Deep Down

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/27609611.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warning: Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/M, M/M, Multi
Fandom: | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Relationship: Jeon Jungkook/Original Female Character(s), Kim Taehyung |
V/Original Female Character(s), Park Jimin (BTS)/Original Female
Character(s), Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Original Female Character(s), Kim
Namjoon | RM/Original Female Character(s), Min Yoongi |
Suga/Original Female Character(s), Kim Seokjin | Jin & Original
Female Character(s), Bangtan Boys | BTS Ensemble & Original
Female Character(s), Bangtan Boys | BTS Ensemble & You, Jeon
Jungkook/Jung Hoseok/Kim Namjoon/Kim Seokjin/Kim Taehyung/Min
Yoongi/Park Jimin, Bangtan Boys | BTS Ensemble/Reader, Bangtan
Boys | BTS Ensemble & Reader
Character: Jeon Jungkook, Kim Taehyung | V, Park Jimin (BTS), Jung Hoseok | J-
Hope, Kim Namjoon | RM, Min Yoongi | Suga, Kim Seokjin | Jin,
Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s)
Additional Tags: Romance, Hybrids, Hybrid Park Jimin (BTS), Wolf Hybrid Park Jimin
(BTS), Wolf Hybrid Kim Namjoon | RM, Bunny Hybrid Jeon Jungkook,
Hybrid Kim Taehyung | V, Hybrid Min Yoongi | Suga, Hybrid Kim
Seokjin | Jin, Hybrid Bangtan Boys | BTS, Eventual Romance, Fluff,
Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Eventual Smut, Polyamorous Bangtan
Boys | BTS Member(s), Polyamory, I'm Bad At Tagging, Jeon Jungkook
is Whipped, Kim Taehyung | V is Whipped, Park Jimin is Whipped
(BTS), Jung Hoseok | J-Hope is Whipped, Kim Namjoon | RM is
Whipped, Min Yoongi | Suga Is Whipped, Min Yoongi | Suga is Bad at
Feelings, Kim Seokjin | Jin is Whipped, Alternate Universe - Soulmates,
ill add more tags as the story progresses, part two on my page
Language: English
Series: Part 1 of Deep Down
Stats: Published: 2020-11-17 Completed: 2021-02-20 Chapters: 27/27 Words:
85021

Deep Down
by SweetTae613

Summary

Unlike other humans, Jae has no problem with the hybrid species. She admires them from
afar, and likes to be in solitude, where she is safe from ridicule and her cruel, controlling
father. When she is saved by a group of them, fate brings all of them back together again.
 Intro
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Namjoon knew this was the day to try to escape. They all wanted to get out, and Namjoon had
finally come up with a plan. There was shuffling outside the door to where all the cages were and a
faint beeping could be heard. Namjoon nodded at Hobi, the red panda, just a few feet away from
him. “You’re on. You got this.” He looked frightened and quite nervous; he would be a fool if he
wasn’t. Namjoon was confident that this would work, although a majority of it all depended on
Hobi’s performance.

He shared looks with 5 other hybrids. A tiger, Taehyung, Yoongi, a black panther, Jin, a snow
white stout, and a dark grey bunny named Jungkook. He also knew Jimin, the other wolf next to
him, was also worried. They looked afraid, but determined. He couldn’t blame them, one false
move, one misstep, and death was probably guaranteed. They had all been stuck there together for
2 years. He considered all of them family. One way or another, he was getting them out of there.

The door swung open and a tall, burly man entered and started fiddling with something on the
table.

Namjoon gave Hobi the signal. He saw the little red panda lay on his side, and begin to make a
loud, shrieking noise. The sudden sound made the man jump, and he kicked the cage violently,
“Shut up in there!” but Hobi didn’t stop. On the outside, it sounded like he was in excruciating
pain.

The man took out a walkie talkie and said something in it that couldn’t be heard through Hobi’s
shrieks. Keep it up Hobes you’re doing great. Just a little more. Namjoon encouraged him while
looking at Jin’s progress. The whole time while the man’s back was turned, Jin was using his long
tail to reach some keys on the wall. Just a little further, and they would be in his grasp.

The door to the room opened again, and another person ran in, carrying a syringe and another cage.
Namjoon was not expecting the syringe and started to panic but didn’t let it show. He looked at Jin
again, and was relieved to see he had the keys. “Thank god you’re here, I don’t know what
happened, this fucker just started screaming bloody murder. I would have just shot him if he wasn’t
so rare. Just put him to sleep will you? I have to run tests on a couple others in here.” the man
scowled.

Namjoon could tell that Hobi didn’t have to act much anymore, and his screams of pain were
slowly turning into screams of terror. He saw Jin toss the keys over to Yoongi’s cage with his tail,
as he was the closest, and his cage was big enough where he could shift. They had given the
hybrids drugs so they couldn’t change back, but Yoongi was able to fake it. They didn’t even
check, a lethal mistake on their part. He shifted so he could grasp the keys, and began wiggling the
keys back and forth in the lock. Thanks to Hobi, the defining click couldn’t be heard.

His cage door swung open, and he tiptoed behind the men to open Taehyung’s cage first, and as
soon as they did, he shifted back into a panther, so they could do what needed to be done. At this
point, both men had Hobi in their hands and he was screeching at the others for help. The men
were unaware that they were about to meet their end. Yoongi went around one side of the table,
and Taehyung went around the other.

They gave each other a look and they both pounced on the men simultaneously with vicious growls
coming from both of them. They tried to rip out the men’s throats before they could scream much,
and they mostly succeeded. Now that there was the smell of blood in the air, Namjoon knew there
wasn’t much time. Good job everyone, now get us out! It’s only a matter of time before someone
checks what happened.

They all shifted back, and while Yoongi and Taehyung looked proud of themselves, Hobi was still
shaking. Taehyung noticed this and patted him on the back and smiled at him for reassurance.
“You did great, man. We never would have gotten out if not for you.” he smiled sheepishly at the
comment. Once everyone was out of their cages, the seven hybrids shifted in their animal forms
and stealthily snuck out of the room, keeping low and quiet. Jin ran ahead, since he was the
smallest, to make sure no one was coming. There were no windows, just long concrete hallways
with rooms and bars. It was a prison through and through.

Hobi knew where the surveillance room was, so he and Yoongi went to go cut those off. Cameras
were everywhere, and they were unavoidable. The rest stayed put, and Namjoon was trying to stay
confident. Everything was going relatively smooth so far. After they cut the surveillance all they
had to worry about were the humans walking around. If only all of them were small, they could
just use the vents. He was going to tell Jungkook and Jin to use them at least. He turned to the both
of them: As soon as those cameras are cut off, they’re going to raise the alarm. Since you two are
the smallest, I want you to just go out through the vents. It’s the safest. Jin looked like he was
about to protest but Jungkook did it for him.

We aren’t just going to leave you all behind. We may be small but we aren’t useless. We can help.
What if you need it? He sounded annoyed and while Namjoon appreciated the gesture, he just
wanted them to be safe

Don’t misunderstand. I’m just looking out for you two. Please. Jin nudged Jungkook and his ears
flopped low in sadness. Jin spoke, We’ll see you on the outside. He led the way, and Jungkook
hopped along to follow him. Namjoon saw them both climb through a small vent, and then they
were gone. Namjoon then turned to Jimin and Taehyung. I want us to free any hybrids we come
across. Even if we have to kill. Are you both up for that? They both glanced at each other, and they
nodded.

The three of them crept further down the hall, and they began to hear footsteps coming in their
direction. Taehyung looked at Namjoon as if to ask for permission, and he nodded. Taehyung crept
up to the corner of the hall, and pounced directly on him.

The screams echoed in the hallway for a second. Jimin and Namjoon ran over to help just in case
and were met with the sound of yelling and gunshots. Namjoon looked at Taehyung and panicked
but he managed to run away with them unscathed. They were out of time. The three of them ran in
the opposite direction and the power suddenly had cut off. That must have been Yoongi and Hobi.
They’re giving us our chance now, come on guys! Namjoon didn’t need to tell them twice as they
ran toward the designated exit.

Shots were still being fired as there were short bursts of light coming from behind them. They were
lucky they had night vision. The exit was near, and Namjoon could hear Hobi nearby. I hear Hobi
he’s calling for us. Jimin said, and they all followed the sound of his voice. Namjoon began to hear
other confused voices, and he realized they were near another room where a bunch of hybrids were
trapped.

Namjoon paused and while Taehyung didn’t notice, Jimin did. Without another word, Jimin ran at
the door and forced it open, making a loud bang. Jimin!! We don’t have time anymore! Wait!!
Namjoon saw Taehyung running back towards their direction and Namjoon heard more footsteps
on the opposite side. An alarm started blaring so loud Namjoon felt his ears were about to burst.
Taehyung, go to Hobi and the others! We’ll catch up, go now! He yelled.

Taehyung hesitated, but Namjoon didn’t have time to make sure he ran away, he had to go help
Jimin. He saw Jimin trying to figure out how to open the cages. They were different from theirs,
something that Jimin didn’t think through. If they made it out of this, Namjoon was gonna kill him.
Namjoon heard the footsteps and yelling getting closer and he suddenly heard screaming and guns
going off.

"Namjoon help me, I figured out how to do this! You just pull the latches on the side like this!" He
shifted back in his human form so he could use his hands. He pulled the latch and two white house
cats came out. “Come on, no time to thank us, help your friends! Let’s all get out together!” Jimin
said, opening more cages. Namjoon shifted too and helped open many as well.

The other hybrids looked terrified but grateful and soon they were all scrambling out the door.
After they were all out, Namjoon ran to see what was happening outside, and could make out, to
his horror, Yoongi and Taehyung, attacking people left and right. There was blood all over them,
the walls, and the floor. He shifted back to a wolf to help, and jumped on a man's back right to stop
him from shooting Yoongi. He bit deep into the man’s shoulder and pulled. He hated the taste of
human flesh in his mouth and almost gagged.

Everyone who was in the hall previously was now dead, but he knew there were more coming.
Everyone was reunited, except Jungkook and Jin who he had assumed were outside waiting for
them all. What are we waiting for? We have to go! Yoongi yelled. Namjoon called out to Jimin and
once they were all together, they eventually reached the back entrance of the facility. He spotted
Jungkook and Jin and they ran behind everyone as quickly as they could.

Namjoon ended up leading the way and they ran like their lives depended on it. They ran until their
lungs were burning and they couldn’t hear the obnoxious siren blare. However, they all knew well,
that they would always be on the run now and they would never truly be safe. Namjoon caught a
glance of the other hybrids running in the opposite direction saying thank you. He was happy they
escaped but...he was furious at Jimin.

Once they had gotten far away, they all shifted back and collapsed on the forest floor from
exhaustion. “Namjoon...I can’t...believe it...we’re free...we did it…” Yoongi said out of breath.
Namjoon half smiled at him, and he looked at the others, and stopped.

Taehyung was holding his arm, and he saw that there was dried blood all over his arm. Taehyung
saw his concern and quickly reassured him, “Oh it’s not mine. I’m okay it’s not mine. See? I think I
just pulled a muscle.” He was fine, but Namjoon was not.

He turned around to Jimin, and once Jimin saw his face, he knew he was in deep trouble. “Jimin.
What the hell. Were you thinking?” Namjoon said in a deep growl. “Come on, you’re not seriously
mad? Did you not see all those hybrids I set free? That we set free?? I was only doing what you
wanted-” “My priority was the seven of us.” Namjoon snapped back, “What you did was selfish.
Selfish and stupid.” Jimin looked pissed, like he got slapped in the face. “Are you serious? I was
just-”

“No, you acted without thinking about the consequences. You put all of us at risk. Because of you,
we had to hold off guards for you to succeed. What if one of us had gotten shot? Killed? Or worse?
What if they locked us in those cages again?” Namjoon was right in Jimin’s face at this point, and
he looked like he was about to cry. He knew he was being harsh, but he was angry, and Jimin
needed to hear it. This wasn’t just about him. “Think before you act. You’re rash when you make
decisions and that won’t always go well.”
 Jimin lowered his head in shame, and Namjoon felt a lump in his throat. He hated being like this.
His scolding was interrupted by a loud bang in the distance. They could see a red flare in the sky,
followed by what sounded like airplane propellers.

“Was that..” Jungkook asked, looking up worriedly. “Yep. They're already after us. We need to
keep moving, Namjoon.” Jin said worriedly. He snapped out of lecture mode, and ruffled Jimin’s
hair. “If something had happened to any of you, I don’t know what I would have done. Just...think
next time, okay?” Jimin sniffed and he nodded. Namjoon patted his back and looked at the others.
They all looked at him, ready to go. “Well, let’s go see what this fucked up world has to offer, shall
we?”

Chapter End Notes

This is my first OT7 FF/AU but I'm having a blast writing it. It's cross posted :) Also
just a note that there will be multiple POVs and switches between 1st and 3rd person,
sorry if that's confusing >.<
Also, if the boys are speaking in italics that means they're speaking inside their heads,
not out loud, it's explained in a future chapter!
Anyway, thank you for reading <3 I plan on regular updates. I'm trying to improve my
writing so please leave a kudos, comment, or whatever if you want!^^ It would help
keep me motivated.
Stay happy and safe always!
 Embarrassed
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

3 Years Later

Jae cursed under her breath when she realized she was lost. She had traversed through this thick
forest multiple times, so why was she getting confused now? It had just rained, and while the air
was thick and dewy around her, the trees and plants were a vibrant shade of green that she could
never get tired of looking at. As much as she would like to stay in this peaceful forest forever, she
could feel her body beginning to weaken. She’s had a weak body since birth, and it was the bane of
her existence. She hated it so much. She knew she would get scolded when she got home, but she
could care less.

She heard a twig snap behind her, and she whipped around in surprise. Her heartbeat increased as
she scanned the row of trees behind her. She didn’t see anything, but that didn’t decrease her
suspicion. She turned around and kept walking forward, at a much quicker pace, and she could
have sworn she heard footsteps behind her. She could hear her father’s sharp words about going
out alone echoing in her head. When she turned around again, and spotted a dark figure hiding
behind a tree.

She froze in fear, and her mind was racing with questions as to why she was being followed.
“Come out. I know you’re following me.” she yelled. She wasn’t sure where this confidence was
coming from but it was too late to run now. Slowly, four figures came out of their hiding spots. She
wasn’t expecting that many people.

She gulped but tried her best not to show fear. They were all men, and they were scruffy looking
and they were wearing all black, some with masks and some without. “Are you lost little girl?” one
of the men asked in a deep voice. They started stepping closer and she backed away as they did so.
“N-no. I’m fine. I’m going back home now.” she squeaked.

Her panic was evident in her voice. “What’s a cute thing like you doing in a forest like this? We
noticed you were alone and well, we wanted to help you out. Wouldn’t want anything bad to
happen to you, what with all those filthy hybrids running around.” another man said, smirking as
he stepped closer.

“It’s not them I have to worry about.” she snapped, hoping that would make them back off. “Now if
you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.” She said, turning back around to leave. “I think you
misunderstood what our intentions are, miss. You’re coming with us. Whether you want to or not.
Do you know who we are? HHA ring any bells?” The Hybrid Hunter Association.

She started to laugh, she just couldn’t help it. Her father must have sent them. A much bigger guy
who hasn’t said anything this whole time had a scratchy deep voice that sent chills down her spine.
“I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you.” He pulled out a stun gun and aimed it at her, like it was the
most casual thing in the world.

Jae froze, like a deer in headlights. “Wait, chill man she’s not-”

Before the other guys could finish their sentences, there was a deep growl coming from behind
them. Jae couldn’t tell what it was, but whatever it was she knew it was big. They all turned around
and they all whipped out their weapons.
Jae wanted to take this opportunity to run, but before she could she heard a snarl behind her. She
saw a huge wolf, baring its teeth at her. She didn’t know what to do, and she braced herself when it
suddenly ran towards her. When she felt nothing, and heard the men screaming in terror, she
opened her eyes and saw that the wolf that was in front of her was running towards them, along
with a tiger, and another huge wolf. She was stunned, to say the least.

The men were pissing their pants in fear and they ran away like cowards. It looked like the tiger
was going to chase them, but one of the wolves barked in their direction, as if telling them to stop.
Jae didn’t know whether she should run too, but she was mesmerized by the beautiful animals in
front of her. She guessed they were hybrids, and her suspicions were correct when they shifted in
front of her.

Jae was blown away with how handsome they were, she hadn’t realized her mouth was gaping
open. “Are you alright?” the tallest one asked, still keeping his distance. His amber eyes were
absolutely stunning and she nodded, trying not to get lost in them. “She’s not a fucking hybrid I
don’t know why we’re wasting our time.” A voice said from behind them, and another man with
black hair emerged.

Jae was also unaware that there were three more hybrids, quietly watching behind the scenes. “Of
course I knew, I could smell it.” another one said. He gave her a little smile with a wink and she
could see his nose scrunch from the gesture. Cute.

The fourth man looked like his face was sculpted by gods, and his face was hard to read. He kept
looking around, and said, “I think those were the only ones, Joonie. We’re good to move on.” He
gave her a side glance, and they briefly made eye contact. She was immediately flustered.

“Um...thanks...you know for helping me out. Even if I'm...not one of you.” Jae said quietly. She
meant it and she hoped they could feel her sincerity. Had they not turned up, who knows what
would have happened. Those people were insane. The black-haired man scoffed.

“Whatever. Consider yourself lucky we don’t tear you apart right here. Let’s get going yeah?” he
said to the others. They nodded and disappeared amongst the trees. “You.” he turned back to her.
“We were never here. Got that?” his voice had a slight growl behind it, and while it intimidated her
a little, she wasn’t really scared.

A few bouts of silence passed and Jae just sat there, stunned by what had just transpired. It was
nearly dark, and she knew she had probably been found out by now. She can just picture all the
staff at her home trying to find her for her grumbling father. She sighed and finally stood up. She
needed to get back before it was dark, otherwise she’d never make it back. Although, would that
really be such a bad thing?

*******

Once the boys had gotten back to their home, Namjoon decided to be the one to patrol the area.
This was something they did on the daily, to ensure they didn’t need to run. They had been in that
secluded spot for about a year now, and even though it was small, they were all together and
happy, and most importantly, free. Before he left, he was still hearing Jungkook talk about the
human girl they had encountered earlier.

“I think she’s different! She didn’t seem afraid of you guys all that much.” The eldest raised his
eyebrows at that, “You know, he does have a point. From where I was standing she seemed really
grateful to you all.” Yoongi rolled his eyes, “Please Jin, not you too.”

“Oh, let the kid ramble, it’s not like we’re gonna see her again. Kookie’s gotta have someone to
 fantasize about at night.” Jimin said as Jungkook turned red and promptly told him to shut up.
“Although…” Jimin continued. “I have to admit she was pretty cute.” Yoongi groaned and
mumbled, “I’m gonna start dinner. Namjoon, you gonna be back in time?” Namjoon nodded, and
walked out of the house. “Don’t get into too much trouble!” He heard Jin shout as he closed the
door, and it made him grin.

Namjoon could feel the soft grass in between in his paws as he ran around underneath the
moonlight. As much as he loved his little family of 7, he cherished his time alone with nature. The
moon was full, and it was illuminating his usual path. He could hear cicadas chirping and the
leaves in the huge trees above him rustling as the breeze rolled in. It was a beautiful, peaceful night
and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

At first.

He was about to head back, but he smelled something that didn’t seem familiar. He smelled
humans. LOTS of them. Which he thought was strange, considering this was indeed a dense forest
and no one in their right mind would be wandering out here at night just for fun. It could be
harmless, it could be some campers, or some group of stupid teens. Or not. Either way, he had to
see what it was.

His ears twitched as he could hear multiple male voices, and he tensed when he heard the low hum
of tasers. He could also see a dim light that was appearing in the distance and could make out that
it was a large bonfire. He could also hear laughter, and...crying.

It sounded like children weeping. Namjoon couldn’t stop the low growl that came out of his mouth,
and as he crept even closer, he set his eyes on the camp. HHA soldiers were everywhere, laughing
and it looked like they were drinking. What are they doing here? Having a party?Namjoon thought
bitterly.

He could hear the crying more clearly. Someone...please help us...please help… He saw a cage in
the back of one of the trucks. He saw baby hybrids, of all kinds, all huddled up together. They were
shaking and they were so small, they couldn’t have been older than four or five.

Namjoon clenched his jaw and had to fight every fiber in his body to go help those kids.

Depending on how many humans there were, he could probably do it. He was just as deadly as he
was smart. However, it looked like there were at least 20, maybe more. That was too much for him
to handle on his own, and he would never do something to risk his pack’s safety.

Guilt hit him like a truck, but they came first above all else. When turned to leave, he felt
something sharp pierce the side of his neck. He yelped in pain, and snarled on instinct. He knew
exactly what had happened, he had been shot with a tranquillizer, and his vision was already
becoming blurry.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck. He was trying to run but his legs were giving out. He ran into a tree and fell on
his side, panting heavily. He was furious with himself. This was it. He wasn’t going to be back in
time for dinner. Jin’s words about him getting into trouble echoed in his mind.

They’re going to be so worried. I should have left sooner, I should have just ran away from the
noise... I should have…

His thoughts ceased when he finally succumbed to darkness.

Chapter End Notes

Chapter End Notes

<3
 Her
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The minute Jae set foot on the grounds of her home, she was escorted swiftly to her father’s study,
much to her dismay. She was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed. Of course, she was never
really allowed to do what she wanted.

Her father, sitting at his desk, arms crossed, stared her down sternly. She was used to this by now,
and was more annoyed than intimidated. She hated this prison she called a home. Her father was
the warden and he was inescapable. He got up from his chair and started walking towards her. “Do
I even want to know why you are home so late today? You know you have a strict curfew.”

Jae wasn’t in the mood to be interrogated so she just gave it to him straight. “I went to see Poppy
today. It’s her birthday and I didn’t want her to be alone.” she said simply. He felt a hand come
down on her head and she wanted to reel back, but she stayed still, knowing that would just upset
him further.

“I don’t see the point of visiting someone who is no longer alive but, to each their own I suppose.”
His words stung, and he knew that it was a sensitive subject for her. She fought to not let anger
show on her face.

“I’m just so happy you came back safe and sound. You’re my precious jewel after all. I heard about
the hybrid attack. My men said they gave them quite a bit of trouble.” She tried to fight the grin
that was trying to creep it’s way on her face when she thought of his scary men running in fear
from the giant animals.

He clapped his hands together, making her jump. “Anyway, speaking of birthdays, yours is in just
a few days! Your party is going to be spectacular. I assure you, I’ve invited all of your friends from
school and everyone who would be wonderful future partners for you. It’s never too early to start
looking.” He smiled, and it didn’t reach his eyes.

Jae never felt loved by her father. All he cares about is the empire of business he’s created, and
how she can benefit him as his heir. Not once has he shown her any real affection her entire life.
She was always treated like a doll, a thing that needed to be inside a glass display case at all times.
To put it plainly, she hated him. She hated him, and she hated what business he dealt with. And he
was fully aware of his daughter’s resentment.

“However, I can’t let today go by without punishment. You’re confined to your room until your big
birthday bash. Your meals will be delivered and of course anything you need you can tell Heyrin.”
Heyrin was the head housekeeper, and Jae actually liked her a lot. She was always kind to her. She
even helped raise her after her mom got sick. She rolled her eyes, “Dad, I’ll miss school. I have a
big test coming up.”

“Jaelyn, we’ve talked about lying my dear, don’t do that. I contacted your teachers before you
came home and they said it would be fine if you missed a few days. You don’t have any tests, and
you’ll barely have any homework. Thanks to your dear old dad.” he said, grabbing a scotch glass.
“Whatever, can I at least go see mom before I’m back in prison?” Jae asked, losing all sense of
hope. He actually called the school. He was becoming more and more controlling the older she got.
Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around?
He thought about her question and said yes, and then his phone started buzzing furiously. “Fine,
fine, I have to take this.” He snapped his fingers, and the doors to his study opened. Heyrin
appeared with a sympathetic smile, gesturing for her to come out. Jae huffed and left. She could
briefly hear her father’s exasperated words, “You caught a what?” before the study doors closed
again.

“I’m sorry dear.” Heyrin said, walking her up the huge mansion stairs. “It’s alright, I don’t have to
see him at least.” she smiled. She didn’t want Heyrin to see her upset.

“You don’t have to put a fake smile around me. I know how unhappy you are here. I know it’s
early, but I did manage to get you a little something for your birthday.” Jae lifted her eyebrows and
Heyrin put a finger to her lips. “Think nothing of it. Come on, let’s go see your mom.” Jae nodded,
and they continued down the corridor until they arrived at her mother’s room.

It was basically a hospital room on the inside, wires everywhere and obnoxious beeping could be
heard as soon as you opened the door. Jae knelt down at her mother’s bedside, and held her hand,
“Hey mom. It’s your little blue jay.” she said, squeezing her hand.

Her mom had called her that when she was young all the time. “I got banned to my room again. I
guess I’m becoming sort of a rebel. My birthday is right around the corner. Not that I’m really
excited for it. Dad will just use it as a business opportunity again.”

She felt her throat tighten, as she looked at her mom, deep in sleep. She didn’t blame her mom at
all. It was no one’s fault. But that didn’t make it any less hard. Even if her eyes were closed, Jae
didn’t want to cry in front of her. She cleared her throat. “Anyways, I hope you’re doing okay
today. The best birthday gift ever would be for you to wake up. So, try your best, okay? I believe in
you.” she said, lightly shaking her hand. “I love you, mom.”

When the doors to her room opened, she saw something that wasn’t there when she left. It was a
brand new, state of the art telescope. She almost squealed in delight and looked back at Heyrin, as
she gave a little wink. She had always wanted one, especially after learning more and more about
space in school. Now she could have a little escape amongst the stars.

“Thank you...Heyrin this is…”

“Really, there’s no need. I’ll leave you alone with it now. Have some fun with it.” she said,
smiling. She quietly shut the door, leaving Jae alone with her gift. She opened her terrace doors and
set up the telescope in a hurry. She then proceeded to stay up all night, scanning for constellations
and looking at the big, bright, now enhanced full moon.

***

Being cooped up in a room with nothing to do makes time go by extremely slow, but eventually, it
was Jae’s birthday. Instead of doing what she wanted, of course, her father had made an entire
schedule for her that she had to abide by.

He wanted her to get a “makeover” so the whole day she was busy getting her hair, nails, and
makeup done, as well as a personal massage. The only part of that she truly enjoyed was the
massage, when she was left alone the most to relax at her own leisure. She was spending a lot of
time in the private bath, rented out just for her. Her long brown hair was tied up in a towel and she
was shoulder deep in the spring.

She closed her eyes and sighed and thought about the soiree her dad was throwing for her. I’ve
invited all of your friends from school and everyone who would be wonderful future partners for
you. It’s never too early to start looking.

She shuddered at the fact that there will be hundreds of strangers there. Her dad knew damn well
she didn’t have any friends, and as far as future partners goes, she wasn’t looking, and she didn’t
want to. Besides, if she didn’t even have any friends, what makes her dad think she would be
desirable to anyone?

The boys at school looked at her like she was a freak, as well as the girls. It doesn’t even matter.
My whole life is planned out for me. I’ll probably marry some rich snob that I won’t want
anything to do with, and they’ll just use me for the status. She thought bitterly.

She felt herself relax when her mind jumped to the hybrids that saved her the other day. She
remembered the eyes of each one, how they were all so captivating. She wished she could see them
one more time.

A knock interrupted her thoughts. “Miss? Are you alright?”

“Yes!” she replied, and they informed her she needed to get out. She didn’t want to as she was
enjoying what would probably be her only moment of peace for the day. Soon enough, it was time
for the grand party.

She heard multiple cars arrive in front of her house, and soon loud voices were filling up the
entrance hall and the ballroom. They lived in a huge house but Jae always felt like it was too small
in instances like this. She was instructed to put on her fanciest dress, and she had done so. She
looked at herself one more time in the mirror before going down.

Her hair was up in a braided bun, her face was covered in more makeup than she preferred, a
beautiful dark purple gown that had just a sliver of lace at the top, and the most uncomfortable high
heels she’s ever worn in her life. She stuck her tongue out at herself in the mirror and she grimaced.
It just wasn’t her. She went to her bathroom to wipe a little bit of makeup off. It was her party after
all, she wasn’t going down there looking like a clown.

Everyone greeted her so sweetly she could have gotten cavities. Should have been a masquerade
party at this point, every one of you is putting on a front. Jae thought. That was the story of her life.
The night went on without a hitch, birthday wishes were said, delicious food along with cake and
ice cream was served, and the table of birthday presents looked like it was about to collapse.

She noticed a few young men were eying her, and if it looked like they were going to approach she
grabbed a random person and started a conversation to avoid them.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father step to the middle of the room. “Everyone, can I
please have your attention!” This’ll be good.

“I’d like to take a moment to thank you all personally for coming to this fabulous party for my
beautiful daughter, Jaelyn. Please, give her a round of applause folks.” They did, and Jae
awkwardly smiled at everyone, even though she wanted to run on the spot. She hated this kind of
attention.

“My daughter has blossomed into a fine young woman, which I’m sure some of you young rascals
out there have noticed.” That got a couple of laughs, and Jae felt sick as she saw behind him
something under a curtain being rolled in on a cart. Whatever it was, it was huge. “Jae, please,
come up here with me.” He extended his hand, and she reluctantly joined him. She had a bad
feeling about this.
 “And now, ladies and gentlemen, for my daughter’s 21st birthday, I present to her the finest gift I
have to offer.” He smirked and signaled the people dragging the huge crate to remove the curtain.
Behind it, her heart dropped to her stomach.

It was a huge chestnut colored wolf, who was growling furiously at the whole crowd, The color
was unmistakable: it was one of the wolves that saved her. There was applause and cheering
throughout the banquet hall, but Jae couldn’t hear it. She couldn’t take her eyes off the wolf. She
was in utter disbelief.

What are the odds that he would end up here? “As the next head of the HHA, I thought it only
fitting that she have a proper companion for life. And what better companion than a rare wolf
hybrid?” The crowd cooed and clapped once again.

Companion? More like a slave. She looked at her father with disgust as she walked closer to the
crate. The wolf seemed wild, and vicious, but she wasn’t afraid. There was a person in that crate.
Trapped, scared, and alone. A person that she’s happened to meet before. The wolf saw someone
approaching and immediately started snarling, but then when he locked eyes with Jae, it softened a
little, but the low hum was still in his throat.

“Well my daughter, isn’t this the gift you’ve always dreamed of? Her father said, smiling at her
with only his teeth. He was talking to the crowd more than he was with her. They were watching,
so of course, she had to put on her façade.

“Yes, he’s beautiful. Thank you so much, father.” she said and bowed to him. The crowd clapped
again. What a joke. She thought. She had to figure out what had happened. She walked up closer to
her father and asked, “If I may ask, how did you acquire such a magnificent beast?”

He smiled again, “It just so happens we caught it lurking around near our property a few days ago.
I would have sold him straight off like we normally do, after all he would cost a fortune, but you
had mentioned Poppy and I remember how happy you were when she was around, and I felt for
you. No one deserves to be alone, especially not my little princess.” he pinched her cheek and she
felt disgusted.

Her heart sank, knowing that he might have been trapped in that cage for days. “I hope you enjoy
him thoroughly. This will be different from Poppy, since he’s a predator hybrid and it’s a big
responsibility, but no matter. I gave you some books that give tips on how to tame those things.
After all, beasts don’t come with instruction manuals.” and he bursted out laughing.

She was ashamed she was related to such a man. The crowd dispersed and continued to socialize
with each other. “Well then, after the party, he’ll be waiting in your room, and I’ll give him some
drugs so he’s in his other form when you get there.” he said looking at the wolf with disgust, “You
wouldn’t want to get eaten on your birthday.”

Chapter End Notes

<3 Thank you for reading

 Jamais Vu
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

She walked in her room, shaking out of nervousness.

She stopped dead when she saw a familiar man with wolf ears sitting on her floor in a relaxed
position, with a thick chain around his neck. He turned his head toward her with a blank
expression, rattling the thick chains in the process. The sight of the chains actually made her sick to
her stomach.

"Well, out of all the humans to be enslaved by, it had to be you, huh?” His demeanor was different
now, almost hostile. Which, of course, was understandable. She had to earn his trust.

She gulped, but strangely it was nice to see a familiar face. She fidgeted with the skirt part of her
dress. “I...um...Listen, I know the situation isn’t ideal...but it’s nice to see you again?” she ended it
like a question, and the man chuckled.

“Whatever. Now that I’m trapped here, I guess I have to call you master. Or is it mistress?” he said
mockingly. The words felt like she’d been slapped.

“No, no you don’t.” Jae said, crossing her arms. She understood why he was being like this, but he
didn’t know her. If he’d give her a chance, he’d see she wasn’t a monster like her father. “What’s
your name?” she asked. He scoffed, looking away from her.

“Why should I tell you, you’ll probably just give me a new name anyways.” Jae was starting to
lose her patience, “I just wanted to know the name of the person who saved me before. Maybe I
want to return the favor.” His head turned towards her and his eyebrow raised questioningly. Jae
was standing her ground, but he was very intimidating. They stared at each other for a good minute,
Jae noticed his dragon eyes were twinkling. “Namjoon...it’s Namjoon.”

Jae couldn’t help but smile. “It’s nice to meet you again, Namjoon. You can call me Jae.”

She dug in her dress pocket for the key that was given to her. She walked closer to him and bent
down, “Sorry, this will just take a second.” She felt herself blushing as she had to get right in his
face to unlock the chain.

She had noticed that he was handsome before, but being this close, it was almost overwhelming
how attractive he was. She saw him looking at her while fiddling with the lock. She decided to
ignore it. There was a small click, and Namjoon was chain free. He stood up and rolled his neck
and she heard a lot of cracks. She completely forgot what she was wearing.

“Oh um…” she pulled her hand away. “Do you mind if I change real fast? I’m not sure how
helpful I’d be to you wearing this.” she said as she gestured to the dress.

He nodded, “Then, I’ll wait here..” he said, looking around. “Okay, I’ll try to be fast, um, you can
sit anywhere you want.” She hurried and ran into her walk-in closet and grabbed some jeans, a light
t-shirt and some sneakers. On her way to the bathroom, she saw him looking at the picture on her
desk. “Oh...that’s me and my friend, Poppy..” It was a picture of them when she was around 6.

Poppy was a bunny hybrid and her childhood friend. They looked close in the picture, laughing at
something unknown behind the camera. “Reminds me of someone I know.” he said with a small
smile. “Where is-”

“She passed.” Jae said, harsher than she meant. Namjoon looked at her apologetically and she
turned and went to the bathroom to change.

She realized that her adrenaline was rushing through her. She was really about to help a hybrid
escape. She couldn’t even imagine what her father would say. She’ll probably never see the light of
day again. She wished she could run away too. She shook her head. No. You can’t.

She changed and was surprised as she almost bumped into Namjoon right outside the door. He was
staring at her with an expression she couldn’t quite read, but his eyes bore into hers.

“What is it?” she asked, trying not to act flustered.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I’m not...I won’t...hurt you or anything if you don’t..if that’s
what you’re worried about..I know it’s a big risk, considering your position..” He thinks she’s
doing this because she’s afraid of him? Her position? “Why would I be afraid of you? You saved
me after all. I want to do something for you now. It’s the least I can do. Please, don’t worry about
it, I’m not like my father. I have nothing against hybrids. They should be treated just like a human
if you ask me. You guys are amazing.” Jae said looking right in his eyes.

Namjoon smiled, a genuine one, and she could see small dimples form on his cheeks; it gave Jae
butterflies. “L-let’s go, we don’t have much time in between the guard shifts.” Namjoon nodded,
she grabbed his hand again and they quickly left her room.

The easy part, getting outside, was done. It wasn’t hard, considering most of the staff were asleep
at this late hour, and the only bodyguards posted were the ones in the main hall and outside her
father’s quarters. They went out one of the side exits to avoid both. Now that they were outside,
they needed to get through the garden and out the back gate. That was going to be difficult since
her father increased security outside, she assumed because of Namjoon.

They were crouching behind a bush nearby, and Namjoon had a funny look on his face. He looked
like he was concentrating, but he also looked annoyed. “What’s wrong?” Jae whispered. He sighed,
“I can’t shift yet…they must have really drugged me up...I hate this feeling.” he whispered back. “I
would be able to get by if-” Jae put a hand on his shoulder.

“I have an idea.” she started to stand up and Namjoon pulled her wrist back, “What the hell are you
doing??” he hissed. She looked him in the eyes, trying to calm him down. “Just trust me.” his eyes
softened a little, and he slowly released his grip.

She took a deep breath, and started running as fast as she could towards one of the guards. “HELP!
SOMEONE PLEASE!” her voice echoed through the garden, and many of the security guards,
turned their heads and came running towards her. “What is it Miss Jae? What are you doing out
here at this hour?

“I-it’s the hybrid...he’s escaped...he-he’s somewhere in the house, he threatened to kill me...I’m
scared...please…I don’t know...w-what to do...” the tears were rolling out, and she silently praised
herself for reading all those acting books. A bunch of men talked in their earpieces and started
running back towards the house.

Now all she needed to do was get rid of the guard that stayed here with her. “I’m fine now,” she
said through her sniffles, “I just want to sit here alone.” the guard shook his head, “You and your
father might be in danger, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I left you here unprotected.” he said
simply, scanning the area.
She spotted Namjoon, and then made eye contact. She didn’t know what to do. He motioned both
of his hands towards himself. Jae was trying to read his lips and it seemed like he wanted her to
bring the guard closer to him. What is he thinking? She looked around, there was no one else. Out
of ideas, she screeched, “Oh my god, what was that??” she said pointing to the bush Namjoon was
near.

The guard took out a gun, and slowly walked over to check where she had pointed. This is bad, this
is bad, why did I do that? He’s going to see him! She followed behind, at a distance, in case she
needed to intervene or something.

She couldn’t see Namjoon anymore, and she had thought he moved bushes. The guard must have
yelped for half a second. That’s all it took for Namjoon to kick him in the gut, and he hit him on
the back of the head. The guard fell to the floor with a thud, and Namjoon looked awfully proud of
himself. Jae was stunned. “Wow…” he was grinning and rubbing his wrists.

It was the biggest smile she had seen so far, his adorable dimples protruding again which made
him look less threatening by the second. He noticed her staring at him and shrugged. “It would be
stupid not knowing how to defend myself while in my human form. Humans are so dumb they
underestimate us like this, uh, sorry, no offense.” he said. “None taken, now let’s go. They must
have alerted my father by now. You don’t have a lot of time.”

Jae said ran towards the garden. It was huge, and it would take a few minutes just to run all the
way through it. Jae knew she couldn’t do it, and she became disappointed. “I can’t run very far, I
don’t have the strength for it, but it’s a straight shot from here.” She pointed in front of them, “Just
through that gate leads to the woods, there will be another iron fence, but if you’re lucky it should
still be open. If not, I’m sure you can get over it, once you shift.” Jae said, looking at Namjoon.

Why does he look so...hesitant? “I really don’t know what to say, no human has ever been this kind
to me...not once..” he looked back towards the house and back at Jae, “Will you be alright? I mean,
well, you don’t really fit in here it seems. Am I wrong?” Jae sighed, “No, and that’s the nicest
thing anyone has ever said to me.” she said looking up at him. For the first time in a while, she felt
seen. For who she truly was, and that made her smile. He smiled back, but the moment was ruined
by a gunshot.

Jae felt something brush against her arm, and then indescribable pain traveled through her body.
She cried out and doubled over, holding her arm. Namjoon caught her clumsily and had a look of
panic on his face.

Jae felt blood start to trickle down her arm, and she was having trouble keeping steady breaths. She
heard another gunshot, and she and Namjoon both flinched. Luckily, the second one missed. Jae
was wincing, and trying not to cry. “You need to get out of here, now. They’re coming…” she said
through clenched teeth.

Namjoon looked back at her father and the guards and Jae saw a glance. They were coming, and
they were coming fast. He cursed. “I’m not leaving you here with that lunatic. You’re coming with
me.” he said, picking her up bridal style with ease. She cried out in pain, but she didn’t protest.

“I’ll slow you down...please…” she was trying to stay conscious but she could feel her body losing
a lot of blood. He wasn’t responding and he was running across the garden for the both of them.
she heard her father screaming like a mad man. He sounded hysterical. His precious doll was being
stolen. Their voices and shouting were getting farther away, and it made her wonder how fast
Namjoon was actually running.

Jae’s vision was blurry by the time they got to the iron gate, and she saw that it was open. “Stay
 awake Jae, do you hear me? Stay awake.” his voice sounded a little far away and he was panting
hard. She felt like a burden, and she hated feeling helpless. She hated that she was shot. She hated
that she was so delicate.

“Namjoon…” she mumbled. Namjoon stopped for a second, as if he were thinking. “Jae, I can run
faster if I shift. I think I can do it now. I’m going to let you down for a second.” she braced herself
for the pain but it didn’t make it hurt any less. She was crying softly at this point, and she just
wanted to go to sleep. She was getting out of the house, something she never thought she would get
to do. But where would they go? Were they going to where the other hybrids were? She wouldn’t
fit in there, some of them would probably resent her... Jae’s thoughts were interrupted by a warm
breath hitting the top of her head.

She looked up and her eyes met with the sight of the same chestnut wolf she had seen earlier. He
was beautiful, but she had to snap out of it, hearing the voices slowly getting closer and closer. She
didn’t have much strength to begin with, so when she tried to get up, with only one arm, she was
having difficulties.

She felt a nudge against the small of her back, which helped a lot. Before she could fall forward,
Namjoon ran in front of her. He was so big that the top of his back was the same height as the top
of her waist. He turned his head back to her and motioned it towards his back. She understood what
he was trying to say, and she attempted to get on his back.

She struggled a little and ended up jumping to get up on it completely. She cried out in painful
grunts as she had to move her injured arm. She held on tightly to his fur, and once he knew she had
a firm grip, he immediately started running.

She was almost thrown off because of how powerful and fast Namjoon was running. She had to
use her bad arm to stay on, and through gritted teeth and occasional whimpers she was able to. The
trees were passing by like a blur, and she wasn’t sure if it was because they were going so fast or if
she was losing her vision even more. She didn’t know where they were going, but it seemed like he
was running with purpose, with a destination in mind.

She didn’t know how long it had been, but she was surprised she was still conscious when he
reached a little house just there, in the middle of the woods, behind a little hill. She was laying
down against him, and from what she saw, it looked beautiful. It was small, but it looked cozy.

She saw blurry figures emerging from the house, running towards them. That was the last thing she
saw before she slipped out of consciousness, and felt herself falling off of Namjoon’s back.

Chapter End Notes

<3 Who's excited for BE??? I am I'm just not prepared for the emotional turmoil that
it'll cause I'm going to be an absolute mess.
 Everything Goes
Chapter Notes

Longer chapter to celebrate BE! Enjoy :) thank you for reading as always <3

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Jungkook’s P.O.V.

It had been about 4 days. Not one of us knew why he hadn’t come back but we had a horrible
feeling. If him not being there for dinner wasn’t strange enough, when he wasn’t back by the next
morning, it was safe to say we were all worried. Our leader was missing and to be completely
honest we were all falling apart without him. We were all tense, which caused little arguments here
and there. Some wanted to go out and look for him, myself included and others wanted to stay here
and be safe.

All of us were restless, which caused uneasiness in the house. The 6 of us just weren’t the same
without him. He was a part of our family, and he was gone. Jimin was the worst out of all of us, we
were all having trouble sleeping, but he wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t sleep, wouldn’t even talk. He just
stayed by the front door, lying next to it as a wolf, listening.

I had slightly better senses so occasionally I would walk near the door where he was laying to see if
I could hear or smell anything, but it was always nothing. I had never seen Jimin cry so much. We
all tried to comfort each other, but the fear of the worst was always hanging in the air.

We were all in the living room, and Tae and Jin were bickering about something in the kitchen.
Yoongi was reading a book, trying to distract himself, and Hobi was leaning over the couch,
looking over his shoulder.

Out of the blue, I started hearing heavy, familiar footsteps. Jimin had heard them too, because he
had perked up at the same time I did. I tried to smell who it was, but they were too far away. You
heard that right? he asked, turning to me.

I nodded and I tried to get the others attention. “Guys...Hey..!” The only one that looked at me was
Hobi. He nudged Yoongi and he glanced at me. The other two were still arguing. HEY. Jimin
yelled. That got their attention and they stared at Jimin.

Me and Jk just heard footsteps. I can’t sense who it is, can you? he turned to me. I shook my head,
but I knew I looked hopeful.

I was so eager I wanted to go look, so I went to go outside and a pair of gentle hands stopped me,
“Wait, let me and Tae go.” Yoongi was behind me, and he motioned for Tae to come over. He did,
and they shifted completely, and the two big cats snuck outside, completely in stealth mode.

Myself, Jin, Hobi, and Jimin and were all huddled next to one of the windows, watching the
clearing anxiously. Whatever was coming was going to come over that hill in the distance. I
glanced at Yoongi and Tae’s positions; Yoongi had climbed up a tree, not very high but at a point
where he couldn’t be seen, and Tae was crouched low in a set of bushes, ready to pounce.
I admit I was scared, but I was hoping, praying, that I would see Namjoon walk over that hill. He
could hear everyone’s thoughts in and out, and everyone was thinking the same thing in their own
way. My ears twitched as I heard the steps become louder and louder. It sounded like it was four
legs and they were coming fast, whoever it was, they were running. By the sound of it it was
definitely not human. My heart was beating super fast, and I could hear everyone else's heartbeat,
almost in sync with mine.

“It’s here.” I said, as I could hear the footsteps right behind the hill. Please… I could have sworn
my heart stopped as my nose caught a whiff of a familiar scent, and I almost started crying
immediately when I saw a big pair of wolf ears. Jimin sobbed out loud and Jin and Hobi were
hugging and smiling. I couldn’t see Yoongi or Tae, but I’m sure they were relieved.

My nose smelled something else, and my eyes widened. “Blood..” I said, and everyone looked at
me.

Before anyone could stop me, I started bolting outside, my bunny ears flopping against my head. I
felt everyone else follow me in a hurry. I bolted towards the giant wolf, overjoyed to see him, but
worried about the blood smell. I heard everyone calling for me, but I didn’t listen. As I got even
closer, I realized that it wasn’t Namjoon’s blood I smelled, and I saw something on his back.
Another familiar scent entered my nose, and I was shocked to see the human they had saved in the
forest was on his back, looking tired and pale.

I couldn’t believe it, all I could do was stand there. I could hear her heartbeat, slow and steady. I
saw her starting to tilt to the side and I knew she was falling off of Namjoon’s back.

She fell to the ground with a thud and Namjoon changed to his human self and immediately bent
down to check on her. Her blood was splotched all over his back.

“Namjoon, where the hell have you been? Why is she here? And why are you covered in blood?”
Yoongi was bombarding him with questions, and sounded angry but I knew it was just because he
was worried. “I missed you too Yoongi.” Namjoon responded, not taking his eyes off the human.

The others were all next to me now, eyes wide and confused. Jimin didn’t care as he ran past all of
us and practically tackled Namjoon to the floor. We could all hear him softly crying, and Namjoon
smiled and patted his back. “I’m back home, Jiminie. Don’t worry.” Yoongi’s eyes softened at the
sight, and he put his hand on top of Namjoon’s head and lightly ruffled his hair. “Don’t do that
again, we can’t survive anymore of Jin and Tae’s bickering without you.”

“Hey!” Jin and Tae said. I was more than happy he was back, but did they forget that there was a
human bleeding out on the grass?

Hobi heard my thoughts and spoke for me, “Um Namjoon, I’m overjoyed that you’re back and not
hurt, but why is she here? Isn’t that the human we ran into a few days ago?” Hobi questioned. I
looked at him as if to say “Stay out of my head” but he just shrugged. Namjoon looked like he had
snapped back into the reality of the situation.

“I’ll explain everything to you all I promise but right now we need to get her inside, she’s been
shot. Jungkook, can you help me please?” When it came to physical strength in human forms me
and Namjoon were the strongest, so I walked straight over. “Be careful with that side, that’s where
she’s hurt.” I took one look at her arm and smelled gunpowder. I shuddered, getting horrible
flashbacks. Taehyung noticed. “Kooks? Are you okay? I can-”

I pulled myself together. “No no, I’m fine, I’m okay.” I said and just focused on getting her in the
house. I felt my face turn a little red, since this was my first time being so close to someone of the
opposite sex.

Other than the blood smell, I also smelled her natural scent, which seemed to be similar to
strawberries. She smelled so sweet. Her skin was clammy and I tried my best not to move her
bloody arm too much. She wasn’t heavy in the slightest which made her easy to maneuver.

Once we had gotten in the house, Namjoon turned to Jin, and Jin already knew what he wanted.
“Hobi, towels please. Tae, will you get some bandages and some rubbing alcohol?” Obeying the
eldest, they did what he asked. When Hobi came back with the towels, he gestured both me and
him to the couch in the living room. As soon as Hobi put the towels down Namjoon and I laid her
down, and Jin took over. She was breathing lightly, and seemed to be murmuring in the quietest
manner.

Everyone else was swarming Namjoon, giving him hugs and pats on the back while I watched Jin
examine her. Tae brought the bandages to Jin, and stared at the girl’s face. He looked curious to
say the least. It was safe to say we all were; It wasn’t everyday that an unconscious human winds
up on our couch. I looked closer to her face, and I had a weird feeling in my chest. My heart started
beating faster...I thought she looked as fragile as glass, and she was beautiful.

Namjoon’s P.O.V

It’s so good to be home. I thought as I looked at my brothers. They were all smiling softly at me,
but I’m sure they were wondering about Jae. I need to tell them everything. I can’t believe I
actually brought her here. Was it a mistake? It’s not like I could have left her there, she seemed so
unhappy...

Jin stood up, and I saw that she had a bandage around her arm. “It’s just a deep gash. There wasn’t
a bullet in her arm or anything. Which was surprising, with the amount of blood there was. But I
suppose it’s just super thin. She’ll be fine.” he said simply, going to the kitchen and washing his
hands.

Everyone almost simultaneously turned to me. “Everyone sit, let me explain what happened.” With
that being said they all sat down at the kitchen table. Jin dried his hands in the kitchen and was
staring at me, ready for an explanation. Don’t leave anything out Joon. Once they hear what
happened, they’ll have to let her stay.

“As you know, I left a few days ago just to check our perimeter, to make sure we were still
undetected here, but as it turns out I found some unwelcome visitors, and they found me. Bastards
managed to get the jump on me somehow. Drugged me up before I could rip their heads off.” I
hated saying this, as a leader I should never show any weakness, but it was my own misjudgment
that got me caught.

Jimin looked like he was going to say something but Jin said, “Jimin, don’t interrupt.” He’s always
so observant it blows my mind. Jimin pressed his lips together and stayed silent.

“Anyway, your fearless leader was caught by none other than THE overlord dickhead in charge of
the HHA.” The silence between them all was chilling, and it hadn’t really sunk into Namjoon what
his situation had been until now. “That same man,” I gestured towards Jae, “is her father.” they all
looked at her and then back to me. They all looked confused, and they were all trying to process
what he had just said.

Tae spoke up first “Wait so, the person responsible for capturing you, or capturing all of us for that
matter, the founder of the HHA, that’s their daughter?” I nodded, and their disbelief was
understandable. “So...what’s your plan then?” Yoongi asked calmly, crossing his arms. “What was
the reason you decided to kidnap her? Doesn’t this put all of us in a little danger?” I quickly shut
down that theory. “No no, I didn’t kidnap her. She helped me escape.” Yoongi just stared back at
me, and I thought Hobi and Tae’s eyes were going to pop out of their heads. I saw Jungkook smile
for a split second. I remembered him saying he had a feeling she wasn’t like the other humans.
Somehow, he was right.

“In fact, she was so intent on helping me escape, she even got shot for it. Her own father did that.
He acted like someone else did it, but I know it was him.” It made me furious. What kind of father
does that to his own daughter? “I realized right then and there she couldn’t stay there. She seemed
so miserable, and she had done the unthinkable for me. Her father’s men were shooting at us when
we were escaping, on his orders. Even if they thought I was kidnapping her, they were still
shooting at me, not caring about her own safety. Who knows what would have happened to her if
she had stayed?” I didn’t even want to think about it. Why was I so attached to her all of a sudden?
I was feeling a warm feeling on my face, maybe I had a fever.

Yoongi stared at me, and then the others in confusion. “So what if something happened to her?
Why does that concern us?” He sighed. “Where are you going with this? You aren’t suggesting she
should stay with us...are you?” I thought about it more before I said my answer.

Where else would she go? She had nowhere else. No other option. I knew Jungkook wouldn’t
protest. I wasn’t so sure about the others. Yoongi would be against it.

“Well-” I started, and Yoongi interrupted, “Absolutely not. I’m against that whole heartedly.” I
looked at the others, they were all looking at each other, looking for answers. I didn’t blame them.
Jungkook looked serious, and Jin looked like he was deep in thought.

“I wouldn’t mind.” Jungkook said quietly. Everyone turned their attention to him. I smiled at him
with my eyes. Just as I thought. “I don’t think it would be so bad. Like I said before…she’s
different. I’m one hundred and ten percent sure. Namjoon wouldn’t lie about her behavior. If she
really did help him escape, isn’t that all the proof we need that she’s not a monster? If Namjoon is
for it, then so am I.”

I turned to the others, looking at each and every one. Yoongi slammed both hands on the table.
“Namjoon, you can’t be serious. Think about it. If her dad is who you say he is and he IS in charge
of the HHA, he will hunt her down, hunt YOU down, ergo us, putting us all at risk. If we get
caught by them again, we might as well be dead. Do you want that? Do you guys want that?” He
looked at everyone else.

After a moment of brief silence, I heard Tae’s voice beside me. “Personally, I think it was brave of
him to bring her back here, and if she doesn’t have anywhere else to go...who are we to just throw
her out? I agree with him. She would be safest with us.” he looked at me with a small grin, and I
nodded towards him. That’s two.

Jimin looked at Jae, “What’s her name?” I smiled, “Jae.” Jimin looked at her from the table, and
then back to everyone else, avoiding Yoongi’s gaze. He had a glint in his eye. “I remember you
helped me when I had no one to turn to...so…” he said quietly. Three.

I noticed Hobi looked nervous. He kept glancing at Yoongi, then back to me. Constantly.
“Hey..Hobes?” He snapped his head towards me and I could tell he was nervous. His red ears were
twitching and I thought he was going to switch at any moment. “What’s on your mind? Talk to us.”
I said gently.

“It-it’s just...I don’t know what would happen if we kept her with us...I mean...would she even
want that? Would she even like us?”
“THAT’s what you’re worried about??” Yoongi yelled. Hobi shifted on instinct, and I gave Yoongi
a glare.

Jin walked over and picked Hobi up, and the tiny red panda looked calm in his arms. Before I
could say anything else, Jin spoke. “Hobi’s answer is yes, and so is mine. I don’t want to send
someone back into an abusive environment, human or not.” he said firmly, while looking at
Yoongi. “We’re all together again, and we’ve managed to stay safe for this long. You of all people
should know Namjoon would never do something to endanger us.” I really wonder sometimes why
Jin isn’t the leader.

Yoongi looked at everyone, and then scoffed. “Fine. If that’s how it’s gonna be. I’m not changing
my answer.” he said with a huff, and he walked outside and slammed the door behind him. I
glanced over at Jae, she was still out like a light; I could hear her steady breathing.

I didn’t blame Yoongi for being upset, after all, all of us have had horrible experiences with
humans, in one way or another, and now I expected to accept that one was going to stay. I knew he
only got upset because he cares, and was just looking out for all of us. I needed to talk it out with
him but I couldn’t now.

I felt exhaustion hit me, and I slumped a little and everyone saw it. “Joon, you should really go get
some rest.” Jimin said, putting his hand on my shoulder. He was right, I knew he was, but I wanted
to be there when Jae woke up. She’ll be confused, and I’m really the only one she knows.
“But..Jae…”

“I’ll watch her.” Jungkook piped up. He seemed eager to help, more so than usual, but I was about
to pass out at the table. Jungkook was just a harmless bunny after all, if I trusted any of the boys to
look after Jae, it was definitely him.

“Alright..if you’re sure...she might be shocked when she wakes up so…” I said, sluggishly getting
up from the table. I looked at Jin, and he nodded. I passed a glance at the others and they all
seemed happy, despite this new change. As soon as I reached my room, I collapsed on my bed, and
was out in a matter of seconds. The last thing I thought about before drifting off was Jae, and the
sight of her smiling at me in the garden.

*******

Jae slowly fluttered her eyes open, and was met with a dim lamp light.

She groaned and went to rub her eyes, and the pain in my arm shot me awake. She remembered
what had happened, and sat up quickly.

The couch made a ruffling sound, and she heard footsteps rushing towards me. She was startled so
she quite literally stumbled onto the floor, pain shooting through her arm. She cried out in pain and
the next thing she knew she felt someone touch her arm.

She flinched away, and she saw a pair of floppy bunny ears. Her mind immediately thought of
Poppy. Instead of her though, she saw a gorgeous man, with big brown concerned eyes. “It’s okay,
we want to help you.” he said. We..? She heard another pair of footsteps and a tall, very handsome
man walked in. “Give her some space Kookie..” His voice was smooth and gentle, like velvet; It
somehow calmed Jae instantly.

He kneeled down to her level and gave a gentle smile. “You can call me Jin. Did you just fall on
your arm?” She nodded, and he reached out both his arms, “I’m a pretty good doctor, I wrapped
that up for you yesterday. May I take a look at it, just so I can make sure you didn’t hurt it again?’
Jae was pretty good at reading people, and when she looked into Jin’s soft brown eyes, she could
tell he was genuine. She went to extend her arm, but Jin stopped her, “Ah, it’s probably best not to
move it too much. Allow me..” He scooted closer toward her and bent his face down closer to her
arm.

He carefully unwrapped the bandages and she noticed little, white furry ears on the top of his head.
She couldn’t pinpoint what kind they were, but she couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. “What is
it..?” he asked, not looking away from what he was doing.

Without thinking, she reached up to the top of his head and lightly touched one of his ears. It
flinched under her touch, and she could tell Jin was fighting the urge to lean more into her hand.
He cleared his throat. Jungkook made a noise next to her as if he was trying not to laugh, and she
could see Jin turning pink. Of course, it was after what she had done she remembered that the ears
on a hybrid was one of their most sensitive parts of their body.

“Oh... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It’s just...your ears were so cute. I
couldn’t help it.” she said, still giggling. She looked back at Jungkook, who was smiling. His smile
was almost contagious, as she almost developed a huge grin on her face just by looking at him.

“Anyway, there’s no sign of infection, and it looks like the wound is already closing. It’s just a
scratch, but we just need to keep an eye on it so it heals properly.” He said, putting new bandages
on. Jae felt warm just looking at him, and her stomach flipped when he looked right into her eyes.

Jungkook’s voice snapped her out her daze, “I’ll go let the others know you’re awake.” Jin got up
from the floor and extended a hand to Jae. She took it and he pulled her up by her good arm. “Are
you hungry? It’s about lunchtime, so I was going to make food for all of us.” As if on cue, Jae’s
stomach made a growling noise that was so loud she was surprised.

Jin laughed, and Jae smiled at him sheepishly. “I’ll take that as a yes. The boys should be back at
any moment, and some of us are still here. Just make yourself at home.” he said while walking to
the kitchen. Jae just stood there, not knowing where to go from here. She didn’t know where to
begin, or what was really going on, but she knew that by the “others” he meant the other hybrids.
She wondered where Namjoon was.

She walked out of the room with the couches and she saw Jin already working away in the kitchen,
eyes focused on whatever he was doing. She saw two small hallways, one next to the kitchen to the
right and another across from her. She spotted Jungkook coming out of one of those rooms, and he
was dragging someone else by the arm. He had dark red hair and his face was very cute. He looked
nervous, and when he saw Jae, he quickly shuffled a little behind Jungkook.

Jungkook saw this, and he smiled at Jae. “Jae, right?” Jae nodded, and he continued, “Jae, meet
Hobi. Hobi, meet Jae.” he said and pushed the red haired boy gently forward, and he fiddled with
the font of his shirt a little. When he got closer, Jae finally noticed the red ears, which were
twitching with either nervousness or excitement.

He seemed sweet, and Jae tried her best to be friendly. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.” she held out a
hand for him to shake it, but he just kind of stared at it, looking lost. “That’s a handshake Hobi. It’s
a way of saying hello, remember?” Jungkook whispered, putting his hand on Hobi’s shoulder.

Suddenly Hobi’s eyes were sparkling and he grabbed Jae’s hand and shook it with a lot of force.
“It’s nice to meet you too!” His smile was the definition of a ray of sunshine and while her arm was
being shaken, she didn’t mind at all. She noticed his lips made a heart shape, which was adorable
by itself.
He noticed this and he let go, “Sorry I got excited! We’ve never met a nice human like you
before.” He looked like he was going to say more but he sniffed the air and saw Jin cooking in the
kitchen, and ran over to see what he was making. Jae turned back to Jungkook, and he gave her a
warm smile that made her heart flutter. “Would you like a grand tour? It’s not much but it's home.”
Jae smiled, but she realized she had questions, and he wasn’t sure if he knew the answers.
“Um..sure, but, I mean…” she said, looking away.

He grabbed her hand unexpectedly, “Questions later!” was all he said before they went to different
parts of the little house. “Jungkook, don’t make her uncomfortable.” she heard Jin say, and they
continued walking down one of the hallways.

She saw two separate doors, and one was open which was leading to a bathroom. He let go of her
hand and they stopped in front of one of the doors. Jungkook knocked super fast on it, and didn’t
stop until it opened. The door swung open and another man with light brown hair, big fluffy orange
ears and beautiful deep brown eyes appeared.

Jae was stunned to see one of the insanely attractive men she saw before. “Jungkook for god’s sake
would you-” he immediately saw Jae and his demeanor changed.

“Ah, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were there too.” he gave a look towards Jungkook, and then
looked back at Jae. His voice was deep and smooth, just hearing it wanted to make her melt into a
puddle of goo. “It’s nice to see you again, my name is Taehyung, but you can call me Tae if you
want.” he flashed a boxy smile at her, and she felt her face become flushed. She smiled back, and
prayed her face didn’t look as red as it felt. “Nice to meet you too.”

Everyone’s heads turned when they heard the door swing open, and three men strolled in, talking
among themselves. “We’re back!” she heard a familiar voice say. She heard multiple footsteps
coming from the front door, and she heard Jungkook say, “They’re back early. Don’t be shy. I
don’t think they’ll bite.” he said with a little grin. Jae didn’t know what to say back, but she felt
unsure of what to do in this situation. She knew he was just trying to be friendly, and she
appreciated that.

She wanted to find Namjoon first and foremost and thank him for taking her away like this. Her
father must be furious. It dawned on her that eventually, she had to leave, and that it would be bad
news if she was found here with all these hybrids. She wasn’t worried about herself, she was
worried what would happen to them.

“Jae? Are you okay?” Jae snapped out of it and saw Jungkook staring at her with a concerned look.
She smiled a little to reassure him, and nodded. “Mhm! I’m fine!” she said. While he didn’t look
convinced, she took a deep breath and walked out of the hallway. She could hear both Jungkook
and Tae walking behind her, and soon she was met with 3 pairs of eyes, all on her.

“You’re awake.” Namjoon said, giving her that sweet dimple smile.

She felt the two other men staring at her, one with curiosity and one with contempt. She recognized
the latter. His jet black hair was barely covering his dark brown eyes that stared into hers, almost
searching for something to be wrong. His soft black ears coming out of his head were twitching.
“Joon has told us a bit about you” the other man with dirty blonde hair said.

Jae noticed that his ears were almost identical to Namjoon’s. Was he a wolf hybrid too? He got up
and walked closer to her and much to her surprise, leaned in really close to her face. She knew she
was blushing furiously, and his soft, angelic features didn’t make it any better. His eyes were a
light green, like faded emeralds.
“Your eyes are gorgeous.” he whispered. It was ironic that he said what she was thinking about
him. “Aye, Jimin, personal space.” she heard Namjoon say, and he immediately backed off, but she
could see he was smirking, like he had won something.

He heard the other man scoff, and he went into the kitchen where Jin and Hobi were, not bothering
to introduce himself. Jungkook and Tae sat on the couch with Jimin, and started to ask them how
their outing was. She saw Namjoon nod his head towards the other part of the house, where she
had woken up earlier.

She felt a pair of eyes follow them, and once they were alone Namjoon immediately asked her,
“How are you feeling? How’s your arm?” She lightly touched it and was sore but it hurt less than it
did before. “It’s fine...it doesn’t hurt that much anymore. She looked towards Jin. He was smiling
at Hobi for mixing something in a mixing bowl, also with a huge grin on his face. She could also
see a little smile coming from the other man sitting at the kitchen bar. A smile suited his face much
better than a frown.\

“Jin right? He seems pretty skilled when it comes to this stuff. He did good..” she said quietly.
“Have you met everyone by now?” he asked her. “All except...um..” Namjoon looked in the
direction of her gaze. “Ah, well...that’s Yoongi. He’s a good guy, really. He’s not scary at all I
promise. He’s just...protective of us you know? We’re all a family and we’ve all been through our
own hardships and struggles. I’m sure he’ll warm up to you. Once he gets to know you.”

Jae appreciated the kind words but she furrowed her eyebrows. “Um...yeah, I just wanted to say...
thank you, for taking me in here...and showing me such kindness.” She started to fiddle with the
bottom of her shirt. “It’s just…I think-” Jin’s voice rang out and interrupted her, “Food’s ready!
Come get it while it’s hot!” Namjoon grabbed her hand, “Come on, we’ll talk after you eat, I think
we all need some food in our bellies!” Namjoon said, with a smile she couldn’t resist.

All the other guys were sitting, and she saw immaculate looking food on the table, and the smell
made her mouth water. She didn’t realize how hungry she was. Everyone turned to her and
Namjoon’s direction, and they all looked welcoming for the most part, except for Yoongi.

There were two spaces, one at the head of the table and one next to that spot, which was also next
to Hobi. He smiled at her and pulled out the chair next to him. He was bouncing up and down
because he was so excited. She looked at Namjoon for reassurance. He nodded and she went and
sat down in between him and Hobi.

Namjoon sat at the head seat, and they all started digging in. Jungkook was sitting across from her,
and he gave her a wink as he reached and gestured to her plate. She quickly handed it to him and he
piled huge portions of food on it. She didn’t even know where to start but once she took the first
bite it was the most delicious food she’s ever had.

Jin really outdid himself, the cooks at her place couldn’t even compare. She made sure to tell him it
was the best food she’s ever had, and Jin smiled widely at that, joking that everyone else should
say that about his cooking too. Everyone was talking and laughing naturally, and it felt nice. They
all looked at her and asked her small questions occasionally, and for a moment, she had forgotten
that she didn’t belong there.

The devastation hit her all at once, thinking that she’ll have to leave. She felt welcome here, and
ironically, she felt truly warm and loved here than with her own “family” back home. She wanted
to stay...but she couldn’t. It would be dangerous to them, and with all the kindness they’ve shown
her, it would be unfair to them. She knew her father was probably looking for her again, and it
would only be a matter of time before he caught her again.
“Jae? What’s wrong?” she heard Jin ask. The table became silent and all eyes were on her. She
hadn’t realized a tear had streamed down, and she quickly wiped it away. “Oh...the food was so
good, it brought tears to my eyes.” she knew no one was buying it but she smiled anyway.

“I really appreciate everyone’s kindness. I don’t think anyone has ever been this nice to me in my
whole life, so thank you. Truly.” She saw a few smiles in return, while Yoongi clicked his tongue.
It was a small action but it still hurt for some reason. She stood up from her chair, “I hate to eat and
run but, I really should be going. It was nice to meet you all, really, I hope you find peace and
happiness...somewhere..” she said, her chest feeling tight.

They all looked confused and looked at Namjoon. “You didn’t ask her yet?” Jimin asked him.
“No, I never got the chance.” Namjoon responded, and Jae looked back and forth between the two,
just as confused. Namjoon stood up and looked directly in her eyes.

“Jae listen, we..well I...think you would be a lot happier here, with us.” Jae was taken aback. She
wasn't expecting that at all. She heard Jin speak again, “Joonie told us about your injury...how it
happened. That’s not something a parent should do to their child.”

She didn’t think Namjoon noticed that. Jae thought she was the only one who knew that it was her
father who had shot at her.

“Do you...not want to stay with us...?” Taehyung asked, sounding deflated.

“No!” she said immediately. “It’s not...it’s not that I don’t want to stay, but it would endanger you
all...and you’re all so lovely, and kind, and I..I don’t want anything bad to happen to any of you
because of me.”

“So the girl’s not as stupid as she looks.” Yoongi said, and Jungkook hit his shoulder.

“I… I really appreciate the offer. I really do. But, it would be selfish of me to stay. I’ll be okay. It’s
my own family after all.” she said, not convincing herself. She wanted to stay more than anything.
But she couldn’t and that was the reality. They all looked a bit disappointed, except for Yoongi,
who looked like he couldn’t care less, and was starting to clear the table. “Best of luck to you.” he
said and left to go to the kitchen.

The rest just sat there, not really knowing what to say but they looked disheartened. “At least let
one of us walk you back, so you don’t get lost.” Namjoon offered, but Jae shook her head. “Even
that’s too dangerous. They’re probably out looking for me now, and they wouldn’t hesitate to do
something horrible to you.” Jin and Namjoon exchanged a look, and Jungkook looked sad.

“I guess...this is goodbye?” Jae asked, her voice cracked, and she was embarrassed. Namjoon
reached out to her, “Jae..” she avoided his touch and ran out the front door.

She felt like she was leaving home behind and that hurt her even more. She had just met these boys
but they just clicked. She couldn’t run for long before her breathing became haggard. She had to
stop and catch her breath, and she heard footsteps behind her. Was one of them following her? She
stared behind her for a good minute and when she didn’t hear anything else she decided it must
have been her imagination. She even wondered if she could make it back. She had a terrible sense
of direction, but of course she wasn’t going to admit that to the guys. She wasn’t going to put them
in any danger if she could help it. They deserved that much.

She felt like she had been walking for hours, and she was starting to get dehydrated. Her whole
body was shaking and she felt like her feet were about to fall off.
She heard a sharp voice cry out. “She’s here. It’s Jaelyn.” It was a bodyguard. They had found her
already. How was that even possible? She stopped and three guards emerged. “This is Charlie, we
found her, Alpha and Beta go back to your posts. Over.” one said in his shoulder. She sighed and
when they kept walking towards her, she felt something was different. The look in their eyes was
scaring her. “Guys, you caught me alright? I can walk without having my hand held, thank you.”
They kept heading for her and she started backing away.

They looked devious, like they had just killed the canary. She got a horrible feeling.

They suddenly grabbed her arms hard and pinned her down in the dirt. She screamed and started
kicking furiously, and one of the guards slapped her hard on the face. She gasped from the pain
and her face was throbbing.

“Don’t be difficult. Think of this as your punishment. We had to search day and night for you, you
stupid bitch. I think we deserve a reward for all of our hard work, don’t we boys?” The other
guards snickered and she felt a hand go under her shirt and she kept struggling as much as she
could, but she barely moved under three stronger men. She felt sick and helpless, she cursed her
body for being as weak as it was. She wanted to disappear then. She closed her eyes, not wanting to
see the monsters drooling over her.

“GAH what the fuck?!” she heard one of the men say and he started screaming in pain after a loud
thump. The hold on her released and she heard more grunts of pain. She opened her eyes and she
saw the guards whip out their guns. She saw a charcoal colored bunny biting one of the guards
necks. Her heart stopped as she realized it was probably Jungkook.

They weren’t shooting at their comrade but they were aiming, and she knew she had to do
something. “You didn’t bring a tranquillizer??”

Jae could see blood dripping down the guard’s neck and she winced.

“Just kill it!! Get this fucker off me!!” the injured guard yelled.

He was trying to reach Jungkook but he seemed to always avoid his grasp. Jungkook leaped off the
guards and as soon as he did the other men started shooting. He disappeared into a bush and Jae’s
ears started ringing but she was filled with adrenaline.

She was not letting him get shot. She wasn’t letting this happen again.

Emotions taking over, she charged against a guard head first and managed to make him fall to the
ground. She heard a loud roar behind her and heard the other guard screaming bloody murder. She
turned and saw a huge orange tiger biting into a guard’s shoulder and shaking him, while snarling
viciously. She recognized the ears. Taehyung.

She had forgotten a guard was near her and he tackled her to the ground, putting her in a
chokehold. She heard more shooting, and figured the other guard was shooting at the tiger holding
his friend.

Jae kicked the guard in the balls, making him loosen his grip enough so she could wiggle out of his
grasp. She saw Taehyung dodge gunshots left and right, and she couldn’t see Jungkook anywhere.

She felt like she couldn’t breathe, and that’s when she saw the gun in the grass. She picked it up on
instinct and that’s when she saw a guard kick something in the bushes, and she heard a loud squeak
in pain.

All she saw was red and she aimed her gun and fired. The kickback made her stumble backwards,
but she hit the guard dead center of his chest, and his face looked shocked before he fell to the
ground, and didn’t move again. She heard Taehyung snarl loudly towards the other two men, both
bleeding from injuries. The one Taehyung had bitten was in worse shape, losing a lot of blood and
sweating. Jae was surprised he didn't pass out.

They whimpered in fear and they helped each other escape, giving a sign of surrender. Jae ran to
find Jungkook, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Tae starting to switch back. She stopped as
she saw Jungkook shift, rubbing his side in pain and breathing heavily.

“Jae, are you alright?” Jae didn’t say anything, but she started walking towards him with purpose.
He turned to Tae, “If I had known you were following me I wouldn't have jumped out like that
alone.” Tae was just looking back and forth between Jae and Jungkook trying to catch his breath.

Jungkook looked at Jae again. “I know you said not to follow you, but it’s a good thing we did,
otherwise those assholes-” He stopped talking when Jae slapped him hard across the face.

Tae’s P.O.V.

On the list of things I was not expecting to happen today, Jae slapping Jungkook was definitely at
the top of that list. I was shocked, and I even felt the need to defend him.

We just saved her life and this is the thanks we get? I felt frustration bubble up inside and I was
about to give her a piece of my mind, but I noticed she was shaking, and her voice quivered when
she spoke, “Are you out of your mind?! What were you thinking?? You almost got shot! You could
have died! Nothing is worth you dying over!! I’M certainly not worth that!! And what’s worse-”
she gestured to me, “You not only endangered yourself but him as well! How could I live with
myself if something had happened to you!”

She was crying now, and she turned to me, “Either of you.” she said quietly. Tears were streaming
down her face, and instead of looking angry, she looked worried, and tired. I understood now why
she had slapped him.

It wasn’t out of anger, it was out of worry. A memory of my mom flashed in my mind, as she had
slapped me a couple of times when I was young and did something stupid. It was just like that.

Jungkook was looking at the floor, speechless. He looked guilty and sad. “Another hybrid isn’t
going to die because of me, I’m not going through that again…” her legs were shaking and she fell
to her knees. “Not again..” she whispered.

I walked over to her and crouched so I could see her face. I was afraid that she would be scared of
me now, considering I just ripped apart some guys shoulder right in front of her. But I wanted to
comfort her. Why? I barely knew her, but she reminded me of myself somehow.

I reached my hand out to put it on the top of her head, and she surprised me by hugging me, and
crying into my chest. That goes on the list as well.

I looked at Jungkook, and he still looked guilty. I just did what came naturally and I wrapped my
arms around her. She smelled like strawberries and she was extremely warm.

She wasn’t afraid of me, even after I practically ripped some guy’s shoulder apart. She didn’t even
flinch. That fact alone made me realize Jungkook was right. She’s different. I wonder what she
meant by ‘another hybrid isn’t going to die because of me’.

There’s so much we don’t know about her, but I was more than eager to find out, even more so
than before. I patted the back of her head gently, and said “Come on, we should go home.” she
sniffed and she looked up at me. Her big silver-blue eyes were stunning, and the sunlight shining in
them made them even more brilliant. I was so lost in them I didn’t hear what she asked me.

“Oh, w-what?” Through a few more sniffles she repeated herself, “I’ll just...be a burden…”
Jungkook spoke softly, “You could never be a burden to us, Jae.”

She didn’t respond, but I know she heard him. I’m sure the guys were worried by now after
Jungkook and I had suddenly dashed after her, and they probably heard the gunshots. I pulled away
from her gently, and helped her up. I noticed she was supporting a lot of her weight on me, and she
looked pale.

“Are you alright?” I asked her. “I’m..” she looked at me and paused. “I’m...exhausted all of a
sudden..” she said in a quiet voice.

“Wrap your arms around me.” I said. She hesitated for a couple of seconds but then she complied
and wrapped her arms around my neck. I became a little flustered, but I was trying my best not to
let that show. I picked her up bridal style, and she fit in my arms perfectly like a puzzle piece.

“Come on JK, lets go.” He nodded at me, and we both started walking back to the house. The three
of us walked in silence for the most part. I asked Jungkook if he was okay, and he said he was. He
might be a bunny hybrid but I knew he was more than strong; That’s what always gave him an
advantage when fighting: he was always underestimated.

When we finally reached the house, Joonie and Jin were standing outside, talking to each other and
their faces looked intense. They turned to us as soon as they heard our footsteps and they came
running.

We both ended up getting scolded pretty harshly, but Jungkook got the worst of it. Jin helped Jae
back in the house after making sure she was feeling okay. I was tired too, but I didn’t want to let it
show. I was greeted with worried hugs from Jimin and Hobi and a stern look from Yoongi. After a
little while, Namjoon called all of us in the living room to have a ‘serious talk’.

Jae came out from Jin’s room, looking a lot better than she did before holding a water bottle.
Instead of looking pale she looked brighter, and her eyes were sparkling again. She looked at all of
us with a small but genuine smile, and I felt butterflies in my stomach. What was this feeling?

She cleared her throat and everyone’s eyes were on her now. “I wanted to apologize properly for
causing so much trouble. Jungkook got hurt because of me, and I feel deeply sorry about it. If I
was stronger, I could have avoided that. Please forgive me.” she lowered her head.

Jungkook spoke in urgency, “It’s not your fault! She was in trouble, I was only-”

“Jungkook.” was all Namjoon had to say for him to stop talking. He turned back to Jae, “While
your apology is very nice, it’s not necessary. I think we can all agree on that. In fact, Taehyung told
me that you shot the man that kicked Jungkook. Right?” he glanced at me and I said, “It’s true.”
She was actually extremely brave for doing that. I thought back on it and I knew she hadn’t ever
shot a gun based on her reaction. Her mind must have been racing... Namjoon’s voice snapped me
out of my flashback.

“Jae, you don’t have to worry when you are with us. We can keep you safe, and you wouldn’t be a
burden to any of us.”

Hobi piped in, “Yeah. Some of us may not look too dangerous but we know how to protect
ourselves, and each other! We’ve been doing it for a while now.” He smiled at her and I saw her
 start to smile back.

Yoongi sighed, “So we just found this place, and now we have to move again?” He said, not
looking at any of us. He was right, especially after what happened today, we can’t stay here. I
knew Namjoon already figured that.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to everyone about. Now that Jae has been spotted near here, it won’t
be long until they find us too. We have to leave at nightfall. That’ll give everyone enough time to
prepare right?” he said, looking at all of us. It’s not like we had many personal belongings, so it
would be easy to just get up and leave. That’s how it’s always been anyway.

“Jae? Are you with us?” he asked her. Everyone turned to her for her answer. I caught Yoongi’s
face looking conflicted. It looked like he was having some sort of inner struggle. I knew everyone
including myself didn’t mind Jae being here except for him. Maybe if I was lucky I could have a
chat with him later about it.

After Jae was silent for a few seconds, she nodded and Namjoon clapped his hands once. “Great.
Now that’s settled, we should decide on sleeping arrangements. We should get some sleep now
before we head out, since we’ll most likely be moving all night to cover more ground. Jae, you are
more than welcome to sleep anywhere you want.” Jae’s face was obviously turning pink and it was
adorable. “Thank you...I-I think um, I’ll just sleep on that couch.” she said, avoiding eye contact.
“It was pretty comfy.”

Namjoon shrugged and he chuckled to himself. “Well, I did say wherever. Suit yourself. We should
all turn in now.” I thought about giving up my bed to let Jae sleep in it, but she looked content with
the couch. We were all heading into our rooms when I noticed Yoongi staring at her as she and Jin
were talking near the couch.

“She won’t make it two seconds out there with us. She’s too weak.” He muttered to himself. He
caught me staring at him, and continued, “If Namjoon seriously thinks having a human around us
benefits us in any way he’s wrong. Just wait. Something bad is going to happen because of her. I
know it.” he said and he stormed into his bedroom.

I looked back at Jae. Something must have been funny because her and Jin were laughing, and
Namjoon was smiling at them. The sight made me smile, and made me forget Yoongi’s words
entirely.

Chapter End Notes

Don't forget to watch the MV when it drops, and stream the whole album! Give it lots
of love. They worked really hard for us and put everything they had in it <3
 Stay
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jae stared at the ceiling for a while when everyone else went to rest. She couldn’t believe she was
here, in a house full of hybrids. She couldn’t wrap her head around how kind they were to her.

She felt tears form in her eyes, thinking about her mother. It would probably be a long time before
she saw her again. She closed her eyes and she remembered how her mother had always loved
hybrids as well, which was how Poppy came apart of the household. She had brought her back
home, saying found her just walking on the side of the road, apparently she had been abandoned.

Jae was so young she didn’t know what to think of it, except she knew she wanted to be friends.
The young hybrid and her clicked instantly, and suddenly she was a member of the family, much to
her father’s dismay. They laughed and played together so much the days went by so fast, until that
day where everything stopped feeling like a fairy tail.

Both Jae and Poppy were playing tag in the hallway, something they probably shouldn’t have been
doing, and Jae caught Poppy and they rolled on the floor. They didn’t realize they had bumped into
a tall vase until it crashed to the ground with a loud smash that echoed all throughout the house.

The two girls were frightened by the noise, and Poppy had shifted into a bunny at this point.

Nothing could have prepared them for when her father ran to see what had happened. The look on
his face was something beyond anger. Jae was already afraid of her father, but this experience
downright made that fear she felt as a child concrete. She immediately started crying, not wanting
herself or her friend to be punished.

“I’m s-sorry f-father...I-I’ll...we’ll clean it up, we’ll…” Her father held his hand up, telling her to
stop talking. He tilted his head and looked at the trembling bunny in her arms. “It seems this pet is
too much of a responsibility for my young daughter.” Without saying another word, he snatched
Poppy by her ears, out of Jae’s arms. Poppy was squealing and crying, as was Jae. “Father! It was
me! It was my fault, don't punish Poppy, she didn’t do it, it was me!”

She was screaming at her father, but he kept walking away, Poppy still dangling from his grasp.
She tried to get up, to run after them, but her foot was hurting. She didn’t realize it was red with
blood. The vase had fallen on it.

She couldn’t get up, and it was killing her.

She wanted to go help her dear friend, but her foot wouldn’t allow her to move. She settled on
crawling.

he could still hear Poppy’s cries from where she was, and they were becoming more and more
frantic. What is father doing?

As she crawled closer, she heard the most frightening sound, more frightening than Poppy’s
screams.

A defining crack.

And then nothing. Poppy wasn’t crying anymore. The silence was louder than her screams had
been, and Jae wondered why her cries had stopped.

She had crawled to the stairs at this point and she heard footsteps in the foyer below. She saw her
father, and in his hands, he was holding a small bunny, by the ears, limp in his grasp. Jae felt like
her heart had stopped. She started breathing heavily, and she started to scream. She felt the walls
were spinning around her, and she felt like someone was shaking her.

She felt her mother rush to her side, and she was screaming her name, “Jae!” “Jae! Wake up!!”

She opened her eyes to see Jungkook, his eyes wide with concern and his bunny ears up and alert.
She hadn’t even realized she had drifted off to sleep.

She saw Jungkook’s ears and she couldn’t hold back her tears. She started to sob, and she felt
Jungkook put his arms around her. “Sssh...it’s okay...it’s okay..it was just a dream...” he said, softly
petting the back of her head.

Jae shook her head. She knew she had just re-lived one of the worst memories as a child. But she
was here, now, in someone’s arms. She tried to focus on that. “It’s alright, I got her.” she heard
Jungkook say. Jae turned her head to see who else was there, and it was Yoongi, looking like he
had just woken up from sleep.

He sighed, “Calm her down so she doesn’t wake up the whole house.” he said quietly, and trudged
back to his room.

Jae realized she must have been screaming in her sleep, and she became embarrassed. She looked
back at Jungkook, who was looking at her with those big brown eyes. He was so gentle, and warm
Jae couldn’t help but melt. They were sparkling and full of life, she smiled when she looked into
them.

“Jungkook…”

“Hm?”

“Can you...can you stay here..?” Jungkook looked surprised, and Jae panicked, worried that she
had overstepped.

“I-I’m sorry..I shouldn’t have asked that..” she said, turning away from him. "No. no, hey...it’s
okay. I know what it’s like to have nightmares. You never want to be alone when that happens.” he
said with a soft smile.

He sat back on the couch and stretched his arm out, inviting her to come close. “Come here.” Why
does my face feel so warm? She scooted next to him and tentatively put her head on his shoulder.

She was surprised when he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, as if it was the most natural thing
in the world. Even though she thought she wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, the overwhelming
feeling of safety and comfort washed over her.

She felt his head rest on top of hers, and she wanted to stay like that forever. “You’re so
warm...thank you Jungkook..” she said, snuggling into his neck. It just felt so natural to be this
close to him.

She could faintly hear him saying something, but she couldn’t make it out as she was already
drifting off to sleep.

Jungkook’s POV
She really scared me earlier with her screaming. I would be surprised if the rest didn’t hear it. I
thought someone might have found us, or she had gotten hurt, but when I had bolted out of my
room I just saw her lying there, tossing and turning, almost falling off of the couch.

She was saying “poppy” over and over. I didn’t know who or what that was, but it must have been
bad, whatever it was to make her cry and scream in her sleep like that. I was surprised to see
Yoongi come out too, no doubt because of the noise. The two of us had the best hearing but it was
still pretty loud. She looked so helpless, I wanted to do anything I could to help her, so when she
asked me to stay, I was more than happy to. I knew what it was like to have consistent nightmares.
I lived in one for quite a while after all.

I held her close to me, thinking that’s what she needed, hoping I wasn’t pushing any limits. I heard
her whisper thank you to me. I still felt bad for what had happened earlier, and I wanted to
apologize for it.

Tae had explained that she wasn’t angry with me, but she was worried.

“Jae, I’m um...I’m sorry about before...I just acted on my instincts. I didn’t mean to make you
worried…”

I heard her steady breathing and her head felt heavier on my shoulder, I knew she was asleep. I
breathed a sigh of relief. I tried my best to stay still for her. We had both had a long, eventful day,
and my ribs were sore from the kick I had received earlier. Bastards

I adjusted myself a little, to put a little pressure off of it. Truth be told, I wanted to shift, but she
would fall on top of me if I did that. As comfortable as I was, there was no way I could sleep now.
There was a pretty girl laying against my shoulder, I could feel my heart beating faster than usual. I
caught a glimpse of her lips, parted slightly as she breathed. They looked so soft, I wondered what
it would be like to put my lips on hers…to kiss someone like her...

I hadn’t even realized I was leaning my head down to look at them closer. I felt a tightness in my
pants and I felt my face turn red.

I panicked and grabbed the blanket she was using before with my free arm and put it over us. I’d
never hear the end of it from the guys if they saw this. I can’t believe she had that effect on me. It
was baffling since I barely knew her, but I felt so protective of her, like I’ve known her my whole
life.

Was it just my animal instincts? Or was it something else? The idea was strange, and I never
thought he would feel this way about a human. After what they did to my parents? But then she
came along, seemingly out of nowhere, making me feel all confused.

Now she was here, looking so peaceful in my arms. She fit perfectly, like she was supposed to be
there. I lightly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Thank god the guys didn’t rip her to
shreds. Just looking at her sleeping face relaxed me, and gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling that I
hadn’t felt before.

I had no idea how much time had passed since she had fallen asleep, but I wasn’t sure if I had
dozed off or if I just hadn’t noticed that Jin was standing in front of me and Jae with his arms
crossed and a small smile on his face. “Comfy are we?” he asked. I felt groggy, either from lack of
sleep, or from waking up. I couldn’t tell the difference.

I moved my arm away from her, a little embarrassed, which caused her to stir. Jin bent down to
shake her lightly. “Jae, hey, we’re going to leave soon. You should probably get up.” he said softly.
She groaned, actually, it was more like a moan, and it was music to my ears.

My stomach did a little jolt as soon as the noise escaped her lips. I felt my grip on her tighten, and
for some reason I felt possessive. I had to fight myself not to swat Jin's hand away from her arm.
Jin cleared his throat, and I swallowed hard, snapping out of whatever just came over me.
“Jungkook, I’ll make sure she wakes up. Go wake up the others.”

“Y-yeah, sure.” I said, wanting to get out of there before Jae saw me the way I was. What the hell
was that? I had never felt that way before, but it scared me a little. I saw him put his hand on her
face and I felt the strong urge to walk back over and scoop her up in my arms and carry her away
from him.

Hobi, Jimin, and Namjoon shared a room so I went to them first. Namjoon was in his own bed but
unsurprisingly the others were snuggled next to him, in their animal forms.

They all looked so cozy, huddled up together I didn’t want to wake them. I turned on the lights,
“Guys, it’s time to get up now. Jin’s already packing everything up.” I left, seeing Namjoon rub his
eyes and knowing he would definitely make sure the other two were up and ready.

I sighed as I went to Tae and Yoongi’s room. I may be the hardest to wake up out of the rest, but
they were an easy second.

As soon as I opened the door, I immediately heard vicious snores. Once again, I turned on the
lights, but of course that didn’t do anything. They would have seemed dead if they weren’t snoring.

I approached Yoongi first, getting the easier one out of the two out of the way. “Yoongi....hey
wake up...we’re gonna leave soon…” I said, lightly shaking his arm. He groaned and immediately
turned over.

I sighed. “Don’t make me jump on you too.” With that, Yoongi waved me off, signaling me that
he was getting up.

I knew Taehyung however, wouldn’t get up with threats alone. I shifted into a bunny, knowing
what needed to be done. He was on his side, holding another pillow close to his chest. Jungkook
silently crept his way on top of Taehyung. I was sitting on top of his torso, no movement
whatsoever. That changed in an instant when I started hopping on him. He let out a yelp and almost
whacked me with his arms. I quickly hopped off of him, knowing my job was done.

“Jesus Jungkook, you can’t wake me up like a normal person.” His bed head was apparent when he
sat up, and it made Jungkook laugh.

“Since when are we normal?” Yoongi said in his sleepy voice, and he was right.

My ears perked up as I heard Jae laugh, the sound echoing in ears. It was the sweetest sound I have
ever heard, and I immediately ran out of the room towards the noise.

Since I was much lower to the floor I sprinted around and in between a few legs to get back to
where she was. I saw her sitting at the kitchen table with Jimin and Hobi.

Hobi was pulling Jimin’s ears and scolding him playfully, much to Jimin’s discomfort and he was
scrunching up his face in discomfort. The sight made me so happy I wanted to join in.

Without thinking much I sprinted to Jae, and I jumped in her lap. She was startled for a moment,
but once she knew it was me, she giggled and held me close.
“Oh Jungkook, you’re so cute. Your fur is so soft I could hold you all day!” as she squeezed me
tight.

I was so proud of myself at that moment, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say the other guys
looked jealous. There were perks to being the youngest after all.

After the others had gathered, we had collected the rest of our belongings, which wasn’t much. Jin
sighed, “So much food we scavenged that can’t be saved. What a waste.” Namjoon patted him on
the back, “Don’t worry, we’ll get some more. Now that we’ve got another mouth to feed, it’s even
more important.” he said to Jae with a small smile. Yoongi shook his head, but no one else saw it.

Why wouldn’t he just give her a chance? It was starting to annoy me, but I knew better than to pick
a fight with him.

It was pitch black outside by now, and everyone else had shifted to their other forms except for Jin,
who wanted to stay to keep Jae company, as well as lead her through the darkness. Namjoon said it
was also to communicate, since obviously we wouldn’t be able to say anything to her once we
shifted. I wanted to stay with her as well, but they argued that they needed my sense of hearing,
just in case. I caught Jae staring at the others, and she looked amazed. It was like she had never
seen animals before. Wait, had she? I have to ask her later.

Before Namjoon shifted with everyone else, he put his hand on her shoulder. “You’re probably a
little anxious huh?” She nodded. “Jin will be with you the whole time, I mean we all will, but we’ll
only be able to communicate amongst ourselves. I have an idea of where we can go, and it’s going
to be quite a while before we get there. If you need something, please don’t hesitate to tell Jin.
Alright?” she looked like she thought about something for a moment, and then looked at him
again.

“The last thing I want is to get in the way. Just tell me what I need to do, and I’ll do it.” She looked
so determined. Namjoon smiled at that. He had a twinkle in his eyes, they seemed brighter,
something I had never seen from him before.

Jin did one last sweep in the house while we all waited outside, making sure we didn’t leave
anything obvious behind. I could feel how anxious we all were. We knew who was after us, but
what was the extent? How far would we have to go?

I looked over at Namjoon. He looked deep in thought. We all trusted him with our lives, and
rightfully so. He was the smartest hybrid I’ve ever met, and he was always considerate and kind
towards us and our needs. He was the best leader we could ask for. I always hated thinking about
the pressure he must always carry, and I feel guilty. I wish I could bare some of that burden.

It had been a while since we moved, and I knew it was only a matter of time before we did so, but
it was safe to say we never thought we would be under these circumstances. Regardless, we would
all follow Namjoon; we wherever he decided was best.

Alright, let’s get moving. I hopped on top of Jimin’s back, and everyone followed closely behind. I
glanced behind us, and Jin was walking side by side with Jae. She looked a little scared, but I don’t
blame her. She was practically blind in the dark like this, and she was putting her trust in seven
strangers whom she had barely met. I didn’t know what was going to happen next, but we were all
in this together now.

We’re going to head west, towards the station. Everyone good with that?

The station…they hadn’t been there in over a year. It was sort of like a safe spot for hybrids, if you
 needed somewhere to stay, or you needed supplies of any kind, they most likely had it.
Unbeknownst to humans of course. I remember them being so friendly but, how would they react
to Jae? Will they even let her in? What if they are hostile...

I had forgotten the majority could hear what I was thinking. I’ve thought of that too. We’ll deal
with that when it happens. Which it probably will. Let’s focus on the journey first. Namjoon said,
and with that, he started walking. I heard Yoongi scoff and I saw Hobi, Tae, and Jimin exchange
glances. Everyone was worried about what was to come, and that feeling wasn’t about to go away
anytime soon.

Chapter End Notes

BE is incredible I really can't describe in words how it makes me feel but it's
incredible. Please keep streaming!! Also, the boys have a Grammy Nomination!! I'm
so so proud of them, now all they have to do is win. They deserve that and so much
more. <3 Thanks for reading and the kudos, it really keeps me going. :)
 For You
Chapter Notes

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Jae could have sworn they had been walking for hours, but when she asked Jin how long they had
been walking, he said thirty minutes.

She could barely see her own hand in the dark, much less the huge animals in front of her, but she
could see a little thanks to the bright moon above them. It was quiet for a while, so quiet the only
thing she could hear were their own footsteps, and the occasional wind blowing through the trees.

If she was being completely honest, it was a little scary. She hated the dark, but when you add the
stillness of the forest they were in, it tends to give one a sense of uneasiness, even if she wasn’t
alone.

Jin started talking to her little by little to fill the silence. She wasn’t sure if he could sense her
anxiety or if he was just trying to be friendly. Maybe both. While they were still behind everyone
else, they trailed a little behind, as to not disturb the others. Jungkook had fallen asleep on Jimin’s
back, so he was walking slower as well, trying his best not to wake the sleeping bunny.

Jae had wondered where exactly they were going, and she can’t believe she didn’t think to ask until
now. Trust seemed to naturally be there when it came to them. “So, did Namjoon say where we
were going?”

Jin nodded, “Yes, it’s kind of like a safe haven for hybrids who don’t have anywhere else to go.
I’m not sure why we’re going there first, but if I know Joon like I know I do, there’s a logical
reason behind it.” He smiled a little when he said that. “How’s your arm?”

Jae lightly brushed it with her fingers and she could barely feel a thing anymore. “It’s great, thanks
to you. You’re a natural.” Jin smiled from ear to ear at that. “How did you learn to do stuff like
this?”

“Well...my father started to teach me as soon as I could read. If you want to get technical, I didn’t
really have a choice. My family was...owned at the time.” Jin said, his expression slowly turning
dark. “He was a doctor to the family that owned us, so I had to follow in his footsteps so they
wouldn’t...ship me off. They didn’t want a useless hybrid child running around rampant, so he told
them he was training me, which he did, tirelessly.”

Jae immediately felt bad. He probably didn’t want to talk about this. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to
bring up any bad memories.” she said quietly. Jin was quick to respond, “Hey, it’s alright, it was a
long time ago. Don’t worry.” Despite his reassurance, Jae wanted to change the subject.

“So...you guys can communicate with each other without talking? Like...you can read each other’s
minds?” she asked, genuinely curious.

Jin chuckled softly, “Well, yes and no. When we are in our animal forms, yes we can
communicate. Sometimes, when we are in tune with each other for lack of better words, we can
read each other's thoughts. It’s a little complex but...think of it like a radio frequency when it
comes to that. When we want to hear each other, we can. It’s easier and comes more naturally
when we are animals. When we are in our human forms it’s like the radio. I can hear bits and
pieces.” he said with a smile she could just make out under the moonlight.
Jin’s smile brightened up his whole face, and not only that, but it was very comforting. “For
example, hmm..” he closed his eyes and put tips of his fingers to the side of his head, making Jae
giggle. “Jimin is thinking something about...food, I think. Tae...” Jae looked back and forth
curiously waiting for him to say. “He’s thinking he wants to go back to sleep.”

“Food and sleep...I can definitely relate to those.” Jae said, hiding her smile. “So...even though you
are all different for the most part, are you, like...a pack?”

“Yes, we are. That’s what also allows us to communicate with ease. We could do it before, but it
was harder, took much more effort and concentration.” Jae remembered reading about this when
she was growing up.

“So, you all have a pack mark, then?” Jin looked surprised, “You’ve really done your research.”

She instantly became shy, “Oh...well...you know…I’ve always been fascinated with hybrids…” she
quickly added, “in a good way.”

Jin rolled up his sleeve to reveal what looked like a c shaped bite mark on his forearm. It was a
scar, like a big dog had bitten him. Jae couldn’t help but ogle at it, wondering how much it hurt, if
it hurt.

“Namjoon made us all a pack officially when we escaped together years ago. I’ve never been
happier.” he said with a genuine smile. “Did it hurt?” she asked.

“Not really, I’ve experienced way worse.” Jae winced at that. “It doesn’t hurt now though, it’s just
a part of me now. It only aches when one of us or more are away from each other for an extended
amount of time.”

“Wow. I had never heard of that before. Sure, the same species I assumed would be easy for them,
but you guys are all...well...different? I mean, you’re all different from each other, except for
Namjoon and Jimin…” she didn’t want to offend by asking him by asking the question, after all,
they did seem really close. “You want to ask how us predators and prey manage to be in one pack
and live together and not rip each other to pieces?”

“Don’t tell me you can read my mind too?” Jae asked, and that made him laugh. “No, although, I
wish I could get at least an idea of what was in that pretty mind of yours.”

Jae didn’t even have time to process what he had said before he continued, “I think it has a lot to do
with the fact that when we all met, we were locked up. We only had our natural instincts at first, so
of course we acted upon those. However, since we couldn’t really act upon it, we talked. To put it
in the most cheesy way possible, we were able to bond. Instead of just being each other’s predator
and prey, we were able put our instincts aside and get to know each other. We were able to see each
other’s true selves.” Jae was blown away. She wished humans could do the same.
“That’s...amazing. Truly.” she said to him.

He shyly rubbed the back of his head. “Well...of course it’s not perfect. We all have our fights now
and again. Not all of our days are rainbows and sunshine. But after every storm comes a rainbow,
and well, I don’t know if you noticed, but Hobi makes up for all the lost sunshine.”

Jae did notice. “He does seem to have that aura around him.” she said. They continued walking,
and they were both in comfortable silence. Although, Jae sensed his mood seemed to have changed
into something more solemn.

He suddenly spoke up again, “Also, Jae, I wanted to tell you personally, thank you for helping
Namjoon out. I don’t know if it was fate, or destiny or whatever, but, I think I can speak for
everyone when I say we would die without him, and we were well on our way when he
disappeared. I never properly thanked you for that. Thank you.” he said in a much more serious
tone, and it flustered her.

She could feel her face becoming hot. She thanked god it was dark. “Oh no...really you don’t have
to thank me. I was just doing what I thought, no, what I knew was right.” she said.

“I’m not proud of who I grew up around, but I am proud that I didn’t...turn out like him, at least.
My father’s a monster. But...I don’t need to tell you that. I’m sure Namjoon already told you who
he is.” Jin nodded, and gently put his hand on the top of her head. “Hey, I’m not trying to bring up
any bad memories. It’s okay. I’m not going to pry.” he said gently, the gesture almost making Jae
tear up.

“It’s okay. I’m...with you guys now..at least for a while. I know you don’t want me here forever.”
she hurt herself by saying it but she believed it to be true. She didn’t blame them of course.
Eventually though, she needed to find somewhere else to live, so they wouldn’t have to be in as
much fear. That’s no way to live. She smiled at Jin, and he didn’t smile back this time.

“Do you do that a lot?” he simply asked. Jae just looked at him, confused. “Nothing. I said I
wouldn’t pry so I won’t.” Jae was still lost but she wasn’t paying attention to where she was
stepping and stumbled forward. She braced herself for the ground but she found herself wrapped in
Jin’s arms instead.

“Are you okay?” Jin asked. She couldn’t answer, as his face was so close to hers, and even in the
dim moonlight she could make out his worried, nearly perfect face.

“Yeah...yeah...thanks.” she said, not breaking eye contact. Jin wasn’t quick to move either, but he
whispered, “They’re staring.” The commotion had indeed caught the others attention, and she saw
5 pairs of eyes on them.

She stood up, and brushed herself off. She gave a thumbs up, trying to ease the awkwardness that
she felt. Jin could sense this too, and flipped his hair dramatically, “Don’t be too jealous, you
guys.” he said with a little laugh.

Namjoon made a little noise, and continued to walk. The others followed suit. What was this new
tension that was in the air? Was she just imagining it?

After that, occasional small talk was made, but just being near Jin made her face flush, so she kept
her distance without being too obvious.

Namjoon looked so majestic in the front. He kind of looked like the big bad alpha wolf that she had
always seen in pictures and documentaries. Jimin was no different, except he was a little smaller,
and he was more of a gray color. As far as she could tell so far, he was a bit mischievous, and his
eyes were like this huge forest they were walking in; She could easily get lost in both.

Of course, there was Taehyung and Yoongi as well. Two big and ferocious cats, who could rip
your arm off with one swift bite before you had a chance to run. Tae himself, seemed like a
sensible and kind person, and he was absolutely gorgeous, to say the least. Yoongi...hopefully she
would get through to him soon. She wanted desperately to show him she didn’t fall in the humans-
hate-hybrids stereotype. His eyes are what intrigued her most. There was something hidden behind
them, and she wanted to know what that was.

She didn’t know much about red panda’s except that they seemed cute on the outside, but they
could be pretty ferocious in their own way. She wondered if Hobi’s personality was the same.

She also glanced at Jungkook on Jimin’s back, curled up in a little ball, fast asleep. She gushed just
looking at him, remembering how his strong arms held her before. He also reminded her of her
friend, automatically causing her to have a soft spot for him.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed after that, but she could feel herself starting to get
tired. After what had happened earlier, she was too embarrassed to say something. Namjoon’s
words replayed in her mind: If you need something, please don’t hesitate to tell Jin.

She had told Namjoon that her body wasn’t the strongest, but she didn’t want to be a burden. She
could feel herself starting to stumble her steps, and Jin must have noticed this, because she heard
him ask her if she was okay.

She waved her hands in protest, “I’m fine! Really, just, getting a little tired...but I’m fine!” she said,
pressing forward. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she stopped. Jin walked in front of her and
knelt down, “Get on.” he said.

Jae didn’t know what to say, and noticed just how broad his shoulders were. It was clear he wasn’t
going to move until she got on his back, and she was exhausted, so she got on his back. When she
wrapped her arms around his neck, she felt how soft his skin was, and he was really warm. She was
surprised by how easily he lifted her up. “I’m stronger than I look, you know.” he said, shaking his
head.

“Hey...stay out of my head mister.” she said, and poked one of his cheeks. They felt warm too, as
he threatened to drop her. But she knew he wouldn’t.

Jin’s POV

We had finally stopped walking to take a break once both Tae and Jimin were making sure
everyone knew that their paws were hurting. I was fairly certain they planned that, knowing how
close the both of them are, it was easy for them to put their heads together.

I didn’t mind, my feet were starting to ache as well, since I had decided to carry Jae on my back a
little over an hour ago. Of course, I didn’t mind that either. She was very light, it was like carrying
a small backpack.

Her small breathing against my neck made the hairs on the back of it stand up, causing shivers to
run down my spine. She was affecting me in a way I wasn’t expecting, and she seemed to have no
idea.

Her smell was addicting, probably the sweetest scent my nose has ever smelled, and I was fighting
back urges I had never felt before. I could feel her heartbeat through her chest on my back,
thumping away. My animal instincts were screaming, and I was thankful that the others couldn’t
hear my thoughts at present.

I set Jae down so we could go sit down with the others. Most of the others had shifted back by
now, and Jungkook was awake again. He, as well as Hobi checked up on her.

Hobi said it wasn’t fair that I got to carry her for so long and that he called dibs next time, to which
Jungkook argued against. Both their eyes were so bright when they were talking to her. It’s like she
had a natural ability to make us happier.

For some reason, I thought back to when I found her and Jungkook cuddled up on the couch
earlier. I remember Jungkook holding on to her for dear life when I tried to intervene. If he had the
ability to growl, he would have. It clicked that I wasn’t the only one, Jungkook’s instincts were
starting to kick in too. If the pattern continues for the rest, and if it’s going where I think it’s going,
it’s going to be bad for everyone.

Jae was sweet, and above all, she seemed so innocent. Why is that so enticing? Why was she a fun
person to talk to? I’ve known her for a day, technically two now and all I wanted to do was make
her smile, wrap her up in my arms, feel her warmth merge with mine, touch her skin, touch all of
her, feel her-

Yoongi’s voice snapped me out of it. “Jin? Hello in there?” His voice made me jump, and he
frowned at me, clearly worried. I never am the type to get lost in my thoughts. They know me as
always aware and observant. I tried my best to hide that I was flustered.

“Are you okay? You seemed...far away.”

Being me, I replied, “The Min Yoongi is worried about me, I can die a happy man now.” while
clutching my chest dramatically.

He rolled his eyes and patted me on the shoulder. “I just asked the other kids, they said they’ll ‘die
of starvation’ if we don’t get something soon. There’s a place nearby, I can smell it.”

My stomach grumbled in that moment, interrupting him and I’m pretty sure everyone heard it.

Jae bursted into laughter and I felt my ears twitch in embarrassment. “I agree with Jin, I’m
starved.” Jimin said, while stretching his legs.

Namjoon looked at me, as if to ask my opinion on the matter, to which I replied, “It’s up to you,
Joon. I can wait however long. The sky is getting lighter now, so my guess it’s around 5...5:50am.”
I was usually right when it came to telling the time just by looking at the sky, I had practically
become an expert at this point, given my past that I shuddered to think about.

Namjoon looked tired, and most of all he looked stressed, which I’m sure some of the others could
sense as well. “If there is a place, it would be better to recharge now. We still have a long way to
go. I want to be at a certain distance by nightfall.”

I was always amazed by Yoongi’s immaculate sense of smell. Jealous in fact. I wondered what
Yoongi thought about Jae's scent.

“Two or three can go. The rest I want to stay here, just...just in case. I’ll go. Who else?” I share a
look with Yoongi. We practically speak at the same time to protest, seeing how tired he is.

“Joonie, you should stay here, rest up. You’re exhausted. Don’t lie and say that you aren’t we can
all feel it. Even her.” Yoongi said, not looking at Jae but gesturing to her. Namjoon took one look
at Jae and sighed. He was right, I looked over and she looked worried, fiddling with the hem of her
shirt, which I noticed was one of her habits.

“I’ll go.” Yoongi said. “Who else?” he looked around at the others, truthfully, I wanted to stay
behind, and talk to Namjoon about pressing matters in my head. I didn’t speak up, but Jimin did.
“I’ll go too.” he said, raising his hand up halfway.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jae step forward a little. “I want to go.” she said. There was a
silence, we all just blinked at her. Namjoon was about to say something, but Yoongi spoke first,
“What could you do to benefit us? You’re just a human.”

Jimin lightly hit his shoulder as if to say stop. That was a little harsh.
I looked nervously at Jae but she looked fine, as if the comment wasn’t directed at her. “Well...I
figured I could make things easier? Since I’m just a human?” she said, throwing his own words
back at him. Jimin looked like he realized what she meant. “She could go inside, pretends she
owns us.”

Yoongi looked taken aback, and his face was turning red and I couldn’t tell if it was
embarrassment or anger. She nodded at Jimin’s words. “Exactly. Use me, please.” Jae said firmly.
“I want...to be useful.”

I looked over at Namjoon who I could see was debating the whole thing, brows furrowed in
thought. “I think it’ll be fine...” Hobi said. “I second that.” I said. It should be fine, it’ll just look
like Jae is getting a shit ton of food.

“Okay.” Namjoon said quietly. Jimin grinned and Yoongi just looked like he regretted
volunteering. “Jin, give her the card.” he said, rubbing the center of his forehead. I dug in my
pocket and gave her a black card.

She raised her eyebrows, “Where did you guys get one of these?” We practically stole it off some
drunk fool in a bar. We were desperate for money and it was luck he had one of these in his wallet.

“We borrowed it, what does it matter?” Yoongi huffed. “Let’s go already.” and he started walking
away.

Jimin gave Jae an apologetic smile and suddenly grabbed her hand which I could tell she wasn’t
expecting. “We’ll be back!” Jimin said cheerfully and jogged away, dragging Jae behind him. My
stomach flipped as soon as they disappeared in the thicket of trees. No, they’ll be fine.

Namjoon laid down on the ground, not caring that his hair was getting dirt in it. I walked over to
him to check how he was doing. I didn’t want to stress him out more, but I needed to tell him what
was going on with Jungkook, and well...me too.

“Hey Joon, can I talk to you for a second?” I asked. “Course, what’s up?” he said, still looking up
at the sky. I took a deep breath, which caused him to finally look at me. He could sense it wasn’t
just a casual conversation. I sat down next to him.

“I think Jungkook is getting...attached to Jae.” I said tentatively.

Joon looked blank. “As in…?”

My palms started to get a little clammy. “As in...attached. And um...he’s not the only one. I...I’m
starting to feel something too. I don’t know what it is, I’ve never felt anything like this before. I
just want to be around her, you know? Suddenly I just have this...need. We haven’t even known her
for that long, I’m just confused. Do you know what I’m talking about?” I asked, trying to stop
myself from rambling.

Joon swallowed hard, and then chuckled to himself. “Well, this isn’t good for the three of us then.”
It was barely a whisper, but I heard it and I was shocked to say the least.

“You too?” I exclaimed, a little too loud, because Taehyung and Hobi glanced over, and that’s
when I noticed Jungkook was staring at them, ears up and alert. Damn, he’s probably heard this
whole conversation. It would be better to do this when he wasn’t around.

“Well, we can discuss this later. It’s...not too pressing yet, I guess.” Namjoon looked deep in
thought and he rubbed his face with his hands. “I think I have a rough idea of what’s going on, but I
hope I’m wrong.” he said quietly. “If we want to know for sure though, we need to ask Yoongi. He
 would know. And it won’t be a pleasant conversation.”

The last thing I wanted to do was bother Yoongi about this. The way Namjoon said that, I knew it
had to do with his past. No one particularly liked to talk about theirs, but Yoongi has stated
specifically that he doesn’t want to talk about his ever again, which we respected, and we didn’t
blame him for.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Namjoon had sat up and sent me a soft smile, “I can talk to him if you
want. And while it might not be showing now, if it is what I think it is…” he paused.

“We need to know now, and we need to fix it, if that’s even possible.”

My head was spinning, but I tried to put aside my worry as I watched Taehyung, Hobi, and
Jungkook laughing and chasing each other around in the grass. It made me happy to see them so
carefree, for a few moments, all my worries were gone.

Chapter End Notes

<3 Everyone please stay healthy and safe, and most importantly, happy.
 What do you think?
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

When Jimin grabbed Jae’s hand, she was surprised to say the least, but his smile made her forget.

It was dazzling, and above all, contagious. She couldn’t help but blush, and she didn’t realize that
Jimin saw it.

They had been walking for a while, and she realized they were getting closer to a road once she
heard the sound of cars zooming by. She looked ahead and saw Yoongi walking as if he was by
himself, his black hair bouncing with every step he took.

She couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in his head. She wished she could read minds like
they could. She wanted to know why he was so adamant on being this way with her. Jimin seemed
to notice that she was thinking hard about it when he stopped tugging her along and let go of her
hand. “So, that was nice of Jin to carry you earlier.” he said, smirking.

Jae blinked. “Uh, yeah...it was. He’s really nice.” she said, smiling. Jimin laughed, flaunting his
radiant smile and Jae looked at him, still smiling.

“What’s so funny?” he covered his mouth to stifle the laughter as she saw Yoongi slightly looking
over his shoulder, to see what was happening behind him. “You’re just so unbelievably cute, it’s
incredible.” he said, looking right in her eyes.

Jae looked down at the ground and tried to play it off, but it felt like her face was on fire. That
made him laugh, and he continued to tease her.

“Hey Yoongi, if you’re hungry there’s a bright red tomato right here!” he yelled.

“No thanks.” he said dryly, but Jimin just kept on laughing and Jae lightly hit Jimin’s arm. “You’re
mean.” she said softly. However, if she was being honest with herself, she enjoyed the teasing. It
felt like they had known each other for years instead of days.

A few more banters between her and Jimin, and they found themselves in front of a road, with
occasional cars passing at high speeds.

They slid down a little hill that led down to the street, careful not to slide down too fast. Jae was
taking everything in, the long open road, the small diner that was across the street, the people
inside, laughing and smiling with their loved ones, it was all something she had never seen before.

This was another reason she wanted to come. She wanted to explore every part of the world while
she could. She must have been staring at everything for some time, because Yoongi’s voice cut
through her thoughts, “Hey, what are you all googly eyed about?”

Jae wasn’t expecting him to ask her anything, so the answer to the question didn’t come right away.
He raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer. “I just-um-I’ve never really traveled anywhere
before so I’m just taking everything in.” she said, looking down.

There was a moment of silence between the three of them, and Yoongi spoke again, “One of us
should stay here, in case things get...you know. I don’t expect this little diner will cause any
problems but, you never know.” he said crossing his arms.
Jae peered at the entrance to the diner to look for an anti hybrid sign. While she wasn’t able to go
to many places, she remembered back in her town there were a few places that didn’t allow hybrids
to come inside at all. She didn’t see one on the door, but that didn’t lessen her suspicion.

Yoongi sighed, “Jimin, just stay here, I’ll go with her. I’m the only one who knows what everyone
wants.” Jimin nodded, and gave Jae a thumbs up and mouthed “good luck” she could barely send
him a nod before Yoongi grabbed her arm and dragged her across the street.

His hands were warm, and while they gripped her tight, it didn’t hurt. Once they had gotten across,
Yoongi received a few stares from people coming out of the diner, but he didn’t pay any attention.
He opened the door for Jae, and gruffly said, “After you.”

She entered, and Yoongi followed right after. While it wasn’t insanely busy inside, she could tell
they got good business, the servers bustling and chatting with people with genuine smiles and her
mouth watered when she caught a glimpse of the chefs in the kitchen and the crisp sound of
sizzling.

Her trance was broken by Yoongi’s nudge. “Hurry up, people are staring.” he said. She could tell
he was getting uncomfortable, and she didn’t blame him. The lady behind the counter was looking
at him like he was a dead cockroach. She had a lot of wrinkles and she had so much makeup on she
could join the circus. Time to put on your mask Jae.

“Hi! I’d like to order some food to go please.” she said, smiling at the lady. Not looking at her at
first, she continued to type something on their computer. “Is that with you?” she pointed her pen in
Yoongi’s direction.

His round, fuzzy ears were twitching from all the noise and his hands were in his pockets, and he
was trying to avoid eye contact with everyone. “Yes, he is my hybrid. Is there a problem?” Jae
asked, trying to keep her fake smile.

“We don’t allow them in this establishment without a collar. Even then, we don’t prefer people
bringing their pets in here.” she said. She flicked her wrist and gestured it towards the door. “Put it
outside, or I have the right to refuse service.” she said, without batting her fake eyelashes. These
people.

“Oh, my apologies, but I don’t see a sign anywhere?” Jae said, struggling to hide her annoyed tone.
The lady pointed above her and sure enough, there was a sign. Jae silently cursed at herself, not
seeing it earlier.

“If you’ll excuse me for a moment.” she said, and the lady didn’t even acknowledge it.

She walked swiftly back to Yoongi and went to loop her arm with his. She could feel him flinch
away and she said, “Please just play along.” only loud enough so he could hear.

He looked unamused, but let her hold his arm. Once they had gotten back outside, they walked a
little bit away, and Jae said, “It was a no hybrid establishment, I had a feeling. Sorry, I should have
said something earlier.” Yoongi rolled his eyes. “Pricks. Whatever. Here’s what the guys want.”

Jae thought her head was going to explode when she had to remember everything, and he said it so
fast Jae swears he would have no problem being a rapper.

While Yoongi was still talking she remembered that Jimin outside too she looked across the street
and sure enough, there he was, crouched on the side of the road, waiting. He gave Jae a little wave.
His hands looked so small and-
“Got it? Repeat it back.” he ordered. By some miracle, she did, and for once ever since they’ve
met, he looked satisfied with her. She felt proud, and she felt over the moon when he said, “Good
job.” Two little words made her beam. She wanted him to be proud. She was finally getting
through to him. She practically skipped inside the restaurant, and the lady finally acknowledged
her existence.

Once she had ordered enough food to feed an army, she gave the lady the card. She raised her
eyebrows at it. “Can I see some ID? It’s protocol if a customer uses a card like this.”

Jae froze, “Um...I...I don’t have my ID with me.” It was true, she didn’t have it, she didn’t bother to
grab anything from her home before. Although, it’s not like she had time to.

The lady sighed, deeply annoyed at this point. “You don’t look like a psychopath so I’ll let it slide
just this once. You're giving us good business. I’m not always this nice. Be thankful.”

Jeez, what are you when you’re not nice? Jae made sure to thank her, and she said it would be
about thirty minutes and gave her a buzzer.

Jae walked back outside and Yoongi was sitting on the curb next to the diner. He looked confused
as to why her hands weren’t full of food.

Jae held up the little buzzer. “Gotta wait thirty minutes. That’s actually not bad considering all the
food we just got.” She sat down next to him and they were in silence for what seemed like an
eternity.

To Jae’s surprise, Yoongi spoke up, “Look. Just so we don’t have any misunderstandings, I don’t
hate you. I just...it would be better if you weren’t with us, okay? Especially considering who you
are. I’m just telling you like it is. It puts us in a risky situation.”

The words hurt a little, but he didn’t blame him for saying so. She knew the rest of the boys came
first, no matter what, and she respected that.

“I don’t know how bad your home life was and I’m sorry for that, but, I know Namjoon probably
has a plan right now to get us somewhere safe. It’ll all work out in the end.” There was comfort in
his words and Jae’s heart felt like it was being squeezed.

“Thanks...I’m sorry... That’s why I wanted to come with you and Jimin. While I know you don’t
want me here, I want to help any way I can. I don’t want to get in the way, or slow you all down, or
put any of you in danger. Please believe me when I say that’s the last thing I want. I know you care
about them more than anything. I...really admire that about you.” she said, turning to him.

He looked back at her. His stare was intimidating, but just like she noticed before, there was
something else there. There was a softness in his chocolate eyes, and also...hurt. She hadn’t noticed
she had been staring until the buzzer went off violently, and they both jumped.

Yoongi looked away and put his tongue in his cheek. Jae jumped up maybe a little too fast, and she
realized how long it had been since she’d eaten. She stumbled a little, and she had hoped Yoongi
didn’t see.

She admittedly wasn’t very strong, so carrying the endless bags of food outside proved to be a
challenge. Yoongi fortunately saw this, and jogged over to help. Distributing the weight evenly, it
became easier, especially when they had to dash back across the busy street.

They reunited with Jimin and all was going well, until she felt one of the bags slipping from her
fingers.
She tried to adjust it while she was walking up the small hill, which proved to be a mistake.
Gravity was not her friend in that moment and when she tried to adjust the weight of the bags,
caused her to stumble backwards and fall down the small incline.

She hit the ground hard with a thud, and she felt dizzy as she had hit her head on the hard pavement
of the road.

She felt disoriented, and she hadn’t even realized that a car was coming, and it was coming fast.
She heard yelling but there was no time to react.

Something pulled her back at such a speed it made her nauseous. She blinked a few times to focus
her vision and she saw Jimin looking at her with concern and fear, while Yoongi looked furious.
“Are you fucking trying to get yourself killed?” Yoongi growled. He didn’t yell, but his voice was
low and scary.

She felt Jimin feel the back of her head, “No blood, she should be fine, but she did hit the ground
pretty hard. Should we-”

He stood up, wiping off some sweat off his forehead. “If she’s fine, we need to get going. Can you
stand?” he asked her roughly.

Her head was pounding but she nodded, not wanting to upset him further. She felt sick to her
stomach, guessing any progress she felt like she had made with him was probably gone.

Jimin helped her up to her feet, his ears were to the side and he looked worried, looking back and
forth between her and Yoongi. Yoongi picked up the bags that Jae had dropped, by some miracle
nothing had spilled. He ended up carrying everything with ease, and stormed off before Jae could
say thank you.

Jimin stayed behind, making sure Jae could walk. “Are you okay, really?” he asked softly. Jae
nodded, embarrassed more than anything. She can’t believe she fell like that.

“I’d never seen Yoongi react that fast. You were lucky he was there, I wouldn’t have been quick
enough.” he said, looking down. He squeezed her hand, “He seemed mad, but he was just worried.
Honest.”

Jae gave him a smile with her eyes. “I’ll be sure to thank him later.” They walked in silence, but
Jimin didn’t let go of her hand once.

Yoongi’s POV

I’ve only had a panic attack once in my life. But this time...this time was different.

The amount of panic I experienced when I saw Jae’s head hit the pavement, was indescribable. The
car seemed to be flying towards her and I couldn’t think.

Everything was a blur, my instincts winning over my panic telling me to run to her. The car wasn’t
going to stop, so I just pulled her towards me. Seemingly, just in time, and the car never slowed
down once. I fucking hate people.

I felt Jimin kneel down, and when I knew she was okay, I felt nothing but anger.

Anger because she almost got hurt, on my watch. Anger that she fell, and I wasn’t there to catch
her. Anger that her life was almost snuffed out in an instant, because I wasn’t careful. Just like last
time. Why is she even here? Why do I care? Why should I care what happens to her?
 I was starting to get a migraine and I wanted to rip my ears off my head. My thoughts were
overwhelming me again, and I started breathing heavily and out of rhythm.

Now that I was alone, my body was catching up to the events of what had transpired. I could feel
myself starting to shake. I stopped walking and tried to calm myself down. I closed my eyes and
thought about the breathing tricks Hobi taught me in case this ever happened. Relax. Breathe.
In...and out. Relax. You’re fine. She’s fine. They’re fine. Breathe.

Once I steadied my breathing again, Jimin and Jae were in sight again behind me. Jimin was
holding her hand, and for some reason when I saw it I felt like I had eaten something bad.

He looked so happy, like a kid with candy. What the hell is wrong with you? You just met her, why
do you feel this way you idiot. Her scent suddenly hit me and it was overwhelmingly sweet, and it
took everything in me not to pounce on her at that moment. I took one look at her, and I felt my
heart beating really fast.

Her hair looked so soft, it was lightly bouncing against her shoulders with each step she took, her
skin looked incredibly soft, and the light from the sunrise was lightly kissing it, making her look
like she was glowing. Her eyes reflected off of it too, making them shine brighter than they were
when I looked into them for too long in front of the diner. She was beautiful, it was just that
simple.

She probably thought that I hated her. That’s why I said what I said at the diner. I wanted to tell her
I wasn’t trying to be a dick, but I cared about my family. My brothers. My pack.

I unconsciously rubbed the mark on my hand. If anything happened to even one of them, I would
die. She reminded me of her, and I can’t go through that again. I guess that’s why I pushed her
away as hard as I did. It wasn’t fair, and I knew it.

Overwhelming feelings hit me suddenly. I felt the strong urge to grab her from Jimin and take her
in my arms. I wanted to hold her, protect her, give her everything. I wanted her, in every possible
way. I had felt this before, just not as intense, and the realization hit me like a truck. I knew a
possible reason why I would feel this way.

Oh....fuck.

Chapter End Notes

You all are so sweet leaving comments and kudos you really have no idea how much
joy it brings me :') I feel so lucky! This update was a little shorter, so the next update
will be sooner than later. Thank you so much for reading! <3
 Sea
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Eventually, Jimin, Yoongi, and Jae returned to the others. The rest of the boys lit up like a
Christmas tree when they smelled the food, and Yoongi barely had enough time to open it all up
before everyone swarmed around it like hungry wolves. It was actually pretty cute to watch.

I guess the way to a man’s heart really is his stomach. Jae thought. Yoongi had passed the last meal
out, which was to Jungkook and nobody even hesitated to start digging in. It made Jae laugh, and
seeing the food her stomach grumbled. Yoongi heard this and he paused.

Jae saw him feeling the empty bags and he looked at her, “Where’s yours?” Jae froze. Crap. “Oh...I
guess I was so focused on getting the right thing for everyone else I sort of...forgot.” she said,
awkwardly laughing. Everyone stopped eating at her words, and they all looked at each other.

“Jae come sit with us, we can give you some of ours.” Hobi said, motioning her to join the natural
circle they had formed. Jae hesitated, “I don’t want to-”

“Jae. Sit. Please.” Jin said, in a tone Jae hasn’t heard from here before, but it made her stomach flip
inside itself. She sat down between him and Taehyung soon after.

Yoongi tossed her a plastic fork and everyone offered her some of their food. They all took turns
sharing a portion with her, and she was surprised she ate so much. She thanked them over and over.

Jae remembered she needed to thank Yoongi properly. She noticed while the rest were still eating
and talking amongst themselves, he had swiftly pulled Namjoon aside, and they were talking a
good distance away.

Her palms began to sweat, as Yoongi looked back at her, then back to Namjoon. Both their
expressions were serious. He’s telling him I messed up. He’s telling him they need to ditch me. I’m
too much trouble, they’re probably just going to leave me here-

“-right Jae?” She snapped out of her daze. Taehyung was looking at her expectantly, mouth full of
food. His stuffed cheeks reminded her of pieces of bread.

“O-oh what? I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention.” she said, trying to rub off the sweat that had
formed on her palms. “I was saying that next time if you need someone to carry you, I’m the one
you’ll come to!” he said urgently.

“No no, he’ll just drop you. I’m way stronger than him, let me.” Jungkook said, eyes sparkling
with determination. “Jungkookie you’ve already had too much time with her already, we heard
what you did earlier!” Jimin said, pulling playfully on one of his bunny ears. “Ack- Jimin, let go!”
Jimin looked at Jae and winked.

“I got to hold her hand earlier. The whole. Walk. Back.” he said smugly, annunciating every
syllable.

The two other boys were in disbelief and started shoving him playfully accompanied with groans
of jealousy. Hobi was smiling at the scene, eyes twinkling with content, and Jin had just gotten up
to “break them up”.
Jae couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of them all. They all made her feel at ease, seemingly with
no effort. Her heart felt tight in her chest. She felt like she was home. She never wanted to leave.

Namjoon and Yoongi eventually returned, and they continued their journey. Jae tried to read their
faces, but it was impossible. She tried to force herself not to worry about it too much.

Jin wanted to stay behind with her again, but a bunch of the others protested, more passionately
than expected. In the end, they all played rock paper scissors except for Yoongi and Namjoon,
who were already waiting in their animal forms.

Jae still couldn’t get over how majestic they both looked. There was a loud YES followed by
groans from the others. Taehyung had won. His big boxy smile beamed at her, and she couldn’t
help but smile back as her cheeks flushed.

When everyone had shifted except for Tae, they continued their long seemingly endless walk. Jae
had realized she had never seen Jin’s animal before till now.

He was the most adorable stoat she had ever seen. His little whiskers wiggled as he hitched a ride
on Namjoon’s back, settling to plop his head right on Namjoon’s. His fur was so white it was
almost blinding. If it had decided to snow, she knew they would lose him because he would blend
right in.

Jae found that Tae was extremely easy to talk to, just like Jin. It wasn’t awkward and there was
never a time when she felt uncomfortable, even if they were in silence. She was content walking
side by side with him.

She had to fight herself not to gawk at him, especially being next to him like this. His beauty was
actually striking. His soft brown eyes caught the sun just right and they looked like pools of richest
chocolate. His tan skin looked incredibly soft and his jawline could probably cut someone if they
weren’t careful.

“You don’t seem real…” she said out loud. He gave her a little smirk and she quickly tried to cover
up her mistake. “I-I mean...all of you...you all don’t seem real, it doesn’t seem real that I’m here
with you all now.” He looked at the others ahead of them with fond eyes.

“I’m glad you aren’t afraid of us. I like to think I’m pretty good at reading people, but you still
managed to surprise me.” Jae raised her eyebrows, “Oh? When?” Tae thought about it for a second.
“When me and Jungkook rescued you, and I put my arms around you, you didn’t flinch away from
me. Even when you saw me, well, you know…”

“Rip some guy apart?”

“Yeah, that.” If Jae didn’t know any better he looked rather proud of himself.

While I can’t say we’re completely harmless..” he said, and Jae thought about when she saw him
tear apart a guy’s shoulder, “we don’t ever want to hurt anyone. Maybe some hybrids are like that,
but I can speak for all of us when I say we just want to live peacefully.” he smiled at Jae. “But you
knew that.”

Jae tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. This man could get her worked up without even
trying. “I um...had a childhood friend who was a hybrid. So I’ve never had a reason to be afraid of
hybrids. She was my only friend, and it didn’t matter to me that she had bunny ears you know?”
Tae raised one eyebrow. “Oh? She was a bunny hybrid like Jungkook?” Jae nodded, “Mhm. Except
she was a white one. Her name was Poppy.”
“That’s cute.” he said smiling, but Jae’s didn’t reach her eyes and he noticed. “Is she..?”

Jae shook her head, “She’s...not here anymore.” she said, putting her hands in her pockets.

Tae put his arm around her shoulders. It tugged at her heartstrings and she felt extremely warm by
his actions. “I’m sorry. I know how it feels to lose someone you care about.” he said softly. “My
family is...they aren’t here anymore either.”

Jae looked up at him and he looked heartbroken. On impulse, Jae returned his gesture and she
wrapped one of her arms around his waist, bringing her closer to him. She tried to sync her steps
with his, so they wouldn’t walk awkwardly.

Jae didn’t look at him, as she was embarrassed, but she saw him staring at her out of the corner of
his eye. “It’s okay. I’m sure they’re happy, wherever they are.” Jae said. “No matter what you
believe, that thought gives peace of mind eventually.”

“Jae…” His deep honey voice saying her name sent chills down her spine that she could not
describe.

“Thank you. Really.” Jae looked up at him then. He was looking straight into her soul, with a look
that completely rendered her speechless. He was so focused on her, she could have easily believed
they were the only two people on earth. She felt like she was floating. “I knew I made the right
choice.” he said.

“Wh-what...do you mean?” she asked, silently cursing at herself for sounding so flustered.

“Oh, maybe Namjoon didn’t tell you. When we saw you that day in the clearing with those men, I
was the one that saw you were in trouble. I thought you were a hybrid at first, knowing who they
were. Then Yoongi noticed you were human and told us you didn’t need any help. Long story
short, I ultimately made the decision to help you out, and Jimin ran out to you. The others just
kinda...followed.” he said as he lightly laughed.

Jae really was grateful, being in the presence of her beautiful savior. “I see...I wanted to thank you
for that. They were my father’s employees but who knows what they would have done. Humans
often attack other humans you know..” she shivered, thinking about when Tae and Jungkook saved
her from those other men.

Tae thought for a moment, “I couldn’t just walk away from someone who was in trouble. I thought,
you’re here, do something about it. Just standing by and watching someone get hurt, it’s cruel, no
matter who you are. That’s...what happened to my family.” Tae sighed and he loosened his arm
around her. She did the same, giving him some space.

She didn’t push him to talk, but when he did she actively listened. “I grew up in a refugee camp
most of my life. My family was there, as well as a bunch of other predator hybrids. We were a
small, close-knit community living in secrecy. I remember being happy. It worked for a while, then
one day it just...all went to hell. I still don’t know what happened. It was just a normal day,
everything was fine one moment, and then the next,” his hand turned into a fist and his knuckles
turned white, “The HHA found us and almost everyone was just...slaughtered, or being captured.
Including my family. That was the first time I had ever seen any humans. I was just a kid.”

His voice hitched and Jae grabbed his fist and held it with both of her hands. His expression
immediately softened. “I managed to escape, but I did it without bothering to help anyone else. I
heard cries, pleas for help, but I...I did nothing. I was so desperate, so petrified…I think it’s the
biggest regret in life I have. It weighs on me sometimes you know?” He rubbed his eyes and let out
a feigned chuckle, “I’m sorry, I overshared. Jimin says I do it a lot.”

Jae immediately shook her head, “No. You’re fine. I’m a great listener.” she rubbed her thumb
lightly over his hand, in hopes to comfort him. He smiled a little and it made her stomach flip.

“You are. If there’s one thing I don’t regret, it’s saving you Jae.” If Jae could blush any deeper she
might explode. As natural as breathing, their hands intertwined with each other, both not wanting to
let go any time soon.

“Seriously though, if you feel tired, let me carry you. I’m stronger than I look.” He said. Jae
chuckled, “Funny, Jin said the same thing. Thank you, but I need the exercise anyway. I’ve had a
weak body since birth and it’s been the bane of my existence. Maybe if I exert myself more, it’ll
help.”

Tae frowned at that, “Or you’ll end up hurting yourself. Just be careful, know your limits.” he
sounded so stern all of a sudden it made her laugh. “Hey, I’m serious! Why are you laughing?” She
couldn’t help it, it was cute. Of course, she couldn’t say that.

“You just reminded me of my mom that’s all. She would say things like that to me all the time
when I was little. Please, don’t worry about me too much. I think I’m good with this.” she said,
raising up their interlocked hands.

“Uh...right. Yeah…” he looked away and she saw the top of his fluffy ears twitch. Was
he...blushing?

*******

After endless walking and talking, the sun started to set again. Jae felt like she was going to pass
out, but she didn’t want to let it show. As long as she didn't have to run, she'd be fine. She just
focused on her breathing.

Tae kept checking on her in subtle ways, but of course she noticed. Even though she felt a little
dizzy after a while, she was actually doing much better than last time. With Tae holding her hand,
it gave her newfound energy.

Namjoon eventually stopped again, calling everyone to a meeting of sorts. “I think we’re a little
over halfway there now, if not more. We’re making good progress, which is putting my mind a
little at ease.” Jae could tell. She wasn’t sure what he was worried about before, but he looked
better, less pale.

“Question,” Hobi piped up. “Where are we sleeping tonight?” Namjoon blinked a couple of times.
“I...hadn’t thought about that yet Hobes. Um…”

Yoongi crossed his arms. “It’s not like we can just go get a proper hotel or something. What if
they’re looking for us there? Not to mention they would never let us check in by ourselves.” he
said, glancing at Jae.

The silence between everyone gave her a chance to speak. “I’m okay with whatever you guys think
is best. I don’t need much…” she said it more timidly than she intended.

Jin looked like he was thinking, then he spoke before anyone else could, “What if there’s a motel
nearby? They don’t usually discriminate from what I’ve heard and while they're not the most ideal,
it would at least give us a few beds. Just a thought.”

“I don’t know, they usually have cctv.” Namjoon said, crossing his own arms.. Even if we hid our
ears, it would be a little suspicious if eight people suddenly came and asked for a room. That just
doesn’t really happen.”

“Well, if you think about it, they’re only looking for you and me. They shouldn't know about
everyone else right?” Jae asked, “They only saw you carrying me off." Jae said, looking at
Namjoon. She couldn’t believe she didn’t realize this sooner.

“You’re right about that...hm. I guess if...we stay off the footage, somehow it should be okay. If we
do this though, we need to be cautious. Everyone here knows what kind of tracking the HHA are
capable of.” After that, almost everyone was in agreement with the plan, and searched for the
nearest motel.

Jae was horrible at keeping track of time but after a while they finally found one. The neon sign
that read “One Seoul” was flickering rapidly. It looked run down and dirty, but she didn’t care as
long as they were together. She only needed them to feel safe.

“Okay so who’s going to go get it?” Namjoon asked. “It can’t be me or Jae, you know, just in case.
Otherwise, I would.” Tae moved next to me, “I’ll do it. Give me the card.” he said, reaching out
his hand.

He seemed determined, and no one objected to it, although Yoongi looked worried. “Come get us
when it’s done.” Tae took the card, and Yoongi looked like he wanted to say something. As Tae
was walking away, Jae could see him lifting the hood part of his hoodie on his head, and flattening
his ears so they didn’t poke through as much. From the back, it just looked like part of his hair.
She hoped everything would go smoothly. She looked at the other six hybrids, and she could tell
everyone was on their toes. “Now we wait.” Namjoon said, breaking the silence.

Now we wait.

Taehyung’s P.O.V

I adjusted my hoodie on my head again. I wish I had a hat instead.

It was easier to hide my ears that way, but this would have to do. I should tell Namjoon we should
invest in some when I get back. As I approached the motel, I tried to look for any kind of office, as
well as seeing where the possible cctv cameras were. I clutched the card in my hand from my
nerves. This has to go well. It has to. It’ll be fine. For some reason, when I looked at my hand
holding the black card, I remembered the sweet feeling in my chest when I was holding Jae’s hand.
Right now, I wish I could hold it again.

I heard thunder starting to rumble above me, as if telling me to hurry up. It amazes me how much
that woman can distract me.

I find the offices, a shabby little hut and I can already see through the window there’s an old man
inside, reading a book with his feet up on the desk. God, I’d hate to be stuck there doing nothing all
day.

I open the door and I hear an obnoxious jingle, and I look up to see a small bell is attached to the
top. The old man didn’t even seem to notice me, or even flinch. I approached the desk, and I felt
my knees starting to shake, not knowing how this was going to go. Still, he didn’t acknowledge my
existence. I cleared my throat.

No response.

“Um-” The old man held up one finger, telling me to wait. I heard the thunder outside again, and I
started to get more anxious. I didn’t want Jae or any of the others to get caught in the storm that
was coming this way. “Sir, if-”

“Boy, if you know what’s best for you, you’ll wait until I finish this paragraph.” the man said, not
once looking up from whatever book he was reading. Namjoon should have been the one to do
this, the guy is obviously a book person like him.

I sighed and decided to wait it out. It would do no good being aggressive or impatient.

After what seemed like several minutes, he put the book down and adjusted his spectacles to the
bridge of his nose. “We got one room available, and it's a Queen. Yes or no?” He took out a book,
and was rummaging in the desk drawer for something.

Just one room? Every single room looked empty.

“With all due respect sir, all of the rooms looked pretty vacant when I walked up.” He paused and
looked at me with squinted eyes.

“Well how many rooms does one spoiled brat need? Five? Six? All of them?” I held my hands up
in surrender, not wanting to get in his bad side.

“R-right, I’m sorry…”

I thought he would stop talking after that but it seemed like I ignited a fire, “For your information,
no one comes to this shithole except for young people looking for a one night stand and drug
addicts. I’m renovating most of the rooms because people leave them in such an inconceivable
state afterwards, that I’m losing even more money than I would be if I had no one renting the
rooms! I’m being nice, which is something I’m not usually, and giving you the one room I know is
clean. Be grateful you brat! Do you want it or not?” he asked, and he started coughing.

I saw a tissue box on a coffee table nearby and I handed it to him. He ripped it out of my hand, and
he succeeded in making me feel bad.

What choice do I have? I’m not sure how big the rooms are, but I suppose the 8 of us could
squeeze somehow...right?

“Yeah, I’ll take it. I’m sorry for my rudeness earlier. Please give me the room.” I put the card on
the counter and he just stared at it for a minute. After that minute passed he swiped it through the
tiny machine. It went through and he carelessly tossed the card back on the counter towards me.

The old man continued to scowl at me as he reached for a tiny key behind him. He tossed it, well,
more like threw it, but my instincts and speed helped me catch it with one hand. He looked
impressed, or shocked that I caught it with ease, I couldn’t tell which one.

“Hmph. I trust you can find it yourself. You don’t seem like you’re on drugs. Just keep it clean for
me in there would ya? If you’re having a lady over don’t break the bed, I’ll make you pay for it.”

He said, going back to his book. I felt my face getting hot, and I made it worse for myself when Jae
flashed in my mind for that split second. He chuckled at me, basking in my embarrassment.

“Thanks” I muttered and I got the hell out of there. Crazy old man.

Trying to calm myself down, I made the trek back to the others. As far as I could tell, there were
no cameras in sight. I guess that’s good for us in this case but normally that’s a huge red flag.
Well, I got a room. A room. One. That was better than nothing right?

A small raindrop hit my face and I started to lightly jog. If you have a lady over don’t break the
bed. My mind played that sentence in my head and Jae invaded my mind again. Her face, her arms,
her hands, her waist, her legs...what would all of that look like underneath me...what would her
face look like if I touched her… Augh stop! God what’s wrong with me? I lightly hit myself in the
face.

Never had I had these thoughts about someone, so why was it happening with someone I barely
knew?

I had gotten to know her a little better today after spending time with her. I remembered the little
things, like how her favorite color was violet, she had a favorite number too, which was thirteen,
she loved to be outside and loved to take photos, and she said she had never been to a beach.

I’ll be damned if I can’t move the whole sea just so she can see it. I also noticed this whole time
how she looks at everyone. There’s so much...care in her eyes. I can tell that she cares about all of
us, genuinely, something I had never seen from a human before. Before her, the only humans I
knew were the ones that killed and maimed us with no care in the world. Just because we were
different.

I hadn’t meant to share almost my whole life story with her, but she listened. And then her arm
wrapped around my waist I felt tingles all over my body. It was an unexpected surprise, but a
welcome one.

It just felt so... right. She has to stay with us. She completes us. I hadn’t felt so sure of anything
since I became a part of the pack. I’m more than sure we need her, and she needs us. I can’t believe
I just came to that realization. I ran my fingers through my hair and started chuckling to myself. I
hoped the others felt the same. I'd have to work on Yoongi.

When I reached the others, they all greeted me with relief. Jimin ran up to hug me, and Namjoon
patted me on the back.

Jae was smiling at me, which gave my stomach a weird feeling. “Well?” Jin asked.

“No cameras that I could see, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any at all.” Namjoon sighed, and
nodded. “There’s a crazy old man working there, it’ll be easy to sneak past him, although…” Now
that I thought about it, he seemed kind of, off? Maybe it was just my imagination. No need to make
them paranoid.

“Although?” Yoongi repeated.

“Let’s just be careful as usual. Better safe than sorry.” I said. “Oh and um...there’s something else
you all should know…”

I wasn’t sure how they were going to take this. Seven pairs of eyes looked at me with curiosity. I
held up the small key.

“I got a room. Just...just one.” I put on a charming smile to try to ease the news. They looked
blank. A part of me wanted to laugh while I looked at them trying to process.

Jae looked flushed in her face, as well as Jin, and Namjoon and Yoongi gave each other a look that
didn’t go unnoticed by me. Why? Jungkook and Jimin just looked happy as can be.

Well, this is going to be an interesting night indeed.

Chapter End Notes

Much longer chapter for ya'll :) I'm trying to write ahead, but it's hard when writer's
block gets a hold on my brain >.< But I'm still enjoying it all the same, I hope I don't
disappoint! Thank you for reading and for the comments and kudos, it does wonders
<3
Also proud of my boys for the billboard chart, they really are legends. <3
 Seesaw
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

“I told you, he didn’t give me a choice! It was either that or nothing! Plus, it’s less suspicious!” Tae
had to speak louder for Jin to hear him due to the rain that was starting to pour down on them.

Hobi was beside Jae leading her in the darkness and he was holding his jacket over the both of
them, while running towards the motel with the others.

“You couldn’t persuade him?” Jin argued back. “Be my guest, see what happens.” Jin groaned and
wiped his now damp face from the rain.

They eventually made it past a little shack type building, which Jae assumed was the office where
the old man was. “What room is it?” Namjoon yelled, he was loud but not too loud. Tae squinted
through the rain. It was coming down in buckets. “Seven!” He looked at the doors, as did everyone
else.

The rooms looked tiny, and there were only ten of them total it seemed, five on each floor. “Has to
be on the second floor then!” Jungkook shouted. Jae was amazed that they could see so well in the
dark, and through the rain.

They scurried to get underneath the building, and they all jogged up the stairs, clothes soaked, even
Jae, despite Hobi’s efforts. She was starting to shiver, and a few of them started to notice, despite
her efforts to hide it.

Tae led the way and quickly found the room, and turned the key. They piled in, and stumbled over
each other in the darkness.

Someone flipped a light on and it was almost comical how small the room was. There was a small
space for an entry way and then there was one queen sized bed, a small window, and across from
the bed was a small bathroom, barely big enough to fit one person alone.

Luckily, there was a heater, and Namjoon practically dived over the bed to turn it on, getting the
bed a little wet in the process. He breathed a sigh of relief. “That should fix the temperature in here
soon.”

Jin was motioning him to get up, “Let me check for bed bugs.”

Namjoon immediately rolled off the bed, face scrunched up in disgust. As Jin was lifting the
mattress, Jungkook and Taehyung went to check the bathroom. “There’s only 2 towels. They smell
mostly clean.” Jungkook said.

Jae looked at him skeptically, “What does mostly clean even mean?” He handed it to her, “It
means it’s good enough. Use it so you don’t catch a cold.”

She took it, knowing he wouldn’t stop until she did. He looked down slightly and he quickly
looked away, coughing. She looked down and was horrified to see that her bra could clearly be
seen through her wet shirt. She wrapped herself in the towel, and was thankful that no one else
seemed to notice. Jae however, was just as guilty at looking at the dampened clothing of the
hybrids in front of her. They all might as well have been shirtless in front of her, and if she was an
animal, her mouth would be watering.
“Alright, let’s address the elephant in the room.” Jimin said suddenly, breaking Jae’s trance.
“Who’s sleeping where. This question doesn’t apply to you Jae. You’re getting the bed as well, no
ifs ands or buts about it.” he said pointing his finger at her. Wait, as well?

Jimin must have sensed her confusion and he smirked a mischievous smile. “It’s a queen. That
means two people can fit right? Maybe even three, if we want to be really close.” he said, in almost
a low growl. Jae was frozen in place. Fantasies flashed in her mind that made her thankful that they
couldn’t read her mind.

“Hey, stop it you’re making her uncomfortable.” Namjoon said with his arms crossed. With his
wet shirt everything seemed to puff up more, his pecs were practically peeking over his crossed
arms. “Hey, we can all agree we can blame Taehyung for this awkward situation.” Tae rolled his
eyes at that. “I’m just saying facts. Some of us don’t want to sleep on the floor and would much
rather sleep next to a pretty girl.”

Jae thought she was about to faint, the visual in front of her and Jimin’s words made her
lightheaded, and what’s worse, no one denied it, not even Yoongi.

After an awkward silence, Namjoon finally said something, “Jae, we can all sleep on the floor. It’s
really not a big deal.” he said, shooting Jimin a look. Jimin chuckled and ran both fingers through
his blonde hair. “Okay fine, unless anyone,” he gestured to Jae, “including you, has any objections,
I’ll be sharing the bed.”

“Hold on, how is that fair for you to decide?” Tae asked.

“Exactly, you don’t just get to say things like that without consequences.” Hobi called out from the
bathroom, shaking out his drenched jacket.

Yoongi’s eyes were going back and forth between them and Jae, and Jin was rubbing his temples
with his eyes closed. Jungkook was twirling his thumbs, and being extremely quiet.

Jae really didn’t know what to do. Are they...bickering over me? No. That’s ridiculous, get over
yourself, Jae. They just want the bed instead of the floor. Duh.

“Why don’t we let her decide?” Jungkook stated. That caught everyone’s attention, and before she
could even blink, all eyes were on her. Her heart rate went up incredibly fast.

She felt like a wet rat dipping underneath her little towel, and she had seven undeniably attractive
men staring her down. This was too much. “I...I need to sit down.” she said, and while making sure
her chest was still covered, she sat in a small chair that was in the same corner as the bed.

It was as if a switch had been turned off inside Jimin, and he looked soft all of a sudden. His cocky
demeanor that was there moments before was gone. “Sorry, I-”

“I don’t...I mean...I wouldn’t um...I wouldn’t mind sharing...some bed room.” Jae said, her face
practically sweating at this point. Maybe that was just the rain.

The atmosphere was so quiet only the rain outside could be heard. Jae was hoping the thunder
wouldn’t get too loud. She loved the rain, but the loud noise of thunder and lightning scared her to
pieces.

She looked up and they were all staring at her still, more expectantly than before. To save herself
some grief she came up with a solution.

“I want it to be random, because I don’t just want to choose someone. That doesn’t seem fair.
Okay?” Most of them nodded. She took a deep breath. “Alright, pick a number between one and
fifty. If you guess the number I’m thinking, or if you guess the closest, you win. Fair enough?” she
asked.

All the boys looked like they were thinking, all except for Tae. He was already smiling. The
realization hit her as she had forgotten one of their prior conversations, he knows exactly what
number she thought of. He was smiling to himself because he had already won.

Had it not been for Tae quite literally knowing her number, Namjoon would have won. He chose
fifteen, and the next closest was Hobi, which was twenty. She decided to keep the conversation
between her and Tae about her favorite number a secret for now.

After the mixed reactions of winning and losing, Jin started yawning, and that started a chain of
yawns from everyone. “I guess that’s a sign we should hit the hay. We’ve had a long day.”
Namjoon said, yawning yet again.

Jae didn’t want to ask the question, but she couldn’t hide her shirt forever, especially if Tae was
going to be right there next to her. “Hey, Namjoon? Can you um...come here for a second?” Jae
walked a little bit away from everyone else. They were too busy asking Tae how he knew what
number to say, and drying their hair with the other towel to really notice.

“What’s going on?” he asked with concerned eyes. It had been a while since she had seen them this
up close. His face in general just made her feel like a giggly teenager.

“Do you happen to have...an extra shirt...or something? Mine got wet and you can
see...um...yeah..” she trailed off, getting embarrassed. Namjoon quickly understood and
immediately dug around in one of the bags they were carrying around. He gave her a gray shirt and
it looked huge compared to her, but she was more than thankful.

She discreetly went inside the bathroom and locked the door. She decided at the last minute to take
a shower, just so she could get out of her wet clothes for a few moments. She tried to get over the
fact that there were seven hybrid men on the other side of the door while she was naked in there,
and decided to make it quick.

However, as many people do, she lost track of time while standing under the hot, warm water.
Between that, and the events that have transpired in measly hours since meeting said men on the
other side of the wall, she was truly having a hard time wrapping her head around everything. It felt
like a dream, a dream she wasn’t supposed to be having.

She must have been in there for a while, because she heard a knock at the door, while it wasn’t
loud at all it still made her jump. It was Jungkook. “Jae? Are you okay in there?”

“Y-yeah! Sorry, I’ll be out soon.” she said, coming back to her senses. She changed back into her
bottoms which had dried a little, and put on Namjoon’s shirt. She couldn’t help but notice the
natural aroma coming off of it. It smelled like wildflowers and pine. Very fitting she thought.

It dropped down to her mid thigh, and it was extremely comfortable. Fatigue was starting to hit her
all at once, and she practically stumbled to the bed. Taehyung was sitting on the other side of the
bed, taking off his shoes, talking to Hobi about something.

Jimin was slumped in the chair beside the bed, nodding off, and she noticed the other four weren’t
there. Where did they go?

She was cold from her shower, so she lifted the covers and buried herself under them. Within
seconds, Tae and Hobi’s voices acted just like a lullaby and she fell fast asleep.

Even though drifted off fast, she couldn’t stay asleep. Maybe it had to do with the fact that Tae was
closer to her than he’s ever been. At one point, she could feel his steady breathing on the back of
her neck, which for some reason seemed to be extra sensitive.

She got chill after chill, and her sensitivity heightened when Tae wrapped his arm around her waist,
in the process pulling up her shirt a little and hugging her close to him. Jae was secure in his arms.

She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he unconsciously tightened his grip on her hip, and she
heard a low growl coming deep within his chest. The way he was grasping her hip made her feel a
strange sensation between her legs and that’s when she knew she was too riled up to sleep. She
eventually managed to squeeze out of his grip, and miraculously, she was free.

She knew deep down, she wanted to stay there. But...

What if he woke up like that and hated it, what if he didn’t mean to? What are you saying, of
course he didn’t mean to. You’re here temporarily, remember?

Jae sighed and looked at the others sprawled out on the floor. She hadn’t even noticed a little
bunny at the foot of the bed, extremely near where her feet had been. She was glad she didn’t
accidentally kick him in the face.

She needed some air, so she opened the door to the room as quietly as possible. She was surprised
to see Yoongi, leaning over the balcony, looking up at the night sky. He turned his head around,
which surprised her considering she thought she didn’t make a sound.

She could have sworn she heard him sniffing the air once or twice, but he turned his head away
from her so fast, she wasn’t sure. “I was wondering here you were. Did you...have trouble
sleeping?” Jae whispered. He didn’t say anything for a bit, but then he responded, “No, but
someone’s gotta keep watch. Just in case.” Jae cautiously approached him, and when she felt it was
okay, she leaned on the railing a few feet away from him.

Her heart twinged when she noticed he took a step away from her, to put more space between
them. She was trying her best to make it less awkward. Is he still upset with me?

“I just...I wanted to thank you for earlier. You saved my life, I don’t even think a simple thank you
does it enough justice but, really. I’m sorry I made you worry. I’ll be more careful next time.”

No response. He didn’t even look at her. She cleared her throat. She could feel tension in the air
and she wasn’t sure what caused it.

“If there’s anything I can do to repay you, anything at all-”

His head turned to face hers, which she wasn’t expecting. “You can leave. That’s what you can
do.” His voice was cold and it felt like he had stabbed her.

“I’m sorry-”

“Stop apologizing. If you were really sorry, if you really cared for us like you say you do,” he was
slowly getting closer to her, but she didn’t move an inch, “then you would do well to remember
that we aren’t doing all this for you. We are trying to get you away from us, so that we’re safer. Got
it? There is nothing here for you, and there never will be. You’re nothing but a threat to our
safety.”
Something inside Jae snapped. She didn’t know where this was coming from but she was fed up
with this icy persona he was putting on and her feelings had been properly hurt.

“Why did you save me then?” she snapped, and he flinched. “What did I ever do to you, Yoongi?
Huh? Tell me that. You don’t even know me. You’re grouping me in with people I despise myself.
Just because I’m a human too doesn’t mean I think and act the same as them. I have no reason to
fear or hate you. Any of you. So why are you trying so hard to make me feel that way? I’m not
afraid of you.”

He growled at her, and Jae wasn’t sure if it was out of anger, or if he was trying to scare her.
Yoongi grabbed her arms roughly, and it made her wince at the contact. He shoved her against one
of the walls, still gripping her arms tight. His face was inches away from hers, and her eyes darted
all over his face. She didn't mean to look at his lips, but she did, for not even a second.

“You should be afraid.” His hair was almost in the way, but she could see his eyes were a light
amber, and they seemed to be glowing. They looked down into hers, and she would be lying if she
said she wasn’t a little startled, but she wasn’t scared.

All she saw in his eyes was hurt and fear. She had plenty of experience with both. She knew what it
looked like. It was the same eyes she looked into at the diner. She felt her heart aching for him, but
she stood her ground, still frowning at him.

“You’re the one that’s afraid.” she whispered. He gritted his teeth together, and she felt his grip on
her loosen significantly. Yoongi quickly let go of her arms entirely, and faced the other way all too
fast, when the door to the room opened.

A very sleepy Namjoon poked his head out, but he must not have been expecting to see Jae, as her
presence made him wake up a bit more. He looked between the two of them, “Uh...what’s going
on?”

Yoongi didn’t say a word, but both Namjoon and Jae noticed he was gripping the iron railing so
tight that it was becoming slightly curved. “I’m going back to bed.” Jae said, her voice quivering.

She brushed past Namjoon and he just stood there, looking confused. She walked back in to see
that everyone was still fast asleep, despite the voices rising outside.

Tae had turned over on the bed facing the wall, and Jae silently crawled back onto her side.
Yoongi’s hurtful words were replaying in her head. She hadn’t even noticed her stray tears.

She was wiping her face, and wiping her nose with the sheets, when she felt movement near her
legs.

Jungkook, still being a bunny, put his two front paws on the back of her leg, his nose wiggling. She
was embarrassed, but there was nothing she could do now, he had seen. She had hoped they hadn't
woken him up.

“I’m sorry Jungkook. Go back to sleep, I’m okay.” she said, doing her best to smile.

He stared at her for a moment, then hopped over her legs and crawled closer to her, his ears
flopping in the process.

He put his nose right up to her nose and wiggled it more, his whiskers tickling her face. It made her
giggle softly, and he did it over and over on her cheeks and nose until her tears were dry. You're so
sweet Jae thought.
 Crying had made her sleepy again, and Jungkook’s actions made her forget her fight with Yoongi
temporarily. “Do you want to stay here?” she whispered to him.

His ears jerked and Jae lifted the covers and opened her arms to him. The small bunny snuggled up
next to her, nuzzling underneath her chin before settling in her arms. He was so soft and warm, she
was asleep again in seconds, cozier than ever.

Chapter End Notes

A little angsty this chapter but it'll get better:)Thank you for reading, and the
comments and kudos:) Stay safe and healthy!!
 Danger
Chapter Notes

tw// A little graphic violence ( I don't think it's too bad but a warning just in case:) )

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Namjoon’s P.O.V

“We’re in deep shit if this continues, Joon. If this is what I think it is, it’ll tear us apart. She can’t
know about it. She won’t want it anyway. Who would? We’re hybrids and she’s a human. It just
wouldn’t work. I...I don’t know how long I can keep doing this. I don’t hate her. Just the opposite. I
want her with me….next to me. All the goddamn time and it’s irritating.”

“So, you’re affected too.”

“Yes. Apparently so. She almost got run over by a car earlier...and I...I almost lost my composure.
I’ve felt this before. Only this time it’s like it’s more...real. It’s so much more intense.” he paused.

“Who else?”

“Jin told me he feels something, and he told me Jungkook might as well.”

“Shit...SHIT what are we going to do, that’s already the majority.”

“Yoon, calm down. This is out of our control. If it is what you say it is then...what can we do?”

“What can we do? We get her as far away from us as possible? I have no fucking idea why it’s her,
but it’ll ruin us. I don’t fucking want that Joon, I don’t…”

“Hey hey, listen. If...if we need her to be away from us, I’m sure the hybrids at the camp will know
some sort of solution, if I can convince them. They have eyes and ears everywhere. I don’t just
want to abandon her…”

My eyes snapped open, and I was staring at a white ceiling. I hadn’t realized I was sweating either.
I hadn’t forgotten about my conversation with Yoongi a while back, but dreaming about it wasn’t
doing me any favors.

I rubbed my eyes and I sat up, checking on everyone around me. I had been laying against Jimin,
evidence that I was there still imprinted in his fur. He hadn’t moved an inch, and was lightly
snoring away.

I got up from the floor, looking on top of the bed and my heart practically melted. Jae and Tae were
sound asleep. He was holding her from behind, and in her arms was bunny Jungkook. At the foot
of the bed was Hobi and Jin, in their animal forms as well, curled up next to each other by Jae and
Tae’s feet.

I had never seen them all so at peace, even after we had escaped from the facility. This was the
picture of home.
My mind jumped back to the dream/flashback I was having. Yoongi was scared, understandably
so, but seeing this scene in front of me, it made me question further the reality of the situation.

Was having Jae around really such a bad thing? As the leader of the pack, I ultimately had to make
the decision, but my mind and heart are being torn in different directions. I know it’s dangerous for
her to be with us right now. I know that. My instincts as a leader are screaming inside for me to get
rid of her. Get rid of the danger. On the other side of it all, my other instincts are screaming to keep
her. She makes the pack happy. Keep her as...as a…

I shook my head. Times like these, I hated having any instincts at all. I just woke up and I was
already starting to have a headache. I sighed. Today was going to be another long day.

I remembered seeing a vending machine that sold coffee and other drinks outside. Who knows if it
actually worked, but doesn’t hurt to try. Maybe Yoongi is still outside. Did he even sleep at all? I
never found out why he and Jae were outside last night. She was upset, and he was pissed, that was
visibly obvious. The fact that I didn’t know was driving me nuts.

I grabbed Jin’s jacket that he had thrown on the side chair and slipped it on, putting the hood part
on my head. I checked the mirror in the bathroom to make sure my ears weren’t in sight, and I left
the room quietly, careful not to disturb the rest.

Yoongi wasn’t outside, but I sensed he was somewhere nearby, so I wasn’t too concerned. The air
was humid from the heavy rain from last night, and the sun was still hidden behind some clouds.

My mind weighed heavily on our destination. Would they even be willing to help her? No matter
what I say, or how she acts, she’s a human. We might even get punished for bringing her there. It’s
one of the most well known safest places for hybrids, and I’m exposing it to a human. Not even the
HHA knows about it. Am I doing something stupid or am I being smart?

I glanced at the office building and to my surprise, Yoongi was in there, talking with an old man?
That must have been the same man Tae encountered. Yoongi looked calm despite talking to a
human. I tried to listen to what they were saying, but I couldn’t hear anything. Strange...my ears
felt like they were throbbing as I kept trying, but nothing.

Maybe it was because I just woke up. I was reaching for an excuse at this point as I swiped the
card on the machine. It beeped at me, saying the card was declined. What? That’s impossible. It’s
a black card. I tried again. Beep. Again. Beep. Again. Beep.

Head pounding, I kicked it, much harder than I meant, and I cracked the glass, a little harder and it
would have broken. Shit.

I looked toward the office again, and they were still in their deep conversation. What in the world
are they talking about? I hated being in the dark about something. Then again, I had no right to
talk, if Yoongi was right about our situation, other than the two of us the rest of the pack and Jae
are in the dark. Wouldn’t it be best to just be honest? Yoongi doesn't seem to think so. I just don’t
know anymore. It’s starting to really mess with my head.

The somewhat peaceful morning came to a halt when I heard multiple tires screeching so loud the
sound echoed throughout the parking lot.

I wanted to pass out right then and there. Big, black and grey military trucks, with the painted
letters HHA written on the sides.

They found us.

I was cursing every single word I knew as I hid around the side of the vending machine. I had to
get back up to the room, I had to get everyone out. I glanced around the machine, burly humans in
uniforms and weapons were piling out, so far I counted six or seven.

Fuck, this is bad. They’re sound asleep up there. If Jungkook wasn’t asleep he would have heard
the tire noise. Maybe it woke him up. I panic more as I remember Yoongi is still in the office. I
couldn’t see either him or the old man anymore, and I was trying to calm my racing mind.

I saw the men go into the office, and I heard a little bell sound as soon as they opened the door. I
decided to walk as inconspicuous as possible back to the room. Just don’t draw attention to
yourself Namjoon. It was a good thing I did, because at that moment there was a group that started
banging on doors on the opposite side on the first floor. We needed to leave, now. I wasn’t sure if
they were looking for us specifically or not but it didn’t matter.

I quickly opened the door and was relieved to see everyone awake and alert.

“We know.” Jungkook said grimly, “I know the sound of those tires from anywhere.”

I nodded my head towards the window, “We gotta go out that way, now. Before they surround the
whole building. They were knocking on doors on the first floor when I was out there.”

They all looked on edge, but they agreed and Jae looked terrified. “Where’s Yoongi?” Hobi asked.

“He’s downstairs. I saw him in the office with that old man, but I don’t know what he’s doing.”
The irritation in my voice was apparent. I couldn’t get the window open, and my palms were
starting to sweat, “Come on!” I growled.

I felt Jungkook brush up beside me to help. With the two of us, we managed to pry the window
open. I faced the others. “Alright, when you jump out, shift and run back towards the trees. The
building should be enough to cover you. Don’t look back, we’re all going to make it. Jae, you too.
It’s a high jump for human legs. Can you handle it?” he asked. She nodded immediately. Eyes
flicking back and forth between all of us.

“You should go first Joon.” she said. “Make sure we all get down safely and out.”

I wasn’t expecting that from her but I didn’t have time to ponder about it. I didn’t say another word
and jumped. I landed with ease, and I shifted in case I needed to defend myself or the others. After
me, was Hobi, then Jin. Hobi started to run but then slowed down a little so Jin could catch up.

I watched them run towards the woods, and my attention shifted when I saw Jungkook jump, and
then Jimin. Jungkook jumped on Jimin’s back, and Jimin looked at me with concerned eyes. Go.

Without another word, Jimin ran in the same direction as the others. Jin and Hobi were almost out
of sight at that point. I heard Tae and Jae talking about something, and I primed my ears so I could
listen.

“They’re on the second floor now don’t you hear it? They’re coming, you jump first.” Jae pleaded.

“We can jump together-”

“No! Go, please! I’ll be right behind you. Namjoon will catch me. Go.” I heard Jae say, and she
was practically shoving him out the window. Without much of a choice, he jumped, and shifted
when he landed. Namjoon she-

I know Tae, just go. Go! I urged. He hesitated, but eventually he turned and ran towards the others.
I looked up, expecting Jae to jump, but she just looked at me.

What are you doing? Jump! I’ll catch you.

I forgot that she couldn’t actually hear me, I started jumping around, and whining noises came out
of me. She looked sad, and then I heard banging on the door. She gave me one last look and told
me, “Run. For me, please.” and next thing I knew she had shut the window closed. Once again, my
instincts were being torn in two.

Go help her, she needs you.

Go with your pack, they need you.

I growled in desperation, remembering that Yoongi’s whereabouts were still unknown. As a wolf
now, I could smell him, he was nearby…

I heard the men inside the room were asking Jae questions, and not in a nice manner either. I didn’t
know what to do, my head felt like it was about to explode. Joon, are you still here?

Yoongi where the fuck are you? I asked, exasperated.

Look up.

I did, and I saw a black panther looking down at me. Go. I got this.

I almost laughed. Almost.

Are you crazy? What are you still doing here?

Relax, I set up a distraction to help me a bit, it’s bound to happen any second now. They're looking
for you, right? So go with the others. I have the element of surprise on my side. We can’t leave
without her, right? I got this. Please, trust me Namjoon. I need to do this.

He never called me Namjoon, so I knew he really wanted me to do what he asked. I knew he was
perfectly capable on his own. I knew that probably better than anyone else, but still...

I snarled at him, You both better be with us soon in one piece, do you understand me Yoongi?

I didn’t need to wait for an answer, and I bolted, my mind torturing me with all sorts of possible
scenarios that could go wrong.

When I met with the others, everyone was confused and Tae was furious. Where is Jae? Where the
hell is Yoongi? He demanded.

I couldn’t say anything, all I could do was wait. I felt sick as Tae as well as Jimin were still
bombarding me with questions that I didn’t have the answers to, after a minute I could barely hear
them, all I heard were my ears ringing. I heard Jin’s voice telling them to back off, and I felt my
face meet the dirt. Hobi must have shifted back because I felt his hands wrap gently around my
face. After that, things are a little fuzzy.

Yoongi’s POV

I crept silently across the rooftop. My ears perked up as I heard Jae’s voice from below. She was
doing her best to stay calm, but I could hear her heart beating so fast it might as well jump out of
her chest and run a marathon.
I couldn’t control the low growl that left my mouth as I heard them yelling at her. I felt bad about
last night. That’s probably why she stayed behind. She took my words to heart.

I was an ass, and she saw right through me. I knew I had hurt her feelings. I wanted to make it up
to her. I wanted to save her, I wanted to be her reason to smile. Most of all, I wanted, no, needed her
forgiveness.

All of my senses were in tune with each other. The hunt was on. “Are you sure you haven’t seen
any hybrids around here miss? It smells like an animal in here, and you my sweet,” he grabbed her
wrist harshly and smelled her hair, “You smell just like them.”

Don’t fucking touch her you lowlifes.

It took everything in me not to rip their heads off right then and there. There were two guards
outside, and 3 inside with her. One was blocking the door from the inside, one was walking around
the room, and another was too close to her for my liking. Come on old man, what are you doing?

Turns out, the old man that Tae claimed was crazy was one of them. A snake hybrid, one of the
toughest hybrids to pin down. I hadn’t even sensed it until he started talking to me earlier. He said
he would help us out, make a distraction, but he hasn’t done it yet. Probably making sure he could
escape as well. I wanted him to, poor bastard just wants to read his books in peace.

I was just waiting for that, and then I would make a move. As much as I wanted to kill them all for
threatening my family, I had enough control to realize that wouldn’t be smart, especially on my
own. Suddenly, I heard the bell ring from the office door, and I saw the old man. He started
yelling, and waving his hands like mad, getting the guards outside to look at him.

Needless to say the distraction worked. The guards outside went to check it out, and I crouched low
so they wouldn’t notice me on the roof. I want to repay that old man somehow. He’s a real one.

After they had gone down the stairs, I started my plan. Once the others were out of sight, I pawed
at the door. I could hear the idiots inside, “What the hell are those guards doing outside?” I had to
think about this carefully. They probably had guns with them, and I didn’t want Jae or myself to
get hurt.

I wanted one of them to investigate outside, so it would be at least two against two. One of them
did check outside. Gun pointed, he scanned the area, and closed the door behind him. That’s a
bonus.

I prided myself in my stealth: I was the best I knew, and I’ve met a lot of hybrids in my time. The
man that came out was the one that had grabbed Jae, I knew this because I smelled her sweet
strawberry scent on him. He didn’t even get to blink before I knocked him on his back, while also
knocking the gun out of his hand.

I hissed at him, baring my sharp teeth to make sure he knew what was coming. He screamed before
I bit into his neck, hard, and I pulled. Needless to say, he didn't scream again. I knew I had blood
all in my teeth now, maybe some flesh, and it was a disgusting sensation. I figured they had heard
the screams, and I quickly jumped back on the roof.

As if on cue, The two remaining guards came out, which was fine, but one was holding Jae in an
iron grip by her wrists, and I could see her face was scrunched in pain. She gasped when she saw
the body with blood slowly seeping out of it. I could hear one of the guards yelling for where the
other men had gone, but they didn’t answer. I wonder if the old man had done something to them.
“Shit, he is still here. We need backup, immediately.” one of the men sneered. “Where’s the pretty
wolf, lovely. It’s obvious you’re covering for him. We’re just trying to get you back-”

“Go to hell, I’m not going back to my father.” Jae spat out, as she tried to struggle out of the man’s
grasp, to no avail.

Yoongi had never heard her use that tone. He liked it. It seems that Jae had been right. They knew
who she was, and they were only looking for Joon.

The last thing they are expecting right now is a black panther to appear. What would they think
then if he showed himself? Would they think he was a part of it too? He was waiting for them to
separate from each other, even slightly, so he could pounce on one of them, and take the other out.
But he didn’t have that luxury, as he watched in panic as they started to drag Jae away.

“Boss said she's a priority. I want that reward money so bad man. Let’s get out of here.”

“Agreed.”

“Let me go or I swear you’ll regret it.” Jae said, and I could still hear her heart beating a million
miles per minute still. “Please, wolfy doesn’t care about you. He’s a filthy hybrid, they only care
about themselves.”

Oh yeah?

I emitted a low growl from my throat, letting them know they weren’t alone. They froze, Jae along
with them.

“That...doesn’t sound like a wolf, sir.” One of them said, looking up.

Ding ding, we have a winner.

I took the opportunity of shock to pounce on the man that wasn’t holding Jae, and I bit into his
arm. He was screaming bloody murder, and I made sure to make it quick, as I heard Jae screaming,
telling me to watch out.

The guard that was holding Jae had one arm wrapped around her neck, almost choking her, and the
other was aiming a gun at me. Once I had dodged all of his shots, I snarled at him. Jae was
struggling to breathe now, I could hear her fast heartbeat starting to slow, and she was scratching
his arm, but he wouldn’t budge.

His beady eyes were only on me. I noticed he had a red glass eye, which looked unnerving to say
the least.

“You can growl at me all you want, but you won’t attack. You care about her?” he asked,
tightening his grip. She started gasping for air. I hissed at him, showing him all of my blood soaked
teeth. My blood was boiling. I was going to kill him.

“Oh ho...testy are we...Are you in cahoots with that wolf that took her? I could snap her pretty neck
if I wanted to. She’s so fragile you know? If she didn’t have a hefty price on her head I would have
done that first., just to spite you. Oh shut it, Kim, you’ll be fine.” he said to the guy wailing about
his arm on the floor. This heartless bastard. That was his comrade and he doesn’t even care that
he’s in pain.

“We called for backup, you beast, so if I were you, I’d leave. She isn’t worth it. She’s just a spoiled
brat who’s too far away from home.” He said, smelling her hair. I had about had enough. I just
needed an opening. Just one. Just one and I wring his neck. If it was night time he would be dead
by now. I do better at night.

I felt Jae looking at me, and I spared her a glance with my big eyes. She looked at me, right in my
eyes, and suddenly everything made sense. It was like something in our minds clicked. I crouched
low, preparing to pounce. That’s when he aimed his gun at me, finger on the trigger. Jae let out a
piercing scream and started kicking and screaming with all of her might. It was apparent he was not
expecting that. It threw him off balance which caused him to shoot his gun wildly.

As soon as I knew she was out of my way, I sunk my teeth into his shoulder. He yelled in pain, and
I realized I had made a mistake. I hadn’t gone for his neck or his head, and he hit my head with the
magazine part of his gun.

It hurt like hell, but I didn’t let go. I kept writhing him around, and eventually, I tore the flesh open,
knowing it would deter him. It did, and he gasped in pain.

My vision was a little dizzy, and I saw Jae, picking up the other guards gun who was now
unconscious, but alive, on the pavement. She was yelling something at me, probably telling me
that we need to leave.

The man I had sunk my teeth into was still rolling in pain, and I remembered that he said he called
backup. I heard more trucks approaching fast in the distance.

This was our one chance to escape.

I ran in Jae’s direction, my vision causing me to run in slight zig zags for a moment, until finally
running straight. While she couldn’t run nearly as fast as me, I was surprised with how fast she was
running in attempts to keep up with me. Maybe it was the adrenaline.

When we had reached the edge of the forest, I could begin to hear the other’s voices. I could also
hear Jae’s panting behind me, she still couldn’t breathe, and it occurred to me that she had
probably not been able to breathe properly since she was put in that barbaric chokehold. I wanted to
slow down a little, wanting to make sure she was okay, but we needed to keep moving.

I didn’t know if they saw which direction we had run in. I was breathing heavily as well, and she
motioned me to keep going, “I’m...fine...go...don’t stop…” she said, breathing heavily. Her
forehead was laced with sweat and she looked pale. I did what she asked and kept running but a
little slower, and I felt her behind me trying to keep up. Eventually, she fell behind.

As soon as the others were in my sight, I was attacked with hugs and questions. I saw Namjoon
lying on the forest floor, still in his wolf form, and his eyes were closed. His heartbeat was beating
steadily.

Everyone was asking me where Jae was and I turned my head in the direction behind me. I could
hear her but she was a little bit farther behind me than I had initially thought. Jungkook and Tae
started running in that direction before anyone could say otherwise, and Jin was looking at my
head in concern. That’s when I noticed I felt the familiar stickiness there. I guess I was bleeding
because Jin sighed, “How did you manage this one?” I growled softly in response.

“Yeah yeah. I’m glad you made it back. Jae’s okay too right?” he said.

I nodded my head once, I collapsed down in the dirt, trying to catch my breath. A few moments
later, Jungkook and Tae were helping an exhausted Jae to where we were. Both her arms were
slung around their necks, and she looked like she was about to pass out. She was still walking but
 her feet were dragging and making marks in the dirt. Tae looked pale himself, with a look of worry
so intense that I had never seen from the kid.

“It’s alright Jae, you’re safe, we’re safe.” he said to her. They let her down gently, but she landed
on the ground with a heavy thump. Jin whipped his head towards her, and immediately ran to her
side. I crawled towards her, now equally concerned.

“What happened? Is she hurt?” Jimin asked frantically. Jin was gently patting her face, and her
eyes were fluttering. I shifted without even meaning to and I hovered over her like the rest of them.

Tae gave me an angry stare. “Did she run all the way here?” I blinked at him, what kind of question
was that? “Well yeah I mean, we had to get away. I was surprised how fast she ran, she almost
could keep up with-”

“She told me she has a weak body you idiot, no wonder she’s about to pass out.” he growled back.

Everyone was in silence. I felt a pang of anger. “How the fuck was I supposed to know that if no
one told me?” I said, clenching my fist.

Jae’s voice brought me back down. “Don’t...don’t fight…please...” she started coughing from the
lack of air, and Jin pulled her up in a sitting position and started rubbing her back.

“Everyone give her some air yeah? Jae, you need to breathe, okay? In and out. Deep breathes for
me. Don’t go to sleep.” Jungkook was wide eyed and refused to move from his spot the whole
time. I felt like shit now, more than before. There was blood on the side of my face from my injury
but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t even feel anything. I noticed that she was breathing heavily but I
never would have thought...

Hobi started pacing and Jimin was trying to keep Tae calm. Without even thinking, I crouched
down next to her and grabbed her hand. It was clammy, but it was also warm with mine. I felt it
slightly grip my own, which caused my heart to skip a beat.

Jin gave me a little smile, “You’re next. I’m not letting that go untreated.” he said, looking briefly
at my head. I rolled my eyes. “Yeah yeah.”

Chapter End Notes

<3 Thank you for reading and the kudos :,) Please everyone take care of yourselves.
 Moving On
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jae hated her body now, more than ever, as it was causing a panic. She didn’t want to slow
everyone down, yet it was happening right in front of her eyes.

Although, it would be a total lie if she said she wasn’t enjoying being in Jin’s comforting arms,
with Yoongi’s hand softly gripping hers. He had stayed behind, he made sure she was okay. She
was ready to give it all up for them. In that motel room, she decided that Yoongi was right.

She was so afraid she overstepped before. Even if he had hurt her feelings, it wasn’t his fault. Jae
was sure in a different situation, maybe a different life, they would have at least been friends. Her
breathing had finally gone back to normal, and she wasn’t gasping for air anymore.

She felt Jin’s hand lightly brushing her back, and she saw his gentle brown eyes looking down at
her.

“There she is.” he said, slightly smiling. Jae barely smiled and suddenly there was a swarm of
people around her, asking how she was feeling. Her neck was sore, and her throat was dry, but she
was happy.

“If you’re feeling up to it, we need to keep moving,” Jin said gently, lightly touching the top of her
head. Jae nodded, and he helped her back on her feet. She could feel him studying her, looking for
the smallest ailment. While she knew it was because he had good intentions, it reminded her of her
father. He treated her like a doll, not as a human being. She didn’t want them doing the same. “Can
everyone listen to me for a second? Emergency meeting.” All seven looked at her, worry plastered
on their handsome faces.

She sighed. “I don’t want this to change how any of you treat me. I’m not some glass doll that can
break any second.” she said with urgency and her voice was sounding more frantic with each word.
“My father treated me like that all my life, I don’t need you all to do it too...I’ve finally escaped
that place,” she looked at Namjoon, whose ears were down in sadness. He was the only one who
had seen her father firsthand.

He returned her gaze, and she looked down when she mumbled, “I don’t want to go back there.”
The sight of them around her made her tear up more. She was so grateful to all of them.

She felt a gentle hand lightly caress the back of her head, she expected to see Jin but was shocked
to find out it was Yoongi. She wasn’t used to such a gesture from him, so she felt her face get
warm.

“Can I walk with you?” he asked. Before Jae could answer Hobi interjected, “Oh no you don’t, I
believe it’s my turn. I haven’t gotten one second with her by myself.” He crossed his arms and
pouted. He resembled a little kid with his cheeks puffed out.

“Yeah, and we’re not going anywhere till I clean up your head.” Jin said, putting his arm a little too
roughly around Yoongi’s neck as he grunted in pain.

“Jae, can I talk to you for a minute?” Tae asked out of the blue. He looked guilty to say the least,
and it clicked inside Jae’s head as to why. She let him pull her aside and she noticed Jungkook was
sitting nearby, pretending not to listen.
“I’m sorry I told everyone about, well, you know.” he said, looking down. “Based on how you
reacted, I’m sure you didn’t want any of us to know. I just got so worried when I saw you like that,
and angry at Yoongi, even though it wasn’t his fault-”

He was starting to ramble out of guilt and Jae wanted to calm his nerves. “Tae, it’s okay. Really. I
had already told Namjoon before and it was unrealistic of me to think the rest would never find
out, especially if I'm with you guys 24/7.”

He didn’t look convinced. She reached and softly touched the side of his face. His eyes darted to
hers in surprise but didn’t reject her touch. Jae opened her mouth to say something, but no words
came to mind. She just hoped she wasn’t doing anything wrong.

He rested his hand on top of hers and slightly started to rub his face against her palm. Jae could
have sworn she could hear soft purring, and he looked blissful.

“You smell like strawberries you know.” he told her. He traveled down to her wrist, and sniffed it
while opening his eyes to meet hers. “Oh, really? I...I didn’t know..” she said, intimidated by his
intense stare. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jungkook. He was transfixed on what Tae was
doing.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Namjoon appeared out of nowhere and gently pulled her away from Tae.
His eyes narrowed at Tae for just a second and if she wasn’t already looking at him she wouldn’t
have noticed.

Tae blinked a few times as if he had just woken up. Everyone else looked just as intense as
Jungkook. Jae had no idea why but she could cut the new tension in the air with a knife.

“We really do need to get going, I want to get there before dark today, and it’s already noon.” he
said, looking up at the sky. The sun was directly above them, blazing down. No wonder Jae felt so
hot. Namjoon cleared his throat.

“Hey, um, I’m glad you’re okay. You had me worried there when you didn’t jump down to me.”
he said a little sternly. “Don’t do that.” His voice was hard, and with his tone it sounded more like
a command, not a request.

“Yeah, Jae, whatever you did, don’t do it again. Joonie nearly passed out when he got here.” Hobi
said from afar, helping Jin with Yoongi’s wound. Jae had no idea and her eyes squinted at
Namjoon, a little irritated that he didn’t tell her this himself.

As if he sensed her irritation, he quickly said, “Nothing serious, I just got a little...overwhelmed.
That’s all. I’m fine, see?” He smiled and his dimples appeared once again, making it seemingly
impossible for her to stay cross with him. That didn’t stop her from being worried.

He gave her a little nudge on the shoulder before going to brief the others. Tae went with him,
leaving Jae and Jungkook alone. He was still sitting, but he was looking at her with his big eyes,
with an intense glare. His wavy hair was resting just above his eyes and his ears were pulled back.

“Did you know what Tae was doing?” he asked so softly she barely heard it. She had no idea what
he was talking about, but regardless, she had never seen him this intimidating until now. Her
clueless look must have reached him, because he sighed in relief.

“If you really don’t know then...it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” He smiled softly at her, his eyes
looking like crescents, and his bunny teeth prominently showing. It was as if whatever was
bothering him before melted away. His duality was going to be the death of her.
In the end, it was Jin who stayed with her again. He said, “As someone with medical training I
should be immediately available for anyone who needs me” and the “excuse” worked.

She didn’t protest; she enjoyed his company, and she felt safe around him. Now she just hoped she
wouldn't trip and make a fool of herself like last time.

Everything was going without a hitch. Was.

She noticed Namjoon had slowed down his pace a little earlier, which she didn’t find odd. Maybe
he had gotten tired. After all, they've been walking all day now.

However, now it was almost as if each step was hesitant. Everyone else had noticed too, and
suddenly it felt like breathing would be making too much noise. Jin’s face looked pensive. “We’re
outside the border,” he said.

The border? She had remembered Tae saying they were going to a place like a refugee camp for
hybrids. Why did they look scared then? The only sound Jae could hear was the wind blowing
through the trees, and she shivered, she wasn’t sure from the cold or from the uncertainty in the air.

She felt a warm hand wrap around hers, and Jin sent her small, comforting smile. “Everything’s
okay. Just stick close to me.”

Her anxiety lessened a little, and she felt like she could breathe again. Namjoon suddenly stopped
walking altogether, as did everyone else.

Jin was still holding Jae’s hand, and his gaze was on Namjoon. Jae couldn’t grasp what was going
on but it looked like they were waiting for something. She saw Jungkook sniffing the air, and his
ears were high and alert.

Namjoon was looking at him expectantly. He jumped off of Yoongi’s back, and started to hop in
one direction, still sniffing the air as he did so. Jimin gave a warning growl, and Jae lost sight of
Jungkook. Then, it was quiet. Not even the wind was blowing anymore. She heard a loud twig
snap, and nothing but chaos ensued after that.

Jungkook immediately started screaming a high pitched sound of alert, running back towards them
and all the others started snarling. Namjoon started barking through his snarls, and even from
where Jae was standing he was ferocious. They all were and Jae thanked her lucky stars she was on
their side.

Jin’s grip on Jae tightened and he stood protectively in front of her, and she could tell he was
searching for Jungkook too, trying to see what was happening. It was hard to see behind his broad
shoulders but even then, the sight in front of her was hard to miss.

They were all looking at something she couldn’t see, and Yoongi was guarding Jungkook who was
underneath him, hissing and baring his teeth all the while. Namjoon barked something in their
direction, his huge teeth on display and Jae saw Jungkook and Hobi both running towards her and
Jin. Jae just wanted to scoop both of them up in her arms but she was frozen in place. What the hell
is going on? I guess he told them to get away from there.

“Looks like someone came to greet us.” Jin said ominously. Jae looked up at him curiously, but her
ears were filled with one of the loudest roars she’s ever heard. Her eyes widened as a full fledged
lion seemingly came out of nowhere, growling at the rest. Saying he was huge was an
understatement and Jae could feel her legs starting to shake. She gripped the back of Jin’s shirt
tightly, and he had felt it. Behind the lion emerged a red fox, looking completely calm, and it’s
fluffy tail was swaying back and forth.

Jae felt Jungkook frantically pawing against her legs, as if asking to be picked up. With shaking
arms she did, and at the same time Jin grabbed her and kept her down lower to the ground. One of
the biggest owls she’s ever seen swooped over their heads. It screeched loudly as it circled around
everyone, getting low growls in return. That must have been why Jungkook wanted to be in my
arms: he must have seen the owl.

Namjoon’s gaze had not once switched from the male lion in front of them. The fox had shifted,
and Jae thought he looked quite young, maybe in his late teens and his hair was much like Hobi’s
but his red was brighter, and curlier. He locked his electric blue eyes with Jae, and he narrowed
them, then turned to Namjoon.

“Alright that’s enough. It’s three against four, we know we’re outmatched. Just take it easy.” he
said.

Yoongi made a horrifying hissing noise at that, and that made the fox smile, “I don’t see any
evidence of that.” She assumed Yoongi had said something, but whatever it was, the foxes
response made Jimin snarl loudly, sending shivers down Jae's spine.

“I suggest you all shift back, there’s a delicious group of prey hiding behind you, and we all
haven’t had lunch yet. Fighting would work up more of an appetite.” He said, licking his lips. Jae
couldn’t believe her ears. He knew they were hybrids and he still threatened to eat them?

“You can talk to me if you want to talk.” Jin said firmly. As brave as he sounded, Jae noticed the
small quiver in his voice. She didn’t blame him, he was a prey hybrid after all, it’s only natural to
be nervous in front of a natural predator.

“A prey taking charge? You don't see that too often. Look, we’ll shift first. If you two would-” The
lion rumbled out a small growl, and the fox rolled his eyes. “Just do it.” The lion shook his mane
and then shifted, revealing an extremely muscular man who had mane of his own. His wavy
blonde hair brushed against his shoulders, and his eyes were terrifying and cold. He looked straight
at Jae, gaze unwavering.

One by one, Namjoon and the others shifted too, and Jae didn’t need to see their faces to know they
were livid. Jae noticed the gray owl still in the tree, perched and its bright yellow eyes were fixed
on everyone. Hobi had shifted too, and Jae put Jungkook down so he could do the same. The three
were still behind Jin, but Hobi was holding Jae’s wrist, and she could tell he was putting on a brave
face. Jungkook stood next to Jin, ready to fight someone. It made her think back to when Namjoon
took down that guard at her mansion, and she wondered if Jungkook could do the same thing.

“Well now, now that we can all talk,” the fox hybrid said, “I believe introductions are in order?”
He then smirked at Jungkook, “Since the cat’s out of the bag, might as well say sorry for scaring
you. You seemed like a nice afternoon snack. Didn’t realize you were a hybrid like us.” he said
with an obvious fake smile.

Jae felt a wave of anger run through her. Did he try to attack Jungkook before?

“Bullshit.” Jungkook hissed. Jin put an arm in front of him, telling him to cool it, but he was
already talking, “And tell her to shift too.” he pointed at the owl in the tree. The owl shrieked at
him in response.

“Mel, get down here. You’re making the poor prey uncomfortable.” the fox hybrid said. Jae hated
the way he said “poor prey”. It was like he was mocking them. The owl hesitated for a moment,
but then swiftly flew down and shifted. A young girl with ash gray hair stood in its place, scowling
with her arms crossed.

“Anyways, that’s Mel, I’m Jasper,” he put his hand on the lion hybrid’s shoulder, “and this is
Felix. Let’s address the elephant in the room first. Why are a pack of seven perfectly capable
hybrids in the company of a human?” He emphasized the word human as if it was painful to say
the word.

“An even more pressing question, why did you bring her here? If she was here alone, she would
already be dead.” He asked, tilting his head. Jae swallowed hard.

Namjoon spoke first, and the dominance in his voice was apparent, “It’s a long story, and quite
frankly I don’t feel like sharing it with the likes of you, someone who almost hurt one of my pack
members. I’m the leader of my pack, and I know she is safe to any and all hybrids that reside in
your camp. I would like you to take me to Yeona please.” Felix emitted a low growl to that, Jae
assumed that this Yeona person must be the one in charge.

“We have that right to that request, this is supposed to be a safe haven for us, and we need some
help.” Yoongi spoke through gritted teeth.

“We aren’t letting that human take one step closer.” Mel said, looking at Jae. “They’re not even
supposed to know about this place. You’ve committed treason against us if you want to be
technical about it. We could have you punished for not abiding by basic hybrid laws.” She sounded
so snooty.

Namjoon sighed, “Look, just take me to Yeona, and let’s see what she says. I’m asking you nicely.
I take full responsibility for the human’s presence. It’s my fault she’s with us to begin with. My
pack didn’t have a say in the matter.”

Is this how hybrids are supposed to treat each other? I thought they all lived peacefully, where they
could. Jae thought to herself.

“What kind of pack leader brings a human back to their pack mates. Are you stupid? How can you
even call yourself a leader when you endanger them like that?” Felix asked, arms crossed.

“You watch your fucking mouth.” Jimin growled.

“Easy Jiminie.” Namjoon said softly, still not taking his eyes off Felix.

The lion hybrid shrugged, “I’m just saying, the bitch could easily sick the HHA on you guys in
seconds I bet. Wouldn’t even know what hit you. All she’s gotta do is bat those long eyelashes of
hers and-”

“I would watch what you say about her, before my claws meet your eyes.” Tae said in a voice
lower than usual. Was it even possible for it to be that low?

Felix laughed at his threat, “Please. Don’t try your luck kid. My jaws would snap that pretty boy
neck of yours before you could take a step.”

“Alright enough.” Namjoon growled, sounding annoyed. “Are you going to take us to her or not? If
the answer is no, we’ll be on our way.”

“Hell no, of course we’re not-”

“I for one,” Jasper interrupted, “think it would be interesting. A change of pace if you will.” he said
 with a smile. Jae couldn’t interpret what the smile meant. Mel looked at him in disbelief, “You’re
unbelievable. Are you kidding me?” she huffed.

Jasper just ignored her, and his bright blue eyes were glistening with mischief.

Chapter End Notes

So sorry for the delay I have so many possible directions I want this story to go and
I'm fighting with myself about it XD Had to put some OC's in here:) Anyway, I'll try
to make the next update a little sooner. I really want to be thorough with this so I can
hopefully make it more enjoyable for you guys. Thank you so much for the kudos,
comments etc. It really puts a smile on my face every time you have know idea. <3
Take care of yourselves stay healthy!
 I'm Fine
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

“Felix, why don’t you keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid, hm?” he said,
pointing at Jae. She felt Jin’s hand tighten exponentially on hers, and Hobi had pulled her closer to
him. Jungkook was clenching his fists.

“I don’t think that’s necessary. I said I take full responsibility-” Namjoon started but Jasper held
his hand up. “If you want to see our fearless leader, you’ll have to follow our rules.”

Jae could tell he was fighting a small smile. He was enjoying making them sweat. He was one of
those people. He waved his hand, gesturing Felix to head towards her.

Namjoon called for the three hybrids beside her to go to him, and she received gentle squeezes and
a look of worry from each of them. Jae would be lying if she said Felix wasn’t intimidating. The
man was at least seven feet tall, thick as a tree trunk and his arms were so ripped she felt like he
could crush her skull with his bare hands. Suddenly, without Jungkook, Jin, and Hobi standing by
her, it felt extremely cold.

He finally reached her and he smiled at her. Not a warm one, but one that was grim and made her
uncomfortable. “Hands.” he said gruffly.

All eyes were on the two of them. He pulled out some rope, and Tae immediately protested, “Wait
a fucking...that’s not part of-”

Namjoon shushed him harshly, and Jae could see he was shaking his head. Jae must have been
paying too much attention to them, because she felt her wrists being yanked towards him. He had
an iron grip, and she couldn’t help but wince as the rope was wound so tightly around her wrists it
was sure to leave marks.

She poked her head around Felix’s large figure to look at the others. Namjoon was looking down at
the floor, guilt written all over his face. Angry wouldn’t even begin to describe how the others
looked. She wasn’t sure why, but at that moment she wanted to reassure them.

Or reassure herself.

“I’m fine. If this is what needs to be done then it’s okay. Don’t worry.” she said, and put on a
smile. Although their faces didn’t change, she knew they heard her. They all forced them to walk in
a straight line.

Jasper led the way, all the while bickering with Mel. They were acting like an old married couple,
the way they were fighting. If she wasn’t walking next to Felix who made her tremble in her shoes,
she would have laughed at how ridiculous they sounded.

She tried to not move her wrists, but they were tied in front of her, making the rope rub against her
skin with every step she took. When that happened it was hard to not make any noise; she didn’t
want to worry them.

However, it didn’t help that Felix was quite literally pulling her along. Once he yanked it, as to
why she didn’t know, but she yelped in pain, and Tae and Yoongi, who were the closest to them,
whirled their heads around.
“Do you have to be so rough? You’re ten times her size.” Yoongi asked, obviously fighting back
other words.

Felix shrugged. “Not my fault she’s walking slow.” Tae’s eyes were burning with hatred as he
looked at her now red wrists. They locked eyes with each other for a brief moment, and Tae’s gaze
softened. He was probably worried about her stamina, but she did her best to reassure him she was
fine.

She just wanted this to be over.

After a while, she could see an endless amount of huge tents in the distance, and many different
kinds of animals. Her eyes opened in amazement.

She had no idea such a beautiful place existed. She probably looked like a kid, looking all starry
eyed at everything but she didn’t care at the moment. She was happy they had a place like this to
go to.

Her amazement dwindled, when she heard unanimous growling coming from all directions around
her. She only saw predators around her, all kinds: cheetahs, coyotes, wolves, cougars, even some
alligators who hissed at her when she passed. Her heart stopped when she saw a giant grizzly bear
who seemed to be staring right in her soul. They were all in their animal forms. Why?

It clicked. They probably sensed that a human was here, and they wanted to protect their identity.
Jae had remembered her father saying that they hunted hybrids sometimes using their human
features and face tracking technology. Something about hybrids having less flaws in their facial
structure.

The facts were blurry, she wasn’t really listening at the time. Jae thought it was good that they
knew about that. Hell, she would tell them everything else she knew if it would prove that she's
trustworthy.

They had finally reached the biggest tent there was, and Jasper snapped his fingers and Jae was
harshly tugged past the other boys. She, along with Felix, met up with Namjoon at the front, the
big tent towering in front of them.

“I think it would be best if the rest of you waited outside.” Jasper said with a smug look on his
face. It was clear by his tone it wasn’t a suggestion, and they weren’t in a position to argue.

Namjoon gave Jae a reassuring look, though he looked pretty nervous to her. While Felix stayed
outside, Jasper led the two of them into the tent, and it was beautiful inside. There was red velvet
on everything and there was a small dainty chandelier hanging from the top of it. Jae raised her
eyebrows. Fancy.

“Mother, they requested an audience with you.” Mother?

In front of her was a tall, elegant woman with blazing red curly hair and rose red lipstick. Jae was in
awe as she looked upon the woman. It was as if she was glowing in her blood red flowy dress, and
the blinding red aesthetic around her only made her stand out more.

Large red ears were protruding from her head, but they looked like mere accessories with her hair.
So this was Jasper’s mother. She looked absolutely vacant, until she saw Namjoon, her face lit up
exponentially and her voice did not match her daunting stature

“OH! Joonie bug! You’ve returned to me! Finally! It’s been much too long.” She must have given
him a bone crushing hug because he sounded like he was struggling to breathe. “M-miss
Yeona...I...can’t…” She gasped and pulled back, looking at him with worry.

“Oh darling I’m so sorry, I forget how powerful my hugs are. Silly me. How are you? How is the
pack? Are you all eating alright?” He looked baffled by all the questions all at once but he smiled
shyly, which made Jae feel some sort of way in her stomach. How did they already know each
other? Joonie bug? What the hell is up with that? Why am I getting so worked up?

Jasper cleared his throat. “Mother, if you please save the informalities for later-”

“Oh, don’t interrupt. And furthermore,” she pointed at Jae, “Why have you brought a human into
my tent?” Jae was surprised at the fact that she acknowledged her presence.

Jasper smirked, “That’s the thing. I didn’t. He did.” Yeona blinked and turned her head to
Namjoon, and then back to Jae. Her eyes flicked down and noticed the rope tied around Jae’s now
reddened wrists, and turned to Namjoon again. “Come. I’m sure you have an explanation.” she
said, wrapping her arm around his shoulders, leading him to a table with chairs.

Namjoon sighed, almost in relief, and Jasper looked in disbelief. It soon shifted to anger, and Jae
was left awkwardly standing there, but she didn’t want to be away from Namjoon.

“Oh, Jasper, bring her over here so she’s not just standing there like a lost goat.” Jasper didn’t
move and Yeona’s back was turned; she was searching through some drawers and pulled out two
small teacups.

After Jasper still didn’t move, looking lost in thought, she heard a slight growl in her voice when
she said, “Don’t make me repeat myself.” The authority in her voice made Jae gulp on air.

Jasper clicked his tongue and reluctantly escorted Jae over, and practically shoving her down on
one of the chairs. “Now leave us.” Jasper looked livid. “I’m not leaving you alone with-” It only
took one glare from his mother for him to retract his sentence. He stomped out and swat angrily at
the opening flaps to the tent as he left.

“I assume you still like your tea as usual?” she asked Namjoon with a smile. “I-uh- yes! Yes, I do
but..” his eyes glanced at Jae, who was sitting perfectly still. She didn’t really know how to assess
this whole situation, but she wasn’t stupid.

Yeona’s aura alone was very authoritarian, and Jae didn’t need to be a hybrid to sense that she was
not someone to be reckoned with. She was afraid to move, much less breathe. Especially if this
woman knew Namjoon, the last thing she wanted to do was do anything that would embarrass him.

“Yeona, I really do apologize for bringing a human here without your permission or say so, but it
was imperative for us to come here, we have gotten ourselves in tight bind, and I knew someone of
your caliber has many connections across this region.”

She let out a small breathy laugh, “To think you only came to visit me only to ask me for help.
Well, beggars can’t be choosers. I know you wouldn’t just bring one of here all willy nilly.”

She glanced at Jae, and Jae straightened her back on impulse. She looked at her dead in the eyes,
and she had brilliant blue eyes. She sighed, and put her elbows on the table and rested her head in
her hands. For such an elegant woman, she seemed to have some kid-like qualities.

“Tell me everything. I’m listening.” Namjoon looked at Jae. “I think you should tell her, Jae.”
Yeona cocked her eyebrow at Namjoon but then averted her attention back to Jae.

She felt a little on the spot, but she cleared her throat and did her best to stay calm, despite the fact
that her heart was beating extremely fast. Jae realized the both of them could probably hear it.

She took a deep breath, and proceeded to tell Yeona everything about the events that happened in
the past few days. From the time they had first met in the forest, to her birthday party and on. The
more she talked, the more intrigued Yeona became. If she had any popcorn on hand she would
have been shoveling it in her mouth with anticipation.

“Fascinating...a human saving, no rescuing a hybrid from their own home...who would have
thought…” she said, staring Jae down.

Namjoon then spoke up, “So, we need your help getting her and us somewhere safer. Away from
here, without calling attention to ourselves. I know you have eyes and ears spread throughout.
Anything you can offer would help.” he looked like he wanted to say more but he hesitated.

Yeona crossed her arms, “Well of course I’m sure I can come up with something. After all," she
looked at Jae, “you saved my precious Joonie bug, it’s the least I can do, human or not. Besides, I
can tell you aren’t just some run of the mill girl. You wouldn’t be alive if you were.” she said
nonchalantly.

“However, I need some time to get everything ready. It’ll be tight, considering it’s such short
notice, but I have a few ideas. You and Jae can stay here, as well as the rest of your pack of course.
We have plenty of room, and even if we didn’t we would make room. You all must be exhausted.”
she said, sending a smile towards the both of them.

The minute she grabbed his hand and squeezed it Jae felt like she had been struck by lightning. She
felt irritable and she tried to shake off the feeling as she followed them out of the tent.

A crowd had formed in front of it, as many hybrids stood around it, murmuring to themselves, and
the hybrids Jae knew looked angry, especially Jimin and Taehyung who were staring Jasper and
Felix down, and looked like they were going to start a fight any minute.

“If I could have everyone’s attention.” Yeona spoke calmly and everyone’s voices died down. Jae
didn’t want to be standing up there, so she tried to shimmy over to the others but Yeona caught her
arm and practically held her there.

“As you all may have noticed, there is a human now among us.” she announced. This is a little
dramatic don’t you think? There were cries of confusion and protest, but she put her hand up.

“This will only be a temporary measure, I have deemed her safe and I give you my word she will
bring no harm to you or your families. I swear it on my family name.”

There was quite a bit of talking after that and none of it sounded too friendly. They were all looking
at Namjoon’s pack with squinted eyes and worried glances.

“They’re traitors!”

“They brought a human here!”

“They can’t be trusted!”

“Miss Yeona we don’t understand!”

Shouts of anger ensued more and more until Yeona held up her hand. “If you have any concerns
that are pressing, you are welcome to address me at any time. Please respect my decisions as I
know what is best for you and this camp. Once again, this human will grace us with her presence
 only for a short while, so please bare with it for now. Thank you for your time. Carry on.” They all
went back to what they were doing, but it was easy to see none of them were happy, and some
looked scared.

She turned her attention back to Namjoon and Jae, “Well, that’s that. I’ll arrange to have a few
tents set up for you all. I hope you don’t mind, I only have three small ones.”

“Of course Miss Yeona. We will be grateful for anything you give us. Thank you so much for your
kindness.” Namjoon said, bowing his head.

“You’re lucky we are in front of others, otherwise I would have told you to drop the formal speech.
You, Jae was it?” she asked and Jae froze. “U-um yes ma'am?”

“You have my thanks for showing kindness to a hybrid, one that I care deeply about, as well as his
pack. That’s something many if not all hybrids don’t know that’s something humans possess. I ask
that you continue to treat them with the same kindness and respect, even if they may not give it in
return.”

Her big blue eyes were looking right into hers, as if searching for any doubt or uncertainty. Jae
simply nodded, and Yeona finally switched her gaze off her. “In the meantime, please, make
yourself at home. I’ll start working on your...issue.” she said, and without another word,
disappeared inside the tent.

Namjoon sighed in relief and looked at Jae with an expression to match. “That went a lot smoother
than I initially thought.” he said, letting out a deep sigh. His ears were down to the side and which
made him look adorable.

“Joonie bug, huh?” she said with eyebrows raised. Namjoon scratched the back of his head, “It’s
uh...it’s a long story.” he said, cheeks pink.

Chapter End Notes

I'll probably upload one more time before Christmas. Maybe two...so I can give you
guys a little gift *wink wink* ^^ Thank you so much for reading, your lovely
comments and your the kudos. <3 Stay tuned :)
 Anpanman
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Despite getting warning glares from the faces of many hybrids around her, she felt at ease,
knowing they had reached the destination Namjoon wanted to get to.

He and the others went to get things ready for the night. After Jae had asked what she could do to
help, and them refusing, she ended up wandering off by herself dipping her feet into a cool lake
nearby.

The water felt good in between her toes, and she enjoyed the feeling of the soft breeze blowing
through her hair. She closed her eyes and for a moment she forgot about her worries.

Each one of the men’s faces manifested inside her head and she felt herself smiling. She was
curious as to why she felt like she had known them for years when she'd only known them for only
a short time. It was strange, she felt like she was battling herself.

Jungkook. He was incredibly sweet, attentive, and gorgeous. She had a feeling he noticed a lot
more than he lets on, and there was a lot more to him underneath the surface. She wanted to know
more about him.

Taehyung. She felt flushed when she thought about how close he was to her when they slept
together, and how she felt so safe in his arms, not to mention the fact that he looks like he was
sculpted by gods. He seems to see the world a little differently, just like she does.

Jimin. Behind the sweet and innocent looking face and demeanor, there was something else that
she couldn’t quite grasp, something more intense and mischievous, and she was more than curious
to find out what it was.

Hobi. He seemed so happy all the time, she often couldn’t help but wonder if it was real happiness,
or if it was a front. She had to pretend to be happy all the time, so she knew how draining it could
be. She remembered when he grabbed her wrist before. His touch was electrifying, and he had a
much firmer grip than she expected. Perhaps there was another side of him she hasn’t seen yet?

Yoongi. Although off to a rough start, they seemed to be on middle grounds now. Ever since he
helped her escape from the motel, he’s given her soft glances and she just knew that saving her was
his apology for the night before. She just needed to give him time.

Jin. Tall, handsome, funny, and naturally comforting. The whole sky could be falling and she
would be alright, as long as Jin was with her. He seemed to always have everything together, even
in the most dire situations, and he always seemed so emotionally in tune with everyone else, like an
empath of sorts.

Of course, Namjoon too. She had saved him, but it was also appropriate to say he saved her. More
accurately, they saved each other. Furthermore, Jae agreed that, in a sense, all of seven of them
saved her. They made her feel seen, for the first time in a long time.

She felt like a human being, from a group of hybrids no less, and she felt like she belonged. She
wanted to stay, she didn’t want to be separated from them ever again. They were her home, and by
some illogical explanation, she felt like she was destined to meet them.
Her heart sank when she realized they probably didn’t feel the same. They had no reason to want
her to stay, and even though Yoongi didn’t fully mean it, he was right when she said she was a
threat to their safety.

She had to leave them, for their sake. She would find some way to be on her own. She wasn’t sure
where Yeona would send her, but whatever it was, she decided right then and there that as much as
it was going to tear her apart, she couldn’t be selfish. They had to go separate ways, for their sake.

She could hear a faint voice in the distance, and it sounded small, like a child’s.

She took her feet out of the water and went to pick up her shoes when she heard a soft splash
nearby. She looked up and a couple hundred yards away she saw a red ball floating at the edge of
the lake.

Then a small girl, who couldn't have been older than six, ran to the edge of the lake, who seemed
to be after the ball. Her brown ears were back against her head. She was afraid.

Another small voice rang out from the trees, “Lulu! Hurry up!” Jae looked and there were other
hybrid children waiting near the trees. The girl looks hesitant but she runs into the water as the ball
starts to drift further away.

Jae continued to put on her shoes and looked away for a moment, and suddenly she heard splashing
and to her horror as she looked up she saw the little hybrid flailing around in the water, and crying
out for help. She can’t swim.

Jae sprinted from where she was. Her body was fighting her every step but she didn’t care. The
little girl was screaming in panic now, and she was struggling to keep her head above the water. Jae
spotted the other children and they looked scared too.

As she was running she threw off her jacket and sprinted into the water. “Hang on, I’m coming!”
Jae yelled and sprinted into the water.

The water felt like it was pushing against her legs with every stride she took, and soon her feet
were barely touching the muddy bottom. Luckily, it wasn’t too far from the shore. Despite being
short, she could still touch the bottom enough where she could stable them both.

She tried to calm the girl down, so she wouldn’t get hit in the face. “I’m here to help you, I’ve got
you.” The girl struggled once she felt Jae’s arms but then wrapped them around her neck.

Jae could feel the girl going lax in her arms and hurried to the shore. They were both soaked and
Jae was shivering, as she gently placed the small girl on the shore.

Luckily, she was still breathing, but she looked pale. Jae through all the adrenaline hadn’t even
noticed that her own arms and legs were close to numb, and that a small group of hybrid children
were around her, staring at the both of them. She spotted her jacket she had tossed and draped it
over the girl, hoping to give her some warmth.

“Is she okay?”

“Is she gonna die?”

“She’s stupid she can’t swim.”

“Her dad is gonna kill us.” they all murmured.

“Th-thank y-you...” she whispered. She coughed a few times and she remembered how Jin had
patted her back before and she tried to repeat the gesture. Eventually, she stopped and Jae asked if
she was alright.

“Where are your parents?” she asked calmly. Her ears twitched to that question and she looked past
the small group of hybrid kids huddled around them. As if on cue, a large, scruffy burly man with
brown fluffy ears, similar to the little girl’s, was practically charging towards the both of them. Jae
knew what it looked like. This wasn’t good.

“Get your hands off my daughter, you monster.” He growled, not hesitating to bare his teeth to her.
His eyes were almost dilated completely. He was furious, and Jae didn’t blame him, but she hoped
he would give her enough time to explain before he ripped her limbs off.

“No...d-daddy...she saved me. I was trying to get the ball and…” she started coughing again and
the other kids joined it.

“Mr. Goro, uh, sir, it’s true. We saw it.”

“Yeah she didn’t do anything bad”

Jae was lucky that she had witnesses. Really adorable ones.

“I’m sure you kids saw it wrong. Humans are nothing but disgusting creatures who only care about
themselves. You know better than to get this close to any of them. Yeona’s a fool for letting one
come here alive.”

The look he was giving her was not a pleasant one, but he was starting to make her irritable. His
daughter almost drowned and he’s too busy saying how horrible I am? It was a good thing she
wasn’t afraid of hybrids, but it also made her rash.

“What’s foolish is that you would let your daughter play around a huge body of water despite the
fact that she can’t swim.”

And that was all it took to push him over the edge. The large man erupted a deep growling sound
from his throat and suddenly Jae was face to face with an angry, abnormally large grizzly bear.

The little girl, Lulu, was yelling at her father to stop. He stood up on his hind legs, and Jae was
frozen in fear. It was then that a loud howl rang out from the trees.

Jae saw a familiar gray wolf in the direction of the sound, and another familiar person with red
hair, both of which were running towards the scene at full speed.

Jae was afraid they would get hurt, and the bear of course noticed the presence of two new hybrids.
Hobi dropped to his knees next to Jae and held her face in his hands. “You’re soaking wet, are you
okay? Are you hurt?”

The questions were dripping with worry and the bear came back down on all fours and the wolf,
who Jae could tell was Jimin on closer inspection, was snarling at the bear, more ferocious than
she had ever seen. The bear was doing the same back, and Jae wondered if they were talking or just
threatening each other.

Either way, the bear was way too big for Jimin to take on and he must know that full well, since he
is keeping a safe distance away.

Hobi quickly took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. Not realizing how much she had
been shivering, either from the cold or fear, the jacket felt like a warm hug regardless.

The bear suddenly turned around to face them, and Hobi held Jae close to him protectively, even
when she felt him shaking. A bear against a red panda? He must be frightened, but he’s protecting
me anyway.

Jae’s heart was melting at the thought. Jimin dashed to get in front of them, still growling. The
bear shifted back, still looking pissed. He snatched his daughter's hand, who was looking back and
forth between her father, Hobi and Jimin.

“I’ll fucking kill you, human. I swear I will if you ever touch my daughter, or come near any of
these children again. That goes for you too.” as he pointed at Hobi. Jimin growled at that, and Hobi
said, “Just get out of here.”

“Whatever. You both are sick, protecting a human like that. Your whole pack is a group of fools.
Don’t come near my family, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep your distance from
everyone else too. She's a walking breathing curse.” he snarled, she felt the poison in his words but
what made her feel worse was she was causing their own kind to act like this against them.

Some kids had left with the grumpy man, but a few stayed behind, much to the man’s discontent.
They stood there, looking nervous and unsure.

Jimin shifted and bent down so he was eye level. “Hey there. Sorry you had to see us adults like
that. Fighting is no way to solve your problems.” Jimin said, and Jae got a chuckle out of how he
was lecturing them.

“Did any of you see what happened? Why was he so upset at our pretty friend over there?” Jimin
asked, nodding his head towards Jae and her face flushed. Was the pretty part necessary?

They were all silent for a few seconds and then one of them spoke up, “Um...we were playing...and
it was Lulu’s fault that the ball got knocked away so we all said she should go get it-” and then
another one said, “We didn’t know she couldn’t swim, we swear!” and they all nodded vigorously.

Jimin ruffled one of the kids' hair. “Don’t worry, we believe you, right Hobes?”

Hobi gave a thumbs up, and a big smile, “Of course!” Jae couldn’t help but grin. They were so
adorable with kids, almost naturally.

One of the kids pointed at Jae, “She was so amazing. She ran super fast and BOOM!!” they started
reenacting what happened, in tiny. Jae had to stifle her giggle, “Lulu was all like ‘save me’ and she
came and WHOOSH! Scooped her up in her arms and dragged her out of the water!”

“Oh? Is that so?” Jimin said, trying not to laugh as well. Hobi wasn’t hiding it, he was giggling.
“It’s all true!” another one said with wide eyes.

“I may have a secret mission for you all, are you up for it?” Jimin asked the kids. They all looked
excited and they nodded.

“I’m sure the other kids who were here today would be interested too, so don’t forget to include
them. I want you to spread the word, gossip, if you will around your parents or some other adults
about what happened here today. The catch is, you have to make it seem like you don’t know that
they’re listening. I know you all are smart so you’ll find a way. Are you up for it?” Jimin asked
them with a smirk.

“YES!” they all cheered. “Be good little spies. Your special secret mission starts...now!” Jimin
said, and they all giggled and started running full speed back towards the trees. Once they were out
of sight, Jimin kneeled down and gave Jae a hug. She felt his breath on the back of her neck, and
while it gave her chills, she still felt warm.

"Did I scare you?" he whispered into her ear. Jae had to fight to not let out an ungodly noise from
her throat. She just shook her head, knowing he would feel the gesture.

“Also, do you always have a habit of pissing off the wrong people?” he asked her as he pulled
away and Jae chuckled. Hobi asked her again, “Are you sure you’re okay?” She said the first thing
that came to her head, “I’m better now that you both are here.”

They both smiled widely at that, and she continued, “I hope those other kids don’t get any grief for
talking about me like that.”

“Well, I asked them to do that because I just know, that hothead bear will spread the word that you
tried to drown his daughter and not save her. Ungrateful prick. He should have been on his knees
thanking you.” Jimin muttered.

Hobi’s hand pressed against Jae’s forehead. “You’re still warm, but you do look a little pale. Let’s
get you back to the others, okay? You need some dry clothes.” Jae nodded, and they both took each
of her hands and helped her stand.

Hobi wrapped his arm around her waist and if she wasn’t shivering from the cold, she would have
been out of nervousness. She noticed he hadn’t let her go once. Though, she didn’t have any
problem with that. She hoped he would never let go.

Hobi’s POV

Things scare me easily. I suppose it was from the trauma from being locked up practically all my
life, or maybe it was just my instincts: the prey side in me telling me to always flee instead of fight.

I have never, not once, felt the need to protect anyone, if you exclude Jin and Jungkook. Even then,
I often felt scared, too afraid everything would crumble around me whenever trouble arose.

So why was it that as soon as I saw Jae about to be mauled by a bear, my immediate instinct
was...to protect?

Jimin and I went looking for her, the others had noticed after a while that they hadn't seen a trace of
her, and we both volunteered to look. I was particularly worried because I wasn’t thrilled with how
the other local hybrids were eyeing her up. On one hand, I couldn’t blame them. But at the same
time, it’s never right to judge a book by its cover.

We heard screaming and water splashing, and the next thing we knew we heard Jae’s voice as
well, and the both of us started running as fast as our legs would take us.

Jimin shifted then to run even faster. I was scared, once again. I was scared something bad was
happening to Jae. I was scared that the HHA was taking her away from us. Away from me.

She made me smile so easily, and it was the same for the rest as well. Seeing them genuinely
happy made me feel complete. By default, she made me feel more complete.

I was scared that they would find us too, and lock me up again. I would rather die than go through
that again. I can’t do it again.

Jimin was way ahead of me and I could hear him growling at something. To my shock, I saw a
huge bear, obviously a hybrid, on its hind legs, about to strike on a petrified looking Jae.

When I saw Jae there, helpless and in danger I changed.

Suddenly, like a switch, I wasn’t afraid anymore. My mind was screaming protect protect protect.

There was a part of me that was shivering in my shoes but it’s like my body moved on it’s own and
before I knew it my arms were around her wet, shivering body. She jumped at my touch at first but
then I felt her lean into me, searching for warmth. I took off my jacket in a hurry and put it around
her.

I saw a bunch of hybrid children standing to the side and another one was wet as well. They were
all just watching, the big bad bear scaring them as well. The one that was wet had the same ears as
the bear. I wasn’t dumb and I put two and two together. It was just a parent protecting their child,
something I had never experienced personally but read a lot of books to know what it looks like.

I knew Jimin was talking to him through his growls but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
When he called everyone fools, he was lucky I wasn’t bigger like Taehyung or a bear like himself,
or I would have torn him a new one right there.

How dare he say such a thing when he doesn’t know half of what we’ve all been through. As soon
as he left, I felt a wave of exhaustion hit me, but I asked Jae if she was okay, and she looked at me
with her big, gorgeous eyes. They were sparkling, dazzling in fact, like the whole galaxy was
staring back at me.

When Jimin and I were taking her back to camp, I hadn’t realized until we arrived with the others
that I didn’t let go of her waist the whole time we walked back.

The other members pointed out to me that I was a touchy person and I always clung to something
or someone when I was anxious but also just generally. I was worried I made her feel awkward but
she didn’t say a word.

When the others saw she was wet, they looked at us for an explanation. Jimin gave a brief
rundown to them and they may have looked calm outside but I knew they were boiling on the
inside. Little things gave it away like Taehyung popping his knuckles, Jungkook hammering in the
nail to the tent a little harder, and Namjoon tensing his jaw for a second.

I needed to ask Namjoon about what happened to me earlier. I was scared that wasn’t normal and
he seemed to always have an answer for everything. I approached him, making sure he wasn’t too
busy with what he was doing.

“Can I talk to you for a sec? Over there?” Understanding I wanted to talk privately, he nodded and
followed me behind one of the tents that was set up. He looked me in the eyes, listening
attentively.

“So um...it’s kind of hard for me to explain this but I’ll do my best.” He didn’t say a word, but I
could tell he was paying attention.

“Okay so...remember when we told you that we saved Jae from the bear hybrid? Well,
something...happened to me.” Namjoon looked confused but interested. “Usually my instincts tell
me to run, or hide. But when I saw Jae in danger…” I thought about it, trying to make sure I used
the right words.

“It was like a switch had turned on inside of me, and instead of wanting to hide I...I felt the want,
or more like the need to protect her. I don’t really understand why I reacted like that..” I was
 troubled by it, but Namjoon looked as if he had an epiphany.

“I’m glad you told me Hobi. I think we need to let Yoongi know about this as well. A group
meeting is long overdue between the seven of us.” He put his hand reassuringly on my shoulder.
The seven of us? What about Jae?

“Don’t worry. Nothing is wrong with you. Everything is okay.” he said with a small smile. His
eyes told me he wasn’t lying, but there was clearly something else that I wasn’t getting. I could tell,
something was troubling him.

It became later in the evening, and after we had eaten, we were all deciding who would be in each
tent. Obviously, I wanted to be with Jae. As to why...I had yet to figure that out.

Chapter End Notes

Another chapter:) one more after this one, which I'm planning to upload on
Wednesday, and then I'll be taking a short break during the holidays. (Even though I
don't really want to tbh >.< ) There's still plenty more to come! Your comments make
me feel like I'm on cloud nine so thank you so much for the continued support, it
gives me so much confidence:) thank you so much I'm really happy. Okay no more
mush sorry.
 Begin
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

“Alright, should we play rock paper scissors? Draw straws? Jae’s number game again?” Namjoon
asked.

Tae’s eyes lit up at that, and Jungkook mumbled, “Rigged.” Jae was sitting around a small campfire
they had built in the center of three separate tents that were set up around them. Small, but
comfortable.

Thunder clapped above them, and Jae jumped hard at the noise. She hoped it wouldn’t storm for
long.

She zoned out a little as they talked among themselves. Everyone’s faces looked so bright from the
campfire’s light, and it softly bounced on each of their handsome faces. It made Jae feel so warm
the heat from the campfire couldn’t begin to compare and she could feel her heart was having
trouble beating at a regular pace.

She tried to pull herself together as she heard Hobi say, “It’s settled then. We already chose which
tents each of us are in. So you can just choose one. The catch is you won’t know who you’re with
till you choose.” She glanced at the tents and she became flustered when all eyes were staring her
down with anticipation.

“Guys, I-I can’t choose with you all staring at me like that…” she said, looking down at her lap.
She eyed the tent in the middle, so she went with her first thought and pointed at it. Mixed
reactions of joy and disappointment spread, but it wasn’t hard to figure out who she was sharing a
tent with.

Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook were beaming while the rest were wearing long faces.

Jimin was smirking, “I told you so. That’s ten pushups, Jin.” He groaned and started right away
over enthusiastically while making a fuss, making everyone laugh.

Once everyone was ready to turn in, they all said goodnight and Jae stayed outside with Jimin who
volunteered to clean up and put out the campfire.

He had gone back into the tent to ask Jungkook for his help moving a bunch of heavy firewood so
Jae was wandering, looking at the dark sky above her. She wished she could see the stars, but the
clouds were covering them.

“Can you believe they’re just so shamelessly out in the open like that?”

“I know, I mean, there are children here. What are we supposed to tell them?”

Jae couldn’t help but overhear two female hybrids whispering nearby. She crept closer and peaked
from behind a tree. It was a cheetah and some other cat hybrid that she couldn’t identify at first
glance.

Jae almost stopped breathing entirely in hopes that they wouldn’t notice her presence.

“It’s bad enough a human girl is here, but for her to be surrounded by seven of our kind all the
time? What is that alpha thinking?”

“I know! And do you notice the way they look at her? I mean, what did she doto them? It’s too
suspicious. No one gets along with a human just like that.”

What did they mean by that? The more they talked the more Jae felt like she was going to be sick.

“She’s probably just a slut who wants some variety. Everyone knows hybrids are better in bed.
That’s why the brothels exist.” the hybrid shuddered. “Now those naïve boys are trapped with her
succubus ways, and we’re stuck with her shacking up with them in our camp. They are still young,
they have so much potential. It’s a shame, really.”

“You mean shameful! I respect Yeona I do, but honestly what was she thinking? We could be in
danger here.”

Jae was so engrossed in their hurtful words she hadn’t noticed that Jimin was practically right
behind her. His hand lightly brushed her arm and she would have yelped but he quickly wrapped
his hand around her mouth.

Once she knew it was him, she relaxed, and Jimin let go of her. The other female hybrids then took
their conversation elsewhere, leaving the two alone.

How much had he heard?

“It’s not true. I don’t want you thinking what they say is true for a second, Jae. Do you
understand?” Jimin told her, bending down to try to meet her eyes.

She was trying to ignore the sting in her eyes as she avoided his gaze.

Thunder rumbled above them, making her jump again. She felt horrible. “I’m making you all look
shameful to your own people. Don’t you care? Aren’t you ashamed that I’m turning them against
you? Why are you all so nice to me even when I do things to you like this? What if I’m doing
something bad to you, without even realizing it..?” she asked, her voice rising a little.

Jimin didn’t respond, but he had a sort of haziness in his eyes. His lips parted slightly, and Jae
didn’t realize how close his face was to hers, his hair falling loosely over his eyes.

“Do you really want to know what you’re doing to all of us?” he whispered, leaning in even closer.
She felt like her face was on fire, and she couldn’t process what was happening.

What was this sudden change of attitude? She felt dizzy as she saw his hooded eyes meet with hers,
and she didn’t miss the subtle glance towards her lips. She was feeling a gravitational pull towards
him, something she couldn’t explain.

No, this is wrong. We just met. She was trying to fight herself but all rationality flew out the
window when she looked at his lips too. Slightly parted and plump.

They looked like soft, pink pillows inviting her to put her own lips against them. She found herself
wanting to know what they felt like on hers more than anything.

She was about to close her eyes and let it happen, when the thunder clapped so hard she let out a
little shriek. Her little squeal startled him, and in utter embarrassment, Jae ended up running past
him feeling she wanted to dig herself a hole and never come out.

What was that? What was that?

She refused to make eye contact with Jungkook and Tae as she stepped into the tent they had to
share, but since they were already close to falling asleep it didn't matter.

Jimin hadn’t come back inside right afterwards, but when it started raining significantly harder, he
appeared in his wolf form a little damp just as the others were all falling asleep.

He didn’t look at her, but he went into a corner and faced it, as if he was punishing himself.

Jae was wide awake, but pretended to sleep. Not only because of the raging storm that had now
started outside, but now because she was in the presence of the man who almost kissed her a little
while ago.

And you almost let him. Why? Why do you feel that way? You barely know him, Jae. She looked
over at Taehyung and Jungkook’s sleeping figures.

Tae’s light snoring as he hugged a blanket closer to his body, and the slow rise and fall of
Jungkook’s toned chest and his relaxed face that was nothing short of angelic.

Her heart beat faster when she realized she felt the same about them, as well as the other boys. It
was a stunning realization, and it was like she stepped out of a haze.

She knew if any of them had been in Jimin’s position earlier, she would have let them kiss her. One
hundred percent. There was something there, for all of them.

The image of Jimin’s expression underneath the tree flooded her mind and she felt a familiar
sensation in between her legs. Her brain then imagined what might have happened had the thunder
not interrupted them. What his lips would have felt like...his touch...

A flash of lightning outside interrupted and braced herself for the sound that would follow. It was
close by, and it was so loud she felt the rumble in the earth. She started to shake, and she rubbed
her legs together, trying to make a certain sensation go away. She wasn’t going to fall asleep easily
tonight.

*******

Jae didn’t know how much time had passed, but soon the storm became more intense outside and
fear had overrun everything else in her head. She wanted more than anything to get close to one of
the guys sleeping peacefully at a safe distance away, but she didn’t want to seem like a scared little
girl.

She would have to go through it alone. Just like always. At least, that’s what she thought.

She had her eyes closed tightly, trying to calm down when she felt something on her shoulder. It
was Jungkook’s hand, and while he looked a little sleepy, he also seemed to be alert. Jae wasn’t
sure when he had woken up.

“What’s wrong?” It was then Jae felt a tear crawl down her face, and quickly wiped it away. He
was a little too close, remembering what she thought of earlier and she looked away.

“Nothing...it’s nothing I’m fine.” she tried to turn back over but to her surprise she felt his fingers
gently grab her chin and made her face him. “Don’t lie to me. Let me help you.”

His words and his effortlessly soothing touch made her feel like melting into him. “I...I don’t like
storms.” Jae said as her voice shook.
Jungkook immediately understood and did something that surprised her even more. He scooted
closer to her and laid down where she was previously and extended his arm out to him. “I’ll stay
with you, so you can sleep. Plus, it’s a little chilly tonight. I feel like we could keep each other
warm.” he said with a small smile.

The amount of confidence he was suddenly exuding was baffling. And sexy.

Jae felt like her mind was malfunctioning as he patted the spot next to him with a soft smile.

She hoped she wasn’t blushing as furiously as she felt and she scooted next to him awkwardly.

He draped the blanket she was using over them and they both laid down on their backs, with Jae’s
head on top of Jungkook’s arm. They were like that for a while, until lightning struck again
booming and echoing loudly.

On pure instinct, or at least that’s what she would blame it on, she curled up next to him, clutching
his black t-shirt in her hand. She felt a hand land lightly on her head, and he was slowly running his
fingers through it. She instantly felt much calmer, as if he had magical powers her worries melted
away.

Worried that Tae or Jimin would see them this close, Jae took a peek at them. Tae was still snoring
away, and Jimin was still in his wolf form, in the far corner of the tent.

From what she could see, he was fast asleep. “We’re used to sleeping in heavy storms like this
without a tent. They’re not waking up till morning.” Jungkook said, chuckling.

Jae hated the mere thought of them sleeping in weather like this. “I hope you never have to live like
that again. It’s not fair.”

She turned her head to face him again, and she realized there and then that she had never seen him
this up close before. She noticed a tiny scar on his cheek, so small it’s barely noticeable, and a little
freckle right below his bottom lip. She must have been staring without realizing, because as she
saw his lips had formed a small smirk. She could stare at him all day and never get bored. “What
are you staring at, hm?”

Jae wanted to evaporate. “N-nothing. Nothing at all.” she said, but he kept staring her down, and if
that wasn’t enough, the gentle touch of his narrow fingers in her hair was giving her all kinds of
tingly sensations.

Her eyes fluttered closed and when the thunder rumbled outside, she could barely hear it anymore.
He was magic, plain and simple.

“This is the second time we’ve slept together.” Jae mumbled, and then realizing how that sounded,
"I mean not like, I didn't-" and she sighed, giving up on any hope of recovery and Jungkook
chuckled softly.

Refusing to open her eyes, she said, “I’m sorry. I must seem like a child to you.”

Jungkook whispered, “There’s no place I’d rather be.” That made Jae open her eyes again, which
was a mistake. His eyes never left hers, swimming with softness and intensity.

Thunder rumbled once more, but both of them didn’t move an inch as they looked deeply into each
other’s eyes. It was like they were searching for something in each other.

Despite feeling burning hot, she felt chills run all over her body as he took his hand that was once
 in her hair and slid it down to hold the side of her face, cupping her cheek softly.

“Jae...” he whispered, as their noses brushed against each other, and the strong magnetic force was
back, the same one she felt with Jimin that she couldn’t fight anymore. She closed her eyes and she
felt Jungkook’s tender lips meet hers.

They were so soft, and gentle. She instantly melted as she felt emotion behind the kiss and she felt
a spark that ignited something inside. Their lips fit together perfectly, like a puzzle piece.

Her mind went blank as their lips daintily brushed against each other again and again. Her stomach
was fluttering as Jungkook pulled her even closer, deepening the kiss.

Everything felt so right. She was so lost in bliss she couldn’t stifle a low moan that escaped her
throat and that earned one in return from Jungkook, which made her insides feel like jelly.

For a while, all that could be heard was the heavy rain pattering on top of the tent, Tae’s light
snoring and the sound of their lips softly smacking together.

She slid her hands against his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his defined muscles as both their
breathing increased.

Not wanting to stop, Jae started to raise the hand that was on his chest to the back of his neck,
trying to pull him even closer if it was possible. She couldn’t help but feel confused when
Jungkook reluctantly pulled away, breathing heavily.

Did I do something wrong? Internally she started to panic but she was put at ease when he gently
traced her cheeks with the back of his hand.

“I wanted to do that for a while. And as much as I would love to do that more…” he said, brushing
a loose strand of hair that was around her face, “...I don’t have much self-control.” He was smiling,
and she swore he looked ten times more beautiful now. She couldn’t help but say it.

“You’re beautiful.” she breathed, and his eyes turned into sparkly crescents. “That's my line.” He
said, as he grabbed her face with both of his hands and gently kissed her once more, longingly.

In his embrace, she felt like she was in heaven, and she felt happiness that she hadn’t felt in a long,
long time.

By now, she had completely forgotten all about the raging storm that was causing havoc outside.

Chapter End Notes

<3 First kiss:) Ahh that took me so long to write I wanted it to be perfect. This is gonna
be my last post just for a little bit, but not for too long! I'll resume shortly after the
holidays so stay tuned! I'm really excited for this to continue. I know I probably sound
like a broken record but I probably wouldn't be writing as fast and furiously if it wasn't
for yall's lovely comments and leaving kudos. I reread them all and it made me tear
up. This year has been rough for everyone, so I'm glad I can feel like I'm
accomplishing something, even if it's something small, and putting a smile on your
faces. Anyway, have a wonderful rest of the holiday season. Please stay warm, safe,
healthy, and most importantly happy. See you all very soon. Happy Holidays! :) <3
 Fake Love
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The next morning Jae, much to her dismay, woke up alone. In Jungkook’s absence, she
immediately thought about the night prior, and she couldn’t help but smile and giggle as if she
were a teenager who just had her first kiss.

After the initial joy went away, worrisome thoughts started protruding her mind however, as they
always seem to do.

How will the other guys feel? What if they don’t like it? What if they hate me for it? What if they
get mad at Jungkook?

A bunch of other questions raced through her mind as she got up and decided to walk outside.
Seeing them would make her feel more at ease.

The bright sun was shining down on her and she could make out the hustle and bustle of the
hybrids in the camp. Her seven familiar hybrids, weirdly, they were nowhere to be found.

So, trying not to stress over it too much, she decided to wander and enjoy the bright green scenery,
while doing her best to keep her distance from the other hybrids, and ignore any stares they gave
her.

She had walked a little ways, and then she heard a familiar voice, “Stop it! Right now, both of
you!!” Namjoon was growling deeply, like a warning.

That set her worries ablaze and lightly jogged in the direction of the voice. “What the fuck is your
problem?” That was Jungkook and he sounded angry.

Jae peaked ever so quietly and her eyes shot open as he saw Namjoon holding Jimin back, and Jin
had his arms around Jungkook’s, holding him as well.

She almost gasped when she saw Jungkook’s bloody lip. Both were trying to break free but to no
avail.

Yoongi arms were crossed, Tae looked pissed and he looked like he was chewing something and
Hobi looked like he was about to jump up and help with worried eyes darting back and forth.

Jae gulped on air. Did Jimin know we kissed last night? Is that why he punched him? Was he
actually awake?

“Just tell us if what Jimin said is true or not. It’s important.” Jin said to Jungkook, still fighting
him.

“What does he mean? What did you tell them?”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “I don’t know, Jungkook. What would I have told them?”

Jae had never seen Jimin like this. He was always so loving and smiled around everyone else, but
now he looked nothing short of...jealous.

Jungkook narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know, Jimin. That’s why I’m asking you.” he snapped back,
a little too defensively.

Yoongi was looking straight at the ground, not saying a word. Namjoon cleared his throat, tired of
the bickering. “I’m just going to ask you outright, Kook. Did you scent her?”

Everything froze at that moment. Not even the sound of wind was blowing and Jae felt the need to
cover her mouth in order to not make any noise, fully aware that the slightest noise from her would
make her presence known.

Did he scent me? What does that even mean? He kissed me but that’s not the same thing, right?
She wished she had read more about this sort of thing. Jungkook looked shocked but he answered
almost immediately, “No! Of course not! I would never do that unless she wanted me to. Unlike
him over there. He almost did it earlier in front of everyone the other day. You all saw it.” He said,
glaring at Tae.

“What was that?” Tae growled, gripping his thighs. “I wasn’t the one who had her wrapped all
around me this morning. She smelled like you, so you can’t blame us for believing-”

“Okay, we get it. We believe you, Jungkook. Can we get this talk out of the way so we can go
back? I don’t like thinking about Jae in that tent by herself. You both need to stop acting like
children fighting over a toy.” Jin spoke up, slowly letting Jungkook from his grip.

Namjoon did the same, and Jimin rolled his shoulders, causing them to pop. Namjoon gave Yoongi
a look, almost as if to ask if something was okay.

Yoongi just looked away, and Jae couldn’t read his expression. “What talk?” Jimin huffed.

Namjoon took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He looked at Jimin and
Jungkook, “Would you too agree that, under normal circumstances, you would never hit each
other? This is the first time this has happened between you two, right?”

They looked at each other, and Jimin immediately looked apologetic when he saw Jungkook’s
swollen face. “I...yes.” Jimin said quietly.

Namjoon sighed, “You all have been acting a little different. You’ve noticed I assume. In each
other, and in yourselves.” He looked at Yoongi again, struggling with the words he wanted to say.
Yoongi got the signal, and took over.

“I know what this is, because I’ve felt it before with someone else." he paused. "Although, not
nearly like this…” He said, looking like he was lost in thought. Everyone’s eyes were on him,
including Jae’s.

“Do you feel the overwhelming need to be close to Jae all the time? Protect her? Do you want to do
everything with her?” he cleared his throat. Jae couldn’t see his eyes behind his hair. “When I say
everything I mean... everything. "Have you had certain thoughts about her?” A couple pairs of ears
twitched at that. He looked like he was struggling with what to say next, but he continued,

“When every hybrid is born, they have a destined soulmate. It’s just in our design. It's how our
species grows. I’m sure you’ve heard about it once or twice from somewhere or other.” A couple
heads nodded while others looked focused. At the word soulmate, Jae’s head started to spin.

“Again, I felt this before so… I know this is the real deal this time. I know I’ve found my soulmate.
In fact, we all have.” Yoongi said, slowly looking at everyone. A moment of silence passed, then
Tae spoke up first.
“So...what are you saying...exactly?”

Namjoon answered the question for him. “We are all destined to find a soulmate, but it seems we,
as in all seven of us, have found one.”

Jae swore she could hear the sound of her own blood running in her veins. She didn’t, or rather,
couldn’t process what they were saying. They don’t mean…

“It’s Jae...Jae is our soulmate. Isn’t she?” Hobi said it so quietly Jae could barely hear. The silence
between them all was a good enough answer, and Jae didn’t know if her heart was beating so fast
she couldn’t feel it anymore or if it had just stopped completely. If her world wasn’t already flipped
upside down, it was doing multiple backflips now.

“Isn’t that...impossible?” Jin asked, looking bewildered. “Apparently not.” Yoongi said, crossing
his arms. “It’s supposed to be. After all, usually if you have a soulmate, that person is yours, and
yours alone. Both are like one mind and soul, and you are connected with each other for the rest of
your life. Anyone who dares to disturb that is...it’s a deathwish.” Yoongi said grimly.

“That’s why Jimin wanted to rip Jungkook’s head off a few minutes ago. He was protecting what
he claimed in his mind as his from another hybrid. It's instinct. That’s also why Hobi protected her
yesterday without a second thought, despite putting himself at risk.”

“But with Jae…” Namjoon said slowly, “she seems to affect all of us, equally. The problems
remain: how are we going to deal with this? How are we going to tell her? I mean, would she
even…” he trailed off, not needing to finish the question.

Jae didn’t know how to react. She didn’t know how to think. She didn’t even know how to breathe.

I’m their soulmate? For...all seven of them? How is that even possible… She felt like she was
going to faint. How am I anyone’s soulmate, let alone the soulmate of seven hybrids?

Is that why Jungkook kissed her? Is that why they were being so nice? Was it just instincts telling
them to do so?

It had to be. Yeah, it just had to be. She wanted to laugh at herself for having the slightest thought
of anything different. Of course it was. They don’t really feel that way. Deep down, that’s all it is.
Just instincts.

She had to get out of there. She couldn’t deal with this right now. She was naïve for thinking
anything was real.

She crept away, careful not to step on any twigs or leaves that would make her presence known. As
she gained more distance from the men, she felt more and more empty.

Maybe it is for the best that we separate. I don’t know how this whole soulmate thing works, but
Yoongi said he’s felt it before. I’m sure they can find someone else. Someone they won't have to
share. Someone that won't make them fight. She thought bitterly to herself.

She hurt herself more when she thought about the feeling of Jungkook’s lips on hers. She thought
she felt something from him. The thought of wanting to kiss him again, and to run out there and tell
them that she was attached to all of them was only tearing her apart more.

Jae was interrupted by something bumping into her legs. She looked down and she saw the same
hybrid child she saved previously, Lulu.
She looked scared, frantic in fact, and her small bear ears were tilted down and back. Jae looked
around for her father, but he was nowhere to be found.

“Hey there.” Jae said, making sure her eyes were dry. “Lulu, right? What is it? What’s wrong?” Jae
asked as she bent down to her eye level. Lulu didn’t say anything but she pulled on Jae’s sleeve
with all her might, dragging Jae just a little. Jae looked around and saw nothing but trees, there was
no one else around.

She had a bad feeling about this, but she looked genuinely scared and her eyes were big and
pleading. “What is it? I need you to use your words.” Jae said gently.

“Bad people.” Lulu whispered, and Jae’s blood turned cold. There’s no way… She made sure to be
gentle but she grabbed Lulu’s shoulders.

“Lulu. Listen to me. I want you to run back to camp, and get your daddy. Tell him what’s going on,
okay?” She shook her head and continued pulling her along, tears threatening to fall down. This
wasn’t good, but she wasn’t taking no for an answer, and she was getting more and more frantic.
She didn’t want to put her in danger, but she wasn’t going to stop.

“Okay, whatever it is, take me near it. Then I want you to run and get some other adults, okay?
Deal?” she asked her.

Lulu nodded furiously and started running, dragging Jae with her. Her little legs could only go so
fast, so Jae was trapped in an easy jogging pace.

She wasn’t sure what she was going to see but she wasn’t prepared for the scene that unfolded in
front of her.

She saw HHA soldiers, about 10 of them and a group of hybrid kids tied up on the forest floor,
being loaded one by one into a big military truck.

She recognized some of them from yesterday. Her heart was racing, and she wanted nothing more
than to run in there and save them all. Of course she couldn’t. The kids were crying, and she felt so
helpless she wanted to scream so loud in frustration.

She turned to Lulu, who was staring at the situation in fear. Jae was scared herself, she couldn’t
even begin to imagine what was going through this little girl's head. “Hey remember what I said?”
Jae whispered. “Go get some adults you trust, okay?” Another thought hit her.

“Remember the hybrids that were with me by the lake?” she thought about it and nodded. “Go find
them. Okay? Go now, hurry. Don’t make a sound.” Jae gave her a small nudge and she did what
she was told. Jae looked over her shoulder and once she couldn’t see her anymore, she tried to think
about what she could do. They had different uniforms on, ones she had never seen before.

They could possibly be from a different region she thought. But what are they doing here?

The whimpers of the poor children shook her out of her thoughts. She only had one thing in mind.
It wasn’t the smartest, and it definitely wasn’t ideal, but all she needed was to buy time. She was
shaking like mad. She had to reveal herself. She hoped they didn’t shoot first and ask questions
later.

As soon as she arose from behind the bush, a soldier immediately said “Hey!” and pointed one of
his big guns at her. The rest followed suit and she made sure to put her hands up. She didn’t have
time to waste on small talk.
“Listen to me. I’m your boss’s daughter. The one that was kidnapped? I suggest you stop pointing
those at me, unless you want to get fired, or much worse.” she was surprised how confident she
sounded. She glanced at the tied up children. They were all looking at her as if she was a hero with
a cape. Truth was, she was horrified. Maybe it was easier to put on a face for the kids. She had to
be brave for them.

“What’s a girl like you doing all the way out here in these parts? How do we know you aren’t
tricking us or something?” Jae scoffed, "Are you dumb? I was kidnapped you dolt." The soldier
tried to step towards her but he was stopped. "How dare you!" he yelled.

Another soldier pulled out a flier, and to her shock, her face was on it, along with a reward with lots
of zeros. Of course, her father pulled out all the stops to find her. “No, it’s her alright. Look.” he
said, holding it up, comparing.

Jae rolled her eyes. “Yeah, it’s me. So do your job and get me out of here. The hybrid kids stay
here though. I don’t want to stay with them.” Jae said, in the most snobby tone possible. She didn’t
mean it of course, but she was trying to give them a reason to set them free. It was a lame excuse,
but it was all she had.

“Are you crazy? We could be on to something huge. This many kids, there’s gotta be parents
nearby.”

No no no. “It’s probably a good idea to take the runts farther away from here. If we cause a panic
for the bigger ones, they’re less likely to think straight. Easier to take them down.” Jae was sick to
her stomach.

“No, you’re the crazy ones if you think you can take on that many on your own. You all must not
want to live anymore.” she sneered.

One of the bigger men who looked like the captain of the whole operation stared her down. He had
a different aura around him compared with the other men.

“You don’t make the rules missy. Here’s what you’re going to do. You and those hybrid kids are
going in the back of that truck. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. It’s your choice.”

He said it as if there wasn’t a choice to begin with, and she knew that was the case anyway.
Knowing full well the consequences of what she was about to do, she went to kick the captain in
the shin but right as her foot left the ground, she was grabbed roughly by her arm and swung full
force on her side.

She was being pinned down, arms locked behind her, and the force almost completely knocked the
wind out of her.

“We had heard you might be a feisty one, but I’ll be honest it doesn’t look like your the type from
that wanted poster alone.” He said, as she felt the familiar burn of rope being wrapped around her
wrists.

“You might wanna work on your combat skills, or lack thereof, before you try that shit again.” Jae
could hear the smirk in his voice.

As they were all loaded in the truck, she heard, “We better get a raise for all this.” as they slammed
the doors shut.

There was light coming through small windows in the back so she could still see the kids. They
looked frightened and some were still crying.
 “Hey...guys, it’s going to be okay,” she reassured them, and tried to stay as calm as she could, “I
have help coming. Lulu is gonna get some adults. Okay?”

The kids continued to cry and Jae felt like her heart was being crushed.

As much as she wanted to reassure them, she knew her words could only do so much. What could
she do? What was there left to do? She let her head rest on one of the walls.

Slowly, her hope was dwindling away, but she could only hope that Lulu would make it back to the
camp safely. She could only hope that somehow, some way, her seven soulmates would find her
again.

Chapter End Notes

And we're back! I come back to more comments and kudos and I- O.O I'm beyond
grateful, thank you so so much. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday, and
New Year's is almost upon us! This nightmare of a year is coming to an end >.< To
celebrate Tae's birthday I'll be uploading another chapter tomorrow, on Wednesday. :)
Take care everyone!
 Lie
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jimin's POV

When I woke up this morning, I was already a little out of sorts. After what had happened with Jae,
although I slept, she never left my head.

She flooded my dreams, and in them, we continued where we had left off next to that tree. In fact,
we did so much more. So much so, it was like a nightmare waking up, and realizing this was the
reality.

The reality that she was there, zero inches apart from Jungkook, looking content and peaceful next
to him instead of me. I wanted to be the one to hold her at night.

I wanted to kiss her, whisper sweet nothings to her, tell her how important to me she is, touch her
body, worship it in fact. I had only known her for, what, four days now? Ever since I saw her, I’ve
felt lighter, happier even. I didn't think that was possible since being in Namjoon's pack, but she
made it possible.

I had never felt this way about anyone, so I was sure it was real. I didn’t think I would learn
affection in the first place, considering where I grew up but last night confirmed that I had, indeed
been harboring something deeper for her.

I had almost kissed her; something suddenly came over me and everything inside me was telling
me to do it. But I messed it up. She even pretended to sleep when I came back inside, and now I
wake up, and I see her in the arms of someone whose family to me? It hurt.

Upon closer inspection, something snapped inside of me when I saw her that close to Jungkook.
What was even worse, was that his pheromones were going insane, and her sweet strawberry scent
was almost overpowered by his own.

I didn’t feel like myself, but I didn’t care. I didn’t notice that Tae had woken up now, and he was
right beside me. “Hey...are you okay-”

“No. Do you smell that?” I asked Tae. At first he looked at me all confused, but then his face
changed and I knew he knew what I was saying.

His expression turned hard, and he couldn’t stop staring at them. Jae stirred in her sleep, causing
her to stray a little from Jungkook’s grip. Tae’s voice was low, almost like a growl. “You don’t
think he..”

Honestly, I didn’t know what to think. I just knew in that particular moment, something had shifted
inside of me, and there was no stopping it.

I stormed out of the tent, clearly in a rage. A small voice inside of me said to stop, but my anger
overpowered whatever second thoughts I had.

Luckily, I didn’t have to wake Namjoon up. He and Jin were already outside, talking amongst
themselves. “Jimin? You’re up earl-”
“We need to talk.” I said with clear anger in my voice. Their expressions immediately changed,
knowing full well when I was angry, it was a serious matter.

“What is it?” Jin asked, clearly trying to calm me down but I wasn’t having it. “Jungkook might
have scented Jae.” I said with no hesitation.

Both their faces turned into either shock or anger, I couldn’t tell which. “That’s...no he wouldn’t do
something like that.” Namjoon said firmly. He’s in denial. Of course he is. Jungkook is the
precious youngest. He could do no wrong. It’s true, I was often jealous of him, but this was just
bringing me over the edge.

I let out a noise of frustration. “His scent is all over her. Go in there and smell it if you don’t
believe me. Ask Taehyung. He noticed it too.”

“Jimin, listen, you need to relax, you’re not acting like yourself right now.” Jin was trying his best
to diffuse the situation but I was already a force to be reckoned with. She was mine. I had decided
so last night. She was mine, no one else can have her. It feels so right, she belongs with me. She
belongs with me…

I shook my head at this possessive behavior. I knew I was always a little possessive over the people
I cared about, but now it was like it was heightened by a thousand.

“Jin, help me gather everyone up. We should have done this last night.” Namjoon sighed, and he
patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll figure it out.” was all he said, before he went into the tent to
wake Jungkook up.

Tae came out soon afterwards, and following Jin out of the other tent was a half awake Hobi and a
grumbling Yoongi, saying it was way too early for this shit. As soon as he saw my face however,
he froze.

“What’s up..?” he asked me. I turned my head, not wanting to talk about it anymore. He’d find out
soon enough. I was about to take out my anger on him and he didn’t deserve it. I had a bad habit of
doing that before, I wasn’t going to let it happen again.

When Namjoon exited the tent Jae and Jungkook were in, his eyes were glaring and his jaw was
firmly locked in place. He must have smelled what I had, because he looked pissed.

“Believe me now?” I asked him, my arms crossing. He didn’t answer, but I took his scowl as a yes.
As soon as Jungkook emerged, looking all dazed and innocent, it made me even more upset. He’s
unphased by it, like he did nothing wrong.

The little voice inside was back, saying that I might have been over exaggerating.

He is your packmate, your brother, your friend. You shouldn’t be mad at him over something like
this it was saying. I refused to look at him as we all traversed to our small meeting place.

Once we had gotten there, I crossed my arms and started talking. I wanted to hear his confession.
However, things didn’t go smoothly. He said some smart ass remark and I ended up decking him
square on the mouth.

Namjoon and Jin had to pull me away from him. I had never hit him before, and on top of it all
when it came out that I was wrong, guilt was spreading through me making me even more angry.

I hated myself that I hit him, and when I felt Namjoon’s arms holding me back, I was scared.
Scared what I had just done, and scared of myself.
I wanted to apologize right away, but I was too much of a coward to do so. I wish I was braver, like
Namjoon. More muscular like him and Jungkook. Smarter like Yoongi. Always happy and positive
like Hobi. Caring and emotionally aware like Tae and Jin. But I was just me, the second wolf in the
pack.

I was grateful for all of them, they were all my family, I loved them more than anything in the
world. In fact, they taught me how to love. Jae just added to it, she made me feel even more whole.
With her, I don’t constantly compare myself. I don’t feel bad about myself. With her, I feel more
than enough.

“We are all destined to find a soulmate, but it seems we, as in all seven of us, have found one.”

My jaw almost dropped as soon as he said that. I already knew the answer before Hobi said it. It
was Jae, it had to be. I had never been so sure. She was my soulmate. She was the only person that
could ever make me feel the way I do. But...she’s everyone else’s soulmate too? How would that
even work?

My mind was filled with too many questions, but I just wanted to see her again. When we started
walking back to our tents, I noticed other hybrids were acting a little skittish. More than usual.
Some of them were running around, yelling out random names. Odd.

Namjoon went to open the tent Jae was in, and I unintentionally made eye contact with Jungkook.

He gave me a smile with his eyes, and I knew things were okay between us again. I already knew
what he was thinking. He would say it wasn’t entirely my fault, but I still think it is.

Namjoon came out, but Jae didn’t follow. His confused look didn’t make me feel any better. “She’s
not there…” he said, and I could see the wheels in his head turning. Everyone froze, and I thought
about the lake. “Maybe she went to the lake again.” I said hopefully. Somehow, I already knew
that wasn’t the case.

“No, if what you said happened before, she wouldn’t go there alone anymore.” Jin said, obvious
worry starting to form in his voice.

“Let’s look for her then. It’s still early morning, She can’t be far.” Yoongi was obviously trying to
keep everyone else calm, but I could tell he was just as worried as the rest of us.

Namjoon handed him a blanket. Yoongi had the best sense of smell out of all of us so surely he
could pinpoint her location.

“It’s mixed with Jungkook’s so it’s a little harder but…” he took an inhale and closed his eyes.
Everyone looked at him eagerly, almost telling him to hurry. He opened his eyes, frowning. “I
can’t pinpoint it anywhere close by. It’s almost like she’s far away.”

I felt my pulse speed up. Far away? If Yoongi's sense of smell says she's far then...

We weren’t gone longer than twenty minutes or so. What if she left us? What if I made her
uncomfortable last night? Did I? Did Jungkook do something?

I looked over at him as he was still in sight, and he was running his fingers through his hair.
Distressed didn’t even begin to cover it. He looked like he was about to have a breakdown, I could
sense it. Maybe I wasn’t the best person to comfort him, considering I hit him mere minutes ago
but it was going to make everyone worse if he didn’t calm down. When everyone separated a little,
I approached him carefully but quickly.
“Hey Jungkookie.”

“Jimin what if something happened to her? She’s so nice and caring what if someone took
advantage of that and led her somewhere? What if-”

“Woah woah, okay, stop. What ifs are just going to make this worse.” Jungkook pulled on his hair
like he wanted to yank it out and he groaned in frustration.

“What if she left because I fucked up?” he asked out of the blue. I blinked, not knowing what he
meant but I sure as hell was going to know.

“What do you mean? What did you do?” I asked, more urgently that I meant. He avoided my gaze,
ears drooped low. I forgot how intimidating I can come across sometimes.

I grabbed his hand and I gently held it, “Something happened last night, didn’t it.” I asked him.

He glanced at the others, not wanting them to hear: Jin and Namjoon were talking to some other
hybrids, and Hobi and Yoongi were calling her name a little bit aways. I couldn’t see Tae
anywhere.

“It’s okay. I won’t tell the them. I promise.” I held a pinky out. He looked at it but then intertwined
his pinky finger with mine.

He took a deep breath. “I didn’t scent her...but I did kiss her.” My breath hitched, and I felt another
pang of jealousy. I tried to stay calm but it was especially hard, considering that could have been
me giving her a kiss had it not been for the thunder scaring her. That’s why his pheromones were
crazy this morning.

“I just couldn’t fight it anymore, okay? She was there and she was so close to me...did I do
something wrong? She seemed to like it? Ugh, I don’t know! But now, if she’s really our soulmate,
what if I drove her away? What if I was too fast? What if I ruined it for all of us?”

I could hear the strain in his voice, like he was trying not to cry. I would be beating myself up too
if the last thing I did was kiss her and she just disappeared.

I hugged him, “Gotta stop with those what ifs Kookie.” I whispered. “You didn’t do anything
wrong. If she..” I swallowed. “If she liked it, then I’m sure you kissing her has nothing to do with
it. We’ll talk about it once we find her, okay?” I asked him, as he wiped his tears in a hurry,
sniffling all the while. “We will find her. She’s here somewhere.” I said, knowing full well I was
trying to convince myself too.

Just then, I heard a familiar gruffy voice, “LULU, for god sake what’s gotten into you?” The small
cub that Jae had rescued yesterday was running away from her father, through a crowd of hybrids
and I realized she seemed to be making her way towards us.

I bent down automatically and as soon as she saw me there was a spark of familiarity. She
recognized me and she was hellbent on getting to me through the crowd. Jungkook saw this too
and was just as confused as I was.

“Who is that?” Jungkook asked, squatting next to me.

“She’s that little cub Jae saved yesterday.” I said, and in seconds she was in front of both of us, but
mostly looking at me. She was out of breath, but she was pulling on my arm urgently, and whining.
“Hey, Lulu, what is it?”
She was looking at Jungkook timidly and I noticed, “It’s okay, he’s a part of my pack.” The words
seemed to spark something because with her other tiny hand, she started pulling his hand along
with my arm.

Her father caught up to them, and he was not having it. “Lulu, you can’t just run off like that, how
many times have I told you. Oh, it’s you again.” he sneered. “I thought I told you to stay away
from my daughter?”

This guy really got under my skin. “Well, sir, that’s a little difficult to do when she runs at full
speed towards me.” He sighed and grabbed her arm, a little too roughly for my liking, and started
dragging her away.

She tried to fight him, and I wanted to keep her there with me because obviously something was
wrong, but I didn’t want to get in another fight with him.

Until she said Jae’s name. Then there was no stopping me or Jungkook.

I felt him leap up at the same time I did Jungkook, and we both grabbed Mr. Goro’s arms so he
couldn’t walk anymore. “Get your hands off me. Now.” he growled, and at this point, we had all
caught the attention of some bystanders, as well the rest of our pack. They were on their way over
to see what the fuss was about.

“Your daughter needs to talk to us.” I said through my teeth. She knew something about Jae, and I
needed to know what it was. My heart was racing in my chest as I bent down to her level again. I
put on a calming voice so she wouldn’t be scared. I felt Namjoon and the others behind me. “What
is it? Where is Jae?”

She had tears in her eyes, and she mumbled out, “big men...trouble...friends…” before she was
being tugged away again. “This is utter nonsense. Out of my way you runt.” her father said, and he
shoved Jungkook roughly. He grunted and almost fell over from the sudden contact, and I heard a
deep, scary growl coming from Namjoon at the action. “With all do respect sir, do not touch my
pack members. Or you’ll have to deal with me.”

He sounded threatening, and even a big bear like Mr. Goro wouldn’t dare mess with a pack leader.
Besides, I had full confidence Joonie could take him down in a heartbeat if he really needed to.

Lulu wriggled out of his grasp and ran into my arms then. Namjoon stood in between us, and it
hindered her father’s interference. “She can’t talk right. Give it up.” What a dick I thought.

She looked like she was trying to say something and she looked frustrated. I felt Hobi lean down
beside me. A lot of hybrids were watching this whole scene unfold now, but I didn’t care. The only
thing on my mind was finding Jae.

Yoongi had inched a little closer too, and I heard him gasp a little. “Guys...Jae’s smell. It’s all
around her.” As soon as he said that, as if on cue, I could smell the faintest strawberry scent invade
my nose. Hobi held out his hand.

Lulu looked at it for a brief moment but then with a shaky hand put it in his. His expression was
bright and patient, “Lulu, you know where our friend is don’t you?” she nodded and started pulling
the both of us, like she was doing to me and Jungkook earlier.

“Hold on now. You said ‘big men’ too. What are you talking about?” Tae stiffened and his eyes
widened and he was fearing the worst, but the answer was pretty obvious.

“Bad men…” she swallowed, “big truck…scary...” she started to tear up again. I shared a look with
Hobi and he nodded. It had to be HHA. Why were they near here? How were they here?

I was trying to not completely lose my shit. Hobi looked like he collected his thoughts and then
pressed her further. I was surprised he was keeping it together so well, considering he was usually
the most skittish out of all of us. Although, he did stand up a full fledged bear so, I guess I can't say
anything.

“One more thing, take your time, it’s okay.” he said, softly rubbing his thumb over her small hands.
“Are your friends in danger too?” she nodded, tears streaming down her face. “Please..h-help..” she
sniffled.

My heart felt like it was breaking into tiny pieces as she practically collapsed into me for comfort. I
hugged her tight, and I eyed her father, who was standing there, still not grasping the situation.

“What are you doing just standing there with a stupid look on your face? You’re going to let your
daughter cry and not do anything?” Tae asked him, almost yelling. He bared his teeth back to the
remark, but Namjoon wasn’t having any of that.

“Enough. We don’t have time for this. Yoongi, can you track Jae’s scent from what you can gather
from Lulu?”

Yoongi sniffed the air for a few seconds, and nodded hesitantly. “It’s getting fainter by the second,
but I think so. They must be in that truck.”

Namjoon patted the little bear hybrid on the head, and she looked up at him with big eyes. “Don’t
worry little one. We’ll get them all back.” he said. “Don’t you worry.”

If it weren’t for the dire situation, I would have smiled. Namjoon was going to be a great father
someday.

We were all about to leave when the stupid smug fox stood in our way, along with that beefcake
lion. “This is all too convenient isn’t it? Wouldn’t you all agree?” Jasper asked the other hybrids
nearby, “Your children are missing, and low and behold, so is the 'harmless' human. In fact, they
aren’t just missing. They’re in the hands of the HHA as we speak.”

Gasps and snarls could be heard spread out all around them. Of course it looks bad. I don’t blame
them in the slightest but this wasn’t the time.

As if Namjoon heard me, he replied, “Jasper, move out of the way. Now.” he raised his voice a
little so that the other hybrids could hear, “And while you all are standing here, listening to his lies
and deceit, your children are becoming farther from being saved." he rolled his shoulders back and
his neck. He only did that if he was fighting to shift.

I understood it, if he did it now it would make matters look more suspicious. Being an alpha male
must have its perks because just with that sentence alone, some people’s attitudes changed in an
instant. I would be lying if I said I never wanted to have that authority.

Namjoon tried walking past the two of them but beefcake stood in his way. Namjoon was the
tallest out of all of us, but the lion towered over him like he was short.

It was annoying me, and what was more annoying was the constant disrespect they gave him. I'd
had enough by now, and I was fighting my own urge to shift and go wring the fox’s neck with my
canines.

“Move out of their way, boy.” a voice rang out that sounded like velvet. It was Yeona. I hadn’t seen
 her once since yesterday, it made me wonder if she ever left her own tent. It also made me wonder
if she had found a place for all of us to go to yet.

Her ears were twitching angrily on her head, and Jasper did not look amused. “Mother, can’t you
see what these mongrels are doing? You’re so blind by the past you can’t see that they’re
sabotaging you from the inside.”

I was about to jump him, in fact, I heard Tae growling, and I didn’t have to look to know Yoongi
was showing his teeth.

Her face twisted in disgust at Jasper’s words, “You are the one that is blinded by petty jealousy.
Do you want attention so bad you have to make other people suffer for it? You’re only
embarrassing yourself.” she spat.

His face turned white. “M-Mother, if you would just-”

“I’ve heard enough. She turned and looked at Namjoon, with a weary look. I understood, in her
position, If I were given the slightest inclination to suspect Jae had something to do with this, I
would. Especially not knowing her at all like we do. “Don’t make me regret this.” she said to him
softly.

“Go.” and with that, we all ran the fastest we could, eventually all of us shifted so we could run
even faster, and so Yoongi could use his nose more efficiently. I tried not to imagine the worst, and
just tried to imagine her smiling face, happy and in my arms.

Hold on Jae. We’re coming.

Chapter End Notes

<3 I hope Taehyung had a wonderful birthday words can't even begin to describe how
much I love him. I hope everyone stays happy and safe, thank you for your continued
support :) next chapter will be up soon!
 We are Bulletproof
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The truck had stopped, and Jae didn’t know whether to be grateful or uneasy. Time was something
she just couldn’t keep track of anymore, all she knew was that it was still daytime.

She looked around in the back for anything. Something to help them get out of the rope, but there
was nothing but bare walls and what she assumed to be bulletproof windows.

She tried to think back on any books she had read about these situations. Although she remembers,
it became fuzzy as she tried to remember all the steps. After all, back then she thought it was
highly unlikely she would be in a situation that she would actually need to know them. Highly
unlikely, but not impossible.

When the truck stopped Jae couldn’t hear anything, as if they were in the middle of nowhere. Some
of the hybrid kids were asleep, tired from crying so hard earlier. Others were staring at her now,
wondering what she would do. She scooted over to the doors and leaned her body up against it.

Then she threw her body against it, but not at full force. It gave no indication of budging and he
leaned her head against it in defeat.

She could hear some of the men outside, laughing and talking. The possibility that she could be
going back home, back to that prison, didn’t really sink in until now. She glanced her head back
towards the kids when she heard movement, and she saw an empty spot where one of the kids was
before, and the others looked just as surprised as Jae did.

The tiniest white mouse ran towards Jae and was wiggling its nose. “Hello little one.” Jae
whispered.

“The weird stuff must be wearing off.” One of the kids said, almost in a whisper, and Jae’s blood
started to boil. “Did they give you a shot?” she asked, trying to keep calm. Another one nodded,
“Mhm, it made us feel really weird. We couldn’t change!” Bastards.

Another one closed his eyes and scrunched up his face. “I can’t still!” he exclaimed a little too
loudly.

“Sssh…we don’t want them to hear us, right?” He nodded, and the other kids were looking at her
like, what do we do now? “Um...miss lady…?” another one spoke up, a cute little girl with spotted
fluffy ears, “You’re not bad like them right? My mommy said all humans are really mean…”

Jae shook her head. “No, I’m nice. I’m not like them. You can trust me. My name is Jae.” she said,
smiling. She looked back down at the mouse in her hand.

She figured the effects of the drug that they gave them wore off smaller hybrids first. However long
ago they gave it to them, the effects were starting to wear off.

“Do you think you can cut the rope?” Jae whispered to the little mouse. It waited for a minute and
then scurried around behind her.

She felt little paws on her arms and ever so lightly, she felt the ropes on her wrists start to loosen
up bit by bit. She was trying to think of what to do after they were all free from their binds, but
nothing was coming to mind.

She didn’t want to put these kids in harm's way, more than they already were. There was no way
she could take all these soldiers by herself. She felt frustrated, and wished she was a hybrid
herself.

If she was a tiger like Taehyung, or a big wolf like Namjoon or Jimin, she would have no remorse
while she tore them apart, limb by limb. Her mind jumping to them like that made her miss them
terribly, so much that her chest felt like it had a ton of bricks on it, like it was tiresome and hard
just to breathe.

She saw the little white mouse run towards the others, and when she pulled her hands toward
herself, she no longer felt the rope around her wrists. She was free.

She rushed over to the kids and started untying them, one by one, and they were thanking her in
hushed whispers over and over. When they were all free, one of the kids gasped, “Someone’s
coming!” Jae scurried over to where she was before. “Huddle together, act like you’re still tied
up,” she warned.

“Where’s…” she was looking for the little mouse hybrid, but she couldn’t see her anywhere.
Maybe she was hiding behind the other kids. The doors to the truck opened Jae immediately
squinted her eyes from the sudden sunlight she was exposed to.

The captain of the guards stepped in with his heavy boots, making the whole van wobble. “I hope
you kids are behaving in here. I heard some noises earlier.” he said with that damn smirk that Jae
wanted to smack off his face. The kids just stared at him, afraid for him to find out they were
untied.

“Let them go.” Jae said, not giving up on their freedom. “My father would probably take me over
them anyway.” The man laughed suddenly and it was a loud cackle so it made her jump.

“Why in the world would I do that? You’re a strange woman. You think I would let these little
monsters run free without a leash? I don’t think so. Besides, I would be abandoning my duties as a
private officer and I would ruin your father’s future plans. Wouldn’t want that.”

“It’s the money right? If you let them go I’ll give you ten times what my reward is. I have my own
bank account, you know.”

The bank account wasn’t a bluff, but the amount she insinuated she had was. Her father knew all
too well that if he gave her enough money to live on her own, she would have left a long time ago.
Little did he know she had stashed away some when she was working part time without him
knowing when she was in high school.

Even so, it was not nearly enough to satisfy the greedy man in front of her.

However, not knowing this he pondered the option for a moment, but declined in the end. “I’ll
pass, my dear. Thank you so much for the lovely offer. It’s a day or too back to your home from
here, so sit tight. Don’t go anywhere.” He chuckled, and right as he was about to step out, Jae
heard multiple gunshots ring out, and some men yelped in either surprise or pain she couldn't tell
which.

Everyone in the van froze, including the captain. His hand floated over the gun strapped to his
waist, while he stood at the truck's entrance.

Before Jae could even think about what she was about to do, she let her instincts take over. She
gave the kids a warning look, before using all her body weight to knock into the captain, causing
them both to tumble out of the heavy truck.

They both hit the concrete hard, and she heard him grunt in surprise, and the sound of a gun
clattering on the asphalt.

Gun. Get the gun her brain was screaming at her.

She noticed they were just sitting on a barren road, as she thought, in the middle of nowhere.
Nothing but a long scratch of road and trees on both sides.

He had hit his head, and he was holding it trying to ground himself. Jae managed to land on her
shoulder and scraped her elbows.

She saw the gun, laying on the ground in front of them both and was breathing heavily. She looked
up even further, and if she had a weaker heart, it would have stopped then.

She saw a very familiar majestic tiger, jumping left to right dodging bullets and snarling
ferociously at his opponents and showing his incredibly sharp fangs. Jae was happy to see him, she
wanted to cry, but her mind snapped back to the kids behind her.

Mixed emotions of horror and joy spread through her as she saw them piling out of the van, one by
one and running in the direction of the trees.

In that split second, she saw Jin and Hobi running towards the children, worry plastered on their
faces. Some of the kids had shifted, making it easier for Jin and Hobi to carry them away to safety.
Jae did not miss the glances of relief that they both gave her before they turned to carry the kids
away.

In the time all of that took place, she felt something cold and hard being pressed to the back of her
head. “Get up.” She did.

The cold metal did not once leave her head. Jae could now see what was happening and her breath
hitched as she saw two wolves knocking down three men with ease, a black panther hissing on top
of another, who was begging for his life, and Tae was on top of another car, about to pounce on
top of another soldier who clearly had no idea what was coming.

The other men on the ground were bloody and wailing in pain, but no one was dead. At least not
yet.

Jae heard the captain whistle obnoxiously loud behind her, and everything felt like it had stopped.

“I will put a bullet straight through her skull if you don’t stop massacring my men.” he said firmly
without a hint of fear in his voice. Jae couldn’t tell if he wasn’t afraid of death or if he was just
stupid.

Jae looked at the three big hybrids in front of her. To her surprise, Namjoon shifted, and he looked
at the man with pleading eyes.

“Alright, we’ll do whatever you want, just don’t hurt her. Please.” Jae’s mouth was wide open.
Why was he doing this? And then it hit her. She saw him, Jimin, and Tae in front of her. Yoongi,
who was previously off to the side, was nowhere to be seen. This was a distraction.

She heard the captain start to chuckle deeply behind her.

“Unbelievable...I have hybrids begging in front of me. On your knees, and don't even think about
shifting back. They don't call me trigger happy for no reason. Tell your buddies to change too.” he
said, pressing the gun slightly harder and Jae winced. Namjoon’s eyes darted to the action, and
then back to her, slowly kneeling.

The sun was hitting his dragon eyes just right, and they were shining golden embers.

“Let her go first.” Namjoon said calmly. Jae heard a click, and that’s when she knew he had taken
the safety off. “You’re not in the position to negotiate, monster. Do what I say or her brains will be
all over the asphalt.”

She felt herself break into a cold sweat and she was fighting the urge not to pass out from fear.
Namjoon’s face turned a little pale, and she could see that even he looked afraid now, for real this
time.

“Okay, just...take it easy.” he didn’t even have to say anything for Tae and Jimin to shift and kneel
as well.

Jae had never seen them more distressed. Jimin looked close to tears, but angry, and Tae was
gritting his jaw, eyes jumping back and forth between her and the soldier behind her.

She hated seeing them like this. “Sorry you guys. Sorry I’m weak.” She said softly, not realizing
how dry and husky her throat would sound.

“Shut it. I didn’t say you could speak.” her captor hissed, grabbing her arms tightly, making her
yelp in pain.

She saw the three of them jump forward a little, as if they were fighting everything they had in them
not to just run and rip the guy to shreds.

“You know, it’s kind of amazing the power you hold.” the captain said to her softly, but loud
enough for the others to hear.

His eyes were still on Namjoon. “Three beasts that could kill me with ease, but can’t, all because
of you. Why is that?” Jae shivered as his lips brushed against her ear. She was disgusted with how
close he was to her.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. They’re going to die. And remember, it will be your fault.” No...not
again...

Jae couldn’t move and she couldn’t breathe either, as his voice indicated that he had dark
intentions with his next action.

He aimed the gun past her head, directly at the three hybrids in front of them so fast that she
couldn’t react, and neither could they.

He fired, and right at the same time, Jae as well as the captain were knocked forward, stumbling
together once more, only this time the force was heavier, and her knees hit the concrete hard.

Jae didn’t feel any pain however, and suddenly she was in Namjoon’s grasp. She glanced behind
her and he was knocked out cold, gun in hand.

Yoongi clicked his tongue and kicked it out of his hands. “Fucker.”

She was on her knees now, still in shock, and Namjoon came and pulled her into the tightest hug
she’s ever felt. So tight he was gripping her shirt, as if trying to pull her even closer to him. She
didn’t mind, in fact, she never wanted him to let go. He was her savior, once again.

“Jae...I’m so sorry...we shouldn’t have left you alone...I’m sorry.” Namjoon said sorry more and
more and Jae gripped onto him tighter. She didn’t realize she was shaking until she felt a hand on
the back of her head, fingers running through her hair gently.

Based on how big the hands felt she assumed it was Tae. When she looked up, she was right, and
he had a soft smile on his face, his eyes twinkling.

She also saw Jimin and Yoongi, who looked nothing short of relieved, and looked like they wanted
to hug her as well. Jae sniffed, “Where…”

“Jin and Hobi have the children. They’re leading them back home now as we speak. Everything is
going to be alright.” he said to her.

“Let’s get out of here. They might have called backup.” Yoongi said, looking around. Namjoon
helped Jae to her feet, and right as she got up, Namjoon without any warning spun her around with
so much force she was knocked off her feet again.

The familiar, horrible sound of a gun being fired echoed through the air, and everything seemed to
move in slow motion after that.

The captain who was not unconscious after all, apparently had a smaller pistol on his person, and
Jae barely got to see his smug smile before Jimin had shifted and was running at him full speed
and attacked him with a sickening snarl.

Tae managed to catch Namjoon who stumbled, clutching his shoulder, Yoongi was just standing
there, as if not processing what was happening.

Jae was doing the same as him, and she felt her throat start to tighten when she saw Namjoon’s
pained expression, and Tae’s face of horror.

She could see blood, lots of it and she felt like she couldn’t breathe. She started to hyperventilate.

Someone she cared about was going to die again. His words echoed over and over in her mind.
They’re going to die. And remember, it will be your fault.

The former captain, whose neck was now in Jimin’s bloody jaws, was breathing no more. Jae’s
head was spinning as she heard voices seemingly coming from multiple directions.

“Joon! Shit, Joon keep pressure on it.”

“Fuck, that hurts, ahaha..”

“He’s laughing...why is he laughing?”

“It’s probably from shock, we need to go now or he’s going to bleed out.”

“Damn I didn’t check, I’m sorry, I’m so-”

“Jin, where are the kids?”

“They’re fine they’re with Hobi-”

As Jae started to black out from the lack of air, a familiar pair of arms wrapped around her, “Jae,
 hey, it’s alright. I have you. Breathe.” a smooth voice said, and she saw a pair of sweet, concerned
doe eyes and droopy bunny ears.

“Shit Jae...come on Jungkook just carry her, we have to get Namjoon back!” she heard a voice
that sounded like Jimin’s, and without another word Jungkook scooped her up in his arms, and
everything went dark after that.

Chapter End Notes

:) Thank you so much for reading, all the comments and kudos. Please stay safe <3
 Look Here
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jae’s eyes were foggy and heavy when she opened them.

The first thing she saw was the top of a tent, and she groaned, her knees and elbows stinging a little
when she moved.

“Hobi, she’s awake! Jae? Can you hear me?” Jungkook sounded far away, but the next thing she
knew she could see his face hovering over hers. She reached out and wanted to touch him, to make
sure he was real.

Her hand softly brushed against his cheek and he grabbed it and held it there. His skin was warm
and extremely soft. “Hi” she croaked, and tried to smile.

“You scared us earlier.” she heard Hobi say, and she felt a hand on her calf. “How are you
feeling?” Jae was able to sit up with some effort, and she looked around, still gathering her senses.

It was only the three of them in the tent, the others were nowhere to be seen.

And then, as if she was struck by lightning, the past events hit her all at once. Namjoon was hurt.

She felt her palms start to sweat, and before Jungkook or Hobi could stop her, she practically
sprinted out of the tent. She realized it was dark out now, and she saw shadows from the tent next
door, as well as Tae sitting on the grass, picking it out of the ground, and Jimin pacing back and
forth, eyes furrowed.

They saw her but her focus was getting into the tent. She brushed past them and burst through,
despite their calls to her, and also feeling Jungkook and Hobi right behind her calling out her name.

A wave of emotions hit her all at once when she saw Namjoon was shirtless, sitting in an upright
position while Jin and Yeona were behind him.

Namjoon was gritting his teeth as Jin seemed to be suturing, needle and thread in hand, and Yeona
was biting her nails, occasionally grimacing at the sight.

She saw the bloody gauze as well as a bullet covered in his blood, and she was overwhelmed with
relief. “Jae..!” Namjoon seemed surprised to see her and as soon as she met his eyes she couldn’t
stop herself from practically jumping in his arms.

“Ow ow ow” he winced in pain. “Oh my god, sorry...I’m sorry!” Jae said, embarrassed and
immediately released him. He looked happy however, despite probably being in immense pain.
She felt horrible just seeing him injured, given it had been her fault.

“At least let me finish stitching him up before you suffocate the poor man.” Jin said, shaking his
head.

However, he had a small smile on his face, and Jae was happy to see him too. She was also more
than grateful that he was able to save his life. That, and she just missed him.

Without even thinking she got on her tiptoes and kissed Jin on the cheek. “You’re amazing.” she
said, trying not to cry. “Really you are. Is he going to be okay?” He put his fingers lightly where
she had kissed him and she couldn’t help but giggle as she could see his ears were turning a deep
shade of crimson and he looked frozen. Her smile faded when she saw Namjoon’s back, which was
now a mix of red and purple and had some stitches in it.

He would have a scar there now because of her.

“What’s wrong, Jin? Cat got your tongue?” she heard Hobi snicker from behind her. She turned
and saw him and the others standing there, watching everything and smirking.

Jin cleared his throat, “Y-yeah. He’ll live. For sure.” he said flatly, and continued suturing. “I’m
good you guys. No need to worry.” Namjoon seemed to address everyone, but it seemed to be
mostly directed to Jae.

It was Jae’s turn to become flustered as she was just now seeing Namjoon’s buff figure presented
in front of her, bare and open, and she had to fight herself not to stare at the beautifully sculpted
man in front of her. His ears were down and back, “What about you? Are you okay?”

Was he being serious?

“Namjoon, you’re the one that was shot and you’re asking if I’m okay? I know you’re in good
hands now,” she said glancing at Jin, who was focused on his task, “but seriously, don’t do that...
Better me than you.” she said, crossing her arms.

He frowned at that. “I disagree. I’m stronger than you, I heal faster, and not to mention I wanted to
protect you. I did it because I couldn’t bear the thought of you getting hurt. Or...worse.” Namjoon
looked at the other hybrids in the room briefly before adding, “They would have done the same in
my position. After all, we’re your-” he abruptly stopped himself.

Jae froze, having a pretty good guess as to what he was about to say. Not wanting to reveal that she
eavesdropped on their conversation earlier, she felt her face grow a little warm as she changed the
subject not so subtly by asking Jin, “Are the kids okay?”

Without looking up, Jin answered her, “Yeah, they’re all fine. Hobi helped them find their
parents.”

“Mhm. The other hybrids here were informed of everything. Right, Ms. Yeona?” Hobi asked her,
and Jae had completely forgotten that she was just standing there, with her arms crossed watching
all of them. She was giving Jae quite an intimidating stare and Jae couldn’t maintain eye contact.

“Correct.” she said slowly. “They know you helped them escape, though some are too stubborn to
actually believe a human like you would go out of their way to help out someone of our kind.
Regardless, I...I am forever in your debt. Thank you for your help.” she said it with some
hesitation, as if it was a hard thing to say. Jae didn’t blame her.

“Don’t be. You owe me nothing. I just wanted to help, if only I were stronger I could have helped,
but I can’t help but feel like I caused even more trouble. I’m deeply sorry.” Jae said bowing a little
towards Yeona. She pursed her lips and looked around the room.

“I know a few of you are missing but I just wanted to say I’ll have locations and travel plans all
ready to go soon. I’m just waiting to receive the okay from my informants. If the stars align right,
you should be able to leave in a couple of days.”

A couple of days...will she have to say goodbye to them then?

“That’s so soon…” Namjoon muttered, looking deep in thought, “You seem troubled by
something.” she said in reply, and in that moment, Jin deeply exhaled.

“Alright, Joon, your shoulder is all patched up. I still need to put a bandage over it so don’t move.”
and he did so. “You shouldn’t shift until that completely heals. Don’t scratch it, don’t get it wet-”

“I get it doctor.” Namjoon said while shaking his head and chuckling. “I need to talk to you, Ms.
Yeona. Uh, privately, if you guys don’t mind.” he said, rubbing his hands together. Jae looked at
Jin and he just shrugged.

“Hey, Jin, thank you. Really.” Namjoon said, patting his shoulder as he walked by. Jin gave him a
little wink and grabbed Jae’s hand to lead her out before she could protest, following Hobi and
Jungkook out of the tent.

She heard Namjoon sigh deeply as they exited the tent, and she couldn’t help but wonder what
their relationship was, she still didn’t know. I guess it’s none of my business anyway. As his
soulmate don’t I deserve to know? She thought, and then she shook her head. Even in her own
thoughts, she shouldn’t joke about that.

“Jae, are you feeling okay, really? You looked kind of zoned out.” Hobi asked her, gently placing
his hand on her arm.

He was closer to her than she expected him to be when she looked up, his copper colored hair
lightly blowing in the soft evening breeze.

“Y-yeah, I’m good. Just...out of it I guess.” he smiled a little, which made Jae feel more at ease.
“Well, in that case, can I ask you a little favor? I need you to do something, and I think it’s
something only you can do.”

Jae hesitantly nodded and Hobi pointed in the distance and even in the evening light she could
make out a figure sitting on a large rock in the distance. “Yoongi has been sitting there sulking ever
since we got back. I think he’s being extra hard on himself about what happened to Joon. Can you
go cheer him up?”

Oh.

“Me? Why me? I don’t know if I’m...the best person for that.”

Sure, Jae was sure he didn’t hate her but in a situation like this she was petrified she would say the
wrong thing or somehow make him feel worse.

“You make us feel happy without even trying, sunshine. Just be yourself.” the words seemed to
come out with ease, and he looked serious when he said it.

The nickname he had given her was unexpected and she knew her face flushed right then and there,
but she loved it.

“Give it a shot.” he gave her an encouraging smile and a thumbs up, before joining Jin and
Jungkook in conversation. She stood there for a minute, and then made her way over to the sulking
hybrid on the rock.

Namjoon’s POV

I thought Miss Yeona was about to tear someone apart when she saw my bloody shoulder.
Jin had to calm her down, as well as the others, saying it wasn’t as bad as it looked, but even then I
could tell she was nervous the way she was pacing while Jin was stitching me up.

Thank god I have a best friend with medical skills in my pack. I felt over the moon when Jae flung
herself into me, even though it hurt like hell, but I didn't care.

She seemed worried about me, and just that thought alone gave me a little faith that maybe, just
maybe, she felt something for me too. Every time I saw her, feelings just seemed to grow more and
more and with each encounter.

Each time she smiles, just the sound of her soft voice, the way her eyes sparkle when she looks at
me as well as the rest of the pack; What was once a tiny seed of feelings was slowly turning into a
whole garden that was overgrowing in my chest.

I tried not to wince as Jin stuck a needle in my skin, trying to be strong for Jae, as well as the rest of
my pack who were now seeing me in this state. This whole ordeal made me realize in full just how
serious this soulmate connection was.

I took that bullet for her with no hesitation, and I had no regrets. I had never felt this way before, as
far as I knew Yoongi was the only one who had felt something similar before.

I wanted to ask Miss Yeona about it too, but I knew talking this was a sensitive subject for her.

That, and she was practically a second mother to me, she raised me for a good chunk of my life, so
talking about this with her would be awkward.

I would have to get over it, I needed advice. When I made sure everyone was outside, I sighed and
Miss Yeona immediately knew I needed to talk. “What is it, Joonie bug? Is it your shoulder?” she
asked, eyes full of concern.

The nickname made me chuckle, she’s been calling me that ever since I was nine and my favorite
thing to do back then was catch bugs and study them, and occasionally eat them. Embarrassing.

“No, it’s not that, I’m fine really. It’s just-” I stopped, not knowing how to approach the subject. I
took another deep breath.

“You can talk to me about anything. I know it’s been a few years and then some but, you know I
still think of you like a son.” she said, smiling.

I smiled at that, “I know. It’s just...I’m just not sure how to talk about it.” I said, shyly. Her blue
eyes looked straight into mine, ready to listen.

“Okay, well, the thing is, I think...I think I’ve found my soulmate.” I said tentatively. Her eyes
widened and were it not for my shoulder she would have hugged me right then and there.

She squealed, “Joonie Bug?? Really?! Oh my goodness who??? I would have to give them my
blessing of course. Is it another wolf? Or is it another type of hybrid? Are they here??”

My palms were starting to sweat and while her sudden burst of excitement was humorous, I knew
she wouldn’t be laughing soon.

“Well...the thing is...what were to happen if...your soulmate was also bound to six other
people…?” She just blinked at me, but I knew she understood what I was saying.

“I...I would say it’s highly unlikely, in fact, I’ve never heard of such a thing happening.” she said,
and I could see she was slowly putting together the pieces. She was too smart for her own good
sometimes.

“Joonie, you don’t mean to say...please tell me it’s not that human.” I gulped, hearing the change in
her voice.

She was asking me, but I knew she already knew the answer. I couldn’t look at her in the eyes
anymore, fearing her disappointment. She sighed deeply.

“That’s...how is that even possible. I’ve never heard of a hybrid, much less seven, being cosmically
bound to a human. A human.” She was pacing again, slowly and in disbelief and looking deep in
thought. “Does she know?”

I shook my head. I had almost let it slip earlier in front of Jae. I seemed to develop a bad habit of
saying things I shouldn’t. The amount of times I spoiled a tv show or a book for the others was too
many times to count and they always teased me about it.

“What should we do? She doesn’t know and soon, we’re gonna have to go our separate ways and-”

“Oh no, that’s out of the question. Absolutely not. You can’t separate from her.” she said, almost
frantically. “It would be catastrophic, not just for you but for your pack as well. Does everyone
know?” she questioned.

I nodded. “We had a group meeting of sorts and we all acknowledged it. I’m not sure how the
others feel exactly but…” I noticed little things about them that made it clear they shared feelings
for her like I do.

Put her in front of any of them and it’s easy to see how much happier they become.

“I’m certain we all feel...something. It’s not just instincts telling us what to do. It wasn’t just
instincts telling me to take that bullet for her. I did it because I, me myself, wanted to protect her.” I
said. Her red fox ears twitched on the top of her head, and she pursed her lips.

“I know this is a lot to take in but, we are pretty sure this is real, and our feelings won’t just go
away. How are we supposed to tell her? What if she doesn’t feel the same way about us? What if
we have to separate? And even if she does want to be with us, by some miracle, how do we share
her? Two have already gotten physical with each other, what if it gets worse? What if it tears my
pack apart…my family?” questions upon questions were tumbling out of my mouth before I could
stop them.

All the stress and worries that had developed in my head over the past couple of days came out all
at once. I hadn't realized how much I had been bottling up.

“Joon. Hey. Relax. Look at me.”

I did, and she bent down and ruffled my ears, a gesture that strangely calmed me down a little. I felt
like I was a kid again.

“I’m going to help you through this, okay?” I nodded, trying to take deep breaths. She pulled up a
chair in front of me and sat down.

“Are you mad?” I asked, suddenly sounding like a child. I was grown, I knew that, but I did see her
as my mom in a way, and I wanted her to be proud of me, I didn’t want to let her down.

“Joonie bug, I’m so proud of you. You’ve come so far, of course I’m not mad. Mad isn’t the word.
 I’m...concerned. To say the very least. I just want what’s best for you that’s all. We’re going to
figure this out.”

I nodded, her words reassuring me. She clapped her hands together once, looking like she had a
lightbulb over her head. Then, she looked unsure.

“What?” I asked her, curious to know what was going through her head.

“Well, I might have thought of a possible solution to your problem about the pack fighting about
the human but I’m going to be frank...it’s a bit of a stretch and I’m not even sure if it’ll work or if
it’s even possible.”

I was not only desperate for a solution, but I was more than curious as to what she had thought of.
“Tell me.”

Chapter End Notes

<3 Thank you for the comments and kudos and for just reading as always. Please stay
safe everyone. <3
 Shadow
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jae approached Yoongi from behind, and his ears twitched as soon as she got closer. She knew he
knew she was there, which made her feel even more unsure about what to say.

“Hey.”

Hey? That’s it? Just hey? What’s wrong with you? “...Hey.” he responded, still not looking at her.

She took that as a good enough invitation to sit down next to him. He looked a little pale, and his
eyes were a little glossed over. His dark hair was blowing gently in the wind, and she could see a
little undercut.

“You scared us earlier, you know.” he murmured. “I know a panic attack when I see one. I’ve had
my fair share of them.” he said it so casually but it still made Jae’s heart hurt.

“O-oh...yeah I...I get those sometimes.” Jae said, trying to keep a conversation going.

“Hobi has some great tricks to help. I would tell you them myself but I’m sure I wouldn’t explain it
right.” he sighed.

“How does he know? Does he have them too?” she asked, mainly curious.

“I think so, after all the guy was locked up for years on end. But ever since you’ve come along he
seems to be a lot more confident, and braver. I think you’ve helped him a lot.” he said. Jae could
tell he was being hard on himself just by the way he was speaking. She figured the best way to do
this might just be to be straightforward.

“Yoongi, I want to ask you...” he glanced at her lazily. “You’re not blaming yourself for what
happened to Namjoon, are you?” She was asking a question she already knew but she wanted to see
his response.

He sighed deeply, “Yeah. I am.” Jae was shocked that he just admitted it to her outright, so she
didn’t say a word for a moment.

He started talking again, “I should have checked to make sure he was knocked out. I always check.
I messed up, and you almost got injured, and Namjoon ended up being the one to take it. All
because I wasn’t as thorough like I usually am. You or him could have died.” he gritted his teeth in
frustration and Jae understood it. After all, she was being hard on herself too.

“I guess being hard on ourselves is something we have in common.” Jae said quietly. He looked at
her again, and she got a small smile out of him, “I guess so.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Jae spoke again, “Do you want to know why I had a
panic attack?” he just looked at her, not pressuring or pushing her to speak.

Jae started to twiddle her thumbs. “I lost someone very important to me when I was young. She
was a hybrid, and she was my friend. To be more specific, my father-” she couldn’t say the words.
“He just... disposed of her like it was nothing. And at the time, I believed it was my fault.
Sometimes, on really bad days, I still feel that way.” she stopped to take a breath.
Yoongi was listening intently, which made her heart beat a little faster. “So, when it looked like
another hybrid that I care about might have died...I just couldn’t handle it. I wouldn’t know what to
do if something had happened to him, or to you, or the others. I wouldn’t be able to live with that
guilt. I don’t even want to think about my life without any of you-” she paused, looking at
Yoongi’s raised eyebrows she knew she had said too much.

“Uh-sorry I-” suddenly her wrists were pulled towards Yoongi and he was hugging her tightly. The
action surprised her, so much that she was just limp in his arms. She could hear his heart beating
fast through his chest.

“I promise you, here and now, I will do everything I can to make sure you don’t have to go through
that again. I’ll be careful, and I’ll make sure the others are, too. But you need to know something.”
He said sternly, pulling away from her and staring straight into her soul.

His eyes were glinting in the soft moonlight. Jae couldn’t look away if she wanted to, he was
stunning and his gaze made her want to melt. “We all care about you. I think you’re observant
enough to notice that we all want to be around you all the time. What Namjoon did for you, any of
us would have done, because we care about you. We’re...” he trailed off, hesitation apparent in his
voice.

Jae hated keeping secrets from them and she didn’t want them to do the same with her. “I know.”
she whispered, so softly that if Yoongi had not been a hybrid he wouldn’t have heard her.

“What?” he asked, eyes a little wider. Jae’s voice shook a little for some reason.

“I-I heard what you guys said about me...about me being your soulmate.” The confession was
harder to say than she thought, and Yoongi looked more than surprised. He ran his fingers through
his hair and let out a feigned laugh. “Damn. Well, that saves me the trouble in telling you doesn’t
it. How much did you hear?”

“I didn’t mean to hear everything, but I think I heard most of it...”

“Well, what do you think?” he asked her.

She paused. “What do you mean, what do I think? I don’t really know what to think. It’s...kind of a
lot to take in. It was just kind of, unexpected to say the least.”

“Right…well, know that we weren’t trying to hide it from you or anything. We were planning on
telling you, it’s just, we didn’t know when to bring it up. I mean, how do you bring up something
like that?” he said, lightly chuckling.

Jae realized this was the most she’s seen him smile when he was with her. Maybe Hobi was right
when he said she made them happy without even trying. It was hard for her to believe in the first
place that she had that effect on anyone, but the evidence was right in front of her eyes.

“For what it's worth, in this short time...” Jae was blushing furiously and it only made it worse
when Yoongi looked at her, “You guys...feel like home. I’m really happy with all of you, and it
makes me believe that this...soulmate thing...is real. Everything just feels so right. That’s the only
way I can really explain it.”

“Well, if I’m being completely honest with you Jae, I want it to work. I see how happy you make
the others too." Too? I’m sure with all of our heads together we can find a solution.”

“I want to stay here with all of you. Nothing would make me happier.” she said, smiling at him
despite her embarrassment.
 Yoongi showed her the biggest smile she’s ever seen from him, and it made her smile all the more.
“I wish the rest of them could have heard that.” he said, and he lightly put his hand through her hair
and it felt really nice. His touch was extremely gentle and she felt like she was floating.

I’m sorry I was a little hard headed before.”

Jae raised her eyebrow, “A little?” and her lips formed a grin, as did his and he squinted his eyes
playfully at her. His nose wrinkled in the process and he ruffled her hair, making her giggle.

“I don’t blame you at all. You were just trying to protect what was most important to you. I said it
to you before but, that’s a really admirable quality you have.” Jae said, looking away from him and
swinging feet back and forth.

He smirked at her, “I see...do you want to know an admirable quality you have?” he asked.

Still not looking at him and focusing on her feet she said, “What is it?”

He scooted closer and when he didn’t say anything she turned her head, and found that his face was
inches away from hers. Staring into his dark chocolate eyes, she found herself frozen under his
hooded gaze, “You have the innate ability to drive me crazy, but most of all,” he traced his finger
against her cheek and rested it underneath her chin and lifted it slightly, “You make me want to be
a better man.” he whispered.

Jae felt like she was short circuiting. His voice had become deeper all of a sudden and his
expression was similar to Jungkook’s when he had decided to kiss her.

Unable to think any coherent thoughts, she closed her eyes expectantly. “We should get back to the
others” she felt him whisper over her lips, and he kissed her forehead.

He got off the rock and started walking away and Jae just sat there, struggling to breathe again.
“Come on slowpoke.”

His back was turned but Jae could practically hear his smile, as he walked further and further away,
leaving her completely dumbfounded.

“Wait, you-you can’t just do that! Get back here you-!” Jae said furiously, and started running after
him. He sent a gummy smile over his shoulder and started running away from her, laughing all the
while.

Jae’s heart fluttered once more when she saw his adorable smile, and she couldn’t help but laugh
with him as she chased him all the way back to camp.

Chapter End Notes

<3 Have some sweet Yoongi fluff:) It's a shorter chapter but I hope you enjoyed it
anyways. Stay safe and healthy everyone!
 Make It Right
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jae waited patiently with Namjoon and the others for Yeona to come back to her tent. She and
Namjoon had gathered them all up that same night, saying they all needed to talk.

Jungkook was sitting next to Jae on the red velvet love seat, and he must have seen the anxiousness
on her face because she felt his warm hand grasp hers. She blushed immediately because of that.

Her eyes darted to his charming bunny smile that he was flashing her, and remembering what
kissing him felt like made her blush even more and her hands clammed up. He didn’t seem to mind
though.

Tae spoke through a yawn, “Where did she go Namjoon...I’m getting sleepy.” He was sitting next
to Jae’s legs on the floor, and slightly leaning on them, and Hobi was on the opposite side, with an
arm wrapped around her ankle.

Jin, Jimin, and Yoongi were on the floor scattered but still close to everyone else. Namjoon was
sitting on the arm of the couch, brows furrowed, waiting. “I don’t know, she just said to wait here.”

He made eye contact with Jae, and she wished she knew what was going on in his head. He looked
like he knew something he shouldn’t, but then again, she supposed she was in the same boat. She
remembered then that she had only told Yoongi that she knew their secret.

She squeezed Jungkook’s hand naturally which made him glance over. She had to tell them,
“Um...you guys? I gotta tell you all something.”

They all turned to her, and Yoongi raised one eyebrow. She swallowed hard, looking at the floor as
their stares were too much for her to handle. “I...I know about-”

“I have returned!” Yeona’s voice boomed throughout the tent, making Jae jump and she walked
inside.

“Sorry, I had to make sure we wouldn’t be interrupted. The last thing we need is for someone to be
barging in on this...interesting conversation.” she said, letting out a feigned chuckle.

“What’s going on?” Hobi asked, turning to Namjoon. He sighed in response, “First of all, we need
to tell Jae everything.” he sounded hesitant, and Jae knew why.

“It’s...so...there’s...we all, um…” he started rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Jae could tell
his face was a little pink. Never had she seen him this bothered, and if she was being honest it was
really cute.

Jin tried to help him out but he ended up rambling pure nonsense from nerves.

She could see Yoongi was fighting a smile as he threw his head back, “Aish...this is torture. Jae,
help them out before they explode.” They all looked at him, and then looked at Jae.

She laughed nervously, “Well, I already know what you’re going to say. I’m your soulmate, for all
seven of you.” she said slowly, she had never said the words out loud and it made it more real
somehow.
They all stared at her in disbelief, except for Yoongi of course, who was fighting back laughter.

“Well then, that eases the tension a little then doesn’t it.” Yeona cleared her throat and walked
closer to her.

The boys were silent until Namjoon stuttered out, “Wait wait wait, Jae you knew?? How?” Yoongi
scoffed, “She heard us talking. It wasn’t that hard considering we were being pretty loud.”

“You knew and you didn’t bother to tell us?” Jimin asked, crossing his arms and squinting at
Yoongi. “That would have saved us a lot of grief.”

Jin lightly hit him on the head and Yoongi just smiled. “I couldn’t resist, it was too funny.”

“Was not.” Hobi pouted, and Jungkook and Tae had breathed what sounded like a sigh of relief.

“Let’s focus on the subject at hand, shall we?” Yeona said, turning back to Jae. “How much do you
know about hybrids and their soulmates?”

Jae thought about it, and in all the books she’s read about hybrids it was barely mentioned,
therefore she knew practically nothing. She shook her head, “I’m mostly in the dark I’m afraid.”

“I understand. Your education system sounds incredibly flawed. But no matter, learning the basics
is always a good place to start.” She started walking around the tent, the others listening just as
intently as Jae was. It made her wonder if they knew everything or if it was their first time hearing
all this too.

“In the most simplest terms. A soulmate is someone that a hybrid is meant to be with for the rest of
their lives, someone that can continue their bloodline. A mate for life, to put it plainly.”

Jae squirmed at the word mate, she just wasn’t used to it. She supposed it was not that different
from getting married to someone, or at least, that was her initial thought. She overwhelmed herself
with the word.

Yeona continued, “If I may be so bold as to say, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of something
like this occurring, a human being bound to seven hybrids at once…I can’t even fathom it. Having
to mate with that many hybrids is-”

“Ah, please can we just...not mention that right now.” Namjoon said, practically hiding his face. It
wasn’t just him that looked mortified; all of them looked like teenagers who were having the sex
talk for the first time.

Jae had enough knowledge to know what a heat was, but it made it all the more embarrassing, and
she wasn’t sure who was the most red in the room but they were all fiercely competing with each
other. Yeona looked more serious than before.

“You’re going to have to get over it. You’re the leader of this pack. If you want to protect everyone
in this room efficiently during this whole process, you’ll hear everything I have to say,
embarrassing or not.”

He looked right at her to that, still pink in the face, but Jae could tell he was sucking it up. He was
a leader through and through.

“So, that being said, let’s discuss the most pressing issue at hand. Obviously, how it’s supposed to
be is one hybrid and one soulmate. Being hybrids, when it comes to the people we love, we are
very territorial, and overprotective. That can cause problems, considering in your case, other
hybrids will naturally want to be near you at the same time. Heats will be especially dreadful if that
isn’t fixed soon. You’ll either tear each other apart or her, whichever comes first.”

“Namjoon and I have talked about a solution to this problem, but it’s...a stretch, at best.” she
thought for a moment, “It’s more of a hopeful gesture than a real solution, because even as
knowledgeable as I am, I’m not even sure it’s physically possible.”

Jae raised her eyebrows. She sounded unsure, which didn’t give her much comfort. “Namjoon, I’m
going to let you tell her. As pack leader, this is your responsibility.”

The others waited, looking just as confused as Jae, and they all stared Namjoon down in
anticipation.

Namjoon rose from the arm of the couch crouched in front of her, looking exhausted as if he had
just run a marathon.

Jae reached out and Namjoon grabbed her hands and set them in her lap. His hands were just as
clammy as hers, if not more so. He looked at her with an expression she couldn’t read, but she
could tell that whatever he was about to say wasn’t an easy thing. Jae’s heart started beating faster
when he started to speak.

“Something that might help would be...for you to join our pack.” No one said a word, and Jae
could have sworn the world stopped turning, if only for a second.

“W-What?” Namjoon squeezed her hands, as if afraid she would jerk away from him. “It sounds
impossible but-”

“Joon it IS impossible.” Jin said, eyes and mouth gaped open. Yoongi interjected, “A human being
a member of a hybrid pack? That’s just...unheard of.”

“So is a pack of seven hybrids having one human soulmate, but here we are.” Tae pointed out,
staring at the floor.

“Kid’s got a valid point there.” Yeona said. “I was the one that suggested this. Doing this would
create a bond so strong it would practically be unbreakable. With the bond in place, the hope is that
they would start to feel secure with each other, and comfortable seeing you with each other without
the fear that you would run away with one and abandon the rest.”

Jae found it difficult to swallow, and she glanced at Jungkook’s arm next to her, with the pack
mark on clear display.

“Do I have the faintest possibility if it would work? Not a clue. It could be dangerous for you, life-
threatening, even. Not to mention if you managed to live, your life would never be the same
again.” Oh, wonderful.

Jungkook’s eyes snapped up at Yeona when she said dangerous and life-threatening and he looked
scared. “Absolutely not.” he muttered, looking back and forth between Jae and Namjoon.

When Namjoon stayed silent, he looked at him in disbelief and scoffed, “You can’t be serious. It
shouldn’t even be an option if her life is on the table.” Jae didn’t have to read minds to know that
the rest felt the same based on their serious faces.

“Jungkook, I hate it just as much as you, but I’m also being selfish here. It would be a way to have
her stay with us, a way to keep us from killing each other over her.” He had nothing to say back to
that.
“I’m not going to lie to myself and say it wouldn’t happen. We’re family, but we’re far from
perfect. With both prey and predators being involved here, it could get messy.” Jae’s brain showed
her images that made her want to cry.

“Also…” Namjoon said, finally letting go of Jae’s hands, and slumping to the floor. “We would
suffer without her. And I mean that literally.” he looked at Yeona.

“He’s right.” she nodded. “Even now, as your relationship with her grows, so do your risks. If your
animal side hints even the slightest rejection, or if she is distant from any of you for a long period
of time, it can get mentally and physically painful, you could possibly hurt yourselves or each other
in your grief. In extremely rare cases, I’ve heard of hybrids dying from heartbreak, from either
being away from their soulmate for too long, or from their soulmate rejecting them altogether.”

Jimin ran his fingers through his hair, “I don’t…” he sighed, looking conflicted. “Miss Yeona, why
would it be dangerous for her?”

Jae was frozen, and her head was spinning, but she heard every word. “All of us have special
venom that allows us to form packs with each other, no matter the species. Being that it’s venom,
as to how it would affect the human anatomy is the tricky part. It may reject her body entirely,
which would be the worst case.” she said cautiously, but the damage had already been done. The
fear had been instilled.

Jae was scared, not just for herself, but for Namjoon and the rest as well. If she doesn’t do it, they
will all suffer. If she does go through with it, she might die, which will definitely make them suffer.

Either way, at this point she knew she had to do something, and what life did she have to go back to
anyway?

What did she have left? A boring, cookie cutter life married to some rich fool her would display her
as a trophy, just like her father? Said father, who is emotionally controlling and abusive?

Sure, she had her mother, but she was in a coma, and who knew when she would wake up. It was
either that, or live with hybrids for the rest of her life, whom she is supposedly destined to be with,
who may or may not have feelings for her.

Did she even have feelings for them? She’d never fallen in love before so she didn’t know what it
felt like, but all she knew was that when Jungkook kissed her, she never felt happier.

When she was sitting on that rock with Yoongi, she never felt safer.

When she was with all of them together, she had never felt more at home.

She felt all these feelings, but the word “instincts” was holding her back. Were they doing this out
of their free will, or is this their instincts taking over, making them think they have feelings for her
because they’re “designed” to be together? She could probably ask Yeona, but she didn’t want to.

She took a long, deep breath and all eyes were on her once more. “I want to do it.” They all stared
at her, including Yeona.

“Jae…” Hobi breathed.

“You don’t have to do this, in fact, I don’t want you to do it at our expense.” Namjoon said softly.

Jae shook her head and looked at each of them as she said, “Really. I want to do this. I’m willing to
do anything to stay here. I don’t have a proper home to go back to.” she looked right into
 Namjoon’s eyes. “You saw it. It’s more like a prison rather than a home. My mom is sick and my
dad...I’m not going back to him, ever.”

Whatever risks there were, she was determined to do what she thought was right, and being with
them felt right.

“You all saved me, in a way. You all have made me feel more alive than I’ve ever been. I want this
to work somehow...I want to do something for you, well, for us. I don’t care if it’s painful, I may
not have that much strength, but I think I’m pretty tough on the inside. It’s my decision.” she said.

For once, she felt like she was in control. For once, she was doing something for herself. “Let me
do this. If…” she rubbed her sweaty hands against her jeans, “If we really are meant to be then...I
should be okay. I don’t think fate would bring us together and then, break us apart just like that.”

She looked up at everyone. The boys were looking back and forth between her and each other.

Yeona had her arms crossed. “You’re either stupid or naïve if you think you have a good chance of
surviving.” she said plainly.

“Miss Yeona please-” Namjoon started.

“No, she’s right. Maybe I am stupid for making this choice. But I don’t want to sit back and do
nothing, and we all suffer for it. I mean, what other options do we have?”

“God damn it, I don’t like it, but she’s right, Joon.” Yoongi muttered.

“It’s crazy, this is absolutely crazy.” Jimin said, rubbing his temples.

Yeona was quiet, and stared Jae down. “I don’t think you understand, girl.” her voice was low
now, and her ears were back.

“You can never go back to the way your life was before. You can’t just abandon them when you
don’t feel like staying anymore. You have to stay with them. You'll have to live like one of us,
always on the run from your own kind. For the rest. of your life.” she emphasized the last words.

“Are you absolutely sure?” Her icy blue eyes bored into hers, looking for any signs of second
thoughts. Jae, however, finally felt like she was about to do something right in her life. “I’m sure.”

Yeona sighed deeply, “Well, I’ve done all I can do to convince you otherwise. If you’re serious
about this, we will do it tomorrow night. I think it would be wise to mentally and physically
prepare yourself as best you can.”

Jae nodded, already mentally exhausted from the whole conversation.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you for reading as always. I hope you all are doing alright. <3 Please take care
of yourselves:)
 Trivia: Love
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

After Yeona left the tent, they all sat in silence for a while, all not knowing what to say. It wasn’t
like Jae was having second thoughts, but she had ultimately made a life-changing decision and her
head was swimming in the possibilities of what was going to happen next.

She had never even dreamed this would be happening to her, never in her wildest dreams would
she come up with this. She looked at the seven hybrids she had come to know.

Jimin caught her by surprise, as his intense glare was piercing into her. “Are you sure about this?
Do you even know what you just signed up for?”

Jin looked at him with a pained expression. Jae didn’t know where this was coming from, and she
didn’t know how to respond.

“Do you even feel anything real for us at all?” she had never heard this tone of voice from him
before, she would be lying if she said it didn't intimidate her a little.

“I…” she tried to find the words to speak. He stood up, a pained expression on his face.

“Of course you don’t. How could you? Sorry, I’d rather suffer than force someone to be with me,
or any of us. Especially if it’s out of pity.”

Without another word, he stood up and walked out of the tent. Jae felt like she had been drop
kicked. Taehyung stood up as well to follow him, but not before giving Jae a look that said
everything.

He looked conflicted, but most of all, he looked sad, like he agreed with Jimin’s sentiment. Her
chest felt heavy, as he exited the tent too. Does he regret saving me now?

Namjoon sighed and he rubbed his forehead. “I need to talk with Jae for a little. You all should go
rest. I have a feeling tomorrow will be...different. In one way or another.” the others made no effort
to try to argue.

They all moseyed out, all with melancholic expressions. When Jungkook got up from the couch his
hand lingered on hers until he absolutely had to let go. Jae could feel tears behind her eyes but they
wouldn’t fall. Do they all feel the same way Jimin does?

“Jae wait, I need to-” Namjoon started but before he could finish Jae interrupted him. “I’m doing
this because I want to. I’m not doing this because I feel obligated and I’m certainly not doing it out
of pity! I need you to know that. I know how much they mean to you and I would hate to do
anything to hurt them or you-”

“Jae, I know-”

“No, you don’t understand. I hate misunderstandings and we’re in the middle of one right now. I
need to go talk to them. I need to-”

He grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving. “Jae, stop. Please. I need to talk to you about this.”
He said urgently, “It’s best if you leave them be for now. Look, I’m not going to try and change
your mind. I want you to go through with it, for multiple reasons, all of them being selfish.”

He sighed and released his grip. His ears were back and he looked like he was in pain. She could
see the large bandage peeking out from underneath his shirt. “When did this turn into something so
complicated?” she quietly asked.

Namjoon tilted his head, and Jae continued, “I feel free now. I don’t want that to change. I like you
all. I do, Joon.” The nickname just slipped out, and she turned red.

“I-I mean-” Namjoon smiled, dimples protruding. “It’s okay, you can call me Joon. I like it.” Was
his smile always this dazzling?

She smiled sheepishly back at him, “Or should I call you Joonie Bug?” He still smiled but rolled
his eyes, “No, definitely not.” He looked at her and saw expecting eyes, “Trust me you don’t want
to know.”

“I think I do.”

“You’re not gonna stop until I tell you, are you?” she simply nodded and Namjoon groaned.

“Miss Yeona has taken care of me ever since I was seven, and at the time I liked to play outside a
lot and explore, and I would find these bugs and sometimes I would eat them.” Jae giggled and Jae
turned away, embarrassed.

“Happy? Now you know.” He wasn’t looking at her but she could tell he was still smiling.

A moment of silence passed, then he cleared his throat, “Do you want to get out of here? I wanted
to be alone with you, but Miss Yeona might come back any minute.” Jae nodded, and they walked
out of the tent.

The stars were shining brightly above them, and walking underneath the brightly lit sky with
Namjoon felt like a dream. Since he was so tall, slightly taller than Jin, she had to look up at him,
which she didn’t mind.

So she did just that, as he spoke, “It’s really pretty out here tonight.” His ears twitched at the
crickets chirping nearby, and Jae had the strong urge to touch them.

“Mhm. I would love to bring a telescope out here.” she said, looking up at the stars.

“I remember you had one in your room.” Jae nodded, “Yep! It was brand new too, I only got to use
it once. I guess I won’t get to use it anymore.” she chuckled lightly, but she did feel a little
heaviness in her heart.

It was brand new and it was in her now abandoned room, collecting dust. She realized Namjoon
was staring at her, and then he looked away quickly with an expression she once again couldn’t
comprehend. She blurted out the one thing that came to mind.

“You’re really hard to read sometimes.” he blinked at her. “What do you mean?”

She thought about exactly what she meant, “Call it intuition, or being emotionally aware, although
if that’s the case I’m not nearly on Jin’s level,” she said smiling. “Whatever the case, I’m just good
at reading people, and a lot of the time, I can never tell what you’re thinking. It’s the same with
Yoongi too, it’s like you both are experts at hiding how you really feel. I feel like Yoongi, that’s
just his personality, you know? But with you it’s almost like-” she stopped walking abruptly to
think, and he stopped to look at her curiously.
“It’s kind of like you’re not used to telling others how you really feel. I wouldn’t be surprised,
being the leader of a pack like this. You always have your hands full. It must feel like you’re
raising children sometimes. I know if I were in your shoes, I would be worried all the time. My
brain would never stop, but I would feel obligated to hold it inside, so I don’t add on to any stress
or worry the others may feel. You feel you always need to be viewed as this strong, alpha male
who has his shit together all the time, when in reality...” he was silent, and he wasn’t looking at her
anymore. He was just looking up at the sky. “Sorry if I’m overanalyzing, it’s something you do
when you don’t have any friends I guess.” she said, nervous if she had said too much.

“Well, if you know all of that without me even telling you, I would say you are definitely on Jin’s
level.” he said, smiling with his eyes. She didn’t know why, but the comment flustered her and she
couldn’t look at him anymore.

“Jin is the oldest, and often feels he needs to take just as much responsibility as me. Of course, he’s
my best friend, and I’m grateful, but it always makes me feel lackluster as a leader. It’s not just him
either, they all do it. I guess you could say it hurts my pride a little if anyone has to take over.
That’s why I don’t like to say anything if I’m bothered, it becomes everyone else’s problem.
Though, it’s hard to hide sometimes from them, since we know each other so well. The whole
hearing each other’s thoughts doesn’t help though.” he said, lightly laughing.

“Well, it’s not good to bottle things up inside. No matter what burdens you carry.” she said quietly.

He turned to her, “I wouldn’t say I carry any burdens, but I could say the same to you. What are
you really worried about? About this whole thing. I know there has to be something.”

She made the mistake of looking up at him again and his soft amber eyes were staring at her,
waiting for an answer. “How did you..?”

He put one hand in his jean pocket and shifted all of his weight to one side. “Jae, I’m the leader of
a pack of seven. I’m good at reading people too, I have to be. Plus, you may be good at reading
others, but you’re terrible at hiding how you really feel. You’re a lot like Hobi in that way.” Jae
pressed her lips together.

“That’s probably why Jimin got a little upset, because he could tell something was making you
hesitate, and he misinterpreted it as pity. He tends to jump to conclusions. I know you’re not doing
this because you pity us. I don’t feel like you’re that type of person.” he said matter-of-factly.

“I know something is bothering you. I need to know what it is, so we can try to work it out. I don’t
want you to have any...regrets.” Jae fiddled with the hem of her shirt, looking down at her feet.

I don’t even know how to say this...what do I say?

She felt Namjoon looking at her for an answer. She heard him sigh and she looked up afraid to see
him disappointed, but to her surprise, he wore a soft smile.

“Let me show you something.”

Before she knew it she was staring back at a large chestnut colored wolf with the same amber eyes
she could always get lost in.

“Jin said you weren’t supposed to shift.” Jae said, crossing her arms. He did what seemed like a
sneeze in response.

He looked at her and then turned his head. Jae recognized the gesture, and she jumped on his back,
careful to avoid his shoulder area. She could see where a mark was, but she was amazed to see it
didn’t look as bad as before. Maybe it was the fur covering it that helped.

He made a soft grunting noise, and Jae figured he was saying something to the effect of: “Hold on”

She gripped the fur on the side of the base of his neck. She was prepared this time for how fast he
would run. Suddenly they were off, and Jae could now enjoy the wind blowing through her hair as
Namjoon sprinted by the trees that were now blurrily passing by.

She could tell they were going up some sort of incline, but she had no idea where he was taking
her.

She figured she would have to tell him what she was feeling eventually, but she tried to focus on
the wonderful feeling of riding on Namjoon’s back instead. It reminded her of before, when he took
her away from her prison, a decision that would quite literally change her life.

The world was such a vast place, what were the odds of something like this happening to me? What
are the odds of them finding me? She wondered. They had been through so much together since
then.

After a while, Jae could see a small break in the trees and through the hole she could see a clearing.
When they went through it, the sight that was waiting for her was stunningly beautiful.

There was a gorgeous field of purple clematis flowers scattered around, lightly dancing with the
breeze, and the field was overlooking a variety of wildflowers and trees. The sky seemed closer to
them now, and she could clearly see some stars were twinkling. It was almost like they were both a
part of the milky way. It was so pretty she was almost pushed to tears.

In awe, and wanting to be a part of the scene in front of her, she carefully slid off of Namjoon’s
back, mouth agape. After she had walked a few steps ahead in awe, she heard Namjoon, “It’s
breathtaking, isn’t it?"

He stood beside her, the breeze pressing his white button-up shirt tighter on his chest, accentuating
his muscular figure that was underneath. She couldn’t help but stare, “Yeah...it really is…”

Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice her gaze and she looked away before she was caught.

“I discovered this place when I was younger. I came here all the time when I lived here. When I
was sad or discouraged, or when I just needed to escape,” he breathed out. “Get some things off my
chest…” he said slowly.

Jae caught on to what he was doing. He gestured down to the ground where there weren’t a lot of
flowers growing and they both sat down on the grass. Jae thought about it and she wanted to get
something else out of the way.

“I’m sorry if I seem hesitant to open up to you, it’s not because I don’t trust you. I trust you with
my life.” she said, looking right into his eyes to make sure he knew she was serious. He seemed
pleased by that, and he nodded, urging her to continue.

“If I tell you what’s on my mind...I’m scared of how you’ll respond, that’s all.” she muttered, and
pulled her knees to her chest.

Namjoon gently put his hand on knee in reassurance. She hadn’t realized how close he was sitting
until he did that. Their legs were almost brushing up against each other, and his hand felt warm.

“I assure you, whatever answer I give you will be as honest and as straightforward as possible.”
Yeah that’s what I’m afraid of.

She took a deep breath. “Ever since I found out about this whole soulmate thing, I’ve been trying to
get my feelings in order. I’ve been thinking about my relationship with everyone, and it’s all very
pleasant and solid, I think, and I don’t want that to change. There’s not one person I like more or
less. Right now it’s equal. Although…” she gulped.

Namjoon raised an eyebrow. “Jungkook kissed me,” she said, looking at him with tentative eyes.
He looked as if he was fighting to show something on his face, but he kept it straight.

“A-And it made me really happy, but then right after that was when I heard about everything and I
heard the word instincts being thrown around and my initial thought was something like: What if
it’s just instincts telling you to feel this way about me? Of course that could be my own insecurities
talking, but if that was the case I wouldn’t fault any of you for it, if that’s the way it is then that’s
that. I’ll deal with it. I’m not going to change my decision because of it or anything, because that
doesn’t stop me from wanting to stay with you guys…”

She was rambling a bit now and she looked back at him again. He looked serious, much more
serious than before. His eyes were looking right into hers now so intensely that she couldn’t look
away, and his tan skin seemed to be glowing underneath the starlight. “I want to know if it’s real,
or if it’s just…”

His hand lightly caressed her face, the action felt so good Jae couldn’t help but flutter her eyes
closed as his gentle touch sent shivers down her spine. His hand felt so soft against her cheek. He
looked like he was about to say something but he paused, and she opened her eyes to stare right
back into his.

“Namjoon..?” she whispered. His hand that was on her cheek traveled to her lips as his thumb
lightly traced over her bottom lip, and she looked up at him.

“Damn, I can’t believe Kook beat me to it.” he said softly. As their faces slowly gravitated towards
each other, she knew what was happening, and she let it. Namjoon’s soft lips pressed against hers
with such tenderness it made her heart swell. She felt a wave of relief wash over her as they kissed,
and she could feel him smiling in the kiss, which in turn made her smile too.

The similar feeling came back, the feeling that everything felt right in the world, and she wanted to
stay like that for as long as possible. So, when she felt him lean back to stop, she couldn’t help but
want even more.

“I wanted to tell you how I felt but, actions speak louder than words, as they say.” he said, with a
big smile on his face. Jae was still lightheaded, but she loved every single moment of it.

“It wasn’t just instincts telling me to do that, Jae. I know the difference. I know I feel something
for you that’s as real as you and me. I feel something there. I know we all do. For me, every time I
see you it’s like...I feel so light, so carefree. That’s not a luxury I get to have that often but with
you, I feel like I can do anything. I feel invincible.”

She could see a hint of blush on his dimpled cheeks and she couldn’t help but giggle. Inevitably,
the tears that had been fighting to emerge came to her eyes.

“I’m so glad.” she said, her voice feeling thick. Namjoon wiped her tears that had just started
falling and pulled her into an embrace so warm she never wanted to move again, and her head
rested on his unwounded shoulder.
 She felt his chin resting on the top of her head. “It will probably hurt, you know. I don’t want to
hurt you.” he whispered. He was talking about the pack mark.

“That’s alright,” she said looking up at him with fond eyes, “You make me feel invincible too.”

Chapter End Notes

<3 Thank you for reading and the kudos as well:) Stay safe and healthy everyone!!
Wear a mask when you go out!! I'll try to update sooner when I have enough written
ahead:)
 Promise
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jae and Namjoon walked back to camp, hand in hand. Right before they reached the camp,
Namjoon stopped.

Jae could hear the voices of the others softly in the distance. He seemed like he didn’t want to
leave her, and her heart fluttered as pulled her closer to him and he leaned down a little to kiss her
forehead.

It seemed desperate, but it also seemed like he was stalling going back. Although her stomach was
turning in on itself, she parted from him and put both her hands on his cheeks.

She had a feeling he was thinking the worst thoughts. He was scared, and she would be lying to
herself if she said she wasn’t. However, feeling that way wasn’t going to do them any favors. “I’m
not going anywhere. I told you, I trust you with my life. Everything will be alright.” she said,
admittedly trying to convince herself as much as she was him.

After a moment of silence he closed his eyes and nodded. They were surprised to see the rest sitting
in front of a fire, in a semicircle, looking worn down.

“You guys aren’t asleep?” Namjoon asked, making both their presences known. They all turned
their head to see both of them, hand in hand. “Are you kidding? We couldn’t. None of us can.” Jin
said, speaking for all of them.

Jungkook and Tae seemed to have puppy dog eyes as they glanced at Jae. Jimin avoided her gaze,
but he looked guilty, like he was about to cry. They all looked worn out, and she wanted to hug all
of them badly.

Looking at them all now, she didn’t want to be away from them for another minute. She felt the
heat rising to her face, as she thought of something.

“Um...can we…” she gulped. They all looked her way. “Can we stay all together tonight?
Like...like we did back at the motel. I want to be with all of you.”

Jae felt like she had stuck her face over a volcano as they all looked at each other. Tae barely
smiled, “There you go surprising me again.” She was relieved that she was seeing his adorable
smile again

Without a word, Jungkook got up and went to another tent and everyone watched him. When he
emerged from the tent with two sleeping bags under his arms, Jin clapped his hands together,
making Hobi and Jimin jump. “Well, that answers that.” Then he got up and stretched, then went to
help Jungkook.

Jae felt Namjoon put his hand on the top of her head and then saw him walk towards Yeona’s tent
again. “I’ll be back.” he said, walking briskly away.

Jae understood now why he talked to her so much. She was like a mother to him, and that made Jae
think of her own causing some heartache.

All of them except Namjoon went inside one of the tents, and Jae didn’t realize how cramped it
would be. Oddly, no one seemed to mind, and in truth neither did she.

They had made what looked like a giant mat of sleeping bags all together. It made Jae smile. In the
end, Jin and Hobi had shifted to make more room, and were snuggled up on either side of her.

Tae and Yoongi were more towards her feet and legs, and they had become closer in their sleep,
but mostly because Tae was holding one of Yoongi’s arms.

Namjoon had come in later, and decided to sleep to the side where Jungkook was, a little aways but
close enough where Jae could hear both their soft snores. They were almost echoing each other,
and it made her want to laugh.

She couldn’t see Tae or Yoongi’s faces but she had no doubt they looked like angels. Despite all of
this comfort and warmth around her, the event of the next day weighed heavily on her mind. She
knew everyone was asleep except for Jimin, who had left the tent earlier and hadn’t come back
since.

She was starting to really worry about him. Carefully, with much effort, she managed to wriggle
out of her position. No one even moved.

They must have been exhausted from the fight…

She exited the tent and looked around. It was really dark and truthfully she couldn’t see well, but
she was determined to find him. If I were Jimin, where would I go right now…

She had no idea. Why did it hurt her that she didn’t know?

She made sure to stay in lighter lit areas where she could see. There were lanterns scattered all
around to shed some light in the community areas.

To her disappointment, it seemed like Jimin was nowhere close, and she briefly thought about
trailing blindly in the dark for him.

Maybe I could call him? He has heightened hearing, right?

She shook her head. And have angry predator hybrids wake up from their slumber who already
hate you? No thanks. She decided to walk a little bit aways, knowing full well it was something
that she probably shouldn’t do.

Her desire to locate Jimin won against any logic she had left. She lost track of time as to how far
she walked, but a random voice almost made her jump out of her skin, “Well well, what do we
have here?”

Jae whirled around, and saw a familiar red-haired boy with fox ears and a mischievous grin,
accompanied by a girl with grey hair and bored looking eyes, sucking on a lollipop.

Jae was mentally scolding herself, Of call the people I could have run into...at least that big one
isn’t here.

“What are you doing out this late, little human? It’s dangerous to be out here alone.” he said,
starting to walk closer. Mel was smirking now. “Don’t come any closer.” Jae said, trying not to be
intimidated, but his beady eyes were making it difficult. They reminded her of her father.

He didn’t listen and continued to walk towards her, a little too calmly. She wanted to run but all her
body would allow were little steps backwards. “I said stop. I’ll scream.”
“I would advise against that. Trying to act all tough will get you nowhere, sweetheart. Now that I
have you here, I suggest you tell me what your game is.”

This guy was persistent, and annoying. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now if you’ll
excuse me.” she tried walking away, but bumped into something hard.

She stared right into a bulky torso, and cursed. Of course. “Look, I don’t want any trouble. I’m just
trying to find someone.” she tried to move again but giant hands rested on her shoulders.

She knew better not to run now, but at least she could run her mouth. “Do you never go anywhere
without your little cronies? Seriously what do you want? Why do you hate me so much when I’ve
done nothing to you.”

Jasper raised his eyebrows and looked as cocky as ever. “What I want, if for you to stop getting in
the way. You’ve been a nuisance ever since I first laid my eyes on you,” Getting in the way of
what? He was very close to her now, and she had to fight the urge to spit in his face. "The reason
you're still alive is because you were supposed to make things more interesting for me, but you're
just proving to be an annoying little insect."

He took a strand of her hair and smelled it, “although, your scent is rather intoxicating.” He said in
a whisper, and Jae noticed that Mel looked pissed. He looked like he was going to come even
closer to her face.

“Can we hurry this up? It would be trouble if the pack caught us. Or your mother.” Felix urged.

Jasper’s face changed, he almost looked hurt.

Before Jae could analyze it further, he switched back to his normal self. “What a delicious prey you
are. It would be a pity if something were to happen to you tomorrow.” She froze.

How did they know about that? As if he could read her mind, and laughed. “Oh, we have eyes and
ears all over this place. It’s not hard to get information on anyone.”

His nails seemed sharper now, almost like claws as he lifted her chin with one. “You’re going to
tell me what you’re really here for, before someone gets hurt.”

“The only one getting hurt will be you if you don’t let her go.”

Jae was relieved to see Jimin slowly walking to them from the shadows at first, but she didn’t want
him to be in any danger. Though, by the look on Jimin’s face he didn’t seem to be worried. If
anything he looked intimidating, his eyes glaring at the fox in front of her.

Jasper however, looked pissed. “I thought you made sure they were all asleep.” he hissed at Mel.

She looked just as shocked, and she started to panic, “I-I thought...I guess I...miscounted.” she said,
looking back and forth between him and Jimin.

“Idiot” he muttered. “Well, no matter. Felix, you’ll break her neck if he comes any closer. We’re
just having a little chat, Chim.” he called out to Jimin, while looking at Jae. “Let us finish and we’ll
be on our way.”

“Or you can get your filthy hands off of her, before I do something I won’t regret later. I won’t
repeat myself again.” Jimin said in a voice Jae had never heard from him before. It was low, and
you could almost hear a growl lacing through every word.
Jasper sighed dramatically. Jimin crossed his arms. “You’re worried about me starting a fight, and
as much as I would love to tear you all limb from limb after touching what’s mine, I don’t have to.
One howl from me, and my pack would come running. And not just them. Any hybrid would hear
it from this distance, and immediately respond. In fact, the commotion would wake the majority of
the whole camp. Including your mother. For a fox, this wasn’t very clever of you.”

He spit out the words with ease. Jasper gulped, and if looks could kill, Jimin would be dead three
times over.

“Jasper, come on, let’s just go.” Mel pleaded. Jae kept still, hoping they wouldn’t just kill her out
of spite. She felt Felix’s grip on her shoulder loosen until she didn’t feel him behind her anymore.

“This isn’t over.” Jasper sneered. He shifted, and he ran into the darkness of the trees. Mel yelled
for him to wait and shifted as well, the owl flying after him. Felix didn’t say a word.

He gave one last look at Jimin, and Jimin narrowed his eyes at him. They stayed like that for what
seemed like an eternity, before Felix calmly walked off, slowly following the others.

Jimin lightly jogged over to Jae, looking like a weight had been lifted. His intimidating stature had
disappeared. Seriously, what is with that duality? He’s just as bad as Jungkook.

He grabbed both her hands, and looked at her with a mix of annoyance and concern. “What are you
thinking? Roaming around here at night? How many times do you have to learn not to wander
around here by yourself?” he sounded a little harsh, but Jae knew that was because he was worried.

I would love to tear you all limb from limb after touching what’s mine... His words echoed in her
mind, making her heart pound.

“Y-you didn’t come back so...” she mumbled, avoiding his gaze. He let go of her and looked taken
aback, like he wasn’t expecting an answer like that, but quickly recovered. He ran his fingers
through his hair. “Well, I couldn’t sleep, so I just wanted to think about some things. I didn’t mean
to worry you.”

Jae nodded, and they both stood there in silence. “I’m sorry I’m always getting myself into
trouble.”

It was then he turned to her again, “We should get back. It’s late.” he gestured for her to start
walking. So she did.

They walked in silence for a while, side by side, and Jae was trying to figure out how to ease the
situation. She needed to apologize earlier still.

“Um, Jimin? I’m also sorry for-”

He sighed. “No, I should be apologizing. Sometimes I, uh, leap before I think I guess...is that how
Joonie worded it…?” he asked himself. “Well, anyway, I know I must have hurt you,” he grabbed
her hand and she was surprised by how tightly he squeezed it. “That’s the last thing I want to do.
I’m really sorry. Please, forgive me.”

“Jimin, really, it’s okay. I understood where you were coming from. I probably would have acted
the exact same.” He nodded slowly, but she could tell he wasn’t convinced by her words. S

he had a feeling he was really hard on himself, much like herself. If anyone could understand that,
it was her.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself all the time.” He looked at her in amazement, as if she had read her
mind, but then looked away and continued walking, as if nothing was said.

After a small bout of silence he started talking again, “I’m not used to people saying those things to
me. Well, other than the guys. I kind of...grew up in a rough place.” he said. That made Jae curious,
but he seemed hesitant to say it in the first place, and she felt wrong to push about it.

She just nodded, waiting for him to say more if he wanted to. “A type of place where hybrids are
used day and night, all day, every day. I didn’t…” he trailed off, looking up at the sky. “I didn’t
want to be used again.”

There was so much pain in his words and Jae couldn’t hold back from hugging him. She practically
slammed into him and hugged him tightly.

“I like you for who you are. Really. I would never even think of taking advantage of you or the
others. Please believe me. I’m here because I want to be.” she pleaded. She felt tears in her own
eyes. She didn’t want him to be upset with her anymore.

Jimin was perfectly still, listening to her. He finally wrapped his arms around her, hugging her
back. “You really like me? Really?” she heard him softly whisper into her hair.

Jae nodded. “What’s not to like? You’re sweet, and you care about others, you always make me
laugh and…”

You’re really handsome.

“And…?” he asked softly. Jae could hear the smile in his voice. “Y-you’re um...you’re really good
at coming to my rescue.” she rambled out, and was mentally hitting herself. She looked at him to
see his smirking face, as if he knew that’s not what she was going to say.

“I’m beautiful, right? You can say it. I’ve heard it my whole life.” he said, eyes bright. That
confidence was back, and that in itself was incredibly attractive.

“I guess you’re not ugly.” Jae joked and Jimin held his hand over his chest and acted hurt. She
giggled, and they both ended up laughing. Jae loved his face when he laughed, when his eyes
would almost disappear entirely. It never failed to make her smile.

“What can I do to convince you I mean what I say? I’ll do anything.” Jae asked. She was willing to
do anything. Jimin looked at her, and he had a certain glint in his eye that made it impossible to
look away.

It was becoming similar to how he looked before, when he almost kissed her. Jae’s heart started
beating faster just from his face alone. Before she knew it, he was slowly moving closer to her.

Flustered, her body moving on it’s own, backed away from him, eyes not leaving his. “Anything?”
he repeats. His voice is husky now, and he moves towards her slowly, but with purpose.

Jae didn’t dare open her mouth, knowing that if she did she would sound like a car trying to start.
Her back softly met with a hard tree, and there was nowhere left to run.

His eyes searched hers, as if looking for an answer to all of his doubts. His voice was in a low
whisper now, “Since a young age, I was taught emotions through touch...and feeling.” Jae gulped,
and she wasn’t in the right headspace to even comprehend what he was saying. “Can I try
something?” he asked, both knowing it wasn’t really a question.
 Jimin’s eyes traveled slowly down her face to look at her lips, and for some reason, it was then she
decided to bite her lower lip. That was all Jimin needed to lose all restraint. He wrapped his hand
around her lower back and leaned down and kissed her.

Jae felt nothing but bliss as his plump lips pressed against hers. His kisses felt different than all the
rest. Jungkook’s was sweet and innocent, Namjoon’s was sincere and loving. What started off soft,
and a little hesitant quickly turned into something more fiery and heated.

He bit her bottom lip, which caused her to whimper in surprise at how good it felt, and he dipped
his tongue inside, exploring everything he could. She had never been kissed that way before, and
the feeling was exhilarating.

It was like she was in a daze, and in that moment, it was just her and Jimin. She didn’t want to stop,
but she was losing air, and she already felt lightheaded.

She gently put her hand against Jimin’s chest and he got the signal. He reluctantly stopped, his
forehead resting on hers.

The way he was looking at her went straight in between her legs, and the feeling of his lips tingled
on hers. “Damn.” he breathed, and he smiled, lifting his head. His smile made Jae grin.
“Convinced?” she asked.

She shrieked and giggled as he suddenly took her in his arms with ease and spun her around.
“Whole heartedly.” he said with a toothy grin, and his eyes were almost invisible.

When he let her down he kissed her again, and her stomach did somersaults. He was smiling, but
then he looked serious and he caressed her cheek. “Don’t let that be the last time I get to kiss you.
Promise me.” he whispered, and held out his tiny pinky.

He was frowning a little, and Jae pressed a finger to his forehead. “Promise me then that’s the last
time I see you frown. It doesn’t suit you.” she said, starting to smile. “Your smile is too precious.”
she was grinning now and she pointed to it.

“See? Just thinking about it makes me smile.” He blinked at her, and his face slowly turned into a
tiny grin. She could also see a shade of red on his cheeks.

“Deal.”

She intertwined her pinky with his, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her hand
for the rest of the way. She had no idea how she was supposed to sleep now, when all she wanted
to do was pin him down and kiss him until the sun came back up.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you for reading. <3 Seriously, if you're still here, reading every time I update,
kudos to YOU.:)
 DNA
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The next day came and went faster than Jae had anticipated. Of course, lack of sleep never helped
anyone, but she really felt it when she realized she had fallen asleep sitting up, head on Jimin’s
shoulder.

Her body felt sore, and her eyes didn’t want to open, despite the noise happening around her from
the other six hybrids who were awake.

All throughout the day, the guys did their best to keep the mood light. Even Namjoon, who Jae
could tell he was struggling to keep a positive aura. She couldn’t even imagine the pressure he
must feel.

She wanted to do something for him, but showing worry herself would probably make things worse
for him. The others probably felt the same way she did; She saw Jin pat him on the back
throughout the day, encouraging looks from Jungkook and Hobi, Jimin practically asking if he
needs something every hour or so, and Yoongi silently watching, ready to be there if needed.

It was all very heartwarming, and of course they did the same to her. She could tell they were
nervous too, but she was doing a great job at keeping her own nerves in check. They seemed to be
experts at distracting her from her intrusive thoughts. She was doing a great job, until dusk came,
and Yeona had called Namjoon to go see her. It was time.

The thickness in the air was apparent as she found it hard to breathe normally. The worst part was
not knowing what would happen. She didn’t know how much it would hurt, if it would hurt. Her
palms were sweaty and her teeth started to chatter.

Jungkook turned to her, and Jae wished in that moment he didn’t have the hearing that he had.
Others heard her as well, and the more she tried to lock her jaw in place, the more her entire body
started to shake.

Jae could see they wanted to comfort her, they wanted to say anything to ease her mind, but what
could they say? It’ll be okay? They don’t know that for sure.

Namjoon called for Jae, and as she stood up, everyone else did too in a rush. The sun hadn’t gone
down yet, so she could still see Namjoon’s face, and he looked pale.

“You’re strong.” Yoongi said out of nowhere. His voice was quiet, but he sounded confident. Jin
joined in and nodded, “He’s right.” He had his arms crossed, but he had a small smile. Before Jae
could respond, Tae grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. She was startled by it, but she
melted into it, suddenly feeling weak in the knees.

She wanted to stay in his arms forever, where she knew she was safe. He didn’t say a word, but he
didn’t need to. She felt another pair of arms around her and Tae and and it was Jungkook, joining in
on the hug.

“You’ll be okay.” he said, almost in a whisper, almost trying to convince everyone that could hear.
Jae was fighting the urge to cry.

They both ended up kissing her on the head and they didn’t seem to want to let her go, but
eventually, they had to. Jimin and Hobi both looked as if they were fighting tears of their own
which ripped Jae’s heart apart. Jae knew the reason they didn’t go near her was because they
would both break down if they did.

She parted from the rest, for only a short while, she hoped. It had been decided they should wait
outside, in case of the worst case scenario.

When she turned to Namjoon however, and saw he was waiting for her, for some reason her heart
felt like shattered into a million pieces. He looked weary, uncertain, and most of all scared.

The worst part was that even though to everyone else he looked fine, Jae could see all of that
underneath, and she knew he was doing it for her.

Yeona greeted them inside, and she looked like she hadn’t slept. Her usual glow had disappeared.
“Last chance.” she said, almost coldly. Last chance to live is what that meant. Her inner most
thoughts were screaming at her, but she had made up her mind.

“I’m ready.” she said firmly. Yeona scoffed, and said something under her breath, but Jae didn’t
hear it. Namjoon must have however, because he stiffened next to her, and she immediately looked
apologetic towards him.

“Help me with this.” she said, gesturing to a chest. Namjoon nodded and he helped push it out of
the way, to reveal a literal hole in the ground. Jae couldn’t help but gasp when she saw it.

There was a path that seemed to be spiraling downwards, and when Jae approached the hole, it
looked deep, but she could see the bottom, and she could see flickering light, either from candles or
lanterns, she couldn’t tell which.

She didn’t know Yeona was staring at her reaction. “We’re doing it down here. If you need to
scream, then you can do it freely so the whole camp doesn’t hear you.” Well, that’s reassuring.

Namjoon took a deep breath, and started going down. Yeona gestured for Jae to go next, and she
did. Following Namjoon down all the way to the bottom, it was a dimly lit room with candles, a
good handful of them, and she gulped when she saw what looked like a long wooden table with a
red cloth on it.

She saw a bunch of stains on it, not wanting to know what it was. Yeona chuckled behind them,
“Yes, it’s exactly what you’re thinking. This is where I torture and kill all of my victims.” she said
with a sly smile as she walked past.

“She’s joking.” Namjoon said, scowling at her. That didn’t reassure her in the slightest. Yeona
sighed and she patted the table. Jae felt like she was climbing on an examination table at the
doctor’s office. Namjoon stood beside her, leaning against the table.

Yeona turned to him, “Do you want me to stay?” her eyes were full of concern. If Jae had learned
anything about Yeona, it was that she genuinely cared about Namjoon.

He stared at the floor, and then shook his head. Yeona ruffled his hair and ears, “It’ll be fine. You
know what to do, and where things are if you need them.” she said, and then she turned to Jae,
“Kid, if you don’t make it, just know…” she thought about it for a second, “I guess you aren’t the
worst human I’ve ever met.”

For some reason, Jae smiled a little at that, and Yeona returned it and left the two of them alone.

Jae heard the chest above go back in place with a shuffling sound and the room became a little
darker. Namjoon looked at her with weary eyes. “I guess this is it. There’s no turning back now.”

Jae nodded, and he stood in front of her. He reached out for her hands and gently held them.

“I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen before I do it, okay?” Jae nodded, heart beating even
faster. Namjoon seemed to notice this, and the next thing she knew he was kissing her forehead.
Surprisingly, that helped her relax.

“I need to bite a part of your body so I can leave the pack mark on you. Jin told me you and him
talked about it a bit?” Jae nodded, "Mhm…” looking back on it, it seemed so long ago.

Namjoon cleared his throat. “I-it can be anywhere you want, except for your neck or shoulders.”
When Jae shot him a questioning look, he chuckled nervously, “That place is for...another mark…
for later...” What other mark could he be-

And then it hit her. The shoulder and neck is reserved for a mate mark. She remembered she
stumbled upon that in a book once. He said later. A mark for later.

Jae flushed a deep crimson and looked at her thighs. “So...where do you want me to..?” Namjoon's
voice trailed off, obviously embarrassed.

Jae thought about it, either her wrist like the others or on her ankle maybe? Where would it hurt the
least? The most? What was it going to feel like? Will it be horrible? Excruciating? Am I going to
die?

“Jae.” she looked up and she realized she was breathing heavily.

“I’m scared, okay? I’m not going to pretend like I’m not now. But, I believe in us. Everything is
going to be fine.” Jae looked into his dragon eyes and they had a fire inside them that ignited a
spark inside of her.

“I suppose I shouldn’t worry. You’ve done this six times after all.” she said, trying to smile.
Namjoon chuckled at that, something she wasn’t expecting but it made her feel lighter.
“Besides...you won’t let me die.” she said quietly.

He looked at her then, and her heart wanted to burst. “Never.”

They stared at each other and Jae felt the overwhelming desire to kiss him. She grabbed his shirt,
pulling him down to meet her parted lips. It was needy and almost desperate but she didn’t care. As
much as she didn't want to think about it, it was evident that this might be the last time. She felt
him put his hand on the back of her neck, and the other firmly gripping her waist, pulling her in
deeper.

It was more intense than last time, both not wanting to pull away for a second. Maybe it was the
thrill that she might die soon, or the heat of the moment itself, but he had never been as intoxicating
as he is now.

It was more intense than last time, both not wanting to pull away for a second and melting into
each other. Namjoon’s lips started to travel down her neck, making her insides flip upside down.

She sighed and tilted it on instinct giving him more access as he made sure to cover every inch of
her neck, and softly nibbled where her neck met her shoulder.

She felt him linger on the spot where he mentioned before and he murmured, “It’s really hard to
control myself right now..” His voice sounded deeper than usual and his words went straight to her
groin. So much nerves inside of her felt like they were being set on fire.

She wanted every part of him then. She wanted him so bad.

Any further, and she would get lost in him; They would never do what needed to be done. “Joon.”
she whispered, putting her hands on his toned chest. She looked into his gaze. “I’m ready now.”
she held out her arm.

She wanted it to be where she could always see it. It was something she would be proud of. He
held her wrist, looking at it intensely.

Her heart started beating wildly, and she started taking deep breaths to try and calm it down. He
glanced back at her once again, as if asking for permission. "This might hurt a little." he mumbled.
She could only nod in response as she was bracing herself for whatever was about to happen.

She could only nod in response as she was bracing for whatever was about to happen. She figured
if this really was her time to die, it wouldn't be so bad, because she was with him.

A part of her wanted to close her eyes as Namjoon went to bite her arm, but she didn’t as she was
too wrapped up in the moment.

His eyes seemed to be glowing, and he sunk his teeth into her wrist. They were sharp, and she
yelped at the contact.

It hurt, but then everything felt kind of warm. She felt blood running down to her hand, and
Namjoon stopped, her blood on his mouth.

He started to wipe it off, looking at her expectantly. It was stinging, like a thousand needles were
pressing into that one spot all at once.

Then, it became progressively worse, but she tried to hide it. Of course, Namjoon saw right
through it. “Jae? What is it? How do you-” she cut him off with a gasp that she couldn’t hold in, as
the pain spread rapidly through her whole arm, and it was getting more and more intense,
alarmingly fast. She was trying not to panic for Namjoon's sake, and he could probably see that.

Still, she gritted her teeth through it, not wanting to worry him, “It’s fine...it just...hurts a little…”
she said, not realizing her breathing was becoming more haggard.

“Jae I need you to tell me what’s happening. Where does it hurt?” he said frantically.

“It...ugh…” she doubled over, the pain spreading to her stomach and chest. The sensation felt like
burning now, like there were branding irons pressing into her. It was the worst where the bite mark
was.

She had started sweating. She hated that Namjoon had to see her this way, but she was glad the
others couldn’t.

“Jae, lie down...just lie down.” he said, gently pushing her back on the table. She complied, trying
not to writhe around too much. She felt her body twitching, and she tried to avoid touching her arm.

She started to panic even more when her eyes became blurry and they started to hurt when she
started crying purely out of fear. Suddenly, Namjoon was out of her range of sight and that made
her almost ballistic, “Joon? Namjoon?” she whimpered.

“I’m here, baby, I’m still here, I’m trying to find something to help, okay? Listen to the sound of
 my voice.” his voice sounded thick, like he was fighting back tears.

“You’re going to be alright, you are..” he kept muttering anything, trying to distract her.

She could barely see, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of her tears or not. The pain was
indescribable and it was all over her body, like she was drowning in hot lava.

Her whole body was trembling and jerking around, and she could feel it was trying to push her into
a state of unconsciousness. She was afraid that if she closed them, she wouldn’t open them again,
so she fought the feeling as long as she could.

She fluttered her eyes, and it was getting harder and harder to keep them open. She felt a pair of
warm, shaky hands on her face right when she was closing her eyes.

“No no no, stay awake. Okay? Stay awake.” She felt something wet hit her face, and her voice
came out raspy, “I’m sorry Joon… I’m just so tired all of a sudden...”

“You have to stay awake. I’ll find something to help you.” he sounded far away, even though she
knew he was right there.

She had an overwhelming wave of fatigue, and she couldn’t fight it anymore. She tried to speak,
but her voice was gone.

She felt like she was falling backwards as she closed her eyes. She laughed on the inside, thinking
she gave it her best shot.

She could hear Namjoon’s voice cracking from screaming her name as she slipped into a state of
darkness.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you so much for reading as always, and for the kudos and comments! <3 Stay
healthy and safe.
 Save Me
Chapter Notes

tw//mention of blood- really minor but just in case:)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Jungkook’s POV

We had all lost track of time. All we knew was that the moon and the stars were out, and we were
all missing her. I tried to use my sensitive ears to see if I could hear something, anything.

Jin noticed this every once in a while, and when he would look at me expectantly, I shook my
head. They were just inside the tent, so why was it dead quiet? It was putting all of us on edge.

“I’m just gonna take a quick peek-” Taehyung started to get up but Jin grabbed his arm and pulled
him back down. “No, you’re going to sit here and wait like the rest of us.” he said sternly.

I would have followed him in there. In fact, had Jin not stopped him, I’m sure we all would have. I
knew Jin was just as worried.

In Namjoon’s absence he always had to be the one “in charge” but I could see it in his face. The
waiting game is brutal and the silence was louder than anything I’ve ever heard. I couldn’t even
hear the crickets. All I heard was the cracking wood in the fire in front of us, and occasional
impatient sighs.

After a while, I heard something so quiet I thought I was losing my mind. At first, I thought I had
imagined it, so I closed my eyes, and listened extra carefully. Come on ears, don’t fail me now.

After I heard what I did, I hated that I had heightened hearing. I heard more and more noises
progressively, like I was traveling there with my hearing.

I was surprised to find out that they were lower in the ground, and I could hear Namjoon’s
panicked voice, saying Jae’s name over and over. My heart rate quickened as I listened for her
voice to respond. There was nothing.

I was so focused I didn’t even notice Jin and Hobi were calling out my name the whole time. I
stood up, feeling a stinging behind my eyes. Jin sounded afraid, “Jungkook, what is it?” he asked,
almost like he knew the answer.

Everyone was staring at me, waiting for me to answer. Nothing could stop me at that point, and
nobody dared to. I almost power walked to the tent and I saw Yeona sitting on the couch, looking
pale and tense, a glass of brandy in her hand.

She saw me and froze. “You poor thing, you must be able to hear-”

“Where are they?” I asked, my voice shaking. “I know they’re underground. Let me see them.” I
felt movement behind me and I knew I wasn’t alone.

“Sorry, Miss Yeona, we-” Hobi started, but I was growing more anxious and impatient. “Where?!”
I asked again. I felt a hand on my shoulder but I shook it off. I needed to see them and nobody was
going to stop me.

“I hear them.” I said, searching the room frantically with my eyes. “Jungkook, calm down-” Jimin
said behind me but I spotted a big chest that seemed to have an opening underneath it. I walked
towards it and I heard Yeona’s breath hitch and her heart started beating faster. Bingo. I stared at it
for a second, and I heard Namjoon’s voice.

I leaned down and started to push it out of the way, but it would barely budge.

That wasn’t an issue when I decided to kick it out of the way, making it roll multiple times, spilling
the contents of it and knocking over a table. I didn’t care.

I heard Jin and Yoongi apologizing behind me as I descended half running half walking down the
dirt path into the hole. Please…

I was greeted with a sight that I never wanted to see.

My heart went down to my stomach as I saw Namjoon shaking Jae with tears streaming down his
face. “Wake up! Don’t do this to me, please!” I was frozen.

The worst thing was happening right in front of me and there was nothing I could do. I didn’t know
what to do. It felt like all the life was being sucked out of me.

I felt Jin brush by me, as well as Tae, who rushed over to Namjoon. I heard Hobi gasp and Yoongi
and Jimin were staring, eyes shiny. “This isn’t happening, right?” Hobi whispered.

No one answered him. I spotted her bloody arm dangling over the table. Just as I saw it I started to
smell it.

I can’t stand blood. It makes me think back to that day my parents were slaughtered, the day I
wanted to forget, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t. It was a cursed memory I had to carry
in my head. I shut my eyes tight. No, I can’t think about that right now. Pull yourself together.

I noticed Namjoon’s bite was on it, and she had gotten it in a similar spot to mine. My throat was
burning as I walked closer, slowly. I could hear her heartbeat now, but it was scarily slow and
faint, almost not beating at all. The fact that I had to be this close to hear it at all...

“She’s still there.” I said quietly. Everyone in the room froze. “What…” Panic had fully set in now,
“I said she’s still alive. Do something. Anything. She’s fighting.” I said, fully seeing her face now.

Jin continued to ask Namjoon a bunch of questions that I didn’t even try to comprehend. All I did
was stare at Jae’s sleeping face.

She was covered in cold sweat, and even though she looked sickly, she looked peaceful. I wanted
to take her in my arms and hold her until she woke up. I wanted to kiss her again, I wanted to tell
her how much she meant to me, how happy she made me without even trying.

I looked over at Tae who had been silent this whole time, and he was gently caressing her cheek,
and mentally he seemed to be somewhere else. Namjoon was trying to speak coherently but it was
hard to understand him, “I tried...I did everything right… I…”

“Joon, you did everything you could. There has to be something, there’s always something...what is
it...come on think...think…” Jin was muttering and I could tell he was racking his brain for a
solution.
He was the best doctor I knew, surely he would think of something. Suddenly, I could see a mental
lightbulb going off in Jin’s mind. He looked around frantically for something.

He pulled whole drawers out and was making so much noise. Medications and boxes full of other
medical supplies seemed to tumble out. I looked behind me at the others, and they looked more
than confused.

I had no idea what Jin had in mind, but I jumped when he threw a drawer down and yelled in anger.
In all the years I’ve known him, he was never violent or angry. He always stayed calm, even in the
most dire situations.

Even when we thought this might happen, he seemed positive, almost unbothered compared to the
rest of us. He’s always calm, but this is what happens when he always keeps it inside. Eventually, it
overflows.

“Fuck’s sake, where’s a fucking needle?” Yoongi’s soft voice rang out, “Why do you need a
needle?”

“The venom doesn’t want to pair with human blood right? But it’ll pair with hybrid blood…If we
can get some in her bloodstream-” I blinked, and the words went through one ear and out the other.

Would that really work? Tae bent down and picked something off the ground. “Use this then.” he
said, holding a wrapped syringe. “I’ll do anything, do you want to use mine?” he asked, extended
his arm. Jin shook his head and unwrapped the syringe.

“You’re not O like me. Let me do it.”

Yeona’s voice cried out behind me, “Wait, hold on, are you crazy? You don’t know what that
could do to her, there could be lasting effects-” she sounded panicked.

“So I should just let her die then?” Jin snapped. Yeona didn’t have a response, but she looked taken
aback. Lasting effects? Would it do something to her? Would she be okay with this?

“Don’t look, Jungkookie.” Jin muttered and I turned away a little too late as I saw him place the
syringe in his own arm, and his blood started to pool in the little tube.

The sight alone made my palms start to sweat. I began to shake, feeling the need to shift, to run
away, but I didn’t want to. I was fighting myself.

I felt Hobi’s hand softly rub the back of my neck, and it grounded me a little. “You’re alright.
You’re safe.” he whispered to me, and Namjoon looked over at me in concern.

His eyes were red and he wasn’t the only one. I took one look at Jimin and he kept wiping his eyes,
and Yoongi had tears right on the edge of his eyes, but they refused to fall. I couldn’t watch what
Jin was doing, but whatever he decided to do I prayed to any divine entity that might exist that it
would work.

Jin’s P.O.V

I’m never the type of person to ask for a lot in life. A lot of the time, I prefer to go with the flow.

Just because I’m the oldest in the pack, doesn’t mean I abuse that power. Being assertive isn’t
really my style, but sometimes I can tell Namjoon needs extra help, even though he’ll never admit
to it, and never ask for it.
All that to say, I’m usually quite calm in any given situation so he can do his part as the leader.
Something snapped inside of me, however, when I saw Jae lying on that table.

It was like I forgot how to breathe. Like everything I had ever hoped for was being taken away by
force.

I had feared this would happen, ever since yesterday the fear had been eating me alive. Of course, I
didn’t let that show.

I guess it overflowed when the worst outcome came true and I saw her there, seemingly lifeless. I
wasn’t losing her. Not today, not ever. I wasn’t going to let this happen. Fate can kiss my ass, it
wasn’t playing this horrible joke on me.

Looking back, everything was a bit of a blur. Leaning my head back against the wall to steady my
breaths, I remember drawing my blood and then injecting it into Jae’s veins. Luckily, they weren’t
too hard to find on her arm. I had felt a little dizzy since then.

Yeona had gone back up soon after, but we couldn’t leave Jae alone, and we didn’t want to. It’s
been an hour now I would guess, maybe two, but we’re all still down here, waiting in silence.

Jae’s figure was still on the table, unmoving. I had never been more distressed than I am now. My
mind was running full speed, not allowing me to get a second of relief.

Thinking back on it, I made a stupid decision, and I know my dad would have called me a disgrace
if he saw what I did. I could have very well killed her faster, instead of saving her.

That was just one of the many medical worries going through my head. I was desperate, and that
was one thing my father taught me not to be. He taught me emotions were pointless.

I can hear his voice in my head: Doctors aren’t allowed to feel. Feelings get in the way, Seokjin.
People will die because of the decisions you make sometimes, and you have to accept that you
can’t save everyone.

But was it so wrong that I just wanted to see her beautiful eyes again, sparkling up at me and full of
life? I wanted to see her smile that was so contagious it was unfair. I wanted to make her laugh non-
stop, just so it could play in my ears like music. No, it wasn't wrong.

My father taught me everything I knew, sure, but he was wrong about this. If anything, feeling
emotional gives you more motivation to save someone. I still hated him for everything he put me
through, not letting me sleep for multiple days at a time, drilling me with terms and threatening to
beat it into me if I didn't memorize...He wasn’t a father, he was a cold-hearted doctor, nothing
more, nothing less.

Joon had practically collapsed on my shoulder, no doubt mentally and physically exhausted. He
was fighting it so hard, but now he was out cold.

I didn’t dare move otherwise that would jolt him awake, and he needed the rest. He needed a break
from the heartache. I hoped that when he would wake up, she would be awake too, so he didn’t
have to come back to the harsh reality as of now, that she might never open her eyes again.

I hoped that, for his sake especially, she would wake up.

I know Joon better than I know the back of my own hand, and I know he would rack himself with
guilt, and he would never ever forgive himself. He would never be the same, and that would affect
the pack and he knows it.
Everything we’ve built would crumble, and he would blame himself for it all. The guy was too
selfless for his own good, and while it’s a fine quality to have, sometimes it gets him in trouble.
Still love him though.

I looked at the others. Hobi and Yoongi were on one side of me. Hobi was drawing something in
the dirt mindlessly and Yoongi just looked zoned out.

The younger ones were all huddled together a little further away: Jimin was sitting against the wall
like me, playing idly with Jungkook’s hair and ears as his head rested in his lap, and Taehyung was
leaning against Jimin, looking limp, trying not to fall asleep.

It suddenly hit me all at once that we were all here because of her. One woman had us all wrapped
around her little finger. She had to wake up, because there was no way we could live without her.
Literally.

None of us moved for a long time. We didn’t eat for who knows how long. I thought about leaving
and coming back with some food, but I didn’t have the motivation, and I didn’t want to wake Joon
up.

Yeona came down every once and a while to try and convince us to move but we didn’t. I had no
energy to do anything, like this giant weight was holding me down. Nobody else made an effort to
move either, and I was starting to lose any hope I had left in me.

Until, I heard a shuffling movement from Jae’s direction. My ears perked up, and my heart was
almost leaping out of my chest. Nobody else reacted. Not even Jungkook. Am I finally starting to
lose it? Then, the sound happened again and Jungkook’s ears twitched, and he looked like he
snapped out of a daze.

We both noticed each other’s alertness and then turned our heads towards Jae and that’s when I
saw it. I saw one of her fingers move.

I wanted to pass out. I shook Namjoon. “Joon! JOON.” He opened his eyes wearily and I just
directed his face towards her, and we both saw a few of her fingers twitch. I couldn’t believe it. I
was scared I really was imagining things. “Jungkook…” I whispered.

Tears were forming in his eyes as he looked at her. “She moved.” he whimpered.

I was overcome with emotions and I couldn’t stop the sob that emitted from my chest. I covered
my mouth after that to try to silence myself.

I hated it when the others saw me cry, but I couldn’t help it this time. Jungkook was getting Jimin
and Taehyung’s attention and he was sniffling all the while. Namjoon was still next to me, staring,
and not even blinking, but his eyes were red and wet. Yoongi and Hobi were alert too, staring at
Jae.

The fear in Yoongi’s eyes was the first thing I noticed, and he looked at me and then to Jae, and
that’s when all of her fingers moved at once, and he gasped and put his hand over his mouth.
Hobi’s eyes were wide.

Without another word, we all seemed to scramble to our feet and crowd around her, not caring
about anything else.

I kept having to wipe my eyes to see her well, but more color had returned to her face. Somehow,
she looked even more beautiful than ever before. Namjoon grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze,
and didn’t let it go.
 I saw her eyes moving underneath her lids and I held my breath. Taehyung, with a shaky hand,
placed it on her head, running his fingers through her hair. She started to stir, and all of us seemed
to hold our breath.

Nothing was certain yet, but I knew we were all relieved to see she was alive. She wasn’t leaving
us.

We all watched her with bated breath, as she opened her eyes.

Chapter End Notes

Sorry about that cliffhanger last chapter;) Stay safe and happy thank you for the
comments and kudos! I feel loved <3
 Awake
Chapter Notes

Much longer chapter. Announcement at the end. Enjoy:)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Jae had felt numb, like the numbness feel when you hold snow in your hands for too long. At first
she was burning hot, and then it was just cold.

The last thing she saw and heard was Namjoon, and she was okay with that. She didn’t want to die,
but at least she didn’t die alone. That had been her fear for as long as she could remember.

After losing Poppy, and then her mother slipping into a coma not long after, she realized had no
one. Until them.

She felt a sinking feeling, and everything was warm again. The numb feeling was disappearing as
she could feel something touching her.

She felt something warm on her head, and in both her hands. This warm feeling was familiar, and it
compelled her to open her eyes.

She felt sore and her whole body ached, like she had been beat up and then thrown in a compactor.
Her head was pounding, and she heard deep muffled voices almost echoing in her head.

She let out a groaning sound and she felt both of her hands being squeezed, so tightly it almost
hurt. Right before her eyes opened smells filled her nose that she had never smelled before.

They were all very strong and they were blending together. On one side was the smell of roses, or
some kind of flower, as well as some sort of pine, something earthy that she couldn’t quite put her
finger on, maybe rain?

There was also something citrus, like a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice. She breathed in
again and she could smell on her other side the aroma of lavender, something sugary sweet like a
vanilla cupcake, honey and cinnamon, and the faint smell of coffee.

She opened her eyes, slowly, and took in her surroundings. She was startled by how clear her
vision was. She could see little individual dust particles floating around.

She saw seven incredibly detailed and handsome faces around her, and she felt a grin appear on her
lips, “I must have died if this many angels are around me.”

Her lips felt dry and her throat felt like there was a rock stuck in it. They all collectively sighed a
breath of relief. Tae, who was right next to her sighed and gently laid his head on top of hers. “You
gave us quite the scare.” he whispered.

“Sorry.” she croaked, and she cleared her throat. She looked at Namjoon and she knew he was
probably feeling guilty.

She reached out her hand to him. He saw this and he grabbed it, like his life depended on it. “I told
you I’m not going anywhere.” she whispered.

He teared up at that, and swallowed hard. He kissed her knuckles, and looked at her bite mark. She
could see it too, it still looked pretty raw, but she could tell it was already healing, somehow.

She felt Jin gently place his hand on her knee. She could tell he had been crying, his face was still
wet. “How are you feeling? Do you think you can sit up?”

Jae’s whole body felt like it was going to break, but she nodded, not wanting to worry them. He
nodded his head towards Tae and they gently grabbed her shoulders and helped her up. She
winced, but it couldn’t be helped.

She felt dizzy, either from almost dying or from laying down flat for a long period of time. Maybe
both.

They let go and she swayed a little, so she laid her palms flat on the table behind her to steady
herself. “Tae, hold her there just in case.” Jin said, as he left to look around the floor.

Jae felt a gentle grip on her shoulders as she glanced behind her and saw a bunch of medical
supplies in the dirt, and the drawers were ripped out of the cabinets. It looked like a couple of
drawers had been smashed.

“You don’t want to know.” Jungkook said softly, and she turned to look at him. He looked happy,
but tired. It wasn’t just him either. All of them looked a little gaunt since the last time she saw
them. Did they even eat? Sleep?

“Um...how long was I…” she hesitantly asked. They all looked at each other, and it was clear they
didn’t know. “A while.” Namjoon mumbled, avoiding Jae’s gaze.

Jin came back and he had what looked like a little flashlight in his hands. “I want to check your
vitals, is that alright?” he asked. She nodded, and he checked her pulse, as well as her temperature
and other basics. She stared at him in admiration. He really knows what he’s doing, and there was
something really attractive about that.

He used the tiny flashlight to check her eyesight, and he had gotten really close to her face, looking
closely at her eyes. An overwhelming floral smell filled her nose and she couldn’t help but take a
deep inhale.

“God, you smell so good.” she whispered. Jin chuckled, “Oh yeah? Surprising since I haven’t had
a shower in a while.” Namjoon his arms crossed, and he looked intrigued.

“Jae, tell me, what does he smell like to you?” He sounded a little hesitant to ask, and the question
caused the others to look at him. “Uh...” Jin stopped what he was doing and looked at her, then
hesitantly, he lifted his head and exposed his long neck to her. He was blushing furiously.

She shook her head to shake any unholy thoughts that invaded her mind and slowly sniffed.
“Flowers..” she murmured, and she sniffed again, “Roses.” she said, looking at Namjoon. Jin
turned around and looked at him too with raised eyebrows and she felt like she was missing
something.

“Why..?”

Tae held out his arm and placed it near her face. "What about me?” he asked. “Like a vanilla
cupcake.” she replied with no hesitation this time.
“I don’t understand, why do you look freaked out, Joon?” she asked. “I’m not...I’m just trying to
wrap my head around this.” he said with furrowed brows.

“Those must be our scents to her.” Yoongi muttered, and everyone’s eyes were on him. “Did they
smell like that before?” he asked her.

Jae was still out of it so the question went right over her head. “Think about it, you shared a bed
with Tae before, has he always smelled that way to you?” Jae thought about it and was stunned to
realize Yoongi was right.

Before, she didn’t smell anything like this. In fact, she sniffed the air to confirm. She shook her
head. All of these new scents were new. Not to mention, as she was starting to wake up more, her
eyesight was so much better than before it was starting to freak her out.

She could clearly see more dust flying through the air, every single strand of hair falling around her
face, individual grains of soil that was on the walls around them. When she caught a glimpse of
Jin's eyes, she could see little golden flecks in them she couldn't see before.

“We need to tell her what we did.” Yoongi looked nervous and as Jae looked around, they all
started to lose a little color in their faces.

“What...are you talking about?” Jae asked timidly. It was then she finally noticed Jin’s arm. There
was a small bandage wrapped tightly around his forearm and elbow. As she reached out to touch it,
she noticed her own arm, bandaged almost identically to his own.

“Wait, what happened to your arm? And...mine...?” Her eyes darted at Jin expectantly, and his soft
almond eyes met hers. He looked nervous and Jae felt nauseous. He rubbed the back of his neck
and he took a deep breath.

“So...you...you weren’t doing too well. In fact, you were very close to death.” A few flinched at the
word, and Jae just stared and listened.

“I wasn’t thinking, I mean I was, but it was the only answer I could think of at the time, I just
wanted you to be okay, I was really scared and-” he was rambling again, and Jae reached out and
his hand was just in range where she could grab it.

“Jin.” she said, and he stopped to look at her. Even though she was more than nervous about what
he was going to say, she wanted him to relax. “It’s alright. Just tell me.”

He took another breath, “The venom was clearly killing you, and I figured if you had hybrid blood
in your veins it would help,” he said in almost a whisper, gesturing at his arm. It all happened so
fast and I didn’t know what else to do.” he said, lowering his head.

Jae just sat there, while multiple pairs of eyes tried to gage her reaction. Jin’s blood is in me? She
didn’t know how to react, so she ended up staring blankly at her arm. Other than her eyes, and her
sense of smell maybe, she didn’t feel any different on the inside.

Yoongi continued, “That’s probably why you’re smelling things you didn’t before. Now that you
have some hybrid blood in your veins it’s probably made some changes.” Jae blinked, and the
others were looking at her cautiously.

“So…” Jimin ended up filling the silence, “Is there anything else that’s different?” he kept
avoiding her gaze and suddenly she felt annoyed.

She didn’t want them walking around eggshells. The truth was as far as she knew, other than her
eyes and her sense of smell maybe, she didn’t feel any different on the inside.

“Hey, I’m fine. It’s just...a lot to take in, alright? I’m not mad, I swear.” Jin finally lifted his head a
little when she said that. “To answer your question, I feel like my sight is much more...crisp?” she
mumbled, looking at her own hands.

She could see every line, mark, and scar on her hands, as if she were looking through a
microscope. “Anything else?” Namjoon chimed in.

She paused as she did a mental check, “Just sight and smell. I think that’s it.” she shrugged, and
said, “I’m just really thankful and happy I’m alive.” she felt a little smile form on her face.

She looked at everyone and a warm feeling invaded her heart. “You all look hungry. Did you even
eat at all?” Jae asked, already figuring what the answer was.

Jin nervously laughed which was all the answers she needed. She held out her hand and Namjoon
and Jin made sure she got off the table smoothly. Her bare feet hit the soil and as strange as it felt,
it felt good.

“Let’s fix that, shall we?” she smiled. She wanted things to get back to normal as soon as possible.
Even if she didn't feel one hundred percent yet, she wanted them to think she was.

She walked up first, Namjoon being right behind her in case she stumbled backwards. Her legs
were a little wobbly but she was stable enough to walk on her own.

She took note of how they looked like they were ready to pounce on her and carry her up if they
had to, but they didn’t, knowing full well that she wanted to be as independent as possible. Behind
her, she heard rumbling stomachs and it made her quietly chuckle to herself.

Maybe I do have super hearing now.

Not long after they reached the top, Yeona greeted all of them and was surprisingly already in the
process of making enough food to feed an army.

After she thoroughly scolded them all for abusing their bodies, and telling Jae she was lucky to be
alive, she asked Jin to help her finish. Yoongi ended up helping too, and Jae thought they looked
equally adorable and sexy in an apron.

Half the men had to stop themselves from drooling from the appetizing smell that entered all of
their nostrils which made her giggle. She was equally amused that Jungkook and Tae decided
among themselves to “help her out” by being taste testers. As a result they got bonked in the head
with her ladle, which made everyone laugh.

As they ate together, all quite ravenously as everyone hadn’t eaten in a while. Jimin’s hand was
resting on her knee and on the other side of her, Yoongi’s own knee was touching hers, purposely
she knew.

Jin kept giving her more food even though she said she was full, Jungkook occasionally bumping
his foot against hers, trying to hide his smile, and the other’s sending her found smiles and glances
from across the table.

The warmest feeling spread all throughout her chest. She loved them, each of them, and nothing
would ever change that. Whether she was a human, or if she was some kind of hybrid herself now,
she couldn’t care less. As long as she had them, she felt unstoppable.
After they had finished eating, Yeona decided to give them some “privacy” as she called it.

Four of them slipped into either a food coma, or just collapsed from pure exhaustion. Namjoon,
Yoongi, Jin, and Jungkook were all spread out within Yeona’s tent. Yoongi ended up curled up on
the couch, and ironically, looked just like a larger than normal sleeping house cat.

Namjoon was on the floor, sleeping sitting up against the same couch with his head tilted to the
side. Jin and Jungkook were huddled up together, in their adorable animal forms at Yoongi’s feet,
unmoving and deep in sleep.

She felt a little pang in her heart, knowing that she worried them so much where they became
exhausted.

Jae glanced at the one’s next to her, who were still awake. It amazed her how Tae could look
exhausted yet incredibly handsome at the same time.

When he sat behind her and started to run his fingers through her hair, It took all of her self control
to stay put, and not to pounce on him right then and there. It was also incredibly difficult to not
make a sound.

His long, ample fingers hit all the right places, rubbed and pulled in all the right spots, but
somehow, she prevailed in staying quiet. She caught Hobi, who was laying on his side on the floor
next to them, staring at her with admiration.

His hand was holding her left, and a bright but sleepy smile remained on his face, “Does that feel
nice, sunshine?” he asked her.

Jae’s other hand was occupied, buried deep in Jimin’s hair, almost repeating the same motions as
Tae. “Oh yeah it does.” he said sleepily. She heard Tae chuckle behind her as she felt herself
grinning.

“Don’t get cocky Jimin. There’s only one person here that fits that description.” Hobi said through
a yawn and a smile. He switched to lying on his back, hand still intertwined with Jae’s.

“Aw, but you said I always brighten your day.” Jimin said with a playful pout. He slowly opened
his eyes and looked up at Jae. She was worried at first that the angle he was looking at her in
would be unattractive, but his deep green eyes gleamed at her, and gave her all the reassurance she
needed.

She looked down on his beautiful face and she couldn’t help the words that stumbled out, “How
the hell did I get so lucky…?” she asked dreamily.

“We could say the same thing.” Tae said, and she felt a pair of lips lightly brush the back of her
neck and she couldn’t control the shiver that traveled down her spine. These men were going to be
the death of her. Technically, they almost were. She thought.

She shook those thoughts, not caring in the slightest about principles. She just wanted to enjoy this
peaceful moment, however long it lasted.

She leaned further back into Tae’s chest, fully relaxing her body, setting aside all of her worries.
Her head rested on the front of his shoulder, and she felt him rest his head on top of hers and hold
her closer.

Jimin had scooted closer to her stomach and waist, laying his head on it like a pillow, and Hobi’s
hand still held onto hers, as if his life depended on it. For now, this was all she knew, surrounded
by unimaginable warmth, safety, and love. She had never felt happier.

This is it. This is my new life. This is home.

Taehyung’s P.O.V

Having Jae’s warm body pressed up against mine will never get old. In fact, I think it’s my favorite
thing as of late. She was comfortably sitting in between my legs, and I could tell she was close to
falling asleep when she leaned almost all of her weight on me and her head rested on my shoulder.

Her long eyelashes almost competed with mine, as they closed and hovered over her soft cheeks
that I had to fight myself not to touch. Having her leaning against me like this, I never wanted to
move.

Her pink lips parted as she started to drift off, and the urge to kiss her grew more and more with
each passing second. And the fact was, I almost lost that chance today. I almost lost her.

“What are you thinking about?” Jimin’s voice said, making me jump. He was awake, and smirking
at me in Jae’s lap in the corner of my eye.

“I thought you were asleep.”

He yawned at that, “Not yet. But he is.” he said as he nodded his head towards my other side
where Hobi was sleeping on his arm.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Jimin looked at me with serious eyes. My eyes landed back on
Jae’s face, and I knew she was asleep. “We almost lost her today.” I whispered, feeling a tug in my
chest.

Jimin swallowed, careful not to move too much. “But we didn’t. She’s here with us now. We’re
really fucking lucky Jin knows what he’s doing.”

He’s right, and I guess we’re also lucky that he has type O blood. I remember offering to give my
blood without any hesitation. I didn’t even think about it. I would have given my whole arm if it
would have helped.

I wondered if anything else about her had changed because of Jin’s blood. She seemed perfectly
normal, as if nothing had happened in the first place.

I smiled to myself, remembering to her I smelled like a cupcake. That was a good thing, right? I
wondered what the other’s smelled like to her. I thought it was strange, when she said Jin smelled
like roses. To me Jin just smells like...Jin? Maybe it was a human thing.

Her sweet strawberry scent invaded my nose and it was so strong I could drown in it. She must
have been destined for me if she smells like one of my favorite things in the whole world.

I glanced at the new mark on her arm, one that matched with all of us. It was still healing, but it
looked a lot better than before.

It made me feel fuzzy inside seeing it on her arm, and suddenly I felt even more protective of her
than I did before. It felt heightened, ever since she left with Namjoon and I was scared.

I already lost my whole family, any friends that I had, I didn’t want to lose someone else that was
important to me. I don’t have the strength to go through that again.
At that moment I heard footsteps outside coming towards the tent, as did Jimin, because both of
our ears twitched at the noise.

I gripped Jae tighter subconsciously and she stirred a little. She said not to treat her like a fragile
doll but I couldn’t help looking at her that way for a moment as she was practically limp and
relaxed in my arms.

Though, when it came to beauty a doll couldn’t even begin to compare to her.

Jimin sat up and I guess that woke her up because she slowly opened her eyes. “What’s
happening…” Jae mumbled, her voice sounding a little scratchy. She looked up at me with her big
eyes and I couldn’t stop the grin forming on my face. She was so cute.

“Did you have a nice nap?” I asked her. I saw her cheeks get flushed and I wanted to laugh. Jimin
made his way to the tent entrance and he looked relaxed.

“It’s just Miss Yeona.” he said, walking back over to us. Hobi was awake now too, and rubbed his
eyes. When Yeona entered the tent she had an envelope in her hands, and she scoffed with a smile
when she saw the others conked out on the couch.

“She turned to me and Jae and held the envelope up, “The others should be awake for this. Make it
happen.” she said seriously, and she walked away. That must be about where we’re heading to
next.

Jae slowly got up and stretched. As she raised her arms I could see the small of her back and I
gulped as I turned my head to avoid looking at anything else and losing all self control. How could
seeing such a small sliver of skin make my heart pound?

When I did, I noticed I wasn’t the only one looking at her figure, so I took the opportunity to
embarrass them, “What are you two looking at?”

Jae turned her head and Hobi, obviously embarrassed, instantly got up from where he was sitting
and went to wake up the others.

Jimin, however, narrowed his eyes at me and smiled, “Oh, just admiring the view.” The bastard bit
his lip and everything. My plan had backfired and I cursed at myself for it.

“U-um I’m g-gonna help Hobi...and yeah-” and she stumbled over to where the others were.

I shot Jimin a look, and he smiled at me, “You tried.” he said putting a hand on my shoulder. I
playfully shoved him away and he laughed.

Namjoon and Yoongi were awake now, and I saw a Jungkook and Jin stir, but they remained
snuggled together, and we all collectively decided to let them sleep.

Jungkook was the hardest to wake up and Jin was probably tired from the lack of blood. We could
always fill them in later.

The rest of us sat together at a small table, with Yeona at the head of it. She slid a thick envelope
across the table to a sleepy Namjoon, who grabbed it and opened its contents.

“Those are 8 train tickets. There’s a train station about 6 hours from here by foot. My informants
tell me the cars should be fairly vacant and there won’t be a lot of passengers. Still, you should lie
low and avoid drawing attention to yourselves, of course.”
She pulled out a bag and started handing out caps and masks. I was silently celebrating, since I’ve
wanted a hat ever since the motel incident.

How did she get all of this stuff ready in such a short time? Who exactly were her “informants”?
Shady. But if Namjoon trusted her, then I did too.

I grabbed a plain tan one, and the others grabbed one each, I noticed Jae grabbed a royal purple one
and put it on her head. It’s a crime how easily she makes my heart race.

“When does the train leave?” Namjoon asked, more awake and serious. He had his leader face on.
“Tomorrow, 3pm. I’ll make sure you all leave at a reasonable hour.”

“So, where are we going?” Hobi asked.

“A small town up north. The journey should take about a day or so if the train doesn’t experience
any delays. Once you’re there,” She also pulled out a map, and it had landscapes and trails on it.
Jimin grabbed at it, and I looked at it with him, as well as Hobi.

“Follow the red trail I highlighted, and there will be a spacious cabin. It’s secluded, on a hill, and
there’s no humans in the vicinity, ever, due to the weather conditions. It used to be a popular
hiking spot for them, but it’s been long abandoned now. I’ve made sure to have it stocked with
food, water, clothes, anything else you might need to stay there for quite a while. As well as some
heaters and plenty of blankets, as I imagine it might get pretty chilly.”

Yoongi frowned. “Wait a minute, maybe we might be used to those conditions, after all we can just
shift to make ourselves warmer if we have to but..” his eyes drifted to Jae and she looked up, as if
she had come back from being lost in thought.

Namjoon pursed his lips and Yeona sighed, “This was the best I could do on such short notice. If
you don’t think-”

“No!” Jae yelped, and we all looked at her. She had slightly gotten out of her chair. She awkwardly
sat back down and continued, “I’ll be fine. I love the cold weather anyways. No need to worry.”
she said with a genuine smile that melted me.

I knew she was just saying that so she wouldn’t cause any inconveniences. Still, I felt the frown
linger on my face. I was concerned about her health. Colder weather meant colder muscles, and
that means less stamina, and she doesn’t have that much to begin with.

I remember what it was like when the seven of us had to walk through part of a snowstorm once.

It had been about a year since we all escaped the facility and we didn’t have any other choice but
to keep heading in one direction as they were chasing us. The memory was so vivid for me.

It was so dark, like the whole world was a just white and grey, and snow was up to our knees. The
wind nipped at our skin so hard it felt like daggers were cutting us, even in our animal forms we
almost met an icy end. Had Namjoon and Jimin not found that small cave we all fit in, I’m pretty
sure we wouldn’t have made it.

I shuddered thinking about that again, and I rejected the thought of Jae being caught in a situation
like that.

Jimin seemed to notice my thoughts, as usual, and spoke just what I was thinking, “Do you have
any coats or jackets she could borrow for the journey there? I think that might put all of us at ease a
little.” he asked nicely.
Yeona stood up and scoffed, “Of course I do. I was going to give her some in the first place. I’m
not some animal, you know.” she paused, “Well...you know what I mean.”

I heard Jae snicker and Namjoon turned to her with a soft smile. Her hand was resting on the table
and he was staring at it, like he wanted to hold it, but he didn’t. I couldn’t help but notice his
apprehensive behavior.

He must be beating himself up about what happened. I know I would do the same. The reality was
if Jae hadn’t woken up, he would have killed her.

Of course, not on purpose, but that’s just how it is. I shook my head, remembering Jimin’s words
about the past. I’ll have to talk to him later, just see if I can make him feel better.

Yeona came back and piled a bunch of jackets and coats on the table. “Take your pick. Doesn’t
matter what it looks like as long as it keeps you warm.” Jae looked at the jackets determinedly and
she pulled out a puffy yellow one with a black collar. She smiled and she held it in her lap.

“Now, Jae, I wanted to ask you-” I didn’t hear what she said because I could hear someone outside.
I turned my head and so did Jimin.

“What?” I heard Yeona ask, and she sniffed the air. Her expression changed, and Yoongi crossed
his arms and scowled. “Why is he everywhere..?” he muttered.

I recognized the smell. It reeked of a sneaky slimy fox.

As if on cue, the red-haired fox hybrid waltzed in, with a shit-eating grin on his face. I couldn’t
help but ball my fists. Jimin had told me what he attempted to do to Jae before, and it made my
blood boil.

I would never let him touch her again. I didn’t even realize I emitted a growl from my throat, “Easy
there, tiger. ” he said, mockingly, still with a smile on his face that I wanted to smack off. He then
dared to look at Jae and scoffed with eyebrows raised, “Still alive I see? Shame.”

That was it. I stood up so fast the chair fell behind me and before he could tell what was up from
down my hand was on his throat and he was pinned to the floor.

I was squeezing hard, but not hard enough to actually suffocate him efficiently. I grinned, seeing
the fear in his eyes. “You think you can speak to her like that?”

“Taehyung. Enough.” I heard Namjoon behind me, and I felt Yoongi’s hand on my shoulder
slightly pulling me back. I let go, and he rubbed his neck.

“Fuckin lunatic. Did you even fucking care he was trying to kill me?” he asked towards his mother,
who just looked tired.

“Oh, if I wanted to kill you your blood would be all over the floor.” I snarled. “Taehyung. I said
enough. Sit down.” Namjoon growled a warning, and that was my sign to stop, even though I
didn’t want to.

“Keep your pack under control, mutt.” I heard Jimin let out a low sound of his own to that. The
little punk was really asking for it.

He wiped his nose and scowled at his mother, and Namjoon was looking at me like I did
something wrong. I just shrugged and went back to my seat, and saw Yoongi holding back a grin.
As long as Jae wasn’t mad at me I didn’t care. I was almost afraid to look at her, not wanting her to
be scared of me. To my relief, she didn’t look mad, just surprised by my actions.

I also noticed that Jungkook and Jin were now awake, still in their small animal forms, wiggling
their noses at the commotion. “I am, or I was in the middle of an important business meeting. What
is so important that you had to interrupt us?” Yeona said, hands on her hips.

I noticed early on that this wasn’t a normal mother-son relationship. Only Namjoon really knows
and he refuses to tell us, saying it’s none of our business, that it wasn’t his story to tell.

He’s not wrong, but that doesn’t make me any less curious. I would pay money to know why he’s
such a dick.

“If you must know,” he spat, “Mel saw a large group of humans near the outer perimeter. I thought
that would be important to know, since you’re the one in charge. You’re supposed to be thinking
about the good and wellness of every hybrid in this camp, but I guess you’re still inclined to pick
out favorites and neglect the others.”

Every word out of this guy’s mouth was poison, but I didn’t see Yeona flinch in the slightest and
she held her head high. “The fact that you even let a human in here proves you don’t know what
you’re doing. It’s bad luck, and it’s going to bite you in the end.”

“Why do you hate me so much?” Jae asked in a quiet but steady voice. I wasn’t expecting her to
say anything. “I did nothing to you. I barely know you. So why?” If I didn’t know any better, she
didn’t sound hateful, she just sounded confused. It was like she wanted to genuinely understand
him.

His beady eyes narrowed at her, and I wanted to rip them out of his sockets.

“I hate you because you’re a human. It’s that simple. I shouldn't have to explain further than that.
The carnage you people have caused our kind speaks volumes. You'll all see soon, humans are
weak. You expect me to believe you're not one of them?”

He tried to get closer to her but Yoongi blocked her line of view with his body and an intimidating
glare.

"You're just like the rest of them. Pretending to be strong when in reality you are so, so weak."

I felt Jimin stiffen next to me, and I could feel his anger before he even opened his mouth.

Namjoon looked had given up on keeping order, either that or he was letting us say what we
wanted at this point, “I would shut your mouth before I tell your mother what happened with you
and Jae.” he said, in a lower voice than usual.

This made Jasper freeze up, and his face turned paler, if that was even possible. Jae put her arm on
top of Jimin’s, and I felt him ease up a little, but the damage had already been done, and Jimin
knew it.

Yeona narrowed her eyes at him and Jasper, “I know full well what my son has been doing.” Jasper
didn’t say a word, he just gulped, and his feet seemed glued to the floor.

“You’re going to show me where Mel spotted those humans, and then you’re going to tell me what
you’ve been up to. Do I make myself clear?” Her eyes were cold, and stern. I didn’t see an ounce of
love in them. Did I pity Jasper? Maybe a little. He was still a little shit.
 She practically shoved him out of the tent, and then turned back to all of us. “I’ll be back. Sit tight.”
she winked, and we were alone once again.

I saw Jin climb on the table and jump in Jae’s lap, and she giggled and started petting him softly.
Jungkook had shifted back, and he slumped in another chair next to me, pushing his hair back.

Just to mess with him I ruffled his hair back in his face, and he gave me a look but I could tell he
was fighting a smile.

“So, what do you think?” Namjoon asked Jae, hesitation in his voice. She looked at him and
grinned, “I’m excited if I’m being honest. It’s like...I feel like my new life is properly starting.”

“Even if you’re always on the run?” Yoongi asked. She didn’t say anything at first, as if she
remembered our situation. I had forgotten momentarily as well, and I was nervous that she was
going to say she regretted it. She’s bound to us now, the mark on her wrist was a clear statement of
that.

“I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it as many times as I have to, but as long as I am with you all...I’m
not afraid of anything.” She looked at her mark. “I’m proud that this is a part of me now. I’m
proud...to be a part of this family.”

She made eye contact with Namjoon. “Really. I am.”

He softly smiled at her, and I could tell he needed to hear that. The moment would have been
sweet, had it not been interrupted by an obnoxious loud noise that made us all freeze.

My ears were ringing by how loud it was, and Jae looked panicked. It had made us all jump, and I
felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Something was wrong...very wrong. It sounded like a bomb had gone off. Namjoon stood up from
his chair, face pale and eyes wide. Then we heard the screams echoing from a distance.

Yoongi stood up too, and he turned to Namjoon, “The smell..” Namjoon nodded, “I know.” His
voice was a little shaky as he grabbed the envelops and stuffed everything back inside. “We have to
move. Now.”

Chapter End Notes

Hey guys! I have an announcement to make. I have decided to make Deep Down an
ongoing series instead of jampacking everything all into one thing, so for now, this
story/series will be on SHORT pause as I would like to work a little on other projects
that won't leave my head! I'm actually extremely excited for what I have planned so if
you are interested in reading something else I put out, you can hit the subscribe
button? I sound like a youtuber O.O. Oh, and don't worry, I'm still in the process in
writing more for Deep Down, and it gets much more intense and spicy later on (I
guess I could say in part 2 now) and it won't be too too long before it continues again!
Once I start something I have to finish it, so no worries about me abandoning it. I've
grown too attached!
Anyway, I hope to see you all in part 2:) Thank you so so much again for all the
support, for every comment and kudos I felt a burst of energy and it gave me so much
motivation and it made me feel like I accomplished something. Even if you just read it
up till now, you know who you are. Thank you so much. Really.
Stay healthy and take care! See you soon<3
 Update!

Hello! This is just an update regarding the progression of this story! I have uploaded the first
chapter of part II on my page:) Just letting ya'll know here too just in case you weren't notified.
Thank you so much for reading and for your patience. Love you guys!<3 Stay safe and warm!

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