjun had made it clear that it was only possible to enter the island via portal, and that made sense. Up until a few days ago when one rescue strategy had been discussed, you hadn’t known how to leave the island. At what point did the sea become a portal back to the rest of the world?

Ira had led all of the group out onto the porch outside the front door. With his arm outstretched, he pointed out at the sea visible beyond the cliff’s edge. “See the water, where it turns from a shallow turquoise to a darker blue? Do you see the circle of turquoise out a little further? It’s straight out from the inlet where you all came in.”

The sea faded from turquoise closer to the shore to a deeper blue as the sea floor dropped off, but then there was in fact a pocket of lighter color out in the deep.

“This portal works a bit different from other portals. To exit the secure space I’ve placed this island in, you have to have a specific mental picture of your destination, you have to focus on it and push through.”

“Push through? It’s in the middle of the water. How will we know when we’ve reached the portal to push through and to focus?” Jeno had turned to your father in confusion. 

Mark, standing beside you in the shadow of the house’s doorway, grimaced. “Trust me, you’ll know. Coming through is easy enough, but when we left to find you guys, I thought like you. It was in the middle of the water, so how would we know? But it’s like hitting an invisible wall. You have to focus on holding your destination in mind while you also push through what feels like a solid wall of water.”

Ira nods. “I didn’t make it easy to come and go.”

And now, in the present moment as you stand on the shore and face the morning gray of the sea, you hope you’ll be able to find the portal. From down here at the water level, you can’t see a difference in the water like you’d been able to from up above. It’s impossible to tell how far out you’re going to have to swim.

You stare out at the water. 

If you don’t go now, you’re going to lose your nerve.

Images of your dream last night flash through your mind.

Ten screaming as hungry flames consumed him. Yuta’s body stretched out on the floor as veins of poisoned fire wrapped around his throat, crawling over his cheeks and mouth. 

It had all seemed so real, so terrifying. You can’t take another night of not knowing that they’re safe, of not having them in your arms again.

The seawater is cool where it touches your bare ankle. 

Ira had said the portal is just a straight swim out from the shore. You can do this. 

You take a few steps more out into the water, shivering as the cool water rises up your body, as the waves splash it even higher. 

You pull in a deep, full breath and with one last glimpse back at the cliffs behind you – halfway hoping to see a familiar face, halfway checking to make sure that there isn’t anyone watching. There isn’t anyone. You face the horizon again, and you dive beneath the surface.

Below the water, the world is dark and still. You’re still close to the shore, in only a few feet of water, but as you begin swimming forward, the bottom falls away beneath you. Darkness grows around you when you reach the open water of the sea. There’s a different feeling to the water, a hollowness and a pull of gravity as the forever black maw opens beneath you.

High above you, the sunrise bursts in prismatic colors over the surface. Your lungs begin to ache and your heart longs for you to rise to the surface again, to feel the heat of the sunrise on your face and a fresh breath of air filling your lungs, but instead you keep swimming forward into the endless, deep dark.

The pressure grows stronger  in your chest, in your head, in your throat, and you feel like you’re being squeezed to death and frozen as the sea around you becomes entirely black. Momentarily, the thought crosses your mind that you’ve slipped right through the portal without being aware, that you’ve been somehow sucked into that Abyss that Yuta and Ten once told you about – the place where soulless supernaturals go when they die.

And then, you feel it.

A wall of pressure.

You pull an image of your destination into your mind, focusing on it with every part of you that’s not worrying about being able to breathe, and you push forward.

You feel as if you’re making absolutely no progress no matter how hard you push against it, and for a moment you’re right back trapped in that mirror at the House of the Watchers – again, you can’t breathe, you’re trapped against a barrier with everything you want on the other side. You push and you push, trying to keep a river a million miles away held in your mind, pushing, pushing, feeling your lungs seizing in your chest and dots of blackness and sparks of impossible light spark across your vision.

The world breaks around you, shattering and transforming into a world of bright sound and heat and so much air.

Each breath sears your lungs, your chest burning in an entirely unpleasant manner, but you can’t help gasping for more and more air. Your hair drips into your eyes, making them sting. There’s so much noise, and after the suffocation of the deep sea, all of this everything is very disorienting.

It takes a moment or two of treading water before you realize that your escape from the island actually worked.

River water stains your skin with tiny granules of silt, a twig has tangled itself in your hair as well as a slimy piece of plant life that has twisted through your fingers. You shake it off, pluck the twig from your hair, and you look back up to the banks of the river you’re in, at the high city buildings reaching up into the orange haze of the sky.

You’ve come back to Hell City.

Something silvery flickers by you in the water, and it takes a moment too long for you to realize what it is. Another pale streak rushes by you, and this time you recognize it for what it is. A memory rises to the surface of your mind.

In your early days here, as Ten and Yuta showed you around the city, they’d brought you here to the riverwalk along this river that marks the border of Hell City. Right now, you’re a bit upriver from that spot where the river splits in two, but you still remember clearly leaning against the railing with Yuta beside you, his arm wound around your waist to keep you from tipping into the dangerous water.

It’s the memory of that day that has inspired your rescue plan. 

“What do you see when you look at the water?” Yuta had asked you that day. And that morning, just as right now, you’d seen a whitish silver ribbon twisting through the water. With his hands on you, keeping you safely planted on solid ground, Yuta had explained to you, “Those are spirits of the damned. This river leads straight to Hell. Proper Hell, not just this city. Water is a transmitter, or conductor, carrying the spirits down where they belong. A little way down the way, the river vanishes underground, and it never resurfaces.”

It’s funny, thinking back on that now. You’ve definitely learned that water works as a pathway – it’s taken you to Purgatory and to Ira’s little special corner of the universe, and it’s brought you back here.

And if your plan works, this river is going to take you straight to Hell.

This is something that has come up in your week of planning. Jaemin’s voice echoes from the back of your mind. “Once you’re in that river, it’s a certainty as to where you’re going. Because the river is a one-way ticket to Hell. Spirit Express, no stops, no clear return.”

In the present moment, you can already feel the current of the river sucking at you, pulling you downstream. A cold wave slaps into the side of your head, and you swear you hear a voice whispering a death song in your ear, and you keep your mouth closed tightly, trying to keep your face above water, even as the current pulls you along, threatening to drag you under even as you fight to stay afloat.

And then you see it just up ahead. The river forks.

One branch of the river continues on through the regular, mortal, unmagical world towards the ocean. The other branch grows darker and darker until eventually it delves underground, passing briefly through Hell City’s underground, and then surging even deeper below to the realm of the demons; this branch of the river is the one that has you in its gravity.

And suddenly it really has a grip on you. You’re being propelled forward in the water, carried along faster than you had been just a moment before, racing towards the place where the river disappears underground.

The moment is obvious when the power of the great river of the damned finally overpowers the simple current of the natural river. One moment, you’re still able to fight to keep your head above water, and the next you can feel the force of the water pulling you downward.

You keep getting pulled under, managing one final gasp for breath in the instant before it’s impossible, sucking in a little of the river water despite all of your previous attempts. It tastes like poison as it trickles over your tongue, and the moment you resurface, you cough and gag, trying to expel the toxic water. Repeat.

Occasionally, you feel something else in the water, hitting against you, bumping and slithering and slimy. Mostly it feels incorporeal, as if you’re just feeling passing souls. Until you feel the tug at your ankles, the gravity pushing you down further from the surface.

You wish you had something to hold onto, some easier way to get to Hell than this, but Jaemin and Jeno had assured you that this was going to be the easiest way for all of you to get there, and even though you’re going this alone now, you don’t know any other way to get to Hell. 

You’re being sucked downward, and you flail around, trying to claw your way back to the surface for one last breath, one last glimpse of the sunlight –

Free-fall.

You’re in free-fall, no longer controlled by the river’s current but by gravity.

Lights flicker to life – far away and below you, growing rapidly bigger and closer.

You recognize where you are, but you’ve never seen it from this perspective.

You’re tumbling in the waterfall you’ve seen before, racing through Hell City’s underground, and within seconds you’ll be crashing into the next layer of the underworld. Streams of silvery light surround you, and if you could really force your eyes to focus on anything, you feel certain that you might be able to make out features of faces or limbs. These are souls, after all.

The air is full of voices – whispers of the souls, your own screams.

You feel the impact as your body crashes into the pool of water at the base of Hell City’s underground waterfall. It doesn’t hurt necessarily, but you can feel the water passing like a heavy wave beating against you when you stand unprepared in the surf. And then everything is dark and cool again. The air is filled with the rushing sound of water and passing air and all the whispers of the souls around you. And you’re spinning.

It takes a moment to really realize that, but soon you come to understand that you’re spiraling downwards in tighter and tighter curls, moving faster and faster, you and all of these souls are funneled to a point.

You’re spinning in the darkness, and then suddenly you’re not.

In a great cold splash and a burst of warm light, you’re standing dripping wet on a stone floor. 

“What the fuck?” You hiss, blinking and looking around.

Directly in front of you is the broad back of a very tall, large man. He doesn't turn to look at you, only shuffling forward a step. 

A cold wave of water rushes over your feet as a considerable splash sounds from behind you.

You glance over your shoulder and find an elderly woman standing there with round glasses sliding toward the tip of her nose, her hair curling loose down to her shoulders. She doesn’t seem to take too much notice of you. Momentarily, there’s another big splash, a second wave assaulting your feet as a spout of water shoots down from the distant blackness of the ceiling, the jet of water deposits another soul in what appears to be a line growing behind you.

You twist around to the front, leaning around the broad man in front of you to get a look at what you’re in line for.

“What the fuck?” You repeat, looking at the line that stretches into the impenetrable distance. It winds forward, twisting around rocky structures that jut up from the floor. A deep reddish-orange glow semi-illuminates this vast space, but the end of the line in either direction – as the spout of water continues to deposit an endless string of souls behind you in line – is swallowed by the same darkness that resides above your head.

But do you really have to wait in line?

None of the others around you pay any attention to you or anyone else. They all wear bored, resigned expressions, content to shuffle forward step by step as the line slowly shifts forward with some unknown signal.

It is eerily silent. Your brain can’t comprehend the absolute lack of sound when you can see so many people. You should be able to hear breathing or some slight shifting, fabric brushing together, feet moving on the floor, an exasperated sigh or grumbling under the breath. You even half expect to hear a distant echo, water droplets trickling down from somewhere or even dripping from clothes, but as the Hell Delivery System waterfall moves ever farther down the line, you can’t even hear its roar of delivery anymore.

And you’re soaking wet. Uncomfortably so.

You know that you could easily call your demon fire and make quick work of drying yourself off, but some instinctive feeling in your belly is telling you not to do that. It might just draw attention to you.

Not that there seems to be anyone overseeing this line, enforcing behavior. If you just stand here waiting in line for some unknown end, you’ll just be wasting time. There probably isn’t anyone who will even notice if you cut the line a little.

You’ve moved only a dozen paces since your arrival. 

You take a step out of line, pause, waiting for something to happen.

After a few beats, nothing has happened.

You begin to move, passing up the column of this endless queue. No one moves or spares you a glance, speaks or breathes or anything. So you walk, and you walk and walk and walk, searching for the front of the line.

Is this Hell? Just this, waiting in line forever? Moving forward inch by inch for all of eternity. Because you’ve been walking for at least half an hour, and the front of the line doesn’t seem anywhere in sight. Although, the scenery has slightly changed. There seem to be more outcroppings of rock here, and there are large torches mounted to the walls, providing a stronger orange light than the previous ambient red-orange glow.

Another fifteen minutes pass by in unchanging silence. You look behind you to see the line vanishing back into dim light some distance back, twisting out of sight around a big boulder. Ahead of you looks pretty much the same.

But then you hear something.

It sounds like footsteps, so you freeze. Sharp clicking footsteps pass over the stone floor. Heavy breathing and the acrid scent of brimstone.

A demon.

You don’t dare to move even a little bit. Wherever this demon is, it must be ahead of you, around the next curve of the line, but you’re sure even a slight move would draw its attention to exactly where you are as it prowls along the line.

Sure enough, around the curve ahead, you see a puff of black smoke, a shadow painted on the wall of a beast. It’s coming towards you.

You clench your hands into fists, and you feel your nails bite against your palms hard enough to break skin.

The demon’s shadow on the wall twitches, head tilting curiously to the side, and you glance down to see a trickle of your blood as it drips from your hand.

A sharp whistle cuts through the never-ending space, echoing off the rock walls and the invisible ceiling. The demon twists around, a growl rumbling from it. A second whistle, and the beast sets off in the opposite direction. You hear a grinding sound of stone against stone, a third whistle and another growl from the demon.

You take a step forward, conscious of the coarse sand that dusts the stone floor, aware that even a slightly wrong move could cause sound. If only there was some way to silence your footsteps so you could sneak forward, hopefully catching a glimpse around the next curve of the line, maybe to see what is happening ahead. Have you finally found the front of the line?

You take a tentative step forward, and there’s a soft crunch of a pebble beneath your foot.

Your heart leaps in your throat, but then you remember.

During the weeks of Ira’s lack of availability and assistance with this plan, you’d dug into any and all of the books he had in his home. There were boring books about gardening and maintenance, cookbooks, and even self-help books, but there had also been histories of the Watchers, but these were ancient texts that you felt must be from the early days of the Watchers because they were just histories, they held information pertaining to the instruction of young Watchers. 

Those texts you had devoured, pouring over them for long hours until Mark or WinWin had dragged you away, providing you with ample distraction. 

But you had learned some things from those texts about the powers of the Watchers, the abilities that you possess. You’d practiced a few things, but you are fully aware that you’re a long way from being adept at the skills. 

Although, one of the magical skills you’d read about, and that you’d once attempted semi-successfully, had been the power to become undetectable – invisible and silent – for up to an hour. You’d used that experiment to sneak up on WinWin and scare him, for which you’d had to apologize and make it up to him when you returned to detectability about ten minutes later.

But isn’t that what you need right now? To be undetectable?

Luckily, the process had been rather simple, and you’d made certain to memorize it before even attempting it that first time. 

The powers of the Watchers were magic like you’d not quite seen it before. Sure, some of it involved fancy words and waving your hands around, but there was a simplicity to it all that almost seems deceptive, like you feel like it should be much more difficult than it is, and by finding it easy, you must be doing it wrong. But that’s not the case at all. Maybe it seems that way because you’re so new to this power that you were actually born with; it’s a part of you, so natural that it just flows without having to work too hard at it. 

Either way, the effort to become undetectable right now is simple. 

The sandy soil underfoot is actually much more fine than you’d believed. It’s a soft, reddish-brown powder that clings to your fingertips as you crouch and gather a handful. Disturbingly, it reminds you of dried blood. 

You spit into the small pile of soil in your hand, mixing it into a paste that you try not to think too much about as you dip your paste-coated fingers and paint them around your face.

It’s more difficult without a mirror to know if you’re getting the runes correct, but you hope that you don’t fuck it up too much.

You can tell it’s taking effect, and you begin to hurry before you lose the ability of physical touch. This spell truly makes you undetectable – invisible, silent, and intangible.

Just as you put the finishing touches on yourself, you see your fingertips fading away.

You lift your hand to your face, and you can feel your breath on your fingertips, and you think that maybe there’s the barest imprint on the air in front of you, but you can’t actually see anything there. Beneath you – where your feet should be – there’s no sign of your footprints, not even when you take a step forward.

As you walk around the curve, you don’t find the front of the line. You’re certainly closer to the front, but now the line straightens out instead of curving, moving forward into the far distance where you can see looming high in the shadows, the faintly lit arch of a massive doorway. But right here beside the line, just on this side of that curve in the rocks, is a hidden doorway. You can still see a glowing outline of it as you reach it, but your intangible fingers can’t find any purchase to pry the door open.

Again, this is where you’re grateful to be part Watcher. There’s a magical phrase for this, and a moment later the hidden doorway is grinding open again, revealing a narrow hallway roughly carved through the rock, winding away and downward. To a certain degree, it reminds you of the passages Yuta and Ten had led you through to take you from the surface of Hell City down into its underground, although these tunnels of Hell are much better illuminated. 

Once you’re through the entrance, you close the door again with a simple wave of your hand.

The rocky ridges in the walls of the tunnel are a warmer reddish brown than where the evenly spaced torches along the walls illuminate. You get a vague impression that you’re staring down a great beast’s throat, looking at the insides of its ribcage. As you pass silently down the tunnel – footsteps leaving no mark in the sandy floor nor even a scuff or sound of your footfalls – you grow even more aware of how you’re sinking further and further into Hell.

The flickering light of the torches on the ribbed walls of the tunnel truly gives the sense of being slowly swallowed by a beast, and you’re terrified and exhilarated to learn what awaits you.

And then you see it.

A small archway up ahead, open and unguarded.

Slipping through the archway into Hell Proper is easy, but what you find immediately on the other side is less so.

The hidden tunnel didn’t just bypass the rest of Hell’s eternal waiting line to the Great Gates. You managed to bypass a lot of the structure of Hell, and the tunnel has spat you out into the one place that you’ve feared and yet dreamed about for too long now.

You’re in the throne room of the Queen of the Night.

You’re in the very belly of the beast.

And you’re not alone.

You melt into the shadows at the edge of the throne room, pressing your back to the wall, your shoulders blend into an enormous woven tapestry as you make an attempt to conceal yourself even more against its pattern. There are too many people – or demons, you suppose – for you to feel safe even with your Watcher spell making you undetectable. Your heart pounds as you look around, observing the space. 

The ceiling vanishes above you into darkness just as it had in Hell’s lobby, but here there’s at least a hint of architecture. Something sort of Gothic, sort of Art Nouveau which adds an odd bit of whimsy to the otherwise imposing aura. Columns span the length of the room, leading your eye toward the apse – a semicircular space at the far end of the room, the ceiling ribbed and vaulted. The back curved wall of the apse is more window than wall, and it reminds you of something you might have seen in a Church before, although it’s much more dark and whimsical than the structured beauty of a Church’s stained glass window. It has an organic feel to it, like the wall is covered in vines that have grown around irregularly shaped black windows. 

You try not to imagine those windows as eyes, but it’s difficult to do. You feel as if you’re being observed. 

Seated there above it all, doing nothing to help the feeling of being watched, is the Queen’s throne. The high seat is housed in the apse, and you’ve seen it before.

Her throne is exactly as you’d pictured it in your dreams. Massive. An unscalable monolith, carved of black stone that reflects torchlight from the walls, thin trails of liquid darkness seep from unknown pores in the throne, and although you can’t see the base of the throne at the moment due to the throng of of demons in the way, you know that black liquid is dripping down into the black pool the throne rises from. You’d dreamed it exactly like this. 

And also like your dreams, seated atop the throne is the Queen herself, veiled in shadow.

All you can see of her are her hands, which are clawed and deformed. Her twisted long fingers are pale as bone until they taper at the tips into black points which she taps against the arms of her throne. Her voice is a rasp, reminiscent of dry leaves rattling against each other, like bare branches snapping in a strong breeze, and an underlying tone of train wheels screeching on the track. Whatever language she’s speaking in, you can’t understand it, although the demons around you certainly seem to.

They cheer at whatever it is that she’s rasping in her unholy voice.

A demon rises up above the crowd on stilt-like legs, pronouncing something that you still can’t understand. A few others respond, and the Queen laughs – her voice echoes sharply around the room, bounced back at you by all the hard stone. 

And then you hear the rattle of chains. An eerie clinking.

You need to get closer.

Even sticking to the edges of the throne room, skirting the gathered court, you narrowly avoid detection. There are guards stationed along the walls, as well as court members whose presences overflow even beyond their physical forms – similar to Johnny back on Ira’s island, with his shadows that reach beyond himself. 

At one point, you swear one of the demons turns its head to look in your direction, but it can’t see through your Watcher magic, so it turns back to face the Queen.

You keep moving until you reach the front of the crowd, until you can see the black pool beneath the throne. Heavy chains in the dark water, just like your dreams. But unlike your dreams, the chains aren’t looped around the limbs of your boyfriends. Now the chains lie limp in the water, empty.

You’re not sure if you feel relief or some other unnamed combination of fear and horror and frustration.

If they’re not here, like they had been in your dream, then where are they?

Are they hiding on the other side of the throne? Perhaps they’re just not visible from your vantage point here, and if you could just squeeze through the crowd….

It’s easier said than done.

More than once, one of the demons bumps into you, which shouldn’t be possible unless your undetectability is wearing off. Luckily, those that bump into you seem to think they’ve just bumped into another demon in the crowd with them, and they brush it off, but each time it happens you curl in a little tighter on yourself, pushing onward.

And then someone steps directly into your path, and you pull up short. 

Another demon stands slightly behind the first, reaching up to adjust the collar of the first demon’s jacket, to brush nonexistent lint from the demon’s shoulders. 

“Stop,” the demon hisses. 

The second demon drops his hands from the other’s shoulders, murmuring a quiet, “Yes, my Prince.”

A Prince of Hell. 

Ten and Yuta had once briefly mentioned the Princes to you in passing. The five Princes of Hell mostly kept to themselves, although both of your boyfriends had met them a few times. 

The Prince standing before you is very handsome. Dark reddish brown hair curls around his ears. His eyes glow a deep red as he turns to look over his shoulder at what must surely be a servant. 

Suddenly, another demon shoulders his way forward through the crowd. He’s taller than the first Prince, his hair a smooth ebony encircled by a crown of obsidian. 

“Kun,” he says, “We missed you.”

Prince Kun — the first Prince — turns to his brother. “Mother had me handling some business.” He faces the Queen, listening intently as she continues speaking her demonic tongue. “Hendery, don’t you ever wonder why she tries to keep us separate from our people? It’s only times like these she allows us among them, and even then she wants us to be kept apart. To be just simply out on display.” 

Hendery’s head turns slightly, and you follow his gaze to a small dais off to the side. Three other Princes sit there on thrones carved of dark stone, looking bored. 

“You know why,” Hendery answers. “It’s to keep us safe.”

When Kun looks at his younger brother, his eyes seem to flare a shade brighter. “If we’re never among our people, how can they ever hope to know us? How are we to ever understand them? And if they don’t know us and we don’t know them, what hope do any of us ever have of ruling them?”

His jaw clenches, hands curling into fists at his sides. Hendery only gives his brother a look of mild confusion. 

“Sometimes, Hendery, I think that Mother never plans to pass the throne on.” Kun’s voice has lowered to the point that you need to strain to hear it, meant only for his brother’s ears. “Sometimes I wonder if I’ll have to steal it from her so I can fulfill my destiny as King.”

“Don’t say that.” There’s now a tick in Hendery’s jaw. 

“I’ve made it clear how I feel in the past about Mother’s rule, the changes and improvements I will make when I’m King. Don’t act like this is anything new.” Kun turns to face his brother, and you spot other demons in the crowd casting sideways glances at their two Princes. 

A third Prince, this one with silver hair and a light and bright expression, appears and throws his arms around the shoulders of his brothers. “Come, brothers. Let’s go sit. Mom says there’s a feast after her speech.”

Unwilling to continue their argument in front of their younger brother, both Kun and Hendery drop it. They carve a path through the crowd on the way back to the dais. You take the opportunity created in their wake, and you make your way clear through the crowd, following them although you don’t plan to reach their thrones with them. 

Instead, once you reach the edge of the Queen of the Night's audience, you turn your attention again to the pool at the base of her throne and the chains rusting in the liquid. 

On this side of the throne room, you can see that the pool of water trails away toward the sides of the room, trickling through a grated section at the back of the apse. There are more chains scattered throughout the water, all of them empty. Well, mostly empty. You try not to look too closely as you catch a pearly gleam of bones tangled in one of the lengths of chain. 

There’s a narrow strip of raised stone along the edge of the room just below where some of the chains are bolted into the walls. The dark water swirls, a light current keeping it moving on the way toward those grates in the back. 

High above you on the throne, the Queen’s voice still echoes out over her people. As you’re still invisible and unable to understand what the Queen of the Night is saying, you decide to take the opportunity to explore the apse.

The narrow pathway is just wide enough for you to fit without touching the water. Every few feet as you shuffle along it, you glance backwards.

All of the demons are still gazing upwards at their Queen. The dais of Princes are the only ones who aren’t devoting all of their attention to her. Kun is sitting on his throne, his left ankle resting on his knee as he disinterestedly picks at his nails. The dark-haired Hendery keeps casting glances at his elder brother. The young silver-haired prince is distractedly stroking the backs of the phantom shadow cats that twine around his ankles and stand on his shoulders and rest on the arms of his throne; as you watch, one stretches up to place its paws on his chest and rub its shadowy head beneath his chin. 

There are two other Princes sitting there, both of them with their heads bowed together in quiet conversation, although they appear to be joking around, judging by the barely suppressed laughter. One of them looks as if he’s part-bat – large membranous wings are tucked behind him. His wings are dark and angular, although the webbing is thin and paler in color. He’s very handsome, despite the bat wings and the vicious blood red color of his eyes. His hair is a deep, dark brown color, parted precisely down the middle, and two sections of his bangs fall down to perfectly frame his face.

The last Prince is round-faced, pale, and very relaxed. He’s handsome as well, although at this point you’re half-certain that being extremely handsome is a demonic condition. His jaw is so strong, his eyes gleam with mirth as he whispers with his brother. He exudes a sense of casualness, a very go-with-the-flow vibe that immediately puts you at ease even as you’re sneaking around behind his mother’s throne.

Perhaps it puts you a little too at ease.

Upon your next step, your foot slips.

Your toes dip into the water, and to your surprise, a few shallow ripples spread out over the surface of the dark liquid.

You dart a glance toward the high throne, toward the crowd, and to the Princes. 

Prince Kun has turned to look in your direction, his eyebrows furrowed together as he scans the shadows where you hide. You hope that your spell of undetectability, which is clearly beginning to wear off, stands up beneath the Prince’s scrutiny. His eyes narrow, focusing on the back section of the apse, but after another moment, he blinks and returns to his nails.

Moving forward, you go more carefully.

You’re not sure exactly what you expect to find back here. Maybe it’s something about those dark eye-like windows staring down at you, but you feel drawn into the shadows at the back of the apse, to the place where you can hear the dark water trickling and tink tink tinking down through the grate. 

When you reach the end of the stone edging, you’re right there upon the grating.

There’s an odd swoop in your belly as you take the first step onto the drain. Maybe it’s because it’s not a solid surface, and you halfway expect the thin bars to give way beneath your weight. But they hold and you take another step and another, making your way to the very back of the apse. 

There’s a doorway.

The door is recessed, half hidden in the shadows between intricate carvings, a leering gargoyle with wings like the Prince back on the dais. 

Of course, the strange pull you’re feeling is guiding you towards that doorway. 

You take a step towards the doorway, and as you do, the gargoyle moves.

A flutter of its wings. A shake of its head. 

It turns away from you, its ears tilting like dog ears do when they’re listening for something. You hold your breath, pleading with the universe to let your undetectability hold for just a little longer. You walk lightly, quietly, without breathing, and you slip right by the gargoyle, into the recessed doorway.

A yawning mouth opens before you. 

Almost literally.

The doorway has stalactites hanging from the top like jagged teeth. A cool draft plays with your hair as it breathes by you from the dark maw beyond the doorway. The air is damp, carrying with it the smell of mildew and sulfur. 

The knot in your belly tightens, rising in your throat as you whisper another helpful spell Ira’s books had taught you. Nightvision. 

Although the path had been pitch black a moment before, the way before you suddenly blooms in color. The night vision provided by the spell isn’t quite like what you thought counted as night vision in your old life. It’s not all green and black, like you’d seen in movies and on TV. Everything is just… glowy. Like there is an ambient faint light source providing just enough light that you can see the cracks in the stones on the floor and the walls. You can see where a few feet ahead of you the path becomes stairs diving down into the unknown. 

You take those stairs carefully, trying not to slip on the damp, slick stone where it’s been worn smooth by use over the eons. 

Down and down and down deeper you wind, until at last you reach the bottom, only to find a barred door padlocked shut. You’re surprised that you can see a little bit better through the barred window of the door, and as you peer into the dark, you think the increased visibility is due to a faint light source from high above; you can hear a soft trickle, and you realize that the light and the water sound is likely coming from the drain grate high overhead. 

You can see little else than some rough rocks – large boulder-like monoliths that glisten wetly. You think for a moment that you hear the rattle of a chain, but then there’s nothing. No movement, no sound. What if you’ve come all the way down here, and this is just the chamber where the Queen of the Night keeps some horrid, monstrous pet? 

But still, there’s a weight in your belly, a magnetic pull that swoops as you step right up to the bars of the door, as you curl your hands around the bar and press your face between the gap, trying to get a better look around even as the rusty texture of the bars scrapes against your cheeks.

High above you, there’s a distant roar. It takes a moment for you to realize it’s the clamor of the crowd gathered before the Queen. They’re cheering about something. Thunder rumbles overhead, and you swear a few pebbles dislodge from the faraway ceiling, shaken loose by the drumbeats of footsteps in celebration as the demons continue their rallying.

Again, you hear movement. A chain’s rattle. The quiet echo of a single footstep followed by a quiet incomprehensible murmur.

Your heart thuds a beat harder.

You reach for the padlock, and without waiting, without thinking about if this is a terrible idea that you’ll come to regret, you reach below your surface for the fire that’s always there. 

Demon fire bursts to life in your hand, glowing white-hot and then flaring blue at the core of your hand, wrapped around the padlock until the metal softens and then melts, dripping to the floor like small drops of starlight.

The cell door groans slightly as your luminous hand pushes at it, melting the metal even as it swings open on rusty hinges. 

In the light given off by your skin, you can see what you hadn’t been able to before.

At first you think it is a statue, as still as it is with its face upturned to the light and sound above. Then, you realize it’s another gargoyle. 

Ram’s horns curl from the sides of his head, clawed feet and fingers of abnormal length. He stands nude with his back to you, and where you would imagine wings would jut from his shoulders, there are instead cracked lines in the shape of wings stretching from the nape of his neck down to his tailbone. At his feet another gargoyle kneels, also nude with wings etched into his back, a tail curls over his thigh, shaggy hair reaches almost to his shoulders, and two sharp horns rise from the top of his head, curving slightly forward.

It’s only when the one standing turns his head that you gasp.

The eyes are sunken in shadow. The face is gaunt and pale.

But you would recognize those eyes anywhere.

“Yuta,” you choke out, tears rising to your eyes as you stumble forward. 

The kneeling one lifts his head at the sound of your voice, his eyes striking against your soul. 

“Ten?” You collapse on your knees in front of them both. 

Now that you’re closer you can see the manacles on their ankles, the chains stretching back towards the wall. You reach for Ten’s face first, your palms gentle as you touch his sharp, unfamiliar bone structure. “What happened to you?”

Ten turns his head, unable to meet your gaze. 

“Are you really here?” Yuta rasps, his voice dry and rattling in his chest. “How are you here? Did she find you?”

You tug on Ten’s chin, turning his face back towards yours. He meets your eyes once briefly before looking at the floor again – they’re the yellow cat eyes that he used to flash at you on occasion. You stroke his cheek tenderly; he might not look how he did the last time you saw him, but that doesn’t change anything. 

“No, she didn’t find me,” You answer Yuta, “Renjun got us out of the House of the Watchers; he got us safely to my father,” you tell them. 

Ten lifts his head, his eyes bright. “He did?”

Your heart warms in your chest when he looks into your eyes. “Yes. And the first thing I made my father promise was that we would come rescue you. Now here I am, and I’m getting you out of here, bringing you to safety under my father’s protection.” You rise to your feet again.

Yuta shifts towards you, and when you reach for him, he stops you with his fingers light on your wrist. “My love, you can’t.”

You jerk your hand away from his hold. “What do you mean ‘I can’t?’ What can’t I do?”

With a clanking sound, Ten stands as well. 

“You can’t break us out of here,” Ten explains softly. “We’re bound here by the Queen’s law. And if she finds you here, she’s going to destroy you.” Now he lays his hand on your cheek, just as gentle as you’d been with him.

“Fuck that. I can save you both. I didn’t come all of this way, sneaking out of my father’s place, finding my way to Hell’s entrance, and sneaking in here all alone just to find you and not save you. Why would I give up so easily?” You take a half step back, looking between your boyfriends. You haven’t even properly had the time to rejoice in finding them, and they’re trying to drown your mood with this dark pessimism?

Yuta shakes his head. “For the moment, we’re going to ignore that you just said you’re here alone, which is insane. You don't understand. You can’t break us out. We’re chained in here. We’ve never seen a key, and these chains are impervious to everything we’ve tried, which isn’t too much honestly because all that’s down here is rocks. We can’t even really use magic because demon magic doesn’t work well within the walls of this chamber; trust me, we’ve tried. 

“For weeks, each of us has tried time and again to get a message out to you, to contact you in some way or see you through a veil. We tried to build a binding connection between ourselves and you so maybe we could pass a message along, show you how to find us. A few weeks ago, Ten thought he was almost successful at opening a tiny window, but all we saw was starlit darkness and a tall light blazing in the distance.” 

You remember that night on the island when you and WinWin and Renjun sat on the porch. You thought you’d seen something in the distance. A blip of something. A light, maybe. Could that have been them? 

“Trying to reach you has taken all of what natural energy remained; it’s why we look like this. Our true forms.” Yuta holds his arms out so you can see all of him bared in the light from above. “How can you still want us when we look like this?”

You scoff. “Seriously? You think I’m so shallow that I care what you look like right now? I love you both. I have fought my way through Hell and high water – literally – to get here. And I’m not going to pretend, but I’m honestly a little distracted and turned on by the sight of Ten’s dick right now. So yeah, I still want you now.” You cast a small glance between Ten’s legs where there’s an actual goddamned forked penis. “Which I was right about your dick, Ten, and you lied, I’d just like to point out.”

For the first time in too long, you see a ghost of Ten’s smile. Before you first had sex, he’d told you that he definitely didn’t have a forked penis or a tail or horns; but now you’re seeing the real him, and it turns out he’s actually got all three.

“And as for the chains, I’m sure I can find a way to break them.” You take a step back, looking down at the chains and manacles keeping them prisoner down here. “I just need to think.”

Overhead, the sound of the Queen and the crowd pours down through the grate. 

“What’s going on up there, anyway?” You ask, crouching to get a closer look at the manacle on Yuta’s ankle.

Silence is the only answer you receive until you look up.

Both of your boyfriends look down at you. You ask, “What?”

Ten looks at Yuta. “Just tell her.”

Yuta sighs. “A trial. The Queen and the Princes and all of the court are up there, right? She only does that for a big trial.” He pauses, lifting a hand up to touch one of his ram’s horns. “Specifically, this is our trial. Although, it’s as much a trial as the one the Watcher’s were going to give us. Our Queen seeks the death penalty for our disobedience and disloyalty; and who among her court and sons are going to tell her no?”

Immediately, the red-haired Prince Kun appears in your mind. But that’s unimportant right now. What is important is breaking these chains. Once you break them, you’ll nearly be done with the rescue.

You grab Yuta’s chain in both hands, and you pull, putting all of your strength and reaching down into that well of power within you to summon your fire. 

Nothing.

“Told you,” Ten says, “Demon powers don’t work in here. If they did, we’d have prettied ourselves up for you, and burned our way out of here forever ago.”

Yuta clucks softly. “We appreciate it, my love, but the trial sounds pretty decided up there. You should leave while you can.”

Both of them flinch at the loud, jarring sound of the chain smacking against the floor as you throw it down and stand up. You’re not anywhere near tall enough to come nose-to-nose with Yuta when he’s in his pure demon form, but you do your best. 

“I’m not leaving you. You’re both absolute idiots if you think I’m going anywhere without you now.” You spin around, turning your back to the both of them as you think. You close your eyes, trying to picture everything that you’ve read and learned and plotted back on Ira’s island. Surely someone in all the planning had come up with something about how to actually break them out. Surely not all of your plans had relied on magic? 

You should’ve brought a crowbar. Would a crowbar help, though? Surely there are tools that would help in this situation that you could’ve toted through your journey to Hell? You should’ve brought a blowtorch or something. 

Ten actually laughs when you say that aloud.

You glare at him. 

“What? I’m just imagining you busting in here with a whole blowtorch, the welder mask, a fuel cylinder, and an oxygen cylinder strapped to your back.” Ten laughs again.

“I wouldn’t need all of that if I’d thought ahead. I could’ve just manifested something that works like it’s got all of that, but it could be small and portable, able to just fit in my hand.” You frown. You’ve created original things before; objects that you’d imagined up and wanted in your apartment in Hell City. You could create whatever you wanted there, in the House of the Watchers, on Ira’s island – shit, you’d even created your own miniature solar system.

Oh.

You’d created your own stars and moons and planets before. 

That hadn’t been just basic manifestation, Ira had assured you when you brought it up one day. That was the Watcher magic that made that possible. Being a Watcher meant that you had the power of creation. It was completely separate from your demon magic. 

You drop to your knees again at the feet of your boyfriends. When you cup your hands together and close your eyes, Ten makes a noise of confusion.

“What are you doing? We told you already that–” He starts, but you cut him off with a quick shh.

Yuta and Ten watch as you dip into your well of power again, and this time you dig deeper, searching for the warm glow of your Watcher powers, focusing on bringing it all together into your hands. You can feel the moment it begins to work, when you feel heat pooling in your palms, when the buzzing in your mind becomes the quiet whispering of thermal energy eating the air, radiant light glowing through your eyelids.

“Maybe you should both look away,” you advise, and you can almost feel the power on your tongue and lips. You can feel the shift of power as the miniature white star takes form in your hands, as you have to keep your mind focused to control it. The star hisses in the damp air, sending up spirals of steam as you move carefully, bringing it closer to Ten’s chain.

When the star meets the chain, it’s a similar effect to your fiery hand encircling the padlock to the cell. Gobs of molten metal drip to the floor as the star liquefies the chain.

Ten gasps when the strain disappears from his ankle. 

Without another moment wasted, you move to Yuta’s bond, melting through his chain just as quickly. As soon as what remains of Yuta’s tether hits the floor, you sink back on your heels, let your hands fall apart, and you focus on dissipating the star safely, cooling it until it sinks, just a perfectly round black pebble resting in the center of your palm.

Again, there is cheering from far above you, and then the cry of the Queen’s voice in one final declaration.

Ten and Yuta look at each other.

“What?” You ask, rising to your feet once again. You slip the dead star into your pocket. “What’s happening up there?”

Ten swallows hard. Yuta shakes his head. 

“It’s over.” Yuta looks at you. “The trial, I mean. She just cried out ‘Death to the disloyal.’”

Your heart does something very strange – it stops beating or beats harder or just simply jerks in your chest – whatever it is, you gasp, clutching at your chest. This can’t happen. You won’t let it. You didn’t come all this way, do all of these things, create a whole fucking white dwarf star to cut your boyfriends free only to have them give up because some fucking Queen up there decided that they should die. 

No. 

You won’t let them.

“You’re not dying today,” you command them. “I refuse to let that happen. We’re leaving. Fuck the Queen. There’s got to be some way out of here that won’t take us back up into the throne room.”

After a moment of uncertainty, Ten looks at you and Yuta. “Well, there is one thing I think we could try.”

Yuta nods. “Then let’s go.”

You try not to look too closely as your boyfriends begin moving. Since you’ve never seen them in their true demon forms before, you’ve never seen them moving, and it’s mildly disturbing honestly. Yuta has backwards knees like an animal, so each step he takes, his knees bend the opposite way that you’re used to seeing. Ten just seems to float a couple inches off the ground. With the horns and the tail and the deep scars down their backs, it feels entirely new to look at them, and you’re beyond grateful when Ten takes the first step through the doorway of their prison and immediately the version of him that you’re used to snaps into place. 

As soon as Yuta follows Ten out, he resumes his usual appearance as well. But you don’t have time to stand there and admire them. Each of them pulls together some semblance of clothing that seems to knit itself from the damp shadows around the edges of the room, covering up their nudity.

“Come on,” Ten whispers, and he glances up the long staircase that leads up to the throne room. 

Darkness puddles in the space under the staircase, and to your surprise, that’s where Ten leads you and Yuta. “I used to explore the palace when I was skipping out on guard duty,” Ten explains in a whisper, “I found plenty of the secret passages and trapdoors and all sorts of secret things. And there’s one that comes out right back here.”

In the dim light, you watch Ten feel along the stone wall until finally his fingers catch in the gap between one stone and the next. There’s a faint click, and then with a grinding sound, a door slides inward to reveal a dark passage within. 

Ten steps in first, then you, and Yuta takes up the end. Once the door swings closed behind you, the tunnel is plunged into darkness. 

You bring a tiny white star to life again in your hands, and for a brief moment you see Ten and Yuta’s faces. You don’t have time to admire them, to actually rejoice in the reunion with your soulmates. You can feel it in the air, in the stones, in the tense set of Ten’s shoulders as he turns and walks away: you’re short on time. 

“Go on, my love.” Yuta’s hand is light against your lower back. “Keep up.”

The tunnel is long and dark, cool and damp. It branches off a few times, it narrows and the ceiling drops to the point that all three of you must crawl on your hands and knees to pass through to a section with a little more height. But Ten seems to know where he’s going, and with the help of your little light and Yuta’s warm hand occasionally reminding you of his presence behind you, you steadily make your way forward. 

“Where are we going?” You ask after several long minutes. 

“There are three exits from Hell,” Ten explains in a whisper. “The first is the entrance, although it’s a little more difficult to leave that way since we’d be going against the flow of souls. The second is the way the Queen brought Yuta and I in; she’s in possession of a mirror that acts as a portal, and that’s how she usually dispatched us on important missions as it’s the most private method of exit.” 

He pauses then at a fork in the path. 

“And the last one?” You ask, stepping up beside him. 

There’s a draft coming from the pathway to the left, but there’s almost a pull trying to guide you down the one on the right. You can see a faint light rightwards, perhaps a little sound of music that makes you want to dance.

“What’s that way?” You take a step ahead, face turned towards the music and the light

Ten and Yuta each grasp one of your wrists. 

“No,” Yuta rasps, “Not that way.”

Again, you feel the draft on your left cheek. The air has a breath of something sweet, something that reminds you of autumn. 

“This way.” Ten takes the lead again, and neither of them releases their hold on your wrists. “This way is the third exit option. It’s the one we’re taking.”

The path toward the light had curved deeper down into Hell, but you realize that the autumn path is leading slightly upward, the incline causing a slight burn in your calves and your breathing comes out harder than you expected as the path grows steeper and steeper until eventually you’re basically facing a wall.

Far above you, you see a light. But in between that light and the three of you down here at the bottom of this wall are about a hundred rungs of a ladder carved into the stone. 

Ten starts climbing, and you have no choice but to follow. You’ve made it up about maybe twenty rungs before your arms start burning, unused to working like this. You wish that you were able to give yourself fully functioning wings so you could fly the rest of the way out of here, but instead you double-down your focus, breathe, and keep climbing.

You barely even notice when Ten disappears from a few rungs above you. It’s only when you reach for the next rung of the ladder and find your hand placed into Ten’s instead, that you realize you’ve reached the top. He hauls you up to your feet on solid ground, and you grip onto his arm as you look around.

You’ve emerged from what is basically a crack in the wall. There’s a crumbling bit of pathway directly in front of you that extends to your left where it eventually joins with a well-kept path. 

The realm opens up in front of you in a cavernous space. Curved bridges arc over canyons you can see down into. Fires of all colors illuminate the paths and bridges and buildings. It’s still rocky, still everything has the cast of the red-brown dirt that made up the tunnels and the entryway, but it’s so much more open than you were expecting it to be. 

Behind you, Yuta clambers up through the crack, joining you and Ten.

“That’s where we’re going,” Ten says, pointing ahead. 

From here, you can’t really tell what it is that he’s pointing at other than a bridge that leads to a floating platform of stone that branches off into four more bridges. 

Off in the distance, you hear a loud, angry cry.

Yuta’s face pales. “That’s her. She must have realized we’ve gone.”

“We don’t have long, then.” Ten grabs your hand.

You run. The three of you fly along the path, scree kicked over the edge to tumble down into the abyss below. You reach the first bridge, and you try your best to not look over the side; you don’t really want to see how far the canyon goes down, nor do you want to see what might exist at the bottom of it. Luckily, with Ten’s hand still firm around yours, you don’t have the time to worry either about what would happen if you slipped. Ten runs quickly and smoothly, and you have no choice but to keep up with him, Yuta sticking behind you like your shadow. 

You fly over the platform, taking another bridge that shoots you off in another direction, and now you can better see that there are many bridges and deep crevasses all over the place. A wary peek shows you that Hell continues beneath you in many layers – bridges connect islands of stone suspended in the canyons, and you can see the true fires of Hell burning deep below. There are stairs and ramps that lead down below, and you realize you’re just at the top of Hell.

There are buildings here on occasion. You pass a bridge and find yourself jogging down a street with buildings on either side and lampposts giving off a flickering red light. You pass by what could be a park perhaps with grotesque statues and benches and what you’re almost positive is a sand volleyball court. 

Each time you think that you must finally be approaching the spot Ten said would be the exit, he keeps going. Yuta keeps up a steady pace behind you. 

“Aren’t we almost there? How big is Hell, anyway?” You gasp when Ten suddenly jerks your arm, dragging you along another new bridge. Surely you must be getting close because you can see another great wall of stone looming out of the darkness before you, much like the one you’d climbed out of what feels like forever ago. 

“Almost there,” Yuta says from behind you. “And it’s damn near infinite, but that’s when you go downwards.”

Again, you try not to look too hard at what extends beneath you. Instead you focus on what’s ahead. 

This bridge leads to a grove of sorts. Trees made of shiny black stone cling to the edges of this stone island, their roots dangling over the edge, dipping out through the seemingly solid stone they grow from. It must be solid enough to hold the whole weight of this grove of obsidian trees. Their leaves shimmer and shiver in a nonexistent breeze, changing between moonsilver and steel, like blades. You scan the branches as the three of you jog along a cleared path, half-expecting to find nothing, but also hoping to see some little creatures in the branches — birds or squirrels, insects or bats even. 

A fork in the path through the dark trees presents you the choice between a small bridge over a crack through which the level of Hell beneath you is visible before it curves out across the open space to another area of Hell, or you can choose a path that winds deeper into the forest. 

Ten, of course, drags you towards the left branch, deeper into the trees. 

You do hear something above you in the branches. It snaps a branch in one tree before landing in another. But even when you look up, you can’t tell what it is. You can only see the silvery leaves fluttering down towards you, although they vanish in a puff of smoke before they reach you. 

And Yuta swears viciously behind you. Ten forces you to run faster. 

And then you hear voices. 

Sibilant whispers through the trees. A cackle of laughter. 

Up ahead there is a glimmer through the trees, as of a handheld light swinging. The volume of the voices increases, still just incomprehensible whispers. 

Ten breaks from the path, branches tear along your arm, tugging at your clothes and your hair. One twig burns across your cheek. The light continues swinging through the trees, and you find yourself rushing forward to meet it. 

And then there you are. 

Ten comes to a complete stop. You crash into his back, and he reaches back to steady you. Yuta steps around you, moving so he’s shoulder-to-shoulder with Ten, both of them acting as a barrier between you and what lies ahead. 

At first you think it is just a small, empty clearing. 

But then you see the truth. 

A black pool of liquid sits restlessly in the center of the clearing, the surface of it is choppy and bubbling, a gray mist hovers above the surface. A hook beside the pool holds one lantern, casting light down on the pool’s surface, but another light is held by a demon that stands among his peers at the edge of the pool. 

They all turn to look at the three of you. 

“Ah,” drawls Prince Kun, drawing himself up straight. “There you are.”

His gaze passes casually over your boyfriends before settling on you. He lingers, cocking his head slightly to the side, the look of an intelligent predator glowing in his eyes. At his sides, his brothers shift on their feet, sizing up Ten and Yuta and, to a lesser extent, you. 

“Move out of the way, Kun,” Yuta hisses. “We just want to be free, not to hurt you or your brothers.”

“Well, Mother just wants to put you to death.” One of the younger Princes steps forward. “So who are we to stop her from that? We’re just here to stall you until she can arrive.”

“Chenle!” Prince Hendery hisses at the young Prince, jabbing him with his elbow. 

Prince Kun glances at his younger brothers, then back at you. “Forgive my brother. He doesn’t truly understand what we’re doing here.”

Yuta curls his hands into fists at his sides. “And what’s that?”

Kun grins, cocky and sly. “We are definitely stalling for Mother to arrive. But not for the reasons he thinks.”

In that moment, you recall Kun’s hushed words in the throne room exchanged between him and Hendery. “Sometimes I wonder if I’ll have to steal it from her so I can fulfill my destiny as King,” Kun had said. And here he stands now, posted between you and your freedom, poised with three escapees who will do anything to escape from the Queen’s clutches. 

You lean forward, squeezing between Yuta and Ten. “You’re plotting to involve us in something, aren’t you? You’re the Prince who longs to be King, but as long as your mother sits the throne, that’s not possible. And she doesn’t show any signs of abdicating anytime soon, so you’re thinking a little coup…. A convenient ‘accidental’ death by two death-sentenced fugitives in an escape attempt would do well to insure your placement upon the throne without the eternal wait. Hmm?”

Yuta turns to look at you, Ten squeezes your wrist. But you don’t look away from Prince Kun’s vibrant eyes, suddenly alive with hunger as he grins. 

“You’re smart. I can see why Yuta and Ten like you so much.” He takes a step towards you. “We used to know each other well, your boyfriends and I. They were my personal guard, best of the best up until my mother decided they were too good to be left on my service, and she repurposed them for a more special mission.” 

Again, Yuta and Ten move so they’re blocking you. 

“Don’t worry,” Kun placates them, holding his hands up as he says, “Your girlfriend is right.”

Hendery frowns. Chenle takes a step back, casting quick looks at his other two remaining brothers. 

The silver haired Prince who interrupted conversation earlier in the throne room interrupts again by stepping forward and placing his hand on Kun’s shoulder. “I’m with you,” he agrees. “You know I’m sick of her control. I want some freedom.”

Kun nods. “Thank you, YangYang.”

The final brother, the one who possesses wings like a bat, shakes his wings at that moment. It’s a dry leathery sound that draws every eye in the clearing to him. He looks first at Hendery and Chenle, then says, “Don’t act like you’ve never thought of it. We’ve all been under the thumb of tyranny for too long. Haven’t we longed for freedom too? To be able to take a short trip up to the mortal world just to see it? To feel the wind on our faces? Feel the light of the sun?”

“She’s our mother.” Chenle bristles. 

The brothers turn upon each other then, bickering as they face each other. 

Ten turns his head, his eye catching yours. “The pond,” he mutters out of the side of his mouth. “That is the last exit from here. We just have to get in, keep swimming, and we’ll come out where we’re supposed to.”

You understand that magic. Something you’ve come to understand here is that the lines of magic between Watchers and demons and even with Renjun’s elf magic is that they’re all drawn quite closely together, overlapping in many places. 

“Make a run for it?” Yuta asks. “While they’re distracted?”

And then everything falls quiet. The Princes cease their arguments. The leaves grow still. Whatever small movements you’d heard in the trees earlier stop altogether. The air turns chill and so fragile that you feel as if a single sound could shatter everything. 

She comes from across the clearing, which is one moment empty and then it’s not. She moves silently and smoothly, her long gown dirty at the hem as she passes barefoot over the obsidian soil and detritus of shiny leaves. Her hair hangs free and wild around her shoulders, only a thin gossamer veil hides her face. The air crackles faintly as she moves, the way it does before lightning strikes. 

You stare as the Queen of the Night takes a seat, building herself a glittering black throne of shadow and stone as she lowers herself, trusting in her magic to catch her. . 

 “At last,” she says, her voice a sigh and a rasp, the creak of branches on a stormy night. Even though she wears the veil, which still muddles her features, you can tell she’s got her sights set on you as she continues, “At last we meet, face-to-face, my dear. I’ve waited years for this moment.”

“Mom,” YangYang begins, but the Queen flicks her fingers in his direction, and the young Prince falls silent. 

“Your birth, dear child, was an abomination.” Her words are a hiss. “The fact of your creation is disgusting.” 

You shrink into yourself at her words, but you can’t bring yourself to look away from her. 

“The power held in your bones is enough to transform the world, has anyone told you that?” She leans forward on her throne. “Power enough to feed me for eons if I could just get a taste.”

Yuta firmly steps in front of you, which draws a horrifyingly shrill scale of laughter from the Queen. 

“Oh, Yuta, do you think you could really stop me now? You’re weak, both of you,” she says with a lazy gesture towards Ten. “And her blood belongs to me, it calls to me, like to like.”

A chill climbs your spine. “I’m nothing like you.”

Again, the laughter. 

“Darling,” the Queen tips her head back, her laughter climbing up into the branches of the obsidian trees. “Just because I don’t share the same toxic combination of blood as you, doesn’t mean we’re not still alike.” 

The veil flutters away from her face, folded back over her wild hair by an invisible breeze, and she tilts her face forward again to look at you. 

Your heart free falls through the bottom of your stomach, and you clutch at Yuta and Ten as your knees threaten to buckle. 

The Queen of the Night wears your mother’s face. 

A pleased smile grows on her face at your reaction. “We share blood, my dear. Since learning the truth of your heritage, haven’t you ever wondered why the Queen of demons would spare your mother for her traitorous dalliance with your father? I wouldn’t have done that for anyone, nor would I have offered forgiveness so easily to anyone but my own sister.”

As your shock clears, you see now that her face differs slightly from your mother, but the similarities are certainly there. Her mouth sits a little different, her lips wind a little tighter. She doesn’t have the small mole your mother had beneath her right eye, or the faint scar that cut through her eyebrow. Close but different. Sisters. 

“You still did cause her death, though,” Ten interjects. “You may not have chosen to kill her right away, but you did call for her death, as well as the death of the Watcher.”

The Queen snarls, “I had my reasons, Ten. My sister was set to inherit the throne from our father. She had more power, so she should have been Queen of the Night, but she never wanted it.” The Queen laughs before saying, “She fell pregnant, began losing her powers once the holy seed of that Watcher took root, and she slunk away to the mortal world, glad that she no longer would be forced to the throne. But then she produced you.”

Her gaze is piercing, a blade of black ice straight to your heart. 

“That is the great irony, of course,” she says to you, “Your mother never wanted power, but she gave life to someone more powerful than any demon, than any Watcher. I took the throne from the King before he could make a deal with my sister, and my first aim was to take your life before you could grow up and realize that you have a claim to my throne. But the Watchers sought you out as well because they were afraid and intrigued by the result of a union between our kinds. We fought a war over your cradle, and it was only because your mother possessed such power that we were thwarted time and again until finally we settled on a treatise for peace. 

“You were to be raised in ignorance, never aware of your powers, ignorant of your heritage, of the entire supernatural world that you come from. So long as my sister could keep you unaware of this throne, and of the immensity of power you could have, we weren’t to touch a hair on your little head. My throne would be safe as long as you were blind to its existence, and the Watchers need not worry about your power if you didn’t realize you had it either.” She leers at you, such violence in your eyes that you can tell some part of the Queen – your mother’s own sister – longs to throw herself at you and attack.

To your surprise, it’s the youngest prince that speaks up now. “So what happened, Mother?”

She spares her son a minute glance. “I found a loophole, Chenle. I couldn’t have a living risk to my throne, despite the treaty. I knew the Watchers were surely looking for a way around it as well. Like I said, a half-demon half-Watcher is an abomination. Your mother was my sister, dear,” she addresses you again, “and I loved her dearly. But there was this tiny little loophole in our peace accord that meant you were only safe from us while you were under her protection. So, yes, I called for her death. And for good measure, the death of that Watcher as well.”

The Queen claps her hands, brushing her palms against each other as if ridding herself of dirt. “I sent a small troop of demons after her. They were to dispatch her and the mortal lover she took to help raise you, and once they were both gone, my demons were supposed to locate you as well, to bring you to me.” Her smile goes sharp as she says, “But they returned empty-handed, to my never-ending disappointment, and there was no sign of you. Somehow you were still protected by my sister even after her death. So, I set Yuta and Ten on your trail, and like the loyal bloodhounds they were, they eagerly went in search of you.”

The Princes – your cousins, apparently – all stand there, staring at their mother as she unleashes this story. You’re at least relieved to see that none of them look at her with any approval or admiration. Kun actually looks more angry and more determined than he did before.

“Raging cunt,” Yuta whispers under his breath. 

The Queen looks at him, her mouth twisting in a tight smile. “I wanted them to bring me your heart. But strangely their loyalty wavered as soon as they met you, and they hid you in Hell City, knowing that I couldn’t go there myself. Of course, them hiding you from me only made me want you more. Originally, I planned to only consume your power, and send you back to the mortal world to live your sad, plain mortal life.”

You can’t imagine going back to your life before. You’ve tried that once already since having your eyes opened to this world, and you couldn’t do it. She would have to erase all of your memories of this — of Ten, Yuta, WinWin, and Mark; of the Watchers and demons; of everyone and everything that has transformed your life over the last several months. 

You do not want that. 

Not that you’d be willing to give her your power regardless. You’ve barely met her, but judging by the hate her own sons feel towards her, you doubt she would do any good with the powers she would steal from you. 

“Now that they’ve betrayed me,” the Queen continues, “I have to show some punishment in return, do I not? No longer do I long just to punish Ten and Yuta with their own demise, nor to satisfy myself with your power and sending you merrily on your way. Now that you’ve conveniently dropped yourself into my lap, dear niece…” Her lips curl in a wicked grin, her sharp teeth shine in the light as she declares, “I’m going to eat your heart and make them watch.”

Suddenly, it doesn’t matter what Prince Kun was planning. You don’t give a damn if he was going to end his mother quickly or brutally unleash years of pent up rage on her.

All you know in that moment is that Yuta and Ten both lunge for the Queen. And you are filled with a white-hot rage that your physical body simply can’t contain – the inferno breaks through the barrier of your skin, and you can see yourself reflected in the black mirror of the Queen’s eyes.

In that moment you are more demon than anything else, just a raging inferno incarnate, hurtling at the Queen. 

Her sons stand frozen, watching. 

Yuta and Ten fall back, at your sides like two wings of shadow as you fly across the clearing, and the Watcher part of you pulls together your flames into the shape of a fiery blade, casting you in its golden light, painting you as a vision of a vengeful angel.

The Queen’s eyes widen, but her lips curl in an awed smile — full of terror and delight as you come soaring towards her — even at the very moment that you swing your blade, as it connects with her throat. 

Her wicked head separates from the rest of her unholy body.

Her smile doesn’t falter even as her head falls from her shoulders, her tangled hair twisting over her face as her head rolls across the floor of the clearing.

One of the Princes cries out, another turns and you hear him vomiting into the grass.

You point the tip of your fiery blade at the corpse of your mother’s sister, the Queen of the Night. A twisted, dark part of you considers cutting open her chest, pulling out her heart, and eating it in front of her sons much like she had wanted to do to you. But you restrain yourself, satisfying the urge by simply touching the tip of the blade to her body and watching it engulf her in flames.

A hand falls on your shoulder as you watch the body burn.

“That’s enough, my love.” Yuta’s voice is gentle, placating, trying to get you to draw back into yourself because you’re still masquerading as a vengeful angel, wreathed in dancing flames.

Ten reaches for your hand that isn’t clutching the sword. “Come back to us, darling.”

You’re not sure whether you drop the sword or if it just simply vanishes from your grip, but your hand is empty as you lift it to Ten’s face. His eyes flutter shut as you brush the backs of your still-afire fingers against his cheek. His fingers trace up your burning skin from the bend of your elbow up to the softness of your inner wrist, and when his fingertips connect in a loop around your wrist, Ten opens his eyes as he turns his head and sighs over your skin.

His breath is a gentle wave, extinguishing your flames in a domino effect beginning with your fingertips and spreading everywhere until you stand as normal before them. A little smokier and charred than usual perhaps, but otherwise normal. Your clothes seem to have barely survived your personal inferno.

Beside you, Prince Kun clears his throat.

Ten drops his hold on your wrist, but he doesn’t let go of your other hand, nor does Yuta release your shoulder. 

Kun’s brothers are gone from the clearing, save Prince YangYang who lingers at the mouth of the path, looking back at you and his eldest brother, although you can tell he’s determinedly not looking at what remains of his mother – her head and the smoking lump that used to be her body. 

“Can I have a moment alone with the Prince… or King?” You ask your boyfriends. You’re looking at Kun, but he’s not looking at you. 

Yuta squeezes your shoulder and takes a step back, but when Ten lingers, Yuta has to take him by the hand and pull him away to the other end of the clearing. YangYang disappears too, leaving just you and Kun and the dead Queen.

“Well, that’s done,” Kun sighs after a few moments. He lifts his gaze from the corpse, and to your surprise, he offers you his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, cousin. She never told us that’s what you were to us. Actually, I’m not entirely sure how much my younger brothers knew of her hunt for you.” 

You look over at the path down which YangYang disappeared. “I know this is along the lines of what you wanted, Prince Kun. But what of your brothers? They may have agreed to having her off the throne, but was this too much?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know how they thought it was going to happen. But once she started threatening you, I could see where it was going. Honestly,” Kun says, nudging his mother’s disembodied head with the toe of his shiny shoe, “I don’t know what she thought would happen. As if you were just going to peacefully give yourself up and let your lovers watch you be eaten by her?” He scoffs and turns away from the smoking remains of the former Queen of the Night. “You should leave, cousin. Now, before the realm realizes what you’ve done. There’s deeply-rooted demon magic in this place, and if you don’t hurry, I can’t guarantee that you’ll make it out.”

Your first thought is his brothers – that they’ll turn on you and sic the demon army and all sorts of horrible beasts after you. But Kun quickly clarifies, “Whatever magic was used to build this place knows who is in charge, and if it senses that the Queen was murdered, it might do things to ensure that you don’t escape. It’ll close the exits, set the hellhounds after you. My brothers won’t get involved, don’t worry about that.”

A knot works its way up your throat, drawing tighter and tighter until you force out the question that’s been bothering you. “And what of you, Your Highness? Are you going to pursue justice for your mother after I leave? Am I going to continue being hunted by demonkind for the crimes I’ve committed here, for the power I possess that apparently gives me a claim to a throne that I swear I don’t want?”

Kun smiles and shakes his head. “Trust me, cousin, I don’t give a damn what you do with the rest of your life. Be free. Take Yuta and Ten with you, and be happy. As long as you don’t try to make a bid for my throne, you’re free to live your life in the mortal world or in Purgatory with the other Watchers; you can even visit or live in Hell, I don’t care.”

You know exactly where you want to be. You want to return to Ira’s island, safely with Ten and Yuta in tow. You want to be reunited with WinWin and Mark because although it’s only been a day since you left them behind, it feels like it’s been months. And it’s been even longer since you’ve had all four of your boys together, and you just know that it’s going to feel so good to have them together, all yours.

But now the Queen is out of the way, Kun is telling you that you’re free to go, and the pond that Ten says is the portal back to the surface world is right there. 

You sigh. 

You’ve almost got everything you want.

And then the surface of the pond begins to bubble and slosh over the sides. With a vast cloud of steam that erupts and fills the air with the smell of burnt rubber, the pond dries up entirely.

“Shit,” Kun swears, “That’ll be the deep magic I was telling you about. It’s trying to lock you in.”

Distantly, you hear baying – howling and barking that sends an uncontrollable shiver through your entire body. 

“And that’ll be the hellhounds. As I recall, the alpha Cerberus wasn’t particularly fond of Yuta the last time they encountered each other.” Kun looks past your shoulder towards your boyfriends. “Run. I highly recommend going as fast as you can back to the palace. Ten should know the way to the mirror.”

You turn away, ready to heed Kun’s words as you can already tell the hellhounds are growing closer. 

Kun catches your wrist before you can take two steps. “My last piece of parting advice, if the hellhounds catch up to you… don’t look back. Not even once you’re through the portal.”

You don’t ask why. You don’t linger for another moment as a loud snarl sounds from somewhere along the path across the clearing.

“Let’s go!” Yuta hisses, racing forward to grab your hand.

Ten leads the way, setting out full pelt. Yuta’s fingers stay laced with yours as you sprint back through the obsidian forest, across a bridge, down a crumbling set of stairs to the next level of Hell. The whole time, you can hear the growling of the hellhounds chasing after you, and whether it’s through your own supernatural strength or just pure luck, you manage to keep ahead of them.

Ten winds and wends you through Hell, up and down stairs and through tunnels. At one point he leads you and Yuta to leap over a chasm between two areas, a deep river of magma swirling at an incredible heat beneath you. 

You wish you had the chance to actually look around and explore Hell because from what you can see of it, it truly looks like an interesting place. But any time you slow even slightly to admire the bizarre architecture and landscaping of this realm, you hear the scraping of claws against stone, the panting of the hounds, and Yuta’s grip drags on your hand to speed you along after Ten. 

“When we reach the mirror,” Yuta tells you, his voice shaken with each labored breath, “You’re going first. Ten and I will be behind you to try to fend off the hounds if they follow. We’ll be right behind you.”

“No, I want you two in front of me where I can see you, so I know that we’re all making it out of here.” You try to argue, but that’s pretty hard to do when Yuta’s suddenly jerking you around a sharp corner, Ten’s footsteps slap against the stone ahead of you, and you can see the three of you are rapidly approaching a wall.

Ten skids to a stop, and you watch as he starts touching the wall, running his hands along it at eye-level, searching for a seam. Just as his fingers catch on something that you can’t see, as you hear a faint click and a panel in the wall pops inward slightly, you hear the clatter of tiny pebbles being kicked across the floor and claws scrambling to turn a sharp corner.

You don’t even realize you’ve begun to turn your head towards the sound until Yuta’s palms are warm on your cheeks, keeping your head from facing back. “No, you can’t look at them. That’s how the hounds trap souls that attempt escape. If you look at them, if they look back at you, they’ll capture your soul and you’ll be stuck. Don’t look at them. Follow Ten.”

“Come on!” Ten cries as he holds open the door he’s found, waving you and Yuta forward.

No sooner have you both crossed the threshold than the door slams shut behind you. A split second after that, there’s an immense bang as a heavy body throws itself against the door.

“They might not be able to open this door,” Ten says, “But it’s not going to stop them from finding us for long.”

“Where are we?” The space you’re in is almost entirely black, only a faint glow emanates from small crystals embedded in the walls. 

Yuta answers, “The palace. This is a servant’s entrance to the royal baths.”

Ten snaps his fingers, and a ball of fire appears in his palm, illuminating his face. “I wish that we could take you to the baths, darling. They’re exquisite. Heated by the magma core, so it’s delightfully warm. There’s every scent of every kind of body care you could hope for. When we were in Prince Kun’s service, I admit I spent quite a bit of time in the baths.”

“Too much time enjoying the pleasures of the baths rather than working, if I recall,” Yuta laughs. “And as wonderful as a nice bath sounds right now, shouldn’t you be taking us to the Queen’s mirror? I assume you know some secret, faster way to get there?”

Ten grins. “Like I said earlier, I spent plenty of time exploring the secrets of the palace.” He looks at you, his dark eyes reflecting the light of his flame, the heat of his passion. “I know a shortcut that’ll get us there in no time. And the sooner we’re free and it’s just us, the better. I’ve missed you so much, darling. I fully plan to make up for lost time, and remind Mark and WinWin that we were your lovers first.”

His fingers brush your collarbone where your shirt has been burnt away, and you know there’s probably a hickey or the lasting imprint of Mark’s teeth there. 

Yuta is smiling. “I’m excited to see them, too.”

“Then let’s go. The sooner, the better.”

Ten nods, turns, and begins walking off down the dark tunnel. Behind you, there’s another solid thud against the door, the baying howl of a frustrated hound, and then silence. 

“There’s a main door to the palace not too far from here,” Yuta tells you, “So we’d better hurry before the hounds reach it. I fucking hope Ten knows the secret passages as well as he thinks he does.” He waits for you to take off at a jog before he follows at the same pace, chasing after Ten’s distant flame. 

When you step out into an open chamber, you’re surprised by the stunningly humid air ripe with floral scent until you realize this is the royal baths. The baths have been dug into the floor, and their surfaces give off curls of steam that rise to caress the ceiling, lovingly wrap around you and welcome you in. Iridescent bubbles float from the surface of one bath that smells like cotton candy, and another bath you pass by shimmers like the water is made of molten gold. 

Ten’s light is just a hazy orange glow ahead of you, and you nearly lose sight of him as the steam grows thicker around you and Yuta. Yuta has one hand touching your lower back as you wind carefully through the pools that make up the baths. At one point, in a narrow ledge between two pools, your foot does slip on the slick surface, and it’s only by Yuta quickly grabbing the back of your clothes that you manage to not take a dip in the unnaturally blue water. 

You can feel the humidity threading through your hair, dampening it until it sticks against your face and neck. You’re sure you almost look as if you had actually fallen into the pool, but as you finally draw up next to Ten, you’re pleased to see that he looks the same, and Yuta does as well although he’s raked his fingers through his hair to push it back away from his face. 

“Here,” Ten murmurs, “One of you hold this.”

You offer up your hands, and Ten pours his flame into your palms. 

You’re reminded of the first day you made your own flame, sitting with Ten, his hands warm on yours, his flame passed from his fingertip to yours, the way it had felt like a fluttering heartbeat. Now you feel that way again, and you realize how familiar Ten’s fire feels, like a welcome kiss from your long lost lover. 

You pull your hands towards your chest, longing to press his flame over your heart. 

Ten crouches on the floor in the middle of the room. 

Here, the floor is made up of a million tiny tiles all coming together to make a mosaic image of a figure upon a throne over the burning masses below. An interesting choice of artwork for a relaxing bath space, but whatever, everyone has their own taste in artwork. 

Ten runs his fingers over the tiles, and you watch the colors shift, responding to his touch. Until he reaches the small tiled throne. It glows as his fingers pass over it, and then it transforms into a handle, raised from the floor just an inch or two. 

“Yuta, help,” Ten grunts as he fits his fingers around the handle and attempts to haul open this secret passage’s door. 

Yuta crouches beside him, and you watch in the wavering light of your handheld flame as they both work in tandem to lift open the hatch. 

Ten jumps down, you follow, and Yuta brings up the rear again, dragging the door shut easily as he comes. You pass Ten’s flame back over to his hands so he can lead the way. The passage goes straight for a short distance before it becomes a set of stairs rising upwards. 

You’re surprised you only stumble once or twice as the three of you climb the stairs at a run, though luckily it is only a few flights before Ten shoves against a wall, and it swings outwards.

You run out into a large, beautiful chamber. It’s full of rich reds and golds, marble tiles, a large fur rug that looks as though it comes from a massive beast or many pelts sewn together, heavy furniture and fine fabrics. You look around in awe, trying to catch your breath even as Ten drags you forward by the hand. 

“It’s just over here.” He directs the words over his shoulder. 

Various doors lead out of this room. A large set of double-doors probably lead back out into the rest of the palace, if you had to guess. A smaller set of doors have panes of glass set in them, through which you can make out the dim firelight of Hell, so you assume those doors lead out to a balcony. You’re sure one of the doorways leads to the late-Queen’s bedchamber, another possibly to some kind of an office, and then there’s the small door Ten leads you and Yuta to. 

It’s rather nondescript, nearly blending into the wall itself. 

You’re just a few short feet from it when you hear a sound coming from the other side of the large double-doors. 

Raised voices, panic and heavy footsteps moving rapidly along a corridor outside. And then, amidst the clamor of the guards, the keening howl of hellhounds on the hunt. 

“Fucking shit!” Yuta is right behind you, close enough that you feel the kiss of heat as he summons his flames. “Go, Ten. Get her through the mirror. If they make it through, I’ll hold them off.”

Your arm wrenches painfully as you twist around and plant your feet. Ten is still trying to drag you towards the door that leads to the mirror portal, but you won’t leave Yuta. 

“No, you can’t stay here!” You argue. “Come with us. If we just run, they won’t catch us.”

Yuta’s fire is burning hot enough to distort the air between you with waves. “I’m not staying behind, I swear. Just until you’re through the portal, and I’ll be right behind you.”

No. 

You’re this close.

You reach for him, reaching through the waves of intense heat, and you clasp your hand around his wrist. “Defend our position from inside the room, then. Not from out here.”

There’s a softness in Yuta’s eyes when he’s and your face. His flames dim slightly. “Alright, I guess that works too.”

Ten throws open the small door to the portal room, waving you in first. 

The room on the other side is a small, dirt room. There’s nothing to it — dirt walls, dirt floor, dirt ceiling, a singular torch with its end planted in the ground illuminates the bare room; its light is only intensified by the only decoration: the large gilt mirror that stands tall enough and wide enough to be able to admit two tall men standing abreast of each other. 

Yuta bumps against your back before sliding around you, and then Ten is there too, his hand at your waist as the door to the room clicks shut. 

You can see your image reflected in the mirror — the unwavering image of all three of you standing side by side. 

A knot forms in your throat, but now is not the time to cry. You can do that later when you’re all safe and free back in your father’s little bubble, when you’re reunited with Mark and WinWin as well. 

On the other side of the door, you hear the loud bang of the double-doors being thrown open. Footsteps, the clacking of claws, the whines of the hounds. 

Yuta turns, his flames rising in heat and brightness as he faces the last door between you and the hounds. 

Ten wraps his arm around your waist dragging you along with him towards the mirror. 

As you stand facing the mirror this time, knowing you’re about to travel through it, you hope it goes smoother than the last time. You lift a hand to the surface, and as your fingertips brush along the image, minuscule ripples expand across the mirror. This mirror feels so much more liquid, like actual cool water, no resistance. 

“Go,” Ten urges, “Now. Think of our destination as you pass through, and that’s where this will lead. Go.”

A thud that shakes loose a few clumps of dirt from around the door. You can hear claws scraping against the door, you can see the shadowy movement as one hellhound attempts to dig under the door. The door holds, though it rattles in place. 

“Go,” Ten repeats. 

“I’ll hold them off,” Yuta growls, and his fire is still building. “But you have to get through.”

“I’m right here, right behind you,” Ten keeps his voice gentle, encouraging. “Just step through the portal, my darling.”

He’s holding one of your hands lightly in his own, and you use that hold of his to have him help you balance as you lift a foot to step through the frame. 

Ira’s island, you think, imagining the sight of the lighthouse, of the island, the kitchen, the study, the living room, the cove with the sirens. 

The mirror smoothly drinks you in, wrapping around you like stepping into blessedly cool air conditioning after standing in the disgustingly sticky heat of a humid summer day. A long passage extends before you, which is somewhat different from the mirror journey you experienced with Renjun, but it feels so blessedly cool on this side that you don’t hesitate to keep pulling yourself through the mirror. You pass through until all that remains on the other side is your fingertips pinched between Ten’s, but even then, Ten lets go, and the last of you sinks inside the mirror. 

Ten stands just on the other side, staring at you through a faintly blue tint. 

“Come on,” you say, “Hurry.”

The door into the chamber bursts open. Yuta sends up a wall of flame. 

Ten whips around to aid Yuta. You step back towards them, ready to throw yourself through the mirror as well to help, but your palms crash against the inside of the mirror as if it were back to being solid glass, no longer the fluid surface that let you in. 

You slam your hands against the glass. You yell, scream, cry, swear. 

Both Yuta and Ten stand wreathed in flames, putting up walls of fire between the door and the mirror at their backs. They’re being pushed back, you realize. Soon they’ll be backed against the mirror. 

You can see Yuta gritting his teeth together as he puts his all into maintaining the inferno he’s creating. His usual appearance is fading slightly, you can see his true demon features beginning to peek through. The same can be said for Ten. 

You hit the glass one more time. 

Ten twists his head around to look at you. His eyes are the piercing narrow-eyed slits of his cat-like eyes. “You need to go,” he calls to you. 

“No, not without you.” You lean your forehead against the glass. “I can’t come back through. I can’t come to you. Come here, hurry!” You can see shadows, smoky figures moving in the walls of flame Yuta and Ten have thrown up. “Hurry!”

“Go!” Ten shouts, his voice raw, raging, echoing up the passage behind you. And then, a little more gently, “We’re right behind you, I promise. Just trust that we’re behind you, and don’t look back! Now, go!”

This time he says it with enough power in his voice that you stumble back from the force of it. 

On the other side of the mirror, Ten turns back to face forward, to face his flames and the hellhounds. 

You take another step backward up the passage even though everything in you is telling you not to leave, to run back at the mirror and do something to make it let you through it, even though your mind is saying that, your body won’t obey. Your body is listening to Ten as you turn and start running up the passage. 

Your throat feels raw as you pant for breath, but you keep going, running up the sloping tunnel even as you feel as if your chest is going to cave in and your heart is going to burst. You can’t hear anything at all over the racing of your heart and the thunder of your breathing, so you can’t even hear if Ten and Yuta are behind you. Hell, you can’t even tell if the hounds are still pursuing you or not. 

Kun’s warning and Ten’s last words ring in your ears.

Don’t look back.

You just have to trust.

Sobs tear from your throat with each jolt of your feet against the ground. You feel like you’ve been running for hours, days, weeks. You just want to peek backwards, to know if they’re behind you because if they’re not then all of this will have been in vain, and they’ll be re-imprisoned in Hell for the crime of the Queen’s death.

Don’t look back.

You’re almost certain you hear a footfall behind you, rock scattering under someone else’s foot. Was that a breath? Was it an echo of your own breathing, or was it the panting of a hellhound almost upon you?

Don’t look back.

An entire lifetime ago, you’d sat in a literature class that taught mythology. At the time, you’d felt a bizarre mixture of shame and interest – your highly religious upbringing made you feel that learning these stories was improper as they were based on false idols, but you were so intrigued by the pantheon of gods, their many stories and interactions with mortals that differed so greatly from the stories of the One God that you were familiar with.

Among those many myths you’d learned in that stuffy classroom, there was the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. The woman who died from a snakebite, and her lover who journeyed into the Underworld to bring her back. 

The story comes back to you now. 

Orpheus, who rescued Eurydice, who was allowed to bring her back to the mortal world on the sole condition that he didn’t look back at her until they were both in the mortal world. And now, more than ever, you understand that story. You have two lovers behind you, death nipping at your heels, and as you race out of Hell, you can’t look back – it’s a warning you’ve received now twice, and as much as you want to look back to be certain that Ten and Yuta are behind you, you know the mistake Orpheus made; in the last moments before success, Orpheus looked back. 

Eurydice was lost forevermore.

It could have just been a tale, except that when poring over tomes and tales at Ira’s kitchen table during the useless planning of this rescue, one account had been that of Orpheus. 

A miserable tale that you’d barely been able to stomach reading given your circumstances. How Orpheus, barred from telling her that he was forbidden to look back at her, marched before his wife out of the Underworld, both of them in cold silence. He heard no sign of her – not a footstep or a sniffle, not the sound of her voice or a whisper of her breath as they walked for an eternity – and he wondered if she was truly there, or were the words of the gods false and he was walking this endless path from Hades for no reason? 

With mere footsteps left before he and his wife rejoined the mortal world, with hope burning bright in his heart as the light of the Sun warmed his bones, Orpheus couldn’t stand the suspense any longer. As he turned, he heard her anguished cry of his name, he saw the horror on Eurydice’s face, and Orpheus had no choice but to watch as she was reclaimed by shadow and drawn back down into the Underworld, screaming for him.

Don’t look back, Kun and Ten had both uttered the warning, Orpheus’ tale echoing the words at you again.

You run until your knees feel like liquid and your feet like stones, your chest burns with each breath, and surely if you didn’t have the power of your mother and father both in your veins, you’d have collapsed long ago. How far can this path from Hell possibly be? 

Your toe catches a loose stone on the floor, and you stumble. Your palms burn as they scuff along the rough floor, your knees bruise and sting where the tatters of your clothes don’t cover them. 

There’s no sound behind you. No hands reach forward to help you up and urge you on as you stay there for a moment – hands and knees on the dirty floor with your head bowed as your tears drip into the dirt, your ragged breath still loud in your ears. 

Are you alone? Or is that deeply-rooted demon magic Kun mentioned holding Yuta and Ten under the same spell as Eurydice had been – unable to make a sound or touch you, unable to make their real presence known to you?

You find the strength to push to your feet again, to start forward again. Your mind races, and you can’t help thinking, I just want to go home, to be free of all of this. I just want to be happy with my boyfriends again, like we were in our apartment. All four of us. Why did everything have to go so wrong? Why did everything have to play out like this? 

You run even as your bones ache and your mouth dries out. You feel hollow.

And then the ground evens out. 

And you look up, and you can see watery daylight ahead of you.

You remember this: the sight of the world through the inside of the mirror. The watery distortion of everything when Renjun first led you through a mirror portal to escape the dungeon of the Watchers. You pray the exit runs smoother this time than the last – that you won’t feel like you’re drowning and suffocating and stuck within a glue trap as you had last time.

A fresh burst of energy rolls through you as you see it so close, close enough you can reach out and touch it.

Your fingertips pass through like reaching into water.

Your toe catches the inner lip of the mirror.

The world tilts and blurs, nausea rolls your stomach as you fly through the mirror and dash yourself against the floor on the right side of the mirror.

And you wait.

You don’t dare to turn to look into the mirror. You don’t know what you would be able to see. Does it look just like a regular mirror, reflecting only you and the room you’re in? Is it semi-transparent, so you’re able to see back into the passageway you’ve just escaped through? 

But more terrifying than that – in some version of Orpheus and Eurydice, he reached the safety of the mortal world, and rejoicing in that, he turned to celebrate with his wife, only to find that she had yet to pass the border between the realm of Hades and the surface. Thus, he lost her because they were not both with their feet safely on the soil and in the sunlight.

You won’t make that mistake, even if it means you have to wait here forever with your cheek pressed against the wood of the floor, your clothes crumbling even more into charred bits after the rough friction of passing through the mirror and colliding with the world. 

Tears still spill down your cheeks, and you squeeze your eyes shut because you’ve nothing to look at anyway. 

<-previous || next–>

a/n: Thank you for reading! I'm so excited to see what y'all think about the rescue finally happening! It was a little bit different than originally planned, both in the opinion of the characters, and also different than I originally planned lol This chapter is the reason it took me so long to finally finish writing this story.

As usual, likes, comments in the tags, reblogs, messages about your thoughts, all of that is of the highest value to me! I love feedback, and I hope you can share this story with more people too 💗

[softsan]

NCT WEREWOLF AU (AESTHETIC)

A remake of this: X

Taeyong

alpha

seven hundred and one years old

suspicious and dubious of humans

puts his pack above all

can be rash and unforgiving

encounters his mate on a non-routine hunt

mate: councilman's daughter

Taeil

elder

eight hundred and fifty-six years old

oldest member of the pack

works as an adviser to the alpha and the betas

breaks up and resolves pack conflicts

stumbles onto his mate who's wearing a disguise

mate: physician

Johnny

hunter

four hundred and eighty-nine years old

has the best sense of smell in the pack

the pack's number-one tracker.

exceptional at mauling his enemies.

left heartbroken by his mate's rejection

mate: rival pack member

Yuta

hunter

four hundred and sixty-seven years old

incredibly quick and stealthy

is labeled the 'ambusher' for his cut-throat hunting tactics

despises the prospect of a mate

believes fate is cruel and callous

mate: city guardian

Kun

beta

six hundred and eighteen years old

second in command

rules in taeyong's absence

known to be morally strict and stern

goes against his beliefs by stealing his mate away

mate: stolen bride

Doyoung

delta

five hundred and thirty-two years old  

is the support unit of the pack

on standby to fulfill the duties of ill or injured packmates

finds himself in a hopeless situation

accidentally marks his mate in a poisoned haze

mate: north's princess

Ten

head scout

five hundred and sixteen years old

has an unparalleled control of his inner wolf

works as the pack's eyes and ears in the city

warns the pack of dangers outside their territory

overcomes his heartbreak by meeting a nifty pickpocket

mate: thief

Jaehyun

delta

four hundred and forty-nine years old

strongest member of the pack

formidable opponent in battle

responsible for guarding the pack's territory

comes across his mate in the scorching sands

mate: she-wolf

Winwin

sentinel

four hundred and three years old

routinely patrols the pack's territory

greats new visitors and learns their intentions

will harshly punish aggressive and disrespectful intruders

accidentally kidnaps his mate instead of his actual target

mate: royal governess

Jungwoo

scout

three hundred and twenty-one years old

has great command of his inner wolf

can avoid shifting on a full moon

gathers and shares information for the pack

blown away by his sweet mate

mate: royal maidservant

Mark

delta

three hundred and twelve years old

known to be sunny but stubborn

incredibly fast learner

teaches hunting skills to younger pack members

saved by his mysterious and magical mate

mate: thread coven witch

Renjun

salutary

two hundred and sixty-three years old

is the pack's herbalist

makes tonics and concoctions for his fellow wolves

plagued by dreams of the past

gives the cold shoulder to his mate

mate: old soul

Jeno

hunter

two hundred forty-eight years old

a distinguished pack fighter

often organizes hunts

is the first to volunteer to go on nightly patrols

captured by his formidable mate

mate: general's daughter

Haechan

omega

two hundred and twenty-four years old

rash and impulsive

has poor control over his inner wolf

frustrated by his low status within the pack

taken in by his beloved mate

mate: baker

Jaemin

hunter

two hundred and twenty-two years old

very talented tracker

is the most versed with their territory's terrain

lovestruck by the idea of love and fate

has his memory wiped by his elusive mate

mate: siren

Xiaojun

scout

one hundred and eleven years old

has mastered controlling his inner beast

recently elevated to the position of scout

is eager to prove himself within the pack

rescues his mate from the cruelty of humans

mate: seer

Hendery

hunter

eighty-three years old

loves running under the moon's light

known for his great speed and stealth

recently elevated to the position of hunter

taken down by his fearless mate

mate: assassin

YangYang

omega

twenty-three years old

only recently had his first transformation

is the pack's forager

searches for plants and provisions to help feed the pack

is reunited with his childhood friend and mate

mate: greenskeeper

Chenle

pup

twenty-two years old

is eager for his first transformation

spent his early years on the run with his aunt

thankful to be accepted into a pack

ambushed by his wicked mate

mate: star coven witch

Jisung

pup

twenty-one years old

is nervous about his first transformation

last to join the pack

spent years hiding underground from humans

shyly taken by his doting mate

mate: seamstress

[starlightkun]

i do not allow reuploads, reposts, or translations of my works. i cross-post to ao3 and wattpad. i do not take requests. i write for fun and for free. feedback is of course welcome and greatly appreciated, please feel free to send me an ask, reblog, or comment!

if you're looking for a fic and can't find it, check my archive masterlist

PLEASE READ/INCLUSIVITY: unless explicitly stated otherwise in the genre tags, all of my reader-inserts use she/her pronouns, and are commonly referred to with gendered language such as girl, woman, etc. i do not make references to the reader's skin tone. i tend to avoid describing how the reader-insert takes up space (height or size) but if i do, the only members that i may explicitly depict as taller than the reader-insert are those that are 180cm or above (johnny, jaehyun, jungwoo, sungchan, jisung, and maybe sicheng if i'm feeling extra nice)

taglist | recent work | recommended work

word count 2024: 369.1k | blog word count: 1.183M

nets: blankjournal

KEY

f - fluff a - angst m - mature/heavy themes (i do not write smut, but not everything here will be appropriate for all ages, proceed with caution and read all warnings provided at the beginning of fics) h - humor/crack fic ✦ - author favorite

the starlightkuniverses

➺ series of multiple fics that take place in the same universe. pick your favorite member or read them all

➺ the strawberry sunday anthology (f, m, h, ✦)

modern magical creatures au, modern fantasy au, college au ── fairy!jungwoo, vampire!kun, werewolf!jeno, dragon!jisung, werewolf!sungchan, human!renjun, and basilisk!mark * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ venue:hell (f, a, m)

band au, punk/alt au ── drummer!sungchan, frontman/lead singer!shotaro, and retired floprockstar/venue manager!kun * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ the ayakashi series (f, a, m)

based off the otome game 'ayakashi romance reborn,' modern yokai au ── tengu!jeno, oni!kun, human!jaehyun, and snow spirit!doyoung * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ sleepless cinderella (f, a, m)

based off wayv's dream launch plan videos and the otome game 'sleepless cinderella' ── pilot!kun, surgeon!ten, actor!sicheng, director!dejun, robotics engineer!kunhang, and f1 racer!yangyang * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

special events

➺ 2023 hallmark movie marathon (f, a)

christmas-themed, new years-themed ── three (and a half) fics with very cheesy hallmark movie-esque premises and tropes for the holiday season, all starring kun * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ 2024 hallmark movie marathon (f, h)

christmas-themed, new year's-themed ── three fics with very cheesy hallmark movie-esque premises and tropes for the holiday season, all starring jisung * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

qian kun

➺ frankenstein complex (f, m, ✦) ── 67.9k, completed

sci-fi, near-ish future, black op mission captain kun, ?????? reader, humans and aliens and robots ── in which the crew of the vision finds you as the sole survivor of a classified research facility and there's more gaps in your memory than memories themselves. on top of that, you've got this weird feeling that the captain of the crew you've found yourself with isn't exactly what he seems... * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ sweet girl (f, m, ✦) ── 53.9k

from the ayakashi series, oni!kun, onmyoji!reader ── in which you have to juggle love, friends, school, and a great evil that could destroy your city * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ the bite (f, a, m) ── 25.5k

single dad!kun, single mom!reader, e2l, slice(s) of life ── in which kun's son bites yours at preschool, and you want nothing to do with this 'mr. qian' * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ romance is dead (f, m, h, ✦) ── 19.4k & 10.3k sequel

part of the strawberry sunday universe, vampire!kun, human!reader, "uh-oh one of us drank a love potion" but with a twist, strangers(ish) to lovers ── in which there’s a mix-up with a love potion, and you're suddenly being courted by a several-hundred-year-old vampire. it's not all sonnets and bouquets, though, as you're keenly aware that kun's love could turn to thirst. and maybe you wouldn't mind if it did * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here | sequel

➺flopstar (f, m) ── 18.3k

part of the venue:hell universe, band au, retired floprockstar/venue manager!kun, rookie/keyboardist!reader, age gap (older kun) ── in which your band finally gets a break in the form of a recurring gig at a local underground punk venue. when you realize the manager is the former keyboardist of your favorite band from a decade ago, though, it becomes even harder to keep your cool * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ sleepless cinderella (f, a) ── 11.4k

from the sleepless cinderella series, pilot!kun, journalist!reader ── in which you become your own cinderella one night, with six prince charmings to choose from * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ much mistletoeing about nothing (a, f) ── 7.6k & 1.9k sequel

exes to lovers, christmas-themed, getting snowed in trope, cuddling to share warmth trope ── in which your first mistake was saying yes to christmas dinner with your ex. your second mistake was being late to said christmas dinner. and your third... * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here | sequel

➺ hopeless for the holidays (f) ── 8.7k

strangers to lovers, new years-themed, attorney kun, wedding planner reader, aged up kun & reader (mid/late thirties) ── in which your friend drags you to a singles mixer being thrown by the local bar association, and you're less than thrilled. in between betting her coworker that he won't find someone to kiss by midnight and helping her avoid her ex from law school, you hardly expect to meet someone like qian kun * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ hold my red heart (f) ── 3.4k

christmas-themed, fake dating trope, f2l ── in which you need some help getting rid of a very persistent coworker, and what better way than bringing your boyfriend to the office christmas party? only problem, you don't have a boyfriend. enter kun. * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

kim doyoung

➺ snowflake (f, a, m) ── 75.3k

from the ayakashi series, snow spirit!doyoung, onmyoji!reader ── in which you experience both great love and great loss, and learn how to battle hypothermia * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

ten

➺ sleepless cinderella (f, a, m) ── 13.8k

from the sleepless cinderella series, surgeon!ten, journalist!reader ── in which you become your own cinderella one night, with six prince charmings to choose from * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

jeong jaehyun

➺ s.c.s. (f, m) ── 66.2k

from the ayakashi series, human!jaehyun, onmyoji!reader, childhood friends to lovers ── in which jaehyun's just always been a family friend, the son of your dad's friend. so why are you so nervous around him now? why are you thinking about kissing him so much? and oh yeah, what's up with all those evil wraiths? * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ valentine boy (f) ── 5.0k

rich kid!au, childhood friends to lovers ── in which you’re reunited with your childhood friend and refuse to let him go this time * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

dong sicheng

➺ sleepless cinderella (f) ── 13.5k

from the sleepless cinderella series, actor!sicheng, journalist!reader, fake dating, e2l ── in which you become your own cinderella one night, with six prince charmings to choose from * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

kim jungwoo

➺ finders keepers (f, a, m) ── 37.8k

sci-fi, alien!jungwoo, human!reader, soulmate au but make it aliens ── in which you've never been good at keeping your nose out of trouble, and a spaceship crashing a few meters away from you is right up your alley. the alien inside claiming that you're his soulmate might finally put you out of your depth, though * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read part one | two

➺ strawberry sunday (f, ✦) ── 28.4k

part of the strawberry sunday universe, fairy!jungwoo, human!reader, f2l, one (1) tease and one (1) idiot to lovers, slow burn ── in which you, all your friends, and your stupid massive crush on jungwoo go stay in one beach house together for spring break. you're determined to make it out with your secret in tact. but... has jungwoo always looked at you like that? touched you this much? like that? he can't be... flirting with you? * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ second first kiss (f) ── 2.0k

new year's-themed, model!jungwoo, childhood f2l, drabble, gn!reader ── in which you spend every new year's with your best friend jungwoo. except the past couple years he's missed the target on his friendly new year's peck on the cheek, and you can't get him out of your head now * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

mark lee

➺ baby fangs (f) ── 26.7k

part of the strawberry sunday universe, basilisk!mark, sphinx!reader, strangers to lovers, age gap (older reader) ── in which a desperate mark knocks on your door one night when he gets locked out of his friends' apartment, and you get way more than you bargained for in return. you hardly expect that the cute infatuation he displays for you immediately would be anything more; nor that you'd ever find yourself falling for the basilisk and his baby fangs too * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ invested (a, f) ── 23.1k

ft. donghyuck, love triangle, matching tattoo soulmate au ── in which you're convinced that you don't have a tattoo, and that you're in love with lee donghyuck * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

xiao dejun

➺ sleepless cinderella (f) ── 14.4k

from the sleepless cinderella series, director!dejun, journalist!reader, childhood friends to lovers ── in which you become your own cinderella one night, with six prince charmings to choose from * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

wong kunhang

➺ savior (f, h, ✦) ── 24.3k

royal au, prince!kunhang, princess!reader, "you saved me, so now i'm your problem" ── in which you really should've read up on the customs of your neighboring kingdom before visiting * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ sleepless cinderella (f) ── 11.1k

from the sleepless cinderella series, robotics engineer!kunhang, journalist!reader, e2l ── in which you become your own cinderella one night, with six prince charmings to choose from * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

huang renjun

➺ dr_magic2303 (f, h, m) ── 18.3k

part of the strawberry sunday universe, human!renjun, siren!reader, academic rivals to lovers ── in which a mysterious user by the pseudonym of dr_magic2303 starts popping up on your university’s online forums. you’re determined to get to the bottom of their identity, so you decide to enlist the help of your academic rival for the past four years, huang renjun * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

lee jeno

➺ featherbrain (f, m) ── 48.3k

from the ayakashi series, tengu!jeno, onmyoji!reader ── in which you can't believe you've fallen for this stupid, stupid tengu * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ tongue-tied (f) ── 17.4k

strangers to lovers, model!jeno, journalist!reader, reworked version of old sleepless cinderella route ── in which you find yourself getting sucked deeper and deeper into an article in order to ignore the scarily personal part that won't seem to leave you alone * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ pupsick (f, m) ── 11.8k & 8.8k sequel

part of the strawberry sunday universe, werewolf!jeno, human!reader, f2l, bakery au ── in which jeno's sick and insists that you're the only one that can take care of him. but according to your only other werewolf friend, you're also what's making him sick * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here | sequel

lee donghyuck

➺ invested (f, a) ── 23.1k

ft. mark, love triangle, matching tattoo soulmate au ── in which you're convinced that you don't have a tattoo, and that you're in love with lee donghyuck * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

na jaemin

➺ the golden fruit duology (f) ── 32.0k

nades au, hades!jaemin, human!reader, persephone allegory ── in which you think you're trading away a third of your life for your dream job but get much, much more * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

liu yangyang

➺ speedometer (f, ✦) ── 14.1k

street racer!yangyang, college au ── in which you meet someone who sends your heart racing * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ sleepless cinderella (f, a) ── 12.9k

from the sleepless cinderella series, f1 racer!yangyang, journalist!reader ── in which you become your own cinderella one night, with six prince charmings to choose from * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

osaki shotaro

➺ sugarcoated brain (f, a) ── 13.7k

part of the venue:hell universe, band au, punk band frontman!shotaro, venue manager!reader ── in which you're assigned to take care of the band who will be filling the weekly performance slot at your workplace. you're warned their scatterbrained frontman can be a handful thanks to his tendency to misplace everything he owns. what nobody could have prepared you for is his inexplicable one-track mind when it comes to you * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

jung sungchan

➺ buzzer beater series (f, m, ✦) ── 75.1k, completed

college au (and after), hockey captain!sungchan, chronically ill!reader (migraines) ── in which you swear you’re only going to the joint halloween party being hosted by the hockey team and nu chi tau for a few minutes just to say hi to sungchan, but as can be expected with your life, something goes horribly, horribly wrong * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ the soulmate factory (f, a, ✦) ── 28.9k

science fantasy au, soulmate au (red string), star crossed lovers, mystery ── in which you work at The Soulmate Factory, pressing all the buttons when you’re supposed to, changing strangers’ fates. until one day a red string appears on your finger, and you know something has gone horribly wrong. employees of the soulmate factory are explicitly barred from participating in the program. on top of hiding it from your coworkers and bosses, you also have to investigate how this even happened and undo it, before you lose your job and before you meet your soulmate * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ changer (f, a) ── 22.3k & 25.5k sequel

part of the strawberry sunday universe, werewolf!sungchan, human!reader, slowish burn, blind date ── in which you and sungchan are set up on a blind date, and it goes terribly. but a chance second meeting could reignite the spark of... friendship? well shit. * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here | sequel

➺ that hot (f) ── 17.2k

meet-ugly, strangers to lovers, forced proximity (long car trip, vacation, etc.) ── in which you first get introduced to sungchan at a friend's party, but you just don't trust guys who are that hot. scene cut, and he's driving you to a cabin in the mountains that your entire friend group will be staying at for two whole weeks. then you miss your exit. then his car gets a flat tire. * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ filler episodes (f) ── 16.6k & 9.5k sequel

part of the venue:hell universe, band au, drummer!sungchan, normie!reader, badboy x good girl but make it loserboy x girlfail ── in which your whole life has felt like filler episodes, and you're tired of living like that. enter jung sungchan, part-time bookstore worker, part-time tea shop employee, and part-time drummer for a local underground punk band. he's everything you're not, and as soon as he's wedged himself into your life, you find that you don't want him to go * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here | sequel

➺ weddings & funerals (a, f) ── 9.9k

exes to lovers, second chance romance ── in which you and sungchan keep ending up as each other's plus-ones to weddings and funerals, despite the fact that you broke up months ago * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ tourist trapped (f) ── 2.4k

enemies to lovers (or are they...) ── in which your day out at the fair with your friends somehow ends up with you stuck at the top of the ferris wheel with the one person you'd been avoiding, sungchan. but you're not avoiding him for the reason that all your friends think you are... * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

park jisung

➺ [NEW] pur autre vie (a, f, m) ── 26.1k & 17.5k sequel

paranormal/supernatural au, ghost!jisung ── in which you inherit your stepdad's house under the condition that you can live there for as long as you take care of your mother. at first, you think her belief that the house is haunted is just her declining mind playing tricks on her. but the longer you're there, the more you start to think something isn't right... * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here | sequel

➺ the dragon's happily ever after (f, h) ── 17.4k

part of the strawberry sunday universe, dragon!jisung, human!reader, f2l, secret relationship/fake not dating trope ── in which you and jisung sort of forgot to tell your nosy friends that you're dating, but realize it's the perfect opportunity to give them a little taste of their own medicine. they're trying to set you two up, while you're trying to see how long it takes them to notice that you're already dating. cue the shenanigans * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ [COMING SOON] mistletoe while you work (f, h) ── 6.9k

christmas-themed, established relationship, secret relationship, meddling coworkers & equally unhinged reader & jisung ── in which you and jisung truly had only meant to keep your relationship private from your colleagues until jisung's new employee evaluation. then two of your coworkers tried to convince you to sleep with jisung for his own good, and who were you to pass up the perfect opportunity for some workplace hijinks? * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ [NEW] want from me (f) ── 1.7k

christmas-themed, sleeping with a stranger at the office holiday party and oops! they're your new coworker trope ── in which you did not plan for the handsome stranger that you took home from the office holiday party to end up also being the new transfer to your team. you also did not plan for a repeat of that night. but you had also never planned for park jisung. * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

➺ [WIP...] out of left field (f) ──

christmas/new year's-themed, college au, brother's best friend trope, baseball player!jisung, rich kid!reader, slowish burn ── in which a missed connection in the library during finals week turns into two weeks at your family's winter home with your brother's cute friend on the baseball team. as long as you and your brother don't kill each other before you even get there, this could be the best christmas ever * :✧˚ ·♡. ─── read here

[mymoodwriting]

Disconnected

Omega!Reader x Werewolf!NCT

Genre: A/B/O

Warning: Violence, Physical Violence, Burns, Kidnapping, Magic, Shape-Shifting, Sedatives, Anxiety, Stalking

Words: 3.1K

Chapter Four

(Prev//Next) (@peanutpinet @starillusion13)

Prompt: By removing the weakest link, werewolves were able to grow far more powerful than anyone could ever imagine. They lived in peace knowing they were top of the food chain. That is until a certain pack made an unbelievable discovery, causing them to question their past, present, and future. Omegas aren’t supposed to exist anymore, but they couldn’t deny the fact they had found one.

“What happened to y/n?”

“I… I don’t know.”

As soon as Taeyong got back to the house he called out to the others. Everyone rushed over in a panic, gathering in the living room, although confusion settled in when they noticed the cub in his arms.

“What do we do?” Jaehyun asked. “How do we fix this?”

“I’m not sure.” Taeyong admitted. “She said her master was coming and then this happened.”

“A witch wouldn’t dare to come into werewolf territory without permission.” Sicheng stated. “Could another pack have done this?”

“No one really knows about y/n. And none of us are capable of this type of magic.”

“So what do we do?”

“The only thing we can.” Taeyong said. “Jisung, Chenle, get some of y/n’s belongings and go to the elders. Tell them we have an omega.”

“What!?” Chenle questioned. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, now go!”

The two were confused but then rushed off to do as they were told. The others were confused though, and worried.

“Are you insane!” Ten yelled. “If the elders find out about her we’re all gonna be in trouble.”

“That’s the least of our problems right now. If a witch is coming we need to prepare.”

“We can handle a witch.” Jeno said. “It’d be one against twenty-one.”

“Have you ever fought a witch?” Renjun questioned. “Cause none of us have, and I doubt it’d be easy even if it was all of us against one.”

“Our priority is to keep y/n safe.” Kun reminded. “So what we’re gonna do-”

A sudden crashing sound caught all their attention, followed by all the windows in the house shattering. Taeyong held you close to his chest, wanting to shield you from everything. Once things settled they all looked around for the source, and then they heard footsteps. The crash sound was the front door, and now someone was walking in. Soon enough the intruder came into view, standing at the opposite end of the hall.

“Apologies, but you have something of mine.” The intruder stated. “So just hand over my familiar, and I’ll be on my way.”

“We don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“The cub in your hands is my familiar. Now hand them over.”

“No.”

“I won’t ask again.”

Fire ignited from the intruder’s hands, many of the boys snarling and baring their fangs. As much as Taeyong wanted to avoid a fight, it seemed that wasn’t going to happen.

“Taeyong?” Doyoung questioned. “What do we do?”

“We protect our pack.”

Those closest to the intruder roared and shifted, storming down the hall. A few others ran behind them with their claws drawn. Taeyong and the rest made their way out through the back door, needing to get some distance. There wasn’t really much of a plan. Werewolves haven’t fought witches in a long time. They were far stronger than their ancestors but Taeyong was more focused on protecting you. There were still so many things he didn’t understand, and he certainly wasn’t going to hand you over to some random witch. He needed help, and he could only think of going to one place.

Although just as he feared the witch caught up to them. A blast of energy knocked them all off their feet, but Taeyong was quick. He managed to land on his feet and keep running, only to be met with a fireball hitting him in the back. Taeyong stumbled to the ground, doing his best to shield you. He tried to get back up when he had his senses back but he was kicked in the face and wound up in agony as his burn mark was poked by the forest floor. He could only watch as the witch picked you up and coddled you. To his annoyance it seemed you were finally waking up and he didn’t like this at all.

“I’m so sorry it took me so long.”

You whimpered and opened your eyes, surprised to see a familiar face. You were so happy, wanting to say something when you realized you were in your wolf form, but not just that, you were incredibly small. Your master had always been able to change your size when you were a wolf, and you knew they liked to turn you into cub since they could carry you with ease. You whined happily, pressing your nose up against their neck.

“Let’s go home.”

“Not gonna happen.”

Taeyong gathered his strength and lunged at the witch. He wasn’t expecting to tackle them to the ground, but he got close enough to claw at their feet and cut into their ankle. He also didn’t hesitate to bite their leg.

“Ah! You fuck!”

“That is enough!”

A booming voice startled the two fighting, causing them to freeze. Jisung and Chenle had returned with two older gentlemen in tow. Taeyong knew who they were, but it seemed that the witch did too. Before he could speak and explain himself the other spoke first.

“Apologies for the intrusion. I am merely here to get back what was taken from me.”

“And what would that be?”

“My familiar.”

“The cub in your hands?”

“Yes. She’s a wolf, and my familiar.”

“So you say. I’m not quite happy with this intrusion, but I shall give the chance to explain how you came to be here today, witch.”

“Elder Suho, please, she’s not his familiar, she-”

“Silence.” Suho growled. “Now go on.”

“I do apologize for this intrusion, it was not my intention. A few weeks ago my familiar and I were attacked by hunters. We got separated while making our escape. I tried to find them with a locator spell, but nothing came up. I feared the worst until I got a hit. My spell pointed to the edge of your territory. Of course entering this place was not my first idea, so I searched the surrounding area to no avail. I cast the spell again and came up empty, but then it pointed to the outskirts of your territory once again. After some deliberation I made the decision to step into your territory and I immediately felt a connection to my familiar.”

“So your little wolf was here the whole time. That doesn’t explain why you attacked my pack members.”

“I was hoping to find my familiar and leave without incident. Unfortunately your pack members refused to return my familiar to me, so things got complicated.”

“I see.”

“It’s no issue to repair the damage I have done, and I do apologize for this, but I would just like to take my familiar and leave now.”

“He’s lying!” Taeyong spat. “He attacked us! But most importantly, she’s not a wolf! She’s an omega! She’s one of us, not some familiar! You know I’m telling the truth, my pack mates gave you her belongings, you know her scent-”

Suho raised his hand to invoke silence. “I’m well aware of your claim, Taeyong. But there is only one way to know for sure. Witch, what is your name?”

“Seungcheol.”

“Well then, Seungcheol. If you would hand over your familiar for a moment, and then you can be on your way.”

“And if I refuse?”

“You’re already on thin ice for entering my territory without permission and injuring my pack members. Now hand over the cub.”

“No.”

“No? And why is that?”

“Because I don’t trust any of you.”

“The feeling is mutual. If the cub in your hand was truly a wolf, you wouldn’t be denying my request. So, care to explain how it is that an omega is your familiar?”

“I’m afraid I can’t give you the answers you want.”

“How come?”

“Because I don’t know everything. It would be in your best interest to speak to the elders of my coven before you do anything rash.”

“Is that so?”

“I will personally escort you, but I am not handing over my familiar.”

“She’s not yours!” Taeyong yelled. “She’s an omega! A werewolf, and she’s part of my pack!”

“You kidnapped her!” Seungcheol snapped. “If not for you I would have found her weeks ago!”

“She would be dead if we hadn’t found her!”

“My familiar? She is connected to me and my magic, she would have healed and survived on her own!”

“Bullshit!”

“Enough!” Suho stated. “I don’t like this situation, but given the peace witches and werewolves have maintained over the decades I am willing to speak to your elders before making any sort of decision”

“Suho, you can’t be serious.” Taeyong pleaded. “She’s one of us, she recognizes me as her alpha!”

“She does?”

“Yes, yes, I can prove it.”

“That’s a lie.” Seungcheol cut in. “She only listens to you out of fear. You’ve kept her prisoner here for weeks!”

“She’s part of my pack!”

“Then why don’t we ask her?”

Seungcheol’s eyes glowed white for a moment and then you were sitting on the ground in your half-shifted form. It took a second for you to adjust to your limbs, but once you had your head on straight you jumped up to hug Seungcheol.

“Master!” You exclaimed gleefully. “You’re alive, you’re okay.”

“Yes, I’m alright. I’m glad you are too.”

“I was so worried…”

“You know it’s not that easy to kill me.”

“She has ears and a tail.” Suho commented. “Why is that?”

“I don’t know.” Seungcheol admitted. 

“There’s a lot you don’t know. So then, little wolf, do you recognize Taeyong as your alpha?”

“I… I don’t understand the question…”

“Tell me what happened.” Seungcheol said. “How did you end up here with these werewolves?”

“Uh… well, they said they found me in their territory and took me in. They helped heal my wound and told me I could stay with them while I figured out my next move. I was thinking of staying with them until I felt your connection again and realized you were alive. I wanted to go find you but…”

“What?”

“Taeyong didn’t want me to leave…”

“How come?”

“He… he said it was dangerous, and that I was part of his pack…”

“Are you part of his pack?”

“No, I’m your familiar. I want to go with you, master.”

“I know. I’m not letting you out of my sight again.”

“You’ve raised her with quite a delusion.” Suho mentioned. “Although she isn’t at fault.”

“What?” You questioned. “Master, what is he talking about?”

“There is something that I need to tell you.”

“No, no I’m not an omega, that’s not true.”

“Y/n, there’s more to this. I’ll explain it later.”

“What do you mean? It’s not true! It can’t be.”

“Sh, it’s gonna be alright, I promise.”

You were freaking out. The last few days had been a nightmare, and having your master here meant it was finally over. Yet to hear him say what everyone else had been telling you, it made your heart sink. It really couldn’t be true. Everything that had happened before could be explained away one way or another, but this, it hurt like you had been stabbed in the heart.

“Master…”

Seungcheol gave you a smile and leaned forward to press a kiss to your head. You felt his touch and began to feel dizzy, your world quickly fading to black. You collapsed into Seungcheol’s arms, passed out. He gently brushed some hair out of your face and then used his power to turn you back into a cub, keeping you in his arms.

“She has no interest in your pack.”

“There is still much to discuss.” Suho said. “Repair what you’ve damaged, and then let us get going.”

“I’m coming too.” Taeyong stated. “I’ve been looking after her and she’s part of my pack! I deserve answers too.”

“She’s not part of your pack.” Seungcheol snapped. “You heard-”

“Fine.” Suho interrupted. “A few of your pack mates may come along. That’s not a problem is it?”

“Only a handful.”

“Very well, Xiumin.” Suho turned to the other at his side who had been silent all along. “I’ll leave you to look after the pack in my absence. There shouldn’t be trouble.”

“You’ll be taking the trouble with you.” Xiumin commented. “I’ll take care of everyone here and check in with the other packs to make sure this is contained.”

“Good. Hopefully I won’t be gone long.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m worried. This raises a lot of questions, but I’m uncertain of many things right now.”

“Let me know before you make a decision.”

“We make those together. I’ll return and brief you on everything.”

“Alright. I’ll wait for you.”

Seungcheol kept his word, healing those around him, and making his way back to the house. Everyone else followed. In order to keep you close he summoned a sling, tucking you in and keeping you on his chest. He was well aware that Taeyong’s eyes were glued to him, to you specifically. He did his best to ignore the stares as he repaired the house. No one liked the fact that he had you so close, and unconscious. They had gathered to talk, always glancing his way.

“Why does he have her?” YangYang growled.

“Cause that’s what he came for.” Doyoung said. “He’s not really going to take her, is he?”

“I don’t know.” Taeyong admitted. “Y/n is an omega, that witch confirmed it, but things are not quite what they seem. Suho will be going with the witch to speak with their elders about this. But only some of us can go with them.”

“And?” Mark questioned. “What then?”

“I don’t know… but I’m not letting y/n go.”

Taeyong made the decision to have Johnny, Yuta, Ten, Xiaojun, and Jeno come along with him, the rest would remain home and would behave themselves. They’d all do their best to keep in contact and keep them updated.

“I’m ready when you are.” Seungcheol said. “A travel spell won’t cause any lasting damage, but you’ll feel a bit dizzy afterwards.”

Suho agreed to those that would come with and then gave Seungcheol permission to proceed. They all gathered together, and then a flash of white blinded them all for a moment. When they regained their sight they found that they were still in a forest, just not their own. The smell in the air was different, and so were the sounds around them. They all took a moment to let the dizziness pass before continuing.

“My coven is this way.” Seungcheol explained. “The other witches might give you some looks, but as long as you stick with me nothing will happen.”

“And y/n?” Taeyong questioned. 

“She stays with me.”

“And when are you going to wake her up?”

“When we get to my coven. She probably misses home.”

“This isn’t her home.”

“You aren’t her home.”

Seungcheol ignored Taeyong’s growls and started walking, guiding the others. It wasn’t a long walk before they came to a small village in the forest. Many eyes were on them, some throwing nasty looks.

“What’s their problem?” Jeno commented.

“Just cause we have a treaty with witches doesn’t mean they like us.” Ten remarked. “Don’t you remember why we’re here?”

“Yeah.”

They kept to themselves and paid no mind to the onlookers. Soon enough they came to a house near what seemed to be the center of the village.

“Let me inform the elders of your arrival.”

“What about y/n?” Johnny asked.

“Right.”

Seungcheol smiled as he gently picked you up out of the sling, petting you gently as he coaxed you to wake up. Your vision was a bit blurry as you opened your eyes, but seeing Seungcheol made you happy.

“Hey, guess where we are?”

You tried to look around, seeing Taeyong and the others, as well as some familiar houses. Everything didn’t quite hit until you caught the scent of the area. Your tail began to wag and you realized where you were, excitedly looking over at Seungcheol who nodded.

“We’re home. Why don’t you run along and see your friends, I’ll call you back later.”

As Seungcheol put you down you grew to your normal wolf size and then ran off, knowing where you wanted to go. Once Seungcheol put you down Taeyong immediately grabbed him.

“Where is she going!”

“Wherever she wants, this is her home, and I know she’s safe here. Now excuse me.”

Seungcheol ripped Taeyong’s hands off him and stepped into the cabin, leaving the others to wait. Taeyong wasn’t happy about this, none of his pack members were.

“Xiaojun, Yuta, find her and keep an eye on her.”

The two agreed and headed off to follow your scent. It was probably dangerous to separate from the group, but as long as they didn’t cause trouble nothing should go wrong. Soon enough they caught up to you, taken aback by the scene. You had shifted into your half form, hugging a boy who looked similar to you, just different colored ears and tail. He swung you around and your laughter filled the air.

“Seokmin! I’m so happy to see you!”

“Where have you been!?” Seokmin said. “We’ve all been worried about you.”

“I’m alright, just got a little lost.”

“A little lost, you’ve been gone for weeks.”

“But I’m back now.”

“Yeah, and you’re not leaving again.” Another spoke. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“Jun!”

You ran over to hug Jun, squeezing him tightly as he kissed your head. It was so good to be surrounded by friends. Seokmin ruffled your hair and played with your ears a bit, making you whine happily.

“We were all seriously worried about you.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure I could come back without my master.”

“This place is your home.” Jun reminded. “You are always welcome here no matter what.”

“Thanks, so what have I missed?”

It was certainly strange to see you in a different light. You weren’t shy and reserved, you were comfortable here. This was who you were, it was a side to you they hadn’t really seen before. They probably wouldn’t have for a long time.

“She’s happy.” Xiaojun mumbled. “She’s smiling and everything.”

“So this is where she’s been all these years.” Yuta added. “Those two are omegas too, aren’t they?”

“Probably.”

“How are we supposed to get her to come back with us?”

“No idea…”

♥♥♥♥♥

Taeyong kept staring down the path you had run off on, wishing you’d just come back on your own. He was interrupted out of his thoughts when Seungcheol opened the door, inviting them in. Suho went in first, the others following behind him. Despite the cabin size on the outside, the place seemed bigger inside. Seungcheol led them down the hall and into what appeared to be a conference room. A semi-circle table was placed in the center where five gentlemen were seated.

“What’s all the commotion?” One asked. “It’s rare for our kind to ever meet each other.”

“Well the situation calls for it.” Suho said. “Your witch here recommended it.”

“And what is this situation about?”

“You having omegas as familiars. Care to explain yourselves?” 

“Well, this should be interesting.”