Reckless #104: The Blue House [Part 2/2]
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The rest of the week flew by for Kyungsoo. He found that everywhere he went, which wasn’t many places, Jongin was there. Kyungsoo always felt safe, even if he wasn’t a hundred percent sure if Jongin was still around. He even saw the familiar mop of red hair around the city too. Kyungsoo was sure that Baekhyun didn’t live with Jongin so Kyungsoo was curious as to why Baekhyun was always around.
It was Tuesday again. This week, Chanyeol had promised that it would go smoother than last. Kyungsoo had told his friend what had happened so he was reluctant to go back. But Chanyeol said that he would get there earlier to scope the place out. But as Kyungsoo was making his way through the forest again, he couldn’t help but feel weird. Like there was something off.
Kyungsoo felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. It was Chanyeol.
“Hey--”
“Kyungsoo, shit, there’s this fucking wolf--” Kyungsoo felt his heart drop at the sound of his friend's voice. “Shit.”
“Are you okay?” Kyungsoo asked, unconsciously stopping in his place. “Where are you?”
“The clearing but, shit Soo, the wolf won't go away. I climbed a tree but it got my leg--”
“Just wait, I'll...I’ll figure something out.”
Kyungsoo started to run through the forest, and in the distance, there was the blue house. Logic would call for the police, but Kyungsoo knew in his core that the man inside the blue house would help him. Without much thought, Kyungsoo ran to Jongin’s back door. He knocked frantically, much like he did the first time.
“Jongin,” Kyungsoo called out. “Jongin, I need your help.”
The door opened and revealed Jongin. But behind him was Baekhyun and two others he didn’t recognize. One had cat-like eyes and the other a cheshire grin.
“Kyungsoo, what’s wrong?” Jongin asked when he saw Kyungsoo’s state.
“Where’s Chanyeol?” Baekhyun said right after.
“There’s a wolf,” Kyungsoo said. He used his thumb to point behind him as he quickly explained. “I think it’s the same one as before. Chanyeol’s in trouble.”
Jongin gave a single nod and with that Kyungsoo felt that power and dominance he had felt before.
“Jongdae, Minseok, you’re with me,” the two behind Jongin nodded. “Baekhyun, Kyungsoo stay here.”
“What--”
“No--”
Both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun spoke at the same time.
“That’s my best friend out there, Jongin,” Kyungsoo said. He started to back away towards the forest, to signal that no matter what he was going to go.
“Jongin, I am not waiting here like a defenseless pup,” Baekhyun said as he grabbed onto Jongin’s elbow.
Jongin sighed and turned to Kyungsoo. “Where is he?”
“At our clearing,” Kyungsoo said as he turned and started to run towards their spot. He didn’t bother to check if they were following or not. Luckily the clearing wasn’t too far from Jongin’s house but the closer Kyungsoo got the louder the growling became.
He could feel his stomach drop, remembering the fear he had felt when the wolf appeared the first time and chased him down. God, he hoped Chanyeol was okay.
Kyungsoo slowed down when they got closer to the clearing, and the others followed suit. Kyungsoo tried to get a clear look into the clearing but he only saw the back of the wolf before Jongin got his attention.
“Kyungsoo, please, stay back here with Baekhyun,” Jongin said quietly as he gently grasped onto his elbow. “Please.”
“But what--”
“Please.” The softness in Jongin’s eyes made Kyungsoo falter. He took a couple steps back to where Baekhyun was and the latter put an arm securely around his waist. “Baekhyun….”
Jongin left his statement hanging, but clearly Baekhyun understood what it meant.
“With my life,” was all Baekhyun said as the three others made their way to the clearing.
Jongin was at the front, but all three looked tensed but in a way calm. Calm. How could they be so calm? Kyungsoo couldn’t help but wonder.
“Baekhyun, are they going to be alright?” Kyungsoo asked. The wolf turned around at the sound of the three approaching. Looking at it now, Kyungsoo realized that it wasn’t as big as his memory let on. Sure, it was bigger than the average wolf, but not big enough for there to be a significant difference. Still Kyungsoo couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Baekhyun moved them to crouch down behind a patch of bushes. “They’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
There was a vibration in his pocket. Kyungsoo quickly pulled out his phone.
“Chanyeol, are you okay? Where are you?” Baekhyun still had his hand around Kyungsoo’s waist, and he felt it tighten ever so slightly.
“Fine, barely, I think. Fuck. I don’t know,” Chanyeol muttered into the phone. Kyungsoo could hear the fear in his voice. “I see Jongin--”
“Yeah, I’m here too. I brought them,” Kyungsoo said. Kyungsoo tried to looked around the clearing, to see if he could find Chanyeol. “Where are you?”
“I’m in a tree.”
If they weren’t in such a stressful situation right now, Kyungsoo was sure he would’ve laughed. Of course, Chanyeol would go for option one.
“I’m on the wolf’s right side,” Chanyeol said. “On the tree we carved on when we were kids.”
Kyungsoo knew exactly which tree that was. He nudged Baekhyun and pointed at the tree which Chanyeol was on. Kyungsoo could see shifting in the leaves.
“Okay. I’m coming to you, don’t move.” Kyungsoo hung up his phone and tucked it into this pocket. Kyungsoo looked towards the clearing, Jongin and the two others were having a stare down with the wolf. “Come on.”
Kyungsoo started to move through the trees. Baekhyun followed behind without much fuss. Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, however, made sure that they were being discrete as possible, so as to not distract the wolf.
Once they reached the tree, Kyungsoo looked up and saw Chanyeol sitting on a tree branch grimacing. Chanyeol looked down and saw Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo signaled to his friend to make his way down and Chanyeol gave him a silent nod.
Kyungsoo looked to the clearing again and saw Jongin briefly locking eyes with him. The other two noticed what Kyungsoo and Baekhyun were doing as well. And ever so silently, the trio shifted their positions, to get the wolf away from them.
A leg appeared in front of Kyungsoo’s face. It was bloodied and left with a scratch mark. Instinctively, he stretch out his hands to try and help his friend but he didn't know where to place his hands without harming him. With no other option, Chanyeol jumped down and landed on his bad leg.
“Shit,” he groaned out. The three of them looked up towards the wolf, who turned its head towards them. “Oh...shit.”
Baekhyun moved to stand in front of them. But before the wolf could make a move, Jongin, Minseok and Jongdae appeared in it’s line of sight. Kyungsoo heard a growl and he wasn't sure if it came from Jongin or the wolf. The wolf flicked it’s eyes back and forth between the six of them, before running away in the opposite direction.
“Go,” Jongin said to the two males of his side. Chanyeol had his arms thrown over both Baekhyun and Kyungsoo’s shoulders as Jongin approached.
“You okay?” Kyungsoo asked his friend. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“No, just my leg.”
“Here, I can take him,” Jongin said as he got down in front of Chanyeol to give him a piggy back ride.
“Are you sure?” Kyungsoo asked. Chanyeol was taller than Jongin so Kyungsoo wasn’t sure if Jongin would be able to support Chanyeol's weight.
“I’ll be fine,” Jongin said.
Chanyeol and Kyungsoo shared a look before Chanyeol climbed onto Jongin’s back. Jongin raised to his full height, swiftly, like Chanyeol was nothing but a feather.
Jongin swiftly carried Chanyeol through the forest.
“We need to get him to a hospital,” Baekhyun said after gazing at the wound.
“Agreed.”
“What about your friends?” Kyungsoo asked at they got closer to Jongin’s house. Instead of walking into the house, Jongin brought them around to the front so they could drive.
“They’ll be fine,” Jongin said. Baekhyun rushed ahead and opened the trunk. “You’re going to have to stay in the bed of the truck. It’ll be hard to get you situated in the front.”
Both Baekhyun and Kyungsoo climbed in after Jongin did. Once Chanyeol was placed on the bed of the truck, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo took their places on either side of him. Chanyeol rested his head on Kyungsoo’s lap. Baekhyun did his best to situate Chanyeol’s leg so the latter wouldn't be in much pain.
Jongin got into the front of the truck after shutting the door of the truck. He drove as carefully as he could, but also as quickly as he could.
“Hey,” Chanyeol said over the rush of the car. Kyungsoo felt a shiver run through his body as the wind picked up. “Thanks for making it in time.”
“Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo said. “Of course, I was going to make it. I can’t have you dying on me just yet.”
“You two are very close,” Baekhyun commented. Kyungsoo looked up and saw how Baekhyun’s gaze was locked on Chanyeol’s face. It was a soft gaze, much like the others before.
“We grew up together,” Kyungsoo said, still keeping his eyes on Baekhyun. “He’s the closest thing I have to a brother.”
Kyungsoo found the need to emphasize that to Baekhyun. Like he wanted to ensure that the latter didn’t misunderstanding their relationship.
Baekhyun finally looked at him and gave him a small smile. “That’s like me and Jongin. Though we aren’t related. He’s the closest thing I have to a family.”
Whatever uncertainty Kyungsoo had about Baekhyun and Jongin’s relationship was washed away by that last comment.
“That’s nice to hear,” Chanyeol said, voicing out Kyungsoo’s own thoughts. Baekhyun and Chanyeol locked eyes then. Kyungsoo felt the need to look away, instead his gaze fell upon Jongin, who was looking at him through the rear view mirror. Again his heart leapt.
The three of them were waiting in the waiting room while Chanyeol was with the doctor. There was no surgery needed, just some stitching. After getting Chanyeol into the hands of the doctor, Kyungsoo reluctantly called Chanyeol’s parents. He didn’t want to because he knew that they would be more upset at the fact that Jongin was here. Yet at the same time, Kyungsoo knew that if he didn’t call them they would hear about it from one of the nurses and that would’ve been worse.
They would be here soon and even though Kyungsoo warned Baekhyun and Jongin, they both stayed.
One of the nurses that was helping out with Chanyeol came out to grab them. She then led them to his room where he was lying on the bed. The doctor who helped him was still there.
“Well, Chanyeol is going to be just fine,” the doctor said to them. “He’ll be able to go home, but he’ll need about a week off from work until he can walk on it properly.”
Kyungsoo walked over and took a place by Chanyeol side.
“Thanks,” Kyungsoo said. “His parents are already on their way.”
Once the doctor left, Chanyeol spoke.
“Hey, thanks you guys,” Chanyeol said to Baekhyun and Jongin. Jongin gave a quick nod, but Baekhyun shook his head.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. It looked like he wanted to go over to Chanyeol’s side as well. “We’ll always be there.”
Before Chanyeol could give a response, Kyungsoo heard the ever so familiar sound of Chanyeol’s mother speaking as she entered the room.
“Oh my boy,” she cried. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol shared a look that they gave each other whenever their parents treated them like children.
Before she made her way over to Chanyeol, however, she noticed Jongin and Baekhyun and her demeanor changed.
“What are you doing here?” she asked them. Kyungsoo could feel the tension change in the air.
“Chanyeol got attacked,” Kyungsoo started to try and ease any tension. “I found Jongin and his friend and they helped rescue Chanyeol.”
He left out the part of him seeking Jongin out and the fact that the animal was a wolf.
She narrowed her eyes at Jongin before looking towards Kyungsoo. “Your mother is in the waiting room. You best go see her.”
Shit.
He gave Chanyeol a final squeeze of his hand. “Text ya later.”
Jongin and Baekhyun followed Kyungsoo out of the room and together they walked down the hall towards the waiting room, but before they turned into it Kyungsoo spun to face the others.
“I feel like at this point, it might be better for you two to get out of here,” Kyungsoo said and this time he was going to be adamant about them leaving. He couldn’t fathom what his mother would do or say if she saw him with them or if she learned that they had helped.
“Kyungsoo?” He heard his mother call and then some footsteps.
“Fuck,” Kyungsoo breathed out quietly. Baekhyun let out a snort at his comment which caused Jongin to smack his arm.
“Oh, Kyung--” his mother exited the room and saw them standing together.
“Mom--” he could almost physically see his mother grow angrier the more she started to piece things together.
“Was it you?” she directed towards Jongin.
“Mom they didn’t do anything, they only helped--”
“Nothing was supposed to happen,” his mother snapped at him. Then she turned her anger back towards Jongin. “You were supposed to protect them.”
Kyungsoo looked towards Jongin, who looked just as angry as his mother did. But it was Baekhyun who took offense and retorted back.
“We are protecting them,” he said.
“Protecting?” Kyungsoo mumbled. They were supposed to protect him and Chanyeol? From what?
“Then why--” his mother cut herself off. “Kyungsoo, we are leaving.”
That night Kyungsoo dreamt of that drunken night in Seoul. He dreamt of pouty lips whispering his name. His fingers clenching the sheets. Of them running down back muscles. Of him gasping out a name. A name that he could taste every time he spoke it. A name that made him feel safe.
Jongin.
--
On Wednesday, Kyungsoo had gone over to Chanyeol’s to just spent the day with him. They had used that opportunity to catch up with recent events. Kyungsoo, though hesitant, told Chanyeol that he thinks that Jongin was the guy he slept with that night in Seoul. Chanyeol, to Kyungsoo’s surprise, said that he thinks that Baekhyun was the guy he had slept with.
Though neither could understand why both males were in their city nor why they needed to be protected by them.
Thursday afternoon, just before his shift, Kyungsoo found himself standing in front of Jongin’s house. He had spent most of Wednesday night and most of the morning, laying in bed thinking of Jongin and that night in Seoul.
Before he had the chance to step up onto Jongin’s steps, the front door opened. Jongin leaned against his door, much like he did the first night Kyungsoo came here.
“How long were you planning on standing in front of my house?” Jongin asked, moving to cross his arms.
“How long were you going to keep to yourself that we’ve met before?” Kyungsoo countered. Jongin didn’t say anything to that, only his gaze dropped to the ground. “Why are you here, Jongin?”
“To protect you and Chanyeol.”
“Why?”
Jongin shook his head and made eye contact with Kyungsoo. The expression that Jongin had given him was one that surprised Kyungsoo. Jongin had his eyebrows scrunched in apology and his lips turned down ever so slightly.
“I can’t tell you,” Jongin looked pained as he said that.
“Why not?”
Jongin shook his head again and grabbed his door. “If that’s all you're here for, I think this ends our conversation.”
Kyungsoo was at work now and he was getting frustrated. Not because of the lack of customers, or the fact that Chanyeol wasn’t here. But because there were things going on in this city that involved him and no one was telling him why.
He was not in the mood to be at work today but today, Kyungsoo was also feeling ballsy. Mrs. Park had come in just twenty a minutes ago and her food was almost ready. Kyungsoo was not-so-patiently waiting for her food to finish.
But when the ding sounded, he moved quickly. Grabbing her food and also a fresh jug of water Kyungsoo walked over to her table and placed her food down, refilled her glass of water and slid into the seat across from her, while placing the jug of water beside him.
Mrs. Park just raised her eyebrow at him, silently asking him what he was doing.
“I know you know what’s been going on recently,” Kyungsoo said. “And I want you to tell me. Being left in the dark about something that revolves around you is endlessly frustrating.”
Mrs. Park pursed her lips briefly before she responded. “We can talk about this tomorrow. At 9 o’clock. Bring you friend.”
--
The next day Kyungsoo and a Chanyeol on crutches were waiting patiently for Mrs. Park to open her door. This was the first time that either of them had been this close to her front door. Her house was an old traditional Korean style house.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Chanyeol whispered, mostly to himself.
The door slowly slid open then and Mrs. Park let them in and led them to her living room. She pointed to Chanyeol to sit on the small chair that was prepared for him, while Kyungsoo and her took a seat on the floor.
Chanyeol and Kyungsoo looked to each other then looked back at her.
Mrs. Park took a breath before she spoke.
“Long ago, back when I was your age, I fell in love with a boy named Seunghyun. He moved into the blue house with his mother. We met and fell in love and we had a long life planned together. We got married and after his mother passed, I moved in with him. But then he died a few years after protecting me.”
She turned his head to look out the window, which opened to her back garden. Something simple and serene.
“He died protecting me from a wolf,” she said. She looked back to the boys. “He was a wolf too.”
“What?” Chanyeol said.
“I was his mate and because of that, another wolf discovered this and tried to kill me,” she continued without paying much attention to Chanyeol’s comment. “I’ve known well before we got together that he was a wolf. Accidentally, I had seen him once transform.”
“Wait,” Kyungsoo said. “A wolf. You were...mated to a wolf?”
She nodded her head. “Yes. they exist. And your friends in the blue house are wolves as well.”
“I’m sorry,” Chanyeol shook his head. “What?”
“You are mates with that redhead,” she said to Chanyeol and then to Kyungsoo. “And you are mates with Jongin.”
“Is that why our parents kept telling us to stay away from the blue house?”
“In a way,” Mrs. Park said. “After what happen with me and Seunghyun the elders of the town found out and they all decided it would be best to keep this information between only those who chose to stay in town. But that resulted in people becoming afraid of the blue house. People have a superstition that if you go there you’ll attract a wolf.” Mrs. Park let out a scoff. “It doesn’t work that way.”
“So our parents know what Jongin and Baekhyun are?” Kyungsoo asked. Mrs. Park nodded. Well, at least that made sense know.
“If what you’re saying is correct and we’re their mates or whatever,” Chanyeol said with creased brows. “Should they be...courting us or whatever?”
Mrs. Park shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that. Wolves feel things differently than we do. For them their mate is their everything. Whereas for us humans, we are inexplicably drawn to them and only when we do accept them as mates do we feel what they do. But even then, it doesn’t compare to their emotions.
“Many wolves never force their mates to accept them, many wolves understand the implications of accepting their mates, how vulnerable it makes them,” she continued.
“But what are they protecting us from then?” Kyungsoo asked.
“Other wolves.”
Kyungsoo gasped and looked to Chanyeol. They both must be thinking of the wolf that had attacked them.
“Seunghyun died protecting me because that’s what a wolf does,” she said. “Seunghyun was an alpha and had the potential to overtake territory, which means that he was a threat.” She looked at Kyungsoo. “Your Jongin is an alpha, Kyungsoo. And to my understanding, Baekhyun is an omega. Though he can’t take territory, an omega in a pack is important.”
Kyungsoo looked down at the table as he processed everything Mrs. Park told them.
“It is paramount, boys, that you take care of yourselves,” she said. “For the sake of your mates.”
Kyungsoo closed his front door after getting home from his shift at work. His thoughts were still filled with what Mrs.Park had told him earlier and still he found himself thinking of Jongin.
“Kyungsoo,” his mother interrupted his thoughts as he was about to go up to his bedroom.
Kyungsoo looked to her and the only thing he thought to himself was how she hid the fact that he was Jongin’s mate. That his life was in danger because of that. So he felt no remorse as he popped his question. “So wolves, huh?”
His mother hesitated before she spoke. She was clearly surprised to hear his words. “Who told you that?”
“Does it matter?” Kyungsoo retorted. “It wasn’t you.”
“Kyungsoo,” she said. She reached her hand out to him and he retracted. “It was for your safety. They were just supposed to protect you.”
“My safety?” Kyungsoo said. He was getting more and more frustrated. “Mom, I’m his mate. Do you understand what that means?”
“Yes, that you can die at any moment,” she cried. That faltered Kyungsoo. She was right, and that thought hadn’t crossed his mind at all. He could die at any moment now, but, it wasn’t like it was any different than before.
“With or without having a wolf in my life,” Kyungsoo said calmly. “I still had chance of dying at any moment. But now, instead, of telling me the truth, you lied.”
“Kyung--”
Kyungsoo sighed and walked towards the door. He slipped on his shoes as he spoke the next words. “One thing you taught me as a child was to never lie. Especially to the ones you care about the most, because they are the ones who would hear you out. Yet, you lied.”
“Kyungsoo, please,” she reached to touch him again. But again he retracted his arm.
“I can’t be here right now.”
Kyungsoo left his house and ignored his mother's calls.
Kyungsoo aimlessly walked around the streets. He knows he shouldn’t be outside this late, especially not with a wolf out to kill him, so he wasn’t surprised when he found himself at the top of Jongin’s street. Seeing the little blue house in the distance brought Kyungsoo a sense of peace and ease to his chaotic mind. He walked closer and closer to the house.
About halfway down the road, the front door opened and Jongin appeared. Kyungsoo wouldn’t be surprised if Jongin had heard him coming.
Wait. Was he stereotyping wolves now? Did Jongin even call himself a wolf?
Damn, he needed to stop thinking.
Kyungsoo stopped a couple steps in front of Jongin’s steps. Jongin waited for Kyungsoo to speak, but it took him a moment to gather his thoughts.
“I know everything now.”
Jongin searched his eyes before he took a step back and opened the door wide to let Kyungsoo inside. The last time Kyungsoo was in here was when he was attacked by the wolf, but he was too shaken to take a proper look through the house.
Looking at it now, he wasn’t surprised by the lack of furnishing. Or the fact that the walls still looked ready to collapse.
He heard the door shut behind him and he turned to face Jongin. He still didn’t say anything he took those steps to the couch, Kyungsoo following suit after removing his shoes.
They sat on the couch quietly. Kyungsoo wasn’t really sure where to go from here. Or what to say.
“Who told you?” Jongin asked breaking the silence.
“Mrs. Park,” Kyungsoo said, looking down at his hands.
“I’m only here to protect you.”
Kyungsoo turned his head towards Jongin. Kyungsoo could safely say that he had never been in love before. Sure he had those crushes throughout his school life, but none of them were ever love. He wasn’t sure what he felt for Jongin, but hearing him say those words, felt like his heart was pierced with countless needles. Over and over, till there were no pieces left.
“I’m your mate,” Kyungsoo said. His voice sounded rough. “You don’t just have to protect me.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“You're right, I don’t,” Kyungsoo said. He turned to face Jongin better. “I barely understand any of this. But I know that I’m attracted to you. That...you make me feel safe. And that I feel something for you.”
“Yes, you are my mate,” Jongin said. “But Kyungsoo…”
“Why not?” Kyungsoo said. He reached his hand out towards Jongin and took it in his own. “I’m not saying that we mate, or whatever, I’m just saying that you don’t just have to protect me. I’m--I’m okay with being more. I want to be more.”
Jongin leaned closer and wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo.
---
Kyungsoo woke the next morning in a different bed than his own. It took him a moment before he recalled crashing at Jongin’s. He heard some shuffling happening in the kitchen. Reluctantly, Kyungsoo rolled out of bed and checked his phone. Seven missed calls and various texts messages from his mother. He saw one from Chanyeol, however, that only said: Okay.
He opened their messages and saw the previous ones.
Chanyeol 3:23am
Everything okay? Your mom is freaking out
Kyungsoo 3:24am
At Jongin’s -- everything okay
Chanyeol 3:24am
Okay.
“Sorry, your phone wouldn’t stop ringing and Chanyeol was the safest option,” Jongin’s voice said from the doorway. Kyungsoo looked up from his phone and saw Jongin wearing a loose shirt and shorts.
“That’s okay,” Kyungsoo said.
“What time do you have work today?” Jongin asked.
Kyungsoo looked at the time. 11:20am. Shit. he slept for so long.
“In a couple of hours.”
“Okay,” Jongin walked out the his room as he continued. “I’ll walk you then.”
True to his word, Jongin walked Kyungsoo to work and he even promised to pick him up after. Though Kyungsoo’s mother wasn’t too pleased with the fact that Jongin was interacting more with Kyungsoo she didn’t do anything to stop it.
The pair spent time together before and after work. During their time together Kyungsoo would ask question to learn more about wolves and how they were different from humans. He learned everything he could about Jongin as well, just as Jongin learned about Kyungsoo. Jongin told him about his pack, how Junmyeon, his second in command was taking care of things while he stayed here to look after him. He also told Kyungsoo about Sehun, Junmyeon’s beta mate and of Minseok and Jongdae, another alpha/beta pairing.
He also explained how Baekhyun, being an omega, was beneficial to the pack. Because they helped to keep the pack levelheaded and not so focused on dominance.
Today was Tuesday and Kyungsoo had one more shift left before Chanyeol was going to be joining him again on Thursday. Speaking of Chanyeol, Kyungsoo has also recently learned that Baekhyun had been visiting Chanyeol at his home, while Kyungsoo was at work or with Jongin.
Last night however, Jongin had told Kyungsoo that he needed to go back to tend to his pack as someone had tried to injure his members, and that Baekhyun had to go with him. Jongin said they would be back sometime Tuesday night.
Kyungsoo was only a couple hours into his shift when a stranger walked in. He was tall, with a blonde hair style. He walked in with an air of confidence, but not the good kind of confidence, Kyungsoo decided. The cocky kind.
He slid right into the barstool that was in front of Kyungsoo.
He gave Kyungsoo a once over before he smiled. Kyungsoo could tell then that there was something about him he didn’t like. Something...familiar about how he looked at Kyungsoo.
Kyungsoo handed him a menu.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“Coffee,” the man said. “I’ve got a long night ahead of me.”
Kyungsoo tried to brush off the feeling of unease the man brought to him. When Kyungsoo brought the coffee to him, the man still hadn’t touched the menu.
“Is there anything I can get for you to eat?”
The door opened and a handful of people came in for lunch.
“No, just the coffee for me,” the man said. But before Kyungsoo could walk away the man stopped him. “You got plans tonight, sweetheart?”
“That’s really none of your business.”
The man just smirked at Kyungsoo and nothing else was said. In fact, for the rest of the time the man stayed, which was for an hour, he said nothing. Not even when he paid.
The rest of Kyungsoo’s shift flew by without anything happening. He had gone home to shower, ate dinner and was already making his way over to Chanyeol’s house when he received a message from his friend. It was a picture message of Chanyeol. It was hard to make out what the picture was, but Kyungsoo could see a bruised up Chanyeol with a body behind him.
Kyungsoo nearly dropped his phone as he sprinted his way to his friends house. When he got there he saw that the front door was broken. Kyungsoo, without second thought ran up the stairs to Chanyeol’s room and when he got there, he saw signs of a struggle.
“Fuck. Oh, fuck,” Kyungsoo said.
His phone vibrated in his grasp. It was from Chanyeol again.
He opened the message.
You know where to find us.
The only place that came to mind was the clearing. Kyungsoo cursed once more. He knew he should’ve asked for Jongin’s number.
Kyungsoo arrived at the clearing, trying his best not to run away. In the center was Chanyeol. He didn’t look as bad as in the picture, which brought Kyungsoo relief. But what made him almost want to run away was the fact that the blonde man who held Chanyeol's throat was the same man from the restaurant. Said man, was also flanked by two wolves.
“Hello, dear Kyungsoo,” the man said.
“What do you want?”
“You know exactly what I want,” the man growled. He tightened his grasp on Chanyeol’s neck causing his friend to grasp at the hand.
“L-let him go,” Kyungsoo said.
The man smirked. “Why should I? You’re just going to die anyways.”
Shit.
“Don’t you want to watch the look on our mates faces when you do that though?” Kyungsoo asked. It was a risky question he knew, but he needed to prolong this as much as he could. “Isn’t that why you’ve waited this long?”
The man glared at Kyungsoo before releasing his hold on Chanyeol. Chanyeol fell to the ground gasping for breath. Kyungsoo took a step forward but stopped. He didn’t want to get too close to them, but he needed to help Chanyeol.
The man surprised Kyungsoo and started to take steps back.
“You can help you friend.”
Kyungsoo took steps forward as the man kept taking steps back. When Kyungsoo was in front of Chanyeol he bent to help his friend up when he heard a growl. One of the wolves that had flanked the man, stalked closer. Then the other wolf and the man came closer as well.
“Fuck,” Kyungsoo cursed. Of course he was being tricked.
“Child's play,” the man said. “Did you really think it would be this easy? Of course I would love to see the look of absolute heartbreak when you die in front of them. But I’m also not stupid enough to wait for their arrival.”
A surge of adrenaline and anger rushed through Kyungsoo’s body as he leapt from where he crouched and tackled the man to the ground. He only managed to throw a couple punches in before the man got himself together and threw Kyungsoo off, causing the latter to land hard on his side.
Kyungsoo groaned as he made contact with the ground. The man stood and glared down at Kyungsoo.
“I was going to kill you first,” the man said. “But maybe I should make you watch as I kill your friend.”
He took a couple of steps towards Chanyeol, but before he could do anything there was a loud growl that sounded through the clearing.
They all looked over to the sound. Kyungsoo saw four wolves. He let out his own growl as he took steps forward, past Chanyeol. Chanyeol thankfully took that as an opportunity to crawl his way back towards Kyungsoo.
Jongin stalked forward with his pack. Kyungsoo remembered Jongin telling him there were six members including himself, so where were the other two?
Just then, two more wolves appeared behind Kyungsoo and Chanyeol. They jumped over them and landed in such a way that blocked them from the other wolves.
Kyungsoo could only see parts of what’s happening. But from what he could tell, once the two wolves landed in front of Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, Jongin and the others had pressed forward and attacked. Kyungsoo pulled himself up and grabbed Chanyeol best he could and tried to pull him away. The other two wolves, one light grey and the other ashy, in front of him shuffled back along with them. To keep them safe.
“Chanyeol, come on,” Kyungsoo huffed. “We-we need to get away.”
Chanyeol tried to push with his good leg, but it was only doing so much. They could hear the fighting and growling happening on the other side of their barrier. But Kyungsoo was too scared to try and look.
There was one loud yelp. That caused Kyungsoo to collapse, bringing Chanyeol with him. Though, he didn’t see it. Nor was he familiar with the sounds. Instinctively, Kyungsoo knew that it was Jongin who had caused that sound. Kyungsoo was on his hands and knees gasping. But still he couldn’t bring himself to turn around.
But slowly, the more Kyungsoo tried to work through his panic the sounds of growling faded out.
The ashy wolf brought itself closer to Kyungsoo and nuzzled him. Baekhyun. It was Baekhyun.
Kyungsoo took that as a sign to turn around finally. The light grey wolf had positioned itself so neither Kyungsoo or Chanyeol could see what lay beyond.
They heard the cracking of bones before they heard footsteps. Jongin slowly made his way into their line of sight. He was naked, Kyungsoo assumed.
Though, covered in scratches and some blood. He was okay.
Jongin brought himself over to Kyungsoo and the latter let out a sob as he clutched on to Jongin. Forgetting about his nudity.
“Kyungsoo, come,” Jongin said, lifting him in his arms. He made sure to keep Kyungsoo out of the view of the battle. “We should get you guys out of here.”
Kyungsoo heard cracking of bones again and then Baekhyun’s voice. “Chanyeol.”
“Are we safe now?” Kyungsoo asked in a soft voice.
“You’re safe,” Jongin said. “And you always will be.”
EPILOGUE
Kyungsoo took a deep breath of fresh air as he cradled his cup of coffee in his hand. He had woken up a bit earlier than he normally would, so he decided that he would enjoy the nice summer morning. Or at least he tried to.
Inside the house he heard the chattering of his new family. Baekhyun was throwing out jokes like he normally did early in the morning, while Jongdae joined. Those were the only two who were actually morning people, besides Kyungsoo of course, but he prefered his silence.
He heard the door behind him open and close, briefly making the sounds increase.
He knew it was Jongin before he even took a step in Kyungsoo’s direction. Jongin walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his shoulder.
“Where were you this morning?” Jongin asked nuzzling his neck. “I missed my morning cuddle.”
“Sorry, hun,” Kyungsoo said, kissing the closest hand. Jongin hummed.
“The boys sound extra enthusiastic today,” Kyungsoo noted.
Jongin hummed again. “Its driving Junmyeon up the wall.”
“We should probably go save him before Chanyeol wakes up,” Kyungsoo said. Though, Chanyeol wasn’t much of a morning person, he knew that just being in the presence of Baekhyun and Jongdae would wake him up fast.
“We should,” Jongin sighed. He slowly pulled away from Kyungsoo and took his hand, while he lead him inside.
The wolves were all sitting at the dining table waiting for Junmyeon to finish with breakfast. Chanyeol had just sauntered into the room and was tackled into a hug by Baekhyun.
Kyungsoo watched the scene with such a fond gaze that he didn’t notice how close Jongin got to him. Kyungsoo looked up at his mate and gave him a peck on the lips.
There was an obnoxious howl coming from Jongdae when they separated. Jongin rolled his eyes before turning around to face Jongdae.
Kyungsoo couldn’t help but chuckle as Jongin went to bother Jongdae. Kyungsoo couldn’t find a better place to call home.