Archive of Our Own

He’s not sure what to pay attention to first. The other wolf’s dense, shaggy fur, the thick, clogging scent of blood, the downturned line of the wolf’s nose, the cautious whines of his pack behind him or the unmistakable alpha traits the other wolf exudes. For a moment, all Chan can do is stare, and then instincts take over and a cautioning rumble starts in the back of his throat, warning the other wolf to steer clear from his territory’s border.

It’s always better to start out a little less nice and gradually grow nicer as he gets to know people than to let them walk all over him from the start and soon find himself with either a shrunken territory or no territory left at all. They’ve had their fair share of alphas come by, some of them clearly sniffing out whether or not they could fight Chan for his ownership, others just curiously wandering past the border before leaving again.

Never before had any of them looked so much like they could win from him if they tried, though. Never before had any of them been this hurt, either.

The other wolf lowers its head a little more, submissive stance and everything, and stays on the other side of the clearly marked border. It’s almost strange. Slowly, cautiously, Chan steps forward and sticks out his nose a little, trying to catch another whiff of the stranger’s scent. Perhaps he was mistaken, perhaps he’s not an alpha at all. Perhaps-

Ah, but when the wind briefly changes, the smell of blood is temporarily gone and instead he gets a front row seat to the sudden overpowering scent of pine trees and cedar - unmistakably alpha.

The rumble from his throat grows in sound exponentially as the other wolf slowly lifts its head a little, and he watches the snout immediately dip back down, all the way down until it rests in the grass, hidden from view. For a moment he's stunned in surprise, but then the wolf’s body slumps as well, legs seemingly giving out, which is proven when the large wolf rolls onto his side and his eyes close with a finality that immediately sparks him into action.

He barks sharply for his pack. By the time Jisung and Jeongin have made it to his side, he’s already shifted into his human form, feeling for a pulse first and then gently brushing the endless fur aside to try and find the wound. When he eventually spots it, Jeongin lets out a whine instantly, while he recoils briefly, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“He needs a healer,” he says decisively, continuing his examination to see if there’s any other wounds, but keeping half of his attention on his pack members. “Sung, get Momo noona. Jeongin, run to get clear water. We can’t move him until we know it won’t make things worse.”

Gentle is the breeze that ruffles the hairs on his back, the hairs around his snout shifting in its playful push and pull. He’s long resigned himself to the fact that his colouring is as ordinary as it gets; nothing to make him stand out from others, but on sunny days like this he occasionally catches a glimpse of himself in the stream and realises it’s not so bad. His fur is almost golden in certain spots, a vibrant brown with black throughout that makes it easier to hide from human eyes when necessary and that gives him an advantage in certain other situations as well.

Ah, but he thinks perhaps it would be nice to have a fur like the other alpha. Dense, shaggy hairs that work well to stop sharp teeth from piercing his skin, that will keep an attack from hitting as hard as it could. A deep black colour, too, perfect for hiding in the darkness of the night, yet harder to hide during the day, when the forests are nothing but green and brown. Even harder to hide in winter when snow turns the landscape a perfect white.

And yet… Chan finds himself thinking of that fur often. Thinking even more often of its owner, how lucky he is to have fur like that, to be so easily recognisable and so effortlessly intimidating. He wishes often, that he could be like that too, that all it would take to chase off rival alphas would be just one glance at him. Alas, he’s had to fight many a time and prove himself in different ways. Not any less effective, perhaps, but requiring a lot more effort and putting him to a much bigger risk.

Turning his gaze away from the horizon, from the border of his territory, he glances towards the side where Jeongin and Jisung are roughhousing, playfully fighting each other. Jeongin eventually tires the quickest of it, he always does, and snaps his teeth at Jisung's nose a little too harshly with a warning growl. Jisung, to his credit, takes the hint and backs off, whining high in his throat and briefly wagging the tip of his tail in an attempt at soothing Jeongin's annoyance. It works, of course, and when Jeongin moves closer to Jisung again, it's to nuzzle him and playfully chew on his ears.

It's a soft little yip from Chan that pulls both of their attention, their ears immediately turning fully to him to hear whatever he wants. He simply motions with his head and then turns around to jog away, his steps quickly turning into a run once the other two follow him.

It's been a week since the other alpha showed up at his border. A week that the wolf has spent at the healer's place, the only neutral space in Chan's territory. Momo has updated them on his state every day, so he knows the wolf is slowly recovering and mostly sleeping, his wound healing at a steady pace now that he's been given the chance to let his body rest as it needs. No longer bleeding out probably helps too, Chan thinks.

But it nags at the back of his mind. What will the alpha do when he's in full health? Sure, he owes Chan for taking him to a healer instead of leaving him for death, but the actual life debt is owed to Momo, which means the alpha could still try to challenge him, try to take over his territory if it's to his liking. Jeongin and Jisung will still follow him no matter what, but it'll be a hassle to find another territory that serves them as well as this one does. They're at the edge of town, after all, close to all the necessities while still having endless open nature to run in, to play in and to get lost in. He paid a lot of money to buy the grounds off other people and have them properly fenced off to make sure no humans would venture inside unsuspectingly.

It doesn't stop the other wolves and creatures as proven by the appearance of this alpha, of course, but it's better than most of the places they've resided in so far. So will he have to give that up again soon just because he saved another alpha who was clearly capable of defeating him?

The scent of his distress must have reached his pack mates' noses because they whine at him and immediately rush to catch up. Jisung pounces on top of him, Jeongin still a little too shy to try anything like that, though he does crowd against his flank. Jisung has it right, of course, there's nothing like some gentle play-fighting and the consecutive grooming session to take his mind fully off his worries. By the time they reach the shed at the back of the house where they shift to their human shapes again, he's almost forgotten the wolf.

Except when they head inside, there's a note from Momo on the table, foreboding the return of the mainly recovered alpha to their home.

"Chan-ah?" Momo's voice is clear and bright when she calls into the house for him. He sighs deeply when he hears it and pushes himself up from his chair, walking over to the hallway to meet her. Her features brighten upon spotting him, her warm smile enough to make him forget the reason for her visit. "Hey you," she says warmly and immediately reaches out her arms to pull him into a hug. He allows it only because of their long history, and the fact that he'll never be anything other than Momo's little brother no matter how old he grows.

"I'm really sorry about this, but I promised I'd look after Lia and he's not recovered enough for me to be able to send him off again," she tells him when she lets go.

He shakes his head, understanding her worries and her trepidation, even if they don't change anything about the problem it poses for him now. As she pulls back and catches a glimpse of his face, though, Momo's laugh is bright.

"For someone who hates coming in contact with other alphas, you sure do rescue a lot of them, huh?" She teases, prodding a finger into his shoulder and making him huff out a reluctant little laugh.

"Noona," he whines. "What was I supposed to do? Leave him to bleed out? Did you forget we were raised by the same person? I could as much let someone die as you could leave a stray on its own."

She laughs again, and takes hold of his face to press an almost aggressive kiss to his hair. His features immediately shift into something uncomfortable - and okay, maybe he knows where Jeongin got the habit from. "I know, Channie," she reassures him, running a hand over his hair and then glancing past him into the house. "No kids?"

He shakes his head. “Jisung’s picking Jeongin up from school,” he explains in a soft voice, thinking of his boys who are always enough to brighten his mood a little, even when he's faced with the prospect of taking in an unknown alpha, letting him close to his pack and allowing him to see their weaknesses.

As always, Momo seems capable of reading his mind, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He's far from capable of defeating you," she says reassuringly. "He may be awake now but he's still hurt and he hasn't even been able to shift yet. One nudge to his hurt side and he's out of commission. You know I would have just sent him off again if he posed an actual danger to you and yours."

He knows this, rationally, of course, but instinctually every part of him is tensing up and ringing all the alarm bells. Sure, he's helped out plenty of other alphas before, but either it was back when he didn't have a territory to defend yet or they were weaker than him and posed no real threat, like Yeji. Sure, she's strong and capable and defends her own pack and territory well, but in a fight she'd be no match for him. Not that it matters now; they have a truce, but…

"Chan-ah," Momo's voice breaks through the worried spiralling of his thoughts. "I'm a phone call away, so is Yeji. We won't let him just take over." The sympathetic smile following those words shows that she realises that's not his only worry, but he appreciates the reassurance nonetheless.

"Thanks, noona," he hums, sending her a brief smile and then breathing in deeply so he can breathe out the rest of his worries for now. It's right on time, too, because moments later the door opens and both Jisung and Jeongin come stumbling inside, laughing happily and only brightening more upon spotting Momo.

"Noona!" Jisung yells. "Are you staying for dinner? We picked up beef with my paycheck!"

Momo, ever so willing to indulge Jisung's affections, immediately accepts the offer, and with his pack members now present, Chan slowly lets go of his worries for the rest of the evening.

The next morning, however, the black wolf cautiously crawls out of Momo's car, paws trembling as he stops just far enough away that the healer can close her car door behind him, but nowhere near the front door of the house. It's early enough that none of the townspeople are already out and about being nosy, but not so early that Jisung and Jeongin aren't standing inside with their noses pressed against the window, expectant.

"Hello," Chan says when he looks at the other alpha. Even now, barely awake, with paws trembling due to the effort of simply standing and eyes hazy with pain or medication, the black furred alpha looks strong and capable, much more so than Chan himself. Not for the first time he wishes he could be more like this, more capable of protecting his pack and keeping them safe. He pushes the thought away in favour of focusing on the matter at hand. "I'm offering you the hospitality of our home until such a time when you feel good enough to continue your travels or when there's space for you again at the healer's to recover, whichever comes first. Do you accept?"

The dark wolf's eyes briefly lock with his and he feels that similar thrill of warning, his instincts briefly going haywire as he willingly offers a rival alpha a place so close to all he holds dear. But all the alpha does is once again lower its head, snout nearly pressed to the ground. It's the best sign of submission he can give with his side stitched and healing as it is, and Chan accepts it without lingering on it for too long.

"Alright, then come inside. We made you a bed in one of the spare rooms downstairs. There's water available for you at all times. If you're hungry you can just let me know. I would prefer it if you didn't interact with my pack unless absolutely necessary." He motions a hand towards the door and watches the wolf put himself in motion. It's a miracle that he even makes it to the door, really, with how weak he looks, but the black alpha keeps going doggedly on, and so Chan briefly nods at Momo in greeting before quickly leading the way into the house to the room set aside for their visitor.

Temporary, he hopes.

"We'll leave the door to the garden open so you can exit and enter this room as you please. The blankets are for you to use as you wish as well. We eat breakfast around eight, lunch at twelve and dinner around seven. If you're hungry outside of those hours, come find me and I'll get you something. My office is two doors down. Anything else you'd like to know?"

He glances down at the alpha, who shakes his head slowly, so he pushes open the door to the guest room and motions him inside. They'd pushed aside the minimal furniture and Jeongin and Jisung made a comfortable nest of blankets that could serve as an oversized dog pillow for the hurt wolf. Momo let them know what he would need to be comfortable and they provided everything, never willing to half ass anything.

As he watches the black alpha slowly step inside, sniff the creation and then cautiously step on it to lower himself down on the softest part of it, Chan feels his chest filling with pride for his pack's efforts.

"I'll leave you to it then," he says, briefly pulling up the corners of his mouth in a smile. "Make sure to get enough rest."

With that, he pulls the door halfway closed to give the alpha some semblance of privacy and then walks over to the living room to go check on his pack members.

The other alpha integrates into their lives relatively easily, mainly because he hardly leaves the room. Chan's instincts still flare up occasionally, but the black wolf is so weak that it's clear Momo was right in saying he's not a threat. Some days he barely even manages the walk from his room to the kitchen to get some food in his system, really. Though he always seems to make sure to relieve himself outside of the house and even far enough away that his scent wouldn't make it back to the house.

Jisung and Jeongin are endlessly curious about him, but they keep their distance as per Chan's instructions, going about their business as usual yet avoiding the visitor's room. It settles a lot of his anxieties as well, to know they're not trying to get closer to someone he's so wary of. It's almost ironic how he seems to have more trouble than them to stay away from the stranger, constantly finding his attention and thoughts wandering off to him.

He often stops the train of thought before it can get all the way to the stranger, focusing on his work and the many small jobs around the house, but he often finds himself thinking of the black wolf anyway.

About four days later, when Jisung's at work and Jeongin's at school, and he's standing at the living room window staring outside, the subject of many of his thoughts finds him unbidden.

“Chan-ssi?”

He turns his head slowly, tearing his eyes away from the view and fixing his gaze on the man standing in the door opening to the living room. There’s a cautious tilt to the man’s head, his stance a little tense, the one arm draped around his own middle seemingly trying to support his recovering body. Chan knows who he is without having ever seen him before; his scent is so obvious. The wintry freshness of pine trees laced with the darkness of cedar is unmistakable at this point.

Still, he straightens up a little, pulling his shoulders back and making himself appear taller. Not that he really has to; in his human shape, the other alpha isn’t very tall, though he’s built stocky and strong. He looks powerful, arms the size of small tree trunks and a sharp look in his eyes that Chan doesn’t doubt misses almost nothing of what’s going on around him.

“You’re awake,” he says simply, nodding at the stranger in his home, in his territory. There is a brief return nod and then a temporary silence as their gazes lock.

“I wanted to-” the man says, before suddenly wincing and then ducking together a little as he clenches his free hand into a fist. “Sorry,” he mumbles, leaning against the doorframe and breathing in cautiously. “I’m sorry. My name is Changbin. I wanted to thank you for helping me. I probably wouldn’t have survived much longer on my own.”

Chan inclines his head in agreement with the truth of those words, though he can’t help but add: “Long enough to have found a healer on your own, though.”

Changbin, because that is apparently the stranger’s name, makes a face of bitter amusement and lets out a soft hum. “I appreciate your confidence in my abilities, but I doubt I would have found much of anything while I was passed out.”

That, at least, pulls a huffed out laugh from him. “Perhaps.” He gives the stranger another look. He doesn’t know what it is, but something in Changbin’s stance makes him slowly relax, until his shoulders drop again and he can’t help the small smile that continues to linger. “How are you feeling? Good enough to shift, apparently.”

Changbin’s smile blooms cautiously, a gentle thing that softens his features even more, makes him look a lot more approachable than his neutral expression does. “I’m alright,” he agrees. “Barely good enough to shift, admittedly, but I wanted to-” He makes an aborted motion of his hand and then shrugs. “You seem to communicate more this way so I wanted to adapt to you. I know it must be very uncomfortable for you to have a stranger in your home who you know nothing about, so I wanted to at least talk to you a bit."

There's so much more behind his words: the fact that he shifted while Chan's pack isn't home so as to not put him in a difficult position with them, the fact that he shifted when actually still too weak to fully do so so Chan wouldn't feel threatened, the fact that he's trying to put Chan's no doubt obvious anxiety to rest.

"You shouldn't be up and about," Chan says, still a bit cautious but showing some of his other worries anyway. The ones he holds for a wolf who'd been so near death, barely recovered enough to exist. "Come sit." He walks over to the table, pulls back a chair and waits for the other alpha to sit down.

For all the time he spent worrying about both their levels of strength and the threat the other alpha posed, Changbin seems to carry none of the same worries. Even though Chan could probably take him out with a few well-placed attacks right now, Changbin simply shuffles over and lets his tired body sink down on the chair. For a moment Chan is even certain that he tilts over more than necessary just to be able to breathe in Chan's scent.

He moves to pull out a chair for himself as well and takes a seat across from the other alpha. Changbin looks tired, pale, a little bit like death warmed over. When he meets his gaze briefly, though, the other alpha's lips suddenly turn up into a small smile as well, softening his entire features. Chan's heart melts in less than a second, endearment and affection drowning out any of his earlier worries, even quieting down his instinctual need to protect his pack from a rival alpha.

"What happened?" He asks, relaxing his frame, leaning forward just a little bit as he puts an elbow on the table to support himself, not taking his gaze off the other man. Aside from the brief glance, Changbin keeps his eyes turned down, every part of his stance submissive and unchallenging.

"I had a disagreement with another wolf," he admits slowly, breathing carefully in between as if trying not to move his body too much. "I was determined to take something that he thought belonged to him." Changbin's wry little smile is almost self-deprecating, though there's a hint of derision in it as well, Chan thinks. Clearly he doesn't seem as convinced of the fact as the other wolf had been.

"What kind of something?" He asks, and realises only moments later that he lifted his head so he could look down on the other alpha even more. He tenses, realising that even now he's still waiting for Changbin to suddenly jump up and go right for his throat, yelling something like 'his pack!' and absolutely annihilating him.

The reality is, of course, that Changbin glances up, winces at whatever he sees on Chan's face or feels in his side, and slumps a little more over the tabletop as he violently struggles to stay somewhat upright. "Two of his pack. Barely more than pups. They wanted out. He wouldn't let them."

The growl is out of his throat before he realises it; low and feral, angry to its core. "He's keeping them against their will?" He demands, words clipped in his immediate need to help, to absolutely destroy the unknown alpha who thinks he can own people like cattle, to be kept or sold as he pleases.

No answer is forthcoming, however, because Changbin slumps onto the table completely, passed out cold once more. When his hand relaxes from over his side, Chan's nose immediately catches on to the familiar scent of the alpha's blood.

"Fuck," he curses, already scrambling for the phone to call Momo again.

"No more pulling your stitches. Definitely no shifting. You got into your human form so now you can stay like this until you're healed." Momo's tone is stern as she expertly tucks the end of the dressing under a previous fold and stares the alpha down with zero trepidation. Changbin withers under her gaze, like any smart man would Chan thinks, and meekly nods his head to her orders.

"Yes, Momo-ssi," he mumbles quietly, submitting to her almost as easily as he had to Chan. It causes Momo to roll her eyes and tap him under his chin.

"None of that grovelling, I'm not a wolf. And call me noona. I've had you on your back at my mercy, I think we're past formalities, Changbin-ah."

The alpha turns a sudden and bright shade of rose at the words, ducking his head down even more before briefly glancing up to meet Momo's gaze. "Thank you very much for your help, noona," he utters quietly, seeming suddenly shy under her gentle hands. "I'm sorry for pulling my stitches, I won't do it again."

Momo seems temporarily endeared by him as well, Chan notes, the line of her back relaxing and a small smile finding its way onto her features. Then she reaches up and almost fondly ruffles Changbin's hair. "You're welcome, Changbin-ah. Chan can help you change your dressing if needed. Once the bleeding stops again, you can wash yourself if you're able to." Her eyes briefly flicker over to him as if to check whether he'd be okay with that. He keeps his face carefully neutral, though, and just keeps his gaze levelled on the spot where Changbin is tugging his shirt back down over his redressed wound.

"Thank you, noona," Changbin repeats, and then Chan spots his head moving, looking up right in time to catch the other alpha's gaze. "Thank you, Chan-ssi. I'm sorry for inconveniencing you."

He holds the alpha's gaze a moment longer, trying to give absolutely nothing away while attempting to unearth every single one of Changbin's thoughts. When proven unsuccessful as mind reading isn't actually a skill he possesses, he gives a minute shake of his head to dismiss the gratitude before looking away.

"The kids are coming home soon, noona," he says, fixing his eyes on Momo again. "Are you staying for dinner?"

She smiles but shakes her head in return. "I'm still looking after Lia for now. It's a bad one again, so it'll still be a few more days. I'm headed back straight away. But I'll call you when it's over." She stands up from her chair, coming over to pull him into a brief hug before letting go and glancing back at the other alpha briefly. "I better not hear from either of you again about that wound, unless it gets infected, alright?"

In his periphery, Chan catches Changbin nodding in time with him, both an amusing and somehow uncomfortable thing. He quickly turns away to precede his friend to the front door, the discomfort crawling around under his skin all the way there. He stops at the door, holding it open for his friend and letting her walk out. Surprisingly, she stops right outside and puts a hand on his arm.

"Channie, if there's anything whatsoever, call me, okay?" She says, looking at him with a strangely intense gaze. He can only nod his head numbly, flash her a smile and then watch her walk off until she gets into her car. He keeps watching until she turns off the driveway and out of his sight, just in time to catch Jisung's car pulling onto the driveway, with Jeongin in the passenger seat.

He stays in the door opening until Jisung has parked the car and then walks over to them to welcome them home. Jeongin smiles at him while Jisung's hugging him straight away after exiting the car. He allows his younger friend to nuzzle him for a bit, knowing full well how much Jisung hates smelling like the outside world, but then straightens up in order to look at them both.

"The alpha shifted to his human shape," he tells them solemnly. "His name is Changbin. He pulled his stitches doing so, that's why noona was here. If you want, I can introduce you guys to him today."

Immediately Jeongin's eyes shine with his natural curiosity, but Jisung shrinks in on himself a little. "You don't have to if you don't want to," he makes sure to add. "But he's going to be around the house for at least a couple more days and I assume you'll be running into him near the bathroom at least once, so it might be better to introduce you all. I'll be right there."

Jisung glances briefly at Jeongin before looking back at him and then giving a quick nod of his head. "Okay," he murmurs. "But I'm staying next to you."

The statement makes him smile, a soft and fond thing as he lifts a hand to put it in the back of Jisung's neck. His two pack members, the most precious beings in the entire world. As Jeongin reaches out to briefly touch Jisung's wrist in support, Chan makes use of the opportunity to press a quick kiss to his friend's temple.

"Alright. Let's go say hi before he's asleep again. I'm sure he's exhausted."

Changbin sits cross-legged on the floor of his room, expression tinged with surprise once they enter though it soon shifts into a gentle smile. Once again Chan feels that same strange discomfort flicker through him, buzzing under his skin, but he pushes it away in an effort to appear unphased and confident.

"Changbin-ssi," he says, "I wanted to introduce you to my pack members. These are Jisung and Jeongin." He motions at each of them in turn. Jisung stays close to his shoulder but dips into a bow anyway, while Jeongin beams a wide smile as he bows along, though keeps curiously peering at the by now familiar-smelling stranger.

"It's nice to meet you," Changbin says, bowing his head to return their greeting. "I would get up to greet you but I've been ordered not to strain my body too much, I apologise."

Jeongin's grin only widens, while Jisung lets out a tentative hum, his anxiety and curiosity clearly warring to get the upper hand. Chan continues to watch the other alpha, still making sure he won't make any sudden movements towards his pack members.

"It's nice to meet you too," Jeongin chimes first, and Jisung murmurs something similar. Changbin's face softens with another smile as his eyes take them in. Chan thinks it looks like fondness and that, too, rubs him the wrong way apparently as it only increases the buzzing under his skin. He feels restless and cagey, desperate to throw the whole man out of his house, yet incapable of doing something like that to a severely wounded stranger.

His scent must sour again, because Jisung's nose wrinkles, his friend throwing him a curious look.

"I'm sorry for invading your home," Changbin speaks up again just then, however, diverting Jisung's attention. "I hope to be out of your hair again soon. I appreciate the place to sleep, though."

"Shouldn't we get him an actual bed now that he's human?" Jeongin pipes up, curious eyes shifting to Chan and he immediately realises the truth of the words.

"Not a bad idea, Innie," he agrees, nodding. "We'll move the old bed back in here. The nest won't be as comfortable now."

He thinks regret briefly flits over Changbin's features but he nods in acceptance anyway. "Thank you."

With a brisk nod, Chan motions his pack members out the door again. "Innie, get the sheets and pillows. We'll move the frame back in, Ji." He watches his two friends walk out the door to follow his orders before looking back at the other alpha. "Could you move over to the side a bit, Changbin-ssi? I wouldn't want to accidentally hit you with the bed frame as we move it in."

His only response is a subdued nod, and Changbin already starting to move to get out of the way.

So Changbin gets a bed, and a soft mattress, and blankets, and sheets, and he uses their bathroom, and he sits in their kitchen and joins them for breakfast, lunch, dinner. He tries to offer his help with clearing the table, doing the dishes, making the food, but Chan declines it all. In the end, he seems to give up on trying, and simply moves around the house like a ghost, barely noticeable except for his scent lingering in their house, mingling with their own like he belongs.

Chan's body crawls with more of that unfamiliar feeling each day, the alpha's continued presence like an itch he can't scratch. Momo calls him to inform him there are complications and she'll have to take care of Lia for longer so Changbin can't go back to her house yet. Chan aches to let his wolf run free, but he doesn't feel comfortable leaving the house behind alone with another alpha - feels even less comfortable leaving his pack behind alone with another alpha.

In the end his restlessness infects the house's atmosphere, to the point where Jisung is getting more fidgety by the day.

"Hyung," Jeongin tells him one day when they're standing at the front gate together waiting for Jeongin's bus to arrive since Jisung had to be at work early. "I know he's a stranger and an alpha, but he's been nothing but kind and accommodating. Even Jisung's starting to relax around him. Why are you still so wary? The house feels like a fight might break out any day with the way your scent spikes every five minutes."

He's struck dumb by the words, having been unaware how obvious he'd apparently been acting. Before he can even try to think of something to respond, Jeongin straightens up. "Oh, there's my bus! See you tonight, hyung!" And off he goes, jogging over to the bus stop, greeting the driver with bright enthusiasm and then dashing over to his seat. In no time, the bus drives away, Jeongin disappearing from his reach once more.

When he turns to walk back to the house, he catches a glimpse of movement in the living room through the large windows. His stomach clenches quite suddenly, the buzzing under his skin picking up once more at the thought of Changbin moving around in his house unsupervised. His walk back across the driveway is faster than ever before, though he has just enough pride left not to run.

The door closes behind him with a very final sounding click, and a sudden intense silence descends upon the house. Almost as if he could really smell Chan's distress, Changbin appears in the living room doorway but moments later. Their eyes meet immediately, and suddenly the tension rises, to a point where it feels like it could be cut through with a knife.

"Chan-ssi," Changbin says slowly. "I-" He falters, looks away, looks back, shifts his gaze down to Chan's chest with all the deference he can show. "I think I'm capable enough to leave now. I've made use of your hospitality long enough when it is clear that my presence here makes you uncomfortable. I didn't mean to intrude as I have, I apologise for that. I've very little in the way of belongings, so I can leave today if you want. I would like to thank your pack members and say goodbye before I go, though, if you'll allow me to."

It's so strange, the way every single word out of Changbin's mouth is seeped in deference, giving all of the power to make the decisions to Chan, not even so much as trying to assert any dominance in any way. In fact; it feels like Changbin's doing the exact opposite, trying to show he would follow any and every one of Chan's words and decisions.

It sparks a sudden anger inside of him. Anger at being kept in the dark; at not understanding Changbin's reasoning, at not getting the expected reaction from the other alpha at all. It bursts from him in a jumble of words, all rushing up his throat to be spoken first.

"Why are you here?" He asks, almost demands, his eyes never leaving the other wolf. "Why did you come here? You must have smelled us a while before you reached the border. Why did you keep going? If you'd turned away you would have found the healer yourself but instead you risked entering an established pack's territory. Why? Why would you risk facing another alpha if not because you wanted his territory and why are you so-" He stops short, not finding any words to describe Changbin's behaviour with.

Changbin doesn't even glance up anymore, keeping his gaze on the floor, looking uncomfortable. The usually so clear quality to his scent darkens with insecurity and hesitance, his emotions broadcasted for the first time since he arrived. When Chan lets the silence linger, though, the other alpha does glance up, and there's a conflicted expression on his face.

"I-" He starts, pauses and then drops his gaze again. The line of his shoulders is tense as he worries his lower lip, but even though he's quite certain it's making the other wolf uncomfortable, Chan doesn't avert his gaze. Eventually, Changbin sighs in defeat, lifting a hand to run it through his hair.

"I don't know, Chan-ssi. I was half delirious and in pain. I don't remember much. All I know is that as I was walking towards your territory and when I reached your border, I just felt certain that I was going somewhere safe."

Changbin lifts his head again, meeting Chan's gaze. There is such desperation in the alpha's eyes that it briefly robs Chan of his breath. "I swear I don't want to take your territory. I don't want to be a leader. I just- I wanted to be safe. And your territory-" Changbin cuts himself off, shakes his head, determinedly meets his gaze head on and says: "You smell safe, hyung."

The silence after those words is deafening. Chan's heart pounds loudly in his ears. Changbin holds his gaze a little longer as if to convince him of the truth of his words, but then quickly averts his gaze again, submitting once more. Submitting ever since he arrived. Submitting to Chan's wishes, his decisions, his questions, his frustration. Bearing everything. Baring everything.

The buzz under Chan's skin picks up again, like static all over his body. He makes a split second decision, unable to ignore his instincts any longer.

"Stay," he says, more a command than anything he's ever said before. "I'm going for a run. Don't leave the room."

Changbin's eyes widen in surprise, but then he inclines his head in acceptance, moving further back into the living room, obeying the command. Chan's already out the back door and out of his clothes before one of the chair's legs scrape over the floor as it's pulled back by the other alpha. He shifts into his wolf form and hits the ground running.

It takes over an hour of just running before he finally feels calmer, but still he keeps going. He patrols the entire border of his territory, running until his tongue lolls out of his mouth and he's panting hard with exertion. He stops at the stream to drink, then goes to find a nice, comfortable spot in a patch of sunny grass to relax for a while. His mind runs a thousand miles a minute at all times, it feels like, but for a brief moment the physical exhaustion drowns it out.

Then the scent of strangers invades his nostrils and he's on his paws immediately.

He tracks the scent to the northeastern border of their lands, managing to sneak up on two wolves loitering around the fence. One of them has slightly longer, golden-blonde fur that falls sleekly down his frame, stirred lightly by the breeze. The other has a fluffy type of darker brown fur interspersed with black and lighter brown patches. They seem indecisive about something, the lightly coloured wolf moving back and forth along the fence, the other one standing a small end away from it, ears turning in every direction.

After what feels like a an endless moment suspended in time, the light coloured wolf suddenly yips at its companion and ducks under the fence, stepping onto Chan's territory. Immediately he rushes out of the bushes, hackles raised, teeth bared, coming to a stop a few steps away from the intruder, the warning growl freshly out of his throat.

The two wolves' reaction is immediate. The darker one still outside the border yelps in surprise, shooting forward as if to come to its companion's aid, only to stop short and press its stomach flat against the ground just two steps further, submitting entirely. Meanwhile the light coloured wolf tensed up immediately, flattened itself to the ground and stared at him with wide eyes. The second he comes to a stop, though, the light coloured wolf immediately rolls over, paws up in the air, baring both its throat and stomach in utter submission.

The scent of fear is thick and cloying, so intense he can't even properly make out their individual scents anymore. What he can tell, however, is that neither of them are alphas, and both of them are trembling and terrified, waiting for his reaction.

He cautiously approaches the light coloured wolf, keeping half an eye on the one outside of the border as he moves forward. When he comes within touching distance of the light wolf, it lets out a clearly apologetic whine, shifting around even more to show it means no harm, baring its throat even further. He lowers his head, sniffing the wolf's muzzle, then its throat. In his periphery, he sees the wolf's tail start to move, thumping on the grass with hopeful wags. As he continues his careful research, the wolf stays perfectly still otherwise, clearly desperately trying to appease him.

In the end, he nudges his nose against the wolf's side, urging it to get back on its paws. It takes a moment before the wolf listens, cautiously rolling over, though not standing up fully but keeping its belly pressed to the floor. After a moment's consideration, Chan takes a step back and shifts to his human shape. Almost immediately, the lightly coloured wolf follows his example.

Before him stands a black-haired young man. As much as the wolf looked barely more than a pup, this human looks like he's Jisung and Jeongin's age. His expression is drawn and closed off, but the thick scent of fear still lingering in the air tells Chan exactly why that is. So he gets straight to the point.

"Who are you and why are you here?"

Upon hearing his voice, the young man quickly glances back at the dark brown wolf which still hasn't shifted nor moved, and then looks back at him, bowing his head immediately. He mumbles something too quiet to understand, hands trembling where he clasps them together in front of his middle. When he shifts, there's a faded bruise the shape of a set of teeth visible on the back of his upper arm, and some old scarring on his shoulder.

Immediately, all of Chan's protective instincts flare. He softens his aggressive stance and mellows out his emotions, his scent following along immediately. The young wolf across from him automatically breathes in more deeply, the tight grip of his hands slowly loosening, his body relaxing a fraction.

"I'm sorry, I did not understand you," Chan says. "What's your name? What made you cross onto my territory?"

The young man lifts his head, briefly looking at his face and then away again. "I'm Hyunjin," he says, still quiet but a lot more understandable than before. "That's Seungmin. We were looking- We were looking for a friend of ours and the trail of his scent ended at the border of your territory. We didn't want to intrude but it's been more than a week and we were very worried. I'm sorry. We'll leave again, we'll go."

At the quiver of fear in the young man's voice, Chan immediately mellows out even more, softening his scent to comfort and reassure the other wolf. "It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. Does your friend have a name?" He's quite sure that he knows which name will be spoken next and which two 'barely more than pups' he's got cowering before him, but he still gives the young man a chance to speak for himself.

"Changbin. His name is Changbin. He got hurt and we lost track of him. He's- Ah. Have you seen him? Sir." The hopeful look on the young man's face is undeniable when he briefly glances up again, and Chan's heart nearly cracks in two when he takes in the sight of the wolf. He's skinny, almost malnourished, body littered with faded bruises and old scars. His hair is unkempt and wild, his skin and nails dirty, but he holds himself with a certain poise that speaks of something beyond just suffering.

"I have seen your friend," he admits, and now the dark coloured wolf lifts its head as well, ears perked forward to catch every single one of his words. "He arrived here two weeks ago almost, gravely wounded. A local healer treated him and he is still recovering from his injuries. He is otherwise fine and unharmed." Lifting his gaze to the other wolf he adds: "Come and join us, please, Seungmin."

A jolt goes through the wolf, his muscles seemingly spasming in an attempt to get closer yet stay in place at the same time, before he pushes himself up from the ground and jogs over, also slipping under the fence to get to them. When he reaches Hyunjin's side, he shifts to his human shape as well, quivering as he stands there. Their hands find each other's automatically, holding on carefully even when both of their attention remains fully on him.

Seungmin is the poster child of what a pup looks like, Chan thinks, his fluffy hair a mess on his head, his eyes wide and round, his frame lithe and brittle. There's something in his eyes, though, something steady and wise beyond his years. A pup that has already seen too much, wisened by it rather than angered the way he thinks Hyunjin is more like.

"If you want, you can come with me to go see him," he tells them both. "He'll be happy to see the both of you. He told me about you." Their heads snap up immediately, politeness briefly forgotten in their surprise.

"Really?" Hyunjin asks in a high voice, and Seungmin immediately looks twice as young because of the excited sparkle in his eyes and the wide smile that pulls at his lips.

"First I need to make sure of one thing, though," he makes himself say, eyeing both young wolves cautiously. "Is someone following you? Will anyone show up to try and get you back?"

The two pups share a look only then, before shaking their head in unison. "He was in pretty bad shape when we left," Seungmin says in an even tone of voice. "Maybe he's dead by now. But even if he's still alive, it'd be a long time before he'd be capable of hunting us down and I doubt he'd put in the effort. I can't say it with a hundred percent certainty but I don't think anyone will try to find us."

Chan nods, accepting this as truth. As they've been talking, the fear has slowly left the two wolves' scents, replaced by a tinkling excitement that smells sweet on both of them. They're clearly still young, unpresented like Jisung and Jeongin are, but so obvious in their scent broadcasting that it's nothing short of endearing.

"Let's go then," he says, offering the two young wolves a small smile before shifting back to the version of him that can cross his own territory in a lot less time than two legs could. Especially two naked legs. It takes all of a few seconds for the two young wolves to follow his example and then he's already off running, trusting them to keep up.

It seems they'd been loitering at the border for longer than he thought, because they're clearly fresh and full of energy, though they make sure to stay just a step behind and to his left, far enough away not to be threatening, close enough to show they're following his lead. It feels almost reminiscent of running with his own pack, except Jeongin and Jisung would've long started annoying each other already.

Grinning at the mere thought of his pack members, he randomly takes a happy little leap and yips at the two young wolves, causing them to nearly stumble over their own feet in their surprise before they're yipping back, tails wagging happily as they pick up the pace.

"Changbin."

His voice echoes through the house the second he steps over the threshold, calling for the other alpha without hesitation. It's clear that he expects to be obeyed, and he's not proven wrong when the one he called appears in the door opening to the living room again. Immediately there's happy yips from behind him, and then two overly excited wolves push past him and into the house, rushing to greet the alpha.

"Careful," he immediately says before they can even reach him, voice authoritive and sharp. The two wolves immediately falter in their steps, letting out apologetic little whines and turning to face him again entirely, their friend and their excitement forgotten. "He's still healing," he tells them more softly, making sure to assuage their worries over him being angry at their renewed intrusion. "So be careful. No jumping. Avoid his sides. If you cause his wound to reopen I won't be able to protect you from the healer's wrath."

Both wolves yip their agreement, so he waves them off to continue as they were. He watches briefly the way they immediately advance on the alpha again, though slower now. Changbin slowly sinks down to the floor right where he's standing, a warm smile on his face as he reaches for both of them, hands ruffling their fur, his pine tree scent freshening with relief and happiness.

It's nothing compared to the overwhelming scent of the two young wolves that is permeating his hallway, but Chan can't find it in himself to be mad about it. He also can't find it in himself to stay and watch, though, so he simply continues walking again. After gathering his clothes and putting them back on, he heads over to the kitchen to make some food and get out some drinks, certain the young wolves can use some nourishment.

By the time Jisung's car pulls up the driveway and his two pack members enter the house, the two young wolves are sitting at the dining table with Changbin, dressed in some old sweatpants and shirts Chan had lying around. The atmosphere is light, the happiness still not having faded from their scents.

The second the front door opens, however, the dark swirls of burnt chestnuts immediately reach Chan's nose, tempered only by the cautious excitement in Jeongin's scent. He's already moving towards the hallway, but his two pack members appear in the doorway before he makes it there. Jisung's gaze finds the two new wolves almost immediately and the burnt scent only increases. It's a blessing that none of the young wolves can really pick up on these scents in their human shape, though Chan is certain Changbin's nose must feel as overwhelmed as his does.

"Jisung," he says softly, reaching for the younger man's arm. "Jeongin," he adds then as he reaches out to his youngest as well and lets him take hold of his hand. "Seungmin and Hyunjin showed up at the border today. They knew Changbin and were worried about him so I let them come see him. I lost track of time or I would have made sure you knew before coming home."

He gently squeezes Jisung's arm. "Are you okay or shall I tell them to go outside?" His younger friend's attention remains fixed on the two newcomers, though, his nostrils flaring as he's clearly breathing in whatever part of their scent he can pick up on. And then, suddenly, a rumble starts in his chest, dark and threatening.

"Jisung!" He immediately scolds, looking back at the two wolves who'd been trembling in fear just hours ago. Yet they seem unaffected by Jisung's threat, though they're keeping politely still so as to not further set him off. "They are guests! Behave!"

The rumbling cuts off, Jisung's gaze flicking back to him so suddenly the angry look on his face isn't entirely gone yet when their eyes meet. "They're leaving again?" His younger friend asks him, but he's not sure how to reply to that straight away.

"They- I don't know. I've not yet spoken to them about that. They were scared, hungry and worried, so I took care of those things first. We'll talk about it. They're certainly not leaving before dinner."

Surprisingly, Jisung relaxes a little, though still wary, but he briefly glances past Chan and then back at him. "Is hyung leaving?"

The words hit him like a bucket of ice cold water, freezing him in place. The devastation hidden behind them more so than anything else. Suddenly Jisung's anger is painted not in the light of new wolves' intrusion into his home, but in the light of the other alpha's possible pack coming to take him away. Which Jisung is more upset about it seems than even the fact that he's facing strangers.

When did his younger friend get so close to the other alpha? The uncomfortable buzzing under his skin that had disappeared since his run that morning returns there and then, his blood like ice in his veins. He's certain that his scent must be warping though he's not sure himself what emotion he's feeling, but he can already see Jeongin wrinkling his nose, feel his fingers hold on to his hand a little better, while Jisung's expression morphs from its earlier displeasure to confused surprise.

"Channie hyung?" Jisung inquires, hands now reaching for him. He lets them touch him, lets them stroke his arms and reach for his face as he slowly works to rein his emotions back in, whatever they are. Only when he's certain he can speak without them showing in his voice does he straighten more properly. Who knows what he's given away to the other alpha now. His deepest fears? His pack members?

"I don't know, Jisung," he says slowly. "But if he wants to, then he will." A breath, his hands moving to take his younger friend's hands off him gently so he can move away without seeming dismissive. "We'll talk about it later. Go freshen up for now, I'll have food ready when you get back, alright?" He manages a smile for his young friend, and then he's drawing away, heading back towards the kitchen.

He avoids looking at their guests, or the other alpha, or anyone at all on his way there, focusing only on his goal and the sound of his two pack members listening to him by heading up the stairs to freshen up. It's only when he's standing in front of his counter that he realises Jisung didn't even try to convince him to let him drink in his scent for a while.

The emotion that evokes is definitely hurt. A sharp twinge of it in his chest, twisting his heart and leaving him temporarily breathless. Luckily no one follows him into the kitchen so he can deal with it by himself before starting on their dinner.

He's made his way through chopping up all the vegetables and preparing the pots and pans he'll need when the pine tree scent announces Changbin's arrival in the kitchen.

"Hyung," the other alpha says from the door opening and Chan's stomach churns with the unfamiliar discomfort, something like apprehension filling his lungs. He still turns around anyway, because he's been raised polite. Because Changbin has never really done anything wrong, has he? "I'm sorry," the other alpha continues now. "I just- He was crying once, after you scolded him for not cleaning up after himself. He looked so sad I offered him a hug. I didn't- I wasn't trying to steal him away from you or anything."

There's genuine remorse in Changbin's scent, but something else too; worry. He sees the moment Changbin realises he caught it, because the other wolf stops hiding it. "I will tell him I'm leaving tonight, I can tell my presence is bothering you. I apologise for making you feel like I was trying to take over, I truly had no such intentio-"

It's a sharp, annoyed snarl that cuts the other alpha off this time. Chan doesn't even realise he's the one producing it until he's already shifted and advancing, watching Changbin take a step back in surprise before shifting as well, immediately running away. With a low growl, Chan gives chase, catching up to the other alpha in the garden, growling threateningly and snapping his teeth at his hind paws.

Rather than continue running, however, and letting himself get chased off Chan's territory, the black wolf simply submits. Two more steps and then he's suddenly sinking down, heedless of Chan's teeth snapping at his fur and the angry snarls that are coming from him. He slowly sinks down to the ground and then almost immediately rolls over, throat bared, tummy bared, paws hanging limply in the air.

When their eyes meet, the black wolf looks almost sad, though their faces don't actually form expressions in this shape, but the scent of regret clogs the air with wet cedar, the entire world poised on the razor edge of Chan's very next decision. He's not thinking straight yet, really, so he goes straight for the black wolf's throat, sets his teeth in it, puts pressure on it, threatens death itself.

And still Changbin doesn't move, doesn't struggle or return the attack or even so much as shifts a muscle. He lies perfectly still, awaiting Chan's judgement. Complete submission.

Something inside of him settles, while something else inside of him rankles. He growls as he releases the black wolf's throat and starts licking it instead. His throat, his muzzle, his ears, really bathing the black wolf in his scent. Only two seconds in, the tip of Changbin's tail moves, soon followed by the rest of it, until it's happily thumping on the ground. Freshly sprouted pine trees and deep cedar burst with happiness and relief, filling the air around them alongside his own scent as Chan keeps almost aggressively grooming the black wolf.

Until the sudden iron scent of blood hits his nose again and he freezes in place immediately, lifting his head to look at Changbin's flank. The one, he realises now, that's pressed into the ground. The one he's been lying on this entire time, no doubt further elevating the pain. Almost immediately that same urge to protect rises up in him and with a few nudges and warning growls he makes the other wolf roll back onto his good side.

The stitches are, of course, messed up again, though it seems to be less bad than the previous time around, the wound having healed some more over the past couple of days. He still leans in, sniffs the wound and then starts tentatively and much more gently licking it, cleaning the dirt and the blood from the wound. There's a tentative little whine from somewhere to the side but he responds immediately with a warning growl since he knows it's not one of his pack members trying to approach. Jisung and Jeongin probably know better than to interfere.

So he continues licking until he's cleaned the entire wound again, and then continues grooming the other alpha some more, until eventually his tongue feels raw from it and he's had to somehow get rid of several mouthfuls of hair already. When he stops grooming, Changbin still stays motionless on the ground while he licks his own muzzle clean. It's only when he huffs out a half-sneeze and turns away to head back to the house that he catches the edge of the black wolf pushing himself up to stand again.

The two young wolves have shifted too, standing a safe end away, still motionless, clearly cautious of him. On the back porch, Jisung and Jeongin are waiting for him, Jisung with a set of clothes slung over his arm. He shifts when he jogs up the last step and reaches out to take the sweatpants first. The shirt follows, after which he briefly turns back to where the two young wolves are cautiously sniffing the black wolf, who stands completely relaxed, gaze still trained on him.

"Dinner is in half an hour," he tells everyone present, and then walks back inside of the house.

They don't talk about it.

While making dinner, he calls Momo, who sighs deeply but doesn't scold him and says she'll be over in an hour's time.

Changbin, Seungmin and Hyunjin join his pack at the dinner table and they eat in relative silence, while Chan asks Jisung and Jeongin about their days. Changbin joins the conversation like he usually does, offering the occasional thought, insight or question of his own. He speaks more this time than any of the previous days, even making Jisung laugh at some point. The sound is bright in the otherwise subdued atmosphere of the room, making Chan breathe out a smile as he takes in his pack member looking so relaxed despite the new people.

When Momo shows up to check out Changbin's wound, they mention it briefly, but only because Chan tells her it's his fault Changbin shifted at all. She gives him a reprimanding look but doesn't say anything, simply taking the stitches out and slathering the wound in a healing salve before dressing it again. When she asks him about the two new wolves in his home, he simply looks at Changbin, who immediately explains they're young cubs he helped get away from a very possessive and abusive pack leader.

So Momo goes to check out Seungmin and Hyunjin as well, giving them a salve for their bruises and making sure there are no hidden injuries - and they don't talk about it.

They don't talk about the fact that Changbin put on another one of Chan's shirts when he shifted back to his human shape, or that Chan's scent still clings to almost every part of his skin, or that he's sticking closer to Chan's side than before, or that he's oozing a relaxed sort of contentment throughout all of it, the small smile permanently on his face proving it even more.

They don't talk about the way the two cubs immediately turn their gaze to Chan when Momo asks them to shift as if to seek his permission, nor of the way both of them nearly melt into proud puppy puddles when he tells Momo they kept up with him just fine while running earlier. They don't talk about the way Jisung brings more blankets and pillows downstairs so the cubs can spend the night in Changbin's room, nor about the way Jeongin multiplies their grocery order to be enough for six instead of four.

They don't talk about it, but it's obvious and it's embarrassing and it's mortifying. How Chan lost his cool and claimed Changbin so fully that not even the two newcomers doubted it for a single second. That possibly even Momo caught on to his scent still lingering on Changbin's skin. That all Jisung says about it to him when he goes to say goodnight in the evening is a smiling "So he's staying, then," and doesn't even voice it as a question.

They don't talk about it, but it buzzes under Chan's skin like the discomfort did before, until it drives him out of bed and to the kitchen for a glass of water. Until Changbin finds him at four am sitting in the armchair on the back porch, with crescent marks on his arms from where he's been gripping them so tightly he'd dug his nails in.

"Chan hyung," is what Changbin says when he approaches him, stopping two steps away and waiting for his permission before crossing the rest of the distance. Permission given by simply meeting his gaze and watching the other alpha come closer, reach out for his hands and hold them in his own, quiet and unassuming. "Hyung, what's wrong?"

"I-" He falls quiet, unsure himself of what exactly is truly wrong, except the crawling, buzzing feeling still hasn't fully left and he realises suddenly, starkly contrasted against the night sky, that he has to talk about it. "You're staying, right? You want to stay?" He only notices the tightening of his hold around Changbin's hands after it happens, but Changbin only smiles at him and squeezes back.

"Of course. You told me to. You allowed me to. I don't want to go anywhere else, hyung. I like it here." There's a brief moment's pause, his entire world once again on the precipice of something, and then Changbin adds: "With you."

It knocks the air right out of his lungs, robs him of his thoughts and anything but the urge to pull Changbin down onto his lap, which he gives into without a second thought. He makes sure the other wolf lands safely, without hurting his side, and then wraps his arms around his frame solidly but making sure not to put pressure on his healing side. In turn, Changbin immediately melts against him, tucking his face away against his neck and breathing him in deeply, just like the first day he spent as a human. Chan feels the body relax in his arms, and feels the peace that immediately settles between them now that they're so close. Between them and also inside of him.

"Hyung," Changbin says again, voice barely more than a whisper, the pressure of his fingers on Chan's back increasing just a smidge. "You're okay with me now, yeah? I can hug Jisung and I can talk to Jeongin and I can be near you? You're keeping me?"

Keeping. Like something owned. Like something possessed. Like… Like something claimed.

He groans in embarrassment, hiding his face against Changbin's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to- And I was so feral, too. I'm so sorry!" He squeezes his eyes shut. "I didn't hurt you, did I? My instincts don't usually take over like that, I really didn't mean to attack you like that."

Changbin's body shakes in his hold, but it takes him a moment to realise it's laughter, not tears. "Hyung," Changbin says, several times over, his voice bright with delight and amusement, but Chan can't get more embarrassed than he already feels anyway. "Hyung, hyung, hyung, I don't mind. It's okay. I wanted you to claim me as part of your pack, to keep me. Hyung, I want to stay. So much. You did nothing wrong."

Word by word, the buzzing under his skin settles. Soothed and pacified, until all that remains is a warm, content glow. An urge to press the other alpha closer, to breathe him in deeper, to never let him go.

"Didn't you notice?" Changbin continues, leaning in closer himself, nose pressed into the crook of Chan's neck, lips brushing over his skin as he speaks. "How much I loved smelling like you, like your home, like your pack? It felt so safe; to be wrapped up in your scent. Hyung, you feel so safe. And I could tell you were agitated about something but I couldn't tell what until you chased me off just for saying I'd leave. You want me to stay, too. So of course I'll stay. With you. With the cubs." A brief pause and then a tentative: "Can Seungmin and Hyunjin stay too? They want to. They like you."

He swallows, slowly lifting his head again so he can glance towards the back door of the house and then sighs. "I'd have to talk to my pack about it," he says out of habit, but then immediately amends his words by adding: "You're okay with it, but I have to check with Jisung and Jeongin. I don't- I don't usually decide without their input."

Except for when he slobbered all over Changbin in a fit of what can only be insanity, clearly.

"Yeah?" Changbin's voice is soft, amused. He finally lifts his head as well then and lets their gazes lock again. Their proximity makes Chan's breath catch, eyes catching on the way Changbin's lips widen into a more solid smile. "Hyung," he calls again, and Chan automatically hums, his eyes never leaving Changbin's face, drinking him in. The buzz under his skin starts up again, tingly and wild, blood roaring through his veins.

And then Changbin says: "Hyung, can I kiss you?" It's promptly all he can think about, all he can see.

He doesn't even reply, just leans in to do it first, pressing his lips to Changbin's soft ones, feeling the other alpha relax in his hold the second they meet. And the buzz suddenly sparks and catches fire, turning into the wildest roar of butterflies in his stomach, dancing across his skin like fireworks as he realises quite suddenly what it has been all along.

He pulls away nearly breathless even after the short kiss, and moves to put his hands on Changbin's arms, to keep him away from him enough. "Changbin. Changbin-ah," he says, almost as if dazedly reaching for him in the dark. "We're matched. You're a match for me."

And Changbin laughs, soft and warm and dizzying.

"You didn't know?" He asks, all amused warmth and delighted relief. "Hyung, didn't you know? I thought you didn't want me anyway, but you just didn't know?"

He shakes his head, still stunned, still a little bit delirious, searching the other alpha's face for some kind of proof that what he feels is true. There's nothing there, of course, no outward signals for it. Only that call in the depth of his chest, drawing him towards the other wolf, calling out for him and only soothed now by his close proximity. Only happy now that Changbin is with him, will stay with him, smells like him.

"I didn't know," he admits. "I felt so strange, but I didn't know…" Their gazes lock again and suddenly it's a thrill. It's relief. It's reassurance. "I didn't realise," he repeats, and watches the way Changbin laughs again, and leans in to kiss him again, once again setting the fireworks off under his skin.

The morning is peacefully quiet, the sun rising slowly and offering them a myriad of colours to admire from where they're somehow still sitting on the porch. There's blankets now, though, and Changbin leaning against his side comfortably, anchoring him in the reality of the moment. Eventually, when the sun peeks above the treeline and the sky has gone the pinkish blue of morning, he shifts a little.

"I should make breakfast," he says softly, turning his head to nuzzle Changbin's slightly curly hair. The response is a low, content rumble, and the other alpha shifting to be able to stretch where he's sitting. Then a cold nose presses the skin behind his ear and a smile automatically creeps over Chan’s features.

Once again he wonders how he could have not noticed the way Changbin's proximity soothes him. Except the buzz under his skin felt too foreign to have been able to figure out it was the type of desire that goes bone deep. Buzzing and fissuring and, now that Changbin's set to stay, soothed into a content, warming glow.

"The cubs will probably wake up soon," Changbin agrees in a low voice when he eventually pulls away from the comfortable spot on his shoulder, and he breathes out a soft smile.

"Yes. All of them."

So they shift and move, stretching out limbs gone stiff with cold and disuse and heading back inside the house quietly. He gets to toasting bread, frying eggs and bacon, and preparing some freshly squeezed orange juice while Changbin dutifully sets the table for six. When he's done, he returns to the kitchen, standing as close as possible without getting in the way and smiling at Chan softly the entire time.

Jisung is the first to wake, called by the scent of food no doubt. He stumbles down the stairs with eyes half-open and trudges into the kitchen as usual, heading straight for Chan to get his morning cuddles in. Except he stops halfway to him, eyes opening fully, intense gaze moving between Changbin and him and oh. Right. They smell like each other now, no doubt, having spent half the night wrapped up in the same blankets.

A flush rises to his cheeks at the thought, an instinctual pride filling him knowing that Changbin will carry his scent for the rest of the day no doubt; a certain level of possessiveness fulfilled. Then Jisung suddenly grins, sharp teeth and knowing gaze and all, shoots him a look and very knowingly walks back out of the kitchen to go wash his face, without getting any cuddles at all.

Once the door closes behind the younger wolf, Changbin huffs out a laugh and Chan, with ears burning, swats at his hip. "Shut up," he mutters as he flips the bacon to focus on anything other than the other alpha's smug face. Though he's not looking at him, he sees Changbin raise his hands in a show of defeat, but he's certain there's a smirk on his face anyway.

When Jisung returns from the bathroom, he unsubtly shoots them another look, smirking as well before he takes a seat at the dining table.

Moments later, Jeongin comes stumbling down the stairs as well, yawning widely as he shuffles into the room right when Chan brings the eggs and bacon out for them. "Morning, hyung," the youngest mumbles as their eyes meet, only to stop short about two steps from the table, eyes flitting between Chan and something behind him.

And then, in a show of not reading the room so immense it could only come from their youngest, Jeongin cluelessly asks: "Huh, why do you two smell like each other?"

It makes Jisung throw his head back and cackle so loudly the other two pups wake up as well, makes Chan's ears burn as he tries to think of something to say past how flustered he is, but mainly it makes Changbin step forward, put a hand on his lower back and say: "I'm staying."

Which is the best sound he's ever heard, if anything, and so he turns his head to give the other alpha a soft, grateful smile that melts into a grimace when Jisung only laughs more. But when Changbin just grins at it in warm amusement, all of Chan's hesitance fades away and is replaced by that same warm contentment.

So maybe they should have talked about it from the very start and avoided all of his struggles.

At least Momo thinks it's hilarious when he tells her about it.