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“Are you serious?” Sana sighed, tugging off the sleeves of her jacket and haphazardly throwing it into the chair across the room. She approached the edge of the bed, crossing her arms at the sight of a huge, dark-haired wolf sprawled across her mattress. “Dahyunnie, we talked about this.”
The wolf let out a tired huff, unmoving.
Sana ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head and reluctantly moving to change into her PJs. After a few moments, she plopped herself down next to the wolf, rolling her eyes at how little room she had left. The wolf growled slightly as Sana propped her feet up on her fur, but she still didn’t move. “Tired, huh?” she questioned with a giggle.
Dahyun didn’t answer.
“You always run too much on full moons,” Sana continued. “Push yourself too hard.”
Sana knew Dahyun wouldn’t stop, no matter how much Sana worried. She had had too many years unable to run, unable to feel the wind on her face or the rocky ground of the forest floor.
“You know they’ll never let you live it down if they find you in here again.” Sana said, raising a brow.
The wolf let out a big huff.
Sana laughed. “Well, you made it all the way to my bedroom without them noticing.” she shrugged, her eyes drooping. “They probably won’t find us.”
Dahyun shifted, dragging herself to the side of the mattress and pressing herself against Sana’s legs.
As she fell asleep, Sana could almost imagine the warmth radiating from the huge wolf, but she barely had time to register the feeling before she was asleep.
“Tzuyu, oh my god!” a shrieking voice jolted her from her pleasant dream. “COME LOOK WHO’S HERE. AGAIN. ”
Damn it.
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They’d almost killed each other when they first met.
Dahyun had only just escaped her captors, practically feral as she stormed through the streets. She’s spent so long as a wolf, she barely even remembered how to turn back. People screamed in fear as she thundered through crowds, running as fast as she ever had.
She didn’t even know how she found it, but eventually the treeline of the forest emerged in the distance–she was almost there. Almost home.
She could practically feel the forest air, the smells of nature, the small animals running through the brush. The ache of her injuries dulled at the thought, and she ran even faster, teeth bared against the cold air.
Just as she was about to reach the trees, a blurred figure emerged from a nearby alleyway, throwing herself into Dahyun’s path. She nearly barreled straight through her, eyes trained on the green just behind the figure, but something in the girl’s eyes made her hesitate. They seemed to glow an unnatural gold, and the primal part of Dahyun’s brain had her skidding to an unsteady stop.
As soon as she stopped running, the pain of her injuries returned with a fury. She barely stopped herself from whimpering, slumping back and heaving a great breath. Her left paw ached with a pain she’d never felt before, and gashes marred her fur and stung in the cool air.
“Stop.” the girl commanded, her eyes glowing more fiercely. “You’re hurt.”
Dahyun growled, taking a few steps back. Her eyes darted between the girl and the treeline. Could she make it?
The girl took a step forward, and Dahyun snarled a warning.
“You’re a shifter, right?” the girl asked, raising her hands in surrender. “You’ve been a wolf for too long–you need to shift back.”
Dahyun didn’t move, her teeth still bared at the stranger.
“Please,” the girl urged, daring to take another step. “I can’t let you stay like this. You’re dangerous.”
Dahyun stared at the girl for a moment longer before making a dash for the forest. Even as she moved as fast as she could manage, pouncing towards the trees with as much force as she could muster, the girl easily blocked her, slamming into her side as she moved.
In Dahyun’s state, she stood no chance against the girl as she pinned her against the ground with inhuman strength. Dahyun growled and snapped at her, but the girl kept her distance. Something about her scent was off–a wonderful aroma, but tinged with that strange sadness that all immortals seemed to carry.
A vampire.
“Please, I need you to calm down,” the vampire hissed, pressing a knee into Dahyun’s torso to pin her. Dahyun huffed against the ache in her ribs, growling at the creature. “They kill feral wolves around here.”
Dahyun couldn’t stop herself. She bit out at the vampire again, bucking against her grip. She needed to escape, she needed to be free.
“Don’t make me do this.” the vampire breathed, her hands reaching for Dahyun’s neck. Desperation crawled up her throat, and she couldn’t withhold a pathetic whimper as her eyes turned towards the forest once again. She could almost imagine running through the trees, the hard dirt underfoot, the thundering steps of her pack surrounding her.
Her pack. She hadn’t seen them since…
Dahyun stopped struggling, her breaths slowing. She breathed another whimper, flinching as she finally registered the sheer ache of her injuries.
“That’s it.” the vampire said, easing her knee from Dahyun’s body.
Dahyun barely even noticed, her eyes still trained on the tree line. She was shifting again–or was she? She almost couldn’t tell, her thoughts were too scattered. She felt colder, suddenly. More fragile. Sturdy arms wrapped their way around her body, and then she was weightless.
“We’ll get you home.”
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The relationship between their two families was…tense, to say the least.
Sana had almost been killed when she’d brought Dahyun home, following her stale scent to the pack’s cabin deep in the woods. They’d opened the door to find a vampire holding their missing friend in their arms–Dahyun looked near death, scratched up, bruised, and pale as they’d ever seen her.
Naturally, Nayeon immediately made to tear Sana’s throat out. Mina was only just able to stop her, but even her face was twisted with rage as she regarded Sana. Behind her, Momo stared at Dahyun’s unmoving frame with someone like devastation shining in her eyes.
It nearly ended in a bloodbath, but Sana explained quickly enough for the wolves to begrudgingly trust her, taking Dahyun from her and offering their thanks for saving one of their own.
Still, the situation with wolves and vampires had never been friendly, so they held their suspicions.
But the wolves couldn’t exactly stop Dahyun from finding Sana once she’d healed. The pack had babied her ever since she’d returned, and while she missed them and appreciated their help, she couldn’t tear her thoughts from the vampire who’d saved her, who’d forced her to shift back. The glow of her gold eyes haunted her dreams.
The vampires of Sana’s coven hadn’t exactly welcomed her with open arms either. Sana had barely been able to stop Tzuyu from killing the wolf. She came home to find the youngest vampire pinning a familiar short girl to a tree, her fangs bared threateningly.
“Tzuyu, stop!” she called, reaching the two of them in record time and pulling Tzuyu off the girl.
“She’s a wolf!” Tzuyu hissed, her eyes not moving from Dahyun. They glowed a dangerous red, and Sana turned to find the wolf regarding Tzuyu with a similar angry expression, her eyes narrowed as she glanced between the two of them.
“She’s the one I helped a few weeks back, remember?” Sana explained, not letting go of Tzuyu’s arm.
Gradually, Tzuyu relaxed, her eyes dimming and her fangs slowly retracting. She threw Dahyun a glare, but nodded her understanding towards Sana.
“What are you doing here…” Sana asked the wolf, trailing off when she realized she didn’t actually know the girl’s name. She turned to face the wolf, her eyes drawn towards the scabbed-over gash still marring the girl’s forehead. It should’ve healed by now, especially since she was a shifter, but it must have been inflicted with silver. Sana withheld a dark scowl at the thought.
“Dahyun.” the girl answered, and Sana looked down to meet her eyes. She hadn’t had much time to examine the girl’s features when they last met, but now that they faced each other, Sana was shocked by how pretty she was.
“Sana.” Sana replied, giving her a nod.
They stared at each other for a moment more, and Sana found herself lost in the girl’s deep chestnut eyes. The same eyes that stared her down when they’d first met. She could almost picture the dark wolf now, baring her teeth and growling a dangerous warning as they faced each other.
Tzuyu cleared her throat, glancing between the two of them. Sana turned to find her flashing them both an unimpressed look. “Tzuyu, go help the others with dinner,” Sana waved her towards their house. It was massive, a huge mansion they had built years ago after deciding to settle down for good. It was on the edge of the forest, close enough to town so that they’d have access to food and other supplies.
“It’s not even time for–”
“Tzuyu.” Sana’s eyes glowed a bright yellow, and Tzuyu grumbled as she made her way back to the mansion.
“Sana.” Dahyun repeated her name, interrupting Sana’s thoughts. Sana turned to face her, only to find Dahyun staring at her with a small smile on her face. “Pretty name.”
It was only then that Sana noticed her scent. It was…some mixture of fresh mountain air, the pine trees of the forest, and something uniquely Dahyun. Sana couldn’t place it, but it smelled wonderful.
She normally thought that wolves smelled like wet dog, but Dahyun smelled positively delicious.
“You too, Dahyun.”
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The first time Dahyun had ended up in Sana’s bed, it had been the first full moon after her rescue. It’d been years since she’d run under the moonlight–she was buzzing with excitement.
“Now, Dahyun, remember to take it slow,” Mina told her, laughing quietly as Dahyun paced around the living room, waiting impatiently for the moon to rise. “We’ll leave you alone tonight–we know you want to run alone. But please be careful and don’t push yourself too hard.”
Dahyun rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to respond, but Nayeon quickly interrupted, walking into the living room. Momo followed close behind, her eyes lit with excitement. She loved running as much as Dahyun. “Mina’s right, Dahyunnie.” Nayeon agreed. “It’s only your first moon back. Just don’t let your wolf take over completely, all right?”
“Okay, okay,” Dahyun laughed. “You guys really don’t have to worry. I’m excited, but I’ll be careful.”
Unfortunately, Dahyun did not follow through on that promise. As soon as she felt the moonlight brush against her dark fur, the dirt pounding beneath her feet, the cool night air against her face, she lost herself.
She ran as fast as she could, uncaring of the direction or the obstacles. Her wolf had taken over, and she let her instincts guide her as she ran.
She lost energy eventually, slowing to a pace and following that familiar, wonderful scent. She’d caught onto it a few miles back, and had been unable to resist following the trail. Soon enough, she was scrambling through an open window, barely even registering her surroundings, and the scent was everywhere. Dahyun got lost in it, hopping onto the bed and burying herself in the sheets. The exhaustion from her run was finally hitting her, and it didn’t take long for her to fall asleep.
When Sana found her hours later, she nearly jumped out of her own skin, unprepared for the sight of a massive black wolf curled up at the foot of her bed. She almost called for help before she noticed the familiar scar on the wolf’s forehead.
This wasn’t just any wolf. It was Dahyun.
Sana laughed, walking over to shake the wolf awake. She hesitated, though. Dahyun looked so comfortable, and she had no doubt that she’d run a lot. She was probably tired. A lot of wolves seemed to wear themselves out on a full moon, and from what Sana had seen, she suspected that Dahyun was no exception.
Pondering her own sanity, Sana pulled back and changed into her PJs, slipping into the bed next to Dahyun. She fell asleep to the comforting rhythm of Dahyun’s breaths echoing through the room and the brush of her dark fur against her leg.
Needless to say, when Dahyun awoke (naked) next to a very hot vampire, she’d immediately fallen off the bed with a startled yelp.
She was mortified, stuttering an incomplete explanation as her face grew a bright red. Damn it. She never was very good at ignoring her wolf when it was a full moon.
Sana had laughed it off, assuring her that it was okay, but she didn’t let Dahyun leave without a fair amount of teasing.
She’d eaten breakfast that morning with a smile on her face. She just barely drained her blood bag when Jeongyeon emerged from the hallway, her face twisted in disgust.
“Why does it smell like wolf in here?”
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The first dinner at the vampire house was…tense.
When Dahyun invited Sana to dinner for the first time, the wolves had gone hunting, racing each other through the trees and sniffing out the animals of the woods. Sana had fit in perfectly, racing Dahyun through the forest and helping the wolves carry the game back to the cabin. She even helped to cook the meat, laughing with the pack as though she’d known them for years.
Wolves were simple like that. Once you shared a hunt with someone, they were basically part of the pack.
Vampires were more complicated. They held grudges, they were suspicious of newcomers, and, most of all, wolves were enemies first.
So Dahyun sharing dinner with the coven was something of a first for everyone.
They’d prepared a spread of human food. Apparently Jihyo and Jeongyeon, the eldest of the vampires, had taken to human food many years ago and had insisted on learning to cook all sorts of meals to go along with their blood diet.
Dahyun had been unprepared for the finery of the meal, and she clumsily fumbled with the fancy silverware they used and tried her best to navigate the unfamiliar etiquette.
In the end, she managed to win them over with a couple goofy jokes that broke the tension. They’d teased her about her smell, about her inability to use the silverware, and about how small her human form was, but it was tinged with fondness and amusement.
By the time they’d finished, Dahyun was confident she’d won over at least Tzuyu and Chaeyoung. Jihyo and Jeongyeon hadn’t yet warmed up to her, but Dahyun was determined to win them all over.
Sana had walked her home, talking mindlessly about those in her coven, and Dahyun could hear the fondness in her voice. Those girls had been her family for centuries, and the love Sana felt for her coven was overflowing. Dahyun understood. She felt the same way about her pack.
As she focused on the moonlight shining on Sana’s pale skin, on the gentle slope of her jaw and the deep gold of her eyes, Dahyun was transfixed.
It didn’t take long for her to decide that she wanted to take part in many, many more family dinners with Sana. Wolves or vampires.
She just wanted her close.
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“We found them.” Mina told her, her face grim and voice thick. She stood at the door of the mansion, glancing around at the vampires who crowded around the door behind Sana. The relationship between the two families was still tense, but they knew not to mess with each other. “The…the ones who took Dahyun.”
It was roughly five months after Dahyun had escaped. They’d grown closer and closer as time passed, and it was rare that Dahyun could go a full moon without instinctually climbing through Sana’s window to spend the night. They invited each other to more and more family dinners, and eventually, even the vampires began to grow fond of Dahyun’s presence.
Sana herself had never been happier. They hadn’t exactly labeled the thing between them, her and Dahyun. But neither of them seemed particularly bothered by it. Sana was just satisfied to be in the company of the wolf, and Dahyun seemed to feel the same.
Still, Dahyun was haunted by her past. She refused to open up about her time in captivity, unable to talk to Sana or even those in her pack. But they all knew about the nightmares, about the distant fear that seemed to occasionally shine in her eyes.
“Where?” Sana asked, her jaw clenched. She immediately followed Mina into the woods, ignoring the curious glances of the rest of her coven. She’d explain it later.
Right now, they had more important things to address.
Sana was grateful the wolves had included her, had sent Mina to tell her the news before they did anything about it. It wasn’t something they had to do. After all, this was a family matter.
Still, they’d chosen to include her.
Warmth bloomed in Sana’s chest at the thought, only for it to be consumed by a swift rage as remembered why she was following Mina in the first place.
She would make them pay.
That night was a bloodbath.
Momo had found the fighting ring only a couple days ago, informing the others that she’d picked up Dahyun’s stale scent all over the place. “It was there, all right.” Momo told them, a disgusted scowl twisting her lips. “Dahyun released all the other shifters when she escaped, but they somehow got their hands on more.”
They’d killed the pitmasters before they’d even known there were intruders in the building. They released the captive shifters, and everyone else in the place was dead in minutes.
When the paper reported the mysterious warehouse fire the next day, no one suspected foul play. Then again, the fire was strong enough to cover up evidence of the true massacre that had happened within the building. Bodies drained of blood and torn to shreds. Blood coating the walls and limp, lifeless forms of those who’d once worked there spread all across the warehouse.
Dahyun seemed to suspect what they’d done, but she didn’t mention it. She still never talked about her past, but Sana could see that a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders.
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“Where is she?” Dahyun demanded, bursting through the doors and nearly falling into the entryway.
A year had passed since she met Sana, and their connection had flourished in a way no one could really explain. Through some miracle, the two clans had become closer. Instead of only inviting over Dahyun, the vampires invited the whole pack, cooking dinner for all nine of them. Eventually, the wolves began inviting the vampires to their weekly hunts, racing each other through the trees and sharing a meal around a crackling fire.
So when Sana had been attacked by a rogue slayer, Tzuyu didn’t hesitate to inform the wolves, sprinting through the woods towards where she knew the wolves’ cabin stood. The pack had eagerly followed Tzuyu back towards the vampires’ home, each of them worried about Sana’s wellbeing. Dahyun led the pack, running through the trees as fast as she ever had. Tzuyu hadn’t told them how Sana was doing, but the desperate look in her eyes was enough to make Dahyun push herself harder, growling against the burn in her muscles.
“She’s in the kitchen,” Tzuyu said, spilling into the house after Dahyun. “It’s not good.”
Dahyun could scarcely control her nausea when she neutered the kitchen. The vampires surrounded Sana, who lay face down on the kitchen island. Her back was a mess of burns and gashes, and she wasn’t moving.
She approached the island like a woman possessed, barely registering the chaos of the kitchen. “Grab me more blood–” Jihyo cried, pouring water onto wounds to wash away some of the blood. Sana barely reacted, not even flinching.
“Chaeyoung, do you have any potions or–” Jeongyeon asked desperately.
“Nothing,” Chaeyoung replied helplessly. “I ran out last week!”
“How can we help?” Mina asked, and Jihyo looked up in shock to find the werewolf pack standing at the entrance of the kitchen.
“Go to my herb garden and gather some valerian root.” Jihyo told them.
“Will that help?” Dahyun asked, tearing her eyes away from Sana’s pale face.
“It will help her go to sleep.” Jihyo explained, brows furrowed.
Dahyun spent all night by her side, even as the others went to bed and journeyed back home. She replaced her bandages as they got bloody, she held Sana’s hand as she twitched and writhed from the pain. She even told stories to help relax Sana when she woke up and started to panic.
The vampires were clearly surprised to find Dahyun still perched beside Sana come morning, hands knitted together and both of them snoring slightly.
After that night, Dahyun was practically part of the family. If there was one rule in the coven, it was that they protected their own.
And the vampires had no doubt that Dahyun would protect Sana, no matter what.
That night, when a body was found in town, nobody mentioned it. Nobody mentioned that the man was practically unrecognizable, torn to shreds and bits of him splattered across the dark alleyway. The only thing that remained was an unopened jar of holy water, the same material the hunter had used to hurt Sana.
And nobody asked Dahyun about the blood that covered her shirt when she returned to Sana’s side that morning.
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“Have you ever been in love?” Dahyun asked, leaning on Sana’s shoulder. They’d gone on a walk through the forest, taking comfort in the winter air and the gentle snowfall. They’d eventually ended up sitting on a tall tree branch, taking in the view of the sprawling forest before them. Sana couldn’t even feel the temperature, and Dahyun ran warmer than most, barely even registering the biting cold as more than a slight chill.
Sana hummed, a melodic sound that Dahyun noticed more than she should’ve. “Yes.” she replied after a few beats. “I’ve been alive nearly three centuries now.”
Dahyun rolled her eyes, huffing a laugh. “I guess that’s fair.” she acquiesced. “Only a few decades for me.”
“Do wolves live as long as us?” Sana asked. “I never actually thought about it.”
“We live longer than most, but I don’t think I could make it 3 centuries.”
Sana nodded, leaning into Dahyun even more. “What about you?” she asked. “Have you ever been in love?”
Dahyun turned to glance at the vampire next to her. Her hair was a beautiful blonde, framing a delicate pale face. Dahyun knew that if she smiled, the tips of her fangs would just barely peek over her lips. She knew that her eyes would crinkle into small crescents, and she knew that, for a moment, Sana would look unguarded and happy.
“Yeah,” she managed. “Yeah, I think so.”
Sana glanced over at her, brows raised. “Really?” she asked, and if Dahyun looked deeper, she might’ve noticed the slight jealousy shining in her eyes. “If you’ve only had a few decades, it must be a pretty recent thing.”
Dahyun swallowed, turning her eyes back towards the forest sprawled before them. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Very recent, actually.”
Sana turned towards her, eyes narrowed. “Dahyunnie?”
Dahyun took in a quick breath before turning to meet her eyes. “Yeah?”
Sana stared at her, her expression unreadable. They could’ve been there for hours, but neither of them looked away for even a moment. Dahyun swallowed. “I…”
“Can I kiss you?” Sana whispered, her eyes darting to Dahyun’s lips.
Dahyun leaned forward, her eyes also drifting downward. “Absolutely.”
Their lips met, and Dahyun felt like a weight lifted from her shoulders.
She couldn’t explain it, couldn’t figure out why this felt so right , but she also couldn’t bring herself to care. Sana was here, Sana was kissing her.
She was in love with Sana.
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“Why didn’t you wake me up when you got home?” Dahyun asked helplessly, hiding beneath the covers as Chaeyoung tried to take a picture of the two of them, breathless with laughter.
Sana yawned, unfazed by the sound of the other vampires cackling. “You looked so comfy.” she stretched before moving towards Dahyun and pulling her closer. “Besides, you love cuddling in the morning.”
Sleepily, Sana tossed a pillow at the open door, and it landed with enough force to knock Chaeyoung back and force the door shut behind her. The two of them could still hear her gasping for breath behind the door.
She settled back into the bed, wrapping her arms around Dahyun’s midsection and sighing in contentment. “Get some sleep, my love.” she breathed, eyes already closed. “You always push yourself too hard on full moons.”
Dahyun breathed a sigh before smiling, finally settling into Sana’s embrace. “Yeah,” she agreed. “And I somehow always end up here.”