Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

They remained curled up like that for almost an hour until Minho felt confident enough that Felix wouldn’t wake and the pack leader slowly, at snail’s pace, moved to lay the boy down within the safety of his nest before carefully stepping out of it and grabbing the pail. He cast one last nervous look onto the bed where Felix continued to sleep seemingly peacefully, before making his way towards the bathroom downstairs.
The cottage was eerily quiet, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by the pack leader, and it caused an uneasy shiver to run up his spine. Maybe it was because he had spent the better part of the morning engulfed in the blood curdling screams of his brother but he knew that Jeongin and Seungmin had to be in the cottage somewhere since their worried scents still lingered where the elder passed as he walked back upstairs to quietly return the now clean pail to its spot next to Felix’s bed.

He made his way back into the hallway and knocked on Jeongin’s door before opening it and finding the room empty. Repeating the same steps with Seungmin’s room, he frowned when neither the beta or omega were in there either before he headed back downstairs and out the front door to try his luck there.
The patience he had tried so hard to replenish after finding Jeongin and Felix in that orchard all those nights ago, had yet again completely evaporated the moment Felix started asking for the alpha. Who Minho now knew was named Changbin. Because it was proof that yet again, he had been lied to. Or at least, certain details had been deliberately omitted.

And in any other case, he wouldn’t have made a big deal out of it because there is no need for him to be privy to every single thing his pack members think or, in this case, feel. If Felix had been a beta, he would have let it slide in the hopes that it would pass. But Felix wasn’t a beta and this wasn’t just any other case. From what Minho had gathered this morning, something deeper was going on and the fact that they kept something so vital a secret and therefore endangered Felix in the process, had lit something ugly within Minho’s core aflame.
Yet again, in the span of two months, they had managed to press all the wrong buttons. Because yet again, he found himself furious, disappointed and, above all else, heartbroken beyond comprehension.
Because if only he had known…

He spotted the missing duo at the edge of the forest, lounging in the shade provided by the dense trees. Seungmin had Jeongin tucked between his legs, the younger leaning back against his chest as their fingers lay intertwined on the omega’s lap and the pack leader picked up on the warm and soothing cinnamon that intensified the closer he got to them. And it didn’t take long for Minho to notice the dried tear streaks that decorated Jeongin’s cheeks, glittering in the light provided by the sun that sometimes peeked through the leaves. And for a split second. An ugly, horrifying and appalling milli fraction of a second. Minho revelled in the fact that the boy seemed to have been suffering with the knowledge that Felix was all but dying of pain all by himself.

Minho quickly shook the thoughts away, momentarily revolted with himself for even entertaining the mere thought of taking pleasure in the pain of one of his pack members and swallowed thickly when the two of them noticed him approaching. They both scrambled to their feet, Jeongin’s worried eyes finding Minho’s. And try as he might, the pack leader could not school the anger that undoubtedly blazed through his own.
“Hyung--” Jeongin started, his voice raw from what Minho assumed had been his crying session.
“Start talking” Minho cut him off as he came to a halt mere inches away from him, the soggy caramel mixing in with the cinnamon and burned white rose.
“I… I don’t…” Jeongin stammered as his eyes faltered, his head tilting down to look at his fidgeting hands.

“Hyung, please cal--” Seungmin tried as he reached to grab onto Jeongin’s hand again in an attempt to soothe him.
“Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down , Kim Seungmin, or so help me god” Minho seethed “Do you have any idea the state Felix is currently in!? I had to fucking put him into headspace to stop him from begging me to kill him to stop his pain!!!”
Minho’s anger escaped him as his voice bellowed through the clearing. His fury was bubbling under his skin like lava as he took a few breaths to reel himself back in, terrified of waking Felix after he had finally managed to get him to fall asleep.

Both Seungmin and Jeongin’s face paled at the words as they stared at Minho in horror. The young omega bit his bottom lip, tears again breaching the corners of his eyes as they started running down his face and Seungmin’s eyebrows furrowed together in confusion and hurt.
“How is he in so much pain? This isn’t normal… Why won't he let me help him?” He asked crestfallen “He’s never been like this, hyung…”
“Why don’t we ask Innie over here” Minho hissed, his eyes shooting from Seungmin to Jeongin “Do enlighten us. What, pray tell, do you think could possibly be the reason Felix is asking to die by my hands?”
“Hyung…” Jeongin whimpered.
“You don’t get to hyung me, Jeongin.” Minho shook his head and swallowed thickly, the heartbreak briefly overpowering the anger as he willed the tears back down “After everything that happened, you and Felix thought it would be a good idea to hide something like that !?”

“Hide what…?” Seungmin frowned as he looked from Minho to Jeongin “What’s going on?”
When Seungmin spoke, Jeongin visibly panicked, his eyes growing wide and his head shaking from side to side violently.
“No, hyung! I swear. I didn’t… I couldn't…” Jeongin stammered “This wasn’t my secret to tell because it isn’t about me. Felix would have told you if he wanted to. I’m sorry. I swear I couldn’t… I didn’t break our promise, I swear. This is not about that!” The omega sobbed out desperately, tears streaming down his face again.
“Wow wow, Innie” Seungmin rushed to take the younger’s face between his hands gently “Breathe for me please, I’m not mad. I’m just… confused. What’s going on?”

Jeongin took a few shaky breaths as he melted into Seungmin’s hands and hiccupped before nodding and turning to Minho.
“I’m sorry, hyung. I didn’t know…” He whimpered softly and Minho raised an eyebrow.
“Jeongin… Stop lying to me”
“No, no, I mean I d-din’t know that this would happen” Jeongin cried.
“How long have you known? How long have you known and have you been keeping something this important hidden away like we’re living in some type of teenage romance novel?” Minho hissed venomously and Jeongin stifled a sob, his hand curling into Seungmin’s tightly.

“Since the beginning…” he whispered softly, his voice breaking as he squeezed his eyes shut and looked down. And at the words, Minho felt the world shift under his feet, everything falling away and leaving him falling into a pit of despair.
“Innie… what is this about?” Seungmin encouraged as he used the backs of his fingers to gingerly stroke over Jeongin’s cheek in an attempt to wipe the tears that continued to spill.
“Felix is in love with the alpha…” Jeongin croaked and Seungmin blinked incredulously.
“He what?” the beta asked, mouth hanging slack.
“Changbin” the pack leader provided and Jeongin’s head snapped up, his wide eyes locking with Minho’s.
“Oh right” Minho added with a small scoff “Given that you were outside, you probably were unable to make out the words he was spewing when he was all but dying of pain in my arms. But Fe religiously kept asking for one person and one person only. And that was this Changbin. So Jeongin, if you value Felix as much as you claim you do, you better start fucking talking. Now .”

The young omega winced at the words and the implications that were carried along with them, his hands coming up to wipe at his face before he started word vomiting everything he knew about the relationship that had blossomed between Felix and Changbin.
From the way Felix had been basically smitten with the alpha since day one to how he eventually started missing him in ways Jeongin was unable to understand. The truth as to why Felix had been so beside himself in those weeks when Jeongin had gone through his heat and why he had been baking so much during those times as well. And finally he told them about the tugs. About how Felix had described it to him that day on the porch and how everything had progressed from there.

“Tugs?” Minho exhaled, and Seungmin could see the blood drain out of the elder’s face almost instantly “They… You- I thought… oh my god.”
Minho’s hands found his hair and for a second Seungmin feared that the man was going to be sick.
“Hyung?” He took a step towards him until Minho looked back up, right through him and directly to Jeongin.
“Why didn’t you tell me this…?” Minho’s voice was so low that hadn’t it been for their wolf hearing, Seungmin was sure neither Jeongin nor he himself would have ever heard it. “Do you have any idea what you… Felix he… I could have…”

Seungmin frowned and stepped closer again, closing the gap between him and Minho as he gently took Minho’s hands out of his hair before allowing his cinnamon to engulf the elder until the tremor Seungmin felt radiating from his hands finally subsided.
“If there are tugs involved…” Minho said after a couple of minutes of silence, his face so grief stricken that it almost looked like it was devoid of any emotion “Then that probably means that Felix has bonded with this Changbin. Which is why his heat has changed. Which is why it was so late, because he was missing him. Needing him . His omega is crying for his alpha and his heat is not going to get any better unless…”
Minho’s lip wobbled and he took a deep breath before continuing.

“If you had told me… this could have been avoided. If you had told me, I could have…” Minho swallowed and looked down with a frown and a shake to the head before turning to look at the cottage.
“I’m going to check on him” He said suddenly and pulled away from Seungmin, the latter quickly reaching out to take his hands again.
“No let me” Seungmin offered with a pained expression, noting how Minho was barely keeping it together as it was.
“No. Just wait here, we can figure out what to do when I get back” Minho said with finality before pulling himself free and spinning on his heel to walk back to the cottage without as much as a glance back into their direction.

Silence befell them for about 3 seconds before Jeongin tugged at Seungmin’s sleeve and the beta turned to face him.
“I have to go get him” the omega whispered, his tear filled eyes searching Seungmin’s for a brief second and the beta blinked at the almost panicked look on the younger’s face.
“Go get who?”
“Changbin” Jeongin answered before Seungmin even finished talking and the beta reeled back in shock.
“Cha-- Have you lost your mind!?” He hissed.

“No. But Felix is losing his the longer they are kept away from each other. And I can’t sit here and just let that continue, Minnie. I can’t lose him. And this is all my fault because I kept my mouth shut again !” Jeongin all but started begging, his voice barely above a whisper “You heard Minho hyung. If Felix and Changbin have bonded, whatever that even means, then that is the reason Felix is feeling like this. And if Changbin has a chance of making that stop, then I am not going to sit here and do nothing!”
Seungmin searched Jeongin’s face for a few seconds, finding nothing but desperation and determination and for as much he wanted to argue, he knew the younger was right. And the idea scared the crap out of him.
“How will you even find them…?” He asked warily, scared of where his resolve was starting to take him “We should wait--”
“I will find them, hyung. Please” Another tear rolled down Jeongin’s face as he bounced on the balls of his feet, tugging at Seungmin’s sleeve pleadingly.

And maybe it was because of the gravity of the situation or maybe because of the fact that Jeongin would forever have a certain grip on him. But against all of his better judgement and all of the voices in his head screaming at him to ‘abort mission’, Seungmin closed his eyes and sighed before untangling’s Jeongin’s hand from his sleeve.
“Go” he whispered urgently as he looked back at Jeongin who blinked up at him in shock “Go now!”
The elder ushered the omega who didn’t have to be told again as he moved to quickly shed his clothes before shifting and letting his caramel spotted wolf form disappear into the forest line.

Seungmin had to fight every cell in his body not to jump after him, every alarm in his head telling him that this wasn’t safe, that they should have waited for Minho to discuss what to do next and that Jeongin was too young to know what he was doing. But weren’t they all? Jeongin was but a year and a half younger than him and he needed and wanted to believe that Jeongin did know what he was doing. Because the fact remained that, when it came to this other pack, Jeongin knew more than he and Minho did.
Seungmin sighed and knelt down to pick up the clothes that Jeongin had dropped to the ground, folding them neatly before getting up and heading back inside. Minho would be back soon and he was already dreading what would happen if he found out that Seungmin let Jeongin go off on his own.

He quietly walked up the stairs to deposit Jeongin’s clothes on the younger’s bed before heading back down to sit on the bench in the living area, heart pounding in his ears as he waited for Minho to finish tending to Felix.
And said fact didn’t take very long.
Jeongin had been gone for less than 10 minutes when the pack omega came down the stairs, seemingly looking worse than he did when he had gone up to check on Felix. Seungmin noticed how prominent the dark circles under his eyes had become, his skin so pale that he almost looked grey and he looked downright exhausted as he rubbed the back of his neck while he attempted to roll out his shoulders.

The elder spotted him and walked over before dropping himself on the other bench in the room with a long sigh before leaning back to rest against the backrest.
“Would you be the sweetest and go and get Innie for me please? We need to figure out what we are going to do about this situation…” Minho let a yawn escape when he finished speaking, eyes squeezed shut as his hand came up to cover his gaping mouth.
Seungmin worried the corner of his lip with his fang as he tried to wrack his brain for a plausible answer to a request he knew he couldn’t fulfil. And as he sat there in silence, wallowing in his own stress and guilt, he failed to notice how the air in the room shifted as it went completely silent.

“Minnie?” Minho asked after a couple of seconds and Seungmin’s eyes shot up to look at the omega who was looking at him with his eyebrows furrowed together ever so lightly “You okay?”
“Yeah” Seungmin nodded quickly, but the beta made no attempt to stand up to do what had been requested from him and he could feel cold sweat start to build on the back of his neck.
He never should have let Jeongin go. What had he been thinking, doing something so insanely stupid?
“Then can you go and get Innie, please? I’d rather do this sooner rather than later before Fe wakes… up…?” Minho asked again and Seungmin swallowed nervously, a movement that naturally did not go unnoticed by the omega.
“Seungmin?” Minho leaned away from the backrest as he sat up straight and turned to fully face Seungmin “Where is he?”
And in the way that the omega has asked the question, Seungmin knew that he had figured it out.

“I don’t know…” Seungmin whispered, fear rendering his vocal cords useless.
“You don’t know ?” Minho repeated, the tired edge to his voice dissipating almost instantly.
“I… I let him go” the beta confessed, his voice low and full of guilt.
“Let him go where ?” Minho asked as he got up from where he had been sitting, eyes wide as he stared at Seungmin in disbelief. And why wouldn’t he? Seungmin wouldn’t do this, not to Minho. And yet here he was. Doing the one thing he had promised himself never to do to the man who had saved his life.

“Kim Seungmin!” Minho growled when the beta remained silent and Seungmin flinched, ducking his head in shame and squeezing his eyes shut.
“He said that he knew where to find this Changbin and I let him go” He blurted out rapidly and when a strangled noise came from Minho’s direction he carefully looked back up to find that the omega had his hands in his hair again, pacing the length of the bench before turning the corner and heading towards the door.
“Hyung, wait!” Seungmin shot up from the bench in an instant and wrapped his hand around the elders wrist to try and hold him back, recoiling when Minho yanked his arm free and whirled around to face him, which allowed the beta to see the tears that had started running down the elder’s face. And Seungmin’s stomach clenched at the devastating heartbreak he could see in Minho’s eyes.
“I’m sorry” Seungmin mumbled quickly “But I think we have to try and give Innie a chance. If this Changbin can help Lixie, I think we should--”
“What did you think I was going to propose!?” Minho snapped “as much as I dislike the idea of any alphas anywhere near any of you, my fear and anger are nothing compared to the love I have for you--”
Minho’s voice broke and he swallowed thickly, his trembling hand coming up to wipe at his nose as he tried his best to reel in the emotions that were spilling over his face in streams.

“I would have done anything. Anything . To prevent this hell that Fe is currently stuck in…”
“Hyung… I--” Seungmin breathed, but Minho shook his head with furrowed brows and the beta clamped his mouth shut. Minho’s face was a mixture of betrayal, heartbreak and a pain that Seungmin was too afraid to unravel as the omega continued to speak, pieces of the beta’s heart cracking with every word.
“Do you think that if I had known this fact, that I would have kept them apart like that? For this long no less!? Don’t you think that if they had told me that I wouldn’t have found a way, any way, to deal with my pride and trauma in order to make sure that this wouldn't come to pass?” Minho pleaded as he gestured his hands into the direction of the stairs “Do you really think that I want to see Felix suffering like this? He is up there barely holding on and you two think that I’m-- I’m what? Enjoying this? That I want this? That I take some sort of sick pleasure in watching the person who means more to me than my own life, ask me to end his because he is in so much pain that he would rather die than take any more of this type of torture? That I kept him away from his mate because I thrive on his misery!? What have I done to be subjected to that type of cruel thinking?”

Seungmin blinked as he let the words wash over him, his eyes burning as he watched Minho break apart in a way he had never seen before as he lay out his broken heart on full display for the world to see. But words failed to come to mind to the questions asked, which was the thing that was bothering him most because the answer to all of them was as clear as day. Minho was strict but Seungmin had never known purer love than that which came in the form of Lee Minho. He was a good pack leader who always put himself last as long as it meant that the rest of the pack was cared for. He was a hard-ass but he never failed to do what was right and safest for them and to show them how much he cared, be it in the little gestures he did or even in spoken words, Minho didn’t shy away from affection because he knew what type of reaction it drew out of the rest of them. To Minho, his love for his family came as easy as breathing and he was never afraid to show it and remind them of said fact. Sure, he was a tad overprotective and Seungmin knew it was due to the trauma he had suffered which he had yet to tell them about. But that didn’t take away the fact that Minho was the very definition of love, care, family and friendship in ways Seungmin knew he never even could have dreamed of as a child.
So of course he didn’t think any of what Minho had asked. None of them did.
Right?

“Seungmin, I am asking you. Have I been such an atrocious hyung for all of you to think me so heartless?” Minho asked desperately, his voice devastated as he placed the back of his hand over his mouth in a futile attempt to lower the volume of the heart wrenching sob that he was unable to suppress when Seungmin failed to answer. A sight which left the beta’s heart shattering into a million pieces and crumbling onto the floor.
“Hyung…” The beta whispered with a small shake of the head, his own eyes brimming with unshed tears as he looked over every part of his pack leader’s anguished face. “I… I didn’t--”
“Stay with Felix” Minho croaked as he wiped at his face with his hands again before turning around and heading towards the door, clearly not wanting to waste any more time.

“Wait. Where are you going?” Seungmin asked softly, an edge of alarm lacing his voice as he took a step towards the omega with his hand coming up to reach for him but eventually halting mid-air at the memory of what had happened mere minutes ago.
“I’m going after Jeongin” Minho said with finality, the heartbreak in his voice so palpable through the tears that Seungmin felt like someone had reached into his body and strangled the life out of his spirit “No matter of how much of a monster you believe me to be, your safety is still my first priority. You are the sole reason that my blood continues to pump through my body and I will be damned if I let Innie run head first into a den of alphas all by himself without anyone to fall back on. He is 19…”
With those final words, the omega pushed himself out of the door and out of sight. And as the door fell shut into the frame, Seungmin finally allowed his own tears to spill over his cheeks as the regret pulsing through every blood cell in his veins threatened to swallow him whole.

Jeongin sped through the woods, his heartbeat pounding in his ears relentlessly as he tried to focus on the task at hand. But he couldn’t shake the shock that had accompanied Seungmin’s choice to let him go. It had been a long shot when he had begged the beta to let him go but he never actually thought that he would have agreed.
But Seungmin did and now here Jeongin was, speeding his way past the orchard and into the direction he knew Changbin and Hyunjin used to come and go from. And that was the extent of his knowledge.

He wasn’t a complete fool, he knew that what he was doing was idiotic since he technically had no idea where he was going. Not to mention the undeniable knowledge of Minho coming after him sooner rather than later. Regardless of how Seungmin would manage to stall him, he knew that there was no way that Minho would allow Jeongin to pull this ridiculous stunt. Going to the orchard was one thing, but going to the border? Hell, even surpassing it and trekking into another wolf’s territory? What’s worse was that Jeongin didn’t even know the extent of their own territory beyond the orchard as he and Felix had never been allowed so far away from the cottage. Let alone trying to find a whole other territory when he didn’t even know where their own ended or began. He was basically going into the situation with a blindfold on. But if he kept running he would eventually find the end. Or so he furiously hoped.

Who was he kidding? This was a suicide mission. And what if Jeongin couldn’t even find the other territory at all? What if he got lost? Or worse…

He swallowed thickly and faltered in the height of his nerves, his paws catching on a tree root and sending the omega flying and rolling over the unforgiving forest ground with a loud yelp. He whimpered softly when he came to a halt, wallowing in how alone he felt and how stupid he had been to even try this.
But then Felix’s agonising screams echoed through his brain and he internally grimaced for even daring to think like that when Jeongin wasn’t the one who was suffering right now. He internally cursed at himself and quickly scrambled back up and shook himself out before continuing his way, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he tried his best to keep his nose on high alert for any hints of pine.
The area was far away enough for him to not get tricked by the dense acres of pine trees that were situated just beyond their territory, and he was pretty sure that they were in the opposite direction too. So if he picked up on pine, at least he would know that he was heading in the right direction. Maybe even coffee or petrichor, if he was lucky. But he highly doubted it.

“Come on, Chan. Show yourself” Jeongin begged as he found himself further and further away from the orchard. He had lost track of time at this point, not knowing how long he had been underway nor how long it had been since he had passed the orchard and the side of the river that they had swam in all those nights ago.
Panic was starting to settle in the pits of his stomach the longer he ran and he knew he needed to find them fast or else Felix would wake up in pain again with no Changbin to hold him through it. And by now, Jeongin had already left their own territory behind a little while ago, the territorial scenting Minho had been vigorously keeping up with at the borders had been hard to miss when Jeongin passed the area. Which meant he was getting further and further away from what was deemed as safe and if he lost his way now, he wouldn’t be able to find his way back.

But just when he was about to stop and backtrack to try a different route, the tell tale scent of pine finally infiltrated his senses like a very welcome breath of fresh air with not a single pine tree in sight and Jeongin almost cried out in relief.
He continued his way into the territory, because there was no way that it wasn’t, and followed the traces of pine like a lifeline. But the glaring truth was that there was only so much he could do at this pace. Without having the slightest clue on where their home was located within the territory, it would be like trying to find a cotton thread in a haystack.
So he had to opt for a different strategy.

Jeongin stopped running and lifted his muzzle into the air, arching back to emphasise the volume in his throat before howling into the sky. He waited a couple of breaths before doing it again, and then once again for good measure. Within the territory he knew that at least someone would be bound to hear him and come investigate. But he wasn’t going to stick around and wait, if anything he knew he needed to continue and try to follow the scent to the best of his abilities.

He continued to howl every once in a while, to make sure that whoever heard him would know in which direction he was going. Which was the exact opposite of the ‘run, howl and hide’ rule Minho had drummed into their skulls but right now he didn’t want to hide, he needed to be found. On top of that he also was eerily aware of the fact that the white wolf that was currently no doubt tracing him would also be led to him a lot easier through his howls.
But hopefully he would have been found by Chan or anyone else from Chan’s pack by then in order to alert Changbin. Or so he wished.

He howled again, the sound catching in his throat when the hint of another scent hit his nose and he almost cried out again. But for different reasons this time. He knew that he had missed him but not to this extent. It felt like someone had returned a little piece of his heart as he took a second to bask in the coffee that hung around him as he skidded to a halt and sniffed around eagerly in an attempt to try and find the direction the coffee was coming from.

“Innie!”

Jeongin’s heart stopped when his name reached his ears before it jumped in his chest and he felt something inside of him break with desperation. It had been distant, and veiled because of it but unmistakable nonetheless. He whimpered softly and without wasting another beat he leaped into the direction of the voice. That sweet, honey doe voice he had missed so much that it almost tore him apart hearing it again after what had been far too long.
“Hyung!? I’m here!” he called out, picking up his pace as the coffee scent started getting stronger with every step he took.
“Innie!” He heard again. Closer, louder and clearer this time and the anticipation started spreading under his skin like wildfire as he tried to fight back tears that began to burn behind his eyes.

And it wasn’t long before a blond blob appeared in his view, approaching at top speed, stunning green eyes locked on Jeongin and coffee scent spiking instantly.
“Hyung!” Jeongin cried out and leaped when Hyunjin was close enough, the both of them shifting before crashing into each other like ocean waves hitting the rocky cliffs at shore during a storm.
Jeongin instinctively pressed his nose into Hyunjin’s scent gland as his hands clutched at the elder’s back desperately, trying to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming, that this Hyunjin wasn’t a figment of his imagination.
“Hyung!” He sobbed again, tears spilling over his cheeks as he inhaled the warm coffee scent deeply and melted into the body that was wrapped around him.

“Jeongin what the fuck!?” Hyunjin’s hands roamed all over the omega’s body worriedly, checking to see if he wasn’t injured. “What are you doing here? Why do I smell blood!?”
“B-blood?” Jeongin let out a confused whimper as Hyunjin pushed him back, the elder’s eyes scrutinising his every inch and then going wide with horror.
“Jeongin you’re hurt, what the hell happened!?” the beta asked worriedly as he grabbed onto Jeongin’s arm and lifted it to expose a few cuts on the side of his torso. Jeongin raised his free hand up to his face to try and wipe the tears that were obstructing his view and winced when the beta gingerly brushed his fingers over the wounds. Which instantly reminded him why he was here in the first place.

“No, wait! Where is--” He protested as he softly pulled his arm back from Hyunjin’s grip and grabbed his hand before turning his face to look at him when his breath suddenly caught in his throat and his stomach dropped right out of his body as he finally realised that the blonde hadn’t been alone.
There was an absolutely gigantic pitch black wolf that almost towered over them like a looming shadow standing just a few feet away, silently observing them with its glowing amber eyes trained on Jeongin inquisitively. And unlike how defiant and protective he had felt over Felix when they had met Changbin the first time, right now all that overcame him was a sense of mind numbing fear. The omega let out an involuntary whine as he fearfully dove back into Hyunjin’s arms who instantly held onto him carefully.

“Wow, hey. Innie?” Hyunjin looked down and stroked some hairs out of Jeongin’s face where the younger was hiding, his voice still worried before Jeongin felt him turn and tut “Ah… Channie hyung! Can you stop staring like that, for christ sake. You’re scaring the crap out of him”

‘Channie hyung’ ? Chan? Jeongin perked up at the name and carefully sneaked a glance over Hyunjin's shoulder only to be met by a sulking wolf who blinked when he noticed the omega looking at him. And for a split second Jeongin thought he was imagining things because he could have sworn that the wolf, Chan, just winked at him.

Jeongin inhaled a shaky breath, his eyebrows furrowing together as the wolf bowed his head politely, eyes glowing with what seemed like amusement and the young omega found himself mirroring the motion shyly, all previously felt fear now evaporated into thin air.
“Sorry, Innie” Hyunjin’s voice spoke next to his ear, causing a shiver to run down Jeongin’s spine as he quickly leaned back to look up at the beta “This is Chan hyung, remember how we told you about him? He’s harmless. I promise”
Jeongin nodded slowly but was quickly distracted because there was that smile, that smile that Jeongin hadn't realised he had so hopelessly longed for until his hand had come up and was resting against the beta’s cheek ever so tenderly.

“I missed you…” Jeongin breathed, his bottom lip trembling. And at the words, an arsenal of emotions flashed through Hyunjin’s eyes. Starting at surprise and rolling through melancholy, hurt, relief and eventually ending on what could only be described as soul crushing fondness. His gaze softened as he placed his hand on top of Jeongin’s and leaned into the touch.
“I missed you too” he said softly and Jeongin felt his heart leap.
“But, baby, what are you doing all the way out here by yourself?” Hyunjin asked, his eyebrows knitted together with worry as his eyes searched Jeongin’s for a brief moment. And the omega marvelled up at Hyunjin as his brain melted at the pet name, making his heart flutter violently against his ribcage until it suddenly stilled when the rest of the spoken words sunk into his awareness.

“Fuck!” He cursed as he retracted his hand quickly “Hyung. And uhm. Chan… sir?”
Hyunjin giggled softly and Jeongin mentally facepalmed himself for the awkward way he had addressed Chan before shaking his head quickly trying to sort out his thoughts. Felix was what mattered right now. Not Hyunjin and that enchanting smile or his invigorating coffee scent or who’s hair was tied back with the lint that Jeongin had made for him as his birth month celebration gift. Not even scary-not-so-scary Chan who was still watching them curiously from a short distance. None of that mattered right now.
Felix mattered.

“Hyung” Jeongin started again “Where is--”
His words were interrupted when Chan suddenly stepped forward, a dangerous snarl sounding in the back of his throat and Jeongin flinched at the sudden change of attitude.
Until he felt Hyunjin tense and start trembling right before his nose registered the white rose that quickly permeated the vicinity they were standing in which instantly caused his blood to run like ice. He whirled around and placed his arms behind him in a feeble attempt to protect Hyunjin from whatever it was that was coming.

Because this situation felt too scarily familiar for comfort and Jeongin internally cussed himself out for being so lost in Hyunjin that he had completely forgotten about the fact that he was being followed.
What he didn’t expect, though, was that Minho’s mud covered wolf would skid to a stop close to them, his white rose not burning but wilted with worry as he looked over Jeongin’s body with panic lacing his ice blue eyes.
“Jeongin! Jesus fuck!” Minho shouted exasperatedly “The scent of your blood is everywhere, what the fuck happened!?”

The omega stepped forward, completely ignoring the low warning growls from the alpha standing guard nearby in favour of nosing at Jeongin’s body.
And if Hyunjin could stiffen even more, he’d become a statue. Which was peculiar because the beta was trembling so hard that Jeongin could feel the tremors transfer into his back.
“No, Hyung. I’m fine. I fell and probably scraped myself, it’s fine.” He tried pushing Minho’s snout away, almost giggling at the tickling sensation. Almost. But Hyunjin’s trembling figure pressed against his back was keeping him grounded.
“You’re fine?” Minho asked, his eyes coming up to meet Jeongin’s for confirmation.
“Yes, I’m fine, hyung” He nodded quickly, his arm coming back again to wrap around Hyunjin protectively. Because there was no way that Minho was this calm.
And he was right.
“Good” Minho breathed a sigh of relief “Because that means I get to kill you. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?”

The bark was so unexpected that it sent everything into chaos. Hyunjin jerked himself away from Jeongin and fled to stand behind Chan who, surprisingly, hadn't moved a muscle because he knew that the target of the rage was the omega’s own pack member and not him or his beta.
Jeongin flinched and whimpered, a pout prominent on his face and if he had been in his wolf form right now his tail would have been tucked so far between his legs that one would assume he didn’t have a tail at all.

“All I did was tell you to wait so we could figure out what to do next and you decide that I was what? Addressing the ants on the floor!?” Minho growled as he towered over Jeongin’s tiny frame “Have you lost your goddamn mind coming out here all on your own!? You could have gotten lost! You could have gotten hurt worse than you did! What is wrong with you!? When did you get to the point where you just stopped listening to me!?”
“You would never have come here otherwise, hyung!” Jeongin fought back with a pout.
“You do not get to decide that, Jeongin!” Minho snapped “Just like how you don’t get to decide what information I do or do not get when it has such catastrophic consequences!”
“But Felix needs him, hyung! You said it yourself!” Jeongin tried again, frustration now building up his throat as he tried to stand his ground.

“You think I’m not aware of that!?” Minho asked and Jeongin could have sworn for a second that he saw heartbreak flash through the ice blue orbs that were trained on him “That is why I wanted to discuss it with you because I knew that you would know better than me where to go, Jeongin. Because if I had known from the start that they had bonded, I never would have kept them apart in the first place! Contrary of what the lot of you might believe about me, I love Felix more than I hate the world and there is nothing I would have stopped at to make sure that he doesn’t suffer the way that he is right now. Which I would have told you if you had just waited like I instructed you to…”

Minho’s voice trailed off painfully and Jeongin felt his heart constrict, realisation hitting him square in the chest like an arrow as he let the spoken words sink in. He had been so panicked and worried about the situation and about Felix, that he hadn’t even stopped to think that Minho would indeed do everything possible under the sun for Felix’s sake. Because it’s Minho. And Minho would stop the world from spinning, snuff out all the stars in the sky and gather all the planets in the universe if it meant keeping Felix safe. And right now Felix wasn’t safe and Minho knew that the only way to try and fix that was to get Changbin.
Which meant that Minho had wanted to try and come here with Jeongin to get him, despite his fears, despite his reservations and forcing himself to look his decade old trauma square in the eye, all for the sake of his brother. Because that’s what Minho always did. But Jeongin had jumped to conclusions and hadn’t given Minho the grace he deserved, and the thought of that caused an ugly flower of guilt to bloom within his stomach.

“I’m sorry, hyung… I didn’t… I’m sorry” Jeongin said softly, his head hanging low and Minho looked at him for a few seconds before letting out a soft huff and turning his attention towards the black wolf and the cowering little blonde beta that was hiding behind him. A mop of hair he vaguely remembered.

Minho assumed that this was the beta Jeongin and Felix had mentioned in their recounting of their stories of the orchard based on how Jeongin had been so close and personal with him when Minho arrived here. Which was another thing that he didn't quite want to wrap his head around, Felix’s situation was precarious enough as it was and right now that needed his full attention.
“You. I am sure you are not this ‘Changbin’ my omega is looking for” Minho said, disdain dripping out of his voice like fast acting venom as he addressed the black wolf “Where can I find him?”
“Hyung, oh my god” Jeongin gaped as he stared up at Minho in horror “Can’t you at least pretend to be nice?”
Minho let out a disapproving huff in response, his eyes briefly resting on Jeongin before looking back towards the alpha.

“Nice to see you again too, roses” the black wolf scoffed, the low growl still vaguely present in the back of his throat.
“I do not have time for pleasantries, pine ” Minho spat “I have matters that are far more pressing than me entertaining your ego.”
“Wow, okay” Jeongin sputtered, his eyebrows raised so far up his face that they disappeared behind his fringe “First of all, his name is not pine . And second, that was rude and so uncalled for. Remember, hyung, we are trying to ask for help. Not run them off…”
Minho’s fur bristled as he fought back a displeased snarl at the words, knowing damn well that Jeongin hadn’t heard how the black wolf had addressed Minho first. And the elder would rather eat snake fangs than make himself seem like a whining child in front of strangers, especially this pine smelling bastard.

Jeongin tutted disapprovingly before spinning around and walking over towards the black wolf like it was an everyday occurrence which caused Minho’s fur to bristle, a growl beginning to rumble in his stomach.
“Hyung?” Jeongin said softly and the sweet and careful tone of voice instantly let Minho know that the omega hadn’t been talking to him. And that, in all honesty, felt like a whip lash to the back.
The proximity of the black wolf and Jeongin was sending Minho’s head into a dizzy spin, fear clawing away at his insides the closer the young omega got to him. But Jeongin wasn’t aiming for the wolf, nor was the wolf paying the young omega any mind as Jeongin made his way to the blonde who was still hiding behind him. He reached out his hand and the blonde quickly took it, instantly pulling Jeongin flush against his chest and Minho growled again, a little louder this time.

Everything that was happening in front of him was making Minho so uncomfortable that he wanted to claw his skin off. Strangers, including an alpha for crying out loud, were getting and being so close to his baby bread and the mere sight of it had his alarms blaring at him and his blood boiling with fear.
“It’s okay, he won’t hurt you, I promise. He’s not as scary as he looks” Jeongin spoke softly as he tried to reassure the blonde from where he had his chin perched on the taller’s shoulder and Minho internally scowled at the words. Because how dare Jeongin downplay Minho’s intimidating prowess.

Jeongin pulled the blonde forward a little bit as he turned to face Minho with a gentle smile and eyes that read ‘please behave’ and Minho had to fight the insatiable urge to shift and spank the younger for the show of blatant defiance.
“Minho hyung, can you please stop growling? You’re scaring my friend” Jeongin asked carefully, bringing out the best puppy eyes he could muster and Minho huffed at the sight.
The pack leader had always been so very weak for those beautiful mismatched eyes. But the anxiety thrumming away under the surface of his skin was far too high with the knowledge that there was still an alpha near them. A pack alpha at that, a leader. The omega glanced over into the black wolf’s direction, a silent snarl on his lips before he finally noticed the scar that adorned the left side of the wolf’s face. A scar Minho had been responsible for. And the sight momentarily allowed his anxiety to make way for pride.

“Hyung” Jeongin’s voice snapped him out of his distraction and Minho turned to look at him, only to be confronted with the fact that, again, the omega had not been addressing him.
“This is Minho, our leader. And Minho hyung,” Jeongin turned to look at Minho, his eyes still holding that same pleading and defiant look “this is Hyunjin. My friend. The beta I told you about.”
Minho huffed bitterly, his eyes resting on the beta for a couple of seconds before finally nodding his head into the boy’s direction, who reluctantly mirrored the movement after swallowing thickly and shuffling closer towards Jeongin.

“Jeongin” Minho chided “As much as I am enjoying this tea party. We do not have the time. I do not know how long Felix will still be asleep, if he hasn’t woken up already. We need to head back, soon.”
“Right. Uhm. Jinnie hyung. We need your help” Jeongin’s eyes widened as he turned to face Hyunjin who’s previous reservation and fear instantly made way for worry at the distressed shift in Jeongin’s demeanour and scent, his attention now solely on the omega “We need Changbin hyung. Felix, he… he’s sick. He got his heat and he’s really ill, Jinnie. We don’t know what to do”

Jeongin’s bottom lip started trembling and Hyunjin placed his hand on one of the younger’s cheeks, the worry in his gaze doubling at the spoken words.
“He keeps asking for Changbin and he’s in so much pain. He’s not letting Minnie hyung help him and Minho hyung had to even put him into headspace. We’re out of options, hyung” Jeongin whimpered as he clutched Hyunjin’s arm.
“For christ sake. I fucking knew this would happen” The black wolf grumbled and Hyunjin whirled his head around to look at him with furrowed brows as Minho felt anger flare in the pits of his stomach “Of course he’s suffering. They’re bonded and he’s going through his heat without his mate.”

“What do you mean hyung?” Hyunjin asked with furrowed brows.
“What I mean is that due to the bond that was born between them, Felix’s heat pattern has changed” the black wolf explained and when his brother’s name was spoken in that foreign voice, Minho had to fight tooth and nail not to let out another snarl as the wolf continued to speak “His omega recognizes his bond mate as his alpha now, which means that his hormones do too. This results in what is happening right now. And because of that, nothing is going to help until he gets his alpha. Which is exactly why Bin has been feeling so distraught all day.”

“Is that what you came out here for, all alone?” Hyunjin asked as he turned back to face Jeongin with a disapproving look on his face, his hand reaching up to flick the younger’s forehead. And Minho blinked, not knowing if he should growl in defence or frown in confusion at how Jeongin pouted like a love struck child.
“I’m sorry, okay?” Jeongin huffed “Can we all stop yelling at me for my stupid decisions and get Changbin please? You and Minho hyung can team up and scold me later, but first we need to get Binnie hyung--”

But the omega hadn’t finished speaking the words when the area suddenly flooded with an ominous promise of storm, the scent of an approaching monsoon and thunderous rainstorm overshadowing every other scent in the vicinity. And if Minho hadn’t been painfully aware of the fact that there currently was no cloud in the sky, he would have almost been fooled.
He leaped forward to hover over Jeongin protectively, a warning growl low in his throat as Hyunjin flinched at the sudden movement before the impending storm reached them and the beta perked up.
“Wait, that’s--!!”

His words were cut off when a furious blur of aegean flew past them, not even giving them the light of day as he disappeared as fast as he had appeared. And Minho would have been confused at the odd behaviour if it hadn’t been for the fact that he realised the direction the wolf had sped into and the caramel spotted wolf who had suddenly surged forward and set chase without so much as a word. And Minho didn’t waste a single beat before following, panic rising to his chest as his heart started drumming in his ears dangerously.
“Innie!” He vaguely heard Hyunjin call after them before the black wolf’s voice cut in, telling the beta to ‘go back and stay with Sungie’ . Which was information that should have sent him into overdrive but at the moment the only thing occupying his mind was the, to Minho, unknown alpha who was now quickly closing in on their territory and by extension, Felix.

--

Felix had never been to the beach. Or maybe he had but he didn’t remember. But sitting here now, toes curled into the sand and nose kissed by the warm sun, made him wonder why he hadn’t. It couldn’t be that far from home if he was here now, right?
But he couldn’t remember how he got here. Not that he cared much for the answer, the peace he felt was too serene to jeopardise with something so trivial. The sounds of the waves rolling onto shore mixed in with the soft and warm seabreeze that gently blew Felix’s hair out of his face. The white sand glimmered happily in the sunlight with various types of empty shells scattered haphazardly along the neverending shore, occasionally pushed and pulled by the waves that washed over them like a lung taking in steady breaths. And the distant, overhead screeching of the seagulls blended in perfectly with the scenery Felix currently was completely lost in.

“Minho would like this” He whispered softly from where he had his chin rested on top of his knees, arms wrapped around the legs he had pulled up to his chest for comfort. But Minho wasn’t here right now.
Why wasn’t he, though? And how did Felix get here? He couldn’t remember.
And again, the omega couldn’t find it within himself to unravel the questions as he feared that it would take away the beauty of the ocean. The glaring sunlight was making the water surface look like the moon spirits had decorated it with countless of aegean jewels, glittering and shining brilliantly for as far as Felix’s sight could reach.

Aegean?
Felix felt his chest constrict at the sight of the stunning colour, his heartbeat picking up ever so lightly. He shifted in his spot, his toes digging deeper into the warm sand as he let out a longing sigh before swallowing thickly.
“Changbin…” He whispered, the sound carried away by the wind as the omega continued to be entranced by the jewels glittering on the ocean surface.
“You called?” A velvety and familiar voice startled him out of his thoughts when two strong arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him flush against a solid and warm frame. Almost instantly, the pain in his chest lifted and his heartbeat relaxed into a steady pace as he allowed himself to melt into the embrace.

“Where have you been…?” Felix asked softly as he leaned his head back to rest on the shoulder behind him, turning it slightly to burry his nose into the alpha’s scent gland. But there was no scent.
“I’ve always been here” Changbin said softly, a smile evident in his voice as one of his hands slid up the omega’s chest before it came to a stop right where Felix could feel his heart beating slowly.
“Please don’t leave…” Felix said again, his voice still the same volume. Like his body was refusing to make any louder noise.
“That’s up to you” Changbin smiled warmly, leaning in to place a soft kiss on the bridge of Felix’s nose before moving up to place one on the space between his eyebrows and then his forehead“As long as you want me to stay, I’ll stay. But are you sure you want that?”

“Why wouldn’t I want that?” Felix breathed, his eyes fluttering shut at the gentle ministrations which were so feather light that they felt like fairy wings fluttering against his skin. Like they weren’t really there. “I’ve always wanted you…”
“And you can have me…” Changbin said softly, his arms tightening around Felix’s waist.
“Can?” Felix asked, despite not really wanting to know the answer. He just wanted to stay like this, wrapped within the arms of the person he longed for most and surrounded by soft breezes, seagull screeches and warm sand.
“Mhm” Changbin hummed as he placed another kiss on the crown of Felix’s head “You can have me. But in order to get me, you’re going to have to wake up and come to me, my love”

The words sounded foreign in the omega’s ears. And he didn’t like the way they made the sun burn a little hotter on his skin, the seagulls fly a little further away and the jewels on the waves stop glittering.
“Can’t I just have you now, like this?” Felix asked softly, feeling a stray tear run over his face and into Changbin’s tunic “I don’t want to move… If I move, everything will hurt…”
Hurt? Why would everything hurt? And where was Minho? Minho was always with him. Especially since the beach was a place they definitely would have come to together… But Felix couldn’t remember. And he didn’t want to remember.

“It won’t hurt for long, I promise” Changbin nosed the side of the younger’s face gently “But you can’t stay here, or else I can’t help you…”
“Do you know where my brother is?” Felix deflected as he snuggled a little deeper into the chest behind him.
“He’s with me” Changbin said simply, his lips finding Felix’s forehead again.
“Why?” Felix asked, knowing that the information should have been alarming. But why? He couldn’t remember, and he didn’t want to remember.
“Because he’s worried sick about you”
“Why?” Felix’s chest constricted again, another tear rolling over his cheek as the sun started to burn too hot for it to be comfortable and he shifted uncomfortably in Changbin’s arms.
“Because you have to wake up, my love” Changbin said softly “Wake up and let me find you”
Felix whimpered, his eyebrows furrowing together as he nuzzled deeper into the alpha’s scent gland. But there was still no scent.
“Wake up, Felix…” Changbin said again and as he spoke the words, the seagulls overhead suddenly disappeared causing Felix to finally open his eyes in search of the missing sounds.

Felix woke with a jolt, his hands shooting out around him and finding nothing but soft blankets and pieces of fabric. No sea. No sand.

No Changbin.

The omega whimpered, feeling tears run over his temples as he attempted to turn to his side, which instantly reminded him why he didn't want to move. Excruciating pain exploded in his stomach, embedding itself in every inch of his body the shards could reach and setting his blood cells aflame. He let out a strangled cry and squeezed his eyes shut to eliminate the swirling room around him as he wrapped his arms around himself. But even with his eyes closed, the spinning didn’t stop and his stomach flipped.

His eyes flew open as he struggled to scramble to the side of the bed where he remembered the pail to be, throwing himself over the edge and blindly wrapping his hand around the rim of the pail before his stomach violently emptied itself out. Tears filled his eyes as bile and water were forcefully expelled out of his body, burning his throat and causing Felix to cry out in pain as the spasms aggravated the waves of cramps that were terrorising his small frame.
He felt a pair of soft yet firm hands gather his hair out of his face as he continued to heave into the pail, the soft and almost barely there cinnamon scent alerting him on who it was before Seungmin’s worried voice reached his ears.

“You’re okay” Seungmin spoke softly, one of his hands coming back to gently rub at Felix’s back, and if the omega hadn’t been so focused on trying not to throw up his intestines, he probably would have flinched away. Which was a sensation he didn’t ever want to feel. Because Seungmin was always so very sweet and so very caring and his touches were always, always , welcome.
But Felix didn’t want Seungmin right now.
He didn’t want cinnamon, or white rose or caramel. He wanted rain, and storm, and morning dew. He wanted the colour blue and sand between his toes, seagulls circling his head while the strongest arms on the planet pulled him into a broad chest. He wanted ocean and sun and butterfly kisses on his skin.

He wanted Changbin.

And at the thought of the alpha, Felix felt the tug in his chest pull so hard it almost made him tumble over the edge of the bed. He gasped for air as he let go of the pail, which was luckily caught in time by Seungmin, before he pushed himself back and collapsed into his bed. Violent sobs tore through his chest, tears that refused to stop running over his temples and into his hair.
He felt a cold cloth gently dab at his face and then his mouth, the omega distantly grateful for the continued love that was still being gifted to him while he so adamantly continued to refuse their proximity. But he had no power left to fight. His body felt like someone had dumped 1000 kilos of stones on top of him and left him for dead, his muscles refusing to cooperate in favour of making him feel like he was being killed from the inside out and all Felix wanted was for the pain to stop.

And then the tug pulled at his chest again, the same heart wrenching way it had done mere seconds ago, making his lungs constrict and his heart warm up.
’You can have me. But in order to get me, you’re going to have to wake up and come to me, my love’
Changbin’s velvety voice momentarily flashed through his brain and another sob escaped his lips before he willed his head to turn into the direction he knew Seungmin was standing.

“H-help me up…” Felix stammered through his tears, his hand coming up to weakly wrap around Seungmin’s wrist that was still hovering over his face with the damp cloth in hand.
Seungmin stilled, his eyes furrowing together as he looked down at Felix in confusion. The beta must’ve thought that Felix was incoherent, that he was babbling nonsense because, in all honesty, Felix’s words were in fact nonsense. He couldn’t even lie down without pain so how was he planning on getting out of bed? The omega knew it was insane, that there was no way that he was going to be able to get to Changbin. But the tug in his chest, that continued to pull at him, was telling him to get up and go. And for once, he wanted to listen. Because the moon and all its siblings knew what happened the last time that Felix didn’t.

“I n-need-- I need t-to get… u-up” Felix added softly as another sob tore through his frame, the omega curling into himself when another wave of pain sent static buzzing through his brain.
“Lix, I don’t think you getting up right now is a good idea…” Seungmin’s worried and fear filled voice echoed in the distance, but it was quickly overshadowed by Changbin’s voice and words infiltrating his mind again.
“P-please!” Felix cried as his grip on Seungmin’s wrist tightened, nails digging into the elder’s skin “I h-have to!”

And when Seungmin made no moves to help him, staring at Felix with a panicked look on his face, the omega swallowed thickly before letting go of the beta and crawling over to the side of the bed.
“Felix…” Seungmin breathed, his voice breaking ever so lightly. But Felix didn’t care. He couldn’t. He needed to get up. And when he reached the edge of the bed, another wave of pain sucked all of the strength out of his limbs and caused them to collapse from under him. And it would have sent him tumbling to the ground if it wasn’t for a pair of arms wrapping around his shoulders and pulling him back.
Felix cried out in pain, the hands on his body feeling like hot coals against his skin but he still reached out to hold onto Seungmin as the elder helped him step out of the nest reluctantly

“Lixie…” Seungmin pleaded “You’re in pain, Minho will be back soon. Please, Let’s just--”
“No!” Felix gritted out between heavy pants, his body wanting to give out with every move he made “I h-have… I need…”
Felix whimpered and collapsed into Seungmin’s chest when his feet finally found the floor, his finger’s curling into the beta’s tunic as he let out another cry.
’You can have me. But in order to get me, you’re going to have to wake up and come to me, my love’
The tug in his chest pulled at him again, the pain in his body pulsing excruciatingly as he tried to will himself to move. But when another wave caused his knees to buckle, a sob tearing through his frame, he quickly found himself horizontal and pushed against a Seungmin’s chest.

“Where do you need to go?” The beta asked firmly, determination and worry laced through his voice as he looked down at Felix who had his face pressed into the elder’s shoulder, face scrunched up in agony.
“Out… o-outside…” Felix cried softly, his nails digging into Seungmin’s tunic weakly as he tried his best to listen to what the tug in his chest was telling him to do. He didn’t know where he needed to go or how far, even. All he knew was that he needed to go outside.
He just begged with all his heart that he was not slowly ripping himself apart just because of a dream, just because of that stupid tug in his chest.

Seungmin complied, holding onto Felix carefully as he made his way out of the room and down the stairs while the omega continued to cry silently, pained whimpers escaping him every time another wave of pain washed over him. And with how he was being held and how the vibration of Seungmin’s steps ricocheted through his body, the pain seemed to only intensify by the second, a heavy and thick trail of wilted jasmine left behind on the path that they took.

By the time they reached the porch outside, Felix was full on sobbing again and Seungmin was trying his best not to panic and run back inside to place Felix back in his nest. The omega vaguely registered the elder walking for a little bit before sitting down somewhere the scorching sun couldn’t reach them as he held him a little closer. And Felix almost wanted to protest, his spent body once again rejecting the beta’s proximity. But he felt like he had nothing left to give.
The pain was unbearable and all he wanted was for it to end.

They sat in the shadows for a while, Felix’s anguished cries and wilted jasmine engulfing the whole clearing as he tried his best to find it within himself to move further. But he couldn’t. It was too much, the pain was too much.
“I c-can’t do thi-- this a-any more…” He cried weakly after what felt like an eternity, the tug in his chest intensifying momentarily as he spoke “I w-want Changbin…”
“Let’s get you back inside…” Seungmin offered carefully “It’s too warm outside and Minho will be back soon. Then everything will be okay”
Felix shook his head desperately as he continued to cry, another wave of pain making him curl up as tremors raked through his body.
“That’s it” Seungmin huffed and moved to stand up, carefully pulling Felix up with him “We’re going back inside, you need to rest and you need to be out of this heat. Your skin is on fire, Fe.”

And almost as if on cue, the tug in Felix’s chest pulled so hard that it made the younger gasp. He clutched at his chest and cried out, making Seungmin halt in his movement’s. And when his worried eyes looked down to check if Felix was okay, the both of them froze when they were suddenly hit by an incoming rainstorm.

Felix felt his heart stop when the scent hit his nose, the pain in his body momentarily faltering and the tug in his chest almost pulling him out of Seungmin’s arms. The beta had spun around to look into the far end of the clearing, breath caught in his throat and eyes wide before coming to his senses and whirling around with Felix in his arms to haul them both back towards the cottage due to the, for Seungmin, unknown scent that was approaching at lightning speed.
But Felix wouldn’t let him. Because that was not an unknown scent. That wasn’t danger.
“No!” Felix thrashed, the pain in his body almost splitting him in half as he tried to fight out of Seungmin’s arms “Stop!”
“Felix, wait!” The beta panicked and stumbled, his grip on Felix weakening which granted the omega leeway to wiggle himself free and causing Seungmin to fully trip before sending them both crashing to the ground.

Felix instantly scrambled to his feet, pushing himself through the waves of pain and bolted into the direction the scent was coming from. And somewhere in the far corner of his mind he could hear Seungmin screaming for him to stop, no doubt trying to go after him but all the omega was focused on was the monsoon that was undoubtedly coming for him. A rainstorm that was being carried along with sunshine and cloudless skies, juicy citrus fruits that were ready to be harvested and arrows that were left trembling in his wavering hands.

Maybe it was a figment of his imagination. Maybe the pain had tipped him over the edge and he had died in Seungmin’s arms as they sat in the shades at one of the edges of the clearing for him to now be sensing the one thing that he wanted most in the world, the tug in his chest pulsating with anticipation. And if that was the price he needed to pay to get the pain to stop, to be able to bury his toes in the sand as soft lips peppered butterfly kisses all over his face while the sea glittered away in the distance in that colour that he had come to love so much… Then Felix would gladly pay it.

It took all but 5 seconds from Felix getting himself away from Seungmin, tears streaming over his face like twin waterfalls as he tried his best to run feeling like a new born foal with how badly his legs were shaking under the pressure of the pain. To his eyes landing on the massive aegean wolf that broke into the clearing with his midnight sky eyes fixed on Felix’s rapidly crumbling frame.
Felix let out a strangled sob at the sight, the tug in his chest snapping and letting go of his heart before filling him with such an overwhelming calmness and warmth that he felt his knees give way.
But before he could even begin to descend, the same pair of strong arms that had held him so close on that beach locked firmly around his waist and Felix collided with the broad chest he had so desperately longed for. His own arms instantly came up to wrap around the alpha weakly, desperately trying to hold onto what he feared was a mirage conjured up by his own mind due to a combination of sun and pain.
But when Felix’s nose found the elder’s scent gland almost instinctively and he was greeted by that warm, dewy petrichor he had failed to pick up on at the beach, all the tension and fear bled out of his body and he allowed the scent to envelop him completely.

Almost instantly, the blazing pain that had been tormenting him into insanity all morning, slowly started dissipating with each breath of dewy rain Felix took until it became but a low simmer in his belly.
And with the overwhelming peace that abruptly washed over him in that blissful second, Felix felt his body go limp as the world around him finally faded into serene darkness.