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thegabbyh · 15 days ago

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What if... the CEOs were hybrids? Part three | BTS OT7 AU

Its been a long while my lovelies and I apologise, hopefully making up for it with the third instalment of the what if series, starting us off with some 7.7K words about hybrid CEOs.

Trigger warnings: Possessive/obsessive behaviour, jealousy, scenting, usual hybrid trope things, swearing, testosterone, I don't know if being mean is a trigger warning but here it is. Angst.

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Playlist : Fire Escape - Matthew Mayfield, Delicate - Damien Rice

Hybrids: KNJ - Wolf, KSJ - Bear, MYG - Panther, JHS - Lion, PJM - Arctic fox, KTH - Tiger, JJK - Bunny.

You smelled like him, that was the first thing the trio noticed on their first day back to work when you passed them by. That's why the hyungs looked so sullen at home, why they were no longer coming home with your scent lingering on their clothes. And why Yoongi and Namjoon could barely stand to be in the same room for longer than a minute without tearing into each other about something stupid, all while avoiding the topic of you.

The miasmic cloud of misery seemed to be hanging over all of their heads, following them without mercy from its downpour. You were avoiding their gazes, the maknaes watched you across the office longingly, waiting for you to greet them, to make the first move they were too afraid to make.

“This is stupid, we’ve known her longer than the human oaf,” Jimin mutters under his breath to the other two. “My angel isn’t one to hold a grudge, let’s just go and say hello.”

As brave as his words sounded, he could feel his heart in his throat, choking back any greeting he wanted to give you.

“What if she’s still upset with us?” Jungkook’s bunny ears flopped, his own sadness weighing them down as he nervously struggled to keep his eyes on you. How did it get like this? He told you only a week ago you were part of their pack, now they were terrified to talk to you.

“She doesn’t want to speak to us,” Taehyung states bluntly, while Jungkook could barely look at you, the tiger’s eyes never left you. He could read you like a book, you were ignoring them, and he hated it. All for that stupid human, the anger and jealousy burned inside of him. You never paid anyone else any interest all this time, to the point where he really believed you had feelings for them, and now another’s scent lingered on you, taunting him. How did he get it so wrong?

He turns away first, walking out of the working space leaving Jungkook and Jimin to reluctantly follow, once last longing look your way, lingering there for as long as possible as they pleaded silently with you to meet them halfway.

—

You take a deep breath as you approach his private office, bracing yourself for whatever the hell reason it was today he demanded you come to see him. All week there was a new reason, a new mundane task, more workload, more grumpy attitude from the CEO as he stared daggers into you like he was reverting back to who he was when he met you, when he didn’t trust you. But you could see through it, to an extent, the panther was punishing you and you were letting him .

You exhale, it sounds almost like a sigh before you knock on the door, a gruff voice replying.

“Depyunim, you asked for me?” You greet him politely when you open the door.

“Take a seat,” he responds without looking up from the paperwork in front of him.

You hesitate, this was how it always started, you sitting there in silence fidgeting for however long he decided before he actually addresses you again. Only today the workload was catching up with you, you couldn’t afford to waste your time with his antics.

Your reluctance to follow instruction makes him look up at you, not a single emotion on his face, his eyes almost black, void of the man you once knew.

“Is there a problem Miss L/n?”

Ah. That was the other thing he started doing, he didn’t call you kitten anymore. It shouldn’t still cut you like this, and honestly you thought you had gotten used to it after a whole week, but every time it knocked the wind out of you like a punch to the gut. You were too terrified to call him by his name or question him over it, something told you his bite would be worse than his bark. Even now, where you would normally challenge his behaviour, you couldn’t muster the courage to.

You shake your head, taking your seat like you had the previous days before. He returns to his paperwork without a word. The atmosphere between you was unbearable, every time you sat in this chair you wanted to bawl your eyes out, and every day you forced yourself to hold the tears back.

“Depyunim…” you couldn’t take it anymore, you watch the pen in Yoongi’s hand pause at the sound of your voice. “I don’t want to rush you, but I have to get the Enhyphen contracts done by 4.”

You tried to say it calmly, softly, politely, but the stone in your throat made it difficult to speak. You fiddle with your fingers in your lap, bracing yourself nervously. He exhales loudly out of his nose, as if you were testing his patience, resuming his writing without a verbal response.

In all honesty, you were misreading his behaviour. Yoongi was angry at himself. What was he trying to do? Push you away? Keep you close? Make you waste an entire day with him, so you’d be forced to stay late to catch up and then you wouldn’t go to see that human he could smell on you? What exactly was he trying to achieve? He was just so angry all the time since that day. That stench that didn’t belong on you was frying his brain cells, making him act like a possessive panther, enraging him even when he couldn’t smell it. He was desperately trying to keep you as close to him as possible whenever he could, keeping you in his office, his personal den, away from the thing that was taking you from him.

He hears you sniff, it's small but audible, it stuns him frozen, scared that tears would follow, that he was the one to cause them. As hurt as he was, as miserable, the last thing he wanted to do was make you cry. The grip on his pen tightens. He owes you an explanation for his behaviour, his abuse of his power, he knows it, but how does he start?

“Did I do something?” Your small voice makes him finally look up at you, almost snapping his neck in the process of how quick his attention turned.

His hard expression melts into one of shock, jaw dropping an inch as he takes in the way you’re trying to smile despite the sadness coming off of you in waves.

“No.” Is it a lie? It sounded firm, something that left no room for questions, but he can’t convince himself that it was true.

In your mind you’ve already come to conclusions about the change in atmosphere, observing their attitude towards you and knowing it coincided with Eric coming into your life. You’re not stupid, you know they saw you as a packmate, so a new foreign scent was going to drive them over the edge. You just thought it would have settled by now, that they would’ve gotten used to it.

But how could you act hurt when you were the one to instigate the change, to pull away for your own peace of mind. You put up walls and boundaries, knowing what the consequences would be. You couldn’t complain now, even if your whole body ached with missing them, despite working with them almost every day. Distance didn’t have to be physical, you could prove that.

“Okay,” you accept it, plastering on a patient content smile on your face that didn’t feel right. Yoongi doesn’t like it, he knows it’s fake, but he turns back to his paperwork like a coward, unable to confront you or let you go.

—

“What’s this?” Namjoon’s eyes are aflame as he shows you the email on his laptop, his eyes unbreaking from staring down your small figure in front of his desk.

“I-it’s a request for a job reference,” you state the obvious, trying not to tremble in front of his heated glare.

“I can see that babygirl,” he sounds almost condescending, the fire in his chest unable to remain contained in front of you. “Is there a problem here working in this company?”

You gulp a little, shaking your head since you couldn’t trust your voice to stay steady.

“Then why would you even think about applying elsewhere?” He almost growls, almost.

He sucks in his cheeks, trying to calm himself down, knowing what a hypocrite he was being. He told the others to keep their distance, to stop with this mating nonsense especially since you were obviously interested in someone else. All those times he told the others to respect your choices, and here he was eating his own words. Employees come and go, it’s a given in any business, but you, over his dead body was he ready or willing to let you leave. He didn’t even consider it an option.

“What is it, Y/n?” he pushes, “Is it the pay? The workload? What would make you decide to leave when all you have to do to fix anything is speak to me.”

He was seething, but his anger wasn’t directed at you, it was the fear he was hiding in the flames speaking for him.

“I was just exploring my options,” you can’t meet his eyes when you say it, your focus aimed at the edge of his desk. You knew logically you didn’t have to answer a thing, didn’t have to justify your actions, but you felt compelled to. This wasn’t just your boss, this was the man you had been in love with for years. You respected him far too much.

“Anything any company can offer you I can match or double,” he still sounds so angry, but he can’t help it. “You want a pay rise? Done. Promotion? Whatever position babygirl, it’s yours. Anything you want.” Just don’t leave.

The corner of your lip rises an inch, a humourless sad smile on your face as you hold back a scoff. Your eyes start to water, you don’t want to say a word. He couldn’t give you what you wanted, you wanted him, you wanted the others, and if he ever knew he would throw you out of the company himself. You were doing him a favour by removing yourself, but you couldn’t tell him, because regardless of what you thought were noble actions, you knew you wouldn’t be able to take the look of hate or disgust in his eyes if it was directed at you.

“You’re the biggest asset this company has ever had,” he explains, needing to cover his outburst before you read between the lines. It wasn’t a lie, but it sure wasn’t the reason why he was so desperate for you to stay. “I’m not letting you go without putting up a fight.”

You wanted him to stop. It wasn’t fair how he made your heart sway and burn when he didn’t feel the same way. You hear him sigh, collecting his words, the hesitation makes you finally glance at him.

“Does this have anything to do with why you were crying last week?” He asks cautiously, his gaze inspecting your every reaction and movement.

“No,” you lie, “I told you, I was just overwhelmed with the workload.”

You sounded so flat, it made him ache. He fights the instinct to wrap you in his arms, smothering the voice in his head that was telling him something was wrong with his mate, reminding that incessant voice that you chose someone else. It was happening more and more frequently recently, he was arguing with himself all the time. The same conversation with himself repeating everyday whenever he saw you.

She chose someone else, he says to himself firmly, shutting down any chance of a counter argument. He doesn’t notice the grip on his pen is deadly until it cracks under the pressure, ink spilling all over his hands.

“Joonie!” Maybe it was instinct that tore away all the boundaries you were building, but you race to his hand in worry as if he had injured himself. He felt the tug in his chest again the second you said his name, finding himself gazing at you softly. There’s a frown forming as you take his hand, looking it over in case he cut himself. He doesn’t pull away, even though he knows he should. You had him wrapped around your little finger, and although he didn’t mind, it was starting to hurt.

“Are you okay?” You ask him, glancing up at his face to ensure he wasn’t in pain before returning to inspect his soiled hands.

He knew he was pretending nothing had changed since you started dating, but his whole world turned upside down and he had to grit his teeth through it. He had to lead the others by example, but doing what was right rather than what he wanted was getting harder each time he saw you. Each time he could smell that disgusting odour on you it flared his jealousy, it had only been a week, how often were you seeing this boy in a week that his scent was always on you?

“I don’t think you’re bleeding,” you mumble, more to yourself than to him, that frown of concern still cemented on your face as if you refused to trust the evidence he was unscathed.

He hates it when you pull away, your own hand stained with ink from holding his. You glance down at them, lips turning up an inch as if you found it humorous for reasons unknown to him. You were laughing at yourself, all that progress you thought you were making away from them was bullshit, the state of your hands were proof enough of that.

“I think I need to go wash my hands,” you chuckle, moving away from him.

He fights back the instinct to grab your hand in a desperate attempt of keeping you with him, words lodged in his throat. He controls himself as you walk out of the office, feeling like a hopeless puppy rather than a wolf.

—

“Did you hear, Y/n got herself a boyfriend!”

“No way, for sure thought she was courting the CEOs.”

“She obviously tried and failed.”

Jin sighs, closing his eyes trying to contain the disappointment he felt in his employees as they gossiped about you, not realising he was within earshot. He tries not to listen, tries not to focus on the details of your new relationship, but gossip spreads like wildfire in the company, the details getting warped as they were whispered.

He scoffs. What did they know? They were all wrong about your affection for them, it was the other way round, they were courting you. It was plain and obvious for anyone to see but in the eyes of your jealous and spiteful colleagues, you were the instigator. Perhaps it was a blessing you unknowingly rejected them, he hated to think of what rumours would try to taint you if they were successful. He says it to himself so convincingly he can almost pretend it doesn’t taste bitter. Why was everyone so blind? Why were you so clueless? Why was everything so complicated?

He sighs to himself as he makes his way to the meeting room, half an hour early. Some habits die hard, some don’t die at all. Just as he expected you were already there setting up, he would’ve smiled if it wasn’t for the smell that hits him, the reminder. He could pretend nothing was changing, but the truth was hard to deny.

“Need any help, beautiful girl?” he says, his sudden presence making you jump out of your skin. He grins at that at least.

“I’m almost done,” you laugh lightly, hand on your heart as it raced, refusing to calm down even when you knew there was no threat. You don’t know why but you were becoming increasingly nervous around Jin, a paranoid part of you thought he could see right through what you were doing, and you were afraid he would call you out.

He hums in acknowledgement, approaching you slowly, his eyes boring into you as if you would disappear from sight if he so much as blinked.

“You’re early,” you comment, trying to focus on anything other than his stare.

“I wanted to spend time with my beautiful girl,” he confesses against his better judgement. He didn’t want things to change, so what if you were dating a moron, you were still his mate.

Your pulse was beating faster the closer he got. Jin refused to let you pull away, it was why you thought he knew what you were doing. He didn’t let anything change. Boundaries? Fine, he’d respect them, but you trying to create a distance from him? It would kill him.

“I-I, umm…” You can’t find an excuse to leave the room, and when he stands in front of you only inches away you lose your train of thought all together. His eyes implore down to your own, the softest smile admiring you without attempting to hide it at all.

“Hmmm?” he hums again, asking you to go on with a slight smirk, reading the effect he had on you, proof that you liked him too.

You’re sure you look like a fish out of water to the amused bear in front of you playing with his food.

“What’s wrong honey?”

You gulp, his eyes turning dangerous and knowing underneath the light expression he held. Maybe you liked that new term of endearment a little too much, Jin swore he could hear your heartbeat flatline for a second. He takes a step closer, basking in the warmth radiating from your heated form, just more evidence, more reassurance that he hadn’t gotten it wrong. You loved them too, the only issue was Namjoon’s inability to see it, and whatever the hell you were doing with that boy he could smell on you.

The urge to get rid of it with his own scent was driving him up the wall. It would be so easy, but he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Crossing boundaries was how you all got into the predicament, he wasn’t about to make it worse.

Your mouth opens and closes, repeatedly without words like the proverbial fish. Didn’t you ask the maknaes what hybrid you would be? Well you know the answer now.

“Are you ill honey?” He presses the back of his hand to your forehead. He can’t help it, just something small, something that can be brushed off as concern. “You’re burning up.”

By the look on his face you can tell he knows exactly why that is. The smirk is gone, his face unusually serious with a challenge in his eyes to prove him wrong.

“I-I’m fine,” you don’t sound it when you push his hand away from your face, but you force yourself to brush it off. “Honestly Jin, I’m fine.”

Before he can investigate any further, you turn away from him, feeling his stare on your back as you finish setting up for the meeting. It doesn’t go unnoticed by him that you repeat certain things, or take your time, obviously trying to avoid any more interactions with him. He laughs to himself in pity, maybe he did get it all wrong.

—

It's silent in their office, it has been all week. No one seemed to muster the energy to talk, not even the maknaes now they were back. Namjoon half expected them to whine or complain openly about the situation, but they were too deflated to speak. A burning guilt seared right down his centre, realising his punishment was part of the reason they wouldn’t be open about their feelings, he was their alpha and he lost their trust. But they couldn’t see he was just trying to protect everyone, that was his burden.

Hoseok walked in, doom and gloom written all over his face, a visible sigh through his lips, his eyes concentrated on the ground as he walked. A part of him wanted to hide in Yoongi’s office, not really wanting to be alone but not wanting company either, but he couldn't impose and the panther had been a bit volatile recently. He can’t remember the last time Yoongi willingly came into the main office since his argument with Namjoon. The two were avoiding each other thinking that was the best way to avoid conflict, in reality it was just making things ten times worse.

“I think I’m going to transfer to another floor,” he says nonchalantly as he stands at his desk, the others gawping at his words.

“Hyung,” Jimin sounds equal parts outraged and upset. “You can’t.”

“Floor seven needs better management,” he says, not meeting anyone’s eyes.

“And the real reason Hyung?” Taehyung scoffs.

He doesn’t answer for a moment, wanting to keep it repressed inside, but this was his pack, his family, they knew him better than anyone else.

“I can’t take the smell,” he confesses quietly. “Everytime I look at her all I can see is someone else's hands on her, I-”

He cuts himself off, taking a breath. His emotions were spilling, overwhelmingly so inside of his chest, the only way out was through his mouth as words, but he locks it shut.

“We won’t let a girl come between us or the company,” Namjoon states after minutes of silence, his voice quiet but firm. “We’ve worked together since the start, we’ve had problems before and we’ve gotten through them every time, this is no different.”

It was like he was brushing the situation off, that’s what made them stare at the leader of their pack aghast. A girl? A problem? Did he seriously just say that?

“But she’s not just a girl Namjoon,” Hoseok sounds so heartbroken that he even implied it, not holding back his words even though he knew it wasn’t a subject to approach the lead CEO with. “She’s our mate.”

Namjoon sighs, ready to have the conversation again for the hundredth time but Hobi doesn’t let him.

“You can deny it to yourself and the rest of us,” he says. “That doesn’t make it any less true.”

He doesn’t want to hear the lectures today, doesn’t want to sit through another spiel about how it would never work, so he left the office before the wolf could start. It was just his bad luck that he ran into you as he walked out, your form colliding into his chest.

“Woah-” It’s instinct the way his arms wrap around you to hold you steady, and he blames instinct as to why he's so reluctant to let you leave. Your palms are on his chest, burning through the fabric of his shirt, finally giving him some of the warmth he had been craving for a while.

“Sorry,” you say sheepishly, pulling away, but he doesn’t release you. You look up at him in confusion. “Are you okay?”

No, I'm not okay sunshine. He’s missed you, the confession almost leaves his lips. But instead he smiles through the gut wrenching pain of letting you go, carrying on as if nothing had happened.

—

Twice in one day? What had you done to deserve it? You march over to Yoongi’s office this time, the pile of work starting to stack itself into the leaning tower of pisa on your desk. You don’t even knock, opening the door to greet the panther.

“Depyunim you calle-”

“You need to rewrite this,” he cuts you off without looking at you, holding the files you dropped off earlier before they slammed on his desk.

“What’s wrong with it?” you challenge quietly, knowing that you checked it over ten times before giving it to him.

“You need to change the font,” he states matter of factly. What the- was he kidding?

“This again?” you groan, rolling your eyes in without thinking, patience wearing thin. “There’s nothing wrong with the font!”

Yoongi stands up so quickly his chair almost falls back, he strides over to you, eyes pinning you down where you stood just outside his office. The doorway between you shouldn’t symbolise so much, but when he looks down at you with an anger simmering in his eyes, you can’t ignore that it does.

“I’m a CEO of this company,” his voice is quiet, dangerously so. “If I tell you that it needs changing, there shouldn’t be any questions about it kitten.”

The pet name slips before he can stop it, but he can see your eyes soften at the term despite the way you were trying to challenge him. Your hands ball into fists by your side, trying to stop the ache that came with hearing him call you that again. Trying to pretend you didn’t miss the sound with your whole being.

“I’m not changing the font Min Yoongi,” you keep your voice and gaze steady, ready to win this battle between you both.

He almost smirks, it was instinct when his kitten got out her claws, he couldn’t help it.

“I’m telling you to.”

“Fine, if you’re going to be stubborn about it let’s take it to Namjoon and he can tell us if you’re being unreasonable or not,” you argue back not realising that was the wrong button to press, but how were you to know of the ruins of their relationship.

“This isn’t Namjoon’s project,” he can hear the growl in his words, taking a heavy step towards you.

The way his eyes turned black in a second made a shiver go down your spine, goosebumps jumping out of your skin, warning you that you pushed the panther too far. The next step he takes has you gulp, survival instinct taking over as you take a step back, keeping the distance between you the same, moving into the corridor.

“It's mine,” he looks so disgusted at you, hate pouring out in his words and his glare, aimed far away from you but unfortunately you were on the receiving end. Kim Namjoon was not a name to be uttered in his presence. “So if I tell you, to change the font Miss L/n, you change it.”

His words are final, you can see it. It doesn’t falter, his stare so intense you have trouble finding your own words.

“Okay,” you give in, ready to drop the subject and run away from his demeanour, but he wasn’t having it.

“How dare you try to question my rank in this deal Y/n,” the way he says your first name makes you realise it's not just anger there, you hurt him. “But I guess you don’t respect me a much as you respect him.”

He scoffs, shaking his head as he walks back into his office, slamming the door behind him, leaving you alone on the other side. You hadn’t realised you were holding your breath until your lungs filled with air again shakily. No, you were not going to leave it like this.

For the second time that day you don’t knock, walking in to find his back to you as he stood in the middle of the office, Shoulders rising and falling with each angry breath he took. You close the door behind you, staring at him until he turns around.

“Get out of my office,” he’s not joking, the tone of voice he was using with you, you had never heard aimed at you before. You force your bottom lip to not quiver.

“I’m sorry,” you say, trying to keep your voice steady. He lets out a breath of laughter, humorlessly, looking up at the ceiling in exasperation.

“Fine. Now leave.”

In his current state, the stink on you was only fuelling the fire. It filled his office, his safe space and he wanted it out even if it meant kicking you out.

“Yoongi,” he curses the way you look up at him with watering eyes. “Why are you so mad at me?”

“That smell is off putting,” it’s spit out before he can reign it in. Part of you expected that to be the answer but you still look surprised.

“But this is irrational…” you shake your head, you want to create boundaries not be exiled. “I know Eric isn’t part of your pack but neither are most of the people you work with every day and you’ve never behaved like this before. Not with me.”

His jaw clenches at the name, the way you said it sounded too familiar for a guy you only met a week ago. Humans were more like animals than they thought, if you met your mate time was irrelevant, he really thought that was you for them, he didn’t want to believe anything else.

“I can’t stand their stench either kitten,” he bites back, sounding spiteful, tail flickering behind him dangerously. “Why do you think I have a private office that no one’s allowed into?”

You reel back, hating the way he was speaking to you. You both bickered and argued all the time, but this felt different, this felt real.

“And right now, you’re filling it with that disgusting smell,” you could almost see smoke coming out of his head, like a volcano about to erupt. “So please, Y/n, leave.”

You stare at him silently for a second, unable to hide the hurt on your face anymore. He doesn’t budge, he can’t, and you can see it your efforts to get through to him would be fruitless. When you close the door behind you, walking out without another word, he can feel the guilt drop like a pill inside of him, regretting letting his jealousy speak for him.

—

You can hear the tap running in the kitchen when you walk into your apartment after work. Sighing with emotional exhaustion as you take off your shoes, you really wanted to be alone.

“Hey!” His voice shouldn’t aggravate you, but it pulls at a chord. “How was work?”

You try to smile, but it feels awful.

“Busy as always,” you don’t elaborate, and Eric is smart enough to know not to push.

“Well I made you one last dinner… without burning the kitchen down this time,” he chuckles sheepishly.

“You really didn’t have to,” you didn’t have the stomach for food today.

“I just wanted to thank you Y/n,” he says sincerely. “For letting me stay with you this week, I honestly can’t thank you enough.”

If you told any of your friends you let the guy that took you on one date stay with you when he accidentally burned down his apartment, you’re pretty sure they’d kill you before giving you the lecture of ‘you don’t know him’, ‘he could be a serial killer’. But you knew Eric through a mutual friend, and if they vouched for him, you’d believe it. Plus you couldn’t lie that his presence was useful in your badly executed plan of getting over your bosses or at least not letting them find out you were in love with them.

“Sure you’re not going to let me take you out on another date to make up for it?” he tries cheekily, reminding you of his presence when you space out thinking about them.

“I thought dinner was your way of making up for it,” you say with a look on your face that roughly translated to, nice try.

“No, that's my way of saying thank you,” he chuckles but again doesn’t push it.

As much as you wanted to be distracted from your current dilemma, you wouldn’t use anyone that way. It wasn’t fair, you were hung up on them, and you didn’t believe that stupid saying of getting under someone else. Honestly, you didn’t know what you were doing, you wanted something impossible. Did you honestly believe that a little distance was going to erase the past few years of getting to know them, of falling in love with them? How did you think you could have it both ways? Love them from afar, but still keep them close. You really were a mess.

—

His scent was stronger on you this morning. It was all they could think about through the meeting all seven of them had to attend, but they didn’t know that was because you hugged Eric goodbye this morning when he finally left with his stuff. More from the relief of getting your space back than anything else. The time-old saying was wrong, what they didn’t know would definitely kill them.

Did he spend the night? Was that why the once lingering smell on you was now punching them in the face with its pungence? Jin glances briefly at the way Yoongi was tapping his pen irritatedly on the surface of the desk. Hobi looking distraught beside him, blinking back the tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

The maknaes were fairing no better. Jimin's stare was as cold as ice, threatening to freeze anyone cold that dared to approach him… perhaps it was quite fitting for an arctic fox. Jin could hear the way Jungkook��s leg was restless under the desk, the strength of the smell too much for the bunny as his face contorted into pain. And Taehyung… well the tiger looked at you with such an intensity, the oldest CEO didn’t know how you were ignoring it, surely you felt the burn of his gaze.

Jin wondered how Namjoon was leading the meeting with such faux ease. If Jin didn’t know him any better, he would have believed it, but he noticed the subtle clench of his jaw, the way he couldn’t help glancing at you at any given moment, the heartbreak and questions in his gaze every time it fell on you.

“We’ve only just managed to reach our target for this year’s quarterly,” Namjoon states, trying not to wince at the way the smell was giving him a headache. “I want project leaders to reassess their team's work for any pitfalls or areas for improvement.”

You frown in concern when he pauses, pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyes with his fingers, closing them in pain before resuming the meeting. You want to question it, stay late when he finishes his speech, thanking everyone for their hard work and letting your colleagues leave the room. You want to stay, you want to check he's okay, but you remind yourself of what you’re trying to achieve and force yourself out without looking back at any of them. That didn’t mean you didn’t feel each of their stares as you left.

—

You can see Jungkook and Jimin wandering around the office floor, trying to look busy, striking up conversations with almost every employee, asking them mundane questions about different projects, all while sneaking not so subtle glances your way. You’d laugh under any other circumstance. You hadn’t said a word to them since that night, and now because of the lack of communication the atmosphere festered into something awkward. Each party was afraid to approach the other, you were scared to talk to them, they had a way of bringing down your defences, and you knew it would take them seconds to break down the wall of boundaries you were building.

The pair notice you ignoring their presence, making their way through the sea of employees, inching closer and closer to you as naturally as they can fake.

“Hyung I don’t think this is going to work,” Jungkook mutters under his breath for only the arctic fox to hear.

“Why won’t it work?” Jimin challenges in a hushed breath. “We’re the CEO’s of the company checking on our employees, Angel is also an employee, this is the perfect way to start a conversation again.”

“But hyung-”

“I miss her,” Jimin looks earnestly at the bunny, his heart in his eyes for him to see. “I can’t take this anymore.”

Jungkook bites his lips nervously as Jimin talks to Seulgi, the next desk they would approach would be yours. You seemed engrossed in your work but he kept his eye on you, scared you would figure out what they were doing and run away before they had the chance to talk to you.

You, however, were so wrapped up in your own thoughts you didn’t question their motives. That is until they make their way to your desk.

“Angel,” Jimin greets you as if nothing happened.

Your eyes widen as you stare at him in shock, realising this was their plan the whole time.

“Jimin,” you breathe back, and he has to stop himself pouncing on you. Fuck, he missed you? Why was that word not enough to explain the pain of being away from you for so long?

“Hi Noona,” Jungkook saves his hyung by sacrificing himself, the older CEO malfunctioning after hearing his name. “W-we w-wanted to see how everyone was doing.”

He chews at his lips, cursing himself for stuttering, but thankfully Jimin finds his tongue.

“The hyungs sent us,” he lies hastily, “to check on everyone, I mean…”

You just nod in reply, feeling a little on the spot with both their gazes burning into you like you would fade from sight. You kind of wish you could fade from sight.

“How are you?” Jimin asks softly, the words sounding light but holding more weight than anyone would ever know.

“I-I’m okay,” you smile but it doesn’t reach your eyes. “Just falling behind.”

Your hands grip onto the arm rests of your chair, as if you were physically trying to hold yourself back from leaping into their arms. You missed them, you missed them so much you didn’t care about that stupid night and the stupid boundaries. You just wanted to go back to normal, but you couldn’t, you had feeling for them, it was wrong.

“Anything we can help with?” Jungkook asks, hoping you’d let them. All he wanted to do was bury his nose in your hair, after scenting you so hard that you only smelled of him and the pack. His fingers fidget, entangling around each other, can’t he at least touch your hair? Or your cheek, or something.

“I kind of need to not be distracted,” you say sheepishly, wincing at your own harsh words though you tried to say them as politely as you could. Both boys balk at the suggestion before Jimin composes himself.

“Understood.” His features turn to stone as he drags the bunny away, leaving you to your work. Your heart breaks more and more with each step they take, knowing you can’t take it back. You hurt them.

—

You thought their office was empty, it's why you didn’t knock. Knowing their schedules, knowing they were all at different meetings, you didn’t think twice to enter with the files you had to drop off, coming to an abrupt halt when you’re met with his red rimmed eyes. You both stare at each other, your face one of complete shock, while his was evident of his tears.

It's the sob that wrecks through his whole body that has you spring into action, flinging the files onto whoevers desk you didn't care, as you almost ran over to him, engulfing him in your arms nearly knocking you both over. If anything he cries harder, tail wrapping around your waist too as he holds onto you like a lifeline. You squeeze him hard, his head burying itself into your neck, trying to find the scent of you that wasn’t tainted with that awful stench.

You don’t smell like you. You don’t smell like them. He won’t pretend it's pure instinct as he rubs his head against you, sniffling as he moves your head under his chin, rubbing his scent glands on you roughly. It’s all over you, that fucking smell was everywhere.

“Tae,” you call his name airily, his ministrations already having an effect on you, but you had been so starved of him for so long.

He doesn’t respond, taking your arm in his hand, pressing it against his cheek, hiding his eyes from you when he decides it isn’t enough. You feel yourself stop breathing when he uses his lips instead, soft delicate kisses on the length of your arm, making his way slowly to your neck. You’re frozen, not wanting him to stop for a second, your skin searing at every touch he gives.

That is until you try to make sense of his behaviour. He was a hybrid, who saw you as part of his pack, and you denied them your presence for over a week. This was just his instincts on overdrive and you had to get yourself together before he went too far and regretted it. Or before you misread the signals and got your heart broken again.

“Tae, stop,” it sounds feeble even to your own ears, but you grab his wrists and push him back. His eyes meet yours, no tears left but his pupils are fully blown like he was on catnip.

“No,” his voice is hoarse but stubborn. “I don’t want to.”

It takes all your strength to hold him back when he tries to lean into you again, his heart aching at the way you're keeping him away when he so desperately needs you.

“Please,” he begs, whimpering, feeling like if you denied him it would crush him beyond repair. “Please flower.”

You breathe out slowly, long and calm, trying to keep yourself together, to not give in. It wasn’t fair, every brick you painstakingly spent building against them came down like a house of cards. Tears prickle the corner of your own eyes. This wasn’t fair.

He manages to rest his head on your shoulder, his nose sniffing against your neck. It’s still there, muted but he could still smell it. You hear the low hum of a growl in his throat.

“Taehyung, talk to me,” you say gently, needing him to verbalise his actions so you didn’t misread them.

“You’re not supposed to smell like him!” he cries, closing his eyes in pain. “You’re supposed to smell like us, you’re mine.”

Your heart leaps before it falls.

“Tae,” your bottom lip trembles, doesn’t he realise how cruel this was. “You can’t say shit like that.”

He hears you sniff, moving away enough to see the look of sadness on your face. But he doesn’t understand why it’s there. Did you really not feel the same way? No, that wasn’t it, the way you looked up at him, begging him to stop but they were soft on him, so loving.

“Why?” he dares to ask, it comes out a whisper, his heart pounding as he inspects you. You close your eyes, wanting to laugh at how pathetic you are. It causes tears to fall out of the corner of your eyes. You let go of his wrists to wipe them away, ready to answer him, ready to confess and leave him forever to save yourself from more pain.

A creak startles you both, the door opening to reveal the others making their way back from their respective meetings, all of them staring at the scene, completely taken back.

“Baby girl?” Namjoon is the first to step towards you both, his eyes flickering between you both. The concern on his face turns to one of anger, aimed at the tiger but you had already decided it was towards you.

You can’t deal with this. Turning away you try to make your leave, only to be held back, Taheyung grabbing your hand in his and making you face him.

“Why?’ he repeats, more adamantly. He needed to know, because whether he was right or wrong would change everything.

“Taehyung,” Namjoon growls warningly. His eyes fixed on your hands together.

“This is between me and flower,” he glares at his hyung, the threat in his eyes clear for the wolf not to get involved. He turns back to you, the others watching intently. “Why?”

You feel defeat ripple through your chest, your face scrunching as you sniff back the sob working its way out.

“Because my stupid human brain is going to misunderstand,” you voice is heavy with tears, a few slipping out against your wishes. “Your actions mean something different for humans than they do for hybrids.”

He almost scoffs, this was what you always did. They were so obvious with their affection and love and you rationalised it wrong every time.

“What does it mean for humans, flower?” he almost sounds like he’s mocking you, a new stern and unforgiving look on his face as he moves closer to you.

“Taehyung stop,” you beg, not wanting to go through with this, to feel embarrassed about your feelings when he figured it out. “Please.”

“Taehyung maybe we shou-”

The glare he sends Hoseok’s way has the lion biting his tongue. They were all panicked, what if the tiger’s actions cost you them forever?

“What do kisses mean for humans?” he asks again, louder, more demanding, not letting the subject drop. “Or better yet… What do you think they mean for hybrids?”

“You kissed her?” Both of you ignore Namjoon’s outburst, Taehyung not caring if he misunderstood.

The corners of your lips pull down so far, your eyes welling ready for overspill as you implore him silently to let you go. Why was he being so cruel? You had never known him to be like this before, what did he want from you? You breathe shakily, feeling lost until it hits you, he’s figured it out. He knows.

Your worst fears come to surface and you pray it wasn’t true, that he wasn’t about to out your feelings to the others. He watches you struggle for words, deciding to take pity on you.

“Because last time I checked,” he breathes, his heart pounding in his chest hard as he takes a leap of faith. “They mean the same thing for us as they mean for you.”

It takes you a second, he can see the crease between your brows before your whole face goes slack with disbelief. He can see the puzzle pieces finally fit into place through your eyes, unable to help himself, smiling when he can feel your pulse match his.

He takes another step closer, the distance between you only a hair width. Final drops of tears fall out of your eyes as he watches your pupils dilate when he leans in. You don’t pull away when his lips press against yours, you pull him closer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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thegabbyh · 15 days ago

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What if... the CEOs were Hybrids? part two | BTS OT7 au

This chapter was made possible by @oknymz / @shadowofahope 💜💜💜💜 five minutes to spare, I made the deadline 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 11K words

Trigger warnings: swearing, possessive/obsessive behaviour, mentions of violence, alcohol, usual hybrid trope things

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Playlist : Dandelions - Ruth B, Can’t Help Falling in Love - Kina Grannis

Hybrids: KNJ - Wolf, KSJ - Bear, MYG - Panther, JHS - Lion, PJM - Arctic fox, KTH - Tiger, JJK - Bunny.

“They’re behind here I’m telling you,” Yoongi growls, staring a hole in the door to supply closet b, the only room that was locked.

They had been running around like fools in search of you, almost becoming feral with desperation.

Hoseok knocks on the door lightly, the taps not matching the fire in his eyes or the way his nostrils flared. It was faint, but your smell was here.

They hear the lock click, the door opening to reveal a smug sleepy Jungkook at the door, but that’s not what their gaze focuses on. There you are on the floor in Taehyung’s lap, sleeping in his arms. Jimin was asleep in hybrid form on your thigh, his little foxy face smushed against you. The tiger hybrid asleep with his back against the wall, holding on to you.

It’s a soft sight, it even melted their anger a smidge, having to force their jaws to remain clenched.

“Bunny was really tired,” Jungkook yawns. “She couldn’t sleep last night.”

“You three are dead,” Yoongi’s throat rumbles, his voice low not to reach your ears, but it reaches Jimin and Taehyung, their ears twitching to the sound, the threat rousing them from their slumber.

Jungkook’s instincts want him to fight or flight, but he stands his ground.

“We kept her away from the other employees, and we kept her safe,” Jungkook bites back, doe eyes turning stern as he lectures his hyung, a predator hybrid. “We didn’t take advantage of her, what’s the problem?”

Hoseok scoffs in disbelief, his tail agitated behind him, he doesn’t miss the accusation in the bunny’s tone. They weren’t going to be disrespected for making what they thought was the best decision, even if what Jungkook was hinting at held any weight.

“Ya locking her in a store room with three hormonal hybrids isn’t taking advantage of her?” Jin half whispers, half yells, eyes wide with exasperation, the sight would be hilarious under different circumstances.

“It's better than locking her in an office with four feral predators,” Jungkook seethes, eyes narrowing. The hypocrisy was unreal, he could smell the lingering scent of their horniness, even though it was masked by the desperation and fear their mate had disappeared.

“Ya Namjoon why aren't you saying any-” Jin’s voice gets caught in his throat as they all turn to the lead CEO. The wolf had his eyes dead set on the scene, his eyes blank of emotion, the sight has them all tensing, having seen this look before.

“Namjoon,” Yoongi calls for him delicately, trying to reach into the hole of thoughts he knew the wolf was burying himself in and pull him out.

Something snaps in him, his cheeks sucked in as a breath of angry air exhales from his nostrils. The tension can be felt heavily in the air, masked previously by their own emotions. Taehyung and Jimin, now fully awake by the sixth sense of an approaching storm, watch their alpha with fear creeping into their veins. The tiger holds you closer, ready to protect you from the oncoming danger, although in his sound mind he knows he’s going to be on the receiving end.

“Wake her up,” Namjoon’s voice is heavy, the command low and guttural, and each of their backs straighten to attention. “Seokjin hyung take her home, you three, in my office. Now.”

Any correction of ‘their’ office died in their throats as the wolf hybrid stormed away. They all release a breath they didn’t know they were holding, trying to downplay the goosebumps that made them shudder at the energy he left in his wake.

“Like I said,” Yoongi gulped, recovering from the menacing aura, trying to return to his stern demeanour, “you three are dead.”

—

The three of them stood with their heads low in submission in front of Namjoon’s desk, his eyes boring into them with so much heat they could feel themselves start to sweat. Hoseok and Yoongi were listening from outside, not willing to admit they were too afraid to go in.

“Did you tell her?” The deathly tone of his voice made them want to run, but they were frozen by the red eyes of their alpha.

“N-no we didn’t,” Jimin stuttered, knowing he needed to answer out of respect.

“She wondered why we were all scenting her, but she didn’t figure it out,” Jungkook explains, his little tail quivering behind him.

“Jungkook covered it,” Taehyung says, trying to placate the angry alpha.

“What did you tell her?” He stares down the bunny hybrid like the barrel of a gun ready to fire.

“I told her she was part of the pack,” Jungkook gulped. “Our hybrids recognised her as a packmate even though she’s human. That’s all.”

Namjoon nods, pacing behind his desk in thought. They were going to choke from the pheromones in the room. The wolf hybrid was emitting heavy miasmatic rage and the maknaes' knees were seconds away from giving out from the weight.

“She fell asleep in our arms Hyung,” Jungkook admits quietly against his better judgement, knowing that the lead CEO was in no state of mind to listen to reason but he still had to try, “that means she trusts us, she feels something for us.”

“She's human!” He seethes back, making Taehyung jump, “it means she was tired.”

They can’t find their voices to argue, letting the room fall back to that poisonous state of silence as they awaited the Alpha’s punishment of choice.

“The three of you are suspended for a week.”

The shock hit them like a slap, they were expecting a bigger workload, something that meant they couldn’t see you as much, not this. Not being able to see you at all, for a whole week?

“Hyung-”

“Argue with me and I’ll make it two.”

His foot was down and not budging an inch, they could see it in the way his jaw was set. As much as they wanted to complain they swallowed it down, a week without you was torment enough, they wouldn’t be able to handle two.

—

The air in the car is stifling… Jin was oblivious to it, or so you thought but it was obvious with the way your entire body was running like you had a fever from the embarrassment of waking up to six of your bosses staring at you! While you were in the arms of one of them! You couldn’t control the impulse, you buried your head in your hands and groaned. There were ice caps in the arctic melting because of the heat from your cheeks alone!

Jin tries not to, but he chuckles at your actions, trying to look nonchalant as he drives but you hear his little breaths of laughter, whining into your palms.

“If I call in sick tomorrow will you cover for me?” You ask the bear hybrid, your hands coming away from your face as you stare at him seriously. He was already having such trouble stifling his laughter, but the look on your face as you tried to conspire with him made him burst.

“Jin it's not funny,” you grumble, pouting over your predicament.

“Honey you don’t have to be embarrassed,” he says fondly, smiling as he steers onto your road.

Your stupid heart flutters at the term of endearment he introduced today, you couldn’t help thinking it sounded like you were a couple. As quickly as your heart swelled, it sank. You were just an employee, how many times did you have to tell yourself that?

You cough weakly into your hand, his eyes snap to you as if you’d grown a third head.

“Oh no,” you say dramatically, obviously faking, the back of your hand placed delicately to your forehead for good measure. “I must be coming down with something *cough* maybe I won’t be able to make it into work tomorrow.”

Jin sighs, for a second he believed you, the worry in his chest had his senses set to panic. You frown when he doesn’t smile at your joke, not a hint of it left from earlier, instead he's releasing a breath as if he had been holding onto it.

“Beautiful girl,” he sighs, his tone slightly berating you. “Don’t ever joke about things like that.”

After a day like today, with their mate smelling the way she did, the need to take you home, look after you, shower you with love, protect you from everything in their nest was overwhelming. Fear ran riot inside of them when you were ‘missing’, it was the worst prank those maknaes could play on them, and now a joke from your own lips about your health made his hybrid feel a sadness he couldn’t quite explain. It was mixed with the essence of failure, like if you got unwell, it would be his fault.

“Jin?” You call him out of his thoughts, his eyes swim with so much emotion as he looks at you, really looks at you. Your frown melts into surprise, not expecting to be attacked with that expression on his face. “Umm… Thanks for the ride.”

You try to smile but it's a nervous sight, you know he can hear your heart pounding, and you needed to save yourself from some embarrassment today at least.

“You really didn’t have to…” You open the car door, ready to make your escape. You wished you fought back harder, but he was adamant about dropping you home, the hell was he going to risk any hybrid on the streets smelling you.

“See you tomorrow Y/n,” he says when you step out of the car. The corner of his lips turn upward in an attempt to return your smile, but it doesn’t reach the sorrow in his eyes. You normally hate when they refer to you by name, they only did so when others were around, or when you were in trouble, but this didn’t feel like that. He said your name with so much weight you couldn’t understand it, only staring at him again in shock.

You recover a moment later, brows furrowing in thought as you close the door. He watches you enter your apartment building, leaning onto the passenger side of the car to watch the light come on in your complex. You were home, you were safe, he felt himself breathe a little in relief.

You weren’t theirs. The thought had been repeating itself in his head since you called his name minutes ago. As much as they loved you, wanted you, the facts were irrefutable. You weren’t theirs. He sighs deeply before pulling away, a silent drive back to their mansion to dwell on his thoughts.

—

There was a weight pulling you down in the office this morning. Your thoughts evidently elsewhere, that was clear to see on your face. Every few seconds you would catch yourself drifting before trying to shake yourself out of it, trying to focus on your work but you couldn’t. The guilt was eating you alive.

“Kim depyunim looks as pissed today as he did yesterday,” you can hear one of your co-workers gossiping.

“Wonder what's got him so stressed out?”

You could haphazard a guess. You fight down the groan that makes its way up your throat. Maybe he thinks you’re trying to seduce them, after yesterday's scene, you’re so sure you’ve disappointed him. He wasn’t there when you woke up, he must’ve walked off fuming at the sight of you cuddling up to his packmates. But then… Jungkook said they saw you as one of the pack so why… unless, you hadn’t been accepted by their alpha yet, and now you’re sure you won’t. You fucked up, you fucked up so bad by taking their friendship for granted, they were your employers, why did you forget that fact so easily?

“Earth to Y/n,” Yeri waves her hand in front of you face, the turtle hybrid had been talking to you for the last minute only to realise you had been spaced out.

“Huh- Oh sorry, what were you saying?”

She frowns at you, handing you the file for today's meeting while wondering what was going on with you. The second the file is in your hands your heart sinks, you hadn’t forgotten about it, oh no, quite the opposite. The entire evening you were thinking about it, the fact you would have to face your bosses at this meeting after yesterday's events.

It plagued you so bad it gave you nightmares, every hour you woke up after scenes of Namjoon yelling at you, or Yoongi refusing to speak to you. Hobi didn’t even look at you even though you begged him to with tears in your eyes. You know they were only dreams, they weren’t real, and yet they felt so believable that even now when you were awake you held some sorrow over them, as if they really did happen.

“Are you okay running the meeting, you don’t look great…” she comments, braced for you to faint or something.

Here it was, an opportunity for someone to take over, for you to run home and hide. But as much as you were terrified of their reaction to you, you worked so hard preparing for this meeting, your team was relying on you, and so were the CEOs. You had to deliver it, you had to show them you were worth working here. And plus, you fixed the problem anyway…

Yeri watches your face fall into a despondent state, were you okay? It was almost as if you were in mourning or something, and she felt too awkward to ask any further questions. What was wrong with you?

You only nod in reply, walking away from her in thought as you make your way to the meeting room. As always you were thirty minutes early, the room was empty as it normally was. You weren’t as efficient as you normally would be, your pace slow as you organised your material, set the room up to your liking. You didn’t even acknowledge when your colleagues made their way in and sat in their designated seats, but you felt it when they did. You back went up, a sixth sense you couldn’t explain when Namjoon stepped through the door, followed by 3 other CEOs. You didn’t make eye contact, you didn’t turn their way or greet them when your coworkers stood and bowed, you pretended as if you didn’t know they were here. But you knew they could hear your heart running like it needed to escape, your heavier breathing as you tried to calm down.

Yoongi can smell the anxiety, your back was to them as you sorted out the computer and projector, but he could see how tense you were. He glances at their company founder, who almost glared at you before swallowing down whatever thoughts he was having, pretending you didn’t exist. Sometimes the other CEOs wanted to get a chisel and hammer, and crack open that skull and see what the hell was going on in that head of his.

The lights dim before the presentation begins. You’re grateful for the darkness, thinking it would hide their faces from you, but when you turn around you realise it only enhances their intimidating demeanour. You felt like prey in the middle of a hunt, their eyes glistened in the low lights, and you knew they could see you better than you could them. The thought has a flood of vulnerability rush through your spine and chest, only increasing your growing anxiety like a tsunami. You take a deep breath before you begin.

Hobi’s gaze doesn’t miss the way your hands were shaking as you grip onto your notes for the meeting, the way you cleared your throat before you spoke. Under normal circumstances your presentations were captivating, you held the room, but today you didn’t even smile. All he wanted to do was wrap you protectively in his arms, rewind to yesterday when you were enjoying each other's company.

He sighs, Jin and Yoongi glancing at him briefly inquisitively, but of course they knew the thoughts that plagued Hoseok’s mind. They knew the maknaes weren’t being malicious in their revenge plot, they would never have ill intentions towards your wellbeing. The hyungs knew the youngest three were making a valid point in their demonstration yesterday, but the problem was they never thought it through, they never thought of or understood the consequences, the fallout, the way the older CEOs did. They could already feel your distance as you questioned yesterday’s events, your little brain working on overdrive, analysing everything.

Part of the lion hybrid wished Namjoon didn’t ban the cubs from the building during their suspension, they were so much better at keeping you close. He’s so deep in his thoughts, so busy absentmindedly watching your every move that he misses most of the meeting agenda, looking blank when the lights turn on and everyone’s eyes turn to the CEOs in the room. Thankfully Namjoon takes over.

“Good presentation Miss L/n,” he doesn’t look your way when he speaks, and it cuts you, you hated empty praise, you hated it when he used your last name, even in front of everyone. “I want team B to follow up on revenue, team A can hand over the files.”

“Well done for laying down the foundation for this contract team A,” Yoongi agrees, his eyes on you only, the praise directed at you even he said it to your whole group.

“Y/n you’ve got the best deal again,” Jin says fondly, smiling at you, hoping you’d return it. You bow politely at them instead as people gather their papers, ready to leave. The CEOs try to hang back, knowing you would clear your notes and linger behind to do so without distraction. Hoseok reads the material of what he missed, Yoongi pretends to small talk with Jin while they keep glancing your way. Namjoon answered questions from the floor managers, actually wanting to escape quickly but he was stuck listening to this imbecile.

“Should we stay late tonight to go over the material for the handover?” Alex asks you with a grin. Four pairs of ears instinctively lock onto the conversation, even the wolf’s.

“I can’t, sorry, I have a date,” you say bluntly, loud enough for them to hear, a tight lipped smile on your face. The hybrids reel back with shock, like you were intentionally trying to hurt them, but how could you? You didn’t know how they felt.

The whole meeting you could feel their gazes on you, more than just listening to the meeting. Their eyes had been interrogating, or it felt like it at least, so you said it to quell any ill intentions they might think you have, that you were another one of those employees who were desperate to seduce them. The second the words were out you regretted everything; saying yes to that stupid blind date, coming to work at all, and everything that happened yesterday.

“Excuse me,” you can’t even force a smile as you exit, your heart pounding in your chest when you feel their eyes pierce you, unable to handle it.

—

“A date? A fucking date!” Yoongi uncharacteristically yells at the other three in the office, Hoseok and Jin leaning on the walls behind their respective desks, both appearing despondent staring at the floor, Namjoon pretending to read the files in front of him, ignoring them. “How can she go on a date when yesterday we-”

He sighs exasperated as his fingers comb through his hair in frustration, one hand on his hip as he shakes his head. Yoongi never raises his voice like this. He got angry yes, but his rage was always cool and calm, unless of course it regarded you. How could you flaunt this in front of them when yesterday you were bonding, scenting, SLEEPING with them? Why were humans so dense? He was so sure deep inside of himself you returned their feelings, but now, he was losing hope you did at all.

“Namjoon stop pretending to read we can smell the burning pot you’re trying to put a lid on,” Seokjin reprimands him, trying to contain his own fury at the CEO, partly blaming him for your sudden interest in dating. In all the years they’ve known you, not once have you been with someone else, they would have smelt it on you if you had, so why now? Why were you pushing them away after yesterday? As much as they wanted to pry open Namjoon’s skull, he wanted to read your mind more.

“It's her choice to-”

“She doesn’t know we’re an option because you wouldn’t let us court her,” Yoongi spits, tail agitated behind him as his pupils almost turn into slits.

The wolf hybrid has to force his jaw shut to not bear his teeth at his packmate's aggression, his eyes glinting red as they stare the panther hybrid down.

Hoseok scoffs at their behaviour, at the situation.

“Good thing the maknaes aren’t here,” he thinks out loud. They would have lost it, plotted some game or plan to stop you, but maybe that was what they needed. As diabolical as it sounded, every bone in his body wanted to stop you. “Should we tell them?”

“It’s none of their business,” Namjoon snaps, his nose flaring. “It’s none of our business, she’s our employee, she’s allowed to date whoever she wants. Her private life is just that, we don’t get involved.”

He stares each of them down, the pot reaching boiling point. Each of them deflate into submission, even Yoongi, his shoulders sinking, his gaze falling to the floor. Their alpha’s pheromones were strong in presenting his wrath, but it couldn’t hide the scent of misery and ache.

Yoongi walks up to his desk, his head still bowed but the adrenaline in Namjoon’s system still had his back up as he watched the panther wearily. His best friend can barely look him in the eye, not out of respect for their pack leader, but because for the first time in his life, their alpha let them down. Namjoon swallows down his own sorrow, his own regret that’s caused this rift between them.

“Our mate is going to let another man court her,” Yoongi explains solemnly so every word is heard and understood. “Another person is going to put their hands on her, we’re going to smell him on her. Why are you pretending that's okay?

You love her just as much as I do.”

He doesn’t wait for a response, storming out of the office before his rage built again and he ended up punching the wolf for his stubborn stupidity.

—

You could cancel, would that quell the growing anxiety inside of you? But the whole point of this date was to move on from this unrequited infatuation with them that was boarding on pathetic. You’re sure Namjoon’s caught on, why else would he look at you like that during the meeting? He must be so disgusted and disappointed in you.

Jimin, Tae and Kookie would tell you what was going on inside their alpha’s head, they didn’t hide things from you, you could actually call them your friends. What if this whole situation took them away from you? What if Namjoon told them you were just like everyone else, trying to get close to them for an agenda. Is that why you hadn’t seen them yet?

As much as you told yourself you needed to create a professional distance and set boundaries before any misunderstandings could form, you couldn’t lie to yourself that you didn’t want anything to change, you didn’t want to lose them or what you had with them. Was that so selfish? You didn’t want to lose them, you didn’t want them to hate you, and you didn’t want to feel like this anymore. Like your love for them was wrong.

The office was bustling around you and yet you were still, a mountain of work sat on your desk and you couldn’t even glance in its direction. You should’ve called in sick.

“Y/n!” Jackson calls for your attention, standing beside you, frowning at your despondency, almost the same look he saw on one of his bosses moments ago. The Golden retriever hybrid was the perfect secretary, unflinchingly loyal, and able to read every emotion cue before they even presented. Something was going on, and his instincts told him to stay out of it.

“Hey,” you greet him, his presence jolting you into starting to go through the pile of work, even if it was just to look busy.

“Min Depyunim needs you in his office ASAP,” he instructs.

His frown deepens at the way your heart rate skyrocketed, the growing anxiety perspiring from your skin.

“Did he say why?” you ask with a gulp, your eyes wide like a prey hybrid.

“No, just that it was urgent.”

You only nod in reply, not trusting your voice as you leave your desk. Each step to that office would normally bring you a sense of comfort, anticipation in the best kind of way, but today your shoes were filled with lead. You hold an empty folder against your chest as if that would offer you any defence.

The door opens before you knock, your fist in the air as you come face to face with Yoongi. The panther hybrid detests eye contact, it was more a sign of aggression in the hybrid world, but now his eyes were boring into yours, pleading you without words. Both your faces mirror a sense of sadness, your voices caught in your throats. His hand wraps around your wrist that was still caught midair, pulling you in when you made no move to.

His office still had hints of yesterday, he locked it after you left, not wanting the cleaning crew to erase your scent or the evidence of your bonding session. The windows were closed, but the air in the room wasn’t stifling. Even though you were human, the room was calming your tense composure. That is, until your boss opens his mouth.

“I need you to stay late and help me with a new merger,” he announces, his stoic stare almost daring you to defy him, but behind that demeanour he was nervous.

You stare back in shock, he knew you had a date. He heard you at that meeting, you're sure of it, so why?

“Kitten?” he searches your face for a hint of something, anything. “It's an important deal, I need my best girl on it.”

You take a deep breath at the compliment, your heart fluttering against your wishes. Your skin flushes with heat, and you hope his hybrid senses can’t pick up the warmth you're suddenly emitting. Here it was… a way out, a way to just go back to how things were. You could say yes.

“I can’t,” you shake your head, looking away from his penetrating gaze before it coerced you into giving in. “I have plans, I’m sorry I can’t.”

“Cancel.” The word comes out like a command before he can correct himself. “Reschedule, this is important.”

The folder in your arms is squeezed closer against your chest, your eyes close, you almost look like you’re fighting with yourself.

Give in Kitten, come on, did you really like this guy? Did you really not want him and the others? They were so sure, with the way you reciprocated their affection, that you felt the same. The idea that you didn't, sent a stabbing pain straight through his chest.

“I can’t, I’m really sorry,” you wish he knew how sorry you were, fighting to keep your eyes from watering. You didn’t want to go tonight, but you were forcing yourself to.

“Why?” he fights the growl from his voice, his eyes piercing you.

“I just can’t,” you hold back the sorrow in your tone, but he can still hear it, realising he was possibly putting you between a rock and a hard place. He tries not to scoff, tries not to take it further, but he can’t help himself, he was so pissed at this situation, the idea that someone else was getting to be with you in every way he wanted to be.

“Miss L/n this deal is important-”

“You’ve said that,” you cut him off, arguing back. You hated when he called you that. Every time he was annoyed with you, every time you made a grievous mistake back when you both didn’t get along, he used your surname in that tone, and this time it irritated you. “But I’ve read my contract, I don’t have to say yes.”

He takes a deep breath, both your spiking distress starting to destroy the previous ambience of his office, and he didn’t want to lose it. He walks away from you, trying to cool down, only turning back when he reaches his desk, hoping the distance would give him a chance to breathe.

“Will there be repercussions Min Depyunim?” you ask, your eyes staring daggers into his softening features. He shakes his head, looking down at the ground between you, disgusted with himself. He was so desperate for you not to go, was he really going to force you to stay?

You sigh, Min Yoongi doesn’t back down, not with you. He gave in to you when you needed him to, but he never backed down when you playfully bickered, and definitely not when you argued.

“Yoongi are you okay?” Your glare dulls, the concern for him easing your temper.

“The cubs explained that we all see you as part of the pack right?” His head is still angled to the floor but his hooded eyes look up at you.

You nod slowly, his words sinking into you slowly since they came from nowhere.

“You don’t smell like us today, it’s put us on edge,” he lies. “Can I scent you kitten?”

He could hear your heart pound against your ribcage, trying so desperately to run to where it belonged, in his arms, in his hold. You were their mate, your body knew it, why didn’t you?

You hesitate. Every single repercussion and consequence ran through your mind telling you to say no, but you didn’t care, not until a certain wolf hybrid’s glare entered your head. Yoongi can see your eyes glisten with wherever your thoughts were going, the way they were imploring him to pull you out of whatever melancholic place they were taking you.

“Come here,” he orders, sitting on his desk with his legs open for you to stand in between. He doesn’t miss the shift in your eyes as they dilate at the preposition, the way your breathing gets heavier.

Seriously, does he want to kill you? He wants you to stand there, he didn’t do it like that yesterday. His stare compels you to walk forward, your grip still digging into the folder in your arms, but when did you ever need a shield against Min Yoongi? As soon as you’re close enough he grabs your hand, pulling you closer to him. He smirks as you try to avoid eye contact, shuffling where you stood. He takes that damned file away from you, throwing it somewhere on his desk.

You feel vulnerable without it, yet there was something exhilarating about the position you’re in. Your scent changes, a ghost of yesterday’s intensity, but the subtle smell was enough to get his panther preening. His arms wrap around you, his face buried into the juncture of your neck. He rubs his nose against your skin, his ears perking at the way your breath hitches.

You jump when there’s a knock on the door before it opens, the panther possessively not letting you budge as you panic. He scowls at the door, ready to tear into Namjoon if he was interrupting again, not giving a shit as to what their alpha thought anymore.

“Hyung- Oh,” Hoseok’s mouth forms a perfect circle in shock, his eyebrows rising at the sight and audacity of the older CEO. He locks the door when he walks through, his features composing as he smirks at Yoongi. There was no need for anyone else, or their pack leader to walk in on this.

Your little fight against Yoongi’s hold ceases when you realise your efforts are futile, your head dropping to his shoulder in defeat, and with the way your skin was burning, embarrassment.

“Kitten, are you hiding from Hobi?” He sniggers, unable to resist teasing you. It was odd, having this moment with you all while knowing you were going to be with someone else tonight. Bittersweet didn’t seem like the right word, it was crueler than that. His tail wraps around your thigh at the thought of having to let you go, he didn’t want to.

You didn’t realise how touchstarved you were until you felt his soft fur on your skin, melting into his hold a little more. Maybe you really did need this date if the only place you were getting an inkling of physical attention was your seven bosses, perhaps that was what caused this dilemma in the first place, maybe you were just confused about your feelings because you hadn’t had any romantic interests since you started working here. Maybe it was just a stupid crush and you were overthinking everything. As much as you tried to convince yourself, you knew you were lying.

Hoseok’s arms wrapping around you from behind underneath Yoongi’s pulls you out of your sinking thoughts. He nuzzles his cheek against the top of your head, scenting you to soothe that sour flavour seeping from you. When your aroma settles back to its natural sweetness he’s satisfied with his work, resting his chin on the other side of your head on your shoulder.

“Sunshine, why are you being shy?” he whispers into your ear like he’s sharing a secret, chuckling when you bury yourself further into the panther hybrid. There’s an amused breath of laughter from the CEO you were trying to cocoon yourself in, but his heart swells at the fact you were seeking comfort in him.

“Hmmmm,” he pretends to pout, pressing his lips against the sliver of skin showing on the juncture of your shoulder and neck. “Should I leave sunshine?”

You shake your head against Yoongi, one of the hands that was gripping onto his shirt, coming away to hold onto the sleeve of the lion hybrid behind you before he had the chance to pull away. He smiles fondly at the action even if you weren’t coming out to play. He kisses the back of your head quickly, using your current state to his advantage. He feels you stiffen slightly before you relax again, your heart is hammering so hard he can feel it through your back. His eyes glance at Yoongi, a silent communication shared between them both, the same thought echoing through their minds. It might have been wrong, it might cross every boundary Namjoon told them to avoid, but they would scent you so intensely that if you were with a hybrid tonight they would suffocate on the stench. They would cover every available inch of you in their smell that every hybrid would know you were accounted for. They didn’t even want to think about what they would do if the stupid person you were seeing was human.

Hobi rests his forehead against the back of your head, wishing he could just read your thoughts. Why were you doing this to them? His embrace tightens, his sunny disposition clouding. He didn’t think he could handle it, if you came into work smelling of someone else. Something sharp grips his chest, like a thousand thorns piercing into the flesh, trying to claw its way into his heart. He wants to beg you not to do this, but the words get caught in his throat.

He closes his eyes, sniffing your hair subtly before it would become tainted by someone else, trying to lock it into his memory as if this was the last time he’d see you. He was usually so content in your presence, always eased and comforted by just your smile or laugh. But now he was fighting back tears, feeling like you had slipped out of reach even though you were here in his arms. He feels another hand on his other arm, recognising Yoongi’s touch. The lion hybrid was pouring out a damp essence with his sorrow, unbeknownst to you, but the older CEO could sense it. Maybe a part of you could too, your thumb starting to stroke his arm soothingly making him ache.

Why didn’t you want them the way they wanted you?

—

Day one of not being able to see you and they were already a mess. Three Hybrids laid in Jungkook’s room, staring at the ceiling wondering where it all went wrong. The bunny hybrid took the bed, Taehyung was on the floor, the oldest maknae on the bean bag. They were in here all day, feeling lost without work, well not work, without you. They didn’t realise how much they looked forward to their day because of you until Namjoon took it away from them.

“This week is going to be torture if all we do is contemplate our life choices,” Jungkook states blankly, his stare still on the ceiling.

“It’s already torture,” Taehyung huffs, clutching onto the pillow he stole from the bed earlier. “Did you hear him last night tell Hyung he had plans for us when we got back.”

He shudders, his chin digging into the soft material in his hands for comfort. He may have been a tiger but their alpha could instil fear in anyone, regardless of rank or breed.

“What plans?” Jimin asks, his head rising to look at his best friend on the floor.

“He’s going to make us work on another floor,” Taehyung replies sadly, his whole face falling from despondency to complete heart break.

Jimin groans, pushing his hair back in frustration as his head hits the beanbag again.

“He can’t do that,” Jungkook says quietly, terrified at the prospect that the one thing that keeps him sane at that dreaded building was going to be kept away from him.

“He can,” Jimin spits before whining, “this is so unfair, he’s overreacting and he knows it.”

“I’ve never seen him so mad at us before,” Taehyung sniffs.

Jimin sighs, not wanting to add to the melancholy infecting the tiger hybrid.

“Maybe he’ll come to his senses before we’re back at work,” he tries to sound hopeful, but it fools no one.

“Even if he does, we still have a week of suspension,” Jungkook scoffs. “He won’t back down on that just to prove a point.”

They sit in silence, stuck in this purgatory without you.

“Right!” Jimin sits up with a clap, looking at the other maknaes with an expression that could only be described as displeased. “We can sit here all week, or we can distract ourselves.”

“How?” Taehyung asks with a pout.

“Treat it like a holiday,” Jimin suggests. “Let’s go out before the hyungs come home.”

Jungkook sighs, it wasn’t a bad idea, but it would have been better if you were part of the equation.

“Where do we go?” he tries to give into the proposition but he wasn’t feeling it.

“I don’t want to get hit on,” Taehyung announces, the insinuation in his voice clear, that meant nothing too public, or anything too high end.

“We’ll clear out the VIP lounge at our club,” Jimin shrugs.

“Which one?”

Their company owned a few but they were more personal entrepreneurial revenues, Hobi, Yoongi and Namjoon owned Cypher, a more underground clubbing scene. Hoseok owned another with Jin and Jungkook called Jamais Vu, while Jimin shared Dionysus with the panther and their alpha.

“What difference is sitting in a club going to make when we can sit here?” Jungkook grumbles. “What's the point?”

“We have a week of hell Jungkookie,” Jimin stands, walking over to the bunny hybrid pushing him to get up. “Let's try to survive it.”

“I don’t want to go clubbing, I don’t feel like dancing,” Taehyung mopes.

“Aish you both are killing me,” Jimin complains, still trying to budge the maknae into moving. “What about your bar Tae?”

He contemplates it, eyes looking up as he thinks it through. Scenery was normally quiet, only bringing in the older generation since it was a jazz bar as unique as the tiger hybrid himself. The others didn’t think it would do as well as it had but some people wanted the gentle calm compared to the rioting lights and loud music. It was huge so even if it were a busy night it never felt like it.

“Yeah Jungkook let’s go,” he agrees after deeming the suggestion acceptable.

The youngest groans, his arms covering his eyes in protest, pretending to sleep.

“Jungkook, do you really want to stay here and hear the hyung’s gloat about their day with Y/n?” Jimin sounds solemn, making the bunny peer at him.

No, he didn’t want that at all.

—

“Explain to me how this is different to staying home?” His nose twitches cutely, watching Taehyung’s regular patrons enjoying their evening, not missing the way most of them were couples. Jimin can’t help laughing at the pout and grumpy eyes the bunny was adorning,

“This place has alcohol,” Jimin giggles, already on his third drink.

“We have alcohol at home,” Jungkook mumbles back, leaning back in their booth near the back of the establishment while Jimin signalled to the bartender for a top up.

“So much for not dancing,” Jimin chuckles at the sight of the tiger hybrid dancing on his own, perfectly content surrounded by the couples, not a care in the world. He catches them watching, giving them both a shy smirk, teeth biting into his bottom lip as he grinned.

“We should invite Flower here,” Taehyung says a little breathlessly as he slides into the booth next to Jimin, seemingly having had enough of the dancing.

“You know hyung banished us from the office,” Jimin thought out loud, “he didn’t say anything about contacting Angel out of hours.”

Jungkook snorts at the logic.

“I think it was insinuated,” he rolls his eyes, the pair of them instigating an argument about the topic while Taehyung watches chuckling.

“What hyung doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Jimin shrugs.

“How many times have you said that-”

But the tiger hybrid doesn’t hear the next words, his face turns blank as his senses tune into the sound of the door opening, the little bell ringing. He doesn’t understand why he can suddenly feel his heartbeat harder in anticipation, his sixth sense taking over control of his body. There’s a gust of wind, a gentle breeze he can feel through the open door, and with it a familiar scent.

“How many times do you drag us into trouble?” Jungkook was still squabbling with the arctic fox, the pair of them unaware of their friend’s wavering attention.

“Taehyung tell this kit-”

They both turn to the tiger hybrid, taken back by his look of shock until they follow his line of sight. Their hearts stopped, taking all the life out of them in a single gasp. Was that really you or was it a mirage from their abstinence? Jimin and Jungkook are about to smile until they notice what Taehyung already had. You were sitting at the bar in front of them, seemingly alone until they saw the man you were with bring back two glasses. The smile you give him has them sobering.

Taehyung growls so deep that anyone would think he was in his tiger form, his eyes glow with a tint, penetrating that spot the bastard had his hand on your back. Jimin and Jungkook fare no better, a solemn fury burning through their sudden glares, and you must’ve felt the heat because you turn like they called your name, your gaze meeting theirs.

You turn away quickly, feeling like you got caught cheating which was absolutely ridiculous. You shouldn’t be feeling guilty, so why was it eating you alive? You tried to smile at your date as he leaned in to ask if you were okay.

Jimin scoffs at the sight, a humourless breath of laughter escaping as he shakes his head, who the hell did this idiot think he was? Why were you with him?

“Are they friends…?” Jungkook tries to keep the venom out of his voice, tries to dispute the idea you were out romantically with this asshole.

“If it was friendship they’d be out in a group,” Jimin comments. “Look at their body language, his especially, my little vixen is out on a date.”

The possessive lilt in his tone is intense, his glare burning your back. There’s a rumble from Taehyung’s chest at his words, the tiger’s tail whipping so hard you could hear it slice the air.

What the actual hell? Of all the places to see the CEOs, of all the nights, why this one? Why here? Your heart was thundering in nerves, you tried so hard to swallow but your throat had run dry, and your hands were shaking so bad you didn’t think you could pick up your glass.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?” Eric asks you for the second time, your date so far had been fine, but even though it had only really just started you were so ready for it to end. He seemed like a lovely guy, not too eager, a little bit goofy and funny in a way that wasn’t his whole personality. But the second you met him, you saw all the ways he wasn’t them, and you realised that wasn’t fair on him.

You were trying, really truly trying to give this a chance, but those three intense stares you could feel on the back of your head reminded you of all the reasons why you didn’t want to.

You didn’t need this. The whole point of tonight was to build boundaries and distances, how were you supposed to do that when they were here.

“This place is something else,” he says trying to make conversation, looking around at the decor and beige tones. You couldn’t tell if he liked it or not. “So why did you want to come here?”

“Umm, I don’t know,” you admit. “There’s just something about this place that seems familiar and comforting, you know?”

Oh the irony of your words. You needed familiarity and comfort around you when you were stepping out of your comfort zone, but the three hybrids behind you had destroyed that plan.

Eric smiles at you in a way that lets you know he didn’t get it, it makes you laugh at the foolishness of your words. At least he laughed with you, the atmosphere only lightening a smidge.

“For a place that you like, you haven’t touched your drink,” he notes, looking at both your pints, yours was full, his halfway through. Fuck it, you needed something to take the edge off. His jaw drops in surprise as you down the whole thing, the glass coming down empty onto the bartop. “It wasn’t a challenge.”

You catch the amusement in his eyes, rolling yours jokingly with a smile. You could do this, you could totally handle being out on a date with the three of seven of the loves of your life watching you. You hiccup, did you really just think that? You were meant to think ‘three of seven of your bosses watching you’, you didn’t mean what you thought before. Shit, maybe you drank that a bit too quickly.

“Top up?” he asks, picking up your glass as he finishes his own, walking away to the busy barkeep when you nod. You didn’t want another drink, but you needed to breathe. For a second you forget something glaringly obvious, until three bodies join you where you’re sitting. You blink repeatedly at the stern expression of the arctic fox hybrid next to you, wondering if he were really there. The scene resembles something familiar to you, a mirror of how they would join you at your desk at work, but his eyes spell trouble in a way you don’t think you’re used to.

“Did you miss us, my little vixen?” Jimin asks, his voice low, the smirk on his face dangerous.

“Huh?” You only gawp at the question, your mind drawing blanks and failing to comprehend his words at all with his body so close to yours.

You hear a scoff on your otherside, turning to relieve yourself of the oldest maknae, only to meet the possessive anger in Jungkook’s gaze, Taehyung next to him, leaning on the bar, ignoring you.

“She didn’t even notice we were gone,” Jungkook comments, his tongue pushing hard against his cheek in frustration, believing his own words. “One day with the hyungs and she forgets all about us.”

He sniffs the air, not missing the way your skin was drenched in Yoongi’s and Hobi’s scent. Well your date was definitely not a hybrid, any right minded one would sense the obvious courting markers and run a mile, especially when it was a couple of predators that had done the scenting.

“The hyungs obviously haven’t done a good job keeping you company angel,” Jimin says, glaring at the advancing human walking their way. He puts on his best fake smile, ready to lull his new prey into a false sense of security before he takes you away.

“Y/n?” Eric looks at the men that joined you, frowning in question.

“E-Eric, umm these are my bosses from work,” you try to keep your features calm, but nothing would hide the alarm in your eyes. There's a low growl next to you at your statement, Jimin’s disapproving stare berating you more than his words could.

“Oh,” he says nodding, trying to understand the situation because something didn’t feel right. “What a small world…”

Jungkook scoffs again, what an idiot? Why were you here with an idiot?

“I hope we aren’t interrupting,” Jimin continues, that faux innocence in his voice not matching the devilish smirk on his face. “But the more company the better right?”

Eric now realises what was wrong with the scene in front of him, you were here on a date with him, but with the way the hybrids were surrounding you, he was nowhere near you. He was on the outside looking in, like the three men were purposefully keeping him at a distance, away from you. He awkwardly places the pint as close to you as he could… or as close as they would allow.

“Taehyung actually owns this bar,” Jimin gestures to the silent tiger before taking a sip of his drink. “What are the chances we’d run into you here?”

You can’t think of anything to say, your mouth kept opening and closing intermittently, you couldn’t meet anyone’s gaze, especially not your date’s. All the times you wished the ground would just swallow you up to escape, this was the hardest you prayed for it. Your hands fidget on the bar, fingers playing with each other, the uncomfortable air stifling. A large palm covers your own to quell the growing anxiety he could smell, your eyes pulled towards the culprit. Taehyung hadn’t said a word since they saw you, but his hand engulfed both of yours, unable to stand his mate in distress even if there was a volcano in the pit of his stomach ready to blow. He still doesn’t look at you, stoically staring ahead at nothing even with your eyes on him.

Eric’s frown turns comical at how intently he stares at your connected hands, adding numbers together but not yet reaching a conclusion despite how obvious the answer was. He tries to side step closer to you but the way the rabbit hybrid was standing behind you, curving his body to your right side, there was no way he could close the distance.

“Y/n do you want to dance?” he asks instead, if he couldn’t come in, he would pull you out instead. Did your bosses not realise you were on a date? Should he make it obvious you were to avoid any awkwardness?

Their backs stiffen, the palm covering your hands tighten their hold almost in warning if not desperation to stop you. Jungkook grunts in anger, the sound falling deaf on the human’s ears but not yours.

Cat got your tongue Kitten, dammit why could you hear Yoongi’s smug voice in your head now of all times. Y/n say something, you beg yourself. You don’t miss the sound of two tails sweeping through the air in agitation, trying to work out why they were behaving like this, until it clicked.

If they thought you were part of the pack, then it was only reasonable to assume they’d be protective over anyone approaching you. You’d seen it before amongst themselves, the way they’d act if someone tried to hit on one of them. That must be it.

“You go ahead,” you finally say with a tightlipped smile. “I’ll be there in a second.”

Although confused, your date decides to do as he’s told. You could feel the tension in their shoulders relieve with each step he took away from you.

“Are you guys okay?” you ask, they weren’t at work today and now you’re sure their moods were bitter bordering on bursting, something must have happened. They look at you in disbelief, Jimin laughs humorlessly shaking his head at how oblivious you could really really be sometimes. What excuse did your human brain come up with now? He had to know. How did you see all the signs they were giving you and translate them into something so ridiculous?

“Are you on a date?” Jungkook asks venomously, eyes holding yours so piercingly you have to remind yourself he wasn’t a snake hybrid.

“I-I am,” you try to sound confident. “Look, thank you for watching out for me, but Eric is fine.”

You try to smile, you really did, but you don’t know who you were trying to convince.

How could you not hear their hearts shattering? Of course they knew, but until it was out of your mouth it wasn’t solidified, it couldn’t be true. There’s a small whimper expressed from the maknae that he couldn’t control.

“And I should probably be getting back to it,” you sigh, standing up from the barstool, trying to ignore the way they were all holding onto you in some way. Jungkook’s hands ghosted over your arms, wanting to pull you back in your seat but he’s resisting the urge as much as it killed him. Taehyung’s hand lingers on yours for as long as he could before they’re gone. Even the back of Jimin’s forefinger was tracing your arm lightly as you stood, the anguish on all of their faces apparent. How could you be here with someone else when yesterday…

Yesterday you were in their arms, all afternoon. They scented you, they courted you, they looked after you. And you returned it all. How did that mean nothing to you? Were humans really that callous or so indifferent? Not you, they couldn’t believe you were that way, but the evidence staring at them as you started to walk away.

Taehyung can’t stand it, his teeth grinding hard as he grabbed your wrist and pulled you next to him, startling you with the sudden way your body jerked to his command.

“Tae-”

The low ferocious rumble from his chest silences you. His eyes avoided you the whole time he came to stand beside you and now they burned into yours, an unforgiving fire making them glow. Taehyung sits on the barstool next to yours, spreading his legs as he places you between them. The position is familiar, you were in a similar one earlier with the panther hybrid, but the glint in his eyes has it feeling so different. Your breathing turns so heavy you’re almost panting, his face so close to yours, all your senses are engulfed in him. Your pulse was so fast you could convince them you were a little hummingbird hybrid about to get caught in the tiger’s teeth.

“Taehyung,” you breathe, unable to look away from him, his grip was still like iron around your wrist, his tail wrapping around your middle. It was suddenly so hot, you felt like you were on fire, and all you wanted to do was smother his lips with yours.

You’re grateful for a second that he looks away, giving you a chance to catch your breath, and resist the pull of his stare. The feeling doesn’t last long as you realise his gaze has travelled down to your attire, the disapproving hum vibrating from his throat. You chose to wear this enchanting dress for someone that wasn’t them, you consciously went through your wardrobe and chose something so flattering for a man that you barely knew. His eyes snap back to yours, the flames reigniting in them with more lethal intensity. You gulp, just to soothe your drying throat.

“Y/n?”

Neither of you flinch at the sound of your concerned date, unable to comprehend the sight in front of him.

“Are you okay?” he says more urgently. “Hey I don’t think she wants you to hold-”

He makes the grievous mistake of trying to pry Taehyung’s grip away, the tiger turning his carnal fury on the stupid human. But before he can unleash his roar, you pull him back, fingers on his chin turning his face back to you.

“Eric I’m really really sorry,” you apologise and meaning it. “I’m part of their pack, you’re a stranger so they’re not familiar with your scent.”

You turn to the human as you explain, as much as Taehyung would let you.

“It agitates them, because they don’t know your intentions,” you sound logical, convincing, of course you do, you believe the nonsense you’re spouting.

Jimin said he wanted to hear the excuse you were making in that brain of yours, and here it was. If anything it aggravates them more, not just at your imperception but the fact all of this could have been avoided if Namjoon just let them confess.

“Does that make sense?” You ask, cringing at the awkwardness.

“Yeah that does,” he sighs, glancing at the hybrids that look ready to pounce and tear him to shreds. “Don’t worry about it, we can reschedule for another time.”

You smile gratefully at him, thankful he wasn’t screaming insults at you and making you feel like shit.

“Over my dead body,” Jungkook huffs under his breath, loud enough for you to hear.

“Thanks Eric,” you ignore the bunny’s outburst, “I’ll see you soon.”

At those words Taehyung’s tail wraps tighter around your waist, the movement not missed by the human.

With a wave he’s gone, and they finally feel like they can breathe.

“You guys are seriously too much,” you sigh, skin still tingling from the sensation of the tiger hybrid’s touch. “He wasn’t going to kill me.”

Jimin can’t stop the higher pitched growl leaving his lips.

“You don’t know that,” he scoffs.

Their clouded heads were clearing, slowly realising the events of what just happened even though they just lived them. This was bad, their judgement was so dictated by their jealousy and possessiveness it was bordering on dangerous.

“I think I need to go home,” you announce in a quiet voice, your own train of thoughts already taking you away from them.

“We’ll take you,” Jungkook offers, ready to rectify his mistakes.

“No I think you guys have done enough,” you frown at the floor, your harsh words hitting them with shame and heartache.

Jungkook blinks back sudden tears, unable to handle your rejection, even if he deserved it.

“Angel-”

“I really don’t want to hear it tonight, please,” your eyes close, fighting back your own watering eyes, swallowing down the hurt.

How could they do this to you? How could they not realise how you felt and not let you take this way out of it? They didn’t want you, they didn’t love you back, they weren’t allowed to behave like this and confuse you. You pull Taehyung’s clutch away from your wrist with your other hand, his tail falling limply at the grief sinking his whole soul.

You don’t say a word as you walk away, leaving three hybrids too stunned to speak.

—

Did you understand the nightmares that haunted Namjoon at night? The images of you accusing them of heinous hideous things that in the moment he believes with his whole heart. That look of hatred on your face that burns into his brain. Every time he woke up the hurt lingered into the day.

It’s a stupid defence mechanism he knows, the way he’s been behaving recently. His wolf side is angry and pissed with his human parts and the hybrid is taking it out on everyone around him, even you, even if you both hadn’t spoken since the day before yesterday.

The worst part of it was, he was holding you at a distance, his usual cure for his downcast thoughts. You were the one to pull him out when he buried himself in his overthinking and his insecurities. You always dug him out, and this time you didn’t, and he wouldn’t let you close enough to. This time you left him under the weight of his own misery and walked away with another man. His jaw clenches unconsciously, his bite so tense his teeth would break under the force.

This just proved everything he had been saying was right. You didn’t want them. They were helplessly and hopelessly in love with you to the point where they recognised you as their mate, and you didn’t return the feeling. As much as Yoongi argued that you were human so therefore you were dense to their affection, Namjoon couldn’t agree. How could you not see it when they behaved the way they did with you, only you. When else had he found his employee in the arms of his packmate asleep? When else would he allow someone outside of his pack to get as close to him as you did?

And to top it all off, every member of his pack started courting you for real the day you smelled the way you did. They were oblivious to it, or denying it themselves, but something inside of them clicked that day, and Namjoon could see the consequences in their behaviour even if they couldn’t. Why didn’t they understand it was futile, they were going to get their hearts torn out because of a human girl. Before their affection and gestures were always poised as a question, an indirect way of asking if you were interested in them. But now the boundaries were gone, they recognised you as their mate completely whether you were or not, this was everything he was trying to prevent. It was one thing to think it, now their more animalistic sides would accept nothing less but your hand in theirs.

His tormenting thoughts come to an abrupt stop as do his steps. He was walking past the empty meeting room, on his way back to the office when he heard it. He should walk away, but he can’t bring himself to. There was no way he should know that was you, but he did. His fingers close around the handle, his thoughts in overdrive, fighting with himself about what to do.

His instincts take over when he hears the sob, opening the door in a flash to the sound, staring incredulously at the sight of your tear stained face. You struggle to stop crying, choking on your tears as you try to control them, turning away from him. Your hand covers your mouth as you whimper, unable to hold back now the floodgates opened. You hear the door slam shut thinking he had left until you hear the lock.

“Babygirl-”

“Namjoon I-I’m fine,” you hold your tears back long enough to say it as firmly as you could, your face scrunching as the downpour continues.

He can see your shoulders trembling, he can hear the pain in your voice. It killed him.

Someone hurt his mate, as much as he tried to stop the thought it echoed in his head loudly. His mate was hurt, his mate was crying. He was caught between wanting to tear someone’s throat apart for putting you in this state and the urge to comfort you in his arms. It physically pains him not to step towards you, to not give in to all the cells in his body that screamed at him to go to you.

He couldn’t be a hypocrite, he has repeated to the others so many times, you weren’t theirs. How many times did he preach not to cross the line? How many times did he break his own rules?

“Y/n, as your employer, as your friend,” he says as calmly as he can, “tell me what’s wrong.”

If there was ever a wrong button to press, Namjoon could find it. You let out an unbearable whine, drowning out your loud cries in both your hands.

He takes a deep pained breath, his eyes closing as he fights so hard with himself, the wrinkles between his brows deep as caverns. He couldn’t, not after everything he said to the others, he couldn’t…

Fuck it.

His long strides close the distance quickly, his arms turning you to face him as he buries you into the safety of his chest. His arm traps you in his hold when you try to push him away, one hand in your hair trying to soothe you.

“Shhh babygirl it's fine,” his chin sits on the top of your head, his palm alternating between patting your head affectionately and stroking the strands. He’s never seen you like this, or heard just an anguished cry in his life. “I’m so sorry…”

He felt compelled to say it, hating himself for everything.

He lets you bawl your eyes out against him, holding you firmly through every violent tremble that shakes your body. His tail wraps behind you like a second arm would in a hug, his ears twitching to every sound you make. You clutch onto his shirt like a lifeline, unable to tell him he and the others were the reason for your tears.

It came out of nowhere, but repressed emotions have a way of finding an out. You barely made it to the empty meeting room before the tears started dropping, and you couldn’t stop. Everything that was happening between you and them overwhelmed you, you couldn’t take it anymore. You wanted to bang your fist against his chest and demand they understood what they were doing to you. You wanted to confess everything, let the dice fall wherever they had to, but you could barely breathe, how could you find your voice?

This needed to end before it destroyed you.

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1K notes · View notes

thegabbyh · 15 days ago

Text

What if... the CEOs were hybrids? | BTS OT7 au

Part 1 of my multiverse au mini series. Massive thank you to @oknymz / @shadowofahope for keeping me alive and sane and editing bits for me, otherwise I would have run away from this completely. And to everyone who kept cheering me on.

Warnings: 9k words, possessiveness, testosterone, jealousy, suggestive shit, sexual tension, general horniness, mentions of scenting + marking + breeding (the usual hybrid trope stuff). Blood (only a few drops).

playlist: Honey - Halsey

Hybrids: KNJ - Wolf, KSJ - Bear, MYG - Panther, JHS - Lion, PJM - Arctic fox, KTH - Tiger, JJK - Bunny.

You were late… not actually late, not by the company’s standards, but by your own. The bunny hybrid watches the clock tick closer to the scheduled meeting time, bodies pouring into the room with their own scents, but he couldn’t smell you. You normally attend meetings half an hour early to set up, Jin had noticed the habit and the maknae was hoping to catch a glimpse of you before everyone attended, but when he entered, expecting to see you, you were nowhere to be found.

He nibbled on his bottom lip in worry, where were you? The moment he decided to text the others, and yourself, he finally sees your figure rush in through the door. Relief fills him, albeit only momentarily.

Jungkook inhales and freezes for a moment. If you paid any attention you’d see his doe eyes dilate, his leg thumping underneath the desk.

Why did you smell like that? He grips the armrests to the chair with his nails almost tearing the metal to shreds like he were a wolf hybrid not a bunny. Someone obviously had their hands all over you last night. Why else would you smell so good? The state of you now, slightly dishevelled and tired, small dark circles under your eyes, he bet you didn’t even have time to shower, the smell is so pungent he can barely think of anything else.

Jealousy burns into anger at the thought of another with you, doing things only he and the other CEOs should be doing. He sniffs the air again, trying to see if he can detect who the culprit is behind your rendezvous, and pauses. He can’t smell anyone else… so why… did you smell… so… wait. Did you…

You… by yourself…

The lights in the meeting room dim for the presentation just as his cheeks turn bright red, his brain short circuiting. The thought of you alone, pleasuring yourself was too much for his brain to comprehend.

Mount her, his baser instincts cloud his mind, he grips onto the table in front of him so hard he can hear it breaking. Nip her cute little butt into position and mount her.

He chews his lip like a lifeline, watching you write down your notes in the dark. His head snaps to a random direction when you turn towards him, having felt the pressure of his stare.

You frown, was something bothering him today? You finally noticed the thumping under the table from where you were sat, the other employees ignoring the sound as the speaker continued the presentation. You were so distracted by the ache in between your legs and your state of burn out you didn’t even greet him this morning. Maybe that was partially on purpose… you don’t think you could control yourself from ogling and drooling if met alone with the youngest CEO’s handsome face this early in the morning, even now your legs rubbed together to try to stifle the dull throb that settled in as your thoughts ran rampant.

You hadn’t slept well last night and you tried everything, and you mean everything. By Sod’s law you finally caught some sleep around half four in the morning only to sleep through your alarm. Great start to the day… you needed coffee, and lots of it.

Yoongi always had access to coffee, maybe you could bribe him into getting you some, it was no secret the CEOs had a soft spot for you, their favourite human and employee. Even the stoic panther gave into you when you wanted something. You’re sure after a session of your playful banter he would be more than willing to give in. He always gave in in the end…

You don’t know why your thoughts are turning you on, or maybe it was the face of the hybrid CEOs and their sultry smirks filling your brain that has you dripping in arousal. You try not to show anything on your face as your thoughts become more debaucherous, shifting uncomfortably in your seat, unable to stop them from heading that way.

You notice the bunny hybrid sniffing the air audibly, frowning as he closed his eyes as if in pain… maybe his rhinitis was playing up.

—

You walk into their office with a mountain of paperwork in your hands, unaware of the way 5 of the CEOs inhabiting the room freeze. What was that smell? Ears on end and attention completely drawn to you, they find themselves needing to gulp for air but every breath is contaminated with you.

Taehyung is the first to make a move, one thought in his mind as you put the files down on Jungkook’s desk. You startle for a moment when you feel his nose brush against your neck as he sniffs.

“Taehyung,” Namjoon says wearily in warning, knuckles turning white from the grip he has on his desk. The others only gawp, unable to move or breathe if they wanted to.

The tiger presses himself against your back as softly as he could, groaning as the need to have you in his hands overwhelms him. His hands reach for the wood of the desk in front of you, effectively trapping you in his little cage.

“Do I smell bad?” You lightly chuckle but with worry. You didn’t have time to shower this morning, did you stink?

“Like golden honey beautiful girl,” Jin grins cheekily from his seat, the bear hybrid laughing to himself at his inside joke.

“Oh…. Tae, do you not like honey?”

The tiger only hums against your neck, a pleasant shiver running through your skin as he subtly scents you, rubbing his head against you as unassumingly as possible.

“Taehyung,” Namjoon doesn’t shout but his voice is firmer than before, making you jump a little.

The growl that vibrated against you screamed territorial aggression, the room stills for a second, the lump in your throat as you swallow is the only sound heard to their sensitive ears.

You try not to think about how much you hated that he backed away, you try not to let it show on your face as you pick up the files from the surrounding desks, unaware of the tiger’s eyes on you, of all their eyes on you. You felt empty without his embrace, a sudden cold penetrated through your clothes without his heat.

Jimin flashes you a smile that doesn’t reach the hungry look in his eyes as he hands you the file himself, fingers brushing against your own as you take them. He can feel your pulse resonate through your skin.

To his surprise you lean in closer, were you trying to test his patience? He was already trying to hold his breath, your scent already starting to dim the human side of him, and unleash the beast.

“Is Jungkook feeling okay today?” You whisper to him even though you know logically they can all hear you, being hybrids and all. “He seemed a bit anxious at the meeting this morning.”

The arctic fox hybrid smirks, so Jungkook was struck with your delicious scent first, poor bunny. He almost laughs aloud.

You don’t wait for his answer when you hear someone walk through the door, all of you turning to the sound. The panther hybrid stops in his steps when he breathes in, eyes snapping to you as they dilate. You watch his tail swish behind him more enthusiastically than you’d seen before, his piercing gaze making you feel more and more like prey, heart rate accelerating as your instincts remember who in the room was a predator. Didn’t you want something from him earlier? Your brain was drawing blanks.

“Umm so I should get back to work,” breathing suddenly becomes harder as you swallow down your sudden nerves, hastily walking out of the office as the eyes of 6 hybrids never leave you.

“Why does she smell so good?” Yoongi asks bluntly when you’re out of ear shot.

Taehyung groaned at the reminder, you were so close to him, if someone hadn’t gotten in the way... He glared at the lead CEO who purposefully ignored him.

“No idea,” Jin shrugged with a grin, “but I am not complaining.”

“I am!” Taehyung exclaimed in aggravation. “Anyone can smell that, do you know how many hybrids work on this floor alone?”

“Hyung, why did you let her leave?” Jimin’s eyes narrowed at the panther in distaste, the words of his best friend making him realise he was right. “She was safe here.”

“Safe?” Hoseok scoffed with a mocking look. “The tiger was going to bite her if she stayed.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Taehyung snarls, his own glare mirroring Jimin’s but with the lion on the receiving end.

Namjoon tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for the discussion to settle otherwise he was going to have to bring it to an end. He sucked in his cheeks in annoyance, jaw set in anger as they continued to argue. He’s a second away from speaking when the door opens once more, silencing the argument as they turn to it again, hoping it was you.

The youngest of the CEOs finally joins them, walking into the room in a daze, eyes blank, unseeing towards the others as he sits in his chair.

“All good Jungkookie?” Hoseok snickers knowingly as the maknae nibbles on his bottom lip, drowning in his not so innocent thoughts.

“How did your meeting go?” Jin chuckles.

But all Jungkook could think about was how fucking good you smelled.

“How long was the meeting?” Yoongi asks with a smirk.

“He was in there for two hours,” Jimin laughs teasingly.

“Wow, I could barely sit here for two minutes,” Hoseok was impressed. “Taehyung didn’t even last a second.”

“Well done Jungkook,” Jimin commends, nodding in pure appreciation.

“It was torture,” the bunny finally breathes before groaning into his hands as he covered his face. “And she was just sitting there oblivious.”

His doe eyes peered out to look at his Hyungs in disbelief, how did you not know? You knew hybrids had a heightened sense of smell, did it just bypass your brain that they could smell the things you did? How sleep deprived were you to forget something like that?

“I just wanted to…” the thoughts of what he wanted to do in that board room was filling his mind again, he didn’t care if they all watched, let them all watch, he would make them. His eyes go blank again as he loses himself to his fantasies.

“Could you imagine… if she just stayed here with us…” Hoseok stifled a moan as he rubbed his eyes with his palms, as if that would scrub out the pictures his words induced.

“Wash your dirty thoughts out of your head before we get a harassment complaint,” Namjoon finally speaks, mumbling as he completed the paperwork in front of him sloppily, his own mind occupied in hypocrisy. Images of you on all fours for him flashed in his head without permission as much as he tried to will it away. How good you would look presenting to him, begging for him. Full of his cum and pups…

“Easier said than done,” Taehyung mumbles, still able to taste your scent on his tongue. How he didn’t lick your skin when his head was buried in your neck he’ll never know, self restraint wasn’t his forte.

“We still don’t know why she smelled like that,” Hoseok reminds them all, thinking to himself.

“You don’t think she was on a date or something do you?” Jimin asks aghast.

“I couldn’t smell anyone else,” Taehyung replies, he wouldn’t have liked it if he did, the smell would be tainted, nauseating.

“She did it to herself,” Jungkook informs them despondently, filling in the blanks.

The air thickens around them as new images enter their heads.

“Well fuck…” Yoongi breathes. His poor enticing little Kitten didn’t have anyone to play with, maybe they’d have to fix that, before anyone else had the same idea.

—

“Y/n have you-” Suran halts at your desk, eyes going wide, a growl almost leaving the chihuahua hybrid’s mouth as she smells you. Her thoughts jump to conclusion and accusation, putting two and two together to paint completely the wrong picture.

“Suran…?” You frown, but she only grimaces.

You smelled like sex, and Kim Taehyung.

You absolute whore, Suran thinks but the words are stuck in her trance of shock. She knew something was up with you and the CEOs, now your scent let it slip. She wasn't the only hybrid on this floor, everyone else would smell it too and figure out the truth. She would just sit back and watch it unfold, pick up the pieces when they realised you weren’t worth an ounce of their time.

She grits her teeth, the anger in her head reaching boiling point.

“Go take a fucking bath,” she yaps as she stomps away, leaving you confused as well as worried.

That was the second time someone commented on your smell. It was one missed shower surely you couldn’t smell that bad? You subtly take a strand of hair under your nose, sniffing but your human senses couldn’t figure it out.

You look around the room in paranoia, and you swear you see a pair of ears duck as soon as you turn that way. People were talking about you, you could feel it. And there was only one hybrid you trusted to tell you the truth, even if it hurt your feelings.

—

Your scent tainted the office so badly the hybrids couldn’t think, and as much as Yoongi would have loved to indulge in it like a house cat on catnip, he had work to do. Yet the clean air of his office made him grumpy, the ghost of your smell clinging desperately to his nose. What was the point in leaving the office when he couldn’t get his head in his work.

His thoughts are disrupted by a soft knock on his door, too light for human ears to hear but his perked up immediately.

“Come in,” he calls out before the figure behind it could run away.

Sure enough, just as he had suspected, the door opens to reveal you with your head hung low.

“Kitten?” He frowns in concern when you close the door behind you, leaning back on it without meeting his gaze. Your intoxicating scent was dulled by something sour. “What’s wrong?”

Why did you look so downcast? Did someone say something to you about your scent? Shit, he should’ve argued with Namjoon like the maknae line to call you back into the office, what the hell happened in their absence? The regret is instant, his claws were coming out, who did he have to scratch for making his kitten like this?

You mumble something that was incoherent even to him.

“Y/n try again,” he sighs. “Louder kitten.”

“Do I smell really bad?” You look up at him with glossy eyes and a protective growl comes up his throat. “Everyone keeps looking at me weird and the other CEOs said I didn’t but I think they were lying and I know you’ll tell me if I do.”

The teary word vomit makes Yoongi get out of his seat in concern.

“You don’t smell bad,” he swears as he approaches you, anything to get those tears away as they formed.

“You promise?” Your bottom lip trembled, and his features softened at the sight. You hated being vulnerable, so he knew this was playing on you more than what you were willing to admit.

“What’s that stupid thing the fox does with you?” He mumbles to himself in thought before turning to you with a smile.

He props up his pinky finger, holding it out to you and it makes you release a watery laugh. He grins when you take it with yours, thumbs pressing together as you sealed it.

“Are you sure?” You can’t help but ask. “Someone told me I needed to go take a bath.”

Who the fuck told you to do that? His eyes narrow, tail moving in aggravation. Dammit, they really should’ve kept you in the office, and he was definitely not going to let you find out what the smell really was. As much as he would love to watch your embarrassed little face, he knew you’d avoid them like the plague out of shame once your brain started overthinking the situation.

He’s about to speak and reassure you when he notices another odour mixed with yours, and it sets his jaw on edge. The stupid tiger scented you? Was he an idiot? Although those are the thoughts in his head he can’t deny the animistic jealousy turning him bitter.

—

Felines are sedentary hybrids, or that’s what Yoongi likes to tell people when they ask why he naps so much, sometimes in panther form on the desk which terrifies his human and prey employees. This pacing he was doing was weirdly out of character, but you don’t notice it. You are so focused on your work you have no idea his eyes are on you the entire time. He comes to stand behind you, leaning down as if you look at the computer screen over your head as his arms cage you into his hold.

“How’s the file coming along?” he asks as an obvious excuse, too bad you were too oblivious to see it. He pretends to read the screen as he rests his chin on the top of your head.

He hums as if in thought, moving his head as if in contemplation, when in reality he was just trying to rub his scent gland against you. His hybrid sight could see you smiling at the action even in the reflection of the screen.

He couldn’t help it. The smell was pulling him towards you the whole afternoon, first he thought he could resist but then he convinced himself one small scenting action wouldn’t hurt. One turned into ten. He rubbed his cheek against yours the last time he ‘checked’ your work, he even pretended he had a temperature at one point; taking your hand in his as he rubbed it against whatever scent gland he could, asking you if he felt hot and “are you sure?” when you replied he was warm but not feverish.

“What is it with you and New Times Roman?” he pretends to sigh exasperatedly, knowing how you felt about the font.

“It looks elite on documents Yoongi,” you grumble, pouting in a way that you thought he couldn’t see. He has to bite his lips to stop the grin stretching too far. “Seriously, how did you make it as CEO with such poor font decisions?”

“Helvetica is-”

“Helvetica my ass, that is such a basic boring choice and you know it,” you cut him off, tilting your head back to look at him but he doesn’t budge, your lips almost graze his scent gland, the proximity has him preening. Dammit, he was becoming more hormonal than the maknaes. “That’s such a lazy choice of penmanship Min Yoongi.”

You shake him off of you, sending him a grumpy look that makes him smirk as he drags his office chair beside yours. He smiles at you innocently when you give him a narrowed distrusting look.

“Someone needs to check you’re doing it right,” he explains himself much to your chagrin, shuffling closer until a part of him is pressed against you. Now he finally felt content, realising all his fidgeting was because he needed to be touching some part of you at least. He leans in closer under the guise of watching you work.

“You never micromanage me,” you huff, pride taking a shot, he didn’t trust other people when they worked under him, but he did you.

To your surprise there's a soft kiss to your temple, and you turn with your jaw open to see him turn back to the computer screen, but you don’t miss the blush.

Shit, your heart rate was skyrocketing, and you were so sure he could hear. Deep breaths, calm, relax, do not let them know. You turn back to the keyboard, typing away slowly not to make a mistake in your giddy mindset. You remember once when Jimin asked you cheekily why they heard your heart rate fluctuate so much, obviously knowing they were the reason why… the first lie your brain could come up with was a heart condition… Now whenever the youngest trio heard it beat louder they acted concerned, physically checking that you were alright, despite knowing there was nothing wrong with you at all, and making your state so much worse.

“Hyung-”

Namjoon didn’t knock when he opened the door to find the panther hybrid, but as soon as it opened he’s hit in the face with the most fragrant concoction of aromas he's ever had the pleasure of smelling. His hand tightens around the handle to ground himself. He catches a glimpse of Yoongi fawning over you as you worked with his gummy smile wide before he spun his head in shock at the new arrival.

“Joonie,” you greet him with a smile that starts to deflate when you see accusatory eyes aimed at the CEO currently sitting next to you.

“Babygirl, would you mind grabbing a file for me from the office?” he asks you with his eyes set on the panther. It was an obvious excuse but he needed to speak to his friend alone.

You nod, feeling a tension rise in the room as you looked between the hybrids, worried they were going to fight.

“No, I’ll go grab it for him later,” Yoongi declares as you rise from the chair, grabbing your elbow and pulling you back down, taking both you and Namjoon by surprise. The wolf feels his alpha side of him flare with anger at the direct defiance to his command, but he swallows it down as Yoongi tells you, “stay here.”

His gaze is firm in his instruction, a hidden warning behind his words as he moves towards the wolf. They both give you a tight lipped smile as the door closes, leaving you in the room to wonder what the hell was going on. You hear hushed angry whispers on the other side of the wood, but can’t make out any words. The urge to eavesdrop is more than tempting but if you got caught you didn’t want to get scolded or worse, feel their disappointment.

“It smells like you’ve just started your honeymoon in there,” Namjoon growls sarcastically in anger at the panther. “This I expected from the maknaes Hyung, what are you thinking?”

“Someone commented on her scent,” Yoongi snarls back, a gutteral sound vibrating in his throat. “And the stupid tiger scented her, I had to keep her in here.”

Namjoon’s eyebrow shoots up, he’s known the second oldest CEO for the longest out of them all, so he knows the look on his face when he’s trying to cover up his own misdeeds. He wasn’t stupid, he could see what Yoongi was doing even if the panther was pretending he didn’t.

“So you decided to scent her yourself?” Namjoon scoffs.

The panther looks visibly embarrassed when the lead CEO calls him out, face burning while he tries to school his features.

“Why don’t we try coming up with a solution for this dilemma rather than start throwing accusations?” Yoongi suggests to the wolf with narrowing eyes. “We have to keep her away from the other employees.”

“Hyung, if you're having trouble with self restraint then I don’t think any of us are going to cope being near her,” Namjoon sighs. “We could ask her to stay here, you can come back to the main office.”

“We’re not leaving her alone,” the panther almost hisses at the suggestion, irritated at the thought of you being left unprotected in the mating den he was building inadvertently. “Anyone could come in.”

“You’re not staying here,” the command could be seen in his eyes even without the words.

“Why don’t we take turns keeping an eye on her?”

Namjoon contemplates it for a second, if they only were around you for short bursts of time, leaving when the smell started to fog their judgement, rotating often enough so they could get a breath of fresh air in between shifts and clear their lungs, they might be able to pull this off.

“That could work,” he accepts.

“Obviously the maknaes are out,” Yoongi states matter of factly.

“Of course,” Namjoon agrees, as much as he loved them, he couldn’t trust them. Not with this, not with you.

—

You were a bit confused as to why you were told Hoseok needed you in the office, well actually that part was easy to understand. What you couldn’t comprehend was why Yoongi felt the need to escort you, or why he was glaring at anyone who entered the empty corridor, the look strong enough to get them to back away… or why the corridors were empty at all. But then again you missed Namjoon’s call for all the employees on your floor to gather at the cafeteria for an announcement, occupying them all with free beverages for all their hard work.

Yoongi is reluctant to leave you when you enter the office, his territorial side coming to the forefront in a way he could no longer deny. Maybe Namjoon was right, he was losing control of his self restraint around you, and the longer he stayed the more it decreased.

“Sunshine!” The lion hybrid calls out for you from his workspace, dragging a chair from Yoongi’s desk to his own and patting the seat for you to take. “Hyung, didn’t Namjoon need help with that new secret project?”

Hoseok recognises that look in the panther's eyes, the burning jealousy as you stepped away from him, suppressing the urge to roar out in objection. He flashes him a pointed look when he could smell the extent of Yoongi’s scenting the closer you got, how did he manage to get away with that without you realising?

“Secret project?” you ask intrigued, looking between them both, trying to decipher their silent communication, missing the fact that the secret project was in fact you. “You guys always tell me about new projects.”

Hobi snickers at your pout, he swore you didn’t know you were doing it sometimes. Yoongi had pointed it out to you a couple of times that you did it, and you denied it despite wearing the pout while arguing. He and Taehyung were in the room once when the conversation came up, and of course they had to imitate you teasingly to prove a point.

“I should go,” Yoongi announces reluctantly, a blank look on his face except for his eyes that were calling out for you to ask him to stay. You don’t translate the look but frown at the intensity of it, wondering if everything was okay.

“Have fun!” you yell after him as he walks away, turning back to Hoseok. “Spill, what secret project?”

The lion only chuckles, pulling out the paperwork he had prepared for you to keep you occupied.

“We need to get all of this done before the end of the day sunshine,” he informs you as you gawk at the sight. There was no way you both would be able to get this done, but that was the point, you just didn’t realise it. “But I might have to cover a meeting or two today, think you could just stay here and get as much done as possible?”

It was a cover in case he needed to make a quick exit, but you didn’t catch on.

“I’d be okay to stay here?” you ask, normally you went back to your own desk on the office floor when you didn’t work with the CEO you were helping.

“It might be a bit too distracting out there sunshine,” Hoseok explains hesitantly, not technically lying since yes it would be, but the distracting factor in the building would be you. “This needs to be done as soon as possible.”

“Okay,” you inhale deeply before exhaling. “Let’s do it.”

He flashes you a grin, turning back to his work as you started yours. He tried hard not to focus on the sweet smelling fragrance that was slowly spreading around the room, but it was easier said than done.

You’re trying to work through the load as quickly and efficiently as possible, a determined frown plastered on your face that Hobi can’t help admire. He’s almost worried how fast you’re ploughing through your pile, hoping someone had something set as a backup in case, by some miracle, you did finish the task.

An hour passes by in near silence, before he starts feeling a little light headed from the air around him. It wasn’t even as intense as it was earlier, and Yoongi’s and Taehyung’s essence dulled it down, but he could feel himself become restless, the urge to reach out and touch you compelling. Thankfully you’re too occupied to notice his internal battle, all he can hear is the rustling of the inked sheets of white.

“Ow!” you cry out as the paper cuts your skin like a knife.

The lion turns to you in worry, the scent of blood adding to the cocktail in the air. You hold your finger close to your face, watching the droplets of red bead out of the line with a pout. That stung like a bitch.

One side of his face lifts in a smirk of amusement and endearment from your expression, relieved it was nothing serious.

“Hoseokie,” you whine, turning your finger to show him the cut.

You don’t know what you were expecting him to do, laugh at you maybe? Call you cute at most? Definitely not what he actually did. The CEO takes your hand in his own, bringing the cut to his lips. At this point you think he’s going to kiss it, the playful look on your face turning to one of shock and want, eyes flickering to his lips before you meet his gaze again.

His tongue swipes the cut clean and you lose the ability to breathe. His stare doesn't budge, even when he puts your finger into his mouth. He’s… I… It’s just… Your brain loses the ability to think even when the digit is pulled out, finally his burning gaze now inspects the papercut, humming pleasantly to himself. He’s glad hybrid lions don’t share the same papillae on their tongue as actual lions do, that would’ve been uncomfortable for you. His tongue, as well as Taehyung’s and Yoongi’s, were more textured than a human’s but much softer than the sandpaper quality of their animal counterparts.

It made for an experience in the bedroom, his thoughts shift to a more smug sexy mindset, remembering a few past romances that definitely had no complaints about his performance. He can’t help but look at you and wonder how you would react, how you would feel on his tongue.

That was one thing he shared with his lion half, an insatiable high sex drive, and your scent wasn’t making this easy for him. As much as his instincts screamed at him to not even think about it, he knew his time in the office with you needed to come to an end, otherwise he was not going to be able to let you out of his sight. An evil little voice starts whispering in his head, he could easily just lock the door so the others wouldn’t interrupt or take him away from you. If you somehow ended up bent over the desk, or sitting on it in front of his chair with your legs wide open so he could lick the ache away… well it was only nature, no one could blame either of you for that, not even Namjoon.

He smirks when he notices you fidget in your seat, a new wave of arousal saturated the air, maybe you were thinking the same thing.

You were.

—

“What do you mean we’re not allowed in the office today?” Jimin deadpans at both of the older CEOs.

“It means what you think it means,” Yoongi rolls his eyes as he speaks, ignoring the childish glare the maknaes were sending his way.

“Just get on with your work,” Namjoon instructs, not giving into any sympathy for the younger hybrids, it was for your safety after all. “You guys can play your usual games with Y/n tomorrow.”

The bunny hybrid’s features started slowly simmering with rage.

“So we can’t be trusted?” Jimin scoffed while the thick anger in the younger two’s throats prevented them from speaking.

“Taehyung’s already scented her,” Namjoon doesn’t look impressed when he glances over at the tiger. “We can’t let the situation get any worse than what it already is.”

Taehyung looks away from them both in disgust. Were the hyungs really containing you like you were a problem?

“Let’s not pretend that Yoongi hyung doesn’t reek of angel,” Jimin spits through gritted teeth, glaring at the panther with disdain. “I was wondering where she disappeared to, should have realised.”

“This is proof enough you three can’t be trusted,” the wolf hybrid sighs in disappointment, was he really hoping they would just accept his decision with maturity and understanding? He really should’ve known better.

“Can we just stop acting like Y/n isn’t our mate?” Jungkook finally erupts, his fury uttered in a steady eerie calm, while his eyes burn with fire. “Of course we’re going to want to be with her when she’s in this state, of course we’re going to seek her out and play with her and guard her, but we have enough sense to know when to stop.”

There's a nonverbal fight that ensues between the lead CEO and the youngest, both of them unflinching in their staring match. Namjoon decides to ignore the first part of the maknae’s speech, he’s had that discussion too many times, the testosterone in the room was not going to listen to reason.

“I can’t take that chance.”

—

It was Jin’s turn to ‘keep an eye on you’. He’s approaching the office as Hoseok leaves it, a pleasant grin on the Lion’s face… The one Jin used to see when Hoseok ‘slept late’, back before they had all met you. What exactly went on in that room?

“Hobi,” Jin greets him with a look of suspicion. “You’re looking… happier than usual.”

He only sniggers back, a look of triumph on his face that Jin couldn’t decipher.

“I made it worse,” he admits with a wave as he walks away. “Sorry Hyung.”

Jin's confused look turns to one of nerves, gulping before he takes the handle and opens the door. He holds his breath when he enters, a foolish attempt of denying your scent, but he couldn’t hold it for long.

He makes it to his desk before he inhales, instantly clutching onto the desk as it hits him full force. His eyes narrow at the concerned look on your face, were you trying to kill him or just test his patience?

“Jinnie are you okay?” you ask, eyes wide with worry.

He presses his lips together before he answers, walking to the windows of their office quickly to open them. It was so intense, it was going to make him choke, or moan, he didn’t know which was worse.

“Fine honey,” he reassures you stiffly. “It’s just a bit hot in here.”

You go too quiet for his liking, he glances over at you before making his way back to the desk with a frown. He’s about to ask if you were okay, but the little laughter that escapes you reassures him.

“Honey?” you repeat teasingly.

His ears burn, as he shyly smiles at the desk, trying to hide behind his hair as he looked over the paperwork in front of him.

“You’re still my beautiful girl,” he admits, making your insides warm, a stupid grin plastered on your face as your heart skips repeatedly. “But the tiger has two names, we should get two too right?”

You bite your lip to stop from letting noises out of your mouth from the mushy feeling you were experiencing.

“Do you not like it?” Jin asks without taking his eyes off the letters in front of him, checking random things off with the pen in his hand.

“No I love it,” you’re quick to reassure him, turning to your own workload on Hobi’s desk. “Bears love honey right?”

He chuckles loud enough for you to hear, a warm smile on both your faces.

—

Taehyung nearly growls menacingly at an employee, Jimin and Jungkook aren’t far from doing the same.

“Seriously, did you even read the formatting notes?” Jimin scolds Seulgi uncharacteristically. Did no one know how to do things properly except you? What was the point in all these useless people?

“Sorry Depyunim,” the lynx hybrid bows in apology as he walks away muttering to himself.

Their anger had surged due to one Kim Namjoon, and of course the hybrid behind him, Min Yoongi. Sometimes Jimin swore that the panther hybrid had it out for him when it came to you. But then Jimin couldn’t deny he probably got as good as he gave, but not like this, this was beyond unfair. This was unjust.

The three maknaes conjugate in the middle of the work floor, not breaking stride as they walked out before they bit someone’s head off.

“I can’t believe they're keeping her in the office away from us,” Taehyung’s voice rumbles for his friends to hear.

“I can’t believe we’ve been banned from our own office,” Jimin hisses under his breath.

“I spent two hours in a meeting with her where nothing happened,” Jungkook complains, looking pissed as ever. “And I can’t be trusted?”

He scoffs at the audacity of it, the sheer greed of his hyungs. He wasn’t some baby, Taehyung wasn’t a cub, Jimin was more mature than all of them sometimes, this screamed prejudice, and the hell were they going to take it playing dead.

—

Bears have very long tongues. Ever since your earlier encounter with Hoseok you couldn’t get certain thoughts out of your head, or stop where they were heading.

At this moment, you were chin in hand, elbow on Hoseok’s desk, watching the bear hybrid sort through his paperwork with glazed eyes. You couldn’t help thinking about all of them, but Seokjin was the one in front of you and once you started dwelling on the subject you couldn’t help where your mind went.

You notice the sudden startled look on Jin’s face, his head jerked towards you, eyes wide with panic.

What the…

He almost choked. Why did the smell suddenly get ten times more abundant? He opened the window to ventilate the room enough so that he could cope, but even still his methods were no match for the way you were emitting that delicious scent unconsciously.

You feel caught, quickly turning back to your work as your cheeks burned.

What a dangerous girl, Seokjin thought to himself as he gulped, quickly taking out his phone as he texted the leader that his time in this heavenly punishment needed to come to an end if he wanted to maintain his abstinence. Who knew temptation came in the form of a horny human girl?

Thankfully the wolf hybrid was quick to respond, a simple ‘on my way’ sent in reply.

Jin can’t help chuckle out loud to himself about the situation, making you turn to him with a puzzled expression. You didn’t even realise how you were turning them crazy. In all honesty, though they never admitted it openly, they had smelled you becoming turned on by them before. But this time something was different, the erogenous scent was just more concentrated because it was the first time they could detect your earlier orgasm, especially since it soaked into your skin. It was like a beacon to mate for them, and they were all so receptive, if you were a hybrid you would’ve seen it and reacted and finally they would no longer have to abide by Namjoon’s stupid rules. For the first time in a while the bear feels resentment towards the lead CEO.

Talk of the devil. Once again Kim Namjoon opens the door without knocking first, once again he's struck by the potency of your arousal. He strikes you with an intense glare, making you wonder if you should be here, or whether you had outstayed your welcome in the office.

“Umm I should probably finish this back at my own desk,” you try to say lightheartedly, but the dejected feeling in your chest weighs on your voice.

“Sit.” The order is almost barked out as you stand from the chair, and immediately your ass is back down, eyes on the wolf hybrid in anticipation. Even Jin is taken back by the outburst.

With a harsh exhale, Namjoon tries to calm his own territorial testosterone.

“Those papers need finishing today,” he informs you calmly although the tone doesn't reach his face. “If you go back to your desk you know you’ll get distracted with helping the other employees on their projects, babygirl.”

That… seemed reasonable, so why were you wearily watching the CEO approach his own desk next to the one you were currently occupying.

Jin catches the corner of your eye, your attention turning to him as he departs silently with a wave, a comforting smile on his face. They were all giving you whiplash today, you were so confused as to what was going on. Was it some sort of hybrid season where certain traits and behaviours were prevalent? There was usually a memo for that sort of thing.

There's a palpable tension building in the room and you’re trying to wrack your brains as to why. Did you do something to piss him off? His jaw is clenched with such force you’re scared his teeth will break under the pressure.

You won’t know unless you ask.

“Joonie,” you hesitantly say, hoping the nickname will earn you his dimple, but he barely acknowledges you. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine Y/n,” he snaps, but that's how you know he’s lying.

He called you by your name, and not his term of endearment. Your whole body deflates as you feel your heart sink, what did you do? Your brain goes into overdrive, overthinking every interaction you had with the male since your last friendly encounter with him. Just the other day you were both laughing as you exited a meeting together, what changed since then?

“Did I do something to upset you?” you press in a small voice, scared about his reaction. He sighs, hearing the sad tone in your words. It's just very hard to restrain myself from wanting you babygirl, but how does he say that out loud and live with your rejection.

“No.”

It was so obvious how much they adored you, that's why he didn’t believe you were completely oblivious, sure you reciprocated their affection but you never crossed a line even when they might’ve. The others were growing impatient, blaming Namjoon for being unable to confess but he had told them all, they weren’t to say anything unless you did so first. The matter was too complicated, they were your bosses, they were hybrids, polygamy was normal for some breeds, but not for humans, not really. The imbalance of power was too skewed, this needed to come from you, otherwise any relationship they suggested might only be agreed upon from a place of fear.

What if you thought you had to say yes otherwise you could lose your job or you thought they were taking advantage of their positions and you felt coerced to submit. There were too many ways this could go wrong, it could create such an awkward atmosphere and cost them the time they spent with you. This was enough, he had said it to the others so many times, the idea of losing you in any way terrified the wolf hybrid, so much so that even he was blind to your own sentiment.

An uncomfortable silence ensues between you both until you’re forced to interrupt it. Namjoon hears the chair slide back, about to question your movements when he sees you approach his desk.

“These need your signature depyunim,” you don’t look at him as you pass him the papers, and with your close proximity he finds himself wanting you to. You just encompassed him with that hedonistic scent and he felt his animalistic side reach breaking point. He hated it when you called him depyunim, the term was too distant, it reminded him of the barriers he had to enforce between you and for once he wanted to give in to the impulse to tear them apart.

You’re still holding on to the papers, expecting him to take them, when his hand wraps around your wrist, yanking you closer, forcing you to look at him. His more sadistic side enjoys the way your eyes dilate, the way your breath catches in your throat as you struggle to speak. He signs the papers without breaking eye contact with you, he could feel your pulse accelerate through your wrist, enjoying the taste of adrenaline that joined your scent in the air.

“Thank you babygirl,” he gutturally praises you, letting go abruptly. You catch your breath then when you nearly stumble, panting lightly as you avoid his gaze, taking the contract back to your temporary work station.

Your phone buzzes, and absentmindedly you reach for it, the text inducing a frown on your face but not quite breaking you out of the trance the wolf hybrid put you in. You breathe deeply as if to calm yourself, the CEO near you is about to voice his apology but you’re shooting out of the room before he could say a word.

“Ineedtogotothebathroom,” it comes out a jumbled mess but he heard it clear enough.

He lets you go, groaning out in regret of his actions. He’d make it right when you came back, hopefully this short break from your presence would clear his head.

—

You made sure to wait until the corridor was empty, your head turning from side to side to ensure the coast was clear. You knew this particular filling room you were standing outside of well, you cried in it a number of times when the stress levels got too high to cope. You just didn’t understand why Jungkook had texted you to meet him here urgently. The text just said ‘emergency - store room b, don’t tell hyungs.’

You knock on the door, still checking that no one was around as the door opens, a hand grabbing yours as it tugged you forward. You stumbled into a chest as the door slams shut, hearing the lock turn, trapping you inside with three maknaes. The first thing you notice is their devilish smirks when you pull away, although still caught in the grasp of the tiger hybrid. The second is the mischievous swish of two tails.

You watch Taehyung sniff the air, his dark stare penetrating you as you hear the possessive rumble in his chest.

“Hyungs,” Jimin scoffs, shaking his head. They scented you? There were different variations of intensity but you were covered by three of them, hints of Namjoon still fresh from his earlier ministrations. They might as well have put a collar around your neck with their names on the tag, the CEO was seething.

“Where have you guys been hiding all day?” you ask, missing the irony completely.

“Did they seriously have a problem with you doing it subtly and then do it themselves a hundred times worse?” Jimin turns to the tiger, ignoring your question completely as he fumes.

“How did they expect her to leave today without someone noticing their stench on her?” Jungkook snorts in disbelief and outrage, arms crossed as he leans back on one of the filing cabinets.

“What!” you suddenly feel very self conscious when their gazes shift to you. So you did smell. You smelled of them. But…

Your mind flashes back to your vexed chihuahua colleague, did she smell Taehyung on you? Is that why she was so enraged? But… they’ve scented you before, not to the extent that the maknaes were suggesting the older CEOs did but… it was inevitable. You all spent so much time together, scents were going to rub off on one another. You’re sure they've accidentally scented other employees too, although the thought does make you sulky.

“Angel, are you telling me you haven’t noticed the hyungs smothering you?” Jimin doesn’t believe it, there was no way you were that blind.

“But why would they…” your mind goes blank in your state of stupor, not even allowing you to think of reasons as it would lead you down a very uncertain road called hope and misery. If they wanted you like that, they would’ve said by now. You squash down the yearning rising in your heart, reminding yourself for the hundredth time, hybrids were just naturally more physically affectionate than humans, their actions meant nothing to them the way it did to you.

“Why are humans so aggravating?” Taehyung sighs.

“Hey!�� You take offence, scowling at the tiger hybrid as you tried to detach your arm from his hold. “Just because I’m not as intune to my surroundings the way you are or that familiar with hybrid behaviour doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

“I didn’t call you stupid flower,” Taehyung muttered gruffly, pulling you back against him easily.

“You insinuated it,” you retort, pushing him away with an annoyed pout.

“Angel,” Jimin tries to placate you but you can hear the undertones of amusement in his voice as he wraps his arms around your middle from behind. His chin rests on your shoulder, lips turned to your ear. “For someone so clever, you have to admit you can be a little dense sometimes.”

“So spell it out for me,” you dare, eyes narrowed as you tilt your head towards him.

They don’t speak, if anything they looked like their jaws were suddenly wired shut, and it pissed you off. You rolled your eyes, sighing.

“Fine,” you dismiss your earlier request. “At least tell me why they’ve scented me.”

Again you're met with silence. Now who were the aggravating ones?

“Is this just some hybrid thing I’m just not educated about?” you ask with a huff. “If you guys won’t tell me I’ll just go ask the others.”

“No you’ve spent enough time with them,” Taehyung grumbled, pouting like you were earlier.

Jimin rubs his cheek against yours but you turn your head away, making him whine sadly. He’s been craving you all day, his precious vixen, why did you move away?

“No, no more scenting until someone tells me why,” you say firmly. “You guys have been acting weird all day.”

“Bunny,” Jungkook hesitates for a moment, trying to word it right in his head without spilling the thing Namjoon forbade them from telling you. As angry as they were with their pack alpha, they wouldn’t disrespect him. “You know you’re our favourite human right?”

You ignore the burst of gratification in your chest from his words, nodding slowly.

“Well, because we’ve known you for so long, our… animal counterparts translate our… fondness for you,” he stumbles with his words, touching his ears as part of his nervous habit, avoiding your gaze. He tries again. “That side of us recognises you as part of the pack, but you don’t smell like us, so we get the urge to correct that.”

Both Jimin and Taehyung are impressed by the explanation, looking surprised at the genius of the maknae, which you thankfully miss.

“Oh,” it takes you a second for the information to compute, an affectionate warmth spreading out from your middle. A small voice in the back of your head utters a reminder that he means platonically, crushing the pleasant feeling, but you shake those thoughts away. This was enough.

“So can we scent you? Please?” he pleads, reaching for you as he approaches.

Jimin pushes you into his arms and the rabbit hybrid immediately encircles his arms around you, rubbing his nose against your cheek as you giggle at the sensation. He grins happily, hugging you tight, eyes closing in content. This was perfect.

“Kookie, are you sure you’re a bunny hybrid?” you laugh as you’re smothered in his embrace.

“Not this again,” he groans.

“Let’s look at the evidence,” you tease. “You’re too muscly to be a bunny, way too tall, and Jinnie says you go boxing a lot.”

“Noona,” he whines. “I’m not a kangaroo.”

“Are you sure?” you snicker.

He pouts, pulling away from you to crouch down to your level.

“These are bunny ears,” he informs you, playfully scolding you with the look on his face, taking your hand in his as he makes you touch his soft ears. He tries not to thump his leg happily against the ground at the sensation, but it shakes in his effort. “See?”

“Hmmm I’m not convinced,” you tease.

“You should show her your tail,” Jimin says, smirking suggestively, eyes disappearing into crescent smiles. You glare at the arctic fox, missing the look on Jungkook’s face as you scratched the base of his ears. He can’t stop his leg this time.

“My turn,” the tiger announces, pulling you away from the bunny. You bite your lips to stop from laughing at the disgruntled expression on the maknae’s face.

Taehyung sits on the ground, pulling you down with him until you land in his lap, but he looks unfazed.

“Pets please,” he demands politely, bowing his head down. Seriously, was this your boss? You smile endearingly as your hands reach for his ears, starting at the base with a scratch the same way you had with Jungkook. His response is instant, head nestling against your neck. He chuffs in content, the sensation against your skin a little ticklish, but you were pleased you caused the sound.

“Me too,” a familiar whine is heard as another body joins you both on the ground, Jimin places himself as close to you as he could, tail whipping side to side. He rests his head on your arm, nudging you so you’d take the hint. His fingers trace the side of your waist lightly, eyes on that tender look on your face. He softly purrs, caught in a daze as the scent of you and them intoxicates him. You’re surprised he’s waiting so patiently, well patient for Jimin, the three of them normally fought over your attention loudly, this was unusual.

The bunny joins you all on the floor, rubbing his face against your back, closing his eyes as if he were going to nap in the position all day. He could if he wanted to, he grins, satisfied that their scheme was a success. His fingers itched to pull you away from the tiger but he would wait his turn to indulge in you, that was the agreement between them.

Your attention is pulled three ways, Jimin’s soft tail was dancing on your exposed thigh where your skirt bunched, Taehyung’s breath was felt against that spot on your neck that had you restless, unaware of his inner animal begging him to at least graze his teeth over your skin if he couldn’t mark you. Jungkook’s fingers pitterpatted across your back, lips pressed against the middle of your shoulder blades. His thoughts were both similar and different from the tiger, yeah he wanted to bite you but he wanted you to cover him with your own bites, scratches and marks too, then everyone would know who he belonged to.

“Hey If i were a hybrid what would I be?” you ask randomly to distract yourself from all the senses your body was experiencing.

“Tigeress” “Bunny” “Vixen”

You chuckle as their responses come all at once, starting to relax in their hold. Just let yourself enjoy this for now.

The four of you spent the rest of the day in the store room, work completely forgotten, completely unaware of the four hybrids in the building searching for you desperately. Well not completely unaware… the three maknaes share a look between themselves as hours pass, the whole point of the hyung’s plan was to keep you hidden from other hybrids so they wouldn’t catch a whiff of their mate.

The three of them were doing just that.

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