Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Jungkook stared out the window in awe. A pair of golden eyes stared back at him. 

—

6 HOURS EARLIER

“The fences will keep you safe,” the bellman informed him as the golf cart pulled up to his cabin. Jungkook nodded - they were definitely imposing enough, towering as high as the two-story cabin and made from gleaming steel. “Once you’re inside, you’ll feel like you’re in the wilderness with them, but you can sleep comfortably knowing the wolves cannot get in.” 

“I’ll be fine, I’m not worried,” Jungkook assured him. He wasn’t scared of wolves, not really. In fact, they’d captivated him his entire life, ever since he was a child. 

( “Puppy?” He’d asked his mom, pointing curiously at an image on the television. “Wolf,” she’d responded, and the rabbit hole had opened wide. )

“And you shouldn’t be, our concierge and security staff are available 24/7,” the bellman smiled. “We usually don’t get solo travelers, so just make sure to let the front desk know if you need anything, alright?” Jungkook nodded and waved the man off, eager to open the door and see the wolves. 

The entire day had already been magical. Jungkook had woken at the crack of dawn to drive the two hour journey to the park, car filled to the brim with groceries to live amongst the wilderness for a week (from the comfort of a four-star cabin, of course). He’d stopped first to greet the elk that inhabited the wildlife park, and passed them carrots as their noses sniffed through his open window. They’d made him laugh, with their curious personalities and eagerness to get more treats, but at the sound of howling in the distance, he couldn’t delay any longer. Jungkook had checked in as early as possible, and now he stood alone in his cabin, groceries forgotten near the door as he gazed out the window. 

The hotel had taken great care to polish it, because Jungkook almost felt like he was out there completely, with nothing between him and the outdoors.  His hand floated over the window as he took in the snow-covered trees, the river in the distance that looked frozen over, and the indentations in the snow that could only mean one thing - a wolf had wandered this way, maybe recently. 

Jungkook sat down on the bed and stared, captivated by the beauty of nature. 

—

Waiting for the wolves to show up was maddening. Once he’d gotten enough sense to unpack, Jungkook had made himself a steaming bowl of ramen and positioned himself near the window once more, listening to the sound of nature as he ate. He’d seen two elk so far, their antlers casting menacing shadows over their face as the sun went down, and he’d seen all manner of birds and squirrels and rabbits, but no wolves. 

“Sitting here won’t make them come,” he scolded himself with a frown. His ramen was getting cold, and he still had to wash up from the day’s journey. And Jungkook needed to sleep early, because the next morning was one of the few activities the park provided - a guided hike through the wilderness. If he didn’t see a wolf tonight, perhaps he’d at least learn about them tomorrow. 

Jungkook was washing his dish when he heard the howl, and the bowl fell into the sink with a clang. He raced back towards the window to see - yes, there it was! A wolf stood near the trees, neck arched upwards as he let out another glorious cry, and then he (or she? Jungkook couldn’t tell) marched right up towards the cabin. 

Jungkook wished he hadn’t left the kitchen light on, because the reflection was breaking the illusion and casting a strange hue over the glass, but he didn’t dare move. He sat on his haunches, nose only an inch from the glass as he tried his best not to breathe, and he waited for the wolf to come closer. 

It padded leisurely towards the cabins, white fur shining beneath the moonlight as its paws slipped in and out of the snow. It walked towards the cabin as if it knew someone was home, and Jungkook remembered what the front desk had told him - “We place food near the windows sometimes, so the wolves know to come close,” the agent had said brightly. “You’re sure to see one!”. Sure enough, the wolf sniffed the ground beneath the window curiously, and then lifted its head. 

Jungkook's brown eyes met golden ones, and his breath caught. 

How could they look so human? Even through the glass, Jungkook felt like he could count the flecks of yellow and green in the irises, and the pupils dilated as they stared each other down. Jungkook knew he was imagining it, but the eyes held so much emotion, as if the wolf was analyzing Jungkook and cataloging him too. When Jungkook was forced to let out the breath he’d been holding, he was so close to the window his breath fogged up the glass. As he rushed to wipe it off, he saw two other wolves join the first, their bodies partially obscured by the foliage. Three wolves . Just for Jungkook. 

The other two came to stand next to the first, their fur a similar shade of white but with spots of brown or gray painting their chest or ears. All beautiful, all majestic, all staring at him through spotless glass. “Hello,” Jungkook whispered, and the glass fogged up again from his words. The wolves didn’t move or respond, just stared at him with that hidden emotion behind their golden eyes. 

On his knees, Jungkook was barely eye level to the beautiful animals. If he stood up, maybe he’d be taller, but their strength would make it a useless match. Jungkook knew he was stupid to trust these animals from the wild, but he felt like if he could touch them without the pane of glass separating them, they’d be gentle. Something about their eyes told him, those flecks of gold filled with warmth he’d normally associate with humans (or maybe some humans, definitely not all, maybe not even most). 

Jungkook stayed kneeling until he couldn’t feel his legs, and when he finally shifted into a sitting position, the movement seemed to startle the wolves into action. The first howled loudly and the other two followed in suit, and then they took off through the trees, leaving Jungkook alone in the darkness. 

He shouldn’t have moved - he broke the spell. Jungkook sat in front of the window for another hour until the snow started to fall, filling in the space where their paws had indented. As if they were never there. As if it had been a dream.

—

“We have one main pack here,” the guide huffed out, his breath visible as the group struggled up the mountainside. “The wolves you see at your windows are usually male, we haven’t seen any females with them. We think they’ve got a den up in the mountains, so that must be where the females are.” 

“Any babies?” A woman asked eagerly, but the guide shook his head. 

“Haven’t seen any recently, though you might see some baby bear cubs this time of year. They’re less common, but the snow is starting to clear up, so they might come out.” 

“How many wolves are in the pack?” Jungkook asked curiously, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. 

“Six,” the guide responded. “All white, or various shades of it. They’re pretty curious, so you’ve probably seen them if you’ve been here for a few days.”

Jungkook opened his mouth to speak, but the other woman scoffed. “I haven’t seen a thing ,” she said glumly, and Jungkook shut his mouth. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll put out some food in front of your cabins tonight,” the guide reassured her. “Most people who stay a couple nights see something.” 

Jungkook wondered if he should offer up his condolences, or share his experience - maybe she wasn’t staying up late enough - but the woman just rolled her eyes. “We’ll see. I’m a high-profile travel agent, you know, and I want to make sure my clients know they’ll get a good experience.” 

Jungkook stayed quiet. This woman wouldn’t appreciate the wolves, so she didn’t deserve the hint. 

They continued their trek, their small group moving quicker once they were on flat ground, and the guide got giddy over a set of tracks in the snow. “Wolf prints, come see!” They gathered around a small patch of mud, where the snow had dissolved into the ground and fresh tracks lay imprinted. “They’re coming from the cabins,” the guide mused. “So they’re definitely curious about something, even though it’s been a few days since we’ve left food. Looks like three different sets.” 

Jungkook remembered three sets of golden eyes and smiled. 

“Be careful over here, the ground is soft,” the guide warned, and Jungkook tried to take surefooted steps, but a patch of mud was hidden beneath wet leaves, and his foot slipped awkwardly. The woman cried out as he slid down beside her, gloved hands protecting his skin from the ice as he grasped for something to hold to. 

“I’ve got you!” the guide huffed as he rushed over to help, untangling Jungkook from the trees he’d landed near. “You alright?” 

“I’m fine,” Jungkook said quickly, embarrassment flooding his cheeks. “Just - not hurt, I’m alright. Sorry.” He untangled his jacket from the tangled shrubs and stood up shakily. “Sorry,” he said again for good measure when the woman huffed. 

“You’re alright,” the guide reassured him. “It’s slippery for all of us.” He helped Jungkook and the rest of the party as they gingerly rounded the river, and before they knew it they had returned to camp. As Jungkook closed the door to his cabin, he took a heavy breath before he shrugged off his wet jacket. He went to pull off his scarf, but realized it wasn’t around his neck. 

As he backtracked, he realized it must’ve come off when he fell. It was now part of the wilderness, and he bit back a smile as he imagined a part of himself part of the forest. 

—

True to their word, the staff left food near the base of his window that night. Jungkook tried to avoid looking at the carcass beneath the glass as he gazed out towards the woods, waiting for the wolves to emerge. He wondered if the woman from his hike was also waiting up, or if she’d foolishly fallen asleep. He hoped he never saw her again. 

There was a rustling from the trees only a few minutes later, and Jungkook held his breath once again as a nose peeked out between the leaves. A wolf emerged - he wasn’t sure if it was the same wolf, did this one look a little more gray? 

This one was more confident than the wolves from the night before, striding right up to his window with purpose. Jungkook watched and waited for its nose to fall, to dig into the animal offerings below and give him a - er, different - kind of visual experience, but the wolf just stopped in front of his window. 

It felt like deja vu, staring up at the beautiful animal perched delicately in the snow, gazing intently into its eyes and drowning in those beautiful golden flecks. The wolf’s breath clouded the window at the same time his own did, and Jungkook realized they were breathing in tandem. “Hi wolf,” Jungkook smiled, pressing his fingertips against the glass and wishing he could pet between those large ears. “The front desk left you a gift.” 

He pointed downwards at the ground, but the wolf didn’t even flinch. His gaze never wavered, and Jungkook felt trapped. The good kind of trapped, like when his mother would wrap him in blankets as a child so tightly his limbs couldn’t move - somehow he felt safe in front of a predator. 

Another wolf joined him from the forest, a bit smaller but eyes narrowed, a foreboding figure against the dark trees. He joined the other wolf and stood in front of the glass, and Jungkook couldn’t believe his luck - seeing five of the wolves already, while most of the guests hadn’t seen any? He could imagine that woman craning her neck from her window, wishing she had Jungkook's view right now. 

“You both are beautiful,” he said loudly, hoping his voice would carry through the glass. “I heard today you’re all male wolves, and you run the pack in the forest.” The wolves just stared back at him, never breaking their intense gaze. “I hope you don’t want to eat me.” 

The wolf on the left broke eye contact for a moment to stare at the other. It was funny, as if… well, Jungkook didn’t know how wolves spoke to each other, but it almost seemed like a response to his own comment. “If you do, I guess this glass should be enough to prevent that,” Jungkook murmured weakly. “And I doubt I taste of anything but ramen and beer.” 

He didn’t know why he was talking so much, but it seemed to be keeping the wolves in front of his window. “Do you have names?” He asked, but knew he’d get no answer. “My name is Jungkook, nice to meet you both. I met your, uh… brothers?” The wolves made no movement. “Friends?” Nothing. “Packmates?” His eyebrows raised as the one on the right nodded his head, almost imperceptibly - it could’ve been a twitch, because Jungkook was sure they could barely hear him, much less understand his language. 

“Packmates, then,” Jungkook nodded with a smile. “That sounds really nice, a group of people - or wolves, I guess - who take care of each other.” He looked down at his almost empty beer can. “I don’t really have that.” 

Most of his family had passed on, or lived too far to take care of him. Jungkook had gotten used to taking care of himself, but the thought of a tight-knit group was appealing. “You should take the food before the elks come,” he said, pointing down at the dead animals. “Take care of your pack, please.” 

The wolves looked at each other again, a strange coincidence, and then the smaller one picked up the carcass piece. Jungkook tried to keep his face straight as the dead animal was held between strong jaws. “Please come visit me again,” he said before they left. “I have no plans tomorrow, but I don’t know if you come out during the day. I’d love to see you, I’ll… I’ll wait.” 

The wolves sent him one last gaze before padding off into the night. Jungkook fell asleep near the window, and dreamt of six wolves standing over him. 

—-

The sunlight pouring through the massive windows was much more effective than an alarm clock. In his grogginess, Jungkook tried to pull another pillow over his face to block it out, but there was no use, and his brain finally awoke enough to remind him that the wolves might’ve returned. His phone told him it was 6:30am, only six hours since he’d watched the wolves leave. 

Jungkook rushed out of bed and slid on his sweatpants, shivering through the coffee maker warming up and watching the line of trees intently for movement. When did wolves wake up? Did they patrol the cabins in shifts? He winced when the coffee burnt his tongue, and scooted closer to the window and waited. 

He didn’t need to wait long. A howl echoed through the mountains, and Jungkook shivered in anticipation now, instead of cold. “Wow,” he whispered as a majestic white wolf broke through the trees, bigger and sturdier than all the rest. In his mouth he held something, and Jungkook fearfully wondered if he was about to see more animal carcasses as it padded closer to the window. 

It wasn’t though. The wolf sat down on his haunches and gently unclenched its jaw, letting the object fall slowly to the ground.

It was his scarf.

Jungkook stared at it for a moment. How was this possible? He’d lost it over five miles from here, and even if the wolves had found it, how could they possibly know it was his? Jungkook glanced back up at the wolf in surprise, and the proud animal stared back at him almost knowingly. 

“Thank you?” He asked, but he wasn’t sure that was the right answer. “How did you know - well, maybe I don’t want to know the answer to that,” he said sheepishly. “What a weird coincidence…” 

Jungkook picked up the coffee cup just for something to do, because the awkwardness of debating - between whether wolves had somehow known that was his scarf, or some seriously strange twist of fate had happened - was making him dizzy. The coffee was still too hot, and he yelped as it burned the roof of his mouth. 

The wolf moved then, and Jungkook's eyes flashed back up. The wolf was standing and… well, sort of glaring at the cup? Was it possible for wolves to glare? Obviously, Jungkook chided himself as his cheeks reddened. They probably glared at prey all the time. 

“I’m alright,” he said quickly. “Just too hot. Pass me some of that snow, why don’t you?” He laughed awkwardly at himself to ease whatever tension had seeped into this interaction. It worked somehow, because the wolf sat back down, gaze returning to focus solely on Jungkook. “We haven’t met before, have we?” Jungkook asked it, cataloging the differences in this wolf’s height and broadness, eyes still that same intense gold as the others but with flecks of dark blue. “Your friends - or packmates, I guess - maybe told you about me?” 

No response, and Jungkook felt stupid for thinking he’d get one. “My name is Jungkook, and that’s - thank you for bringing my scarf back. I won’t be able to get it, though, the fences keep me separated from you.” 

The wolf knelt down and nudged the scarf closer, and Jungkook smiled at the gentleness of the action. “It’s alright, I have more. You can keep it.” 

The wolf stared at him for a bit longer, and then seemed to… well, nod? And then it picked up the scarf between its teeth delicately, and then turned on its haunches and disappeared through the trees. Jungkook sat there for a few minutes longer, hoping it would come back, and hoping that the furious beating of his heart would slow down. 

—

The wolves remained absent for most of the morning, but Jungkook didn’t mind the solitude. He put on a playlist and unpacked the rest of his clothes, hanging them up in the closet and organizing his things in the dresser. One week felt too short of a time to be here - he wondered if the cabin was booked after his checkout date, or if he could extend another few days. He had enough in savings to cover the expenses if he saved diligently over the next month - no outings, no late night food cravings, no dates. Not that the last ever happened, Jungkook couldn’t remember the last time he’d built up the courage to ask someone out. And he enjoyed his solitude too much to venture out into the dating scene. 

The morning passed quickly as he drew sketches on the wolves in his notebook and admired the deer passing by his window. They were unafraid of the wolves, it seemed, or just knew enough about the pack’s schedule to avoid them. Jungkook wondered if the deer were a sign that it would be a while before they returned, and took it as a sign to get out of the cabin for a bit. 

“Doing alright?” The kind bellman asked him when Jungkook wandered into the front lodge, brushing the snow from his shoulders. “Seen any wolves yet?” 

“A few!” Jungkook replied happily, letting the man take his jacket. “They’re so beautiful, I can’t believe how close they get to the windows.” 

“Yeah, it’s incredible,” the man agreed. “If you have any questions on them, our wildlife expert is in today. She’s the one who catalogs the animals in the preserve and provides the food, she’ll know all about them.” Jungkook smiled in thanks and walked in the direction of the lodge shop, where children laughed gleefully as they picked out snacks for the gentle animals visitors could feed from their cars. 

A woman was decked in outdoor gear and holding a fancy clipboard, so Jungkook made the assumption that this was his wildlife expert. “Hello, do you work here? The bellman said you knew about the wolves, I’m staying in one of the cabins.” 

She smiled at him and nodded. “Yep, that’s me! My name is Becky, I’ve worked here for two years now. Have you seen them yet?” 

“I’ve seen all six, I think,” he admitted, and her eyebrows shot up. “Is that weird?” 

“No, of course not,” she said quickly. “Just - guests usually can’t tell the difference, but there are some distinguishing traits so you could be right. How long have you been here?”

“Two nights, but staying through Saturday.” He paused, kicking around his next question. “Do they… I don’t know, something about them seems so human, doesn’t it?” 

She smiled knowingly this time. “You’re not the first to say that, it’s their eyes, isn’t it? And they’re so expressive, but you could say the same thing about dogs. Sure, they might know a command here or there, but dogs can’t understand us despite it sometimes appearing that way.” 

“I don’t know, Becky, those wolves are strange.” A man in a similar uniform joined them, staring at Jungkook curiously. “All the legends and stuff, the townspeople fought the park for ages because they said it was too dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” Jungkook asked, ignoring Becky’s sigh of annoyance. The new man nodded quickly.

“Lots of local legends about the wolves,” the man - his nametag read Cody - said seriously. “They call them shifters, say they’re humans trapped in wolf bodies. The group we’ve got, the six males, they’ve been around for almost ten years now. They run the forest, even though we’ve got bears and moose up here. No one messes with those wolves, they’re supernatural.” 

“That’s stuff of legend,” Becky scolded Cody with a frown. “They’re wolves, I’ve interacted with them plenty of times and they act just like any old wolf you’d find at any old forest. They protect their pack, they hunt for food, and they like an odd pet or two between their ears when you give them snacks.” 

“Tell him about the footprints, then,” Cody goaded her, and Jungkook's eyes widened in surprise. “Alright, if you won’t, I will - every once in a while, we find human footprints in the snow or mud. And not like shoe marks, you know? Actual footprints, with toes out and everything! None of our staff is out there with no shoes on, I can tell you that.” 

“Cody, don’t scare the guests,” Becky sighed, but Jungkook was eager for more.

“Have you ever seen a human out there? Like, not staff?” 

“Not me,” Cody sighed as if disappointed. “Would love to see ‘em, but they are good at staying hidden.”

“Or that’s an old wive’s tale and you’re never going to see it,” Becky rolled her eyes. “They’re good wolves, they protect our land from coyotes and other small predators, and they love interacting with the guests. If they’re humans, they deserve a raise.” 

Jungkook smiled as she apologetically excused herself, and watched her retreating back. “Don’t be scared now,” Cody warned, looking a little guilty. “If they’re humans, they’re nice ones. Never hurt nobody here, not Becky or the guides or any guests.” 

“I’m not scared,” Jungkook said quietly. “I doubt it’s true anyways.” Photos of the wolves lined the gift shop as Jungkook wandered, and their eyes followed him as he left the store.

—

When Jungkook opened the door to his cabin, he was shocked to see six wolves sitting in front of his window. “What the -” he dropped the bag of books and snacks by the door and rushed to the glass, shrugging his jacket off quickly. “Hi wolves,” Jungkook grinned, pressing his hand to the glass. One of the smaller wolves pressed his nose against his palm, and Jungkook laughed. “I feel really special, getting a visit from all of you!” 

The wolves crowded together tightly, huffing and pawing the ground in an effort to get closer to the window. They seemed more playful today, jumping against the window and clicking their nails against the glass. Jungkook sat as close as he could, smiling so wide his cheeks hurt at their antics. They looked like a family.

One of the wolves seemed more leader-like than the rest, the big white one that had visited him with the scarf that morning. He nipped some of the more playful ones until they calmed, and then glanced back at Jungkook with that same laser-focus from earlier. Once he was certain he had Jungkook's attention, he lowered his head to nudge something on the ground. 

Jungkook had to sit up straighter to peer down, and recoiled slightly when he saw the mass of skin and blood. “Oh shit -” 

They’d brought him a dead deer. This definitely hadn’t been there earlier, and Jungkook had just met Becky less than thirty minutes ago - there was no chance she’d had time to load up a deer carcass and place it in front of his window, was there? And to not even mention it to him? No, when Jungkook peered closer at the massive white wolf, he could see flecks of blood on his fur. The pack had brought him a dead deer.

What does one say in return? “Thank you?” Jungkook muttered weakly, bowing his head slightly as he tried to collect his thoughts. “It looks - that’s a big deer, you are very capable.” 

It seemed to be the right response, but the wolf on the right yelped happily and jumped back up against the glass. When it dropped back down, Jungkook could see the imprint of the paw against the window, and he hoped the window washers wouldn’t visit until after he’d checked out. “Yes, thank you,” he repeated, giggling as a few of them started playing in the snow. “You’re very thoughtful wolves.” 

Jungkook glanced into the leader’s eyes, smiling at the golden warmth. “I wish I could pet you,” he said, and then backtracked. “Not that you’re dogs or anything, just… your fur looks beautiful.” He traced the outline of the wolf’s ears against the glass and sighed. “And Becky said you’re nice wolves, do you know her? Maybe I can ask her to give you a present from me later.” 

The wolf nodded, and Jungkook smiled again. Becky was wrong, these animals were capable of understanding him, at least a little. They knew he was a friend, knew he appreciated their majestic beauty and proud history. “I’ll do that, then,” he grinned. “If you promise to keep coming to visit.” 

He sat back against his heels and told the wolves about his life - his job in Seoul (digital artist for a marketing company, which was fine most days, but he wished he could find work painting instead), his mom (older now, living with his aunt in Busan after his father died, he tried to visit her a few times a year), his apartment (could be better, arguably, and he left out some details like the draftiness during winter and the way the freezer never worked). The wolves listened and yelped back, dancing in the snow and bounding back and forth in front of the window, as if vying for Jungkook's attention. 

The sun went down and still they stayed, watching Jungkook as Jungkook watched them. The glass window felt impossibly thicker somehow, as if the separation between man and animal was widening when he wished it would shrink. 

When Jungkook yawned against his will, the leader wolf barked at the others to round them up. Jungkook sat up quickly in distress. “No, please don’t leave! I’m not too tired, I slept plenty last night.” He pouted when it still appeared like they were leaving, and he sat down with a huff. “Will you come back tomorrow then?” 

The one with brown in his fur nodded, and Jungkook's pout let up a little. “Early?” Another nod, and Jungkook's face broke into a small smile. “Good, you better. But be sure to go say hi to the other cabins or they’ll leave bad reviews, alright?” 

Did that wolf just roll his eyes? Jungkook choked on a laugh and then pressed his nose to the glass. “Thank you for the gift, wolves. I won’t be able to get it from here, but I appreciate the gesture. I’ll give you something soon, I promise.” He watched them fade into the night, and sat for just a moment longer in case they came back. 

—

Jungkook awoke to the sound of howling. The sun was barely creeping up over the horizon, but he shrugged off his comforter and raced to the window to find his wolves coming out of the forest. Three of them - the leader was absent, as well as the two smaller ones - and they seemed ecstatic to see him without the careful guidance of the leader. 

“Good morning, wolves,” he grinned, pressing his palm against the glass and laughing when the tallest of the three pressed his nose against it, leaving a wet imprint behind. “I hope you slept well.” 

The carcass was gone from beneath the window, and Jungkook wondered if another animal had found it, or if the wolves had taken back their gift. There was no way staff had found it, Jungkook was sure he would’ve heard them moving around. 

When he got up to make coffee, they cried out and jumped against the glass. “I’m not going far,” Jungkook grinned, holding up his coffee mug. “Humans need this, I wouldn’t be able to live without it, I think.” He went back to the window as the coffee pot heated up. “It’s called caffeine, and it gives us energy. Do you have anything like that?” The wolves looked at each other, and then back up at JK. “No? Well good, it’s probably not good for humans either in the long run. But we drink it because we’re addicted.” 

They looked a little concerned for a moment, and Jungkook giggled. “It’s alright, it’s not that scary. I guess I could live without it, if it came to that.”

—

There was a knock on the door an hour later. Jungkook felt a bit giddy, flying on a high after his interaction with the three wolves. He’d told them more about his life - his favorite games, books, movies, his least favorite foods and his favorite recipes, the dog he had growing up. He missed them the moment they left. 

Jungkook opened the door to find Cody shuffling back and forth, looking uneasy. “Everything alright?” 

“Yeah, just - are you squeamish? Like, can you handle seeing a dead animal?” Jungkook immediately felt his heart drop as he thought of his wolves. 

“What happened?” he asked quickly, stepping out into the cold in his slippers. Cody’s eyes dropped to his feet and then back up. “Oh, should I - do I need to change first?” 

Jungkook raced back inside and kicked on his shoes, not even bothering to tie them as he slipped on his jacket. He followed Cody out the door a moment later, and the man brought him near the fence, just past his cabin entrance. “We found this here, and while we don’t want you to be alarmed, we do have to notify you about it.” 

Next to Jungkook's door was the dead deer carcass - the one that had been in front of his window only hours before. Jungkook stared at it in shock. “How?” he asked, voice trailing off as he tried to avoid looking at the deer’s face. 

“We don’t know, cameras can’t catch everything,” Cody admitted, wringing his gloved hands together. “We have them up all over the place, but this is sort of a dark area, and they’re motion-activated. We rarely get animals coming this close to the cabins, so it’s a bit strange.” 

“So you didn’t see what left it here?” 

“No, we’re guessing it was a coyote,” Cody said. “Maybe attacked the deer and tried to eat it, but got scared off by something.”

“And it couldn’t have been from the other side?” Jungkook asked, glancing up at the tall fence. “Like… a bear?” He avoided saying wolf, because he didn’t want his wolves blamed for this. Cody quickly shook his head.

“No, definitely not. We have some doors that lead in and out of the fencing, but they’re locked tightly every night. An animal definitely wouldn’t have been able to open it.” 

Jungkook bit his lip, wondering if he should bring up the idea of shifters. Cody seemed to believe it, even though Becky hadn’t, but he didn’t want to get his wolves into trouble. “So now what?” He asked. 

“We’re going to put a curfew in place, while our security team checks on our cameras and confirms the safety precautions are secure,” Cody said. “If you need to leave your cabin after 7pm, just call the Front Desk and we’ll send someone out with a golf cart to help you.”

“Oh, I’m sure I won’t need to go anywhere,” Jungkook said quickly. “I’m content in the cabin, just looking at my - at nature.” 

“Yeah, you’ll be fine,” Cody smiled, patting him on the shoulder. “Just holler if you need something? But like - don’t shout, just call on your cabin phone.” The man gave him one last pat and then moved onto the next cabin, knocking on their door to share the news. 

Jungkook glanced down at the deer, apprehension settling in his stomach. This could be another coincidence, maybe - it could be a different deer entirely - or somehow, his wolves had moved his ‘gift’ to his cabin, overcoming the two-story fence and locked entry and cameras with ease. 

He didn’t know what to do, but he knew he had to do something. Without giving himself time to debate, he pulled off his glove and left it near the head of the deer. “Thank you, wolves,” he whispered. “I can’t take the deer inside, I don’t - I appreciate the gift though.” 

He hoped they heard (and hoped no one else had), and walked back inside his cabin, letting the door shut with a heavy thud. 

—

The week was going by too quickly. Jungkook stared out the glass anxiously, waiting for his wolves to come. He only had four more nights in the cabin, and if they didn’t come tonight, he would have to extend his trip - he hated losing time. The leaves rustled again, and Jungkook glanced up sharply, but it was only a squirrel darting out between trees. “Where are you, wolves?” Jungkook asked desperately, cuddling a pillow against his stomach as he waited. 

Finally, he saw one emerge from the foliage, and then another closely behind him. They were the two smaller ones, both intimidating enough on their own without the pack beside them. The one with narrowed eyes was holding something in his paw, and Jungkook's heart stopped. His glove dangled from the wolf’s teeth, the fingers waving at him with each step. 

“How did you get that?” He breathed out, feeling a bit shaky. “It was on this side of the fence, next to - did you move the deer by my cabin?”

His heart began pounding furiously, so rapidly he could feel it in his throat, when the other wolf nodded. There was no mistaking it now. The wolves could understand him, and somehow had the capability to get through the fence. 

“Why?” Jungkook asked breathlessly, torn between wanting to run and wanting to break through the glass and touch them. The one with narrowed eyes, almost feline in the way they curved upwards, dropped the glove to the snow-covered ground and moved closer. His mouth parted and Jungkook froze, but the wolf just licked a long stripe up the glass. 

“I don’t know what that means,” Jungkook said after a moment of silence. “Is it a good thing?” 

The other wolf nodded, and Jungkook let out a breathless chuckle. “Oh, well - that’s good, then. Do you normally leave gifts for guests?” He wondered if it was some sort of wolfish pack custom, and he was the honored guest of the week. But that thought was quickly invalidated when the wolf shook his head more firmly. “Then why me?” 

Jungkook knew there were more important questions to ask. How the wolves had gotten over the gate, how they had known the scarf was his, why they seemed so focused on his cabin. But he couldn’t help but voice the scariest question aloud. “What makes me different?” Jungkook asked quietly, and the wolves could only stare at him in response. 

—

Jungkook awoke the next morning groggy and confused. His dreams had been filled with wolves, moments where he was being chased, moments when they were circling him in the woods, moments where he wasn’t looking down at them, but at their eye-level - almost as if he’d been a wolf too. 

He stood by his coffee pot with his eyes half-open. “I need something stronger,” he mumbled, remembering the coffee shop in the lobby. An espresso, maybe. Or if the bar was open… 

Cody had only said to call if it was after curfew, so he bundled up and trekked to the lodge, shrugging off his coat and greeting the bellman with a weak smile. The coffee shop was thankfully empty though, so Jungkook was able to order and receive his espresso quickly. Each sip gave him new life, but also gave his imagination the energy to go haywire with possibilities. He was stewing on them when Becky knocked on his table.

“Hey, just checking on you,” she laughed when his head shot up in surprise. “Wanted to make sure you’re alive. How’s it going?”

“Good,” Jungkook said sheepishly, motioning for her to sit. “Had some weird dreams, so it took me a while to wake up today.” 

“Been there,” she smiled. “I needed some extra help today from coffee too, I’ve been doing more hikes and fence patrol since we found that deer near your cabin.” She glanced at him with concern. “That’s not causing your bad dreams, right?”

“No,” Jungkook said quickly, even though… well, it was partially true. “The dreams weren’t bad, just intense.” He motioned at the heavy backpack at her feet. “Are you coming back from hiking or going?”

“Going,” she sighed. “Today I’m checking on the wolves, give them some extra treats and make sure they’re alright. With the deer incident, I’m worried that some other type of animal is getting in and out of our radius.”

“Can I come?” Jungkook said, sitting up quickly. “Please?”

“Guests aren’t allowed -” Becky started, but Jungkook wasn’t about to miss out on this chance. 

“I’ll stay in the car, or golf cart, or whatever you use! I can carry heavy things, I can take notes, I can just be company, please!”

Becky stared at him for a moment, then sighed with a smile. “You’ll have to sign a waiver, but I don’t see why not. My instructions are law, though, don’t forget that.”

Jungkook nodded in agreement eagerly and helped her with her things, eager to get outside and closer to his wolves. If there was even the slightest opportunity of seeing them up close, touching them maybe… Jungkook had to try.

—

Another howl echoed through the trees - the fifth one in only a matter of minutes. Jungkook turned to Becky curiously. “They’re more talkative than usual,” she said with a smile, but it seemed forced. The golf cart turned slowly down a bumpy path.

“Just up that way is the wolf’s den,” she said, pointing at a marker on a gnarled tree. Jungkook glanced up quickly to see a makeshift trail through the foliage, and could only imagine what lay at the top. “We won’t go up that far, they’re protective, but we can usually find them nearby.”

Sure enough, they spotted movement near the trees only a moment later, and a white nose peeked through the branches. “There they are,” Becky whispered, coming to a stop. “Stay in the cart while I check them out, make sure they’re alright.” She pulled on heavy gloves and pulled out the lodge’s baked treats - “Pumpkin and carrots,” she’d shown Jungkook the small bone-shaped treats. “Nothing too heavy, and outside of the occasional animal in front of the windows, we try not to feed them meat, because we don’t want them to lose the ability to hunt.” - and the wolves gathered around her eagerly. 

Jungkook watched them in fascination, taking in the different colorings even better now that he could see them from a different angle. He still felt too far though, and his fingers itched to touch their soft fur.

Neither he or Becky noticed one wolf break apart from the pack and come around behind the golf cart. Jungkook only froze when he heard the huff next to his arm, and then felt something press into the crook of his arm. 

He looked down to see one of the wolves pressing his nose against Jungkook's jacket, inhaling deeply and letting out a heavy breath. Beautiful golden eyes looked back at him, flecked with spots of brown and green, fur between his ears almost blonde in the filtered sunlight. “Hi,” Jungkook whispered, captivated by the warm gaze. 

“Jungkook, stay still,” Becky said sharply, causing Jungkook to flinch. The wolf against his arm pressed even harder, trying to keep his attention. “I’m going to slowly come over there to help, but I need you to keep perfectly still.” 

“It’s not hurting me,” Jungkook whispered, watching in awe as the wolf burrowed his nose even deeper into the crook of Jungkook's arm. It took a second, but Jungkook realized what it was doing, and lifted his arm slightly. The wolf took the chance and pressed his head into Jungkook's lap, wet nose poking into the sliver of exposed skin between Jungkook's glove and jacket sleeve.

“Jungkook,” Becky warned, but Jungkook was already slowly pulling off his glove, letting it drop between his legs and placing his bare fingers between the wolf’s ears. 

“Hi there,” Jungkook whispered, gently brushing through the hair. “You’re softer than I expected.” He’d been expecting coarse hair, but the bangs between the wolf’s ears felt like velvet. The wolf panted heavily against his leg, looking up at Jungkook with an expression of happiness (if wolves could emote happiness, Jungkook wasn’t sure). 

Becky kept inching closer, until a wolf stood in front of her, blocking her path. “Jungkook, you still good?” She asked nervously. Jungkook nodded, but didn’t break his gaze from the wolf in his lap. 

Things were going well until the wolf in his lap got determined and pulled back, only to jump up and almost cage Jungkook in his seat, massive paws pressing into the plush backing of the seat right next to Jungkook's neck. “Jungkook!” Becky shouted in alarm as the wolf opened his mouth -

Only to swipe his wet tongue against Jungkook's face. “Wha -” Jungkook sputtered, pulling back to escape and finding nowhere to go. He let out a shocked giggle as the wolf tried again. “Stop, that’s sticky!” 

The wolf let out a happy whine, sliding back down to four legs and pressing his nose back into Jungkook's lap. It was only then that Jungkook noticed more of the wolves had joined his side of the golf cart, vying for space that the first brave wolf didn’t seem to want to give up. One snapped at his leg, and Jungkook jumped in fright, but it was playful. The first wolf moved almost reluctantly to the side, letting more of the wolves in the space, more noses pressing against his hand playfully. 

“What the hell,” Becky whispered, and Jungkook chanced a look in her direction. She seemed surprised, and also a little amused. “You a wolf whisperer or something? They like you.” 

“Must be,” he giggled back with a blush. “These wolves have seen me through the window, they must recognize me.” The wolf guarding Becky seemed to believe she wouldn’t try to prevent them from going towards Jungkook, because he joined the rest of his pack crowding Jungkook's corner of the car. “Can I stand up? They’re all pushing -”

“Slowly,” Becky sighed. “And just remember the goddamn waiver you signed, I can’t get fired for this. If any of them start to look aggressive, let me know, I have a taser for emergencies.” 

Jungkook refused to let her taser any of his precious wolves, but he only nodded and twisted his legs, trying to find ground between the mass of fur against him. “Let me up, wolves,” he laughed, holding onto the golf cart for balance. They shifted slightly to let him stand more comfortably, and then began to crowd him once more, begging for attention.

Jungkook tried his best to share his affection, letting them lick his hands (his other glove joined the first on the floor of the golf cart) and press their noses into his unzipped jacket. They were so warm, so soft, so majestic, and so goddamn playful. 

Eventually, Becky joined them, passing Jungkook the treats so he could distribute them instead. They ate the crumbs out of his palm with slobbery tongues before running and playing in circles around him. By the time the food was gone, the sun was at its highest point in the sky, and Becky was glancing at her watch. 

“I need to drop you back off at the lodge,” she said remorsefully. “I’ve still got more rounds to do, and can’t take you any further than here. We’ve got bears and moose wandering, and unless you’re Dr. Doolittle, I can’t imagine they’ll lick treats out of your hand.” 

It was like the wolves understood her words, because they whined and pushed Jungkook's legs harder, forcing him away from the golf cart. Jungkook pouted too, but Becky held firm. “Alright, I understand,” he sighed. “I’ll say goodbye.” 

He gave each one a last scratch between their ears, and when Becky was loading up equipment in the golf cart, he knelt down to eye-level to speak to the leader. “Come see me every night,” he whispered desperately, locking brown eyes with golden ones. “I only have three more nights, please come every night or I’ll be devastated.” He didn’t mention that he’d be even more devastated when he had to leave.

The wolf stared at him, and then nodded slowly. “Thank you,” Jungkook breathed out, and then pressed a soft kiss above the wolf’s nose. “See you tonight, I’ll stay awake and wait for you.” 

He stood up and let the wolves clamber around for one more scent before he slid back into the golf cart. Becky was staring at him with a rueful expression. “I’ve never seen someone kiss a wolf before,” she said wryly when he sent her a questioning glance. “You’re an odd one, Jungkook.”

Jungkook blushed and shrugged, and tried to bite back a smile as they returned to the lodge. When they got back, he ran straight to his window to wait.

—

Jungkook had another bowl of ramen, contemplated his lackluster diet, and then drank another cup of coffee as he waited for his wolves to appear. The sunlight had already begun to fade and his shadow stretched across the wooden floor as he sat, feeling antsy as the glass grew colder. He was startled when someone knocked on the door.

“Hey!” Cody said brightly when he answered. “How’s it going?” 

“Good,” Jungkook mumbled as pinpricks traveled up his legs as they woke from their sitting position. “What’s up?”

“Here to inform you the guest next door checked out early,” Cody said simply, leaning against the door post. When Jungkook looked confused, he shrugged. “Policy, nothing you need to do. They were frightened because of the deer carcass.” 

“So they left?” 

“Yep, and asked for a big portion of a refund,” Cody rolled his eyes. “If you can’t handle nature, don’t stay in a nature lodge, right? But how about you, you’re not nervous, are you?”

“Of course not,” Jungkook frowned, but he couldn’t help his gaze from looking in the direction where the carcass had been. “Like you said, nature.”

“Knew you’d be fine,” Cody smiled. “Becky says you’re pretty brave and went into the woods with her.” He sent Jungkook a playful grin. “Said you kissed a wolf on the nose.” 

Jungkook blushed, because even though Cody seemed to be lightly teasing, the kiss had felt so much more meaningful than he could explain aloud. It had felt like a promise. “They’re cute,” he said weakly. “They were gentle.” 

“I know, I believe you,” Cody said. “Anyways, your neighbor is gone, and the rest of the cabins are empty until Friday night. We have security here, but I’m supposed to inform you you’re on your own. We can move you to a cabin closer to the lodge -”

“No,” Jungkook said quickly, and backtracked when Cody’s eyebrows raised. “I mean, I’m not worried. I’d hate to move all my stuff, I’m fine. I know how to call security if I need to.” 

“Alright, sounds good to me!” Cody patted him on the back and then left with a wink. “Don’t go kissing any more wolves tonight! If the rumors are true, you might be kissing men!”

Jungkook let the door close, unwilling to respond and say he wouldn’t exactly mind. 

—

The window only grew colder as night fell, so Jungkook made tea and another bowl of ramen, sitting cross-legged in front of the glass and he gazed into the woods hopefully. The forest felt quieter somehow, as if the checked-out guests meant the forest didn’t have to perform so often. 

Where were his wolves? Jungkook felt his eyes start to droop around midnight, the cup of tea empty near his feet. He refused to fall asleep, but the next minute he startled awake to the sound of knocking. His phone read 3am. 

When had he slept? Had his wolves come while he napped, and not made any effort to wake him? Jungkook swore as he shrugged off his comforter, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he groggily made his way to the door. He struggled with the lock for a moment, and when it clicked open, he had half a thought towards security - why was someone knocking at 3am?

Three men stood at his doorway, bathed in soft moonlight until the harsh front light of his porch clicked on. “Sorry to bother you,” the tallest murmured, his dark hair cropped short and thin shirt tugging tight across his chest. He looked a little sheepish, as did his companions - one with bright eyes and shaggy blonde hair, the other shorter with narrowed eyes and pouty lips. “We’re checking in today but we got lost on the way here, and can’t find the check-in cabin. Could you point me in the right direction?”

Jungkook wasn’t sure he was fully awake, because why else would these gorgeous men be standing in front of him? Could he invite them in? Would the wolves mind some more company? “Um -” Jungkook said when he realized they were waiting. “Yeah, it’s up the road still, you’re almost there. At the end of the road, make a left, and then it’s there. The light should be on, security checks in people after midnight.” 

“Thanks,” the tallest said, dimples cratering his cheeks when he smiled. “I feel bad we lost the whole night, but hopefully the wolves stay up late.” 

“They do sometimes,” Jungkook said, and the tallest arched an eyebrow.

“You’ve seen them, then?” He asked curiously. Jungkook nodded. 

“All the time,” he said proudly. “They’re beautiful.”

“Oh yeah?” The blonde asked with a wide, boxy grin. “Which one is your favorite?” The shorter one scoffed. “What? He might like one more than the others, just curious.” 

“It’s late, we won’t take up more of your time,” the tallest said smoothly, interrupting the two others. “Thanks for the directions, maybe we’ll see you around.” 

Jungkook felt like they shouldn’t leave, felt some indescribable urge to stay close to them, so he blurted out another question. “How long are you here?” 

“Hmm, quite a while,” he smiled, and Jungkook almost swooned when those dimples reappeared. “Maybe we’ll see you around.” He held out his hand to shake. “My name is Namjoon.”

Jungkook reached out to take his palm as if in a trance, and gasped (hopefully quietly) when their fingers touched. His skin was so warm, and delicate fingers wrapped around his palm as they shook hands. Jungkook felt dizzy as Namjoon’’s thumb brushed against his wrist - up and down, up and down in a soothing motion - before he let go. 

Without meaning to, Jungkook took a step forward to chase the feeling, catching himself just in time with one hand on the door frame. Namjoon looked concerned for a moment, but cleared his throat and motioned to his friends. “And this is Taehyung,” the blonde waved, then held out his hand to shake. His fingers tickled against Jungkook's wrist as well, leaving a tingling feeling when they parted. “And Yoongi,” Namjoon nodded to the third person, whose lips ticked upwards in a small smile and shook Jungkook's hand next, pressing deftly with his thumb over the bone of Jungkook's wrist. 

“We’ll let you sleep,” Namjoon said warmly as Yoongi’s hand fell back. Jungkook glanced at him dizzily, the words taking a second to comprehend. 

“Oh sure,” he mumbled, stepping back regretfully inside the cabin. “Maybe I’ll see you around?”

“You will,” Namjoon said resolutely. Jungkook nodded and tried to hide a yawn behind his hands. “Go to sleep, Jungkook.” 

Jungkook nodded blearily and let the door close softly. He waited for a moment to hear their car start, but was met only with silence. Must be one of those quiet new ones, he mused. His head hit the pillow and he drifted off quickly, but not without thinking… when had he told them his name? 

—

“Hi,” Jungkook said awkwardly in front of the check-in desk. The agent glanced up at him and smiled politely, waiting for him to continue. “Did the people who arrived last night check-in alright?”

“Who?” The agent furrowed their brows, and then checked his computer. “You’re Jungkook, right? Cabin one? You’re the only guest on property until tomorrow.”

“Really?” Jungkook asked, feeling the same dizziness from last night return, but this time without the accompanying curiosity and warmth from the three men on his porch. “But I - wow, must’ve been some dream.” 

He laughed a bit too loudly and apologized, turning quickly before the agent could question him further. So they had been lying - or Jungkook had actually had the most vivid dream of his life. He pressed his thumb against his other wrist, and he could almost imagine the phantom touch of their hands. No, it hadn’t been a dream. 

—

Jungkook rushed back to his cabin and knelt in front of the glass window. “Come on, come on,” he mumbled, twisting his neck to stare down the line of cabins and see if the wolves were in front of those. “Where are you?”

He didn’t have to wait for long. Within minutes of fretful pacing, Jungkook saw movement in the trees. He dropped to his knees immediately, ignoring the sharp pang that resonated, and pressed his fingers to the glass. The massive white wolf, the leader, stepped forward. 

“Hi,” Jungkook whispered, staring into those beautiful golden eyes. Namjoon’s eyes had been dark, nothing like the wolf in front of him, and yet… They held the same warmth and knowledge. A human knowledge. “Are you…?”

He didn’t know how to ask without feeling stupid. Namjoon blinked heavily and then nudged his nose into the glass, right where Jungkook's hand lay. It gave him the courage. “Are you human?” 

A slow nod. Jungkook let out the breath he’d been holding. “Are you Namjoon?” 

Another nod, and then the wolf’s lips twisted upwards into a smile. Jungkook slumped his head against the glass, laughing breathlessly. “I feel crazy.” He glanced back up to see more of the wolves pushing closer, bumping their noses against the glass. It was like they were trying to reassure him without words. 

“So are the town rumors true?” Jungkook asked after a few deep breaths. “You’re shifters?”

He’d never seen a wolf shrug before, but the one on the right did. Jungkook laughed. “Well, I guess you can’t tell me in this form, anyways. I can talk for us, don’t worry, you just need to nod or shake your head.” 

The one on the left nodded almost comically, and Jungkook laughed as his fears slipped away. 

“So you’re sort-of shifters,” Jungkook mused. “Are you all around the same age?” He received a nod. “Alright, are you… are you all Korean?” Another emphatic nod stole a wide grin from Jungkook. “Cool, that’s good.” He bit his lip and grinned coyly. “Are you all that attractive?” 

The one on the right seemed to be a troublemaker, because he turned to the one next to him and licked a wide strip across the other’s cheek, causing the smaller one to recoil and nip. Jungkook laughed aloud, watching them play in the snow. “Come back, I have more questions!” 

They settled and turned back to him, waiting for his next question. He paused, feeling unsure about his next steps - keep it light, or get answers? 

“Why me?” Jungkook asked quietly, glancing down at his hands. He rubbed the spot on his wrist where Yoongi had pressed his thumb against the bone. “I know that’s not a yes or no question, sorry, but… I don’t get what’s happening, or why you’re choosing to show me the truth.” 

The wolf next to Namjoon butted his shoulder, and they looked at each other for a long moment. Jungkook wondered who that wolf was - he had a feeling the one on the right was Taehyung, because he had those light blonde hairs between his ears that reminded him of the man he’d met last night. And the smaller one to NJ’s left might be Yoongi, with his narrowed dark golden eyes. 

“Have you ever shown yourself to another guest?” Jungkook asked quietly, and received a head shake. “Then am I special somehow?” He got a few nods back, and smiled weakly. “But I don’t know why. Is it because I’m Korean?” Namjoon shook his head. “A boy?” Another no. “Then I don’t know any other reason,” Jungkook said softly. 

Namjoon sighed, his breath fogging up the glass. He looked so serious, and it was so strange watching emotions flicker across a wolf’s face, but Jungkook felt like something important was being decided. He leaned forward eagerly, but then the wolf’s ears flicked back and he turned to look in the direction of the other cabins. 

Jungkook's hearing wasn’t as good as the wolves, especially with the glass between him and the outside. But he could tell there was something in the distance. He wondered if it was Becky or Cody or another staff member, or an animal approaching. “What?” he asked quickly when the wolves turned to look. “Do you need to go?”

Namjoon nodded and Jungkook sighed, letting his forehead hit the glass again. “Come see me tonight,” he murmured, looking up and meeting Namjoon’s golden eyes. “As wolves, as - as humans, I don’t care. I only have two nights left, and I want to see you again.” 

Namjoon held his gaze, and then nodded slowly before pressing his nose against the glass. A kiss of sorts, and Jungkook smiled as they turned around and fled off into the woods. 

—-

There was nothing to do but pace in his cabin, watching the sun rise through the sky and then slowly (oh so slowly) set behind the mountains. Someone had knocked on his door earlier to invite him on a hike, but Jungkook had declined immediately, claiming exhaustion. He went through his closet to find something to wear - something nice, but not too nice, because what if they invited him into the woods? Why had he only brought sweaters ? He wanted to kick his past self for not bringing his nice button up.

His closet held his backpack, and Jungkook stared at it for a moment before pulling it out. It wouldn’t hurt to pack a few items, just in case. He didn’t know what wolves-who-turned-into-men ate, so he should be prepared for at least a few days. He stuffed his granola bars into the pockets, along with some water bottles and his journal. His charger remained plugged into the wall. If these men lived in the woods, his phone would be nothing more than a brick. And if by some miracle they had electricity, he could bribe one of them to get him a charger. 

Once his bag was packed, doubt set in. What if they told him he couldn’t come with them? What if this was just a passing amusement for mystical beings, and Jungkook was reading too much into it? He couldn’t explain it, but he felt this strong, unyielding desire to be with them - even though he wasn’t a wolf, it felt like he was being tugged into the woods, into their pack. 

If he was going crazy, Jungkook found he didn’t really mind. It seemed worth it.

Jungkook forced himself to stay awake this time, downing coffee until he felt sufficiently jittery. The sky turned pink, then purple, then color disappeared completely as night took over. Even from his window, Jungkook could see the multitude of stars dotting the sky. How beautiful it must look from the forest, with nothing to block the view. 

Two minutes after midnight, Jungkook heard a knock on the door. 

“Whoa,” he gasped as six men stood on his porch. Namjoon was the one who knocked, hand still held aloft and looking a little surprised at how quickly Jungkook had rushed to open the door. Taehyung and Yoongi flanked him, and then behind him stood three more beautiful men. “Hi,” he mumbled, trying to will away his blush. 

“Hi Jungkook,” Namjoon murmured, smiling that beautiful dimpled smile. “Thank you for inviting us all tonight.” 

“‘Course,” Jungkook said breathlessly, taking them all in. “Thanks for coming.” 

There was a moment of silence, and then the tall one behind Namjoon grinned. “Gonna let us in, puppy?” 

Namjoon tsked - “Seokjin, be polite.” And though the nickname shot through Jungkook like wildfire, embarrassment was stronger, so he quickly shuffled aside to let them in. Taehyung took the lead in examining the cabin, running his fingers over the countertops and turning the faucet on and off. 

“Hoseok, look! They’ve sure gotten fancier!” 

Another man joined Taehyung in the kitchen, curiosity dancing across his sharp features, smile bright as he laughed gleefully. The one named Seokjin was in the living room, staring out the window in surprise. “Jimin, come here, doesn’t it look different from this angle?” 

Jungkook watched another man join him at the window, looking past the glass curiously. “The forest looks so much smaller from here,” he said, voice sweet and melodic. “Almost distorted somehow, and duller.” 

Jungkook wanted to ask a thousand questions, his mind quickly cataloging their names and their features. “Did anyone see you come in?” He blurted out. “How did you get in?” The fence loomed in his mind, too high for any wolf to jump over. 

Yoongi rolled his eyes as he joined Jungkook in the middle of the room (he’d been unsure where to stand, who to follow, where to sit so he could see all of them at once). “The lodge is very careful to make sure animals can’t get through,” he said pointedly. Jungkook was mesmerized by the way his lips tilted upwards on one side into a smile. “But anyone with thumbs can figure it out.” 

He held his palm up high, as if to prove he had all human digits, and without permission Jungkook's hand floated up to meet it. His palm met Yoongi’s, cold hand meeting hot, and his fingers rested just below the tips of Yoongi’s. He blushed as Yoongi bent his fingertips to cradle Jungkook’s, feeling small despite his few inches of height over the other man, and Yoongi’s smirk melted into a soft smile. 

“Jimin, you’re up next, bring your hand over,” Taehyung cackled, barely avoiding the swat from Jimin as he dashed behind the counter. 

“Long fingers don’t mean shit,” Jimin pouted as the rest of the pack laughed. Jungkook blushed harder as Yoongi’s fingers twisted through his and their entwined hands fell between them. 

“So how come you came in human form?” Jungkook asked, glancing at Namjoon for guidance, who grinned at him. 

“You met us in person,” he said, coming to join Jungkook and Yoongi in the center of the room. “We wanted to return the favor. The three of us came last night because we wanted to be sure of something first.”

When Namjoon didn’t elaborate, Jungkook looked around the room curiously. “Be sure of what?” 

“That I was right,” Jimin said proudly. “And I was, wasn’t I?” He bounded across the room to stand next to Jungkook, pressing too closely until his nose was against the collar of Jungkook's sweater. “He definitely is.”

“Is what?” Jungkook said weakly, trying not to enjoy the way Jimin's nose tickled the skin along his collarbones, or the way his breath warmed his skin. “What am I?”

Namjoon looked a little uneasy as he pulled Jimin away gently, wrapping a firm hand around the shorter man’s shoulders. “One of us.” 

—

Jungkook felt his stomach swoop high, then low. The dizziness that followed seemed to alarm all of them before he even knew it was happening, and Yoongi caught his weight as Jungkook stumbled back. “No, I’m not,” he argued weakly. 

Jimin's expression had morphed from smug to concerned as he pulled away from Namjoon to capture Jungkook's face in his palms. “Hey, it’s alright,” he said soothingly, pressing a warm hand against Jungkook's clammy forehead. “It’s not a bad thing, you’ll be alright.”

“But I’m not -” Jungkook tried, motioning wildly at them and then the outdoors. “I can’t do what you do.” 

“And maybe you won’t ever,” Yoongi said gruffly, helping shift their weight until Jungkook could slump down onto the couch. “Doesn’t change the fact that you’re one of us.” 

“And what exactly are you?” Jungkook mumbled into his hands. Sometime in the shuffle, Jimin had pulled his hands back and Jungkook missed them an indescribably amount. “Wolves or men? Or both?” 

“Both,” Taehyung piped up from the side of the couch, and Jungkook looked up to see him sitting on the armrest, legs swung over each side to peer down at him. “The town is right - shifters have lived in these woods for ages. We’re just this generation’s pack to live in this forest.” 

“I wasn’t born near here,” Jungkook tried, but Hoseok just shrugged. 

“Neither were we, but we found our way here, just like you,” he said, coming to kneel at Jungkook's feet. “Call it fate or coincidence, but you’re here and we found you.” 

“You feel the connection,” Taehyung said assuredly. “I can tell. We all felt it when we met, and Jimin felt it when he approached you on your first night here.”

“Through glass?” Jungkook asked incredulously. Jimin went back to looking smug as he nodded.

“The others didn’t believe me, but I could tell,” he said proudly. “You looked into my soul .”

“Don’t be corny,” Yoongi tutted, but Jungkook bit his lip to prevent the smile.

“I think I felt it too?” he said quietly, and Jimin cooed. “You just seemed so human, somehow. I thought I was going crazy thinking it, but I was right.” 

“Smart puppy,” Seokjin grinned, and then laughed loudly when Jungkook hid his burning face in his hands. “What’s that response? Yes to the nickname or no?”

“I don’t know,” Jungkook groaned, and Seokjin’s laughter only got squeakier. Dammit. He should’ve known they’d be endearing too. “How come I’ve never shifted before, then? I’m twenty-five years old, you’d think I’d have had something happen by now.” 

“Being close to nature plays a big part of it,” Namjoon said gently. “And this setting in particular, I’ve tried reading about it and there are spots recorded around the world - places where shifter fables are more popular than, say, vampire lore.” 

“Are vampires real?” Jungkook asked, head shooting up quickly. “Oh god, what else?”

“I don’t know,” Namjoon laughed, eyes crinkling fondly. “I’ve never met one. But there are other forests in the world where there might be shifters. You were called to this forest, just like we were.” 

Jungkook let his head drop back down, twisting his fingers in his lap as he thought about this new development. He’d never felt like a wolf, even though he’d always had an affinity for them. If he was a shifter, the urge to shift was buried deep down within him. He worried for a moment about fitting in with the pack. 

And then the worry grew, because what if they didn’t want him? 

“Jungkook?” Hoseok asked softly, directing his attention away from his twisting fingers. “You alright? Your scent changed just now.”

“My what?” Jungkook mumbled, brows furrowed in confusion. Yoongi took his hand and pressed his fingers to his once more, then curled until they were holding hands, preventing Jungkook from fidgeting further. 

“We’ve got good noses,” Yoongi said vaguely, and then sighed when Jungkook sent him a look. “I don’t know how else to describe it, but everyone has a scent. Shifters like us have an even stronger scent. That’s how we knew that scarf was yours, it carried your unique scent. And it smelled like how we smell to each other.”

“How do you smell to each other?”

“Like pack,” Jimin said simply. “You’re part of our pack, Jungkook.” 

The room fell silent as he digested this new information. “So now what?” Jungkook finally asked, glancing towards his backpack. Namjoon followed his gaze.

“You were planning on coming with us?” He asked, and Jungkook nodded sheepishly.

“I think so,” he mumbled. “Felt like I should.” 

“You can,” Seokjin said, and then rolled his eyes when Namjoon sent him a pointed look. “What? He’s already packed a bag, he has one foot out the door! It took a lot more convincing to get Yoongi onboard with living in a forest, why should we hold off?”

“He should sleep on it,” Namjoon argued, and then held up his hand when Jungkook opened his mouth to protest. “No, you should think about it, Jungkook. It’s not an easy choice, and we’ve dropped a lot of information on you overnight. Plus if you’re serious, you’ll need to contact your family and let them know you’ll be off the grid for a while, find a place to leave your car so you don’t become a missing persons case, and maybe stock up on some food.” 

“You don’t see your families again?” Jungkook asked quietly, thinking of his mom. 

“We’ve all left the forest at one point or another,” Namjoon said seriously. “It becomes harder to leave, though. Once you’ve been part of the forest for a while, I mean.” 

“And if I choose not to come?” Jungkook said next, voice barely more than a whisper. The room stayed quiet until Hoseok spoke up. 

“It took me a while to be convinced too,” Hoseok admitted, patting gently over Jungkook's knees as he stayed knelt beside him. “I left, and something drew me back. If you need time, you’ll come back when you’re ready.” 

“Alright,” Jungkook whispered, tightening his grip on Yoongi’s hand. “I’ll sleep on it, then.” 

“Good boy,” Namjoon murmured, and Seokjin broke the serious tension by laughing loudly at Jungkook's blush. 

“Ah, this will be so fun!” 

—

When Jungkook awoke the next morning, he was tucked into his bed, even though he was sure he’d last been on the couch, trying not to doze off as his wolves told him about the forest, about how they’d found each other, about their unbreakable bond. He’d tried so hard to stay awake, but Jimin had been combing his fingers through Jungkook's hair so soothingly, and Yoongi still hadn’t let go of his hand and was rubbing his wrist so gently. It’d felt nice, all the leisurely skinship. 

He rubbed his eyes and looked around for traces of them, but the cabin was exactly as he’d left it. It could’ve been a dream, Jungkook traitorously thought. He could’ve gone delusional this week, the woods playing cruel tricks on him. His wolves could just be wolves. 

His coffee mug was next to the coffee maker, and Jungkook turned it on mindlessly, the soothing sound of water heating up comforting. He almost didn’t see the note on the counter. Almost.

“We’ll come to your window at twilight. - Namjoon” 

Jungkook stared at the Korean characters, smiling at the familiarity of them and the slight slant at which Namjoon wrote. His fingers traced the pen indents as his coffee trickled into the pot. He knew what his decision would be. 

—

“Hi Becky,” Jungkook said, fidgeting against the hotel counter as she glanced up from paperwork. She smiled at him warmly, and Jungkook felt guilt tighten in his stomach. “I’m, um… checking out tomorrow, and I just wanted to let the Front Desk know I’m going to be leaving really early.” 

“No problem!” She said brightly, pulling up his information on the computer. “I’ll let security know, but you can just leave your cabin unlocked and your keys inside when you leave. Did you enjoy your stay?”

“It was incredible,” Jungkook said breathlessly. “Best decision I’ve ever made, coming here.” 

Becky grinned. “I’m glad. You were a good guest, Jungkook. Our first wolf-whisperer, I think,” she winked. “Thank you for loving our forest as much as I do.” 

“Thanks for showing it to me,” Jungkook murmured, and as he turned to go, he hesitated. “Becky, I - this might sound weird, but… do you know anyone who is looking to buy a car?” 

“Hmm?” Becky asked, sounding distracted until the question registered. “Not really, why do you ask?” 

“I’m trying to sell mine,” he said weakly. “Like - immediately.” 

“You could probably take it to town, you’ll have to pass through there to catch the highway anyways,” she mused, looking at him curiously. “How will you get home?” When Jungkook shrugged, she looked even more confused. “Going to backpack for a bit, maybe?”

“Yeah,” he said quickly, latching onto her suggestion. “I won’t need it, going to backpack for a while?” 

“Where?”

Jungkook stayed silent, unprepared for further questioning. After looking him over for a moment, Becky sighed and stood up, gesturing for him to follow. Jungkook joined her at the window, a wide expanse of glass just like his cabin had, and stared out at the forest. 

“Your request sounds familiar,” she said wryly. “My trainer told me about a boy who was trying to offload his car for no apparent reason - he stayed with us about ten years ago.” 

Jungkook tried to control his expression. “He disappeared overnight, leaving his car parked about two miles down the road with the windows open and the keys on the front seat,” Becky continued. “My trainer had a strange feeling about him.” 

“How so?” Jungkook asked warily when she glanced at him. 

“He loved the wolves,” she said simply, turning back to the window to stare at the forest. “Wanted to meet them, had some sort of affinity for them - just like you. And then he disappeared, and soon after, there was one more wolf in the pack.”

Jungkook stayed silent. “I don’t believe in the legends,” Becky sighed. “The shifters, I mean. Everyone around here does, but it has always seemed too fantastical to me. But my trainer truly believed that boy had run off into the forest to become a wolf.” 

“That’s crazy,” Jungkook managed to choke out. Becky laughed, nodding her head in agreement. 

“Isn’t it? But every day this forest surprises me,” she said. “I’ve had to suspend disbelief quite a few times.” Becky patted his shoulder with a knowing smile. “What’s one more? Leave your car keys in the cabin too, if you’re serious. I’ll figure something out.” 

He thought about lying - saying he was really backpacking, that the rumors about shifters couldn’t possibly be true - but she knew. “Thank you,” he murmured, and then hugged her tightly. “And thank you for taking care of the forest.” 

“You’re welcome, Jungkook,” she laughed, sounding surprised. “Be safe. Be happy.” 

“I will.”

—

Jungkook sat in front of the window with his snow boots laced, his jacket flung across his lap, and his beanie perched atop his head. Namjoon looked amused - as amused as a wolf could look, Jungkook guessed. 

“I’m coming with you,” Jungkook said, grateful that he’d practiced the words so much that his voice didn’t waver. “I am absolutely sure I’m coming with you. I spoke with my mom, she’s surprised but understands that I’ll be unreachable for a while. My aunt takes care of her, she…. She’ll be fine for now. Becky is taking care of my car. I emailed my apartment manager and broke my lease, they’re mad that they have to deal with all my furniture and charged me a ridiculous fee but that’s taken care of.” He paused. “I can’t think of any more loose ends. I’ve never… I don’t have a lot of friends, I don’t think it’ll be strange.” 

The wolf that reminded him of Taehyung jumped up onto the glass, and Jungkook interpreted it as ‘we’re your friends now’. He grinned and nodded. “I’m ready. What do I need to do?” 

Namjoon turned to look at the rest of the pack and then nodded. Jungkook stared at him, trying to distinguish what message he was supposed to be getting. “Should I go somewhere?” He asked, but Namjoon shook his head.

This charades game was going to be difficult. “Should I stay here?” A nod. “Okay, until the morning?” Another head shake. “Midnight?” A nod. “You’ll come?” Another nod. “As wolves?” 

He’d never seen a wolf shrug like that, so human-like in its mannerism. Jungkook laughed. “Maybe a mixture, then?” Namjoon nodded. “Alright, I’ll be waiting. I promise.”

One of the smaller wolves - Jimin, maybe? - yelped and ran in a circle, and then the other wolves joined in, playing in the snow in front of his window. Jungkook laughed wistfully, feeling his nerves disappear as he watched them play. After twenty minutes they calmed down and approached the window once more, gazing up at Jungkook as he stared down at them. “I can’t wait,” he whispered, as the wolves pressed their noses against the glass. “See you soon.” 

—

The moonlight was hidden behind clouds that night, masking the forest in eerie shadows. It looked more intimidating in this light, and Jungkook tried not to think about what else dwelled in the forest (could the wolves defend him against bears??) as he paced around the cabin. 

Becky had dropped off more protein bars and water bottles earlier, ignoring his attempts to pay her, and then made him promise to take the extra blanket in the closet (“They’ll charge your card, but I guess that won’t matter where you’re going,” she said slyly, and Jungkook wondered if she was enjoying being part of his strange plan). His backpack was bulging now, and he dreaded how far he’d have to walk to get to their den. 

And, like… should he also bring a pillow? The waiting was making him anxious. 

Jungkook was relieved when he heard the knock on his door. “Should I bring a pillow?” He asked when he flung the door open. “How will I get fresh water? What do I do if a bear tries to attack me?” 

“Oh boy,” Namjoon sighed with a smile. “Maybe I should’ve left you some more instructions.” Jungkook moved aside to let the six men in, fidgeting against the door frame as it shut behind them. “We’ll take care of you. We’ve got an unusual setup in our den, which is why we’ve never let any of the lodge staff near it. Basically, we’ve stolen some of their old mattresses and blankets, so you’ll be comfortable. We’ll be able to get you water, don’t worry.” 

“And bears are no match for us,” Taehyung said with surprising assurance. “We will protect you, but they don’t bother us.” 

“They don’t bother wolves,” Jungkook said urgently. “I’m not a wolf.” 

“No, but you’ll smell like ours,” Namjoon said firmly. “You’ll be alright, I promise.” 

Jungkook took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. I don’t know why, but I trust you. I trust you all.” 

Namjoon smiled softly, and pulled Jungkook into a tentative hug, tightening his arms when Jungkook burrowed his face into Namjoon’s chest. “You’re so brave, baby,” he murmured, brushing a soft kiss on Jungkook's forehead. “Thank you for trusting us, I promise it’ll be alright.” 

“Better than alright,” Hoseok said brightly, smiling warmly when Jungkook twisted his head to glance at him. “You’re going to love it, trust me.” 

—

Jungkook's thighs burned, but not as much as his face. “I don’t understand why I can’t walk,” he complained again as he tried not to pull Namjoon’s fur. The terrain had shifted, and Jungkook kept losing his balance as he tried to keep himself upright on Namjoon’s back.

Namjoon’s wolf back, because they had shifted into their wolf forms for the journey through the forest. Because they had told him his footprints wouldn’t go unnoticed, even with Becky having some vague understanding of where Jungkook was going. Because they couldn’t risk hikers asking questions as footprints trailed up towards their den. Because no matter how much Jungkook adamantly claimed he was too heavy for Namjoon to carry, they’d made it to the mountain leading up to their den in less than an hour, and the wolf between his legs seemed no more tired than when they’d started. 

“Do wolves have superhuman strength?” Jungkook asked, keeping up a one-sided conversation with himself as the six wolves padded through the snow. “How much weight do you think you could carry, Namjoon? We’re halfway up the hill, can I start walking now?” 

The wolf beneath him huffed, and when Jungkook looked down, golden eyes stared up at him - and then they rolled. “Alright fine, I’ll shut up,” Jungkook mumbled, and the wolf licked his hand. “I’m going to wipe my hand on your fur if you keep doing that.” 

The journey took another twenty minutes, and finally they reached the mountain’s peak. A dark entrance was carved into the mountainside and Namjoon stopped in front of it, jerking his shoulder in acknowledgement that Jungkook could now slide off. As he brushed off fur from his pants, the boys shifted back into human form around him. It still caught him off-guard, how quickly the shift happened - in a blink, almost - and he didn’t realize that the boys would shift back without their clothes. “Oh,” he said in surprise as they pulled out their clothes from the backpack. 

“You’ll get used to it,” Taehyung said slyly. “We actually don’t wear clothes most of the time -” 

“What did we say about easing him into things?” Seokjin sighed, slapping his hand over Taehyung’s mouth. “We don’t mind wearing clothes, Jungkook, just let us know if you feel uncomfortable.”

“Sure,” Jungkook mumbled, even though discomfort was not the feeling he was focusing on at the moment. Yoongi took his hand and led him into the cave, motioning for him to duck as they went a bit deeper. Jungkook was grateful for his beanie as his head scraped the top, and then they emerged into where the wolves must live. “Whoa.”

It wasn’t luxury, by any means, but Jungkook was surprised to see a few mattresses lining the wall, clothing folded in old packing boxes that must’ve come from the lodge, slabs of ice against the opposite wall that probably kept meat (they’d warned him they ate a lot of forest animals like deer, and that his stomach would take some time to adjust, but they had also stolen cans of soup and other nonperishables from the lodge’s kitchen). 

It was cozy, and light flickered in through breaks in the cave, giving it a magical feeling. “Welcome home,” Jimin murmured, and Jungkook's cheeks hurt from smiling. 

—-

THREE MONTHS LATER

The dizziness came in waves, and Jungkook tried to keep it to himself for as long as he could. After all, it wasn’t like he could book an appointment at the doctors, so there was no use worrying everyone over what was probably nothing. His eyesight seemed to be worsening too, so maybe that was causing the dizziness. 

“Eat,” Seokjin said again, pushing the bowl of soup closer to Jungkook. “Don’t make me feed you.” 

“Yeah, he’d like that too much,” Hoseok snorted, sitting down with a flop on the mattress next to them. The summer sun had been kind to him, bronze skin glowing as he recovered from the pack’s daily run to the lodge. “Not hungry, puppy?” 

“No,” Jungkook said, eyes trailing down Hoseok's bare chest, taking in each inch of skin before it disappeared beneath the loose shorts Hoseok had thrown on. “Not for that.” 

“Eat first,” Seokjin sighed as Hoseok wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I built a fire to warm that up for you, puppy.” 

The nickname stuck too well, but Jungkook was grateful he’d finally stopped blushing every time they used it (it had only taken two months). “I’m fine, hyung,” he whined, pushing the soup away again. “Not hungry.” He didn’t mention that the thought of food was making him feel even worse. “Can’t we take a nap and eat later?” 

“Fine,” Seokjin said disapprovingly. “Don’t think I’ll forget. Hoseok, scoot over.” 

Jungkook fell into Hoseok's outstretched arms heavily, and though he felt pinpricks of lust as Hoseok peeled off his shirt, the feeling of exhaustion quickly overtook him. “Sleepy puppy,” Hoseok cooed as Jungkook's eyes fluttered shut. “Hyungs will keep you comfy.” A moment later, soft fur fell over his bare legs, and Jungkook rolled over to meet golden eyes. 

“Too warm,” Jungkook complained, but he was already burying his face in Hoseok's neck, comforted by the warm puffs of moist air against his cheek. Seokjin burrowed behind him on the bed, already in wolf form, and Jungkook felt safe between his wolf hyungs. Sleep took him quickly, and he dreamt of flying through the forest on four legs. 

—

When Jungkook awoke, the sunlight was filtering into the cave in soft pastel waves. He’d been in the forest long enough to know that this was a sunrise, not the burning flames of sunset, which meant he’d slept through the night. That explained why he felt so full of energy, grogginess leaving him quickly as he pushed off the bed. 

But something still wasn’t right. Jungkook padded towards the entrance of the cave awkwardly, disoriented as he tried to get his bearings. Were his limbs still asleep? Every step felt different, and somehow the cave looked different too - larger somehow, clearer too, as if he had just put on glasses. His eyesight problem seemed to have fixed itself, he thought gratefully as he stepped out of the mouth of the cave, feeling the light breeze of summer ruffle his bangs. 

It really was a beautiful sunrise that morning. He wondered if he should wake the others to enjoy it with him - “You never get tired of it,” Jimin had said one morning with a smile. - and turned towards the mouth of the cave. 

One of the wolves had followed him - Seokjin was in wolf form still, and Jungkook was bemused for a moment. Had Seokjin gotten taller somehow? That was strange, maybe it was the angle of the ground. 

“Hi,” Jungkook said - or, tried to say. The word didn’t come out quite right, he’d made some sort of whine instead? Seokjin smiled. 

“Hi puppy,” Seokjin said, but the words echoed through Jungkook's mind. Seokjin’s human voice, with that same playful knowing tone he always used with Jungkook, but how was that possible if Seokjin was currently a wolf? Jungkook furrowed his brows and stepped closer, the dizziness now becoming concerning. Was he hallucinating? 

Namjoon joined them, the sunlight bathing his white fur beautifully, and he somehow looked taller too. What was going on? Jungkook tried to ask, but the sound came out as a whine once again. 

“Look down,” Namjoon said gently, nodding at Jungkook intentionally. It took a moment for the command to make sense, because once again, the words had entered Jungkook's mind without Namjoon the human speaking them, and the confusion was clouding his ability to think straight. But finally, Jungkook glanced down at his feet.

Or his paws. Because there were no feet below him. 

He glanced back up in shock. Namjoon smiled and padded over, rubbing his cheek against Jungkook’s. Everything smelled different now too, the intoxicating scent of the pack’s leader overwhelmingly strong as Jungkook took a heavy breath. The scent cleared his mind, and reality snapped into place.

Jungkook had finally shifted. The rest of the pack joined them at the mouth of the cave, barking in approval aloud as their human voices filtered excitedly through his mind. Namjoon kept close as the other wolves scented him, and Jungkook shyly returned each with his own nudge against their cheeks. It felt right , just like they’d promised. The world looked so different now, sunlight gleaming off the dew clinging to leaves, birds chirping in song above them, stars fading away as morning arrived. Their forest was beautiful, and Jungkook was finally truly part of it.

With his wolf hyungs surrounding him, Jungkook threw back his head and howled.