Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s a brisk morning when Jeongguk arrives to his work. It’s the middle of October, and the wind is already biting at Jeongguk’s cheeks and making his eyes want to water. He shivers as he taps in the passcode and shoves the key into the lock of the Animal Surgery he works at. As the owner, manager and head vet at the Surgery, he makes sure to be the first one to arrive and set the example for his employees and colleagues.   

He opens the door, quickly closing it behind him and runs to the heating to blast it for a while – he’s always hated the cold, and cold hands aren’t nice for anyone.   

He sets up his office and working space for the day, making sure all the equipment is where it’s supposed to be, that the aprons and gowns are all folded and tidy, that the waiting room is clean and free of strong perfumes or unpleasant smells.  

He looks over his schedule for the day, looking at his appointments and who he’s seeing today.   

He has a fairly empty day, just a few routine check-ups, a lucky Doberman who is getting his leg cast off, and a last-minute appointment for a sick bearded dragon presenting with signs of lethargy.   

An easy day...  

...Yeah, right.  

It’s just after lunchtime when a man runs into the Surgery with a bearded dragon limp in his arms, flushed and panicked. Jeongguk immediately drops his leftovers into the bin – running over to the man.  

“Please! Help! I was scheduled for later – but he won’t respond!”  

Jeongguk looks over the poor creature – and he knows from experience it’s already too late. The only thing they can do now is make the creature more comfortable in his final hours.  

“Come right this way, sir... I’ll examine him in just a moment.”  

Jeongguk proceeds to scrub his hands and wash his face, trying to rid himself of the smell of the kimchi and tuna bibimbap he’d had for lunch.   

Walking into the exam room, he looks over the bearded dragon, noticing how his bones are soft and how his spine lumps in several places.  

He sighs.   

He hates this part.  

He finished his exam, removing his gloves and chucking them in the bin.   

“I’m sorry, sir. But it appears that he has a severe case of MBD – Metabolic Bone Disease. He hasn’t been receiving the required calcium in his diet, and his bones have softened. There’s nothing we can do – he's already too far gone for an intervention. I’m so sorry. We can make him more comfortable and take away his pain, but he doesn’t have long left... I’m so sorry...”  

Jeongguk sees the man’s eyes water as he collapses on the floor, sobbing by the dying bearded dragon.  

“P-Pl ea-ease... It-He's all I have left of my daughter... Please! I didn’t know! He-I know now! He’ll be fine!”  

And Jeongguk’s already quivering heart breaks a little more.  

“...I’m sorry, Sir. MDB can only be managed, not cured, and side effects are permanent. He’s past the point of saving – I'm sorry. I’m sure your daughter wouldn’t blame you – but she would want you to take away his pain and sit with him for his final moments...”  

And the man sobs even more.   

Jeongguk really does hate this part of the job.  

When you go to school, when you spend your time in the classrooms getting knowledge shoved down your throat, you get told all about the families and people you make happy, all the lives you save and pain you take away.   

You don’t get told about the days when you’re dealt a bad hand and you have to be the one to shatter people’s little worlds’.   

And while he would never quit his job for any reason – the bad cases certainly make him ponder it.  

It’s why he could never be a doctor.  

Later on, when the last of the employees have left, he’ll sit in his office with a bottle of soju and cry that he couldn’t help.   

And that’s over an animal.  

People? Please, he’d be a wreck.  

For now, he keeps it inside and offers what comfort he can to the man and his bearded dragon, keeping them both warm and laying the dragon as carefully as he can on some of his fluffiest towels, and giving him a small painkilling injection.   

“I’ll leave you alone for a little while... The meds will last about 2 hours. I’ll be back in with some tea soon..”  

He leaves the exam room, and at the curious look of his colleagues, he shakes his head.  

The team all look down, knowing Jeongguk would want to be left alone, and carry on with their own tasks.   

And Jeongguk’s day gets worse from there.  

A routine check-up reveals the reappearance of a dog’s cancer, and one of his long-time appointments doesn’t show. When Jeongguk makes enquiries, he finds that the elderly Mrs Min, 72, has died and her cat, Cha, died the following day.   

He cries upon hearing the news – Mrs Min and Cha were amongst his first patients when he started working at the Surgery he eventually took over, and she was a lovely woman who never let her age slow her down.   

“ You’re only as old as you feel, Jeongguk-ah! And I only feel 21!”  

As the last employee leaves for the day, giving him a small smile and a “ fighting!” as they exit, Jeongguk runs his hands through his hair and sighs.   

He strolls down the hall, walking into his office and locking the door. Sitting down at his desk, he opens the cupboard and takes out a bottle of soju with a single glass, pouring himself a heavy measure.   

God, today had been a shitpit.  

He takes a large gulp of the liquid, shivering as the liquid burns it’s way down his throat, and pours himself another.   

It’s in the quiet and solitude of his office, that he allows himself to fall apart.   

It’s dark by the time Jeongguk does his final rounds, however, with no patients in overnight watch, Jeongguk locks up the building, typing in the security code for the alarm, turning off all the lights, and locks the door. He pulls his scarf tighter around his neck and pulls the hood of his thick woollen jacket over his head to begin the walk home.   

His earphones are dead, and therefore he walks at a brisk pace in silence.  

He doesn’t live far from the Surgery, only a mile or so, and tonight he doesn’t feel like heading straight home, and decides to pop to the local convenience store to purchase numerous tins of cat food and a bag of cat kibble. He also buys the small amount of cat milk they carry, and heads to the local alley ways he knows stray cats inhabit.  

He’s made friends with quite a few of them, and some even allow him to check them over and make sure they’re healthy.   

One he knows was pregnant last time he was there, and he knows he might need to drag her to the Surgery soon – even if she’ll probably scratch his eyeballs out for trying.  

He sees the cats in their usual spots in the alley – but the pregnant car is nowhere to be found.  

He calls her nickname – Boots – because the black feet she has makes it seem like she’s wearing a pair of boots, over and over. But there’s no sign.   

He sets up food for the other cats, and walks further down the alleyway, until he can hear the faint meowling of a cat in distress.  

He looks around trying to pinpoint the sound, and figures it’s coming from a pipe he can see protruding from the wall – it's recently broken counterpart on the floor below, and he looks at how narrow the pipe is.  

Big enough for an adult cat, sure... Not a pregnant one.   

He sighs.  

Pulling a bin over onto the wall below the pipe, he climbs onto the generator box, then up to the pipe, turning on his phone flashlight to see down the dark hole.  

Only 2 feet in, he sees the white and black feline, her bulging belly wedged in a narrower part of the pipe and he sighs.  

“You’re dumb, you know that, right?”  

The cat gives him a glare as if to say: I don’t give a shit what you think, just get me the fuck out of here and keep your mouth shut.  

He knows he’s not getting the cat out on his own, so he pulls out his phone and calls the local switchboard, whereupon he waits for a team from the local authority or fire brigade to help him rescue the cat. The pipe is thick metal, after all, he’s not breaking it by himself even if it is basically made of rust at this point.  

It takes roughly an hour for the team to arrive, and when they do, it only takes roughly 15 minutes for the men to use a saw, cut through the edge, and help Jeongguk to wiggle and gently slide the very unhappy and bedraggled mother –to-be from her unwise hiding place.   

He continues the walk home with the practically growling feline, and when the reach the safety of his home, he retrieves a few pieces of his old student equipment to check her over a little more thoroughly than before.   

Aside from a tiny bit dehydrated and in need of a few good meals, the cat appears in good health however, and her kittens appear fine (even if he can’t do an ultrasound to check).   

“Well, Boots – you're a lucky girl, and your kittens are fine. Now, shall we have some food?”  

He goes to pick the cat up from the table, and immediately she latches her claws and teeth into his hand.  

He smiles.  

Fuck, her little murder mittens and fangs are too adorable...   

Though the claws hurt ...  

***  

A month later, and Jeongguk is sat in possibly the most boring veterinary lecture he’s ever attended.  

He was invited as a special guest to the conference as the youngest to ever pass the exam, and as such, he knew the night would be boring and filled with stuffy old morons who still swore by glass mercury thermometers, but he didn’t quite realise that he may actually die of boredom if the speaker didn’t reach a conclusion very soon.   

His prayers are answered, and 10 minutes later Jeongguk is practically running out of the room to avoid having to make small-talk with the lot of them.   

He hides in his room for the rest of the night, asking for his dinner to be sent up with room service, and he makes an evening of just relaxing in his room and watching rental films on the hotel TV.   

However, he gets bored of the movie soon after it starts, and when he finishes his food, he finds himself feeling rather restless.   

He looks out onto the grounds of the hotel, and he realises the entire property is bordered by a dense forest that looks inviting and tranquil in the light of the bright and beautiful full moon.   

He decides to take a walk, despite the fact he knows it’s colder than a witch’s tit outside, but he feels like he needs to get out and burn off some energy or he might just end up chucking the ridiculous gaudy vase of flowers on the table at the wall.   

So he bundles up well, putting on a pair of joggers under his baggy jeans, wearing a long sleeves shirt, then another, followed by a thick knitted sweater, his scarf, hoodie and thick woollen winter coat.  

He exits his room, then heads down to the foyer, using the back stairs so he doesn’t risk running into any of his drunken conference colleagues in the lift.   

He waves to the Reception Desk and the nice old man stationed there as part of the overnight security, before leaving the front door and walking towards the first forest trail he can see.   

He walks and walks, and when the trail comes to an end at some benches, he decides he still wants to walk.   

So he leaves the man made path, and continues “off-trail”, using narrow paths in the underbrush made by the continued use of animals as they run through the forest.  

Jeongguk smiles, hoping that he’ll see a Deer or a Gorral.  

He walks on, the light of the moon so bright he doesn’t even need his phone light to see where he’s walking.  

It’s peaceful – cold – but peaceful.   

Jeongguk stops under a break in the trees, just staring at the moon, lost in the tiny patch of sky he can see, when he hears the crack of a twig.  

Of course, just 1 crack on its own means nothing, twigs snap off trees all the time.  

But when accompanied by a second, much closer snap, he freezes.  

The animal sounds large.  

Maybe a deer?  

But deer wouldn’t come closer.  

What else?  

A Goral?  

Not nocturnal.  

Tiger? Leopard?  

He wouldn’t hear one coming.  

Which left not very many options big enough to make the noise he was hearing.  

This animal was big .  

Which meant only one thing.  

Black Bear.  

He supposed he at least wanted a fighting chance, so he turned around and prepared for a large bear to come rushing at him from the darkness.  

But none came.  

Instead, he was greeted with silence.  

Stillness.  

Nothing.  

He held his breath, shuffling his foot back slightly, sure that any moment he would be staring down the maw of a ferocious powerful bear.  

Instead, he heard a soft whimpering.  

There was something there.  

Jeongguk moved closer, slowly, and when his vision was able to focus he found himself both in awe, disgust and fear.   

A wolf.  

A beautiful soft golden-brown wolf was laying on its side, it’s breathing laboured, almost indecipherable whining coming from its mouth.  

It was beautiful.  

But the blood . The thing’s leg looked like it had been ripped open, but not by any animal – Jeongguk knew the work of a Bear Trap when he saw one.   

Shit, no wonder it didn’t attack him.   

But this was also bad news.  

Wolves were pack animals – which means its pack was probably not too far behind. And if they arrived, Jeongguk wouldn’t be able to help the wolf or himself.  

Knowing he didn’t have long, he crept up to the wolf, making himself as confident and as fearless as he could – animals could smell fear, especially predators.   

He took off his Jacket, then his scarf. The wolves eyes were closed, and he appeared to be mostly unconscious, so Jeongguk took the opportunity to bind his leg with the scarf, then he wrapped him up as tightly as he could in the jacket for not just warmth but to offer some form of restraint – not that it was much help, but it was better than nothing.   

Jeongguk practically ran back down the animal trails, the wolf secured over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes (because that’s the only way he could have carried the damn thing). The light from the moon now cast shadows that appeared strange and unfriendly, making Jeongguk feel on edge, and when he finally reached the man-made path, he jogged down it as fast as he could, reaching the hotel and bursting through the door.  

He carried the wolf into one of the larger rooms, placing him down on the table, when the security guard came rushing in after him, stopping short when he sees an injured wolf laying on the table.  

“Uh, Sir, No pet’s allowed... Or Animals of any kind...”  

“Can’t you see he’s not a damn pet!  Now, I'm just doing my job as a vet! Wolves are not a native species – if he’s part of a breeding programme, do you really want to be the one responsible for telling the government or a bunch of scientists you couldn’t flout a rule acting like someone’s trying to sneak in a Chihuahua? Besides as a man-made injury – I'm duty bound to intervene. Now, pass me your belt so I can muzzle him before he wakes up!”  

The man looks appropriately chastised, despite Jeongguk rattling off the biggest bunch of rubbish he's heard in a long while, and proceeds to hand over his belt.  

“Thank you! Now, go to my room and grab my briefcase by the table - I have supplies in it for an emergency. And fetch me any first aid supplies you have.”  

The man rushes off, and Jeongguk proceeds to muzzle the wolf with the belt, feeling bad yet knowing he had to take the precaution, and he starts investigating how bad the wound is.  

Truthfully? It’s a mess. And Jeongguk can’t even see the full damage yet.   

He quickly grabs a few bottles of water from the cart that he can see, and tries to rinse off the blood he can see. He’s almost done when the security guard returns with his bag and several first aid kits.  

“Great. Now, go hunt me down a cage large enough to fit a wolf – as soon as you can.”  

The guard runs out, and Jeongguk grabs all the kits, taking out the disinfectant first, and after finishing rinsing the wounds with water he rinses it well with disinfectant. If the animal was awake, Jeongguk would certainly be fighting a battle to keep his throat intact.   

He opens his case, and takes out his needle and thread, slowly stitching up the several wounds and chunks of flesh and skin that seem to have been torn by the animal as he tore his leg free from the trap, and Jeongguk can’t even imagine the pain that would have caused. As he finishes each wound, he applies a special paste of his own making, one that will help it to heal and scab.   

He’s just finishing up, and about to start applying the bandages, when the animal starts to wake.  

But Jeongguk is too busy wrapping the creature’s leg gently, and he doesn’t notice the sudden change in posture of the rest of the animal, so when he looks at the wolf’s face out of habit, and finds the wolf staring at him with deep red eyes, silent and still, he tries his hardest not to jump. He slowly looks away from the wolf, and finishes with the last pass of the bandage, securing it in place with some special bandage pins.  

As he finishes and steps back, he almost expect the animal to attack, but it never does. It sniffs the air, keeping his eyes focused on Jeongguk at all times, and when he goes to move it’s leg it whimpers, and Jeongguk holds out his hands as if he could support the animal, quickly withdrawing his hands.  

“Don’t! Um, big guy, don’t move, okay? It’s still healing...”  

He’s talking to a fucking wolf .  

Great. Jeongguk always knew he’d go crazy at a young age. He didn’t figure it’d be so soon though.  

But, to his bemusement, the animal seems to get the gist.  

He growls at the bandage lowly, then seems to flop down on the table in exasperation, looking rather, well, like a kicked puppy .   

Jeongguk blows out a breath.  

“Okay. So... look. You can’t stay in here. And I have no clue who you belong to – if anyone. So, you’ll have to come with me, okay? And you have absolutely no fucking clue what I'm saying...”  

Jeongguk suddenly feels very tired as he pinches the bridge of his nose.  

“Whatever...”  

Jeongguk walks over to the door, and opens it slightly, keeping his eye on the wolf at all times.  

“Hey! Security! How’s the cage going?”  

“The farm has a large trailer they can spare! It’s for their prize pig, so should be large enough!”  

“Excellent, how long?”  

“Half hour!”  

“Well, tell them to hurry it the fuck up, ‘cause the oversized canine is awake!”  

There’s a short huff that comes from the wolf, and Jeongguk would say he had just scoffed if he had any inclination to believe the beast just understood what Jeongguk said.  

Jeongguk didn’t take his eyes of the now very much lucid predator on the table.   

He may be injured, and in severe pain, but that’s when an animal is most dangerous to themselves and others around them.  

His eyes met the bright vibrant red that appeared to be glowing in the light of the dining hall , and there was something about them that seemed... intelligent beyond normal standards.   

It was eerie, and Jeongguk could feel himself shivering slightly, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.  

God, he really missed his jacket. With the dining hall out of use, the heating seemed to barely make a dent in chill in the air.  

He pulled his jumper arms down over his hands, giving himself sweater paws – that he then realised were damp and soaked with water and blood.   

He sighed – this was his favourite comfy jumper... Maybe his mother would have some laundry trick – it seemed she had one for everything, after all.   

The wolf was still staring at him silently, and when Jeongguk shivered, the wolf cocked his head, and proceeded to try and stand.   

Jeongguk immediately started forwards, then halted as the wolf turned his eyes on him once more, now stood on 3 legs, the injured hind leg being favoured in the air.  

Oh, shit.  

Jeongguk held his hands out, as he started to back away, but then the wolf took a step forward, and tumbled from the table, a yelping whine bursting from it’s mouth, and Jeongguk darted forwards once more – he did not just stitch up the beast's damn leg to have it open the sutures within the first 10 minutes.   

He didn’t quite realise when he pushed the creature down by the scruff, and hurriedly checked over the bandages, how close he had suddenly gotten, but the very low, very angry growling he could hear and – more importantly – feel from closer than he would like caused his heart to skip beats.   

He swallowed. He could see the open space on his right, and the door to the foyer on the other side.  

He would have seconds .   

Now, Jeongguk knew he was fast – always had been – but could he outrun a wolf? Even an injured one?  

Jeongguk used the hand he had gripped into the scruff of the wolfs neck to push it away slightly as he leapt up and sprinted for the door.  

And for a moment, he thought he would make it.   

But when something managed to grip his ankle, he slipped on the shiny hardwood floor, and went crashing to the ground.  

Jeongguk immediately tensed when he felt the heat radiating from the beast, and he tensed as he expected to feel teeth and claws breaking his skin.  

But nothing came.  

Instead, he turned his head slowly and took a peek from the corner of his eye.  

The wolf was watching him again.  

As Jeongguk watched, the wolf limped back slightly, and Jeongguk winced at how much it must be hurting.  

But, and Jeongguk knew this was crazy – his heart was still racing a million miles a minute, don’t get him wrong – but he felt like the wolf didn’t mean him harm.   

He started to move slowly, and sat up watching the wolf as it watched him, and he realised – the belt was gone. He looked around quickly, and saw the belt in 2 pieces on the floor.  

Well... That just made it all the clearer that Jeongguk did not want to get bitten by this creature.   

When Jeongguk heard the muffled voices coming through the wall, he knew the wolf did too, and he tensed as the wolf seemed to become defensive, staring at the door as the voices got closer.  

Jeongguk did the only thing he could think of – distract.  

“Hey... It’s okay. I’m here, look at me... Just me... Hi, yeah, we’re trying to help big guy, and I know you can’t understand me, but I need to get you to a local Surgery and we need to find whoever lost you, hm? Please don’t attack me or the people coming... Look at me, just me... they don’t matter...”  

Jeongguk was rambling – he knew it would just be white noise to the animal - but maybe it would be enough to distract him and confuse him that they could get him in the cage with all their limbs intact.   

The wolf looks at him, a wildness in his eyes, and suddenly Jeongguk remembers that the beast in front of him isn’t exactly a pet (or tame).  

As the voices from outside grow louder, the beast steps forth, and Jeongguk tenses, unsure what to expect, when the creature limps close enough to stick his snout into his neck and starts to smell him . Jeongguk tenses when the wolf presses harder, almost knocking him over, and he himself whimpers when the beast licks his neck, once, twice. Again and again.   

And when the voices stop outside the door, and there’s a knock, the wolf startles, growling at the door.   

Jeongguk is scared stiff when, as the door opens, the wolf stands off against the newcomers, growling and snarling, until Jeongguk realises... The wolf is standing over him. Protectively.   

And there’s a part of Jeongguk – his animal lover side – that is bouncing off the walls, to the moon and back.   

He uses the lack of attention to his advantage.  

Don’t. Back off. Leave the cage!  

Jeongguk mouths at the police officers, who have gone to draw their weapons, and he places a hand gingerly on the side of the wolf’s rib cage, stroking gently.  

He’s fine! Leave! Or you’ll get us killed!  

One officer looks ready to grab his own weapon, but the other grabs his wrist, and pulls him and the guard away.   

“We’ll be outside... If you need anything... You sure you’re good?”  

“Yup. All good here. Don't know why – but he’s protective. Leave the cage - I'll pack him in myself.”  

Jeongguk keeps his voice calm and even, but the animal looks like he’s following every single word of the conversation... And Jeongguk doesn’t like the look in the animal’s eyes one bit.  

“Alright. My grandpa was a hunter - I know when to pull back. You need us to set up a sniper with a tranq?”  

“Nope. I’ll give him some pain meds when I can get him to the Surgery nearby. He’s been pretty calm, so far...”  

Aside from scaring the shit out of him and making him face plant the floor, but he supposes that considering neither event ended with him in pieces as being digested as wolf-food, that it was about as calm as it was going to get around a full-grown wolf with a screwed-up leg.   

“Alright, well, I thought you knew this – but you can’t treat him here. This town has a law against helping predatory animals...”  

“Shit. Well, I'm based in Seoul. That’s a 6 hour drive away with a cage in a trailer...”  

“I’ll get him some tranqs and meds for the Journey, but looks like you’ll be driving back to Seoul tonight. Need a coffee?”  

Jeongguk groans.  

“Please...”  

When he’s left alone with the wolf, who is now sat calmly, studying Jeongguk like he’s trying to figure him out.  

Jeongguk stares at him back.  

“You’re a weird fucking wolf, you know that? Not that I’m not grateful – I am – but, honestly, I kind of expected more fighting on your end.”  

The wolf stares.  

“And I know you can’t understand me, but you look like you can, so on the off-chance you can understand me... Please don’t bite me, or anyone else trying to help you, and just, like, behave? For a while at least. If you let us tranq you without growling at me or biting me, you can be pain-free and have the best damn sleep of your life? What do you say?”  

The wolf, of course, said nothing. But even he was staring at Jeongguk like he’d lost the plot.  

“And of course, you’re a fucking animal, so you can’t answer... “  

If Jeongguk didn’t know any better, he’d of said the wolf looked amused.  

Jeongguk started to feel quite warm – ironically, in the coldest part of the hotel.  

He pulled off his jumper, and bunched it up on his lap, which was then followed up by a small squeak as there was suddenly a wolf head laying on his lap, nuzzling his jumper, then seemingly falling asleep with his nose pressed into the fabric.   

As if the wolf liked Jeongguk’s scent.  

And his heart just exploded out of fondness for the creature – at first, big and scary, even while injured. And now, Jeongguk just thought he reminded him a little of a protective dog – albeit a damn huge one... The wolfs head was almost bigger than Jeongguk’s lap, and now he could see him properly, the wolf was definitely bigger than he was. His fur was also softer than he expected, as the wolf allowed him to touch and stroke his side gently.   

Jesus, no wonder he managed to free himself from a bear trap... He’s bigger than I thought...  

When the officer returned with a tranquilliser dart and some pain meds, he slid them on the floor to Jeongguk, while the wolf eyed them curiously.  

Jeongguk psyched himself up, before grabbing the cases.   

He reached for them slowly, and when he found both syringes set up with meds, he gripped one and held it up to the wolf for him to sniff, Jeongguk feeling his heart in his throat as he knew that any moment could be his last.   

The wolf growled at the syringe – his lips pulling back and showing off his very sharp and large teeth.  

Jeongguk blew out a breath shakily.  

“Okay. Fine... God, this is so not part of my job....”  

Jeongguk launched himself at the wolf, and the wolf seemed to yelp in a mix of surprise and pain, and Jeongguk shoved the tranquilliser into his neck, depressing the plunger while holding onto the wolf's neck for dear life.   

The wolf weakened fast, and Jeongguk changed his tactic into holding the wolf gently, stroking his neck and sides, whispering he was sorry and that everything would be ok.   

When the wolf’s eyes looked at him, he could see a mixture of betrayal and anger in them.   

As he laid the wolf on the floor, he grabbed the second needle, and injected pain meds into the back of his paw, rubbing the area better as you would for a child.   

When the wolf finally entered a deep slumber, Jeongguk collapsed back on his heels, adrenaline leaving his hands shaky and his skin clammy.  

“You’re insane... You should have just let us snipe him. What? You about to drive him back to Seoul? All my yourself?”  

Jeongguk looked at the officer.  

“Well, if they won’t treat him here, I have to. I became a vet to help all animals – not just a select few. Besides, Wolves aren’t a native species – he had to of come from somewhere. Possibly some government breeding programme.  I’ll be able to search him for a microchip or something at my Surgery anyway, I have better equipment in the city...”  

Jeongguk ran his hands through his hair, clutching at the tangled strands before realising there was blood on some of them.   

God, he needed a shower.  

“Look, you obviously are in no state to drive – I just started my shift, so I'm pepped. Do you have anyone you can call to drive you even part-way?”  

Jeongguk had a think.  

“Possibly... I’ll give them a call, it will take them a few hours to get here...”  

He pulled his phone from his pocket to find the screen completely white, and shattered beyond repair.  

Great.  

He sighed.  

“Can I borrow your phone? Mine apparently can’t handle being stood on by an oversized mutt...”  

“Sure.”  

The officer handed over his phone, and as Jeongguk called the number he had memorised to a Tee.  

The dull ringing tone sounded a few times, and Jeongguk was about to hang up, when the speaker made a clicking sound.  

“Hello?”  

“ Hi, Mum – it's me...”  

“ Oh, my sweet little Kookie! How is my darling boy? Eating enough? Sleeping well? How’s thing’s at the Surgery?”  

“ Everything’s fine, Mum. I’m fine. I’m eating well, and sleeping well, and the Surgery is doing well, too. I have a favour to ask...”  

“ Of course! I know you wouldn’t ask of there was any other option, just tell me what you need!”  

“ I need you to help drive me back to Seoul from the countryside hotel I'm staying at in *******, and I need help me do it while transporting a very large, injured wolf in a trailer...”  

Silence.  

Jeongguk looks at the screen, seeing the line still connected.  

“Hello? Mum?”  

“ Did-Did you say wolf?”  

“Yup. Wolf. Don’t ask me anything - I don’t know where he came from either! I was just walking in the woods out the back of the hotel and found him bleeding out with his leg in shreds. He basically tore his leg open getting it out of a bear trap... He’s huge, Mum. And I am exhausted – there's no way I can drive him in the trailer back to Seoul on my own tonight, or rather today... Please, Mum. They won’t help me treat him here...”  

There’s silence on the other end, but Jeongguk knows not to push it, his mother is thinking thing’s through.  

“ You have adequate transportation? Holding and fastenings? He’s properly secured, yes?”  

“ Uh, yeah. He's currently sleeping – he's had a heavy dose of night-night drugs and some pain meds, he’ll be out cold for a while... There’s a caged trailer that the local farm uses for their prized pig, and it’s big enough. Their son will come and collect it in a few days from my Surgery.”  

There’s a sound of a sigh on the other end.  

“ Fine. Fine, I'll help. But I swear, Jeongguk-ah, I haven’t dealt with a wolf since my days in the U.S., I won’t be much help...”  

“That’s fine! I’ll be able to handle him myself, I just need someone to drive me back – at least part-way. How soon can you get here? I know it’s ridiculously early...”  

“ It’s fine, baby, I always did have a nonexistent sleeping pattern, remember? How many times did I catch you and the rest of the kids sneaking out past curfew? But I can be there in just a few hours, maybe two? I can leave right away.”  

“ Thanks, Mum. You’re a life-saver.”  

“ Of course, baby. It's what I'm here for. You’ll always be able to count on me.”  

“Yeah... I know, Mum.”  

“ Then see you soon, darling. I love you!”  

“ See you soon, I love you, too.”  

Jeongguk handed the phone back to the officer.   

“She may call you again, I forgot to mention I was on a different number... if she does, can you give her the hotel number and room number for me?”  

“Sure. I’ll also brew her a nice cuppa when she gets here – you'll both need it to transport that beast.”  

“Sounds good, but make it Irish, would ya?”  

The officer winked.  

And with that the two of them moved the unconscious wolf into the pig trailer, laying him down on some blankets stolen from the hotel, and using the softest rope they could find to secure his legs.   

It wouldn’t be comfortable, but the wolf had been given a good 12 hours of meds, so at least he’d wake up in a better position than he was now...  

When Jeongguk’s mother, a kind looking woman with crow’s feet and salt’n’pepper hair, arrived not 3 hours later, she asked to be taken to the animal in question, seeing how it was secured for transport.  

Being an old Zoologist herself, she often knows best, and Jeongguk takes her to the trailer.  

But when they peer inside, he starts to panic.  

It’s empty.  

He wrenches the door open, and stares inside the pile of blankets left behind on the floor of the cage, even grabbing the blanket from where it was piled and dragging it out.  

But there was no wolf.  

Only a few stray hairs, and the slight smell of wet dog in the air.   

He could see the rope on the floor of the cage too.  

Undone. Not cut.  

He spins around in place, looking about for anyone that could have set the wolf free, but by now, most of the vets for the conference have either left, or are still sleeping off their hangover from the night before, and the only ones present who even know are the staff, police and himself.   

“I thought you said he was Tranqed?”  

“He was .”  

“Well, clearly not, because your little canine seems to have vanished... Though, I'm not surprised. You tie knots like a child – how easily did yours come undone?! He must’ve managed to wiggle free of the ropes... How on earth did you learn nothing about the emergency transport of dangerous animals outside zoo confines? After all this time? With me as your mother?”  

Jeongguk sighed.  

This was not something he missed.  

“Yes, mother, I’m aware. But I'm telling you, that wolf had enough tranq in his system to down an elephant... He shouldn’t have been able to go far...”  

And so, they search.   

They search for hours, until the sun rises past the midday point, and his mother intervenes.  

“Jeongguk. We’ve been searching for hours – if he’s gone, he’s gone. We won’t find him now... You should head on back to Seoul and work, sweetie. Take your mind of it. Stress is bad for the soul, you know!”  

Jeongguk snorts softly.  

“Yeah... You’re right. He must have a faster metabolism or something... Maybe he had eaten a large meal... But, no, you’re right... I should get going if I'm going to make Seoul anytime before midnight. Thanks, Mum, anyway, for coming out all this way for nothing...”  

“ah, it’s not nothing! I got to see my lovely, precious son! Who seems to never find time to come home and visit his dear old mother...”  

Jeongguk smiles.  

“I’ll come home over Christmas, okay? Or you could come to Seoul? See the sights, let me take you out and spoil you in fancy restaurants?”  

His mother narrows her eyes.  

“Uh-huh... You still hate that house, don’t you?”  

Jeongguk sighs.  

“Yup. Sorry, I hate it. Can’t change it, wish I could, but everywhere I go, that house makes me feel like I'm going out of my skin...”  

His mother smiles sadly.  

“Sure, baby. I’ll come visit you in Seoul for Christmas.”  

Soon after, they part ways.  

Jeongguk heads back to Seoul in his own car (sans trailer) and his mother heads home.  

To the house that has always made Jeongguk’s skin crawl.  

He finds, walking into his apartment in Seoul, that it’s the only place that really feels like home.  

Chapter Text

Chapter 2.

Jeongguk sits in his office at the Surgery, looking at the clock with an ever-growing sense of nervousness. Why, you may ask?  

Well, it started just a few weeks ago.  

Merely a week after his return to Seoul, there was a day at the Surgery whereupon complications during a pregnancy caused him to have to help transport the animal and take it in for an emergency caesarean, he had to lock up late in the evening. It wasn’t an uncommon event, and Jeongguk had no problem with it – until it felt like he was being watched.  

When he had left late that night, as he had typed the code in and turned the key in the lock, he had felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle, and he felt eyes on him.  

But when he turned around, there was no-one.  

Yes, there were a few people on the streets, going back home or just about to begin work, but they walked on their way paying no attention to their surroundings or anyone around them.   

He could still feel the eyes.  

And so it continued.  

And no – it wasn’t just Jeongguk’s imagination now he wasn't wearing his favourite scarf.  

But then, Jeongguk started to feel weird.  

And for the last 3 weeks, he had started to show signs of an impending cold that he was unable to shift.  

He would break out in flushes of hot and cold – his employees put their foot down on one such day when he had broken out in a fever and had turned the thermostat completely off, saying that he was burning up and shouldn’t be at work.   

This, too, had continued, to the point where Jeongguk would wake up in the night with sweat over his body and his skin starting to burn. Then he would curl up under 3 duvets and shiver for an hour or so, until his temperature stabilized, and he was able to get a few more hours of precious yet restless sleep.  

And Jeongguk felt even worse tonight.  

What if he collapsed on the way home?  

Nonetheless, he grabbed a scalpel when he left the office, and kept it hidden his jacket pocket.   

As he locked up, he felt the eyes on him, and despite his usual sweep of the people around the area he would see no-one unusual, and it filled him with frustration.  

He started walking his usual route home, and about halfway, he sat on a bench and pretended to get something from his shoe, looking about to see if he could see anyone nearby watching him.   

But still, no-one.  

There was a little old lady cleaning the outside of her shop with a broom as she opened for the evening, a delivery truck on the corner of a bakery, dropping off ingredients for the next day.   

A man walking with a briefcase as he talked on his phone, haggard looking and paying absolutely no mind to others around him as he shouted and swore down the device in his hand.   

But not a soul was looking at him.  

The rest of the way home he shivered in his coat, a cold flush on approach, and Jeongguk started to walk faster towards the safety of his apartment.  

When Jeongguk reached the front door, he was shaking through to his hands so badly from cold that he struggled to get the key in the main door, when warm, almost burning hand, wrapped around his from behind, and helped him insert the key.  

He jumped and span around, shoving the person back, his heart in his throat, and then simply stared in a mixture of shock and fear at the most handsome face he had ever seen. An almost chiselled jaw, high cheekbones, and dark eyes partially hidden under slightly wavy, two-tone blonde-to-brown locks.  

The man smiled gently.  

“I’m sorry for startling you, I figured you needed help – you don’t look well and appeared to be struggling. I’ll take my leave now. Goodnight, beautiful omega.”  

Jeongguk merely stood there dumbly, still in a mixture of shock and surprise, as the man gave a small bow of his head, then walked off.  

He was almost at the turning to the side street leading to the main street when Jeongguk managed to regain his senses enough to scarper after the man.  

Jeongguk swears he only lost sight of him for a few seconds, but when he gets to the corner the man just turned into, the man has vanished into thin air. Jeongguk looks around, he looks up at the fire escapes, at the doors to see if any are open, he looks into the old lady’s convenience store, but the man is nowhere to be found.  

Jeongguk jogs back to the main door of his block, sighing when he realised he left his keys in the lock, and looks around him before heading into the building, making sure the door is closed and secure behind him.   

When he gets to his apartment, he still can’t help but think about the handsome stranger.  

‘Goodnight, beautiful omega.’  

Omega? What the hell is that?   

Great. He’s probably a weirdo or something...  

Jeongguk heads for a shower, pumping the water to as hot as It will run, and as he leaves, he dries off with the hairdryer, and dives into bed wearing sweats as pyjamas and under his thickest duvet, and settles down for the night.  

The very next day, he’s saying goodbye to a new patient and their family – an angry Maine Coon with the temperament of a wild bear, when in walks a man with a dog in his arms.  

He plasters a smile on his face.  

“Good Afternoon, Sir, And Welcome to Paradise Veterinary Surgery. How may I help you?”  

The man stops and smiles, opening his mouth and speaking as he winks.  

“Hello again, Beautiful. Well, I’ve come to get a check-up for this one. We’ve just moved to the city, you see, and I want to know the stress and new area isn’t causing him – well, stress. Yeontannie was a sick baby, so I really try and keep him as happy as I can... He had a hard start in life...”  

Jeongguk immediately softens – so sue him, he’s a sucker for a man with a sense of care towards his pet. And Yeontan looks more than happy and healthy in the man’s arms.  

It also doesn’t help that with the man’s entrance, Jeongguk can suddenly smell the sweetness of sandalwood, leather with a musky undertone.  

The scent is calming, and Jeongguk makes a mental note to buy more sandalwood candles for his apartment.  

“Of course. I’ll need you to fill out some basic paperwork, and I’ll need to take your details. And, as thanks for your help the other night, I’ll knock an extra 10% off the new customer price, too. Now, if you’d like to just fill out these forms so I can request your previous Vet send over... Yeontan’s?... medical history, we can get started...”  

Jeongguk wanted to let him know he remembered his face from the other night, the man didn’t seem to make a mention of it, so he decided to take the lead.  

The man smiled.  

“Of course, though I do have all of his medical history here... hold on.” The man takes out a small usb drive. “Our last place was out on the middle of nowhere, so we used to get a private Vet make the Journey every fortnight to give Tannie a check-up.”  

Jeongguk took the device, plugging it into the USB port and opening it up.   

And certainly, there it was. The Pomeranian’s entire medical history, dated and colour co-ordinated, and with a little key for cross reference of files and dates.   

Jeongguk was ever thankful for organised colleagues.   

“Wow, thanks! This is great!” Jeongguk browsed the files, even reading the summary of health the other vet left to summarise his condtion, and while Jeongguk didn’t think the dog was the picture of health, he was certainly going to be able to manage a care plan and offer support where needed. “Well, I know the basics - I'll go through the notes thoroughly later on, but for now, I just need to take a few of your details and then we can go into the exam room and I can get started with giving him a check-over.”  

The other man smiled.  

“Sure. Ask away.”  

“Name?”  

“Kim Taehyung.”  

“Date and Place of Birth?”  

“30th December 1995, Seo District, Daegu.”  

“Occupation?”  

The man smiled awkwardly.  

“Family Business.”  

“Family Business? Can you be more specific?”  

“Property. Woodland Property. Owning, Buying, Selling.”  

“Understood. Home Address? And I'll need your E-Mail Address, and a Phone Number for you, too. After that, we can get around to giving Yeontan a check. Oh, I’ll also need to know how you’ll pay today...”  

“Oh, of course.”  

The man – Kim Taehyung – whips out a black and gold card, and Jeongguk very nearly has a heart attack.  

He’s not hurting for money, by any means. Being the son of a top zoologist, and being a top vet himself, he had found himself never wanting for anything.  

But he had never even seen a black card before, in real life.  

Shit, this dude was rich rich.  

So, what the fuck is he doing here?  

Jeongguk also remembered the man had called him that strange word – Omega – and he had to remember that as rich as he was – the guy was undoubtedly a weirdo.  

Even if his dog was adorably cute and he himself was one of the best examples of a doggy daddy he had ever seen.  

Lord, why are all the hot ones either taken or weirdos?  

He took the black card, and gave the man a look, taking a breath as he charged the amount for a check-up to his card, noting that Yeontan wouldn’t need a restock on his heart and blood pressure medication for at least another month.   

After he handed the card back, he smiled politely to Taehyung once again.  

“Now, should we get him to the exam room? Is there anywhere he doesn’t like to be touched when I examine him?”  

“No. In fact he may even beg for you to pet him for as long as your arms are still arms and not ground down little stubs...”  

Jeongguk burst into laughter at the way he put it.  

“Ah, ok, so – one of those little love bugs then? Well, that’s fine by me - I'm in the wrong business if something like that annoyed me.”  

“Yeah he’s a love bug, but I’m a big sucker for cuddles, too, so that may be my fault...”  

Jeongguk found himself smiling widely as he tucked his hair behind his ears and under his cap, and put on his gloves.  

“Yeah, I'd say so...” Jeongguk grabbed a fresh set of sterile tools from the medical draw, and slammed it shut with his hip. He missed dark look that slid over Taehyung’s face as Jeongguk basically wiggled his ass in front of him, a flicker of red in his iris lasting but a fraction of a second. “...but as bad habits to teach to dogs’ go... It’s pretty tame. I suppose losing your arms down to stumps from petting a dog would be a really unique disability claim though...”  

Taehyung laughed loudly, his whole body shaking with mirth.  

“Well, that’s... that’s a take I've never heard before...” Taehyung looks at him with his head cocked. “You know, I don’t think I ever got your name... Isn’t it rude to ask someone else’s and not give your own in response?”  

Jeongguk rolled his eyes.  

Wow. That was some lame-ass line.  

Jeongguk pursed his lips as he begins to examine Yeontan, the pomeranian nothing but happy to get attention – even if it was in the form of someone trying to stick something in his ears.  

“Not if it’s a formal form. Or paperwork of any kind. But you may call me ‘Mr Jeon’ if you like.”  

“Ouch. No first name? Or Do I have to ask you out on a date first??  

A lightbulb moment occurred for Jeongguk.  

“Didn’t you come up with another name for me? What was it... Oh, yes. Omega. Care to tell me what that means?”  

Taehyung turned a little sheepish.  

“You ever heard of the whole Yin/Yang, Alpha/Omega, Sun/Moon deal people say? Or believe in love at first sight?”  

Jeongguk paused.  

Oh, no.  

“ If you’re referring to the Soul Mate/Everyone-has-their-own-perfect-partner-ordained-by-the-universe Theories.... No. Not a word. Not at all.”  

“Well, I do...”  

“Right, well, not that this isn’t riveting – it doesn’t answer my question.”  

“I just... You’re very beautiful, Mr Jeon... I was hoping I might get to run into you again...”  

Wow. This guy sounds certifiable.  

Jeongguk sighs internally, finishing up his examination of the dog in silence, and when he’s done, he pulls off his gloves and cap, giving the dog a scratch and a treat for his good behaviour.  

“Well, he appears in almost perfect health – you're really taking very good care of him. As long as you keep giving him his meds and keeping him as you have been, I see no problems arising anytime soon. I’ll book you In for a check-up for his heart when you need a new prescription of his meds, if you’d like to follow me, I’ll get that all booked in for you now.”  

Taehyung looks confused at the now practically chilly attitude as he follows Jeongguk down the hall back to the reception again, and Jeongguk heads to the counter, drawing up his results and findings on the medical records Taehyung brought with him, then saving a copy to the surgery system under Yeontan’s new patient file.   

He looks at the available appointments for a 3-day window and spots a few time slots.  

“Okay, so there’s an 8:00am appointment slot on the 13 th January. There's also a 11:00am slot and a 4:00pm timeslot on the 14 th . Will any of those be suitable for you, Sir?”  

Taehyung looks a little saddened by the sudden change in Jeongguk’s attitude towards him.   

“Uh, the 4:00pm would be best... I tend to be up late into the night making calls and the other’s might be too early.”  

Jeongguk types away.  

“That’s fine, Mr Kim. That’s all booked in for you now, and Thank you for choosing Paradise for your Dog.”  

Jeongguk flashes him one last smile – fake, of course, and turns from the desk, walking quickly down the corridor to his exam room.   

As he cleans the room, and steps out into the hallway once more, he figures that Taehyung’s cologne must have been stronger than he thought, it’s scent lingering in the air, both relaxing and irritating to him at the same time.  

He spends the rest of the day in a foul mood, and after a while not even he knows why.  

He just knows that for the rest of the day, it feels so satisfying to tell his employees to fuck off, even threatening to fire them if they don’t leave his office.   

When his best friend, Jung Hoseok, arrives at sunset, he finds Jeongguk sat in his office with his forehead pressed to the desk.  

“Okay, why the fuck did your employees look terrified at the thought of me coming in here, and why the fuck does your face look like a slapped horses ass?”  

Jeongguk looked at his friend.  

“Because a weird guy I met last night came into my surgery today, who incidentally believes that he fell in love with me at first sight , or something. He was so weird, and now I can’t get that fucking choking smell of his sandalwood fucking cologne out of my damn surgery...”  

“Sandalwood? I didn’t smell anything when I came in... Maybe it’s faded now?”  

Jeongguk didn’t believe that, because he could still smell it.  

“I can still smell it in here, Hobi. It reeks. At first I found it nice, now the very presence of it is pissing me off... And I can’t even open the windows coz it’s too fucking cold outside...”  

Hoseok looked at him confusedly.  

“Maybe blow your nose... ‘cause im telling you, Jeonggukkie, even with my sensitive nose – ain't no sandalwood smell here...”  

That made no sense.  

It was everywhere outside that door. And all Taehyung had done was walk through the hallway...   

Jeongguk sighed.  

He could add that to the list of crazy, random things that were happening to him lately.  

He rubbed his temples, hopefully rubbing away the forming headache, when Hobi spoke again.  

“You know what you need?”  

“An Ibuprofen, bottle of whiskey, and a week vacation in The Bahamas?”  

“Well, that too, but nope. Let’s go out and get laid! Or just go out looking hot to tease a bunch of people by looking hot as shit and a dream to fuck.”  

“Hobi, why are you such a manwhore? You just wanna find an excuse to get your dick wet...”  

“Hey, hey-hey! Not a man-whore, I just enjoy sticking my dick in something tight, wet and hot...”  

Jeongguk rolled his eyes and gave a dramatic shiver.  

Hoseok was like a brother to him – that was not a mental image he needed.   

But he also knew Hoseok had been working hard on the Choreo for an upcoming boyband, and figured his friend could use a good night out – even if it’s consequences would make him regret his life choices in the morning.  

“Fine. Fine, we’ll go clubbing or something. Maybe Dionysus? They got that new ‘kick-ass’ DJ if I remember one of my assistants' mumblings...”  

Hoseok’s face immediately brightened as he smiled widely.  

“Oh, Yes! I love you, Koo-bun!”  

The stapler made a loud bang as it his the wall behind Hoseok’s head as Hoseok looked at him wide eyed.  

“Stop calling me that! Or I will get a very permanent tattoo of what you did senior year in Son Miyeon’s bathroom after our final exams tattoo’d on my bicep.”  

“But - Kookie.... You still look like a bunny.... How can I not cherish my little dongsaeng and shower him with affection? And you wouldn’t dare get a tattoo of that! It would damage your reputation too!”  

“What reputation?”  

Jeongguk smirked and grabbed his coat, slipping it on his shoulders. It was still early enough for him to get home and changed, and as Hoseok left to do the same, Jeongguk headed on his way, locking up the Surgery and setting the security alarm before walking away.  

He still felt like he was being watched – but this time it didn’t feel as predatory, as fear-inducing.   

When he found himself near his apartment, he stopped at the local convenience store to purchase some condoms – better safe than sorry, right?  

When he began walking, he saw someone walking down the street towards him, and as he saw them in the light he realised who it was.  

Crap. Of course, his address is only a few streets over...  

“ Mr Kim. Good evening.”  

The smell of sandalwood was strong once again, and Jeongguk hated the fact that he wished he could pack the mans smell into a pillow and sleep with his face buried in the damn thing, and it just made him feel pathetic.  

Get a grip on yourself, Jeon. Yes, he smells good, but fuck don’t cream your underwear...  

“ Mr Jeon! What a nice surprise – what are you doing out so late?”  

“Ah, returning from work. But I'll be going out to a club with my friend in a bit...”  

Jeongguk bobs his head, the universal sign for “yup, we’re talking, and it’s awkward as fuck”  

“Ah, well... Have fun! And stay safe! There are all sorts of... people... about these days.”  

God this was awkward. So awkward.   

Jeongguk is cringing internally, and he just wants to hide by sinking into the floor or have a sinkhole swallow him up into the earth.  

Actually, maybe the sinkhole should open underneath Mr Kim – it would be his punishment for forcing Jeongguk into the most awkward conversation of his life (barring a rather unplanned and panicked discussion with a 6 year old about how dogs made puppies. The parent’s were not thankful.)  

“Oh, yeah. Thanks, uhm – you too, with the walk home an’ all... I’ll, uh, see you around... sometime. Goodbye, My Kim.”  

“Taehyung. My name is Taehyung. You – you should call me Taehyung outside of work, don’t you think?”  

Jeongguk smiled stiffly.  

“Taehyung. Well - I should be going. Goodnight.”  

Jeongguk turns and walks away quickly, glad the man didn’t call him out on not giving his own name.   

But, if Jeongguk’s honest, there’s just something about Kim Taehyung that doesn’t sit right with him.  

And by the time Jeongguk reaches home, he’s all but managed to convince himself that Taehyung is a serial killing millionaire, who’s picked Jeongguk as his next possible victim.   

And Jeongguk doesn’t think he’s being entirely ridiculous.  

Kim Taehyung is really starting to doubt his senses and abilities as a wolf.  

The first time he had doubted his senses, and he had smelt the scent belonging to this young man, he had had no idea what to make of it.  

The scent was.... well – the scent of milk and honey, maybe a little peach. The scent of a wolf pup – which this man clearly was not. But the gentle fruit undertone to the milk and honey made him remember his grandmother’s cheesecakes. And, boy, now was his wolf side interested – he had been a real fiend for them.  

The second, was that after waking to the human with the pup’s scent, he had been pumping out calming pheremones – which going from the constant startles of the man and the fear Taehyung could see in his eyes, meant that this man wasn’t a wolf because it wasn’t helping – but he was at least a friend to their kind.  

The third is when he, after following his trail through the woods to the hotel, finds the scarf he had dropped when running after coming too in that god awful pig-trailer, and he finds the scent... different somehow.  

More fruit and less pup.  

But the scent.... Grapefruit and Strawberries.... Taehyung was addicted.  

The fourth is, when his cousin Kim Seokjin glares at Taehyung while he has his nose buried in the scarf.  

The fifth is when, after Taehyung moved to Seoul when they finally realised why Seokjin hated the scarf so much. It belonged to a rival – he had beaten him as Top Vet in South Korea for the last 2 years in a row, And Jin was nothing if not petty. So he had gone to Seoul to track down Jin’s self-confessed nemesis, and when he had caught the scent of grapefruit and strawberries with an undertone of Sweet Cinnamon being blown through the city, he had raced through the back alleys and underbelly of the city to reach a modern, moderately sized building, the name and tagline written above the door.  

“ Welcome to  

~ Paradise Veterinary Surgery ~  

• Helping Those Who Cannot Help Themselves.” 

And Taehyung smiles.  

He remembers the care with which the other treated him – and suddenly, the undertone of Sweet Cinnamon makes much more sense to him.  

The other is an Omega. A Male Omega .  

Rare.  

Almost pricelessly rare.  

And unmated? With no mating scars?  

Dangerous.  

For the Omega and those around him.  

But, this was Seoul . There were still wolves in this city – how on earth had this young male gone undetected and unknown?  

The answer made much more sense when Taehyung hid in his wolf form in a copse of trees nearby, and Jeongguk emerged from the building.  

The wolf took a big sniff of the air, as if to refill it’s lungs with the glorious fruity scent that made him want to eat the source, and was left dismally disappointed when he couldn’t smell a thing. Not a damn thing .  

Confused. Befuddled. Mystefied. All good words’ to describe Kim Taehyung’s state of mind right now.  

He watches the man lock up, then hug his coat tighter around himsellf, as if to protect himself from the cold.  

But wolves run hot – a jacket often all that is required throughout most of the winter. Taehyung cocks his head, confused, as he stars after the human who stops and turns around, scanning his surroundings as if he can feel Taehyung’s eyes watching his every move.  

Taehyung follows.  

It’s during his investigation, that he notices not everything is as alright with the other that he assumed at first glance.  

He appeared pale, a little waxy, and Taehyung could see him stumble.  

Then the wind changed direction, and suddenly Taehyung froze.  

That scent again! - it was definitely coming from the man he had been watching, as right now it was pouring from his pores and scent gland like the scent of the sweetest flower to a honey bee. He was about to intervene – go over in his wolf form and drag the stupid Omega out of sight and scent the shit out of him, when the male stood upright once more, and began walking to a set of stairs, and pulled some keys out from his pocket, then entered the building.  

Well, now he knew how he could get closer to the sweet Omega who had been able to pin an Alpha.  

(Well, he was injured, after all...)  

A few days later, Taehyung is waiting to spot Jeongguk once again – but this time, with a difference.  

For One, he’s in his human form. Something he has yet to be around Jeongguk.  

Two, he’s not on the ground, or watching him from the streets this time – but from up on the roofs of the buildings of Seoul. All because of the next fact.  

Three, Jeongguk’s scent had been growing ever more unstable and frequent, and Taehyung had already had to scare off several asshole Alpha’s that had tried to claim the Omega he was protecting. But Taehyung had also been fighting his own urges in relation to smelling the others scent – meaning for now, this was probably the best option.  

Only get close to intervene if he needs to.  

And so he watches and follows, jumping between the rooftops with agility and speed that only werewolves and cats can have.  

He watched as he approaches his door, but for some reason he’s not going in, and after several minutes Taehyung can hear the jangle of shaking keys.  

Taehyung jumps down and pushes himself off the walls of the buildings in order to slow his decent, landing perfectly and tucking his knees as he drops.  

When he helps the shaking and freezing Omega enter his key into the lock, Taehyung doesn’t think he’s ever received a more terrified reaction than he does from Jeongguk. He’s shoved back by the man with his wide eyes.  

Didn’t he smell me coming?  

Even if Jeongguk can’t smell him, Taehyung can smell him, and the smell of unmated Omega about to hit heat made the man’s condition apparent.  

He smiles gently, so not to scare the other.  

“I’m sorry for startling you, I figured you needed help – you don’t look well and appeared to be struggling. I’ll take my leave now. Goodnight, beautiful omega.”  

He bows low before taking off, almost speedwalking down the street out of sight so he can scale the walls once again.  

He watches as the Omega tries to follow him, only to be confused about his sudden disappearance and Taehyung snorts.  

He looks so angry and confused, but it just makes him look like a bunny, and the pout as he huffs makes Taehyung want to squeeze his cheeks.  

Either kind.  

As he watches the Omega give up his search and walk back to his own front door – where he realises the Omega left the door keys inside the lock and he shakes his head.  

Really, such a clueless Omega – what is an Alpha to do?  

He needs some serious advice.  

He pulls his phone from his Jacket pocket, dialling the first number on his speedial.  

“Minnie? Is Jin there?  

“ Hey, Tae! What’s up? Yeah, Jin is here – why is he not answering his phone?”  

“ Nah, I just need some advice, and I think I need the pair of you... Can you put me on speaker?”  

“Done. So, Taehyung, What’s up? ”  

“Hi guys. So, I found Jeongguk – the scent matches... But... I don’t think he knows he’s a wolf...”  

“ Imposible !”  

“ Bullshit he’s a wolf! No-one covers up a scent that well!”  

“Tae, even you have to realise how ridiculous that sounds... ”  

Taehyung chuckles lowly.  

“You don’t think I don’t know that? But it makes what I have to say next even crazier. If you’re stood up, eating, drinking, holding anything breakable... I suggest you stop and sit down.”  

“I find that unlikely, but go ahead and make a fool of yourself if you wish.”  

“Ignore him, Tae, he’s been in a mood since you left... ”   

“Well... I don’t just think he’s a wolf... I think he’s an Omega.”  

Silence.  

“Hello?”  

Silence still greeted him.  

He looked at the screen – nope, still connected.  

“Hello?... Can you hear me?... Jin? Chim?”  

There’s the sound of a loud thud.  

“ Taehyung... Watch him. Don’t let him out of your damn sight. I’m stupid. I’m so fucking stupid. Jeon fucking Jeongguk !”  

“Jin? Care to explain?”  

“ 17 years ago, on the evening of a Jeon Birthday Celebration, the Jeon pack was attacked ruthlessly and wiped out. Hunters’ attacked the mansion and grounds after everyone had fallen asleep, not a soul was spared. Even the Hunters themselves. The Alpha’s and Omega’s of the pack, when the realised the Hunters’ would not spare even the children, fought viciously. The entire grounds and house were burnt to the ground. The Hunters’ that survived died of complications like smoke inhalation in the weeks that followed. Every wolf on the register of the Jeon Pack was identified in the days to follow – all but one. The Son of the Pack Leaders’ - Jeon Jeongguk. He was missing from the roster of Dead nor were there any children in the “Unidentified” remains. It was assumed that he’d been injured and run into the forest, and then died of his injuries, but even after numerous searches – they found no trace. The boy had simply vanished into thin air... ”  

“ So, Jin, you think this man, is what? The very same boy who escaped from a massacre all those years ago? Jin, where would he have been hiding? Where would he have gotten the money to attend college or university? How would he have lived his life with the knowledge of what he escaped? ”  

“That’s the thing, Jimin... I don’t think he knows. I don’t think he can sense either his own wolf or others’. He smells like he’s about to hit heat one moment, then the next – he smells human. I don’t think he knows anything. I think, and this is just a shot in the dark, but what if – in order to protect him from harmful memories, his wolf took them and went into deep sleep? And he wasn’t old enough to remember, so as time went on, he never tried to wake it... but now it’s waking and it’s not like we have a timeframe...”  

“ You’ll have to get as close to him as possible, Taehyung. We can’t afford to let him disappear on us or have him get hurt. If he doesn’t know what he is... It’s going to be world shattering for him... ”  

Taehyung could hear the hurt in Jimin’s voice across the line, his heart aching for his empathetic best friend.  

“I know, Chim. Jin? Send over all of Tannie’s medical files, please? I’m going to register him with the vet first thing in the morning.”  

“F uck sake! Now I'm even losing my own family to this little shit!.. .”  

And if Taehyung spent the rest of the call listening fondly as his two Packmates’ and family bickered, then no-one was wise to it apart from the moon.  

Chapter Text

The club is loud, obnoxious, and Taehyung already hates it.  

 “Why on earth people like to do this, I don’t know. How are you two not getting a headache at the dam music?”  

Taehyung grumbled, rubbing his temples.  

“Because not everyone is a grumpy old fuddy-duddy at heart, like you. Relax.”  

Taehyung glared at his small omega friend.  

“I’m not here for fun , I'm here to watch a certain idiotic presenting omega to make sure he doesn’t create chaos.”  

“Potayto Potahto. Look your boy’s here already, and he’s having fun with his friend at the bar.”  

Taehyung whipped his head round, and there, sure enough, was Jeongguk. Laughing at the bar with some guy with a wide smile and lanky body. But Taehyung wasn’t really paying attention to him.   

Jeongguk looked phenomenal.   

He was wearing a pair of Jeans that hugged his ass and thighs like a second skin, white on the front half, jet black on the back with rips along the thighs. His top was a sheer mesh turtleneck, with a corset cinching in his gloriously thin waist. His makeup was done to perfection, only a light dusting of foundation and smudged smoky eyeliner. He had on a leather Jacket, wrapped around his waist, and in the light of the club it just made his delectable waist look tinier.  

God, the other smelled practically fucking edible – pretty much all of the time now – and Taehyung was actually unbelievably thankful for the sweaty smell of the humans packed in the club, their mixed pungent scents mixed with the strong smell of alcohol.  

And maybe a hint of vomit from the deepest corners’ of the building.  

Lovely .  

Taehyung remembered why he hated the city.  

He sighed as he settled in to keep the presenting Omega under his watchful gaze – but from the looks of the 2 cocktail pitchers that Jeongguk and his friend seemed to have ordered, Taehyung guessed it was going to be a long night.  

It was 10:30p.m. and Jeongguk wasn’t drunk per say, he was just nicely toasted thank you very much.  

He felt buzzy and loose. Warm.   

He and Hoseok had drunk an entire pitcher each to themselves, and pretty soon Hoseok had shoved them out onto the dancefloor where they had stayed for too many songs, and they were now gasping for another drink, alcoholic or not it didn’t matter.   

So they got both a bottled water each, then decided to share a round of shots.  

Well, Hoseok decided on the shots.  

Jeongguk had started to smell sandalwood again, and this time it wasn’t so irritating, just... pleasant. Nice. So he was trying to focus on where it was coming from – it smelled so much like the cologne that that strange man Taehyung wore, and Jeongguk would kill to know where the person wearing it got it.  

So obviously he doesn’t pay attention as he knocks back the drink Hoseok hands him – believing it to be water.  

He’s mistaken when his mouth and throat burns like hellfire, and he spits out the large mouthful of green liquid as he chokes and sputters.  

Absinthe.   

Where the fuck did this club find fucking Absinthe?  

“Fuck, Hobi! Warn a guy, next time! I was not fucking prepared for that dipshit!”  

Hoseok starts to cackle.  

“Sorry, Guk. Couldn’t resist...”  

“Fuck, Hobi, my throat fucking kills now...”  

“What a shame – maybe you can take that a sign to shut that mouth of yours after you apologise for ruining what was a perfectly charming outfit.”  

The voice was one Jeongguk would recognise anywhere.  

“Kim Seokjin...” He turned to face the man himself, and spotted the rather large green-ish stain on the arm of his nice rose gold silk blouse. He snickered. “Sorry about the shirt... didn’t see you there. Which is rather a shock, what with that overinflated sense of self-importance you carry with you.”  

Seokjin glared.  

“You’re such a...”  

“What? Top Vet? Genius?”  

“I was going to say brat, but no you’re just an arrogant little shit.”  

“Well, Jin, you know what they say – I know you are, but what am I?”  

He watched Jin take a deep breath, then smile.  

“You know, Jeongguk...” Jeongguk could smell something... weird. Like – burnt caramel and toast. With a hint of.... aniseed? ... “You really should be nicer to people. Especially when they know something you don’t.”  

Jeongguk scoffed.  

“Jin, do you recall a moment, it may have been in your last year at Seoul Veterinary University, where a young freshman came up to you in the halls, asking for directions to a local bathroom?”  

“No. Of course not. That was years ago.”  

“Hm. Then I suppose you don’t recall what happened to said student?”  

“Fuck no. Why would I?”  

“Jin. That student you directed – he followed your directions. And ended up in the bathroom that the entire university knew was dodgy. He ended up trapped in the bathroom for 2 whole days.”  

“ Oh... well, it was a mistake. Not like it was done on purpose.”  

“That student was me , Jin. I haven't forgotten your face since then, and for every day that I can humiliate and show you up, it just makes me feel the tiniest bit better. As for you, you say what people should do, but honestly, if you know something concerning someone, and you don’t tell them, that makes you the dick – no matter their attitude. And lastly, oh, my god , would you move away from me because your cologne fucking stinks, and I will end up either throwing up all over that goddamn ridiculous looking blouse of yours, or punching you in your stupid aggravating face with those ridiculous looking fish lips.”  

“Wow. He’s got you there, Jin. Your face is aggravating.”  

A newcomer – a short newcomer – inserted himself between Jeongguk and Jin, smiling widely at Jeongguk.  

“Hi! My name’s Park Jimin! My friend’s call me Minnie or Chim. I take it you’re Jeon Jeongguk – there's only one Jeongguk in Seoul that could make that vein stick out of Seokjin’s forehead...”  

Yup. There it was.  

Jeongguk felt smug.  

“Would say it’s nice to meet you Park Jimin, but unfortunately, if you’re friends with that one, you likely have a personality disorder.”  

Jimin just blinked, his face blank.   

Jin laughed.  

“Wow. You are the poster child for ‘ How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’ . Way to make friends, Jeonggukkie.”  

Jeongguk turned towards Jin.  

Slowly, the aggravation he had felt towards Jin had turned to just plain deep frustration, and now – he was ticked off.  

“Don’t ever call me that, like we’re friends. The very thought of being friends with you fucking disgusts me – you are literally one of the biggest most self-absorbed assholes I've ever met – and I’ve been to the US.”  

“Ex cuse me. Just who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”  

There was a smell now of a floral bouquet invading the area, making Jeongguk’s nose itch.  

“I think I'm talking to a guy who was too self-absorbed in a text conversation with his friends to realise he was directing a lost freshman on open day into a bathroom with a dodgy latch that locks people inside for days on end. I think I'm talking to a man who’s so self-absorbed, his vet practise focuses only on those who can pay the price, and a man to self-absorbed to care about anyone else's feelings or thoughts but his own. Do you know, I don’t aim to be the Top Vet because I want to ‘take it from you’, as you once whined. I want to be the top vet, to help those I can help – the animals who need it. So maybe you should take that oversized fucking head out of that tight ass of yours and realise the fucking planet does not revolve around you .”  

The smell of the floral bouquet had only gotten stronger as time went on, and when Jimin went to lay a hand on his neck – he assumed in a comforting gesture – the smell became so intense it made Jeongguk sneeze uncontrollably.   

God, his perfume reeked too... It smelt like dying flowers .  

“ Fuck - and YOU! Park Jimin with that damn perfume, take several steps the fuck back and get out of my personal space! I swear, both of you bathed in some fucking vile smelling potions before you left the house tonight. Just.. Stay the fuck away from me. Lets go, Hobi. I need a big drink and to get the fuck back out on that dancefloor.”  

“One round of shots and another pitcher coming up! You head to the back - I'll get the drinks.”  

Jeongguk walked away from the bar.   

He didn’t search out the 2 men for the rest of the night.  

But for longer than Jeongguk would have liked, the irritating and downright revolting smell of burning aniseed and musty dying flowers permeated the space around him and clung inside his nostrils, and he was grateful when eventually all he could smell was the sweat of the bodies around him.   

When Jimin and Jin returned to Taehyung, he watched them with a smirk on his face.  

“That looked like it went incredibly well. Well done.”  

“Fuck off, like you did any better – he's a rude-ass, ill-mannered, little shit.”  

“I dunno, Jin... He kinda has a point... That was a bit self-absorbed of you...”  

“Wait, Jimin, what point?”  

Jimin relayed the bathroom incident to Taehyung.  

“Fuck. Well – that isn’t great news...”  

“Oh, and It gets better...”  

Taehyung sighed.  

“Just... give it.”  

“His wolf is probably going to wake up in the next 3 hours and he hates our scents with a passion. And his wolf isn’t even fully awake yet, but the second I went near his scent gland with my own in my wrist to calm him down a little, he basically snapped at me. Kinda grateful he can’t shift, because he would have had my hand.”  

Taehyung sighed.  

“Okay, guys... Rein your scent’s in, keep them on the low. We’ll need to watch him and then find a way to get him out of here before his wolf wakes...”  

Jimin shifted uncomfortably.   

“What is it, Jimin?”  

“I have an idea...”  

“We’re listening....”  

Jimin winced.  

“You’re not going to like it...”  

And then he started to talk.  

Just under 3 hours later, and Jeongguk feels like he’s starting to a journey to Hell.  

It started as just waves of warmth, a little cramping, some smells suddenly made him feel nauseous, and others almost made him heave.   

He didn’t feel like he was just drunk anymore, and he had been staring at the drink on the table for a while, seeing if he could spot any remaining powder in the bottom.  

He had never been more positive that he’d been roofied.  

His body temperature was climbing through the roof, building in waves, and causing his body to drown itself in sweat.   

Then he was in the middle of the dance floor, there on his own, allowing his body to be pressed up against various men just because having some sort of contact felt extremely good – even if something was missing.  

So he would move on, dancing with man after man, some hands too large, others to small, some too soft, some too hard.  

He had his eyes closed, and was swaying to the music when he felt someone’s hands on his waist.  

And they just fit so perfectly it was like they belonged there.  

The man dragged him back, so he was pressed flush with his back against the man’s front, and he let himself just feel how nice it felt to be held by the hands around his waist.  

They started dancing, and Jeongguk thanked heaven that the man who’s face he hadn’t seen yet at least had rhythm and could move his hips well .  

And with the way Jeongguk had started to feel over the course of the night, he knew very well he might very well take this one home.   

If he was up to Jeongguk’s high standards that is.  

It’s why he had passed from man to man throughout the night.  

Jeongguk had always liked them... well endowed .   

If fact, Hobi had often referred to him as a surprising size queen (because he looked like an innocent little bunny – fun fact: Hobi had thought he was lying until he saw his dildo collection, because no-one owns that many large dildos without actually using them...)  

As the music in the club pulsed and the bass travelled through Jeongguk’s body, he found himself giving into the beat, laying his head back against the man’s shoulder as they ground their hip’s together, the movement’s of their bodies just making Jeongguk hotter and hotter, he could feel the sweat running down his temples, his back, his chest, and he was barely wearing a top.  

One of the man’s hands travelled up Jeongguk’s chest, while the other forced him back , the man grinding his now hard cock into Jeongguk’s clothed ass.  

Jeongguk gasped.  

The room started to swim.  

He felt as if there was embers travelling through his bloodstream, and he shivered.  

His head lolled to the side...  

Jimin was right.  

Taehyung hated the plan.   

They would have to wait and linger nearby, unseen, until Jeongguk was right at the edge.   

When his scent would start to magnify and become a beacon to every Alpha, Beta and Omega in Seoul.  

They would have to get to him first, and time it just right.  

Which meant Taehyung having to watch as Jeongguk pretty much ground his ass against every male with a dick interested enough to get hard.  

Taehyung knew no-one would be able to satisfy the Omega like he could. Taehyung is sure that he could make Jeongguk fucking scream .  

He clenches his fist and his jaw as he feels his ire grow, the scent of the Omega’s not even fully mature pheremones causing his inner Alpha to mentally pace back and forth.  

“Calm yourself, Alpha .”  

Taehyung took a deep breath – probably the wrong thing because the only thing it got him was a brand new whiff of fresh Omegan scent.  

But it did actually help, the underlying Strawberries in Jeongguk’s scent helping him to remember summer’s picking strawberries in his grandmother’s garden, and he smiles.   

“Strawberries... And Cinnamon... Peach... I wonder which scent magnifies when he’s pissed?”  

“Probably the Cinnamon – to much becomes bitter and choking, and we all know how bitter and petty an Omega can be...”  

“I heard that, and yeah – we can be bitter. And hold grudges. So some wolves should shut their mouth before they find another Omega they’ve pissed off.”  

“Jesus, Omega’s really feed of each other, don’t they? Jimin, calm the fuck down – you’re not the one in heat. Don’t give us away because of your phantom hormones...”  

Jimin huffed, yet knew Seokjin was right.  

When the time came, they got into position. Jimin and Seokjn would distract Jeongguk’s friend, and Taehyung would distract Jeongguk from behind.   

Easy.  

Simple.  

Piece of piss.  

Except when he found himself pulling Jeongguk flush against him, and started grinding his hard cock against Jeongguk’s ass.  

He smelt the spike or arousal in Jeongguk scent, could feel the heat radiating from his skin, the sweat running down Jeongguk’s forehead and neck.   

And when Jeongguk tilted his neck back, the perfect picture of submission, his Omega scent right under Taehyung’s nostrils, Taehyung almost broke the skin on Jeongguk’s hips with his nails as they started to lengthen.   

But he knew this was part of the plan.  

The nape of the neck, at the back.   

If Taehyung could get his teeth around it... the other male would be even more plaint, and they’d be able to take him from the club and take him to Taehyung’s apartment.   

Where they would have to lock him up for 3 days.  

Alone.  

Taehyung’s wolf howled internally, indignant at the thought of a pliant and willing omega being left alone during heat.  

But Taehyung knew there was a strong possibility the other male would injure himself and or others if he found himself in an unfamiliar place, with people he didn’t trust, feeling like he’d been fed 100 Viagra.  

So unfortunately... this was the plan.   

Hopefully, the omega didn’t find his Alpha scent too repulsive, or They'd have to move him.  

That thought made Taehyung’s heart pang a little – his wolf’s scent was his scent, after all, and was a very meaningful thing to their kind.   

There was lots of meaning to a scent, and how one reacted to it.  

If he didn’t like it, they’d have to move him back home.  

Then someone would have to guard his door day and night for 3 days while listening to a helpless and confused presenting omega sob and whine.  

He knew he wouldn’t have the strength, so he prayed that Jeongguk found his scent pleasant enough to at least not become distressed.  

He gently stroked the boy’s neck, damp with sweat, and began to trail his nose and lips over it gently, luring the male into a false sense of security.  

And as Taehyng travelled toward the back, he pulled back a little, opened his mouth wide, and then clamped his teeth over the scruff of his neck – hard.  

He felt Jeongguk’s freeze at firast as he gasped,then he felt him shudder violently, and at the same moment he went as plaint as a ragdoll – something Taehyung did not expect – was when Jeongguk’s scent exploded .   

Jeongguk’s heat and presentation had arrived.  

Jeongguk felt the man’s teeth clamp down on his neck, and it was as if a there was a voice, a presence inside of his mind, that fully opened its eyes as his own vision failed, turning white.  

His body felt like it was on fire, the body behind him radiating warmth aswell – yet to Jeongguk, it felt like it wasn’t enough...  

The amazing scent of sandalwood and leather scent was everywhere, underlaid with a hint of honeyed smoke.   

God, he wanted to taste...  

He whined, then opened his eyes in shock.  

What. The. Fuck.   

Was that actually me?   

The room was swimming, his body was shaking, and he felt like he was burning up from the inside out.   

He tried to push the arms around him away, and they just tightened around his body, as a voice growled into his ear.  

“Stay still, Omega.”  

And, Jeongguk did.   

Jeongguk didn’t want to. But it was as if his body just... didn’t want to listen to him.   

He also recognised the voice.  

“T-Taehyung? What-Did you follow me? Let me go!”  

 “Listen, Jeongguk, I’m sorry but yes. It’s-it’s not safe for you to be about by yourself right now... You feel hot, don’t you? Burning up from the inside, and you crave something but you don’t know what it is... AM I right?”  

Jeongguk scoffed. He felt disgusted.  

“Of course it’s not fucking safe for me right now with asshole stalkers like you about... What the fuck did you put in my drink? I knew someone had somehow fucked with it... Just coz you’re rich as shit doesn’t mean you can get away with this....”  

“Jeongguk, I promise I didn’t put anything in your drink, but I will explain if you just come with me and let me take you home...”  

Oh, and if Jeongguk didn’t just love the sound of that.  

“Fuck you, you fucking rapist... HE-mmpfpft!”  

Jeongguk felt a hand clamp over his mouth, and he felt Taehyung lips next to his ear.  

“I’m so sorry, Jeongguk... Please believe me...”  

Jeongguk’s body trembled, and he lost control of his limbs as he felt Taehyung’s teeth clamp down on his neck once again – harder this time than the first – and Jeongguk could only make that embarrassing whining sound as tears sprang to his eyes.   

God, it hurts.   

But why am I not fighting it?   

Come on, Jeongguk, you’re not this weak – you fought assholes in Uni all the time!  

But he couldn’t do it.  

No matter how much he wished his limbs to move, to get away, they wouldn’t.  

And pretty soon, even trying exhausted him.   

He felt so damn drained, but at the same time his body was a livewire – he could hear, sense, and smell everything.  

The smell of the sweat from the bodies around them had turned incredibly bitter to his nose, Taehyung’s apparent sandalwood, leather, and smoked honey, the faintest scents of Floral Bouquet and Aniseed.   

Jeongguk had no choice in the matter as he was dragged from the dance floor, and he started to panic, his body acting without his say-so as it allowed the man to manoeuvre them towards the emergency back exit and out onto the cold street.  

Jeongguk braced for the cold but relaxed when he felt the cold wind blowing over his oversensitive and overheated skin and how nice it felt.   

He sighed.   

The air helped bring him back to his senses a little, and as Taehyung unlatched his teeth from Jeongguk’s neck, Jeongguk threw his head back, feeling a flash of satisfaction as his head made contact with Taehyung's nose and he heard the grunt as the man’s arms loosened.   

He took the chance and darted forwards, and started to run down the empty street.   

“JEONGGUK! STOP!”  

Not a chance in hell, perverted asshole.   

He was almost at a street corner when a wave of pain sent him sprawling, the pain so sudden and severe that it caused his to double in on himself as he collapsed on the ground, crying.   

He heard Taehyung’s footfalls as he caught up, out of breath and panting.   

“Shit, you’re fast!”  

Taehyung gripped him firmly, but not enough to hurt, and pulled him to his feet, pulling him in close, shoving Jeongguk's nose into his neck.   

And normally, Jeongguk would struggle, would fight and curse and shout abuse and push the other away.   

But, as his senses were once again filled with the smell of Sandalwood, Leather and Honeyed Smoke he found himself pulling Taehyung in deeper, pressing his nose into the man's throat as he gripped his shirt by the lapels, and taking lungful’s of Taehyung's cologne like he needed it more than the air to breathe.   

And maybe he did, with the way that every nose and lungful of the other’s scent just seemed to ease his pain. He’s almost delirious with relief, nuzzling his nose as close as to where the scent seems to be coming from as possible, sniffing deeply.  

And just as he was pondering what it would be like to taste Taehyung, to see if his skin and his sweat tasted like he smelled, he heard Taehyung let out a  growl .  

It snapped him back to his senses, and he shoved the man away, while he shook his head as if that could help clear the fog of desire and want and heat he could feel clouding his mind.  

“What-” Jeongguk swallows.  “-What on earth did you fucking give me?” Jeongguk spits out.  

“Nothing. I swear  -  I haven't given you anything.” Taehyung stands there with his hands up.  

“Your fucking friends then! I know Kim Seokjin can’t fucking stand anyone but himself – didn't think he’d stoop this low though...”  

Taehyung sighs, and pinches the bridge of his nose.  

“Yes. Jin is an asshole – this is something I've told him numerous times and it’s not something I disagree with you on – but we haven’t slipped you anything, Jeongguk. This – what's happening to you now – has been building for a while... surely, you’ve felt something wrong?...”  

“I’ve been fighting a bug – I don’t get sick...” Jeongguk waves his arms then narrows his eyes at the man. “But how would you know? My own mother doesn’t know...”  

“I - We – can smell it, Jeongguk... You’re - You’re one of us, too...”  

Jeongguk laughed. This was just sounding ridiculous.   

“ Smell it? You know you sound like a fucking crazy person – actually, I'm pretty sure you are ... Now, get the fuck away from me. You can have your damn dog’s files back too – get that fucking asshole to treat him...”  

Taehyung stood infront of him as he went to stumble awkwardly in the direction of his home.  

“I’m sorry, Jeongguk – but you’re extremely vulnerable right now, and I would bet that every Alpha and even Beta around can smell you for miles. There aren’t many, but if we don’t get you somewhere safe that isn’t your home, the Alpha’s will be able to track you by your scent, and that wouldn’t have a pleasant ending with how vulnerable you are right now...”  

Actually, Taehyung’s pretty sure that he would rip apart any Alpha that managed to even get in the vicinity of Jeongguk’s flat – but Jeongguk didn’t need to know that and get even more scared than Taehyung could smell he already was.  

God, he felt like an ass, and not just that but – this was so awkward – he felt like his parents must have giving him the “Alpha and Omega’s” talk and suddenly he had a whole new appreciation for his parents.  

“ Fucking Hell – He's nuts...”  

Taehyung heard Jeongguk mutter under his breath, and honestly Taehyung was starting to become annoyed – what else did the other need other than his word as an Alpha? Was that not good enough? Surely, Jeongguk would be able to smell the sincerity in his scent.  

Wait...  

Jeongguk wouldn’t know how . He wouldn’t be able to discern anything about Taehyung beyond his base scent with such an untrained nose.  

Taehyung wanted to bash his own head against a wall as his Alpha internally huffed at his uselessness.  

Taehyung took a breath, and tried to relax his body posture – hoping it might help the other on a subconscious level. If he wasn’t tense – maybe Jeongguk would relax a little too.   

“Look, Jeongguk – you need to be told something incredibly important, but I need to wait for Jin and Jimin to arrive before we tell you. Just – stay calm, okay?”  

Taehyung could smell the agitation rolling off of Jeongguk in waves – a pissed off Omega was no better than one in Heat, and a combination of the two was asking for trouble. He pumped out calming pheromones, trying to subtly calm and soothe the other’s inner Omega, and Taehyung felt just a tiny flash of joy when he saw the bright flash of blue for just a split second in the other's eyes.  

The other’s Omega had truly woken up!  

Taehyung’s Alpha was practically preening with happiness – the flash of blue at his scent meant the other was incredibly receptive, and despite the other probably not knowing what it meant, the Alpha knew that meant the Omega liked it.  

Taehyung found it that much harder to hold back from stepping closer to Jeongguk after that, instead compromising with his wolf by pumping out even more of his scent for the Omega to smell.   

He waited for a few minutes, silence as Jeongguk clutched at his stomach leaning against the wall, and then he heard the voice of Jimin over the Pack-link.  

We got his friend absolutely trashed, told him Jeongguk already lost the drinking game – that he wasn’t even part of – and we managed to book him a taxi home. Me and Seok are on our way to you – how are things?  

A damn mess. Jeongguk’s heat has started to really hit, his Omega is awake, and it’s only a matter of time before he starts to slick – I can already smell his arousal and he’s in pain. However, he’s receptive to my scent at least. Hurry, and when you get here prepare to intercept - I'm going to shift.  

You’re insane. We’re in the City, Taehyung. You think no-one's going to notice a wolf running through the streets of Seoul?  

You got a better idea? Because he’s not going to come willingly and he’s nowhere near drunk enough to carry. I barely got him outside the club with a scruff bite – he's stubborn. If I have to heard him like a fucking sheep – I will.  

Moron. Incoming in 30 secs.   

Taehyung started to count down in his head, and when he reached 10 he looked at Jeongguk.  

“Jeongguk. I’m going to count down from 5. And I want you to watch me – because there’s something you need to see. I have a feeling you won’t be receptive to words, so I will just show you instead.”  

He started to undress, and he watched as Jeongguk’s eyes went wide in shock.  

Jeongguk sat there, and he watched at Kim Taehyung started to pull at his clothes – right in the middle of a backstreet in Seoul behind a nightclub, there was a man taking off his clothes as he was drugged out of his own body.  

Jeongguk really wondered where the man got the fucking audacity .  

“What the fuck are you doing?... Wow – you really are a perv, I'm not about to sit here and watch you-”  

Of course, Taehyung hadn’t pulled off everything.  

Not even close.  

But Taehyung wasn’t even there anymore.  

And now Jeongguk knew he had been slipped something in his drink.  

Because there was no way – absolutely no-fucking-way – that Kim Taehyung – a good-looking man who was very much human – had turned into an oversized dog .  

Absolutely no-way.  

So Jeongguk just laughed.  

And when the dog stepped closer, Jeongguk could still smell the Sandalwood, the Leather, the Honeyed Smoke.  

And it – well – it was really fucking big for a dog.  

Jeongguk continued to stare – something was niggling at his brain.  

And then the dog stepped closer, the light from the weak amber streetlamp hitting the animal properly let Jeongguk take his first proper look, and...  

...it was no dog.  

A wolf.  

A damn wolf.  

And one he recognised at that.  

Brilliant red eyes, a fur coat of a mixture of caramel and chocolate.... and uninjured.  

The wolf took a step closer, and Jeongguk could hear the sound of 2 sets of footsteps hurrying towards them. He stood up on shaky legs, and the animal growled.  

“Tae!”  

Jeongguk took a step back.  

The wolf followed.  

Jeongguk tried to take a step to the side.  

The wolf blocked.  

Jeongguk cramped once again, pain overcoming his stomach as he almost collapsed to the floor once again.  

The wolf looked away and barked? at the newcomer Jeongguk could see approaching from the direction the club had been in, identifying them as the one he knew Jimin.  

Jeongguk took the chance and used the floor and wall to push himself with a burst of speed in the other direction, but his flight didn’t last long when he slammed into a hard, broad chest, and the scent of Aniseed permeated his nose.   

He reeled back, practically gagging as he was winded from the collision.   

Trapped.  

Jeongguk could feel himself start to panic. The fever in his system was making him shake all over, and if the next wave of pain he felt was more painful than the last, he wouldn’t be getting far on his own.  

As he slipped further and further into panic, he could sense his vision and mind starting to cloud further. His skin started to feel like it was buzzing with electricity, and even his bones started to feel charged.  

“Jeongguk! Please, listen to us! You can’t go back to yours and you can’t be on your own right now! For your own safety – please listen to us!”  

Jeongguk backed up, back against the wall once more, as he looked from left to right.  

2 people, and a wolf.  

A trained wolf – but a wolf nonetheless.  

He wasn’t even going to entertain the notion that the wolf had once been Taehyung .   

Nope. That wasn’t happening.   

Jeongguk could feel the anger rising in his gut – why couldn’t they just fuck off?  

“Okay, seriously, you – you lot need to – to fuck off now, because I am not in the fucking mood... Going on about come with us! Listen to us! Safety this! Safety that! Trust us! Omega this! Alpha that! WELL FUCK OFF AND GET OUT OF MY FUCKING SPACE!!” 

Jeongguk heard how he practically growled the last bit. He felt the vibration of his vocal chords, and the electrical-buzzing feeling in his bones just got stronger, until he felt like someone has hooked him up to a TENS machine except even more powerful.   

The wolf growled at him, and he found himself growling back – a sound Jeongguk didn’t even know it was possible for a human to make, and he had no idea why he was making it in the first place – and he slapped his hand over his mouth.  

How fucking embarrassing.  

“ Oh, great , he’s about to shift. Great news in the long run – but short run, what are we supposed to do about an extremely pissed off and confused Omega in a very unstable pre-heat?”  

Jeongguk had just about had enough.  

“I swear to – gasp - to fucking God, if you don’t sh -ah-aah !grrr! - shut up, Kim Seokjin, I will put my fist through your fucking throa- AHH!”  

An intense wave of pain rocked through Jeongguk’s body, more intense than anything he’d ever felt in his life.  

He started to cry.   

God, he felt pathetic – but it felt like he was being ripped apart from the inside out, and not all at once but in waves.  

He clawed at his stomach and arms, his head and the ground, and when Jeongguk felt a sting on his wrists where he had been grabbing, he looked and saw the red, the blood that now coated his wrists in places, the nails that now looked like claws peeking from his fingers – tipped in the blood they had just drawn from his body.  

What’s happening to me?...   

“ You’re a wolf, Jeongguk! Just like us!”  

“I-I’m human! You’re insane!”  

Jeongguk was racked with another wave of pain, and he cursed and cried.  

God, when would this end ?  

He heard a whine, and a shuffling sound, and as he looked up he could see the wolf with the Caramel and Chocolate covered fur that carried Taehyung’s scent of Sandalwood bellying towards him slowly.  

Ever since then....  

“ Was this you?... Did you do this to me?...”  

A whine.  

“You were born this way, Jeongguk. There is no other way to be one of us... In fact, it it hadn’t of been for Taehyung, we wouldn’t have known at all. Please trust me when I say: We are not your enemy. We’re trying to help .”  

Jeongguk looks at the one speaking – the one named Park Jimin.  

He finds himself looking into the other man’s eyes, and as much as he can’t stand the other’s scent – it’s his eyes that make Jeongguk want to believe him.   

He looks at Kim Seokjin – a man so self-absorbed he ruined Jeongguk’s first year at university – and found that even the look on Kim Seokjin’s face didn’t make him want to punch his lights out for once.  

He then – for reasons unknown to himself – finds himself looking at the wolf in the middle. At the red eyes that appeared scary at first, but who’s colour now reminded Jeongguk, not of blood, but of the bright strawberry syrup he used to get on his Shaved Ice in the summer in Busan.   

The next wave of pain takes his breath away as it causes his back to arch, and the rest of his body to jerk unceremoniously on the ground, until it relents and he’s left shaking and crying, whispering and whining obscenities aloud as his voice turns hoarse from the strain.  

There’s something suddenly very cold and wet pressing into his temple, and if he wasn’t so exhausted, he’d have jumped out of his skin, but as it was he just trembled a little, then turned to the source.  

The wolf was on his stomach, low on his haunches, and gently touching his shoulder and the side of his face with his muzzle and nose, a high pitched, yet low whine coming from it’s throat.  

It seemed to trying to communicate.  

Let us help you.  

Jeongguk was through with trying to worm his way out of this situation.  

Even if they left, there was absolutely no way he was managing to go anywhere on his own for the moment.  

“Fine. Help. Please. Just make it all stop...”  

Chapter Text

Ch. 3 Part 2

As Seokjin and Jimin managed to lug Jeongguk all the way back to Taehyung apartment, Taehyung guarded and acted as protector, continuously circling the 3 men on the backstreets, keeping them to the empty and unfrequented areas, and Taehyung was glad that from the outside, it just looked like 2 men taking their very drunk friend back home.   

Because lord knows a group of 3 men and a wolf did not need to get stopped by police.  

They also had to keep stopping for Jeongguk to throw up – apparently Liquorice held a lot of bad memories and caused his stomach to revolt when smelling Seokjin’s Aniseed scent – for Jeongguk they were too alike to ignore (for both him and his stomach).  

When they finally arrived back at Taehyung’s domicile, Jeongguk was practically unable to focus on anything aside for the pain. Every once in a while, someone’s nails had dragged through his scalp, or over his still-tender neck, and despite it being fucking weird – it helped, so Jeongguk didn’t complain.  

Of course, once through Taehyung’s front door, Jeongguk started to freak out and it made Jimin and Jin drop him rather unceremoniously to the floor.  

Taehyung could smell the distinct aroma of Omega, and the way the other had been clutching at his behind lead Taehyung to the simple conclusion: Jeongguk’s heat was now properly settling in and they wouldn’t have long to talk to the other about what was happening to him.  

But before he could send a thought through the link to the others, the other sprang up from the floor, and scrambled down the hall and into the first open door he found – the Master Bedroom.  

And was it the worst possible scenario for an Omega in heat?  

Absolutely.  

Taehyung shifted back, naked as the day he was born and sighed.  

“Well - looks like we’re going nowhere... Even without an explanation he’ll probably start on his own... He’ll probably get frustrated soon though – I suggest someone – namely Jin – goes for food and supplies. Looks like no-one will be leaving for a while after that. No way we didn’t leave a massive trail of “Omega-In-Heat" through the city backstreets - I'm not leaving this flat.”  

Jin looked affronted.  

“Why me? I’m a beta – better for protection here at the nest than an Omega, by far!”  

“Because 1) the Omega in that bedroom hates you, 2) Because it would mean either making Jimin go on his own or myself, and 3) it’s my damn house!”  

Jin glared then huffed out a breath, turning on his heel and storming towards the front door once more.  

“And Jin?” Jimin spoke sweetly, his voice carrying to the ears of the elder, and his eyes crescents glittering dangerously in the light of the living room.  

Jin raised a brow in question.  

“You ever say you’re better for protection of the nest than an Omega ever again - I'll rip your dick off and shove it down your throat, M’kay?”  

And Jin cleared his throat, nodded and left.  

That was the Omega strength. In the streets, they were weak. But the nest – Jin shuddered.  

Any wolf who pissed of an Omega in the nest had wish for pain . Around other Omega’s who were vulnerable? Seokjin fully believed there was an easier and less painful way to commit suicide...  

Taehyung sighed, and sat down on the sofa, hiding his face under his arm – the heavy, almost intoxicating scent of an Omega in heat permeating the entirety of his flat, and Taehyung never thought he’d be fighting as hard to control his wolf so much – who was, by the way, practically affronted at leaving the Omega alone – the poor pup would be so confused.  

He heard Jimin shuffling around in the kitchen, the Omega humming to himself as he fixed some basic food and drink, and soon he was back in the living room, shoving Taehyung’s legs out the way to sit on the sofa with him as he put down 2 bowls of simple ramen.  

“Eat. We’re about to go through 3 days of protecting a presenting Omega in heat. We’ll need it.”  

Taehyung huffed, his cheeks puffing out. He didn’t really feel like eating, but he understood the necessity of it – they had to eat, sleep and keep synch with the Omega now hidden in the bedroom.  

They were about halfway through when Taehyung heard the first muffled keens.  

He and Jimin paused in their eating, the smell of distress churning their nose.  

Jimin was the first up, rushing to the bedroom door and knocking quickly, with Taehyung hot on his heels.  

“Jeongguk? Gukkie? Are you okay?”  

Suddenly the sound of breaking glass hit their ears, and Taehyung swore, pushing Jimin aside, trying the door.  

Locked.  

Of course – nothing could be simple.  

Taehyung stood back and quickly connected hit foot with the handle, the door budged, but not enough. He kicked again, then again and finally the door bust open.  

The first thing that hit them was the smell of heat, the second was the smell of fresh air, and the third was the sight of the black and furry canine with bright blue eyes staring them down from under the window ledge.  

They froze.  

The Omega’s eyes were dilated, the irises a darker black than Taehyung had ever seen – so beautiful, they looked like they held stars... but those stars signalled danger.  

The wolf growled.  

“Jimin, get back...”  

He and Jimin took a slow careful step back, not making any sudden movements.  

And when they reached the threshold, all they had to do was reach and close the door – fixing the lock could be done later, but the next thing Taehyung knows, he’s shoving Jimin out the door and intercepting the massive black wolf lunging at him from across the room.  

As Jeongguk’s teeth sink into his arm, piercing flesh and drawing blood, Taehyung wonders what the fuck is going on...  

10 minutes earlier  

Jeongguk feels so hot.  

He’s so so so hot.  

The second they arrived at wherever the 3 stooges had taken him, Jeongguk had run to the one place that smelled the best – that had none of the scent of Aniseed or overpowering Floral Bouquet, but instead the Sandalwood and Leather. It had made him feel better in some ways, and he had stripped off instantly, letting the air cool his skin.  

He sank to the floor, wincing and cringing at the horrible wetness he could feel between his legs leaking from his ass – and he felt mortified, disgusting and terrified.  

He didn’t understand what was happening to him. At all.  

His body ached, his muscles spasmed and he watched as at some points he saw his skin and flesh spasming and trembling like it was a separate entity from himself.  

He felt empty, his head was swimming, his vision was blurry – only half of which was due to the tears that were coursing silently down his cheeks.  

He just wanted it to stop – why wouldn’t it stop?!  

He didn’t want this.  

He didn’t even know what this was!  

He laid on the floor – the cold was nice but soon it was nowhere near enough... Jeongguk crawled to the window, managing to stand on his own legs, and reaching for the window ledge.  

He pulled.  

And it didn’t budge – locked.  

Jeongguk cried out, a pathetically whinging cry that was almost like a keen, hiding his face in his arm.  

He couldn’t even recognise his own behaviour right now, how utterly cringeworthy and humiliating.  

When the suffocating scent of dying floral bouquet hit his nose, it was as if a part deep inside him reacted before he could even stop it... He barely heard the knock that followed, nor the words spoken, Suddenly he was throwing his head back as his body convulsed and shuddered violently, his body hitting the glass of the window hard as he lost his balance, and causing it to shatter.  

He continued to convulse, a pain so blinding he couldn’t even scream ripping through his flesh and tearing through his bones – which he swore he could hear breaking and realigning themselves.  

And suddenly, the world was a very different place.  

The door opened, and Jeongguk stared at the others who had dare invaded his temporary space.  

How dare they?  

How dare they?  

Danger! Threat!  

Jeongguk felt himself zone in on the smaller one – the other Omega.  

He could take him on.  

He growled in warning.  

He watched and moved in sync as both the others took a step back, and when he saw them reach the threshold, he tightened his muscles, and lunged...  

When Taehyung manages to push the wolf back, he grunts at the teeth ripping out of his flesh.  

Jeongguk lunges forward again, this time his teeth snapping towards Taehyung’s face, but Taehyung ducks and steps to the side, kicking the wolf hard in the side and sending him flying. He quickly shifts himself, hoping his larger size will make the Omega think twice about attacking, but with how pissed off he can smell the Omega is - burning Cinnamon invading his nose – Taehyung finds it unlikely.  

He forces a quick shift, and prepares himself for the Omega who has recovered from being sent flying.  

Now, there are 2 wolves in the room, One Black and Large, but the other Caramel one almost insanely so – almost dwarfing the other in size.  

Taehyung growls – threatening and low, pumping out his pheremones to force the Omega to calm down and submit, when suddenly, his wolf smells it – the sudden spike of arousal, then the scent of distress, then the sound of whimpering.  

The black wolf suddenly darts under the bed, hiding away.  

Taehyung and his Alpha are amused.  

He lets out a huff, then pads over to the side of the bed, looking underneath in wolf form, and seeing the curled shaking form of the Omega in the dark.  

Distressed. Sad. Fear.  

The scents were almost overwhelming to Taehyung’s nose, his Alpha whining internally.  

He slowly crawls under the space, and before the black wolf can react, Taehyung latches on to the scruff of his neck, and drags him out.  

He lowers his head to make eye contact, praying that both being in their shifted forms makes communication easier.  

Calm down. Breathe. Then shift back.  

Silence.  

Then a whine.  

Listen. Keep Calm and Breathe.  

Another whine.  

Imagine words. Send them. Picture talking. Nothing hard.  

The omega looked baleful, blue eyes glowing brightly.  

Taehyung kept eye contact, when suddenly, he could hear the other’s voice – faint, but there.  

Keep other out. Smell horrible.  

Jimin? Not your Packmate – Wolf doesn’t like non-pack.  

Hurts. Why? Don’t understand.  

Heat and Presentation. Won’t hurt so bad next time.  

Next time?!  

Taehyung almost startles at the sudden snarling and choppy barking coming from the other wolf, and shifts back, pissing himself with laughter at the other.  

He stops immediately when he feels teeth nip his leg.  

“Sorry, just, I’ve never met a wolf who tried to curse like a human while in wolf form. Now, if you shift back, we can have a discussion. Normally, another Omega would be the one to have this talk with you, but seeing as you can’t stand Jimin’s scent – the honour falls to me. Shift back by focusing on being human – you need to start envisioning the change for it to happen. And the more you do it, the faster it will get.”  

The black wolf looks at him unsure, then clumsily climbs up on the bed. Taehyung won’t admit he finds it a little endearing. He watches as the black wolf lays down, resting his head on his paws, and closing his eyes.  

Taehyung waits.  

It can take a little while for wolves to learn the shift back, so he’s prepared to be patient.  

In the silence, he hears the front door go, and the murmuring down the hall.  

The scent of Aniseed becomes a little stronger, and Taehyung sighs.  

“Taehyung, I grabbed some of the stuff he’ll need over the next few days – you okay in there? Should I leave the stuff outside?”  

“I’m just peachy, Jin, but yeah leave it outside the door, Jeongguk’s shifted and will rip either you or Jimin apart if he spots you or smells you.”  

Jin snorts.  

“No different frow how he acts around me normally, then?”  

“ Not the time, Jin”  

“ Yes, yes. Fine. Bags are outside. Going.”  

Taehyung sits there in silence, and eventually he picks up a subtle shift in the scents in the room. He looks at Jeongguk, and watches at the wolf on the bed is slowly replaced by the man in mention, naked.  

He gives him a few more seconds to adjust, then speaks.  

“So, pay attention because this is going to be an awkward Birds and Bees conversation, done very quickly and haphazardly. Okay?”  

Jeongguk nods, he doesn’t quite think he can bring it in himself to use his vocal cords yet.  

“Ok. So. Most wolves present in their teenage years – 16 at the latest. When a wolf presents, they’re either Alpha – like me, Beta – like Jin, or Omega – like Jimin and, well, you. Alphas’ have Ruts, Betas’ get – well, nothing, because they don’t really have the ability to mate or have children, and therefore don’t have a repoductive cycle – and Omegas’ get Heats. Heats are when an Omega is most fertile. Your temperature skyrockets, your pheromones becomes incredibly potent, and your entrance will prepare itself for mating – hence why you can feel you ass leaking – it's called slick and is an Omegas natural lubricant. You with me so far?”  

Jeongguk cringes and nods.  

“Just about... it’s like a magical lycanthrope puberty – go on.”  

Taehyung, again, found himself amused.  

“Well all Omegas’ experience a heat a few times a year, but the first Heat is a phantom Heat – a ghost heat, that normally isn’t as bad as normal heats are. However, your wolf – for whatever reason – was asleep or in stasis, because you didn’t present when it should have, and now I assume your body is trying to play catch-up. But, the problems is, if you lock up a dog and never let it eat, when it’s set free, it’s out of control and rabid, eating everything in sight...”  

Jeongguk groaned, gripping the sheets in pain as another wave hit his already fatigued limbs.  

“Ho-how do I stop it?”  

“You don’t.”  

Jeongguk chuckled.  

“No. You don’t understand, as a vet I well understand animal reproductive cycles, and if this is going to last longer past monday - I need to stop it. I have work, a life. I refuse to put up with this fucking bullsh-AGH!”  

Jeongguk seized on the bed, his every muscle feeling like it was on fire and being melted from within.  

Taehyung went over to his side, releasing a heavy dose of his pheromones, and smoothing his hand over the back of Jeongguk’s neck.  

Jeongguk had no clue what Taehyung was doing, or why it felt so damn nice.... He just knew it was helping...  

He just didn’t want him to stop...  

Taehyung’s eyes go wide when the other pulls him into bed with him, and they go even wider when Jeongguk starts nuzzling into his chest and neck. Taehyung can hear him taking deep breaths, and feeling the boy tremble slightly as he does. His Alpha, prideful and instinct driven creatures as they are, is almost preening .  

Taehyung clears his throat.  

“ Jeongguk? If you like my scent, you can use my clothes to make a nest if you like?...”  

Jeongguk keeps sniffing away, and Taehyung really is trying desperately to be a gentle-Alpha. With every second he spends like this he gets a nose full of increasing Omega arousal, add on the fact that the Omega seems taken with his scent when his instincts take over, meaning Taehyung can feel the Omega scenting him continuously, and Taehyung is wondering how on earth he’s going to leave his room with the omega so attached.  

He continues to let the Omega scent him, when all of a sudden there’s a spike in Jeongguk’s scent – his arousal.  

He feels Jeongguk press himself closer, then he feels him suddenly nip his neck and he shivers.  

“Jeongguk. Stop. You’re not in your right mind. If you’re horny, there are some heat toys in a bag outside the bedroom specially for you. Let me get them, and I can leave you to it....”  

Bright blue eyes flash almost white as they glare at him.  

“So, let me get this straight, Alpha . You wake up my wolf, stalk me, accost me, bring me back to your flat because you want to “ help” me and now you won’t make good on that offer?”  

Taehyung is.... speechless.  

He continues to stare, then allows his pupils to bleed red.  

“ Omega . You have no clue what you’re asking for – you said it yourself earlier, it is like you are drugged right now – that is not consent. And I am not an Alpha who would take advantage of an Omega in heat, least of all one just presenting.”  

Jeongguk growls.  

“ I am not an idiot!”  

Again, Taehyung is taken aback.  

“I never said-”  

“I may be out of my fucking mind – yes. That is definitely true. Because if I was in my right damn mind, I wouldn’t be talking like this, I would have been gone from the club the second I ran into Jin’s gangnam-botox face, or when you did whatever you fucking did to my neck because no sane and normal person bites someone on the back of the neck like that, or when you turned into a fucking oversized canine in the middle of a backstreet. But I don’t care. I’m still lucid enough to figure out, that your scent only helps with the pain to a certain degree. But I am still horny as fuck, have been for hours, and even when I'm not burning up from the fucking inside, I think you’re attractive enough that I'd make a pass at you. If this is all about signalling my fertility and shit, like when a bitch goes into heat, then getting a good fuck should help, right?”  

Taehyung blew out his cheeks – the boy wasn't wrong , but fuck did Taehyung feel like there was any passion or real sentiment behind being asked.  

“Look, Jeongguk, you’re not wrong. But, still, you don’t like me very much, so I don’t think we’d even be compatible, do you? Besides, that was the least inorganic, dispassionate proposal I've ever heard, I think...”  

“Dispassionate? You want passion? When you’d literally be doing it as a way of helping me?”  

“I just think, you’re not making much sense, Jeongguk. You don’t like me, you like my scent, not me. You know nothing about me, can’t stand my friends, and last I checked - I do still have a bite wound on my arm from around an hour ago – we might heal fast, but wounds inflicted by other wolves take longer...”  

Taehyung doesn’t think he’s ever seen someone move so fast. Jeongguk sits up and grabs his arm, pulling Taehyung up with him.  

Jeongguk inspects the still damp blood on the skin, the already-closing, but nasty looking bite wound on his forearm... And he starts to cry.  

He doesn’t know why – and this just makes it even worse.  

He cries harder and harder, and he can’t stop.  

Taehyung doesn’t have a damn clue what to do, where to start, or how to continue with the situation – he doesn’t think he’s ever been around such an unstable Omega before.  

He goes with the first instinct he has, which is just to hold and comfort the Omega, bringing him close and laying his head on his shoulder, until the Omega is seated over his lap, cuddled into his neck.  

Taehyung doesn’t know how long he sits there, shushing and cradling the upset Omega, but eventually he notices the Omega stops sniffling, and has fallen asleep, his little mouth open and snoring rather cutely.  

Taehyung does think Jeongguk is beautiful though, even with his face adorned by the red and blotchy tear tracks that make their way down his cheeks.  

He gently moves to the side, and then gets up then he goes to his laundry basket and takes out the clothes he had already worn – these would have more of his scent on them that the clean ones in the wardrobe.  

He piles them around Jeongguk on the bed, hoping to at least offer appeasement to the Omega while he went through his heat.  

He then opens the door quietly, takes the bag from outside the room, and brings it inside placing it next to the bed for the other to see.  

He leaves the room, heading to the living room, where Jimin is already asleep, and Jin is nowhere to be seen.  

He sits in the armchair by the table, facing the door, and closes his eyes.  

Hopefully, tomorrow would be an exercise in normality...  

***  

“Well, you absolutely reek.”  

Taehyung opens his eyes and stares at Jimin who is standing above him with eagle eyes, scrunching his nose.  

Taehyung sighs.  

“I know... I need a shower...”  

“Yeah. And some clothes. Stop letting everything hang out! No-one wants to see you’re wrinkly ballsack!”  

Taehyung looks at the clock, and sighs.  

Not even 3 hours sleep.  

Taehyung stands up and stretches, then heads back to the bedroom. He pauses outside the door and listens for any sound, but it’s silent. He gently pushes open the door, and sees Jeongguk is still sleeping on the bed, the dirty clothes now moved and placed like blankets and pillows.  

Taehyung would be lying if it didn’t stroke his pride as an Alpha that a presenting and vulnerable Omega felt comfort in his scent.  

He started searching his wardrobe for clothes for the day, when he hears a moan from the bed. He stills in his search, and when there’s no more sounds he continues, breathing out a breath.  

He continues searching, trying to find a pair of slacks that he feels will be warm enough to deal with the slight chill to the day, when all of a sudden, he almost chokes.  

He bends over, grabbing the edge of the wooden door, and tries to maintain control.  

If he thought Jeongguk’s scent had been delectable the previous evening – it was nothing compared to now. Sweet strawberries filled the room, making Taehyung’s mouth salivate, and he grit his teeth and covered his mouth and nose.  

Shit. Shit. Keep it together. Grab your shit, and go.  

He’s rushing to grab any pair of slack at this point – why is all he can find tracksuit bottoms?! - when the scent of Strawberries, so sweet it was almost overpowering hit his nose, and he ended up almost crushing the wooden wardrobe door in his grip.  

He turned around.  

Blue eyes. So bright they were almost white, inches from his face. Jeongguk’s face was flushed, his cheeks pink, his neck, shoulders... everywhere that Taehyung could see was flushed so faintly pink, it glistened slightly with the sweat that exuded from his pores – sweet-smelling and enticing. His eyes were glazed over, and with every nose of Taehyung’s scent, Taehyung watched as Jeongguk got closer and closer.  

Jeongguk presses himself against Taehyung, and all Taehyung can smell, everywhere, is Jeongguk. All he can feel is the heat radiating from the body pressing into him. He closes his eyes and tries to ignore the pheromones the other is pumping out – even if he can feel his cock starting to wake as it’s pressed between him and the other.  

Oh, Jeongguk will kill him – whether his heart gives out or the Omega bites his jugular into two is the question.  

“Jeongguk?”  

No answer. Jeongguk just seems intent on smelling him for now, the other pressing nose into Taehyung collarbones and moving up, scenting as he goes.  

“Jeongguk?”  

When Jeongguk reaches his neck, he starts sniffing deeply, trailing his nose slowly across the skin, and trailing his hands down Taehyung’s body, and the lower they go – the less interested his dick and the inner Alpha are at fighting the effects of the chemical signals the Omega seems to be pumping out in waves. He’s never come across an Omega who produced such strong pheromones before – Taehyung can feel his nails lengthening and his cock hardening at a stupidly fast pace.  

His mind is screaming to push the Omega away, but a massive part of him is also screaming at him to make the other scream his name again and again. He grips Jeongguk by the hips in order to push him away, but the contact with the Omega’s burning skin seems only to fuel the other into pushing himself closer.  

“ Alpha...” Jeongguk whispers sweetly in his ear, his delectable scent right under Taehyung’s nose.  

And all Taehyung can think about is how good Jeongguk smells, how perfectly his body is slotting against his, how the room is starting to smell so strongly of Omega that Taehyung thinks he’ll be smelling strawberries for months, how good Jeongguk’s mouth now feels travelling down his neck and his chest...  

Wait...  

This...  

Fuck!  

Taehyung bites on the inside of his cheek, using the pain to refocus himself, and then he grabs Jeongguk around the waist, picking him up and throwing him on the bed.  

“Bad Omega! Fuck – you're a fast learner, huh?”  

Jeongguk whines, caught in the act.  

“ Taehyung, PLEASE?! I had a look in that bag... And – fucking what ARE those?! Those are NOT a normal dick! I can’t use something like that! It’s not even the size, but what the fuck is that thing at the bottom on most of them, and why the fuck does it look like a Canine’s knot?!”  

Taehyung groaned. He forgot that Jeongguk wouldn’t know that particular fact about shifter wolves like them...  

“It looks like a knot, because it is a knot, Jeongguk. We are part Canine – at least biologically. What, how did you think we mated? Like humans? Yeah, sure, the sex is fun – we're more than animals, but we do need a way to ensure impregnation – a knot is the best way, but only Alpha’s have them, and only Omega’s can take them.”  

Jeongguk just stared at him, unblinking, then he took a breath surging forward, and rabbing Taehyung’s cock, twisting it this way and that.  

“I don’t see anything.”  

Taehyung shoves Jeongguk’s hands away.  

“Are you seriously handling my dick like a toy, right now?”  

Jeongguk shrugs, humming.  

“You don’t seem to want to do anything else with it, so...”  

Taehyung wants to bash his head against a wall. He pinches his nose between his fingers and sighs.  

“Jeongguk, are you serious, right now? I’m trying to help you by not taking advantage of you and doing something that will make you hate me... I don’t plan on repaying your kindness by being an asshole. It’s not in my nature as an Alpha or as a person. You need help, and guidance, and a pack around you – and we can’t do that or offer that if you despise my guts.”  

At this, Jeongguk gripped his hand and looked into his eyes.  

“Taehyung - this is going to sound pathetic, but honestly – the thought of using those toys terrifies me . I’m used to big dildos - I have my own fucking collection – pun not intended – but... Taehyung, I don’t know what to do... It-it feels different. My body feels different. I feel different. I mean, what’s the problem? Am I not your type? Not attractive enough - I can turn around and you can fuck me from behind you never have to see my face! Just-… Please, Taehyung... It hurts ...”  

Jeongguk’s eyes turn misty and he looks down, such a picture of sadness that Taehyung can feel his heart twinge.  

Well, now, that’s just unfair. His inner Alpha is practically whining at the look on the other’s face.  

Taehyung takes a deep breath.  

“Fuck, Jeongguk – listen to me. Look, if me and you met randomly somewhere with you being your bratty self Omega or not, and me a normal Alpha, I'd have bent you over a million times and made you scream my name until it was the only word you knew – alas, our meeting as not been normal, nor straight forward. Now, Jeongguk, If you want me to – and you are absolutely positive about your decision – to help you, then you should lay on the bed and get comfy – I'll try to be gentle, but I can’t promise anything...”  

The happiness and relief on Jeongguk’s face that appeared at his words gave Taehyung whiplash.  

“ Thank you, Taehyung!”  

Jeongguk laid down on the bed and made “grabby hands” reaching for Taehyung and pulling him in. Taehyung goes willingly, caging the other in as he slots himself between the others thighs. He brings a hand up to stroke Jeongguk’s face, watching the other for any sign of hesitance as he gently lowers himself until his lips connect with Jeongguk’s. They both close their eyes.  

Jeongguk’s lips are plush, soft and warm. He tastes like the remnants of the fruit water resting on the nightstand, and Taehyung is immediately annoyed that Jin bought strawberry – he probably thought he was being funny, but right now, Taehyung finds it an absolute sin that Jeongguk’s mouth tastes like he smells – and Taehyung mouth waters at the prospect of Jeongguk’s slick tasting exactly the same.  

This is what makes him start moving. Tearing himself away from Jeongguk’s lips, he makes his way down his neck, sucking, licking and biting all around his scent gland. When Jeongguk’s bucks his hips at a particularly hard bite, their shafts rub together, Jeongguk’s weeping desperately, and Taehyung’s hard and hot, and Jeongguk keens loudly.  

Taehyung knows there’s no way Jin and Jimin didn’t hear it, and he prays they don’t decide to investigate.  

He moves onwards, trailing his mouth down Jeongguk’s collarbones to his nipples, and then flicking them with his tongue.  

He hears Jeongguk gasp, and feels him jerk far more than he expected.  

“Oh?... Are you sensitive here, by any chance, pup?”  

He feels the full body shudder that illicits, and watches the Jeongguk’s eyes go wide.  

“ What the...”  

“ It’s okay, baby. It’s natural. Pup is a term of endearment for those who are under our care – not just the description of age. Omega’s instinctually love the name... And I happen to think the way you flushed pink and shivered when I said it adorable...”  

The omega turned an even deeper shade of pink.  

“ You’re being mean... Mean Alpha...”  

“ Oh, sweetheart, I can be very mean – but I'm just teasing you. Now, pup, can I continue? I didn’t quite finish playing, you see...”  

Taehyung lowers his head once more to Jeongguk’s chest, and starts attacking the boy’s nipples in earnest. Jeongguk starts thrashing – he's too sensitive for that! - but Taehyung doesn’t relent. He continues to suck on Jeongguk’s nipples, eventually pinning the boy’s hands above his head hard as he grinds his cock against Jeongguk’s using the friction to coax Jeongguk closer to the edge.  

Jeongguk cums with a shout, his orgasm taking him by surprise, and as Jeongguk cums and Taehyung milks him through it, Jeongguk doesn’t have an opportunity to thank Taehyung or get his breath back as Taehyung travels even further south, licking and kissing down his stomach, and licking up every drop of Jeongguk’s cum.  

Jeongguk has never been so ready to go again so fast in his life, and he is worried that Kim Taehyung may be the death of him.  

It’s confirmed when his heart skips a beat as Taehyung moves back, smiling at Jeongguk menacingly, before yanking the boy’s legs up so his asshole was completely on show.  

Jeongguk gasps, and whines – never before has he felt so fucking open . But then Taehyung does something that drives him wild.  

Taehyung’s head disappears inbetween his legs and all Jeongguk can feel is the man’s tongue invading his most intimate and vulnerable area, licking up, down, and all around, before plunging itself inside his hole, and Jeongguk feels like he’s about to spontaneously combust.  

“ Oh, please! Taehyung! Alpha! Please – more! Please!”  

Taehyung loves the cries from Jeongguk, he tastes absolutely fucking divine – like the creamiest and sweetest strawberries in existence, and Taehyung would happily feast on the Omega for the rest of his damn life. He inserts 2 fingers into the other’s hole, causing an outpouring of slick, and he lets out a low growl of satisfaction as he laps and sucks it up, and when Jeongguk starts moving his hips back onto Taehyung’s fingers, he inserts another.  

“ Oh, fuck, oh fuck, ohfuck-ohfuck-ohfuck... A-Alpha, Tae, Please st-op teasing! Please! Just fuck me already!”  

Taehyung chuckles.  

“Cute... Oh, pup, a heat isn’t quick... I plan on making you cum again before putting my cock in you, and I plan on making you cum twice more with my cock inside you, once on my knot.”  

Jeongguk chokes.  

“Tae! I’ve only ever come twice – sorry to disappoint.”  

“And, once again – you're not human anymore.”  

“ Holy fuck – I’m gunna die...”  

Taehyung chuckles.  

“Don't worry, pup. I’m going easy on you – I'd normally aim for seven.”  

Jeongguk’s response is cut off by Taehyung thrusting in a third finger as he wraps his mouth around Jeongguk’s cock. He curls his fingers up, and presses directly on his prostate while bobbing his head up and down., keeping the other hand still.  

He feels Jeongguk’s body lock up, and again the other reaches his climax, this time down his throat and Taehyung hums as he sucks Jeongguk’s cum from his cock, milking him of every drop. When he finishes, he keeps eye contact with Jeongguk as he swallows, enjoying the look of disbelief on the other’s face.  

“What?” He asks.  

“Are-… Jesus fucking Christ ...” Jeongguk mumbles. “Are you even real? I swear, this feels like a fucking hallucination...” Jeongguk hides his flushed face under his arm.  

Well, now, that made Taehyung all sort of conflicted.  

Because, well, his Alpha on one hand was happy that the Omega felt so good that he felt like the situation was too good to be true. On the other hand, his Alpha was also very annoyed at the other meaning that the other wouldn’t be feeling this afterwards – and honestly, an Alpha’s ego is a fragile thing.  

He inserts himself properly inbetween Jeongguk’s thighs.  

“I don’t feel “ real” did you say?” Taehyung mentions in a casual tone.  

“Not exac- Ahhk!-”  

Taehyung had aligned the head of his cock with Jeongguk’s hole, and pushed in swiftly, impaling the other on his shaft. He put his mouth next to Jeongguk’s ear.  

“Feel real enough for you, yet, pup?”  

Jeongguk’s mouth just hung open. He felt so full, so so full, all the air has been knocked from his lungs. He couldn’t answer. He just shook his head, unable to realise the response he just gave.  

“No? Oh, well... I’ll have to change that then...”  

Taehyung pulled back, then slammed in again, pulled back slowly, and then again he let his hips crash against Jeongguk’s ass. Taehyung kept changing position ever so slightly on his retreat, searching for that one spot he knew would illicit a response, and he found it within his next few thrusts, punching a loud high-pitched whine of overwhelming pleasure from the Omega. And once Taehyung found the location of Jeongguk’s prostate, he didn’t stop. He made sure to continue thrusting as hard as he could, pummelling into the Omega as Jeongguk did nothing but moan and curse. He continued until he felt Jeongguk start to tighten like a vice around his cock.  

When Jeongguk came it was with a shout, and with significantly less cum that the previous two times.  

Jeongguk was just starting to get a little hazy, he finally felt like his skin was no longer on fire, and the cramps and aches that had racked his body had all but disappeared. He was just about to thank Taehyung, when he felt himself being grabbed and manoeuvred onto his hands and knees.  

“ Whu-Ah!”  

Taehyung had pushed back in, his large cock invading Jeongguk’s hole from behind – the irony of the name of the position not lost on him, even in the heat of the moment – and Jeongguk cries out. It’s too much!  

Taehyung is reaching deeper than Jeongguk thought he could go, once again robbing Jeongguk of the air in his lungs. Most would find it uncomfortable, but even as a human Jeongguk has always loved them big , and now, the cock splitting him open is absolutely divine – even if Jeongguk feels like he’s about to suffocate. The pain, the depth, the burn... Jeongguk lives for it. And right now, Jeongguk thinks that Taehyung’s cock beats his scent by a goddamn mile.  

Even if Jeongguk really feels like there’s absolutely no way he can cum again, he can already feel his cock chubbing up and Jeongguk is honestly surprised.  

He honestly doesn’t know if he can come again, but it looks as if Taehyung’s going to try and force another one out of him – not that he’s complaining, really, but God he is going to be sore.  

As Taehyung starts to thrust into him from behind, he struggles to keep himself up, almost collapsing several times before Taehyung wraps an arm around his waist, and a hand around his throat and hoists him up and back so he’s now kneeling, sat over Taehyung’s lap, his back to Taehyung’s chest. Taehyung nuzzles his nose into Jeongguk’s neck, biting and sucking hard enough to bruise, as the hand that was wrapped around his neck travels downwards and between Jeongguk’s legs, and Taehyung slowly pushes a finger in next to his cock, using his palm to stimulate Jeongguk’s perineum.  

“ Oh-my... Ohhhhhhh....”  

The almost animal moan that came from the man sat on his lap made Taehyung feel rather smug, and he bucked his hips up faster into Jeongguk’s wet passage, now letting out so much slick it covered both their thighs and several patches on the bed. Taehyung could feel the gentle gathering of pressure at the base of his cock, and he knew he didn’t have long left before his knot started to form, so he redoubled his efforts, grinding his cock inside Jeongguk’s hole and constantly pressing deep inside, until the boy shuddered gently on his lap instead of seizing like before. Even the boy’s muscles didn’t contract as tightly, and when the boy almost falls forward, Taehyung catches him quickly.  

He pulls himself out of the boy’s hole, and lays him down on his side, laying down behind him and then lifting the other’s leg, sliding himself back inside Jeongguk’s hole slowly. When he’s seated, his hips flush to Jeongguk’s, he merely grinds in slow and deep, circling his hips around and around.  

This round is slow, almost sensual in nature, and eventually all the 2 wolves in the room can smell is their overlaying scents. All Taehyung can taste is Strawberries with a hint of peach, and all Jeongguk can smell is a sweet smoky Sandalwood.  

Despite the lazy pace, slow grind, and the amount of times he’s cum already, he’s surprised he can even feel the approach of another, but soon his skin starts to tingle, and his insides start to burn as his heart rate starts to climb once more.  

This isn’t the only thing he feels, though.  

There’s a pressure at his rim, it feels odd – like a finger next to a cock, but it feels different somehow.  

Both sensations simultaneously are weird, and Jeongguk doesn’t know how to voice his concerns, but as Taehyung starts to grind against him harder, the pressure becomes larger, and he realises that Taehyung’s so-called knot, has formed.  

And truthfully, he’s still a little weirded out by the concept – even if the pressure at his rim feels fucking amazing.  

However, little does he know that he’s barely feeling a fraction of it, and as it grows, Taehyung shoves more and more of it inside until Jeongguk has tears of overwhelming pleasure and pain running down his face.  

“Ah! A-alpha! Tae! Too much! Oh-ahh!”  

Taehyung had thrust into his prostate, and was now grinding against it mercilessly, and as Taehyung forced the last of his knot past Jeongguk’s rim, Jeongguk convulsed like he had received an electric shock and came so hard his vision went white.  

With his knot now lodged where it should be, Taehyung started to move slowly.  

At first, it appeared that Jeongguk was unresponsive, but after a few moments he started to shiver with every movement, his body almost constantly trembling, and Taehyung kissed his neck gently, nibbling, sucking and biting all along Jeongguk’s neck.  

When Taehyung felt his own climax approaching, he whispered into the drowsy yet conscious Omega’s ear.  

“Almost done, pup. Last stretch. Done so well – doing so well. Such a natural Omega.”  

There was a soft whine from the other.  

Taehyung smiled fondly – from brat to baby, really, such trouble...  

He continues rocking his hips, and when he feels Jeongguk’s hole tighten slightly once more, and shudder around him, his own balls tighten as liquid heat races through his veins, and he climaxes deep inside Jeongguk. It takes almost a full 30 seconds from start to finish for him to cum – Alpha's have ridiculous staying power if they choose it, the effect of which end up being a load of cum that would rival a prize stallion.  

When he finishes, he wraps his arms around Jeongguk, and brings Jeongguk’s hand down to his stomach.  

There is a very real bulge from both his load and his cock, and when Jeongguk feels this in his half drowsing state he moans quietly.  

“ If you don’ fuck me ‘wake in the mornin’, we’re goin’ to have problems...”  

Taehyung snorts.  

“If you even want me to touch you in the morning – we'll go from there...”  

Jeongguk doesn’t reply – already well on his way to dreamland.  

Taehyung follows suit – with his knot lodges firmly inside the Jeongguk until it goes down, not like he’s going anywhere anytime soon...