Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Mingi’s back hits the mat with a resounding thud as Seonghwa wins yet another round of sparring. 

Son Hyunwoo, one of the higher ranking werewolf commanders that helps oversee squad training sessions, claps at the well executed take down. 

“Very good. You’ve been practicing,” he compliments. 

Seonghwa smiles and bows his head in thanks. “Thank you, Commander Son. San and Jongho have been training with me lately and I think it’s helped a great deal.”

Commander Son hums his approval. San was one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the werewolf special forces and had been trained in a variety of martial arts since youth, while Jongho was by far the strongest young wolf in their ranks and he had been trained by Commander Son himself. Seonghwa was lucky to have them as both reliable teammates and close friends. 

“You’ve also improved, Mingi,” Hyunwoo adds as he looks down at the fallen werewolf who is now sitting up and rubbing the back of his head after his fall. 

Mingi snorts. “Thanks, commander, but I know I’m much better at shooting than fighting.” 

Commander Son chuckles at the comment. When the commander acts so casually around them, Seonghwa forgets why he ever found the other man intimidating, other than his immense strength of course. He wasn’t the commander of KQ’s werewolf forces for nothing. 

“I mean it, Mingi. Hand-to-hand combat may not be your specialty, but you’ll be able to hold your own against a shadow if you need to. Bullets don’t last forever,” Commander Son reminds, giving Mingi a meaningful look. 

The commander is considered a man of few words, so the words he did speak were never to be taken lightly. 

 “Yes, sir. Thank you,” Mingi replies, giving a polite bow. 

Seonghwa offers his hand to Mingi and his squadmate takes it gratefully. 

“I’ll get at least one round off of you next time,” the tall wolf promises with a playful grin as he finally gets back on his feet. 

“I’m looking forward to it,” Seonghwa replies with a small laugh, amused by Mingi’s tenacity. His teammate was never one to give up easily. 

“Need another sparring partner?” a new voice calls from the entrance of the large practice room. 

There are other groups also training in the sparring rings around them and he can see Yunho and Jongho going at it in the ring to his left, but the voice is still loud enough to pierce the cacophony of grunts and bodies loudly slamming onto mats. 

“Don’t tease, Minhyuk,” Commander Son warns lightly, but there’s no bite to his words. 

Minhyuk barks a laugh at his leader. The other wolf is a senior fighter in Hyunwoo’s squad, and is quite friendly with all the younger wolves despite their difference in age and rank. 

“Aw, come on. Wouldn’t it be a better lesson if he went up against someone more experienced?” Minhyuk insists. 

Commander Son doesn’t reply at first, but he looks like he’s contemplating the idea. 

Seonghwa is a little nervous at the prospect of sparring with a senior. He is confident in his skills, but the last time he sparred with someone in Commander Son’s squad, he was beaten quite soundly. That’s what had pushed him to train more with San and Jongho in his spare time. 

“Maybe you’re right,” Commander Son finally says, and Seonghwa can feel his anxiety spike. “But not with you,” he finishes. 

Seonghwa breathes a sigh of relief as Minhyuk protests at his leader’s side about why he couldn’t have fun with their juniors. 

The commander expertly ignores Minhyuk's protests with the ease of someone who was more than used to the other yelling in his ear and turns his attention to the far right of the room where more wolves are standing in wait for their turn on the mats. 

“Hongjoong, can you come here?” he calls and Seonghwa’s pulse is accelerating for a completely different reason now. 

A shorter werewolf with hair as dark as night and features as pretty as the moon turns at the call of his name and Seonghwa’s breath hitches as it always does. No matter how many years he had been Hongjoong’s second in command, he had never truly been able to get rid of the crush he had harbored for the other wolf since their academy days. If anything, his feelings had only grown over the years through their proximity and positions as squad Captain and Lieutenant. 

As soon as Seonghwa’s wolf had memorized the subtle notes of cedarwood in Hongjoong’s earthy rain scent, he knew his unrequited crush would last far longer than he intended. 

When Hongjoong is close enough that Seonghwa can make out the beginnings of his alluring rain scent, he finally speaks. 

“What can I do for you, Commander?” Hongjoong inquires as he respectfully tilts his head in greeting to both Hyunwoo and Minyuk. 

“Care for a sparring session with your lieutenant?” Commander Son asks. 

Seonghwa can see Hongjoong’s eyes widen just a fraction, and if he weren’t paying such close attention to his face, he probably wouldn’t have noticed it. For whatever reason, the Captain never liked sparring with him. 

During their academy days, Seonghwa used to think it was because Hongjoong didn’t see him as a worthy opponent, which only made him train harder to prove he was worthy of his high rank and the other wolf’s time. It had come as a surprise when Hongjoong had chosen him as his second in command even though they had both graduated at the top of their class, but Seonghwa was happy that it seemed his hard work had paid off and the other had recognized his skills. He thought they’d be able to get closer after that, and they did in many ways, but the Captain still shied away from sparring with him or any types of physical touch for that matter. Seonghwa’s only consolation was that Hongjoong seemed reluctant to initiate physical contact with everyone, not just him, even if his wolf was still unhappy he could not be closer to the other. 

“Is Mingi not a satisfactory opponent?” he asks, only half serious, but Seonghwa recognizes the subtle deflection and the inadequacy stings the same as it always does when Hongjoong politely refuses to spar with him. 

The commander grins in amusement as Mingi complains. “Yah, my fighting is fine! Commander Son even said I’ve gotten better!”

Hongjoong tries not to laugh at his teammate’s outburst, but a subtle smile still makes its way onto his lips. “If that’s the case, then I don’t see a reason to change my team’s sparring arrangements,” he replies nonchalantly as if he were not going against the request of a higher-ranking wolf. 

The commander’s easy grin does not falter even at the indirect challenge. “Humor me.” 

Seonghwa watches as the corners of Hongjoong’s lips turn down in a small frown and can smell his rain scent slightly dampening. He would think the expression was cute if he weren’t mildly hurt by the reaction. What was so upsetting about sparring with your teammate? 

Seonghwa knew the frown meant Hongjoong was unhappy, but would not refuse the commander’s request a second time. The captain may have had somewhat of a rebellious streak, but he was never rude to those who had earned his respect like Commander Son.  

“Fine, but only best out of three since I still need to oversee the rest of my team’s training for the day,” he reluctantly agrees. 

The commander's grin broadenes, satisfied with the answer as Minhyuk burst into laughter beside him. 

“Relax, kid. You look like you sucked on a lemon. Are you scared your second in command will wipe the floor with you?” Minhyuk says with a teasing smirk on his lips. 

Hongjoong gives a small shrug, trying to casually play off his discomfort, but Seonghwa can still see the stiffness in his shoulders. 

“Why wouldn’t I be? Seonghwa is an exceptional fighter. It’s one of the reasons I chose him as my lieutenant, after all,” the captain replies as he takes off his gym shoes to join Seonghwa on the mats. 

Seonghwa feels his heart flutter at the rare compliment from his captain and runs a hand through his grey hair to help hide his face in case a blush was visible on his cheeks. 

“Then Hyunwoo-hyung was right in pairing you for a spar,” Minhyuk continues to tease before he turns his attention back to his leader. “You just wanted to see a good fight didn’t you, you sly old dog?” he continues as he nudges Hyunwoo in the side playfully. 

The commander hums noncommittally, but the excited glint in his dark eyes gives him away. He wanted to see a good fight just as much as his teammate. 

Seonghwa turns his attention back to Hongjoong. The shorter wolf adjusts his gloves, making sure they’re securely on his wrists and that there is no space between them and his black, long-sleeved shirt. Always wearing gloves was one of Hongjoong’s many eccentricities. Over the years he had known Hongjoong, he had never seen the other without gloves unless they were in the communal showers and even then, Hongjoong made himself scarce and was always completely dressed and back in his gloves by the time everyone else was done showering. 

Seonghwa forces himself to look away from his Captain and fiddles with the wraps on his hands for something to distract himself with as they prepare for their sparring match. 

Once they’re both ready, they approach the center of the ring and face one another. 

He smiles, trying to act as casually as possible to ease some of Hongjoong’s obvious discomfort. “Good luck, Captain,” he offers, voice as light and playful as he can make it given the atmosphere. 

Some of the tension leaves Hongjoong’s shoulders at Seonghwa’s friendly tone, but his posture is still stiff. “You too.”

They both take up their fighting stances and wait for Commander Son to give them the go. 

“First one to immobilize their opponent twice, wins. Begin.” 

Seonghwa barely has time to blink before Hongjoong is on him. He thought the other would be hesitant to fight since he didn’t like sparring, but it seemed it was quite the opposite. Hongjoong sprinted forward and aimed a strong jab at Seonghwa’s side, probably hoping to end the fight as quickly as possible. Seonghwa manages to partially block the blow and the hit only makes him stumble instead of knocking the wind out of him as intended. 

However, that one mistake is enough to give Hongjoong an opening and he uses Seonghwa’s stumble as an opportunity to sweep his legs out from under him. 

Seonghwa has no time to regain his balance after the first hit and goes crashing down onto the gym mat face first. Hongjoong quickly grabs his wrists and pins them behind his back as he applies pressure to Seonghwa’s legs with his knees to hold him in place. 

Seonghwa’s head is spinning from the fall and by the time he registers the hold and tries to think of a way to break it, he hears Commander Son say “Pin,” signaling the end of the first round and his loss. 

He feels Hongjoong’s weight disappear from on top of him and doesn’t give himself the chance to mourn the loss of his closeness before he quickly rolls onto his back and stands up, ready for the next round. 

He shakes off the aches of the previous blows as much as he can, determined to do better this time. He wouldn’t allow himself to be taken down so easily again. A tiny part of him still yearned to impress Hongjoong, but the bigger part of him was more eager to prove to himself that his fighting really had improved. The few times they had sparred at the academy for exams, Hongjoong had always won. 

“Come on, Seonghwa-hyung! Beat his ass!” He hears Mingi yell from the sidelines. 

His packmate's cheers make him crack a smile and help him loosen up a bit. “Don’t disrespect your captain, Mingi-ya,” he calls back, lightly scolding as he enters his fighting stance once more. 

Seonghwa focuses on Hongjoong and the other also seems ready to go again, body coiled with tension and ready to spring just as quickly and powerfully as he had before. 

But this time, Seonghwa would be ready. 

“Start.” 

As soon as Commander Son gives the signal for the second match to start, Seonghwa jumps into action. He immediately goes for a round-house kick, knowing Hongjoong would probably block it, but wanting to slow down the other’s momentum. He knew Hongjoong was faster than him, so he had to try and mitigate the other’s speed advantage somehow. 

Hongjoong has to stand still in order to block the high kick with his forearms, just as Seonghwa had predicted. Once he has the captain on the defensive, he spins out of the kick and follows up with a right hook aimed at Hongjoong’s jaw. Hongjoong quickly deflects the blow and counters with a kick to Seonghwa’s side. 

Seonghwa grunts as he throws up his leg to block the kick with his shin. The blow hurts, but not enough to deter him. He takes advantage of Hongjoong being on one leg and shoves him back with a brusque shoulder push. Hongjoong’s eyes widen at Seonghwa’s proximity and he stumbles back, giving Seonghwa the opportunity to knock him over with a well-placed kick to the back of his left leg. 

Once the captain is on his knees, Seonghwa grabs his arm and forces it behind his back in a secure hold, making sure he can’t break free and continue fighting. 

He struggles in Seonghwa’s tight grip, but the lieutenant doesn’t release him until Commander Son calls the pin. 

After he lets go of Hongjoong’s arm, Seonghwa feels his heart swell with pride. He really had improved. 

“Yes! Get him, hyung!” Mingi cheers once more, watching the fight with excitement. 

An involuntary smile spreads across Seonghwa’s face as he pants and sweeps his sweaty grey bangs out of his eyes. He didn’t want to get too happy just yet since there was one more round to go, but his friend’s excitement was contagious. 

Commander Son looked impressed and Minhyuk was jumping from side to side in delight at seeing the two spar. 

He turns his attention back to Hongjoong once he’s done assessing their small audience and he finds the captain already back on his feet. He has a hard look in his eye and his jaw is clenched as he holds his gloved fists up in his usual fighting stance. There were no more traces of hesitance or nerves in his body, only a dangerous strength simmering in his taught muscles and the fierce determination blazing in his dark gaze. 

Seonghwa gulps at the intensity in the other’s eyes and tries to ignore how attractive Hongjoong looks with his dark hair askew from their sparring and sweat glistening on his creamy skin. He couldn’t afford any distractions if he wanted to actually win the next round. 

Seonghwa regains as much focus as he can before taking up his battle stance for a final time. He could do this. No matter how handsome Hongjoong looked when he was focused. 

“Start.” Commander Son gives the signal but neither werewolf moves. 

This time, they both play it cautiously, staring each other down and trying to anticipate the other person’s movements. They both step from side to side slowly, making sure to stay light on their feet in case the other attacks or if they want to try and go for a quick attack themselves. 

“Come on, don’t be cowards!” Minhyuk yells from the sidelines, wanting them to get on with it already. 

Seonghwa doesn’t dare turn his head to look at his senior, positive that Hongjoong would take advantage of the diversion and have him flat on his ass before he can even look back. 

They stay tense and at a distance for a while until Seonghwa sees it - an opening. 

Hongjoong sidesteps a little too close to him and Seonghwa seizes the opportunity by grabbing onto Hongjoong’s bicep and pulling the other wolf forward so he can knee him in the stomach and hopefully take him down afterwards. 

Unfortunately, Hongjoong is faster and uses the forward momentum to tackle Seonghwa to the mat instead. Seonghwa struggles against Hongjoong’s hold as they roll on the mat landing a few stray punches that don’t do much damage but are sure to bruise in the morning. Seonghwa can vaguely hear Mingi cheering for him over the rush of blood and adrenaline in his mind as he fends off Hongjoong’s attacks. 

He almost thinks he has the upper hand until the captain manages to elbow him in the ribs. Seonghwa is stunned by the blow long enough for Hongjoong to gain control of their position and the smaller man is able to pin his hands over his head as he puts his weight down on his hips to keep him in place. 

Seonghwa wants to struggle out of the hold, he really does, but his brain stops working as soon as he realizes the rather suggestive position they are in. Heat rises to his cheeks without his permission as he stares up at Hongjoong. Hongjoong, who is currently straddling him as he pants heavily and sweats profusely from the exertion of their fight. From this close, Seonghwa cannot only see the beads of sweat on Hongjoong’s upper lip, but he can also smell . The air is thick with the heavy scent of rain, accentuated by all the sweat and the earthy notes of cedarwood in Hongjoong’s scent. It’s intoxicating and Seonghwa is all but putty in his captain’s hands. 

Hongjoong’s expression is pinched and his eyes are intense as he stares down at Seonghwa, but he can’t quite place the emotion he sees on the other’s face. The captain tightens his grip and Seonghwa almost gasps as the smooth leather squeezes the sensitive skin of his wrists.

Before he can do something embarrassing like moan and let everyone in the area know he had the hots for his captain, Commander Son calls the pin and the intense moment is broken. 

Hongjoong pulls away from him as if burned and stands up quickly, not even taking the time to offer Seonghwa a hand before turning to the rest of them. 

“I should get going. Thank you for the spar, Seonghwa. You really have improved a lot,” he rushes to say as he stuffs his feet into his shoes without even looking back at his second in command. 

“I hope the match met your expectations, Commander. I’ll be off to attend to the rest of my team,” he continues with a bow before hurrying off to the area of the training room he had been in before. Seonghwa can tell he’s holding himself back from running and he tries not to frown at his captain’s quick escape. Had his scent given him away after all? 

“Need a hand?” He hears Mingi ask. 

Seonghwa tears his gaze away from Hongjoong’s retreating figure and sees Mingi offering to help him up, much like he had done for his packmate earlier when they had their matches on the mats. 

Seonghwa manages a small smile and accepts the tall wolf’s help to get back on his feet. “Thank you, Mingi. And thank you for cheering me on. I’m sorry if I let you down, but our captain really is fearsome,” he says with a forced laugh. 

He was sad to have lost the match in the end, but Hongjoong was right, he had improved. He was able to take a round off of him this time at least. He was honestly more confused by Hongjoong’s behavior at the end than upset that he had lost. 

Mingi easily waves him off. “You’re fine, hyung. It was still a great match. You should have seen the captain’s face when you beat him in the second round, though. He looked both impressed and like he wanted to punch you in the face at the same time,” he says with a booming laugh that can probably be heard on the other side of the gym. 

Seonghwa can’t help but let out a genuine laugh at the comment, Mingi’s laughter lifting his spirits as it usually did. He wished he had been able to catch the expression Mingi was talking about, but he wasn’t able to see Hongjoong’s face in the hold he had used to immobilize him in the second round. He imagined it must have been something like the looks Hongjoong gave Wooyoung when their troublesome teammate managed to pass his evaluations with flying colors even after goofing off during 90% of their training sessions. 

“Mingi’s right, it was a great match! You both put on quite the show. Makes me want to go a few rounds with you and that captain of yours,” Minhyuk says with a mischievous little giggle. 

Commander Son lifts a brow at Minhyuk but ultimately decides not to comment. Instead, he turns to regard Seonghwa with a thoughtful look.

“You did well,” he starts and Seonghwa is surprised to receive a compliment after having lost.

“We learn more from our losses than our victories, lieutenant, and I think you learned a great deal after that fight. Be sure to watch out for obvious openings next time, as they may not always be what they seem,” Commander Son says, giving Seonghwa an encouraging smile. 

It takes a moment for the commander’s words to sink in, but when they do, Seonghwa’s eyes widen in realization. Hongjoong hadn’t carelessly left himself open in the last round like he had thought. He had left himself open so that Seonghwa would close the gap between them instead so he could use the momentum to tackle him all along. 

It appeared he still had much to learn to best his Captain. 

“Thank you, commander,” Seonghwa replies, bowing deeply in thanks for the other’s advice and assessment. 

“Of course, Seonghwa. I look forward to your growth,” he says kindly. 

“Sooooo, does that mean I can fight them next time?” Minhyuk asks, giving Commander Son his best puppy dog eyes. 

The commander shakes his head and grabs his teammate's arm before pulling him toward the entrance of the gym. “That’s enough, Minhyuk. I’ll consider it when you can beat Kihyun without cheating.” 

Minhyuk gasps dramatically at the accusation. “I’m not the one who cheats, he does! How am I supposed to beat someone fairly if they can heal themselves in the middle of a fight?! It’s impossible! You turn a blind eye when Kihyun does his healing tricks just because he’s your mate, but when I pull a knife on him during sparring, suddenly I’m the cheater? That’s blatant favoritism, Hyunwoo-hyung! At least be a little more subtle-”

Minhyuk’s piercing voice fades into the distance as he is dragged out of the training room and into the halls of the werewolf training facility. 

Seonghwa giggles at the display, always amused by their senior’s banter. They may be higher ranking officers, but they still acted just like every other werewolf squad working to protect the city. They all acted like pack. 

And speaking of packs. Seonghwa and Mingi should go wash up and get ready for movie night later with their own packmates. 

“Shall we call it a day, Mingi-ya?” Seonghwa asks, turning to the taller wolf. 

Mingi gives him a wide grin and throws an arm over his shoulder. “Training’s over? Say no more, hyung.” 

Seonghwa laughs at the other’s enthusiasm and lets his packmate guide him toward the locker room so they can freshen up and change. He breathes in Mingi’s light bergamot scent and tries not to think about how awkward seeing Hongjoong later will be. 

-

“We are not watching Harry Potter again. We watched that last week,” Mingi whines from his spot on the couch squished between Yunho and Wooyoung. 

“It’s not even a good representation of magic,” Jongho adds. 

Wooyoung scoffs at both of his packmates. “Both of you are tasteless. First of all, this is a different Harry Potter movie from the one we watched last week and second of all, their rendition of magic is part of the charm! It’s supposed to be fantasy, if it was super accurate it would be boring. This is new and exciting!” 

Both Mingi and Jongho roll their eyes.

“What would be new and exciting is watching a different movie. Something that’s actually fun like Wonder Woman or The Proposal,” Mingi counters. 

“Oh, I vote for Wonder Woman!” Yunho chimes in, nearly elbowing Jongho in the face in his excitement. 

“See? Yunho gets it,” Mingi says, smug. 

“That’s not fair, Yunho would agree to any superhero movie! Sannie, back me up for Harry Potter,” Wooyoung protests, nudging his mate in the side to get his support. 

San grunts at receiving an elbow to the ribs. “Sorry, babe, but I like Wonder Woman more than Harry Potter, too,” San replies, sheepish. 

“What?!” Wooyoung yells, “You traitor!” he says as he shoves San, affronted that his mate would not take his side. 

“Ha! That’s three for Wonder Woman. Jongho?” Mingi asks as he looks over Yunho’s large frame to see what Jongho would decide. 

The youngest shrugs as best he can while wedged between Yunho’s large body and the arm of the couch. “Anything that isn’t Harry Potter is fine with me,” he agrees easily. 

Mingi smiles in triumph. “That’s four. You’re way outnumbered Wooyoung, just give up.” 

Wooyoung grumbles and buries himself deeper into the couch, begrudgingly surrendering. “Fine. Put on your stupid, unrealistic superhero movie.” 

Mingi whoops in victory and Yeosang snorts at his best friend’s dramatics. 

“Don’t pretend you don’t like Wonder Woman. You gush about how bad ass she is all the time. You just don’t like to lose,” Yeosang comments from San’s side. 

Wooyoung glares at his childhood friend but doesn’t reply. The petulant look on his face makes Seonghwa chuckle from his spot by the other arm of the couch, warmed by the familiarity and fondness he always feels when he spends time with his makeshift pack. 

They had all squished onto the couch like they did every pack bonding night. Even though the couch was large, it still was only made to fit four grown men comfortably, but they always managed to squeeze all seven of them on it somehow. It was comforting, cuddling in a big “puppy pile” as Wooyoung liked to call it since they were all werewolves. 

It fed the instinctual part of Seonghwa’s other half that craved physical closeness with his pack, to feel connected to other wolves and feel safe and protected in their presence. He knew that the others felt the same, which is why pack bonding nights were so important to them. All wolves craved a connection with their packs and affirming it through physical touch was a common part of their community. Even if some wolves weren’t as tactile as others like Yeosang and Jongho, they all still indulged in some form of pack bonding every once in a while to appease their wolf side. 

Well, all wolves except one. 

Seonghwa glances over at Hongjoong who is off to the side in the single armchair they had in their communal living clad in some comfortable sweatpants, a long-sleeved shirt and his ever present pair of gloves. 

Hongjoong was an anomaly as far as werewolves went but their team was used to it after all these years and they all respected Hongjoong’s need for personal space. For the most part anyway. Wooyoung and San would still throw themselves at the captain from time to time and Hongjoong would sigh and pat them on the back stiffly before breaking their embrace. 

And even though Hongjoong was physically distant for the most part, he was never cold to them. He would still compliment Jongho when he did a good job on the field, give Yunho a pat on the shoulder after a hard mission, and help Yeosang gather new herbs for his healing potions and salves. 

Even right now, he may not be cuddling on the couch with them but he was still there in the living room watching whatever movie the rest of them decided to put on and engaging in casual conversations with the pack. It may not be the typical form of werewolf bonding, but they all loved and respected their captain regardless. 

However, no matter how much Seonghwa appreciated Hongjoong for giving the pack his time, he couldn’t stop himself from craving the other’s affection, too. As he stared at Hongjoong’s pretty features illuminated by the dim light of the television screen, he couldn’t help but long for his closeness. He wondered if it was just his wolf yearning for physical comfort and reassurance from their pack leader, or if it was his ever-present feelings for his captain, or maybe a blend of both, but his heart lurches at the thought of being able to be close to Hongjoong. 

His mind conjures up the image of Hongjoong panting above him from earlier and he can feel his cheeks heat at the memory of his intense eyes and alluring scent. Seonghwa feels himself flush and curses his primal brain for producing such suggestive images when he’s in a room full of other wolves. 

Fearing one of his packmates will catch the shift in his scent, he excuses himself quietly as the Amazonian fight on the beach is about to start. The rest of them barely acknowledge his departure, too focused on the epic fight scene that is unfolding on screen and he’s grateful to be able to sneak away quietly. 

He heads to the kitchen area behind the living room and pours himself a glass of water, hoping it will help him cool down. He was usually very good at keeping his feelings for Hongjoong in check and respecting his personal space no matter how nice his scent was, but after being so close to him during sparring practice, his wolf was craving more. More that he could not give. 

Seonghwa took a few deep breaths, letting the combined scents of his pack wash over him and help clear his thoughts. He focused on the calming floral notes of Yeosang’s rose scent, the warm spiced ginger of San and Wooyoung’s scent, the bright citrus of Mingi’s scent and all the others combined into a comforting blanket of home, of pack. 

After a few deep breaths, Seonghwa feels grounded enough to go back out into the living room, pushing aside any thoughts about Hongjoong or how he feels about him to be dealt with at a more suitable time, which would hopefully be never. 

He starts to head toward the entrance to the kitchen but stops dead in his tracks when he smells the very scent he was trying to forget, the scent of wood and rain. 

Hongjoong walks into the kitchen seconds later and smiles at Seonghwa, the corners of his lips pulling up awkwardly, but his scent is calm and friendly. 

Seonghwa ignores the flutter in his chest and the warmth that blooms in his stomach at the proximity of Hongjoong’s scent and smiles back as normally as he can. 

He thinks he succeeds in acting normal when the awkward edges of Hongjoong’s smile soften. 

“Hey, Seonghwa, can we talk?” He asks casually. 

Seonghwa tries not to tense at the words, reassuring himself that it must not be anything serious of Hongjoong was being so nonchalant about it. 

“Sure, Joong. What is it?” 

Hongjoong bites his lip, nervous. Seonghwa would be more worried by the other’s hesitation if he wasn’t getting distracted by the way Hongjoong’s bottom lip reddened prettily as it was held between his sharp canines. 

“I just wanted to say sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have left you to deal with the commander’s critiques alone,” he says, glancing at a random spot in the kitchen and rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. 

Seonghwa smiles gently, endeared by the captain’s attempt at apologizing for the awkward situation earlier, even if it wasn’t all his fault. 

“It’s alright, Captain, Commander Son went easy on me, so there was really no harm done. I was glad to be able to spar with you after so long and I learned a lot, so thank you. I was mostly worried about you, to be honest,” Seonghwa admits sheepishly. 

At the comment, Hongjoong finally looks up at him, face pinched in confusion. “Me?”

Seonghwa nods. “I know how much you… dislike physical contact, so I was worried I had made you feel uncomfortable and that’s why you left..” he trails off, trying not to grimace at his clumsy phrasing. He wasn’t sure how to get his point across and just hoped Hongjoong understood what he was trying to say. 

A flash of something crossed Hongjoong’s eyes. It was similar to the look he had at the gym earlier, but it was too quick for Seonghwa to catch. However, when Hongjoong smiles at him, small and genuine, Seonghwa forgets all about the strange expression as the captain’s rare smile takes his breath away. 

Hongjoong shakes his head fondly. “You’re something else, Seonghwa. I leave you high and dry in front of our superiors and you’re still more worried about me,” he says with a small chuckle. 

Seonghwa is about to reply, but the words die in his throat when their eyes meet. Hongjoong’s deep brown eyes shine under the fluorescence of the kitchen lights and he can see fondness reflected in them. His stomach is in knots just thinking about Hongjoong being fond of him, even if it was just in a platonic sense.

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable, so don’t worry about it. I’m just…not used to being in those types of situations. When we’re on missions, we usually fight shadows. Just mindless embodiments of dark magic. So it’s strange for me when I do fight a real person, if that makes sense?” he explains. He has a cute frown on his face and his brows are furrowed in thought, as if he isn’t sure that he was able to get his point across. 

Seonghwa smiles warmly at the effort Hongjoong put into explaining himself, he knew his captain wasn’t the best when it came to expressing his feelings. 

“I think I understand,” Seonghwa says kindly. “Thank you for taking the time to explain it to me.” 

A light pink dusts Hongjoong's cheeks as he looks back down to adjust one of his gloves and Seonghwa blinks in surprise, wondering if he had imagined it. 

Hongjoong clears his throat and starts talking once more. “I also wanted to let you know we’ll be leaving for our next mission tomorrow morning. I wanted to wait until after the movie to tell everyone else so we all had some time to relax, but I wanted to give you a heads up.” 

“Is it another mission from General Kyungmoon?” Seonghwa asks. 

Hongjoong nods and lifts his head to meet Seonghwa’s eyes, all traces of a potential blush gone from his cheeks and expression far more serious than it had been before. “Yes. Another large group of shadows was spotted in one of the forests close to the city. Since many people from KQ traverse the area regularly, the General wanted us to take care of it as soon as possible.” 

Seonghwa frowns at the news. “That’s the third outbreak this month. It seems like a lot of shadows have been popping up around the city lately…” 

Large outbreaks of shadows weren’t unheard of but for them to happen so frequently was concerning. 

Hongjoong also seems perturbed by the news, but he doesn’t let it phase him. When he replies, he answers with the determination fitting of his rank as Captain. 

 “It is strange, but the General said he was looking into it. For right now, all we can do is complete our mission and keep the citizens of KQ safe,” he says resolutely.

The confidence in Hongjoong’s voice serves to ease some of Seonghwa’s apprehension about the situation. His squad is incredibly skilled and able to take down large groups of shadows easily. He knows he should have confidence in them, but sometimes he just can’t help but worry. 

“You’re right. We should just take things one step at a time. Eliminate the threat and then worry about what it could mean,” Seonghwa agrees. 

Hongjoong grins, pleased by Seonghwa’s response. 

“Good. Let’s go tell the others and I’ll give you all the full brief,” he says, giving Seonghwa one final smile before turning to leave. 

Seonghwa dutifully follows his captain as they exit the kitchen to rejoin the others and hopes the uneasy feeling in his gut is gone by the time they leave for their mission in the morning. 

Things would go just fine as they always did. 

Chapter Text

Things were not going well. 

“Wooyoung! Get back here!” Hongjoong practically yells into his communicator. He cannot believe he let Wooyoung scout so far ahead of the rest of them. Now that damn wolf had gotten himself cornered by the shadows they were sent out to eliminate and they probably wouldn’t be able to reach him before he had to start fighting them alone. 

“Hongjoong calm down, we’ll reach him soon. Wooyoung, if possible do not engage until we arrive for backup,” he hears Seonghwa’s calm but stern voice come through the comms. 

Hongjoong was glad they had cleared things up between them last night after the sparring incident because he probably would have blown up on Wooyoung again if Seonghwa wasn’t there to calm him down as he always was. 

“I don’t think that’ll be possible, hyung, but I’ll try and keep as much distance until you guys arrive,” Wooyoung says back, voice hushed but still level. “Oh, and tell Hongjoong-hyung to get his head out of his ass and run faster. I’m not fighting these shadows by myself. Over.” 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes, equal parts annoyed and concerned. He knew Wooyoung was trying to lighten the mood, but this was so not the time. “Stop being a brat and focus on keeping yourself alive. We’ll be there as soon as we can,” he replies, much more calm this time. He couldn’t afford to lose his cool when the safety of his team was on the line. 

He hears Wooyoung’s cheerful “Aye, aye, Captain,” from the other end, but he knows most of the enthusiasm is fake, which just makes the knots in his stomach tighten. 

He looks at the small screen on his wrist and holds back a curse. He sees 7 dots all making their way to the lone eighth dot ahead of them but they were at least 15 minutes from Wooyoung’s location and that is if they all kept sprinting at their current speed, which could tire them out before the fight even began. He had to make some executive decisions quickly. 

Hongjoong brings his hand up to his earpiece and speaks. “Okay, listen up mutts. San, I need you to shift and make your way to Wooyoung as fast as possible. You’re faster than the rest of us and he’ll need support in close quarters combat so you’re our best bet until the rest of us get there.” 

A quick “Roger,” is heard over the line and Hongjoong can identify the stiff worry in San’s voice even with the curt reply. There is no more noise on the line until they hear a resounding howl a few seconds later, signaling that San was shifted and on the move. 

“Mingi and Yeosang, you guys take the route on the right that goes up the side of the mountain. We’ll need eyes when we reach the others and you guys will be able to take down some of the shadows from long range.” 

“On it, Captain,” he hears Mingi say and watches as two of the dots on his wrist monitor break off from the rest of the formation and head towards the mountain side. 

“Yunho and Jongho, you two will approach the clearing Wooyoung is in from the right and Seonghwa and I will take the left so we make sure none of the shadows escape while we engage in combat. Understood?” 

“You got it! Jongho, I'll race you!” He hears Yunho’s cheerful voice from the communicator followed by a grumble from Jongho. 

The endearing interaction almost makes him crack a smile. Almost. 

He makes sure that everyone is heading in the right direction and starts moving closer to the dot on his left, closer to Seonghwa. 

When he reaches the other wolf, they’re less than 10 minutes away from Wooyoung, meaning San should be reaching him any time now if he’s running at top speed in his wolf form. 

“Quick thinking, Captain.”

Hongjoong snaps out of his calculations and spares his companion a glance. Even running as fast as they could through the forest, Seonghwa still looks too pretty to be real. The sun was setting and the oranges and purples from the sunset were beautifully reflected in the taller man’s honey-brown eyes. 

The shorter wolf has to stop himself from staring at Seonghwa for too long, as usual. His attraction for his second in command had already caused enough problems yesterday and he really didn’t need something else to worry about right now. 

“It’s kinda part of the job description,” he replies. “Besides I might have actually blown a fuse earlier if you hadn’t stopped me. That wasn’t the time to be upset.” 

“Hmmm. Well, that’s kind of part of my job description, too,” Seongwhwa says with a small grin, still looking in front of him to avoid tripping as they ran.

As the second in command of their small troop, Hongjoong supposed keeping his temper in check was kind of Seonghwa’s job, but he was no less grateful for the older man’s level-headedness regardless of the situation. Seonghwa may have been a worrier off the battlefield, but he never let his emotions distract him from keeping everyone safe on missions.  

Hongjoong allows himself another glance at Seonghwa’s striking profile but doesn’t reply. He knows Seonghwa understands how much he appreciates him as his lieutenant even if he doesn't voice his gratitude. Instead, he focuses his gaze straight ahead, pushing his legs to carry him through the forest as fast as possible. Wooyoung needed their help. He could wait to steal glances at Seonghwa when the rest of his team was out of immediate danger. 

Five minutes later, a shout comes through Hongjoongs earpiece. “Captain! What’s your ETA? Sannie and I can’t fend them off for much longer,” Wooyoung’s frustrated voice leaks through the coms. Hongjoong swears he can smell the younger's panic through the device even if he knows it isn’t possible. 

“We’re almost in position, just give us a few more minutes. Mingi and Yeosang should be giving you cover fire any second now and the rest of us aren’t far behind. If you can, run in our direction so we can reach you sooner,” Hongjoong commanded, his voice as steady as steel. He may be panicking on the inside, but he knew he couldn’t lose his composure again, especially when his teammates were really in danger.

“We’ll try, but you better hurry the fuck up,” Wooyoung fires back. Then, fainter, Hongjoong can hear the younger shouting at San. “San, try and lead them north! They’re almost here.” 

Hongjoong can hear San’s fierce snarls and the rushed pattering of footsteps before Wooyoung is speaking to him again. “Okay, we have them heading north, but for real we’re a few seconds away from getting our asses handed to us or our souls sucked or whatever shadows do,” he said, panting from the exertion of running and fighting but still managing to sass Hongjoong. 

The team captain couldn’t help but snort. “Don’t worry, we’ll be there soon. Just hold on and keep each other safe. Now focus on fighting and we’ll focus on reaching you guys as soon as we can.” 

“Roger-SAN!” Wooyoung’s panicked cry pierces Hongjoong’s sensitive ear through the com, but he is still able to hear the unmistakable howl of pain that comes through the other side. 

“Wooyoung!” He shouts back, trying to get the other’s attention. “Wooyoung, what happened?? Answer me!” 

From his right side, Seonghwa moves closer to him, alarmed by the urgency in the leader’s voice. “Hongjoong, are they okay?”

When he still receives no answer from Wooyoung, he quickly turns in Seonghwa’s direction, meeting his worried eyes. “I don’t know. Wooyoung suddenly shouted and I heard San in pain but he didn't answer me after that. I need to contact the others. We need eyes on them NOW.” 

He quickly switches the com line to open communication with the entire team. “Everyone, Wooyoung and San are in trouble. I need your ETAs to their location. If you see them, do what you can to help and report back to us immediately,” he all but growls out to the rest of the team. 

They knew not to question Hongjoong when he was serious so they all gave a curt response and focused on getting to their friends as soon as possible. 

“Shit,” Hongjoong curses under his breath. Frustrated with not being able to do anything to help his teammates. 

He feels a hand brush over his shoulder in a light touch. Fleeting, but still grounding. He turns in the direction of the other wolf and is met with reassuring golden eyes. Seonghwa is always so gentle. 

“Let’s focus on what we can do and not on what we can’t. We just need to get there as soon as possible,” he says. Soft but still firm. 

Hongjoong nods. Mouth set into a determined line. “Let’s go.” 

With that, they both sprint off in the general direction of their imperiled friends. 

Not even a minute later they finally, finally , break through the treeline into the clearing the tracker said their teammates should be in with Jongho and Yunho bursting through the other side of the trees almost simultaneously. What they see is not pretty, but far less dire than Hongjoong had been expecting after Wooyong’s scream through the coms. 

Wooyoung and San are both in wolf form, which explains why Wooyoung had stopped responding, and are both on the defensive as the Shadows slowly surround them. San’s left leg is bleeding, but it’s impossible to tell how bad the injury is with how black San’s fur was. All Hongjoong could see was a small pool of blood under his paw. Even with his injured leg, San was still doing his best to dodge and claw at the shadows that drew too close to him or Wooyoung, protective as always. 

Meanwhile, Wooyoung’s smaller brown and white wolf form was biting and eliminating as many shadows as possible while watching San’s back. It was definitely a losing battle, but San and Wooyoung were scrappy and resourceful enough to last long enough for them to get there. 

Hongjoong holds in his sigh of relief at seeing them both still alive and mostly unharmed. They still had to eliminate all these shadows before any of them would truly be safe. 

“Mingi, Yeosang, we’ve reached the clearing and are about to engage. Wooyoung and San are still kicking. Let me know when you’re in position to help and if you see any shadows trying to escape,” Hongjoong speaks into his com as he and Seonghwa run headfirst into the group of shadows closest to Wooyoung and San. 

“Affirmative, we should be in position shortly. Be careful, everyone.” Yeosang says over the line, voice smooth and level as usual. 

Hongjoong doesn’t have time to respond as he sinks his enchanted dagger into the first shadow that lunges itself at him. The creature lets out an inhuman shriek and starts to disintegrate as the dark magic dispels thanks to the light magic imbued in the blade. 

Next to him, he hears Seonghwa shoot a few shots and doesn’t even have to look to know that the older werewolf has hit his marks. Seonghwa rarely ever misses a shot.  

As Hongjoong sinks his blade into another shadow he speaks into the com again, “Yunho and Jongho, set up a perimeter and don’t let any of them escape. We’ll call you over if we need any help.” 

“Roger that, Captain. Jongho’s already taken down most of the ones on our end and I’m sure the rest won’t want to go near him at this rate, so I’ll run a perimeter and see if I can sniff any more out,” Yunho says over the com. 

Hongjoong turns his head for only a moment to see the pile of disintegrating shadows at Jongho’s feet while the youngest wolf’s enchanted cuffs continue to glow as he rips even more shadows to shreds. He shakes his head in wonder, their maknae is really something. 

“Captain, we have eyes on all of you, I’ll watch Yunho’s back as he runs the perimeter and Mingi will take out any stragglers and offer support fire from here.” Yeosang’s voice chimes in once again. 

“Sounds good. Thank you, Yeosang. We’ll try and finish this up quickly so you can come down and treat San. His injury doesn’t seem too serious but you’ll have to take a look at it before we head back,” Hongjoong replies, taking out his pistol to shoot and stab at shadows simultaneously to hopefully quicken their pace. 

“Aye, Captain. Watch your 6 by the way, there’s one trying to sneak up on you,” Yeosang warns. 

Before Hongjoong can even fully turn, a loud shot is heard in the distance and the shadow behind him falls to the side and vanishes. 

“That was a close one, Captain, better stay on your toes,” Mingi’s teasing voice comes over the coms. 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes even if he knows Mingi can’t see him. “Thanks, Mingi.” 

Now with his entire team finally together, Hongjoong feels their mission may actually go according to plan. 

But, of course, nothing can ever go according to plan. 

Just as they are gaining the upper hand on the shadows closest to Wooyoung and San, Hongjoong hears another pained yelp and a whine from his companions. He snaps his head in their direction immediately and sees San on the floor, a new wound now on his side. The wolf is still valiantly trying to get back on his feet while Wooyoung is torn between fretting over his mate and keeping his eyes on the shadows getting close to them. 

At the sight, Hongjoong immediately turns to sprint in their direction. “Mingi! Focus fire on the shadows around Wooyoung and San! They got San again and now Wooyoung is protecting him alone,” he barks into the com. He doesn’t blame Mingi for missing the shadow that hurt San again when they were all trying to monitor an entire battlefield, but it stings knowing they were all there and no one was able to protect their injured teammate. 

He doesn’t bother to wait for Mingi’s reply as he makes his way toward San and Wooyoung, he knows their sharp-shooter will follow through. 

Hongjoong dodges, slashes and shoots as many shadows as he can on his way to his friends but a few manage to slash at his arms as he sprints past them. He barely notices the injuries, too focused on getting to his packmates. 

He sees Wooyoung take a defensive stance over San’s body, still crumpled on the ground and now steadily leaking blood onto the grass. Mingi is doing a good job keeping most of the shadows at bay but a few manage to slip past his cover fire. As they inch closer to Wooyoung, Hongjoong’s stomach drops as he realizes that he might not reach them in time. 

Just as he’s about to call for backup, a series of shots rings out, this time much closer to where he is. He turns and sees Seonghwa approaching the center of the shadows as well, and thankfully he is much closer than Hongjoong is. 

Seonghwa takes down the shadows Mingi can’t shoot fast enough and is only a few feet away from Wooyoung and San now. Hongjoong could cry in relief. 

With the remaining shadows mostly focused on Seonghwa and Wooyoung now, Hongjoong makes his way over to them much more easily. He jumps over the last line of shadows and fires a series of shots as he comes to stand in front of Wooyoung and San. 

Seonghwa is already at his side. Not stopping his shots even as he moves closer to cover Hongjoong. 

“Take care of the ones on the left and I’ll focus the ones on the right? Mingi is taking out the ones coming straight towards us,” Seonghwa says, voice and gaze unwavering as he kicks a shadow away from them while reloading his gun. 

“Oooh, is Seonghwa-hyung the captain now?” Mingi teases. 

“Shut up and just keep shooting, Mingi. We can crack jokes when the fight is over,” Hongjoong spits out, perhaps a bit too harsh, but they were in a very stressful situation at the moment. 

“My bad, jeez,” Mingi mumbles and continues to take out shadow after shadow from his perch on the mountainside. 

“Thank you for the cover fire, Mingi,” Seonghwa adds, trying to alleviate the tension and reassure the team even in the middle of a heated fight.

“You got it, hyung,” Mingi chirps, as yet another loud shot rings out and the shadow closest to Seonghwa is swiftly taken out.  

“Yeosang, I’m gonna need you to come over here as soon as you can. San is losing a lot of blood and we’re too busy fighting to treat him,” Hongjoong says, ignoring Mingi’s grumbling. He’d apologize to the other later. 

“On my way. Someone should put pressure on any major wounds if possible while you wait for me, though,” the healer says. Hongjoong can hear rustling over the coms as Yeosang starts to gather his things in a rush. 

“Will do, just hurry,” the leader grunts as he sinks his dagger into the glowing red eyes of another shadow. Sometimes it really feels like a never-ending fight with these things. At least the steady shots coming from Seonghwa’s direction bring him some comfort on the battlefield. The older wolf’s presence is always comforting even in the worst situations. 

When he can spare a moment to glance back at Wooyoung and San, he sees that the puddle of blood has grown since the last time he had looked over at them. He grimaces. They needed to finish these things off fast. 

“Wooyoung, I need you to put pressure on San’s side with your own body. He’s losing a lot of blood, but the rest of us have our hands full. Can you do that, please?” Hongjoong asks the young werewolf as delicately as possible. He knows that Wooyoung is probably instinct-driven right now and shouting would only increase his fierce need to protect San instead of actually listening to Hongjoong’s orders. 

He sees the other wolf hesitate for a moment, teeth still bared and eyes deadly as he stares down anything that could possibly hurt his mate even more. However, once he recognizes Hongjoong’s soft voice, he snaps out of his intense protective state and goes to gently lay on top of San. 

The black wolf lets out a small, pained whine and Wooyoung lowers his head to lick at San’s muzzle in an attempt to comfort him. 

Hongjoong knows Wooyoung’s body won’t do much to stop the bleeding, but he figures this was better than nothing and it would help San calm down to have his mate so close. 

Once Wooyoung and San are as settled as they can be in the middle of a battlefield, Hongjoong turns back to the fight and starts giving more orders. “Jongho, when you’re done over there, we need backup here. San is hurt and we need to eliminate these things as fast as possible so Yeosang can come treat him.”

“Be there in a minute, hyung,” Jongho grunts, probably taking down a shadow of his own. 

Hongjoong barely has time to register the response as he dodges a slash on his left only to be met with the nasty claws of a shadow on his right. “Fuck!” he yells, clutching at his arm. The wound wasn’t deep, but it definitely hurt like a bitch. He could already feel blood seeping through the material of his sleeve. 

“Hongjoong!” he hears Seonghwa yell from his side and hears footsteps rushing towards him. 

“I’m fine! Don’t take your eyes off the enemy, Hwa, I don’t need you getting hurt too!” He yells harshly, getting back on his feet after he had been thrown off balance by the initial blow. 

However, his harsh tone does not deter the other. “Stop being so stubborn and get behind me. You’re hurt now too, so rely on the rest of us to do the brunt of the fighting.” 

“I said I was fine. It’s just a scratch. You can’t take the rest down by yourself even with Mingi’s help!” 

“I never said I was. You can still shoot just fine with your other arm, can’t you? I’m just asking you to leave the frontline fighting to me for now. Jongho should be here soon, too.” 

Hongjoong wants to argue back, but he knows Seonghwa is right, as usual. 

“Fine, but stay in my line of sight so I can cover you,” he gruffs. 

Seonghwa gives him a small smirk. “Thanks for having my back, Captain.” 

“If you two are done flirting, I’m done clearing the perimeter and I’m with Yeosang. We’re heading your way now,” Yunho chimed in on the communicator. 

Hongjoong very pointedly ignores Yunho’s first comment when he replies. “Great. Jongho and Mingi should be able to clear a path for you when you arrive if we aren’t done eliminating the shadows by then.” 

He doesn’t listen to see if Yunho replies and instead refocuses on the battle in front of them. Seonghwa appears to be doing the same as he takes out a knife from his tech vest and levels his pistol at the approaching shadows. He fires a series of shots and then runs a few feet in front of them to start stabbing and slashing at the other shadows with his long knife. Mingi’s cover fire is reliable as usual and Hongjoong manages to take down a few with his pistol as well. 

There are about 10 shadows left when Jongho finally reaches them and he makes pretty quick work of half of them as he rips through them like paper. The remaining shadows try to disperse when they realize they no longer have a chance at victory, but Mingi and Seonghwa are quick to take aim and shoot the stragglers. 

By the time Yunho and Yeosang finally arrive, all the shadows have been cleared. 

“Aw, man. We missed all the action, huh?” Yunho says, as he jogs up to them. 

“I think we got them all but you should run one last check to make sure we didn’t miss any when they started to run away,” Hongjoong says. Finally feeling the ache in his bones now that the battle had ended. 

“Yeosang should also treat San and Hongjoong as soon as possible. I think they’re the only ones injured,” Seonghwa adds, giving Hongjoong a pointed look. The leader just glares back. 

“You’re hurt too, Captain?” Yeosang inquires, giving him a quick once over to assess his injuries. 

Hongjoong waves him off. “Don’t worry about me, San is way worse.” 

With that, the healer wastes no time in heading toward San. Wooyoung immediately growls when Yeosang kneels down beside them. 

“Relax, Woo, it’s just me. I need you to get up so I can check on Sannie. I’m here to help your mate.” Yeosang says as he offers Wooyoung his hand. 

Wooyoung sniffs at Yeosang’s hand and when he catches the familiar scent of roses and herbs from his childhood friend, recognition flashes in his chocolate eyes and he slowly moves off San to give the healer room to work. 

San whines again when his mate gets off him and Wooyoung is quick to comfort him as always. He nuzzles under San’s chin and coats him in comforting cinnamon pheromones to help ease his pain. 

Yeosang works quickly and delicately so as not to hurt his teammate further. He starts with San’s side, which seems to be the deeper of the two wounds. He opens his medical kit and removes a disinfectant spray, some enchanted herbs, and a roll of bandages. 

“San-ah, this is going to hurt a little but he has to disinfect the wound alright?” Hongjoong warns. 

San nods his head and buries his snout further into Wooyoung’s fur, bracing himself for the pain. 

Yeosang gently dabs at the wound with disinfectant and clean gauze, but no matter how lightly he taps, San’s whimpering can still be heard. Wooyoung lets out little whines of sympathy and covers San even more with his warm cinnamon scent. 

Once the healer is done disinfecting the gash on San’s side, Yeosang carefully coats the wounds with the enhanced healing salve he made. Once the wound is evenly coated, he asks Jongho to help him hold San up as he wraps a bandage securely around the black wolf’s midsection. 

Yeosang repeats the process on San’s injured leg before making the wolf drink some tablets for his pain and to put him to sleep for the journey back. 

As he begins to pack up his salves and tonics, Hongjoong approaches him. 

“How is he?” the captain asks. 

“The wound on his side doesn’t seem that deep, but if it isn’t closing fast enough by the time we get back to KQ, I might need to give him stitches. One of his ribs is also definitely broken, which is probably why it was hard for him to stand back up after that last hit. The leg wound is mostly superficial at least. Just bled a lot because of the location. I’m more worried about the blood loss than anything else, but with some rest, he should be just fine,” Yeosang says. 

Hongjoong’s shoulders finally loosen and he feels he can breathe easier knowing his entire team would be okay. He gives their healer a thankful nod, “Thanks for patching him up, Yeo.” 

“Well, someone has to patch up this reckless pack,” the healer says with a small chuckle as he gets to his feet. 

“You still have one more reckless wolf to patch up, though,” Seonghwa interrupts, looking pointedly from Yeosang to Hongjoong’s injured arm. 

Hongjoong just groans. “I told you it was just a scratch, Hwa. Yeosang can look at it when we get back to KQ. Right now, we should be focusing on getting San back home,” he tries to reason but Seonghwa won’t budge. 

“I’ll let the minor scratches on your forearms slide for now, but at least let him disinfect the gash on your upper arm. You may be immune to a shadow's poison, but you aren’t immune to infection, Captain,” the blond says sternly. 

With a heavy sigh, Hongjoong acquiesces, too tired from their long battle to fight with Seonghwa too. “Fine, but don’t touch the wound directly and make it quick. We should get back before nightfall.” 

“Quick I can do, just don’t expect me to be gentle, too,” Yeosang says while soaking more gauze in alcohol. He had already gotten his supplies back out and handed his bag to Jongho while Hongjoong was bickering with Seonghwa. It was as if he knew the captain would lose the argument from the start. Hongjoong frowns. What a traitor. 

After ripping the top of his shirt sleeve to give Yeosang access to the wound, Hongjoong does his best to not fidget as he waits for Yeosang to start disinfecting it. He expects the burn when the gauze finally makes contact with his skin and tries his best to not flinch away from the damp cloth. 

“Oh, look at hyung trying to act all tough,” Jongho snickers. 

“Respect your elders, brat.” Hongjoong reaches over to bat the younger wolf’s shoulder and ends up jostling Yeosang’s movements with the gauze. 

“Can you please stay still?” the healer asks, exasperated. 

Hongjoong is about to apologize when Yeosang adjusts his hold on the gauze over Hongjoong’s arm and ends up accidentally brushing his hand against Hongjoong’s bare skin. As soon as the healer’s hand makes contact with Hongjoong’s arm, there is an unmistakable spark of electricity. They both pull apart as if they had been burned, the captain holding his upper arm and the healer holding his hand tightly to his chest. 

Hongjoong starts to feel a burning sensation on his arm that stings far more than the actual gash there and hunches over at the sudden pain. From the corner of his eyes, he can see that Yeosang isn’t doing much better. 

“Hongjoong! Hongjoong, what’s wrong?” he can hear Seonghwa’s panicked voice coming from right next to him but starts to fade further and further away. 

He barely registers the hand gripping his shoulder or his knees slamming against the dirt. 

He doesn’t even realize he’s losing consciousness until he feels the vague sensation of falling and then...nothing. 

Chapter Text

Seonghwa’s sanity was slipping with every moment that passed and Hongjoong still had not woken up. After their captain had fainted in the middle of the field, Seonghwa had gone into full panic mode. He yelled at the rest of the team to gather in the clearing to help carry their injured and unconscious teammates back to KQ as quickly as possible. 

Yeosang felt weak and shaken by what had happened, but he hadn’t fully fainted like Hongjoong had. He just stared at the budding rose mark on his wrist in awe and perhaps a little bit of sadness, but seemed no worse for wear physically, which Seonghwa was grateful for. 

He had enough problems to deal with without having their healer out of commission too. He took the leadership role after Hongjoong had fainted and throwing himself into his work had distracted him long enough to not think about the matching marks now adorning their captain and healer’s skin. 

Yunho and Mingi had shifted in order to carry San more comfortably between them in a makeshift stretcher while Wooyoung hovered close to his mate to make sure he was okay. Jongho carried Hongjoong on his back and Seonghwa walked close to Yeosang to make sure he was okay and to lend him support when he stumbled or needed a break. 

Like that, the eight of them made it back to KQ just before sundown. Their injured teammates were immediately rushed to the infirmary at their headquarters and Seonghwa did his best to stay distracted after that. He told the others to wash up and get dinner, filled out the mission report in Hongjoong’s stead, cleaned their shared living space and did anything else he could think of to keep his mind off the situation. But it still wasn’t enough. 

A few hours later, he found himself here - biting his nails as he paced in front of the infirmary. 

He had dissected the scene over and over in his head and no matter how many explanations he came up with, there was no way he could ignore the fact that matching marks appeared on both Hongjoong and Yeosang after direct skin to skin contact. And for wolves, matching marks only meant one thing…

Before Seonghwa’s thoughts could spiral further towards heartbreak, a voice broke through his contemplations, “And what are you doing all the way out here instead of being inside the infirmary with your injured teammates, Seonghwa?” 

Seonghwa’s eyes nearly bulge out of his head upon hearing General Kyungmoon’s friendly voice. He was so absorbed in his anxious pondering that he hadn’t even heard or smelled the other wolf approach. 

He composes himself as quickly as possible and gives a hurried bow. “General, I’m so sorry I didn’t hear you approaching.” 

Kyungmoon merely chuckles. “It’s quite alright. You looked deep in thought and I didn’t want to interrupt but I need you to do something for me.” 

“What is it?”

“I need you to gather up your team and meet me in Hongjoong and San’s room. There’s something we need to discuss about your mission today,” the general explains. 

“I don’t mean to question your judgment, General, but we just got back and they are both still recovering. Can’t this wait until the morning at least?” Seonghwa asks, taken aback by the promptness of  the general’s visit. Usually he wouldn’t ask a returning team to report immediately, if at all. This was a strange request to say the least. 

“I know I usually don’t ask for an audience so soon, especially on missions of this nature, but it’s really quite urgent. Please gather your team as quickly as possible.” 

Seonghwa takes one look at Kyungmoon’s concerned gaze and nods. “We’ll meet you there in no more than 10 minutes.” 

The general gives a relieved smile. “Thank you, Seonghwa.”

Without any further delay, Seognhwa excuses himself to gather the rest of his team and herd them into the infirmary. 

They all gather into one of the larger rooms in the medical wing with a few minutes to spare. 

The first thing Seonghwa notices when he walks into the infirmary is that both Hongjoong and San are awake. Wooyoung is glued to San’s side, as expected, and Seonghwa can’t stop the painful clenching of his heart when he sees Yeosang seated at Hongjoong’s bedside. When Hongjoong looks his way, he avoids his eyes and redirects his gaze back to San and Wooyoung. 

“Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m visiting you all so soon after your mission,” the general starts. 

“Are you here to congratulate Hongjoong and Yeosang on their soulbond? Guess they aren’t a fairytale after all, huh,” Jongho says bitterly, not bothering to move from his spot in the far corner of the room. No one misses how he drops the “hyung” from both of his comrade’s names. 

Seonghwa notices the distraught look Yeosang directs towards their youngest teammate and it only serves to break his heart a little more to know his friends were experiencing a similar pain. 

Kyungmoon chuckles lightly as if Jongho’s comment had not immediately made the atmosphere in the infirmary uncomfortably tense. “Oh no, what I suspect their bond to be is much more rare than a normal soulbond.” 

At the general’s comment, Jongho’s head snaps in his direction. “What do you mean?” he asks, voice nearly cracking at the end as hope weaves its way into Jongho’s voice like it does Seonghwa’s heart. 

Was this not a soulmate bond? 

“I mean, I think Hongjoong and Yeosang have formed a pack bond,” Kyungmoon clarifies. 

Jongho scoffs. “We’re all pack. At least, I thought we were…”

Seonghwa ignores the hurt in his chest from Jongho’s comment and turns towards Kyungmoon. “He’s right though, General. We are all technically a bonded pack by werewolf standards, but this is very different.” 

The general holds up a hand to stop any more comments before he continues to speak. “Let me explain. Although it’s common for werewolves to form communal pack bonds with one another, there is a bond between packmates that is even stronger than that. A bond as mystical and fantastical as the stories of soulmates we heard as children. What I’m trying to say is that Hongjoong and Yeosang have started a soulpack bond.” 

The entire room is left stunned at Kyungmoon’s explanation. 

“But that’s-” Seonghwa struggles to find his words, still in disbelief. He had never heard of such a thing. 

“How do you know this is a soul pack bond and not a normal soulmate bond? We know little to nothing about such bonds except for what we’ve heard from myths and legends,” Yeosang interjects. 

“I think it’s better for Hongjoong to show you that part rather than have me explain it,” the general says, motioning for Hongjoong to take the lead. 

Seonghwa’s neck nearly cracks as he quickly turns to Hongjoong. With all eyes on him, the captain starts to fidget with his gloves as he shies away from the sudden attention. 

“Way to put a guy on the spot…” the leader grouses but shifts on his hospital bed nonetheless. In one swift motion, he removes the torn, black long-sleeved shirt had been wearing under his tactical vest.

Seonghwa’s first instinct is to look away, as it always is when presented with too much of Hongjoong’s skin out of respect for the other wolf’s privacy and fear of his own feelings. Except he realizes there must have been a reason for normally conservative Hongjoong to strip in front of all of them. 

Once he fights down the involuntary blush on his cheeks, he’s able to get over how pretty the lean lines of Hongjoong’s torso look up close and concentrate on the new additions inked on his skin by fate. 

At first, he thinks the captain only took off his shirt to show them the soulmark again, and although his heart drops at seeing it still adorning his upper arm, he notices two additional things. First, the wound he had on his arm earlier is completely healed, which was fast even for wolf healing. Second, he notices there is another mark on Hongjoong’s chest. This one is over his right pec and is encircled by a bold black line. Inside there is a smaller circle intersected by a cross, but none of the ends touch directly. In the four quadrants surrounding the cross, you can see small depictions of the four phases of the moon. 

It was beautiful and intricate, but Seonghwa had no idea what it meant. 

“What is that?” Wooyoujng blurted out, pointing at the other mark. 

“That is the mark given to the leader of a soul pack,” Kyungmoon says. “This mark is what identifies the leader of a soulpack and is what gives the leader the ability to form soulbonds with multiple wolves in his pack.”

“That’s fascinating and all, but how do you know Yeosang’s bond is a pack bond or whatever and not a soulmate bond?” Jongho asks again, getting impatient. Seonghwa would scold him for his lack of manners if he weren’t also dying to know the answer to that very question. 

“From what we’ve gathered from legends about other soul packs, it seems that soulmate bonds are still possible, but they only appear over the leader’s heart,” the general explains patiently, tapping the left side of his own chest in emphasis. 

“How do you even know all this?” Mingi asks, eyes sparkling quizzically. He seemed equal parts amazed and perplexed by all this new information. 

“Expert sources only available to higher ranking wolves like myself,” Kyungmoon answers, giving them all a sly grin. 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. “He means my mom and KQ’s head wizard, Jonghoon.” 

Kyungmoon pouts when Mingi starts giggling. “Way to ruin my fun, Hongjoong.” 

“Wait, wait, wait. Hongjoong-hyung, you knew about this and didn’t tell us?!?” Wooyoung shrieks, appalled at being left in the dark. 

“Wooyoung is actually right for once,” Yeosang says, ignoring Wooyoung’s protests at the jab before turning to look at Hongjoong. “Why didn’t you tell us about this?” 

All eyes now return to Hongjoong and the other rubs at the back of his neck and laughs awkwardly. “I guess it just never came up…?”

The flat looks he receives from his teammates, Seonghwa included, are enough for the captain to start backtracking. “I didn’t intentionally keep it from you guys. I just didn’t think it was relevant information since the symbol was dormant until now and my mother said to keep it quiet unless something changed.”

“What do you mean dormant?” Yunho asks. 

“He means his mark had never looked like this until now. I’m guessing none of you had ever seen his mark before, but until today it was all pink and faded, like a birthmark of sorts instead of a fresh tattoo. He was born with it, which is why his mother and Jonghoon did so much research about it after his birth. They determined that the mark was dormant and probably would remain that way since there had been no record of a soul pack in over a thousand years but quite a few leader birthmarks had been documented,” Kyungmoon cuts in. 

“So, what does that mean? Why did Hongjoong-hyung’s leader mark suddenly start, you know, leadering?” 

“Nice one, Mingi.” 

“Shut up, Wooyoung.” 

“Not the time boys,” Seonghwa speaks over them to keep their bickering from escalating in the middle of such an important conversation. “But I do share in Mingi’s sentiment. Why did Hongjoong’s mark suddenly activate, for lack of a better word, when so many other leader marks have stayed dormant over the years?” he asks. 

Seonghwa really wasn’t sure what all of this meant, but he had a bad feeling that it wasn’t anything good for his captain or his pack. 

“An excellent question Seonghwa, and one I sadly don’t have an answer for,” the general answers apologetically. “That’s another reason why I wanted to meet with your squad tonight. As soon as you’re all healed and well-rested, I want you to find out why Hongjoong’s mark suddenly activated. I suspect that this can have either really good or really bad implications for the magical world, and the sooner we figure it out, the better.”

“What implications?” Seonghwa hesitates to ask, already fearing the worst. 

Kyungmoon gives him a strained smile. “The last documented soul pack was over a thousand years ago…during the great war.” 

-H-

After the rather ominous conversation, General Kyungmoon leaves the team and tells them to rest up for the journey they’ll have ahead and Hongjoong is left with a room full of curious and confused wolves. 

“Soooo, were you ever gonna tell us you were magic, or were we never gonna know if your mark didn’t suddenly start bonding you to people and freaking us out?” Yunho asks, never one to let awkward silence last for too long. 

Hongjoong isn’t sure if he was grateful for his friend breaking the tense atmosphere or not, because now he had to come clean. 

“Like I said, my mother told me not to bring it up in case it caught the attention of someone malicious. I was so used to not talking about it that it didn’t even cross my mind to tell you all since I didn’t think it would affect the team,” he tries to explain. 

San lets out a surprised laugh. “ No offense, Captain, but I would definitely consider potential soulbonding as something that ‘affects the team’ especially when I thought Jongho was gonna kill you earlier.” 

Hongjoong looks at San, confused. “What? Why would Jongho want to kill me? What does that have to do with anything?” he asks as he turns to look at their youngest. 

“I wanted to - past tense. Since General Kyungmoon cleared up what was going on, you’re off the hook for now, hyung,” Jongho explains with a false air of calm, slight irritation with his captain still bubbling up around the edges of his voice. But it still puts the rest of them at ease to hear the younger wolf using “hyung” again. 

Hongjoong furrows his brow, feeling as if he’s missing something. 

“So, does this mean we can all bond with you since we’re pack? Or do you have to be bleeding out again or something?” Mingi teases, eyes alight with curiosity.

“Uhh I’m pretty sure it just happens whenever? Hopefully no blood required.” He says, and it comes out more like a question than a statement. Hongjoong isn’t sure how all this is supposed to work either. All he knows are the stories his mother used to tell him as a kid, which is what most wolves know about soulbonds. 

“Does that mean we can bond with you right now? I wanna be the first to try!” Wooyoung yells excitedly, leaning away from San’s side for the first time since they got back. 

“Yeosang was already the first, babe,” San teases fondly, lightly nudging Wooyoung’s hip. 

Wooyoung puffs his cheeks out in annoyance. “Well the first to do it willingly then,” he clarifies, which only makes it sound worse to Hongjoong. It’s not like he intentionally bonded with Yeosang. It happened without either of their permission.  

“We’re all pack so the mark doesn’t change anything, it just gives us a cool reminder. Like a magical tattoo!” Wooyoung exclaims. His eyes are big and bright with excitement at the prospect of yet another work of art being placed on his skin, this one with magic instead of needles. 

“Wooyoung, this is serious. This isn’t like your other tattoos. This is a bond between souls and we don’t even know if we should continue bonding without any more information. I’d rather not rope all of you into this when we barely know any of the implications, like the general said,” Hongjoong tries to reason. 

Wooyoung crosses his arms and lets out a petulant huff. “Come oooon, hyung. Don’t be such a downer. Today was a terrible day, let me have this pleeease,” he whines. 

Hongjoong just rolls his eyes and tries to ignore the guilt that blooms in his chest at causing so much trouble for this pack today and letting his teammates get hurt. “I’m sorry today has been hard on all of you, but this and that are completely different matters. I don’t think it’s a good idea and that’s final.” 

“But-”

“Hongjoong also blacked out when he bonded with Yeosang and Yeosang felt very drained. We don’t know all the effects yet, so I agree we shouldn’t try to do any more bonding until we can get more information on the situation,” Seonghwa adds, always ready to support Hongjoongs decisions. 

He looks over at the older wolf and offers him a thankful smile, which the other returns albeit a bit forced. Hongjoong finds the gesture a little strange and wonders if something had happened to the other while he had been unconscious. He had looked incredibly stiff ever since he had walked into the infirmary. At first, he had thought Seonghwa was simply worried for their wellbeing, but now that both he and San were awake and recovering, he didn’t see a reason for Seonghwa to still be so tense. 

“Ugh, you guys are being dramatic,” Wooyoung scoffs as he uncrosses his arms and scoots closer to the edge of San’s hospital bed. “They’re both fine right now. What would be the harm in giving it a shot? All I have to do is touch him, right?” he says, grabbing Hongjoong’s exposed forearm like it was nothing. 

“What the-” Hongjoong hisses, flinching back in surprise, but it’s already too late. By the time he manages to pull his arm away, he already feels a familiar burning sensation on his forearm.

“Shit!” Wooyoung says. He’s clutching his forearm in the same place Hongjoong can feel the burn on his own arm. It isn’t nearly as disorienting as it was the first time and the only sign of discomfort Hongjoong outwardly shows is the clenching of his jaw and the deep furrow in his brows as he glares at Wooyoung. 

When the sensation begins to fade, he looks down and sees the distinct outline of a yellow sun painted on his right forearm. 

The captain heaves a heavy sigh as the rest of his team look on in awe. Maybe one day Wooyoung would listen to him, but today was obviously not that day. 

“Holy shit it really worked!” Wooyoung breaths, awe evident in his voice as he looks down at the small sun. “Sannie, Sannie look! It’s a cute little sun!” he bounds back over to his mate, showing off the soulmark that had just appeared on his skin. “It really is just like a magical tattoo! It hurts way less than a real one, too,” he says with a happy giggle. 

Hongjoong wants to be more upset, but the sheer amount of happy pheromones in the air and the excitement and giddiness coming through the newly formed bond between him and Wooyoung is making it really difficult to stay mad. He did at least have to attempt to lecture him for going against his orders though. 

“Wooyoung, that was incredibly reckless of you,” Hongjoong says, voice as stern as he can make it. 

Wooyoung just waves him off and completely disregards his authority, as usual. “Yeah, yeah super dangerous. I’m on death’s door as we speak.” 

Mingi and Yunho snicker at Wooyoung’s sarcasm, which just makes Hongjoong scowl. 

“Don’t any of you brats have any respect?”

“Only when you have a good point, hyung, and honestly my idea was way better than yours. Now we know it’s pretty easy and safe to bond if we all wanted to. You’re welcome,” Wooyoung says with a self-satisfied grin. 

Before Hongjoong can continue chastising his packmate, Mingi cuts in with a loud “Me next!” 

Hongjoong is about to jump out of his hospital bed and physically restrain all of his team to stop them from acting so recklessly, but thankfully he doesn’t need to. 

“Easy there,” Yunho says as he takes hold of Mingi’s arm before the other can jump on top of Hongjoong in his excitement to get a cool soulmark, too. “I think that’s enough bonding for one day. We should all get some rest and let San and Hongjoong-hyung recover.” 

Mingi pouts as he looks up at his best friend. “But it’s not fair that Wooyoung got to do it.” 

“We’ll all get our turn, I’m sure. Let's go back to the dorms for now, since we probably won’t get much down time after starting the next mission. We can play some games or you can read a book. Doesn’t that sound more fun than staying in an infirmary?” Yunho coerces his best friend gently. 

Mingi sighs in defeat, “Man, I hate it when you’re right. There better be snacks.” 

Yunho chuckles. “Of course,” he says as he ruffles Mingi’s silver hair before turning to the rest of his team. “You’re all welcome to join us by the way. I’m sure we can all use the time to unwind.”

“I’m gonna stay here and cuddle Sannie until he’s all healed up,” Wooyoung says, cuddling up closer to San’s uninjured side for emphasis. San giggles at the clinginess and places a peck on the top of Wooyoung’s head as he loops an arm around his mate to pull him closer. 

“Gross. We wouldn’t want you guys there anyway,” Mingi comments. Fake gagging at his friend’s public display of affection.

“Do you need us to get you guys anything from your room at the dorm?” Seonghwa offers kindly. 

“Nah. Serim was on duty at the infirmary earlier and I asked him to get us some supplies since I couldn’t leave San’s side, so you guys don’t have to bring us anything. Have fun being completely bored at the dorm without me,” Wooyoung says as he gives a smug little wave in their direction. 

“More like enjoy the peace and quiet without you,” Mingi huffs.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Mangi. You’ll miss me by the morning,” Wooyoung teases back with a wink. 

Mingi rolls his eyes, but the fond smile that spreads across his face at the familiar nickname gives away the fact he isn’t really irritated with the other. 

“Alright, everyone. Let’s let the injured rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow,” Seonghwa says, ushering the pack out of the infirmary much like he had earlier. Hongjoong smiles fondly at the familiar sight. Some of the seniors often teased them and said that their packmates were more like pups than werewolves since they often needed to be wrangled by Seonghwa and Hongjoong to attend important meetings or training sessions. It may have been an inside joke to call them the parents of the team, but it felt like those titles were very accurate sometimes.  

The younger members start to leave the infirmary, throwing goodnight wishes over their shoulders and promising to meet up in the morning to discuss the details of their next mission. Hongjoong smiles as he waves goodbye, waiting until Seonghwa is the only one left to leave before clearing his throat to get the other’s attention. 

“Seonghwa, can you help me to my room? I was cleared earlier by the doctor so I can sleep in my own bed tonight,” Hongjoong says, catching Seonghwa’s gaze for the first time that night. 

The lieutenant seems surprised by the captain’s request and Hongjoong can’t blame him. He almost always refused any kind of help unless it was absolutely necessary. Partly because he was used to keeping people at a distance because of the leader mark, but mostly because he was incredibly stubborn.

However, he could tell something was still bothering his second in command and asking for his help seemed like a good avenue to get him alone so they could talk. 

As if sensing his train of thought, Seonghwa agrees easily to the request after only a moment of hesitation. “Sure, Captain.” 

Hongjoong gives him a grateful smile and gets out of bed, gathering up his heavy combat boots and the rest of his gear before heading out of the infirmary. Seonghwa offers to help him carry some of his weapons and takes half the load before Hongjoong can deny his help. He grumbles quietly but doesn’t protest, he knows he can’t stop Seonghwa from being a mother hen even if he tried, especially since he’s the one who asked for his help. 

The walk back to the team’s barracks is quiet. The silence wasn’t exactly tense, but it wasn’t all that comfortable either. 

Hongjoong fidgeted with his gloves more times than he can count as he contemplated how to start the conversation with Seonghwa once they got back to their room. When they spoke after the awkward sparring match yesterday, Hongjoong had known what he did wrong and how to fix it. But today, he wasn’t quite sure what was bothering Seonghwa. Was it the fact he kept the leader's mark a secret? Was it because two of his teammates were hurt today and he was blaming himself? Hongjoong really didn’t know, which made bringing up the topic a lot harder for someone like Hongjoong who struggled with talking about feelings at the best of times. He still found it difficult to be delicate sometimes, but he wanted to be there for Seonghwa like the lieutenant was there for everyone else on their team. He just wasn’t sure how. 

When they finally make it back to their dorm room, Seonghwa neatly lays Hongjoong’s gear next to his own on the large weapons table opposite to their beds. Hongjoong deposits the rest of his weapons alongside them in a much less neat fashion. Seonghwa scrunches up his nose at the mess but doesn’t scold him about it like he usually would. 

Hongjoong isn’t sure if that’s a good or bad sign for the conversation they were about to have. 

The captain anxiously bites his bottom lip, still unsure about how he wants to broach the subject. However, before he can chew his lip raw deciding on what to ask, Seonghwa beats him to it. 

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Seonghwa asks directly, making the whole ordeal seem much easier than it had in Hongjoong’s head. 

“How did-”

“We both know you never ask for help, Joong, so this was really an offer to talk.” He says with a knowing smile, making the captain pout. Seonghwa knew him too well. 

Seonghwa’s eyes soften as he continues. “What’s on your mind?” He asks, voice as kind and understanding as it always is but there is still a lingering sadness and fatigue in his amber eyes.

Hongjoong doesn’t know what to make of the weary look in his friend’s eyes. He isn’t quite as adept at reading Seonghwa as the other seemed to be at reading him, but he would at least try to get the other to open up. It was the least he could do for Seonghwa who was always selfless in offering his shoulder for everyone else to lean on. 

The captain runs a hand through his shaggy black hair, trying to come up with the right words to say. “I’m not really sure how to ask this, but are you…” he makes a vague gesture with his hand, “okay with all of this I guess? You seemed a little off in the infirmary.”

Seonghwa averts his gaze and Hongjoong immediately knows he wasn’t imagining his second in command’s strange behavior earlier. “Is it about me not telling you about the leader mark? I really didn’t think it was relevant to the safety and success of the team,” he tries to defend. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them, he was just so unused to talking about the subject he genuinely didn’t know how to talk about it when questioned, let alone talk about it unprompted. 

The older wolf sighs heavily, as if he were weighed down by some unseen burden. “It’s not that, Joong. I was just- I was surprised by your bond with Yeosang is all, and I was worried about how that would affect the team, especially Jongho. It might not have been your intention to keep something so important from us, but because you did, it caused a lot of confusion and tension within the pack and I suppose I’m still working through all those emotions even though I know the truth now,” Seonghwa explains, still keeping his gaze averted from Hongjoong. 

Hongjoong nods slowly in understanding as he takes in Seonghwa’s words. He doesn’t think Seonghwa is telling him the whole truth, but at least he can understand where his friend is coming from. The existence of the soul pack was a lot of information for all of them to take in and he recognized that it might affect their team in different ways. He just hadn’t considered how upsetting the news could be for some of his teammates. 

“I can understand that. I’m sorry for not telling you guys and causing any harm to the team. That was totally on me and I’ll apologize to everyone tomorrow,” he says seriously. As the captain, he should lead by example and keeping something so important from the rest of his pack had been his mistake. “Can I ask why it affected Jongho so much specifically, though? I want to be able to apologize to him properly,” he adds.

That part of Seonghwa’s explanation had caught his attention the most, especially since San had also pointed out how angry Jongho was with him earlier in the infirmary. 

Seonghwa gives Hongjoong a dumbfounded look before covering his mouth and chuckling lightly. The rich tone of his quiet laughter makes Hongjoong’s heart flutter but his confusion is enough to fight off the butterflies in his stomach for now. He had no idea what was so funny. 

“What?” he asks. 

“Jongho is courting Yeosang,” Seonghwa says. His giggles have subsided but there’s still a big grin on his face. 

Hongjoong’s jaw drops. “ What?!” he asks again, this time in shock instead of confusion. 

Seonghwa giggles again and Hongjoong’s ears go red in embarrassment. 

“Since when?”

“Since the last full moon, I think? They’ve been keeping quiet about it but I’m sure everyone already knows considering how much they’ve been smelling of each other lately. Well, everyone but you it seems, Captain,” Seonghwa replies with a teasing grin on his plush lips. 

Hongjoong tries not to stare at Seonghwa's lips for too long lest his blush get even worse. He groans in annoyance as he buries his face in his hands. How had he not noticed something so big happening in his own team? Maybe Seonghwa was right and he should spend less time with his head in books and more time engaging with the pack. If he was even part of one pack scenting, he probably would have picked up on how entwined Yeosang and Jongho’s scents had become. 

“I can’t believe everyone knows but me,” he complains, uncovering his face to look at Seonghwa again. “No wonder Jongho was acting like he hated me and Yeosang looked so sad when he stared at the mark.” It all made so much more sense now. 

There was a mixture of relief and guilt swirling in his gut at the new information. Relief that Yeosang probably didn’t resent him for bonding with him accidentally, which he had thought was the case when he looked at their mark with sorrowful eyes, and guilt at having caused so much pain to his two packmates unknowingly. 

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it. You didn’t know and Jongho wasn’t actually mad at you, he was mad at the situation. He just couldn’t exactly fight the universe for pairing you two together, and he certainly couldn’t be mad at Yeosang, so you were the only option left. But now that he knows the truth, I’m sure a simple apology will suffice,” Seonghwa reassures. 

Hongjoong runs a hand over his face, still frustrated at himself for not realizing just how much turmoil he had inadvertently put his pack through today. Some pack leader he was. 

Seonghwa gives him a sympathetic smile, as if Hongjoong is broadcasting his self-deprecating thoughts on his face and he can read every one of them. 

“You didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings and there was no real damage done. Matters of the heart are…complicated, but I’m sure Jongho and Yeosang will be just fine. You should just apologize to the team tomorrow like you planned so we can put it behind us and focus on the mission ahead of us,” he says, eyes open and warm and full of the comfort Hongjoong needs as they always are. 

Hongjoong clings to that kindness and decides Seonghwa is probably right. He’s sure his subconscious will have fun replaying the long list of mistakes he made today before he goes to sleep tonight, but for now, he’ll try and put it to the back of his mind. 

“Thanks, Hwa,” he says, managing a small smile in his packmate's direction. “Is there anything else you wanted to talk about before we go to sleep? I don’t want there to be any tension between us either.”

Seonghwa hums lightly, as if thinking. “Umm just one more thing. It’s not really about today but just a question I’ve had for a long time.”

Hongjoong raises a brow, curious. “You know you can talk to me about anything, Seonghwa.” 

Seonghwa nods his head, but still turns his gaze away as if he’s uncertain. “I know I can, it’s just- is this why you always avoid skinship?” he finally asks. 

Now this was not something Hongjoong was expecting. “Excuse me?”

“Is your leader mark the reason why you don’t like skinship? I’ve always wondered why you didn’t like sparring or why you never took off your gloves, even when you were just hanging out with the rest of us. You also don’t participate in a lot of pack activities like scenting, like most wolves. I have always wanted to respect your boundaries so I never pried, but with everything we learned today I was just wondering if that was the reason you haven’t let me- I mean the pack get close to you physically,” Seonghwa rambles nervously, avoiding eye contact with Hongjoong as he tries to explain himself. 

Hongjoong is momentarily stunned by the unexpected tirade. This was something that had apparently been bothering Seonghwa for a long time from how he was talking about it. He felt a little guilty at the thought of Seonghwa feeling sad or hurt by his lack of physical affection, but that just wasn’t something he was used to giving and wasn’t sure how to give. 

He struggles to come up with a cohesive response for too long and Seonghwa starts to back track. “You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to! Moons, I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable. I’ve just always wondered about it and now with the whole soul pack revelation it all started to make a bit more sense. But if that’s not the case, you don’t have to tell me the reason or anything, it’s really not my business and-”

“Seonghwa!” Hongjoong half shouts, trying to get the other’s attention and stop his rambling. 

Seonghwa immediately stops talking and looks at the captain like a deer caught in the headlights. Slightly panicked and definitely worried he had crossed some line between them. He wasn’t fond of seeing Seonghwa so panicked in front of him, but at least he was finally looking Hongjoong in the eyes again. 

The captain wasn’t sure if he was endeared or upset that Seonghwa seemed to prioritize his comfort over his own. Even though he’s sure Seonghwa had been hurt by the distance he put between them (he was a wolf after all and wolves were driven to be close to their packmates), the older was still putting him first. Even though he loved that part of Seonghwa, he also wished the other would cherish himself a little more. 

“Hwa, it’s really okay. I don’t mind the question, I’m just not sure how to answer,” he says as he rubs at the back of his neck, pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts. 

“I’ve never been big on physical touch in general, even before I really knew what the leader mark meant. But after my mom told me a soul bond could be formed with something as simple as a touch, I think that made me even more conscious of how close I let myself get to other people in fear of accidentally bonding with them. It’s all a moot point after today, but I guess the leader mark was the primary reason, yeah,” Hongjoong says as he looks down at the small sun that now permanently sat etched on his skin. 

“Can I ask what it feels like?” Seonghwa says in a small voice, noticing how Hongjoong was staring at his newest soul mark. 

Hongjoong tilts his head, contemplating the question. He hadn’t put much thought into what it felt like to be soul bonded to not one, but two of his packmates now since the evening had been so hectic. The new sensation was hard to put his finger on and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to describe it properly. 

“It’s hard to explain, but I can try if you want. Don’t blame me if it doesn’t make any sense though,” he says with a small chuckle. 

Seonghwa gives him an encouraging smile. “If you’re willing to share, I’m always willing to listen.” 

The corners of Seonghwa’s mouth twitch with his lingering nervousness and the smile almost looks pained but Hongjoong still knows it’s genuine and the obvious effort made to reassure him is enough. 

Hongjoong hopes the smile he offers Seonghwa in return isn’t too fond for the moment. The older wolf was just too much for him sometimes. Always far too kind. 

“Alright, then. I guess the best way I can describe it is that it feels familiar like our pack bond in wolf form but on top of that it’s really warm. Not like a hot summer day warm, but like a pleasant warmth. Like what hot chocolate feels like sitting in your stomach on a cold day while it warms you up from the inside. If that makes sense,” he says awkwardly. Hongjoong really didn’t know the right way to phrase it. But it was nice feeling a connection between himself and his pack and knowing that wherever Yeosang and Wooyoung were at the moment, that they were safe. 

Seonghwa gives Hongjoong a smile so lovely and warm, Hongjoong feels his heart skip a beat. Gone are the lingering nerves and reservations and all that’s left is delight in the others' gaze. “That sounds so wonderful. Moons, I’d love to experience that one day. Maybe you can bond with the rest of-” 

“No!” Hongjoong cuts him off abruptly, panicking at the thought of Seonghwa being able to feel even a fraction of the affection he holds for him. However, he realizes the effects of his harsh response too late and before he can take it back, Seonghwa’s lovely smile is already gone. 

“Right, sorry, you already said you didn’t want to bond with any more of us until we found out more about the soulpack. That was silly of me to say,” Seonghwa says, expression crestfallen but trying his best not to show it. 

Hongjoong notices the sadness and disappointment in his expressive eyes right away and wants to punch himself in the face for making Seonghwa feel bad for getting excited. 

“No, it’s fine. I just don’t want to drag more of you guys into this until I know why all of this is happening, you know?” he tries to explain, but he knows the damage is already done for tonight. 

Seonghwa nods and tries to give Hongjoong an understanding smile. This one is significantly less bright than the last and the contrast makes Hongjoong's heart ache. 

“I understand. Thank you for sharing your feelings with me. I know you don’t like talking about yourself all that much, so I appreciate you trusting me with even just this,” Seonghwa says, and each undeserved word of kindness just drives the knife of guilt a little deeper into Hongjoong’s heart. As if his subconscious needed any more cannon fodder after today. 

“I’m sorry, again, for keeping all this from you and the pack, Seonghwa. I always appreciate what you do for me and the team. I hope you know that,” Hongjoong says, trying one last time to lift the mood and repair some of the damage he had done. 

“Thanks, Joong.” He replies, voice still subdued. The melancholy in Seonghwa’s beautiful eyes remains, but this time his smile is at least a little less strained and his pretty floral scent is not as wilted. 

The vice-like grip squeezing Hongjoong’s heart loosens, but just barely.  

He smiles back as best he can with the guilt in his gut weighing him down and hopes it’s enough for now. 

“We should get to bed. We have a long day tomorrow and you need all the rest you can get to help you heal,” Seonghwa suggests, breaking eye contact to walk to his dresser and start taking off the rest of his combat equipment. 

Hongjoong agrees easily, not wanting to upset his packmate any further. 

They both take turns showering quickly, even Seonghwa who was known for his hour-long showers, and settle into their respective beds for the night. 

“Goodnight, Hongjoong,” Seonghwa says into the dark room, back turned to Hongjoong as he lies in his own bed across the room. 

Hongjoong tries not to let the distance bother him or the intentional way Seonghwa faces away from him while wishing him good night. On any other night, the silver wolf would usually give him a sweet smile and tell him to sleep well. But not tonight. 

“Goodnight,” he whispers back, but it sounds empty even to his own ears. He hopes Seonghwa is already asleep and doesn’t have to hear his sorry excuse of a reply. 

He adjusts himself in the small bed and closes his eyes, desperately trying to find sleep. He hopes tomorrow is a better day. One where he doesn’t feel like he disappointed his entire team, and one where he doesn’t hurt the person he holds the most dear.

Chapter Text

Seonghwa wakes up with the first rays of sunlight as he always does. But today he feels much heavier. His sleep was restless, as was Hongjoong’s from all the tossing and turning he had heard the other do during the night. His heart still felt heavy at being rejected by Hongjoong, no matter how indirect or unintentional the rejection was. Hongjoong had no idea how he felt, so how would he know something like that would even hurt his feelings as much as it had? 

Seonghwa shakes his head and tries to clear his thoughts as he sits up in bed. It wasn’t Hongjoong’s fault Seonghwa was in love with him. And Seonghwa shouldn’t let his feelings get in the way of their friendship or their mission. Hongjoong was right, it would be too reckless to bond with more of the pack. Logically, Seonghwa knew this, had even sided with Hongjoong on the issue when they had scolded Wooyoung about it. But his treacherous heart couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous of Yeosang and Wooyoung’s newfound connection to their Captain. 

All Seonghwa ever wanted was to be close to Hongjoong. Sometimes he even felt he was the closest to him in their pack given his position as second in command and as Hongjoong’s confidant. But now…now he felt that position didn’t belong to him anymore and he couldn’t help but feel saddened at the thought. Yeosang and Wooyoung may not have Hongjoong’s heart, but they now had a closeness with him that was impossible for Seonghwa to reach. No amount of private conversations or silent care could compete with a soul bond. 

Seonghwa sighs heavily as he forces himself through his morning routine. He would allow himself to sulk for only a few more moments as he got ready. As soon as he steps foot out of the bathroom, he has to act like he normally does. Now was not the time to pine or mope. They had an important mission ahead of them and if he wasn’t on his A-game, it would surely affect the team. 

With every article of his combat attire that he donned and every piece of equipment he strapped to his legs and carefully placed in his combat vest, he felt a little more like Lieutenant Park, co-leader of the decorated Aurora pack, and less like Park Seonghwa, fool in love with his pack leader. 

He leaves the room after he’s ready, knowing Hongjoong was probably awake and wanting to give him space to get ready. His heart feels a little lighter as he sees the rest of his team wandering around sleepily or scrambling to collect all their gear before they had to leave. 

Seonghwa may not be able to put all his tumultuous thoughts in order, but putting his rowdy pack in order was something he was more than comfortable doing. 

After herding the pack together and dragging some very sleepy wolves across the halls of the training complex, they all assemble in General Kyungmoon’s office. 

Mingi is still trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes and Yeosang is tiredly swaying on his feet, but they’re all there and accounted for. San is the only one sitting as his injuries are still healing, but the rest of them are standing, with Hongjoong and Seonghwa at the front of their small pack, ready to receive the mission brief the general has for them. 

Seonghwa feels a familiar nervous excitement churn in his belly. It’s the feeling he always gets when they’re given a new mission, but this time it’s paired with the weighty feeling that they have a personal stake in this. Whatever they learned about the soulpack would directly affect their team in some way. 

“I’m sorry to wake you all up so early, but I’d really like for you to start your mission as soon as I’m done with the briefing. I fear time is of the essence if the bond awakened for the reason I think it did,” Kyungmoon says cryptically, which only makes the weight in Seonghwa’s chest feel even heavier. 

Hongjoong huffs in annoyance. “I’d appreciate it if you would stop scaring my team and just tell us what you’d like us to do, General.” 

The tone of the Captain’s teasing is much harsher than it usually is and Seonghwa tries not to flinch at the rough sound. It was obvious to everyone in the room that Hongjoong had not woken up in the best of moods today. 

Kyungmoon graciously ignores the harsh tone and keeps going. “Right. Your mission is rather simple. I need you all to go to Dreamveil, the city of magic. That’s where you’ll find the original soulpack prophecy and hopefully learn a little more about what is happening in your pack and what it has to do with the increase in shadow activity, if at all.” 

Seonghwa blinks in surprise. That actually did sound pretty simple. That couldn’t be everything, right? 

Seeing the obvious skepticism in the faces of the other wolves in the room, Kyungmoon chuckles. 

“It might seem underwhelming but that’s really the only lead I have for you. Depending on what you find out in Dreamveil, you’ll most likely need to venture to other territories. That’s where things will get complicated because there will be no set path, just where the information you gather will lead you. I trust that you all are skilled enough to figure this out. You were trained by the best werewolves in KQ, after all,” he says with a proud grin. 

“I would accompany you, but with how frequent the shadow attacks have been lately, I need to remain here to help coordinate other teams in the field. However, I will send someone with you to help you get to Dreamveil. Since it’s the city of magic, you’ll need a witch to help you enter. All our high witches are occupied, but Jonghoon’s apprentice is available to go with you. Dreamveil is her hometown, so she knows the way well,” he assures. 

Seonghwa and the others nod in understanding. 

“What if we need to enter other territories along the way, as you implied? Do we have safe passage into those cities as well?” Hongjoong interjets. 

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to do much from here to help other than put in a good word for you in whatever city you need to travel to. Most of the magical realm is on amicable terms since we all joined forces against the shadows, so it shouldn’t be an issue unless you need to enter Xing, the vampire city. Even after centuries as our allies, those vampires still don’t like werewolves,” he shakes his head in exasperation. 

“You can contact me using your communicators whenever you need and I’ll try my best to assist you, but for the most part, you’ll be on your own. We’re spread too thin to lend you any more manpower for this mission,” Kyungmoon adds, giving them an apologetic smile. 

Seonghwa understands the situation but he can’t help but feel apprehensive at the prospect of going into this almost blind and not having the guarantee of back up if they needed it. If this were any other mission, he would be fine with it, but this one seemed much more daunting then their usual search and destroy or recon assignments. 

As if sensing the team’s sudden tension, Hongjoong speaks up before the silence overwhelms them. 

“Can I have a moment alone with my team, General? We appreciate you giving us all the information and support you can, but I think we need to discuss a few things before we head out,” Hongjoong says. 

Kyungmoon gives him a wry smile. “My, Captain, are you kicking me out of my own office?” he teases, trying to alleviate some of the tension still in the air. 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. “No. I’m very politely asking you to step out so I can talk to my team in private. But I can ask less nicely if you want,” he grouses back. 

The general chuckles. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll leave you to it while I fetch your guide to Dreamveil.” 

And with that, the general slips out of his office, giving their pack the privacy they needed to discuss such a serious matter. 

Hongjoong lets out a heavy sigh beside Seonghwa and all the older wants to do is offer him some form of comfort but he doesn’t know if it would be welcomed after yesterday. His fingers twitch in an aborted motion as if to reach out, but he quickly reigns in the urge. No matter how his heart aches at the weary look in his Captain’s eyes, he will respect the strict boundaries Hongjoong has drawn between them. 

“Before we get into the details of the mission, I just want to apologize for keeping you all in the dark about the leader mark and all the soulpack stuff. I’m not going to offer any more excuses. It was a complete oversight on my part and I can promise you I’ll do my best so it doesn’t happen again,” the captain says seriously, looking up at the pack with the same sincerity and conviction that he showed when he took on the role of being their pack leader. The intensity of the gaze makes Seonghwa’s breath stutter. 

No one would ever question Hongjoong when he looked like that. When he made a promise, he kept it. 

“No worries, Captain. We know you didn’t mean to cause any problems. Just let us know of any ancient family secrets next time, okay?” Mingi replies with a good-natured laugh. 

The comment makes the rest of them giggle and Seonghwa can see some of the stiffness leave the captain’s short frame, but only just. 

Hongjoong spares him a glance, but quickly looks away. It was too fast for Seonghwa to make out the confusing swirl of emotions in Hongjoong’s dark eyes and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. 

The captain turns his attention back to the rest of the pack and clears his throat to get their attention. “Thank you for still putting your trust in me after all that. I feel trust will be integral to the mission and it’s important that we’re all on the same page so I wanted to clear the air before getting into the details. Before we set off, I wanted to make sure that you were all on board. I won’t be upset if some of you decide to stay at KQ instead of going on this mission. We don’t know what’s in store for us and we have very limited information about the mark and what this all means. I don’t want to drag you all into this just for my sake, so I’d understand if this was something not all of you wanted to do,” he says, expression neutral as he gives each of them a meaningful look to make sure they understood he was serious. 

Seonghwa doesn’t even hesitate to answer. He already knows how his team feels because he feels the same way. When Hongjoong tries to pull away, they all grasp onto him even tighter. 

“I think I speak for all of us when I say there is no way we aren’t going with you. We’re a team, Hongjoong, a pack. And a pack without its leader, isn’t a pack at all,” Seonghwa says with such certainty that Hongjoong has no room to argue. 

Hongjoong’s eyes widen in surprise, but when the rest of the pack enthusiastically back up Seonghwa’s words, he finally cracks a smile. It’s small but still incredibly fond and it warms Seonghwa’s heart to see the soft expression on his captain’s face. 

“For being the pack leader, you all rarely ever listen to me,” he shakes his head in fond exasperation. “Alright, if you’re all sure, we’ll go. But if it gets too dangerous, we’re all coming straight back to KQ no matter where we are or what we find out, got it?” he warns, expression turning serious once more. 

‘Aye, aye, Captain,” Wooyoung salutes and the rest of the pack follow suit. 

“We’ll follow your lead, Captain,” Yunho adds as Mingi and San nod their heads vigorously from beside him. 

Seonghwa chuckles at the display, knowing full well that they would not hesitate to outvote Hongjoong if they wanted to during the mission. 

Hongjoong seems to sense the fake show of agreement and just sighs again. Seonghwa did not envy his role as leader when it came to their rambunctious pack. 

Before Hongjoong could grumble about the pack’s lack of respect for him, the door to the office opens and Kyungmoon comes in followed by a pink-haired witch with cute pouty lips. She isn’t wearing a traditional witch’s hat, but her robes give her away as some sort of magic user. 

“I hope you’ve all had enough time to discuss the mission. This is Gahyeon. She’s the very capable witch that will be guiding you to Dreamveil. Gahyeon, this is the Aurora pack, one of our most skilled werewolf teams,” Kyungmoon introduces. “Their Captain is Hongjoong. You can direct any questions to him if you have any since he’ll be leading this mission. Behind him are Seonghwa, Wooyoung, Mingi, Yunho, San, Yeosang and Jongho,” he adds as he motions to each of them as he names them. 

She nods and gives them all a friendly smile but before she can introduce herself in return, Wooyoung is bursting from the back of the pack to throw his arms around her. 

“Gahyeonie! I can’t believe you’re coming with us!” he squeals in excitement as he wraps the small witch up in his arms. 

“Oh my goddess, Wooyoung?!” she shouts back, equally as enthusiastic as she returns the hug.

The entire group is surprised by the sudden outburst and Seonghwa tries to rid himself of the ringing in his ears from their shrill squeals of excitement. The girl’s voice was almost as piercing as Wooyoung’s, which was quite the feat. 

“I’m glad to see you’re already so well-acquainted,” Kyungmoon says with a grin, subtly rubbing at his ears as well. 

Seonghwa can’t even blame him. Werewolves have sensitive hearing after all. 

Wooyoung pulls away from the witch and turns to look at them all with a blinding smile. “Gahyeonie and I were in the same weapons class back at the academy! She saved my grades more than once in that class because I was shit at enchanting my weapons with light magic but she’s a pro being a witch and all,” he explains with a laugh before turning back to her. “You mentioned having an internship at graduation but I didn’t know you were still here!” 

Gahyeon giggles good-naturedly at Wooyoung’s excitement, her broad smile looking rather cute on her small face. “After my internship at one of the local magic shops, I got an apprenticeship with Jonghoon. I wanted to study alongside a high witch who didn’t live in Dreamveil so that I could learn magic that wasn’t taught there. I’m excited to visit home with you all, though. I haven’t been back in a while since all of KQ’s magic users have been so busy lately.” 

“I suppose everyone who contributes to KQ’s military has been busier than usual with all the recent shadow sightings, not just the fighters.” Yeosang comments. “I know the healers have had their hands full as well.” 

Gahyeon’s smile wanes slightly at the words but she nods. “Yes. Everyone has been busy building new equipment and enchanting weapons we can use against the shadows, but hopefully this mission will help the situation, yes?” 

“That’s right,” Kyungmoon chimes in. “And the sooner you all get going, the better.” 

“Kicking us out, General?” Wooyoung returns the General’s teasing from earlier. 

The general chuckles. “Yes, I am. The sooner we get answers, the sooner we can try and find solutions for this issue. Now, off you go. It’s quite a trek to Dreamveil.” he shoos them off playfully. 

They all thank Kyungmoon and exit his office as he bids them farewell with a final “good luck” before they’re completely out the door. 

“Did he assign us a transport?” Hongjoong asks Gahyeon as they make their way to the entrance of the administration building in the compound. 

Gahyeon nods. “We’ll have two jeeps for our journey since all the larger vehicles are currently being used in the field. You’ll have to camp if you need to go further than Dreamveil but I’ve packed you some protection wards just in case since we’ll be traveling through a lot of neutral land that isn’t protected by any magical beings.” 

Hongjoong hums in acknowledgment, expression carefully even, but Seonghwa can tell he isn’t happy with having to camp out in the open if they needed to stop between cities. 

“And you? If we’ll only be taking two jeeps, wouldn’t it be a tight fit for you?” Hongjoong inquires. 

Gahyeon just grins. “Thank you for the concern, Captain, but I’ll be leading the way on my familiar, so no need to worry.” 

“Familiar?” Seonghwa asks, curious. 

Gahyeon’s grin only widens. “Yes. She’s a bit shy, but I’ll introduce you. Kirara, come on out,” the witch coaxes gently as she opens her long, draping robe to reveal a small nine-tailed fox curled up inside the large inner pocket. 

The small creature pokes out her head and gives a tiny yawn, having apparently been awakened from her slumber. She stares at them with her big, curious red eyes and her tiny black ears flutter atop her small white head. She has a thin, black diamond symbol on her forehead, signaling she is under contract as a familiar and Seonghwa can’t help but be amazed that such a young witch was able to tame a gumiho. 

Seonghwa restrains himself from wanting to coo and pet the cute creature since Gahyeon had said that she was shy and he didn’t want to scare her off, but sadly the rest of his pack did not have as much self-control around cute animals. 

“Oh my moons, she’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!” Wooyoung squeals as he shoves Hongjoong out of the way to get a closer look at the fox. 

Hongjoong grunts at being shoved aside and glares at the back of Wooyoung’s head but otherwise says nothing, probably not wanting to frighten the familiar with their yelling if he started an argument with Wooyoung. 

The gumiho’s ears straighten in surprise as she stares up at Wooyoung with wide eyes, but thankfully she doesn’t seem scared of the clamorous wolf. 

“Can I pet her Gahyeonie?” he asks with childish mirth sparkling in his large brown eyes, practically begging his friend to let him pet the cute gumiho. 

Gahyeon chuckles at his excitement and nods. “Go ahead, but let her smell you first so she doesn’t get spooked,” she instructs. 

Wooyoung nods emphatically and diligently does what he’s told for once. He raises his hand to let the small creature sniff him and when she seems to have accustomed herself to his scent, he places his hand over her head and pets her gently. 

“Isn’t she the sweetest?” Wooyoung coos as she nuzzles her tiny head against his palm for more pets. 

“She seems to like you,” Gahyeon says with a giggle. 

“Hyung, you should pet her too! She’s super soft,” Wooyoung suggests as he turns to Seonghwa. 

Their pack was well-aware of Seonghwa’s affinity for soft material like furs or fabric, but he felt a bit embarrassed at being singled out by Wooyoung in front of someone he barely knew. 

“I’m not sure. I wouldn’t want to overwhelm her…” Seonghwa says hesitantly. 

“You can go ahead,” Gahyeon encourages, scooping Kirara up in her hands and holding her out in front of Seonghwa. 

The small fox looks up at him with her large red eyes and blinks cutely as she tilts her head at him in curiosity. Seonghwa feels his heart melt at the adorable gesture. 

Before he knows it, his hand is gravitating towards the fluffy creature of its own accord. He stops right in front of her small face and she leans forward to sniff him like she did to Wooyoung, but instead of waiting for him to pet her, she squishes her tiny hand against his open palm and chuffs happily. 

“Aw, hyung, she likes you. Must be your motherly aura,” Wooyoung giggles from beside him. 

Seonghwa is too distracted by the soft feeling of the fox’s fur against his palm to respond. He runs his fingers delicately through her fluffy fur and silky ears and revels in the feeling. She feels just as soft as she looks. 

“How are you supposed to ride on something so small?” Mingi pipes up from behind them as they make their way to the compound’s garage to fetch the jeeps. 

“Didn’t you ever pay attention in school, Mingi? It’s a gumiho. They can change shape easily. I’m sure this little girl can get even bigger than you, you walking wall,” Wooyoung says. 

Mingi scoffs. “At least I didn’t think witches actually flew on broomsticks because I was obsessed with Harry Potter,” he fires back. 

The rest of the pack burst into a fit of giggles as Wooyoung turns a bright red at the comment. “YAH! That was when we were first years! I hadn’t even met a witch in real life before!” he tries to defend but even Gahyeon has joined in on the laughter by now. 

“You did ask me very specific magical questions when we first met,” She says with a laugh that makes Wooyoung’s cheeks go crimson. “Humans have such wrong but interesting takes on how they think magic works. Imagine if I needed a wand to cast all my spells. What if it broke? Could I just not do magic any more?” Gahyeon shakes her head at the ridiculous prospect. “Magic is inherent to all magical creatures. Even though some of us are better at harnessing it, like witches, we can all wield the magic inside us to a certain extent. Take how you can all shift into wolf form. No wand necessary.” 

“Of course! I know that now,” Wooyoung says immediately, trying to seem confident. 

Mingi and San snicker behind him and Wooyoung shoots his mate a glare. 

“Careful who you’re laughing at Mr. Choi. I’m the one who has to help change your bandages later,” Wooyoung threatens. 

San immediately stops laughing but Mingi just starts laughing louder. 

However, Gahyeon frowns at the comment. “One of you is injured?” 

“It’s nothing serious. We had a run in with some shadows yesterday and I got hurt, but werewolves heal really fast! I’m almost as good as new,” San says, making a show of pounding his chest to show he was strong and sturdy. Unfortunately, the movement pulls at the wound at his side and he winces after. 

“Yah, stop trying to act like you’re fully healed you silly wolf. They sliced you up pretty bad yesterday and not even a wolf can heal that fast,” Wooyoung scolds but rubs at San’s side gently in contrast to his strict tone. 

“I’m fine, Young-ah. Stop worrying,” San replies, cupping one of  Wooyoung’s cheeks in his hand and planting a quick peck on the other. 

“Um, sorry to interrupt, but I might have something that can help accelerate the healing process?” Gahyeon chimes in hesitantly, not sure if it was her place to interrupt them.

Wooyoung perks up at the information. “Really? Sangie and the rest of the healers said they had given him all the medicine they could and all there was left to do was wait until he finished healing on his own.” 

Gahyeon bites her lip and rummages through her satchel, Kirara moving to sit on her shoulder to get out of her way. 

“I have a few healing potions I’ve been working on with Jonghoon. I brought them along in case we ran into any trouble. They’re still in development and we haven’t made many but they’re safe to use, I promise. We’ve been testing them on more severe injuries and they’ve worked really well. We made them to try and mimic werewolf healing so that we can use them to help other races heal as fast as wolves do, so they should act like a boost to your already accelerated healing,” the witch explains as she hands over a blue vial to San. 

San looks at the vial in awe. He’s about to uncap it when Hongjoong’s hand comes up and stops him. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure how I feel about one of my packmates taking something I’ve never heard of before,” he says, looking at Gahyeon apologetically. 

“Don’t be rude, Captain! Gahyeonie is just trying to be nice and I trust her,” Wooyoung huffs, batting Hongjoong’s hand away and taking the vial from San. 

“I’m sure Gahyeon is a lovely witch, but I’m just not comfortable letting San take something none of us have ever heard of before,” Hongjoong argues back, keeping his voice level. 

Although the captain was being reasonable, Wooyoung still frowns at the response.

Before the younger wolf can escalate the argument like Seonghwa knew he probably would, he decides to cut in. 

“Although I think you both make valid points, why don’t we let Yeosang make the final decision? He’s our healer, after all,” Seonghwa says diplomatically to his packmates. “Is that alright with you, Yeosang?” 

The healer contemplates the suggestion and eventually nods. “That’s fine with me. I’m interested to learn what properties the potion has as well.” 

Wooyoung cheers at the response while Hongjoong’s lips tilt downwards at the corners, but he does not protest. 

“Thank you, Yeosang,” He gives Yeosang a grateful look before turning to Gahyeon with a friendly smile. 

“Would you mind showing the potion to Yeosang and talking to him about what is in it and the methods you used to concoct it? I appreciate your willingness to help our pack and I would like to trust you as Wooyoung does, but we like to be cautious of unknown magic,” he explains kindly, hoping the young witch wouldn’t be too offended by them questioning her intentions.

But Gahyeon seems to be unphased by the pack’s skepticism and eagerly agrees. “Of course! No need to worry, I understand the need for caution around magic. The shadows only exist because someone misused it, after all. I’m more than happy to discuss the process with your healer and hopefully the potion can help your friend if he approves of it.” As if to back up her owner’s words, the small gumiho on the witch’s shoulder yips in agreement. 

Seonghwa can’t help but beam at the cute creature, eyes crinkling in the corners at the strength of his fondness. “Thank you both,” he says as he pats Kirara’s head. 

After that, Yeosang moves closer to Gahyeon and they discuss the properties of the potion. Yeosang seems to be focusing intently on what the pink-haired witch is saying, nodding as she explains the process of distilling and enchanting the potion and asking questions every once in a while about the ingredients and the different types of magic used to infuse the healing properties. 

Seonghwa tries to follow their conversation, but after the third mention of a distillation process he was unfamiliar with, he decides to play with Kirara as they discuss the details. 

He tries to ignore Hongjoong’s gaze on him because he knows as soon as he looks up, the captain will undoubtedly look away. He doesn’t know if Hongjoong is upset that he intervened in the disagreement about the potion or if he’s still thinking about the conversation they had last night, but Seonghwa knows that he’s probably looking at him like he looks at new mission files - like he’s trying to figure out the best way to approach him. 

His wolf is pleased with the captain’s undivided attention, but Seonghwa is annoyed that he’d rather study him from afar than just come up to him and ask him how he’s feeling, even though he knows it isn’t practical to discuss personal matters in the middle of a mission. 

So instead of focusing on the confusing swirl of emotions in his gut, he chooses to pet the sweet fox familiar and let the softness of her fur and the pleasant sounds of her purrs distract him as they continue to walk towards the garage. 

When they’re a few feet away, Gahyeon and Yeosang stop walking and direct their attention to the rest of them. 

“So, what’s the verdict?” Hongjoong asks, cutting to the chase right away when he sees that they’ve finished discussing the potion. 

“I don’t think that any of the ingredients or types of magic used to create the potion will harm San, or any werewolf, who takes it. It may have some side effects like drowsiness due to some of the sedatives in it to help reduce pain, but other than that, I don’t see any reason for San not to take it,” the healer concludes. “It is rather brilliantly concocted,” he adds, making Gahyeon beam up at him. 

“Thank you! I’m also grateful for your advice on the ratios of some of the ingredients. I will run it by high-witch Jonghoon when I return,” she replies, u-shaped smile at full force in her excitement. 

“So, Sannie can take it?” Wooyoung perks up, eagerness evident in his voice.

With a defeated sigh, Hongjoong finally acquiesces. “Yes, San can take the potion.”

Wooyoung giggles in triumph and snatches the vial from Yeosang’s hand. 

“But, Yeosang will need to keep a close eye on him on the car ride over to Dreamveil just in case,” Hongjoong adds, not letting go of all his reservations about the mysterious potion just yet. 

Wooyoung rolls his eyes at his captain’s overprotectiveness but doesn’t say anything seeing as he had gotten his way in the end. 

“San should probably take it when we’re settled into the jeeps since he might get drowsy,” Yeosang suggests. 

San whines but Wooyoung bats his grabby hands away as he passes the vial back to Yeosang. “What are you so eager for? I thought you were almost as good as new ?” Wooyoung says mockingly, pitching his voice deep as he throws San’s words back at him in a poor mimicry of his own voice. 

San pouts and whines again at his mate poking fun at him. “Don’t be mean, Young-ah!” 

“Settle down you two,” Hongjoong cuts in before the couple can start bickering as they usually did. “Let’s break up into teams of four and load up the jeeps so we can start heading out. We’re wasting daylight at this point.” 

Wooyoung and San begrudgingly pull apart and start following the rest of them into the garage. Seonghwa can’t help but smile at their cute pouts after being scolded, choosing to turn a blind eye when they subtly shoved each other when they thought Hongjoong wasn’t looking. 

“Gahyeon, have the cars been stocked already?” Hongjoong asks as they approach the two jeeps parked side by side at the end of the large garage area. 

Gahyeon nods. “Yes. They’re fully stocked with supplies that should last you all about a week, including the wards I mentioned that should keep you safe from shadows while you make camp at night. If you think you’ll be away for longer than that after you meet with the high witch coven at Dreamveil, you can always procure more supplies there. I’m sure my unnie’s won’t mind helping out the chosen one and his pack,” the witch says with a playful wink in Hongjoong’s direction. 

Wooyoung snickers at the joke and Seonghwa can see how these two got along so well at the academy. 

“Thank you for the offer, Gahyeon. We will take you up on that if need be,” Hongjoong says politely but doesn’t comment on the last part of her statement. He was never one for unwanted attention or fancy titles. 

“Now, let’s get ready to depart,” Hongjoong says, clapping his hands as he turns to address the rest of the pack. “Jongho and Yunho, you two will be the drivers. Me, Wooyoung and Mingi will be in jeep 1 with Yunho, and Seonghwa, San and Yeosang will be in jeep 2 with Jongho. Jeep 1 will be directly behind Gahyeon and Kirara as they lead the way and jeep 2 will take the rear. Any questions?” 

Seonghwa knows that this is how they usually split up to ensure the team is balanced, but it doesn’t stop the inadequate feeling that tugs at his heart when it seems like Hongjoong is actively trying to put distance between them. 

He hears Wooyoung grumble at his side and knows the younger wolf probably isn’t happy to be separated from San either, especially after what happened yesterday, but he understands that it’s more important for Yeosang to be at San’s side than him at the moment. 

Seonghwa swallows down the negative emotions he pushed down this morning as they threaten to resurface. If Wooyoung could be separated from his literal mate and take it with grace, then surely he could be away from Hongjoong for a few hours without his doubts getting the better of him. 

Once the pack agrees to Hongjoong’s arrangements, they split into their respective teams and inspect all the equipment on board before settling into the two jeeps. 

As Seonghwa buckles himself into the passenger seat beside Jongho, Wooyoung stops by their jeep and gives them all a quick scenting, something he often does before missions to calm his nerves when they get separated, even for just a little while. He spends a few extra moments in the crook of San’s neck, breathing in his mate’s mountain air scent. “Be safe,” Seonghwa hears his packmate murmur into his mate’s neck as he presses a kiss to the mating bite he placed there many moons ago. 

Seonghwa really should be used to San and Wooyoung’s open affection, but he can’t help but look away when San returns the gesture, feeling like the moment was far too intimate for him to be a part of. 

“Drive safely, alright Jjongie? I want my mate, my best friend and my mom to make it to Dreamveil in one piece,” Wooyoung says when he finally detaches himself from San. 

Jongho snorts. “And what about me? I don’t matter?” 

Wooyoung grins. “Well, you don’t like it when I call you baby bro, so I just thought I’d leave it out, you know for safety purposes, so you can concentrate on driving better.” 

Jongho just shakes his head with an exasperated smile on his face. “Whatever you say, hyung. You guys be safe, too, yeah?” 

“Always am,” Wooyoung says with a wink and a playful smirk, knowing full well that was a lie. 

He blows a kiss to them before finally leaving and giggles when both Yeosang and Jongho give him disgusted looks in response. 

A few moments later, they’re all ready to go and Seonghwa hears the radio in their jeep come to life as Hongjoong’s voice comes through. 

“Jeep 2, can you hear me? Over.” 

Seonghwa picks up the mic and clicks the ptt button to reply. “We hear you, Captain. Over.” 

“Are you ready to depart?” 

Seonghwa looks around the jeep and sees all his teammates nod. “We’re ready,” he replies. 

“Perfect. We’ll leave as soon as Gahyeon is ready. Over and out.” 

The lieutenant places the mic back on its stand by the radio and stares out the windshield at Gahyeon who seems to be conversing with Yunho, probably about the directions to Dreamveil. 

When the conversation is done, Seonghwa sees Gahyeon move a good distance in front of them and then, suddenly, Kirara jumps off her shoulder and is consumed by a burst of flames. 

Seonghwa’s eyes widen at the sight and he’s momentarily worried about the creature until it lands on the ground a few feet away from Gahyeon, but now she's about 5 times bigger than she was and looks far more like the fearsome gumiho of legend than the cute pet fox Seonghwa was petting a few minutes before. 

In this form, all nine of Kirara’s tails are on full display. They look like they were dipped in red ink, showing her affinity for fire magic and her connection to the element that birthed her. 

He hears the other’s gasps of surprise as well when the nine-tailed fox stretches her strong limbs and yawns, showing off a deadly set of sharp teeth as Gahyeon casually climbs on top her familiar’s back. She was even larger than they were in wolf form. 

“Wow…” he hears San say in awe. “Can one of you become a witch or something? Familiars are so cool! Do you think Gahyeon would let me ride Kirara if I ask? Maybe Woo can convince her for me. He can be very persuasive. Oh man, I really want one!” 

The wolf is all but bouncing out of his seat in excitement as he looks at the gumiho with stars in his eyes. Seonghwa has to reach back and place a hand on his knee to stop him from getting too overly excited and actually jumping out of the car to ask Gahyeon for a ride. 

“Yeosang, please give him that potion already. If we’re lucky, it’ll knock him out for the entire car ride,” Jongho says as he starts the car and moves the gear shift to drive, ready for whenever Kirara and Yunho start heading out of the garage. 

San pouts grumpily as he leans back in his seat with a huff. “If I ever get a familiar, you definitely aren’t gonna be allowed to ride it,” he grumbles unhappily. 

Seonghwa tries not to laugh so as not to upset San more, but it’s hard when he acts like a dejected little kid sometimes. Just yesterday San was tearing through a group of shadows with his bare claws and teeth, and now he was sitting in the back of a jeep, pouting because he can’t ride on a gumiho and his packmate was teasing him. He knew all of them acted differently in battle to a certain extent, but San’s change in demeanor could give anyone whiplash. 

Yeosang chuckles at San’s pouty disposition and uncaps the bottle. “Bottoms up, Sannie. Maybe you can ride on Kirara in your dreams.” 

San’s pout deepens when Yeosang joins in on the teasing, but he downs the blue liquid nonetheless. 

He makes a disgusted sound as he hands the vial back to Yeosang. “Gross. It tastes worse than your cooking,” San coughs, reaching into his vest pocket for his water pouch to try and rid himself of the flavor. 

Jongho laughs at the comment and Yeosang kicks the back of the driver's seat in retaliation. 

Seonghwa smiles to himself as they finally pull out of the garage and into the early morning sun. It was going to be a long ride to Dreamveil, but he thinks he’ll have more than enough entertainment with these three. 

-

As Yeosang predicted, San falls asleep not long after they depart KQ. The ride is much quieter without the rowdy wolf’s boundless energy and Seonghwa enjoys light conversation with Jongho and Yeosang as they follow behind Gahyeon and the other jeep. Most of the time Seonghwa zones out as he listens to the steady thrum of the engine and looks out into the vast expanse of arid land in front of them. 

There isn’t much life outside the 7 major magical cities. Seonghwa has read books and heard stories about small villages and settlements that once existed peacefully thousands of years ago, but since the shadows invaded the land, most magical creatures chose to take refuge behind the protected walls of cities like KQ or live in disguise in the human realm. 

The empty lands between cities are rather barren, having any life energy drained from them by the shadows that ran rampant around them.

Eventually, Seonghwa grows bored of the monotonous view and turns to look at his packmates. Jongho has his eyes fixed in front of him, keeping a careful eye on the car in front of them in case they make any sudden movements. 

San is still fast asleep against Yeosang’s shoulder, completely oblivious to the world around him as the potion and his own immune system work to heal the last remaining traces of his injuries as he rests. 

Yeosang is looking out the window at the rough landscape, much like Seonghwa was just moments before. 

Seonghwa is about to ask Yeosang if he thinks the potion is working on San, when he catches a glimpse of the rose now permanently etched on his wrist, the same rose that also sat on Hongjoong’s upper arm. He hadn’t gotten a good look at it before since his head and heart were a mess at the time, so he takes a moment to really look at it this time. 

It’s small but intricate. The rose petals are layered prettily one over the other to give the bud the signature rose shape. Three dainty leaves decorate the stem and small, almost imperceptible thorns are interspersed throughout. 

It really was beautiful, but seeing it still left Seonghwa with a melancholy feeling in his chest. 

“You alright, hyung?” 

Yeosang’s voice cuts through the quiet in the car and Seonghwa nearly jumps in his seat. 

“Oh, ah, yes. I was just wondering if you think San will be awake soon?” He stutters, trying to cover up his strange behavior by distracting Yeosang with a question. 

He hopes his packmate had merely noticed him staring and had not been alerted by any change in his scent. He didn’t want Yeosang to think he was upset with him. 

Yeosang raises a brow at Seonghwa but graciously chooses to answer the question. “He should wake before we get to Dreamveil, and if he doesn’t, we can let Wooyoung yell in his ear or something. He should be fine. I checked his side and his injuries are looking much better. He won’t even need bandages anymore.”

Seonghwa smiles at the good news. “That’s great to hear. Hopefully, Gahyeon has a few extra potions we can take with us then.”

Yeosang nods. “Indeed. They seem very effective. She and Jonghoon have worked hard to develop a useful healing tool. It’s not strong enough to cure a mortal wound, but it can help greatly with treating severe injuries on the field and stabilizing patients long enough to get them to a hospital or healing unit.” 

Seonghwa hopes none of them will get injured severely enough to warrant the use of Gahyeon’s potions during their mission, but he’s glad to have such valuable healing tools at their disposal nonetheless. 

“So, are you going to ask me the question you actually want to ask me or do you want to keep avoiding the subject?” Yeosang asks knowingly. 

If Seonghwa had been drinking something, he would have spit it out in surprise. He should have known Yeosang wouldn’t let something like this go. He sees Jongho smiling in amusement from the corner of his eye and can’t help but flush red in embarrassment. These two might have been the quietest in their pack, but they were also the most perceptive. 

Seonghwa sighs but he knows he has no choice but to answer at this point. “It’s not that I don’t want to ask you. I just don’t know if it’s my place to ask, is all,” he tries to explain. He may have asked Hongjoong about his mark in a moment of weakness, but he really did feel it wasn’t his place to know about the intricacies of other people’s soulbonds. 

Yeosang just gives him an understanding smile. “It’s okay to ask if you want. I don’t know if I can tell you much about it because it’s a new experience for me, but I don’t mind sharing what I know.”

Seonghwa bites his lip but decides to ask anyway. It was better than sitting in the car in awkward silence for the rest of the drive if he doesn’t. 

“What was it like to get the mark?” he settles on asking. 

Yeosang contemplates the question for a moment before answering.

“It was a strange feeling. It hurt, but at the same time, it didn’t? It’s hard to explain but it was like a phantom pressure that spread from my chest to my arm. I didn’t know what was happening, but I wasn’t scared. It was as if my instincts were telling me I had nothing to be afraid of,” he says with a small smile. 

“I was scared about what it could mean after it appeared and I realized what it was, or what I thought it was at the time. But once we learned that our soulbonds with the Captain are platonic, I felt better about it. I mean Wooyoung has a whole mate who is currently sleeping on my shoulder and he’s also bonded to the Captain,” Yeosang chuckles. 

The healer traces the delicate rose on his arm and glances towards the driver’s seat for a moment before looking back at Seonghwa. “No matter how precious or magical this mark may be, Wooyoung was right in saying that it doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change how I feel about any of you. It’s just a physical reminder of the strength of our pack bond. The only real difference is that my wolf feels more at ease now; as if it finds comfort in knowing we’ve found our lifelong pack.” 

He looks up at Seonghwa with a warmhearted smile and the lieutenant almost feels silly at having so much misplaced jealousy over the mark. It was truly a wonderful thing that his packmates got to experience something so magical, and Yeosang was right. It was merely a sign of the strength of their pack and having it didn’t make one of them more special than the others because those bonds wouldn’t exist without the collective closeness and trust shared between all of them. 

Yeosang’s words were a soothing balm on Seonghwa’s aching heart, like aloe to a burn. It was certainly wasn’t the cure for his heartache, but it did make him feel better about the situation. He just hoped their mission would prove it safe for Hongjoong to bond with all of them one day because he didn’t think the longing would ever go away and his wolf side would never be satisfied otherwise. 

“That’s really wonderful, Yeosang. Thank you for sharing that with me,” he replies sincerely, returning the other’s warm smile with one of his own. 

“Any time, hyung. I had to give Jongho the same speech to stop him from worrying, so I had practice getting my thoughts together,” he says with a teasing grin. 

Seonghwa turns to Jongho to see his ears have turned a bright red. “Yah, don’t distract the driver,” he grumbles, defiantly keeping his eyes on the road. 

Yeosang chuckles deeply and Seonghwa can’t help but smile at the low, soothing sound. After seeing both Yeosang and Jongho so distraught yesterday, it was nice to see that everything was back to normal between them. 

He hoped everything would return to normal for all of them after this mission. 

Before the conversation can continue any further, the radio in the front console sparks to life with the sound of static. 

San groans in displeasure as the noise stirs him from his slumber and he sits up, rubbing at his eyes like a sleepy kitten. 

Seonghwa doesn’t have time to coo at his packmate because Hongjoong’s voice is booming through the speakers. 

“Jeep 2, come in.” 

Seonghwa quickly picks up the receiver to respond. “We hear you, Captain. Over.” 

“Gahyeon says Kirara has noticed a large group of shadows heading our way. They’ll probably try to attack us from the rear, so keep your eyes sharp,” Hongjoong explains, voice grave. 

Seonghwa’s heart freezes at the news. Shadows rarely attacked moving vehicles, especially multiple vehicles traveling together. They really had become far more aggressive lately. 

“Understood. We’ll inform you when we catch sight of them, Captain,” Seonghwa replies. 

“Keep us updated and be careful,” Hongjoong’s voice is tense and Seonghwa can hear both the concern and authority in it even over the static. “Over and out.” 

The radio falls silent after that and the unease that’s left behind is palpable. 

Jongho tightens his hold on the steering wheel as he glances in the rearview mirror, apprehension evident in his stiff shoulders and tight grip. Yeosang reaches for his bow and arrows under his seat, having pushed them out of the way to sit more comfortably in the backseat. 

San slaps his own cheeks lightly trying to shake off the last vestiges of sleep to prepare for the fight they’ll no doubt have soon. 

“How are you feeling, San?” Seonghwa asks, worried about his recovering teammate. If it didn’t seem like San was in the right mindset to fight, he wasn’t above prohibiting him from participating unless absolutely necessary. 

San shakes his head to clear the last of the sleepy fog from his mind. “I’m good. Just groggy. I’m not even sore anymore,” he replies, making a show of lifting his arms and stretching them out, showing no indication that his side hurt him any longer. 

Seonghwa stares at him intently, trying to see if he was faking it or not, but San’s muscles are no longer tense when he moves around and his face is passive and neutral, no pained grimace to be found like it had been earlier. 

“Yeosang, check him over one more time just in case. I don’t want him fighting if he isn’t ready,” Seonghwa finally decides. San seemed fine to him, but he’d let the healer have the final say just in case. 

“Will do,” Yeosang replies, turning to San right away and checking over his side after organizing his quiver. 

Seonghwa then turns his attention to Jongho. The youngest’s light coffee scent is much deeper now, darker with the prospect of battle. 

“As soon as we spot them, I think we should speed up and drive alongside the others instead of behind them. Move on my signal, alright?” Seonghwa says, voice calm and even, not betraying the nervous feeling simmering just under his skin. 

Jongho nods stiffly, muscles still coiled tight. “Understood.” 

Seonghwa pats Jongho’s shoulder lightly in reassurance before turning to look out the back window. There is nothing but empty land behind them, but he knows better than to trust that. With their keen eyesight, they should be able to spot the shadows moving in on them from about a mile away. Hopefully, that would be enough time to either defeat them from long range or slow them down enough to outrun them. 

Not even 15 minutes later, San is the first to spot the shadows on the horizon. 

“There!” San yells, pointing at the vast emptiness behind them. 

Everyone but Jongho turns their head to look in the direction San had indicated to see multiple black dots appearing in the distance. They’re still far away, but Seonghwa can tell that they’re approaching fast as the small black masses grow larger and larger by the second. 

He immediately grabs the radio to inform the others. “Captain, come in. We’ve spotted them.” 

The sound of static fills the air before Hongjoong’s voice can be heard on the other end. “Mingi just got eyes on them as well. We’ll engage on my signal when they’re in effective range of our weapons. Is that clear?” 

“Yes, Captain,” Seonghwa replies. “We’ll be pulling up next to you to make it easier to attack together and not get in each other’s way.” 

“Understood. Get in position quickly and get your ranged weapons ready, they’re closing in faster than expected.” 

Seonghwa looks at the tense expressions on the faces of the rest of his pack in the car and nods before answering the captain verbally. “Getting into position now, Captain.” 

Jongho is quick to pull up their jeep beside the others and Seonghwa can see that Mingi already has his sniper rifle set up and is intently looking down the scope as Wooyoung readies a handful of short-range explosives to hopefully slow the shadows down.  

The top of their jeep is also already open and Yeosang is readying his black recurve bow with arrows for the fight while San keeps him steady from the seat beside him. Seonghwa himself is also standing, trusty pistol in hand as he observes the distance between them and the enemy. 

When the shadows are just a few yards out, Hongjoong finally gives the signal. 

“Now!” he shouts loud enough to be heard over the wind sweeping past them, and without hesitation, everyone fires their weapons. 

The loud boom of Mingi’s rifle is heard first as he takes down at least 2 of the shadows with his first shot, deadly accurate as always. Wooyoung’s bomb also finds its target and seems to slow down the shadows on one of their flanks. Yeosang shoots two arrows at a time, watching as they find their mark and the shadows disintegrate into thin air. 

Seonghwa fires off shots of his own, finding target after target with his pistol. However, it seemed that even as they defeated multiple shadows, their ominous advance did not slow. 

Gahyeon and Kirara were also contributing to the fight - Kirara with balls of cleansing fox fire and Gahyeon with orbs of light magic that would instantly disintegrate any shadow it came into contact with. 

And still, little to no progress was being made. 

Seonghwa hears Hongjoong’s grunt of frustration over the radio before he yells: “Gahyeon, how close are we to Dreamveil?” 

“At least one more mile until we hit the city limits,” the witch yells back as she sends out another volley of light magic to slow down the shadows. “But we’ll need to stop before we reach the outer barrier so I can undo the enchantment to get us in.” 

Hongjoong curses as he sticks his head out the passenger window and shoots a few shots of his own. “How long do you think that’ll take?” 

“It shouldn’t take long, but I don’t know if that’ll change with so many shadows on our backs. The barrier can be really sensitive to dark magic,” she explains, voice pinched with stress. 

Seonghwa feels the tension fall over them like a thick blanket as they all try and mentally calculate how quickly the shadows would reach them if they stopped. The odds were not looking good even as they continued to take the creatures down. 

“Alright,” Hongjoong says, finally breaking through the thick tension in the air. “Gahyeon, when the barrier is close, sprint ahead of us and start undoing the protection wards. Yunho and Jongho, when Gahyeon breaks away, slow down the jeeps and intercept the shadows. We’ll have to buy her some time.” 

“Yes, Captain,” both Jongho and Yunho reply.

“When Gahyeon is close to done with the wards, I’ll let everyone know and I want you all back in the jeeps immediately, understood?” The captain’s words are firm, leaving no room for argument. 

Seonghwa tightens his jaw to keep himself from disagreeing. He understands the plan, but that doesn’t mean he likes it. Stopping the jeeps so abruptly would leave them wide open to a full-frontal attack from the shadows. However, they didn’t exactly have a good alternative. If Gahyeon couldn’t reach the barrier first to let them in, they wouldn’t be able to pass even if they did beat the shadows there. 

“Captain, the barrier is in sight. I’m going ahead. Stay safe, all of you!” Gahyeon shouts into her communicator before Seonghwa sees Kirara take a huge leap into the air and sprint off ahead of them leaving a subtle trail of flames behind them. 

“Jongho, Yunho, now!” Hongjoong commands and both jeeps start to slow to a halt. 

Seonghwa and Yeosang decide to stay in the jeep and keep firing their weapons at range, while San and Jongho immediately exit the jeep and ready their light weapons. San’s trench knives glow a bright purple as he clenches them in his fists and Jongho’s forearms are alight with silvery white magic as he takes a fighting stance in front of their jeep. 

“Everyone, hold the line and don’t let a single shadow pass you!” Hongjoong orders, jumping from the jeep and taking his position in the middle of the two jeeps and in front of the rest of them. 

“You got it, Captain!” Mingi yells from his perch atop jeep one, sniper rifle still in hand. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Yunho says as he steps out of the driver’s seat, twirling a pistol in his hand as his eyes shine in excitement at the prospect of battle. 

Wooyoung readies his blades and steps up next to San. “Let’s do this.” 

Seonghwa can see the corner of Hongjoong’s lip twitch up from the top of the jeep and can’t help but smile as well. Their team was always so confident and reliable. 

“Don’t get hurt, or I’m sending you back to KQ and completing this mission myself, got it?” Hongjoong yells at them, pistol and knife held at the ready. 

“Yes, Captain!” they all yell in reply. 

“Good,” Hongjoong says, and then they’re off, jumping right into the group of shadows heading their way. 

Wooyoung throws a round of explosives that considerably slows the shadows down before San swoops into the front lines, dodging attacks and smoothly driving his fists through the air, cutting through shadow after shadow with his trench knives. If Seonghwa was still worried about San’s condition, the fluidity of his movements and the strength of his blows were enough to reassure the lieutenant that Gahyeon’s potion had really done the trick. 

Jongho was right behind San, tearing through shadows with the help of his enchanted bracers as Seonghwa and Yeosang provided support by shooting down most of the shadows approaching them, making it more manageable for the ground fighters to deal with the stragglers. 

The constant boom of Mingi’s rifle and the slew of bullets that Yunho was firing were almost comforting to Seonghwa. A sign that his other teammates were doing well and fighting alongside them even though they weren’t in his line of sight. 

Seonghwa falls into the rhythm of the battle, calling out blind spots to San and Jongho as he provides cover fire and helps thin out the shadows from his perch atop the jeep. Every so often, his gaze would wander to Hongjoong, who was standing in front of the other jeep and keeping shadows at bay with Mingi and Yunho as backup. Their captain was impressive as ever, handling almost the same amount of shadows as San and Jongho on his own. 

However, the sight made Seonghwa frown. Hongjoong always took on more than the others when they fought, and it always made Seonghwa worry that he would grow tired too fast and get hurt, or that he’d push himself too far. He just hoped they wouldn’t have to hold off the shadows much longer. No matter how strong Hongjoong was, he wouldn’t be able to keep that insane pace forever. 

Almost as if the moon goddess had heard his silent wish, Gahyeon’s voice comes in through their communicators. 

“I’ve opened the barrier for us, but you should hurry. It’s having a hard time staying open due to the dark magic nearby,” she says urgently, a slight strain to her voice as if she’s struggling with something. 

“We’re on our way,” he hears Hongjoong respond back before turning to the rest of the pack. 

“Everyone, back in the jeeps!” He shouts before firing a sequence of shots and backing away from the front line. “Mingi, Yunho, Yeosang and Seonghwa, continue to provide cover fire until everyone is back,” the Captain orders. 

“Roger that, Cap,” Mingi affirms, continuing to fire his rifle steadily as the rest of them make their retreat. 

Seonghwa takes down the shadows on San and Jongho’s heels as they head back and Wooyoung throws more explosives now that the team is out of the front lines to help slow down the shadow’s progress while they retreat. 

However, some of the shadows are not deterred by the explosives and are able to break through the smoke in time to catch Wooyoung by surprise as he turns to follow the other retreating members of his pack. Wooyoung tumbles to the ground and Seonghwa is jumping from the jeep faster than he can process what’s happening, his protective instincts on overdrive as he sees one of his packmates in danger. 

He hears Hongjoong shouting their names in his earpiece, but he can’t make out what the other is saying with the loud rush of adrenaline in his ears as he sprints toward his younger packmate. 

Wooyoung is able to turn around quickly enough to slice the shadow that tripped him with one of his knives before it can further injure him and Seonghwa is right there to shoot the rest of the shadows slowly approaching Wooyoung on the ground. 

“We have to go. Can you run?” Seonghwa asks frantically as he helps Wooyoung stand up when he reaches him. 

“Yeah, I think so,” Wooyoung says as he gets to his feet, wincing when he puts too much weight on his right foot. 

Seonghwa bites his lip, anxious about aggravating whatever injury Wooyoung might have, but he knows he doesn’t have time to shift and carry him, so they have no choice but to run. 

Seonghwa grips Wooyoung’s waist tight and pulls him in the direction of the jeeps as quickly as possible. “Let’s go!” 

They start to run back, Seonghwa shooting his pistol and Wooyoung throwing more knives and explosives to hopefully slow down the shadows on their heels. Seonghwa can still hear Mingi’s rifle going off in the background and knows his team is also providing them as much cover as they can while also making sure the way is clear for their escape. 

When the jeep is only a few feet away, Seonghwa switches positions with Wooyoung and all but tosses the younger wolf into San’s waiting arms to ensure Wooyoung is safely in the jeep first before heading to the passenger door. 

“Go!” he yells as soon as he opens the door, and Jongho slams his foot on the gas before Seonghwa even closes the door behind him. 

“Are you guys alright?” San yells, running frantic hands all over Wooyoung to check for injuries. 

“More or less,” Wooyoung grunts as he tries to get comfortable in the cramped backseat with San and Yeosang. “I’m sure the lecture Hongjoong is gonna give us will hurt more than my ankle, though,” he jokes.

Before anyone can reply, however, there’s a banging sound at the back of the jeep and gun fire can still be heard from the other car.

“For fuck’s sake,” Yeosang curses as he grabs his bow and quiver once more and reopens the top of the jeep to shoot at the shadows still hot on their heels. 

“Do these things never give up?” Jongho complains, trying to keep the car steady as he speeds towards the Dreamveil city limits. 

“I really wish they would,” San grumbles as he pokes his body out the window and stabs any shadow that tries to get close to their tires or climb up the side of the jeep. 

“Jeep 2, we’re almost there, just hold them off a little longer,” this time it’s Yunho’s voice that comes through the car radio followed by a series of shots and shadow shrieks. Mingi and Hongjoong must be holding off the shadows similarly to them while Yunho focuses on driving. 

“Roger that!” Seonghwa replies, looking out the windshield to see that Gahyeon and Kirara are only a few yards away now. 

Jongho seems to notice how close they are as well because he presses down on the gas even more, speeding towards the entrance to Dreamveil and away from the shadows hot on their heels. 

The sudden acceleration causes San to stumble and he nearly goes flying out the window if it weren’t for Wooyoung holding on to his torso. 

“Gah!” San yells as he scrambles for purchase on the side of the car. 

“A little warning next time, Jongho!” Wooyoung nearly screeches as he helps pull a wide-eyed San back inside the car. 

“My bad!”Jongho yells back, not nearly as apologetic as he probably should be. 

Yeosang snorts at the response as he lets loose another arrow that finds its mark. 

“Learn to plant your feet better,” Yeosang comments, standing as steady and elegant as a birch tree as they’re tossed around by the rough terrain and the increasing speed of the car. 

“Show off,” Wooyoung grumbles, but doesn’t retaliate seeing as Yeosang was their main asset when it came to dealing with the shadows from long range.  

Seonghwa doesn’t have time to enjoy the banter, however, as one of the shadows latches onto the passenger door in San’s absence and tries to latch onto him with one of its wispy black tendrils. 

“Seonghwa-hyung!” Wooyoung yells as the shadow manages to swipe at Seonghwa, scratching the skin of his arm before he can react. 

San sticks his body out the window again and slices the creature down its side with his trench knife, getting rid of it completely with a burst of light magic before it can do any more damage to them or the jeep. 

“Hyung, are you okay?” Jongho asks, attention divided between the road and Seonghwa’s now bleeding arm. 

“I’m fine, Jongho, just focus on driving us to safety,” he says, putting pressure on the scratch with his hand to try and slow the bleeding.

Seonghwa sees Jongho clench his jaw, but obeys, focusing on Gahyeon’s location, which they were about to reach. 

“Sangie, Seonghwa-hyung is hurt!” Wooyoung yells at his best friend, panic-stricken eyes going between his best friend and his hyung as he tries to decide what to do. 

“Wooyoung, I’ll be fine. Let Yeosang focus on defending our position until we enter the barrier,” Seonghwa says, voice kind but firm to try and calm Wooyoung down and keep Yeosang from getting distracted. 

“We’re almost there,” Jongho announces, and when Seonghwa looks up he sees Gahyeon waiting for them just a few feet away. 

As if on cue, the witch’s voice comes through their coms. “After you enter the barrier, wait for me inside. I’ll make sure they don’t follow us,” she says. 

Seonghwa raises a brow at that, unsure if it was a good idea to let Gaheyon handle the rest alone, but before he can answer, Hongjoong’s voice chimes in. “Understood. We’ll be in the barrier in t-minus 30 seconds.” 

They speed past Gahyeon and Kirara at the barrier’s edge before being engulfed in the light magic that defends the outskirts of Dreamveil. Seonghwa almost feels floaty as he enters the city limits, but doesn’t forget to turn back and check on Gahyeon and Kirara as they are left alone to close the barrier. 

He hears Gahyeon give Kirara a command as soon as both jeeps pass the barrier and a large wall of flames rises up to separate the witch and her familiar from the ravenous shadows that were clawing at them just moments prior. 

Seonghwa’s eyes widen at the sight of such powerful elemental magic and he barely notices Gahyeon and Kirara running into the barrier and manipulating the protection charms closed with a bright flash of light until he’s forced to close his eyes at the intensity. 

When he opens them again, both jeeps stand still in a field covered with dark but beautiful flowers and a large forest awaiting them just ahead. 

Gahyeon and Kirara approach them and come to a stop between both vehicles before giving them all a tired but genuine smile. “Everyone alright?” she asks as she dismounts Kirara and gives her familiar a few well-deserved pats. 

“Mostly,” Yunho answers as he steps out of the jeep and stretches his arms over his head. 

“Speak for yourself, Seonghwa-hyung is hurt!” Wooyoung yells as he scrambles out of the jeep. 

“Um, Wooyoung, are you sure you’re not the one who’s hurt?” Mingi asks, eyebrow raised in question as he watches his packmate try to limp toward Seonghwa. 

“I just twisted my ankle, Seonghwa-hyung is bleeding!” he exclaims.

“Woo, let Yeosang take a look at Hwa-hyung. You need to rest your foot,” San says, trying to coax his mate back into the jeep by supporting his weight. 

Wooyoung frowns but lets Yeosang step in front of him to look at Seonghwa’s arm. 

Seonghwa is endeared by his younger packmate’s concern, but the injury really wasn’t serious. “It’s okay, Wooyoung. It’s just a scratch. Once Yeosang disinfects it, I’ll be fine,” he says with a reassuring smile. “I’ll probably heal even faster than you.” 

Wooyoung scoffs. “Is healing speed a competition now?” 

Seonghwa chuckles, glad that the younger wolf seems to be more relaxed about his injury now. 

“Enough of that. Neither of you is going to heal properly if you don’t let me take a look first,” Yeosang interrupts, grabbing a hold of Seonghwa’s arm to look at the wound. 

“Would you like me to look over Wooyoung while you check on Seonghwa? I have experience in healing magic,” Gahyeon offers. 

Yeosang pauses his ministrations for a moment before eventually nodding. “Sure, that would be great, thank you,” he replies. 

Gahyeon lights up at the chance to help and walks over to where Wooyoung is sitting in the backseat of the jeep with the door open. 

“Be gentle, Gahyeonie. I’m fragile,” Wooyoung says as he offers her his injured foot. 

San snickers at his mate’s dramatics and Seonghwa can’t help but smile as he overhears them. 

Gahyeon giggles as she begins to take Wooyoung’s shoe off to assess the damage. “Don’t worry, this won’t hurt. Probably.” 

Seonghwa is forced to turn away from the scene when he feels a stinging sensation on his arm. “Is it deep?” he asks, watching as their healer dabs away at the gash on his arm diligently. Seonghwa doesn’t think the wound is that serious, but with so much happening he hadn’t actually gotten a proper look at it. 

Thankfully, Yeosang shakes his head. “No, it’s pretty shallow. Just bled a lot because it was rather long. Should be closed by this evening, but I’m going to bandage it up to prevent any bacteria from entering the wound while it heals. Wolves might be immune to shadow poison, but we aren’t immune to infection,” he replies, discarding the bloody gauze in a small trash container in his healing kit. 

Seonghwa nods at the assessment, happy to hear it was only a minor cut. “Thank you and sorry for worrying you. You did a great job holding them off at the end.” 

“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault Wooyoung exaggerates everything,” he says, shaking his head as he prepares Seonghwa's arm to be bandaged. 

“I heard that!” Wooyoung yells in indignation from the back of the jeep, making Seonghwa laugh and Yeosang crack a smile as Gahyeon chastises Wooyoung to stop yelling and stay still. 

Yeosang begins to bandage Seonghwa’s arm after that and Seonghwa distracts himself from the discomfort by listening to Gahyeon and Wooyoung’s banter. As always, his boisterous junior is being a handful of a patient, but Gahyeon gives as good as she gets and is able to wrangle Wooyoung long enough to run the younger through some healing spells and wrap up his ankle. 

Seonghwa is about to ask about the severity of the sprain when the sharp smell of rain and thunder approaches like a storm. The lieutenant immediately turns his attention to their Captain who is making his way over to their jeep, features set deep into an upset frown. 

“What were you thinking?” Hongjoong asks, tone accusing. 

Seonghwa balks at the harsh voice and tries to understand the question. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean out there! When you broke formation to help Wooyoung. Yunho and I were his backup, you should have signaled one of us to go in for him instead,” the captain says, bordering on a yell. 

Seonghwa is stunned. Hongjoong rarely ever yelled at him. Let alone for something so minor in the middle of a precarious situation. He’s so shocked, he can’t even formulate a proper reply. 

“Yah! Leave Seonghwa-hyung alone! He made it to me before any of you losers and we got out safely, isn’t that what counts?” Wooyoung interjects, coming to Seonghwa’s defense. 

“Not when it gets both of you injured!” he all but growls. 

“That’s not Hwa-hyungs fault! I got hurt when the shadow tripped me and he got injured fighting off shadows when we were already in the jeep!” Wooyoung yells back. “If anything, it’s my fault for being careless and letting one of them sneak up on me. You can’t be mad at Seonghwa-hyung when you would have done the same thing to help any of us!” 

Hongjoong still looks visibly upset as he all but glares at Wooyoung with his jaw set and shoulders tight, but says nothing in return. 

“No harm, no foul. Right, Cap?” Yunho tries to break the tension. 

“Right,” Hongjoong scoffs but breaks eye contact with Wooyoung, aggressive posture slightly deflating. 

“What are their conditions?” he asks, purposefully ignoring Wooyoung and Seonghwa to address the healers instead. 

“Wooyoung sprained his ankle and the joint is pretty swollen. But given his healing speed, he should be okay by tomorrow if he rests it properly. I can also give you a few more of my potions to help with the healing process if you think it’s necessary, but he’ll have to take it later in case it makes him drowsy like it did San,” Gahyeon says, standing up from her crouched position by Wooyoung’s leg and dusting off her robes. 

Hongjoong nods and turns to Yeosang next. 

“Seonghwa just has a minor scratch on the back of his forearm. It’s not deep, but it’s long so I applied some healing salves and wrapped it to prevent infection as it heals. His arm should also be fine by tomorrow if everything heals properly,” Yeosang gives his report evenly, but his eyes give away that he’s less than pleased with Hongjoong’s attitude. 

“Thank you both. I’m glad to hear it’s nothing serious. Now, we should make our way to the main city before nightfall. We’ll head out in 5, and this time please make sure to communicate when you deviate from the plan,” the Captain announces roughly, eyeing Wooyoung and Seonghwa in particular at the end. 

He turns to leave quickly, giving Seonghwa one last fleeting glance before heading back towards his jeep. The Captain’s eyes were dark, clouded by a mixture of emotions, murky in a way Seonghwa couldn’t quite make out. Anger? Regret? Worry? The lieutenant wasn’t really sure. All he knew was that he didn’t like seeing Hongjoong upset, especially when there was no time to try and fix it. 

“Don’t worry about him, Seonghwa-hyung,” Yunho says as he sidles up to the passenger side door. 

Seonghwa unglues his eyes from Hongjoong’s retreating figure to look up at the tall, brunet wolf. “It’s hard not to when your Captain just yelled at you,” he says with a humorless laugh. 

Yunho gives him an empathetic look and rests a hand on his shoulder. “He was just really worried about you guys. You should have seen him when you didn’t answer him after you leaped in to help Woo. He looked like he wanted to kick me out of the driver’s seat and go and get you himself. It’s been a while since I’ve heard him growl like that. He was tapping his communicator so hard I thought he was gonna break it,” he chuckles at the memory. 

Seonghwa feels his heart dip at the thought. Yunho was right. Hongjoong only ever got this upset when the team’s safety was in question and it usually meant he was mad at what had happened, not at them specifically. He knew that. But he couldn’t help but feel uneasy about everything with the unresolved tension still hanging between them. 

If this had happened any other time, Seonghwa would have shrugged it off and resolved to talk with Hongjoong about it later in the privacy of their room, but right now he doesn't have that luxury. 

“Well, he should say that instead of yelling at us,” Wooyoung scoffs. “It’s not our fault he has the emotional capacity of a twig.” 

Mingi and San snicker at the comment and Jongho lightly smacks them both upside the head for laughing at their Captain’s expense. 

“This mission’s just got him on edge. It has all of us on edge, really. He’ll come around once he calms down,” Yunho says with a shrug, as if there was nothing to worry about and Seonghwa really wanted to believe there wasn’t. 

“We should head out before we upset the Captain even more. It’s too early in the day to get yelled at unless you're Wooyoung,” Jongho says as he rounds the jeep to the driver’s side of the car. 

“I knew the yelling was gonna be worse than the injury,” Wooyoung complains as he lets San help accommodate him in the backseat. 

Seonghwa is about to shut the passenger door when Gahyeon catches his eye. The pink-haired witch is petting her familiar and seems unfazed by the group’s argument. He feels almost embarrassed that she had to witness all that when they had only just met. 

“Sorry about all that,” he says sheepishly, picking at the edge of his bandage to distract himself from his own self-consciousness. 

Gahyeon smiles easily and waves off Seonghwa’s concern. “Don’t worry about it. My coven is the same. I blew up a small cauldron the first time I tried to conjure a protection potion and my coven leader, Minji, gave me the lecture of a lifetime about potion making safety,” Gahyeon laughs sweetly at the memory. “It’s what family does. They worry about each other and fight about dumb things because they care. And I can tell your Captain cares a great deal for all of you.” 

Seonghwa is surprised by the witch’s quick and rather accurate assessment of their pack dynamics after only having known them for less than a day. He supposes it’s a good thing their bond is so evident, though. Some of them even had soul marks to prove how strong it was after all. 

“Thank you for saying that, Gahyeon. And thank you for helping us get here,” Seonghwa replies genuinely, giving the girl a smile in return. 

“Of course! It’s nice to be back home,” she says with a large grin as she looks around at the beautiful meadow of black petunias and the large, looming trees in the distance. 

“Well, we can head to the city now so you can show us even more of your home,” he says, mindful of their need to start moving again soon. 

Gahyeon grins brightly at him as she re-mounts Kirara. “You’re going to love Dreamveil.” 

Seonghwa grins back. “I’m sure I will.” 

Chapter Text

Hongjoong hated Dreamveil already. 

It was gloomy, all the trees made it hard to see their surroundings and it smelled like someone had cast too many spells at once and the collective smoke had formed a permanent fog around the city. He supposes the fog added to the mystique of the city’s name. A city veiled in so much smoke that it appeared blurry at a distance as if you were seeing it in a dream. 

It didn’t make the magical fog smell any better though. 

“If you’re scowling like that when we meet the dream witches, you’re gonna get us kicked right out of the city, Captain,” Yunho comments, driving steadily behind Gahyeon as she weaves through the trees with Kirara. 

The remark only makes Hongjoong’s scowl deepen. “They should know why we’re here. What my face looks like doesn’t matter.” 

Mingi snorts. “You’re almost as bad as Wooyoung when you’re mad.” 

“I am not,” he retorts, not helping his case in the slightest with the petulant reply. 

Mingi just shakes his head and continues to clean his rifle. “Was it really even that big of a deal? We all put ourselves on the line for each other all the time.” 

“But it’s different now. I could feel-” Hongjoong snaps his mouth shut, not wanting to reveal too much.

“Feel what?” Yunho prompts, eyes flicking between the narrow road and Hongjoong’s pinched expression. 

The captain bites his lip, unsure if he’s ready to talk about the real reason he was upset. 

“Oh, come on, Cap. What happened to ‘it’s important that we’re all on the same page ?’ I thought you were done with all the secrets,” Mingi challenges. 

Hongjoong’s scowl returns full force as he glares at Mingi through the rearview mirror. He hated when the sly wolf had a point. 

“Fine,” he grouses, exhaling deeply as he sinks further into his seat. 

He purposely avoids looking in the rearview mirror again, knowing Mingi was probably wearing a rather smug grin right now. Seeing Yunho’s amused smile from the corner of his eye was already bad enough. 

“When Wooyoung fell, I felt it,” he finally says. 

“What do you mean?” Yunho asks, perplexed by the statement. 

“I mean, I felt it. Through the bond,” Hongjoong adds, trying to put the strange feeling into words. 

“Like, you felt him hurt his ankle?” Mingi tries to clarify. 

The captain sharks his head. “No, not exactly. I felt some of that too, but I didn’t even know where he was injured. What I felt were his emotions. The surprise when he fell, the sharp panic when he realized he was in danger. Things like that. It’s hard to explain, but the feelings came so suddenly that I just..froze,” Hongjoong swallows down the guilt thickly. It should have been him turning back to help Wooyoung. He was much closer than Seonghwa, but he got distracted and now two of his teammates were hurt. 

He was used to being in control. To being rational and perceptive and on top of everything when it came to leading his team and completing missions. But the leader mark and the new unexpected soul bonds had complicated everything. His head was a mess and he hated it. 

“So that’s why Seonghwa made it to Wooyoung before you..” Yunho says, voice almost a whisper as if he were putting the pieces together in his head. 

Hongjoong nods, dejected. “Seonghwa should never have had to break formation to help Wooyoung. I was closer. I should have gone. And then when neither of them answered me...I just freaked out. I lost my head and a leader should never lose it like that. If we were in more serious danger, that could have been so much worse for all of us.” 

“But it wasn’t,” Mingi cuts in as he continues to casually assemble his gun. 

“What?” Hongjoong asks, almost dumbfounded at how nonchalant his teammate was being. 

“But it wasn’t,” Mingi repeats. “It could have been worse, but it wasn’t. You’ve led us through way more dangerous situations before and even with all this new bond mumbo jumbo, you’re still our leader and we trust you. You should be glad Seonghwa was there to cover you today rather than being upset with yourself because that means you’ve built a reliable team. A reliable pack. So, put a little more faith in us to have your back too, alpha ,” he teases as he playfully shoves Hongjoong’s shoulder. 

Yunho laughs at the archaic word. Even though Hongjoong was technically the pack alpha, werewolves rarely adhered to the old hierarchy anymore. They only ever used the term to tease their Captain, like now. 

“Yeah, alpha , like I said earlier: no harm, no foul. Even if you had made it to Wooyoung first, his ankle was already hurt. There was nothing you could have done but help him get back to the jeep, which is exactly what Seonghwa did,” Yunho adds. 

Hongjoong stays silent for a while just processing everything his packmates had to say. The little voice in the back of his head that was telling him he failed as a leader was getting fainter and fainter the more he thought about Mingi and Yunho’s words, and although he still felt like what happened earlier was his fault, he knew some of it was unavoidable too. They knew the dangers of being KQ’s protectors and a few cuts and bruises were the least of their worries most days. 

Logically, he understood all that. But his heart was still reeling from the gut-wrenching panic he felt when he saw Seonghwa jump from the jeep and race head-first into a mob of shadows on his own. If the shock of fear from his bond with Wooyoung wasn’t enough to paralyze him, that definitely had been. 

He tries to shake off the tendrils of fear still clawing at his mind and the images of Seonghwa holding a bleeding arm to his chest and attempts to convince himself that it wasn’t his fault. 

After a few beats, he sighs once more, this one not nearly as burdened as before but no less exhausted. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be blaming myself for everything, and I shouldn’t be taking my frustration out on the others either.” 

This time, he makes the mistake of looking in the rearview mirror and sees Mingi’s face break out into a smug smile. “I’m always right. I knew you’d eventually see reason, alpha ,” the silver-haired wolf snickers. 

“Yah, stop with the alpha shit. You’re making me feel like an old man,” Hongjoong complains, which only makes Mingi laugh more, and this time Yunho joins in as well. 

“You two are insufferable,” Hongjoong grumbles as he sinks lower into his chair, making him look more like a kid than the Captain of a deadly werewolf fighting unit. 

“You’re way cuter when you’re sulking than when you’re mad,” Yunho giggles as he ruffles Hongjoong’s fluffy black hair. 

The captain is on the verge of growling at the tall wolf for treating him like a kid when the car comes to an abrupt stop at the entrance of a large city. 

The city seemed to materialize out of nowhere. One moment they were driving through the thick fog of the towering forest and the next they were about to step foot into a populous city. There was now gothic architecture looming just as intimidatingly over them as the trees in the forest had been just moments before, with tall spiraling pillars arranged in intricate patterns and carved prettily to accommodate ornate windows. 

The heavy fog that was still present lent itself to the gothic feel of the city and accentuated the dark arches and sharp edges of the buildings. The city was eerily beautiful and if it weren’t for the hustle and bustle of the citizens rushing about, it would look more like a haunting painting than a real place. 

Hongjoong thought it was rather nightmarish for a city of dreams, but he supposes the home of witchcraft wouldn’t look like a field of sunflowers either. 

“Wow,” he hears Mingi say in awe from the backseat of the car.

Even though the architecture wasn’t his cup of tea, he couldn’t help but agree with the sentiment. Eerie or not, the buildings were truly breathtaking. 

Gahyeon and Kirara come to a stop by Yunho’s open window and Gahyeon peeks her head in with a smile. “Welcome to Dreamveil,” she says, voice far too cheery for the melancholic backdrop of the city. “We’ll have to go on foot from here. Too dangerous to drive around in the city with so many people walking around.” 

Hongjoong furrows his brows at the news. “What about Wooyoung? You said he still needed to rest his ankle.” 

“He can ride on Kirara until we get to the city center. I’ll find him some crutches when we get to the main alchemy building. That’s where we’re supposed to meet with Minji-unnie and the rest of the coven.” 

Hongjoong nods in understanding. “Anything else we should bring with us from the jeeps?”

Gahyeon shakes her head at that. “That won’t be necessary. You should have everything you need at your accommodations in the city. Just be sure to note down anything you will need to restock should your journey take you far from here afterward.” 

“Will do. Thank you,” the captain replies, grateful for the witch’s hospitality. 

As Gahyeon turns to inform the other jeep of the plan, Hongjoong unbuckles his seatbelt and starts to head out. “Let’s go boys.” 

They all gather at the city entrance and follow Gahyeon into the dense fog of the city. Wooyoung is happily riding on top of Kirara as he moves his head this way and that, taking in the haunting sights and impressive architecture. San is by his side, happily holding on to Kirara’s soft fur after having complained about not being able to ride the gumiho alongside his mate. Yunho has to stop Mingi from wandering to a nearby food stall more than once, but aside from that, the rest of the team follow dutifully behind their guide and her familiar. 

Hongjoong hangs in the back, making sure there are no stragglers, and runs a careful eye over the city and its occupants. Just like KQ, there are a mix of magical races wandering the streets of Dreamveil, from vampires and elves to fairies and, of course, witches. Other than the gloomy atmosphere, it seems like a normal magical capital and the observation puts Hongjoong’s nerves at ease. He still wouldn’t call himself a fan of all the doom and gloom, but he knew a healthy and harmonious city when he saw one. Or rather, when he smelled it. Despite outside appearances and the heavy scent of the magical fog, Hongjoong could not smell any negative emotions permeating the city air, only the usual toil of everyday life. 

As he runs his eyes across the crowded streets once again, he can’t stop his eyes from lingering on Seonghwa. His tall, lithe figure and pretty ash-blond hair stand out even against the fog of the gothic city. He knows he should apologize for yelling at him earlier, but he just can’t find the words, or the time, to explain why he was so angry. It was hard enough opening up to Mingi and Yunho. He may be close to Seonghwa in many ways, but not when it came to this, not when it came too close to his feelings for him. He can only hope any lingering tension does not affect their mission. Seonghwa knew him better than almost anyone, surely he would understand that he wasn’t truly upset with him even without Hongjoong having to explain himself. 

At least that was the pretext Hongjoong was using in order to avoid yet another awkward conversation with his second in command. 

It doesn’t take more than 20 minutes to get to the city center on foot. Gahyeon walks up to one of the tallest buildings Hongjoong had seen on their walk there, with tall spires that towered over the buildings surrounding it. The steep arches and window frames were also far more decorated on this building, carved delicately from the thick stone that composed the entire structure. It was obviously one of the older, more intricate buildings in the city, so it made sense that it would be used as a central hub for alchemy and magic in a city full of witches and other magic users. 

“This building is beautiful,” Seonghwa comments as he looks up at the tall structure with large, round eyes. 

Hongjoong can’t help but think about how cute he looks whenever he’s excited or in awe of something. 

“It really is! It’s one of the original buildings in the city and its thousands of years old. It was built by the original coven that founded Dreamveil and is imbued with very strong, ancient magic that keeps it standing and helps provide magical energy and protection to the city,” Gahyeon explains as they walk through the large stone doors and into the building. 

“Is it what creates the fog around the city?” Yunho asks, a curious gleam in his eyes as he looks around the dark interior. 

Gahyeon lights a candle at the entrance and creates a row of tiny lights with the flame to illuminate their way down one of the long hallways. 

“Very observant of you,” she says with an amused smile. 

“I have a good nose,” Yunho says with a grin as he taps the end of his nose. 

Hongjoong did notice the scent of magic was stronger here, but he thought it was just because so many spells were performed here, not that the actual building emanated magic. 

“Most of the fog is produced by the magic of this building and all the other original structures around the city. It was one of the defense mechanisms the founding coven created to keep Dreamveil hidden from its enemies. Nowadays, though, the barrier does most of the work fending off the shadows,” she explains. 

“For all the cool magic that comes from this building, you guys couldn’t install some overhead lights or something?” Mingi asks, looking around the dimly lit corridor in unease. 

Gahyeon giggles. “We can’t exactly install modern appliances in ancient stone without damaging the building in some way. I think the ruling coven would skin anyone who even tried. We can provide lighting and heating in the winter with pretty simple spells so it isn’t too bad.”

“Mingi’s just a big scardy cat. He probably thinks it looks like a haunted house in here,” Wooyoung snickers, covering his mouth with one hand as he holds onto Kirara’s fur with the other. 

“Am not! Anyone would be creeped out by this place. It’s an old building with barely any lighting. Everyone knows that’s the perfect place for ghosts to live,” Mingi defends, wrapping his arms around himself as he eyes the stone walls suspiciously. 

“I can assure you there are no ghosts here Mingi,” Gahyeon says.

Mingi’s shoulders drop significantly in relief

“They all live in the cathedral next door,” she continues with a devious grin. 

Wooyoung cackles loudly at Gahyeon’s teasing, sounding like a banshee himself. 

“Yah! It’s not funny,” Mingi whines, pouting as he looks around even more cautiously now, getting scared by Wooyoung’s loud laugh echoing down the halls. 

Gahyeon and Wooyoung just giggle together mischievously and Hongjoong can see why they got along so well at the academy. 

“Now, now, settle down. That’s enough teasing,” Seonghwa interrupts, gently patting Mingi’s back when he jumps at his own shadow. 

“Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t resist. Dreamveil lends itself to the typical darkness and whimsy of witchcraft so it’s rather fun to tease people about it when they first visit. You’ll learn soon that there is nothing to fear here, though. When magic is used properly, it protects, it does not harm,” Gahyeon explains kindly. 

Mingi settles down after that and they walk the rest of the way to the meeting room without incident. 

Gahyeon passes her hand over the large stone door and a round symbol with woven lines inside it appears, almost like an abstract eye. It glows a light pink for a moment before the door slides open. 

“We’re here,” Gahyeon announces as she steps into the large room, 

The ceilings are vaulted with a series of arches going down the length of the room, much like the corridor outside. In the middle of the room is a large semi-circle made up of six chairs, each with an occupant that is wearing robes similar to Gahyeons. In the center of the semi-circle sits a long table with a book, a cauldron, and some crystals surrounded by an array of candles of all different shapes and sizes. 

“Gahyeonie, you’re home!” one of the witches calls out, getting up from her seat and running over to envelope the pink-haired witch in a bone-crushing hug. 

Gahyeon grunts and tries to wriggle her way out of the hug. “Bora-unnie, I can’t breathe,” she complains. 

The witch lets out a loud cackle, one that could rival Wooyoung’s in decibels. 

“I just missed my cute Gahyeonie so much,” Bora coos, squishing Gahyeon’s cheeks playfully. 

The pink-haired witch grunts in annoyance and bats her coven member’s hands away. “I’m here on business unnie, don’t treat me like a little kid.” 

Bora laughs again, a little more subdued this time, and lets Gahyeon’s cheeks go. “Of course, of course, how could I forget? You brought the chosen one all the way here to us,” she says as she looks over Gahyeon’s shoulder at the pack standing behind her. 

Her eyes immediately land on Hongjoong and he’s surprised that she’s able to pinpoint him as the pack leader so quickly. 

“Kind of small for a chosen one,” another witch says from one of the seats in front of them. 

Hongjoong’s eyes snap from Bora to the new voice. The witch sits gracefully in her chair, her short jet-black hair cascading over her sharp cheekbones and even sharper eyes. Her words aren’t meant to be demeaning, more amused than anything, but Hongjoong does not appreciate the casual familiarity. 

“Don’t tease them, Siyeon. They’re our guests,” the witch sitting in the middle seat speaks, standing up and making her way to greet them. 

“Welcome, Aurora pack. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am the head witch of the dream coven, Kim Minji. I hope Gahyeon was able to guide you here safely,” Minji says, giving them all a pleasant smile. 

Hongjoong bows in greeting. “I’m Kim Hongjoong, leader of this pack, but it seems you all know that already,” he says, raising a brow in silent question. 

She smiles easily, not upset at having to explain. “Every creature carries magic within them, be they werewolves or birds. And you, Kim Hongjoong, hold a great deal of magic for just an ordinary werewolf. For those trained in the art of magic like us, it’s easy to pick up on.”

The captain hums in understanding, keeping the surprise off his face as best he can. He didn’t know that the leader mark would make such an obvious difference between himself and other wolves. 

“Actually, unnie, we ran into a large group of shadows outside the barrier. Maybe 20 or 30 of them. We defeated as many as we could and Kirara cleansed the area with her fox fire, but I’m not sure if we got them all,” Gahyeon confesses apologetically. 

Minji’s eyes widen in surprise. “A group that large so close to the barrier? That’s so uncharacteristic... They’re usually much more scattered in open terrain like that. Gahyeon has made the trip many times with no issues.” 

“There have been a lot more reports about shadows outside the barrier lately…” another witch off to Minji’s right side comments, also looking concerned by the news. 

“We’ve been seeing an increase in large groups of shadows outside of KQ as well in the last few months. It’s actually one of the reasons we came here. General Kyungmoon thinks the leader mark may have something to do with it,” Hongjoong interjects. 

Minji frowns at the news but nods her head seriously. “Yes, I do think the prophecy may be able to shed some light on the situation. I agree with Kyungmoon, it’s not a coincidence that the leader mark awakened when we’re all experiencing an increase in shadow attacks.” 

She quickly walks over to the book in the middle and starts flipping through the thick pages, yellowed with age and starting to fray at the ends. “I suppose we should start at the beginning. To understand the situation, you must know the reason the leader mark and the soulpack bond exist in the first place,” she starts. 

“We have been consulting our archives on the subject and have found a few entries created by the founding coven. According to the texts, the soul pack came into existence as a response to the dark magic that created the shadows.” 

Hongjoong furrows his brows in confusion. “You mean the leader mark is connected to the shadows somehow?” 

“Yes, and no. I’ll let Yoohyeon take over this part as I prepare the prophecy reading. She’s our most skilled witch at translating ancient text,” Minji says as she bustles about the long table, throwing different ingredients into the cauldron as she goes. 

The tallest witch of the coven stands from her seat and approaches the pack with a scroll in hand. Her long smokey hair falls over her shoulders prettily and she offers them a friendly smile. “This may be a lot to take in so feel free to interrupt and ask questions if you want clarification on anything,” Yooheon says kindly. 

The pack nod and they watch in wonder as Yoohyeon closes her eyes and the scroll in her hand begins to glow as it projects texts and images in a strange loop. First, it’s words Hongjoong can’t understand, then the image of a large battle, followed by wolves running and then various images of shadows. The projections play over and over again but in a different order each time. 

“The shadows were created by a dark wizard over a millennia ago. He cast his curse upon the magical realm and it forced all 7 kingdoms to join forces in order to defeat him and his dark creations. However, no combination of force or magic was strong enough to defeat his seemingly endless army of dark creatures. That is, until the soulpack appeared. Soulbonds are often regarded as one of the strongest forms of light magic because they are a destined connection forged by the strongest positive emotions that can be produced - love and devotion. The complete opposite of the shadows, which are born from the negative emotions of all living beings. 

Up until that point, pack bonds and the soulmate phenomenon had existed amongst werewolves, but nothing to the extent of soul bonding with an entire pack. Many magic wielders believe it was nature’s response to the imbalance of light and dark magic in the realm, but no one knows for certain. 

The bond between this particular pack of werewolves was strong enough to produce the kind of light magic necessary to suppress the darkness created by the wizard and his shadow army and they were a key reason why the alliance was eventually able to defeat him. However, even after the wizard was defeated, no one knew how to break the shadow curse since it wasn’t linked to the wizard himself, but to the emotions of other living beings. The soul pack’s light magic was enough to weaken them and keep them at bay, but not banish them completely, which is why we still fight them today, albeit in more manageable quantities.” 

When Yoohyeon finishes talking, the light emanating from the scroll dims and the images being projected from it vanish. The tall witch opens her eyes and looks back at them expectantly. 

Hongjoong is as equally floored as the rest of his pack as they try and process the old legend. It was one they had all heard before, except this version was far more detailed. He had never heard of a soul pack having anything to do with the alliance’s victory over the dark wizard, he only knew that the kingdoms had joined forces to defeat him. 

Jongho is the first to regain his composure and speak. “If the soul pack is the magical realm’s response to the shadows, then why wasn't their light magic strong enough to break the curse?”

“It is believed they would have been able to overcome the shadows if they were complete in the last battle of the great war,” she explains.

“What do you mean by complete?” Mingi asks. 

Yoohyeon offers them a sad smile. “In the final battle of the war, one of the members of the pack was killed by the wizard, so they were not at full strength when they attempted to break the curse after the alliance defeated him. Curses are very tricky things and if all the conditions are not met, it is impossible to break them. Perhaps if the pack had been at full strength, they would have been able to succeed.” 

Hongjoong’s heart sinks at the words. He looks back at his own pack and can’t even fathom what it would be like to lose any of them, much less anyone he was soul bonded to. The leader and the entire pack in the legend must have been in utter agony afterward. 

He subconsciously puts a hand over his forearm where he knows the sun soul mark lays and feels the comforting warmth of his packmate’s presence buzz through their newfound connection. He would never allow that warmth to be taken away from any of them. 

“Is there a certain number of members a soulpack needs to have in order for the curse to be broken?” Yunho asks, holding his chin in thought as he stares back at Yoohyeon. 

“We aren’t exactly sure. Since only one complete soulpack has ever been recorded in our history, it’s hard to say. But, the original soulpack was composed of eight members, each with a specific role and mark that identified them as part of the pack. The roles were said to align with traditional werewolf pack customs, but I’m not familiar enough with them to be able to tell you if that was truly the case,” she describes her findings as best she can.

“What were the roles, if I may ask?” Yeosang chimes in. 

“From the information I’ve been able to gather, the roles were: alpha, luna, healer, scout, warrior, protector, mediator and support. The titles change depending on the translation and some say shield rather than protector or navigator instead of scout, but the ones that are always the same are Luna and Alpha. They seem to be the most important positions in a soulpack as we have the most information about them,” Yoohyeon replies. 

“What can you tell us about them? I know our leaders were once called alphas, but I only have a vague understanding about them based on werewolf legends I heard as a child,” Seonghwa asks, large eyes sparking with curiosity. 

Hongjoong is endeared by the other’s enthusiasm and thinks it’s rather funny that Seonghwa is so invested in the lore of the soul pack considering he isn’t the one covered in strange magical marks. He’s so distracted by Seonghwa’s sparkling round eyes that he almost misses Yoohyeon’s response. 

“The texts I’ve translated affirm that the alpha is the leader of the pack, as you’ve said. I’m sure you all already know, but they are the ones who bear the leader mark and are the only ones who are able to form soul bonds with all the members of the pack, making the existence of a soul pack possible. However, the member who holds the most importance in a soul pack is not the leader, but the Luna,” the witch recites as if she had memorized the text word for word. 

“Wow, so the legends are true…” San says softly, mostly to himself. 

When the rest of the pack turn to him in question, San splutters out a reply. “What? You guys haven’t heard the legends about pack alphas and lunas?” 

“Not all of us were raised in werewolf backcountry, Sannie,” Wooyoung snorts in feigned derision. 

San shoves his mate and Wooyoung nearly topples off Kirara’s back. “Yah, that’s no way to treat your injured mate!” he shrieks in protest as he scrambles to stay on the fox. 

“Neither is making fun of your mate!” San yells back. 

“Are you going to answer the question or keep embarrassing us in front of Gahyeon’s coven?” Hongjoong asks, getting irritated at his packmates bickering at a time like this. 

San looks over at Hongjoong and then back to the witches watching them and has the decency to look embarrassed. 

“Sorry,” he says sheepishly as he gives them an apologetic smile. “I was just going to say that there are old stories in the town I grew up in about how the strongest wolf packs used to be run by two wolves, an alpha and a luna. They were a mated pair that would either create their own pack or nurture an existing one and they were almost always a fated pair, which is why their pack bonds were so strong, or so the legend says.” 

Hongjoong remembers hearing similar stories in childhood about soulmates and how they were able to start new packs, but he didn’t see how that fit into the narrative of the soulpack. 

Yoohyeon nods her head in enthusiasm. “Yes, the information we have is similar. The luna is the soulmate of the alpha, so they are ‘fated’ as you called it. Lunas are vital to the stability of a soulpack because it can be a great burden on the leader to maintain so many soul bonds on their own. Since the soulmate, or luna, shares the closest soul bond to the leader, they will be able to take on some of the emotional burden through their shared connection. It helps keep the balance in a pack and stabilize the other soul bonds.” 

Helping the alpha handle the burden of leading a pack? That sounded a lot like-

Hongjoong shakes his head, trying to rid himself of such ridiculous thoughts before they even have time to sprout hope in his heart. There was no way Seonghwa, or any of them, could be his luna. At most, his lieutenant could be their mediator if he ever got the courage to try and bond with him, but most definitely not his literal soulmate. Nothing worked out that easily in real life, let alone in Hongjoong’s life. 

“May I ask where all this information comes from?” Jongho asks, polite but serious. “Not that I doubt you or anything, but it’s strange for you to have access to so much information about this when KQ has very little and they are the main werewolf city.” 

As always, their youngest packmate is ever the astute observer. And it was true. How did the witches have access to so much more information? Hongjoong knew his mother and Jonghoon were able to uncover some things about how the soulpack worked over the years, like how the bonds were able to form, but nothing like the actual roles of individual members were ever brought up. 

“Ah, I apologize for not explaining everything fully. The texts I have consulted for this matter were written by one of the witches in the original coven that founded Dreamveil and who also participated in the great war. Any text written by an original coven member is considered sacred here and not allowed to even leave this building, let alone the city. We were told to only disturb the books should the information in them become relevant, and seeing as there is now an active soulpack after almost a thousand years, I was allowed to read them. I am sorry if it seems that we were keeping this information from our werewolf allies, but passing down coven knowledge is a rather sensitive topic for witches,” she says, tone apologetic. 

Knowing Jongho wasn’t the best at handling delicate topics such as this one, Hongjoong steps in to answer in his stead. “No need to apologize. I’m just glad you’re able to share all of this with us now. General Kyungmoon knew to send us here, so I’m sure the past leaders of KQ knew you had this type of information and trusted you with it considering Dreamveil has always been one of our closest allies.” 

Hongjoong wasn’t sure if that was all completely true, but there had to be some significance to KQ having the highest population of witches outside of Dreamveil. Werewolves and witches had always been the closest in the alliance, so it wasn’t difficult to piece together a few educated guesses about the situation. 

The diplomatic answer seems to appease Yoohyeon and she smiles at them once more. “Thank you for understanding.” 

PSSHH!

A loud sizzling sound and puff of smoke draw all their attention back to Minji and the large table with the now bubbling cauldron. All the other witches, including Gahyeon, are also now rushing around the table with ingredients and lit candles instead of sitting down as they had been before. 

“It’s almost ready. You can all come closer so you can see it better once it starts,” Minji instructs, eyes focused on the old spell book in front of her.

The wolves all gather closer to the table, intrigued gazes all trained on the witches as they work while the cauldron continues to bubble loudly. San almost even reaches over to touch one of the ingredients on the table, but Yunho is quick to snatch his hand away. San looks up at Yunho as if betrayed and Hongjoong just rolls his eyes, making a mental note to talk to San about the importance of not touching random objects yet again. 

It’s not long after Minji calls them over that the witches start to chant quietly. Hongjoong can’t identify the language, but the cadence is reminiscent of a lullaby. It would sound almost like a song if the tone were more melodious and less monotonous and unnerving. 

As the chanting continues, the bubbling inside the cauldron intensifies and soon it starts to glow a bright purple color. Hongjoong can’t take his eyes off the eerie glow as it grows in intensity and soon it’s almost too bright for the wolf to look at. 

Once it reaches peak brightness, the witch that had called Hongjoong short earlier throws a small crystal orb into the cauldron and the brightness becomes too blinding for Hongjoong to keep his eyes open. 

He scrunches his eyes closed for only a moment until he feels the brightness dissipate behind his closed eyelids. When he opens them once more there is a large projection of text glowing above the cauldron. It’s once again in a language Hongjoong cannot read, but the witches seem to be able to as they recite the text in common tongue for them. 

Darkness invades the land without any warning,

As creatures of magic and wielders of light fight the mourning. 

But there is no magic that can defeat the darkness that comes from the heart, 

except for those chosen by the mark.

When they start reciting the prophecy, images like the ones Yoohyeon had shown them begin to play above the words in the same purple smoke as the letters. There seems to be a large battle, creatures of all kinds fight in it against large black apparitions that move like smoke. Hongjoong assumes these are images from the great war. He watches the fighting curiously until the image changes and his stomach drops. There, in perfect detail is the leader mark that lies on his chest. The mark slowly fades and is replaced by eight wolves who appear to be howling in unison. A light starts to appear in the center of them all and it rises above them until it bursts and dispels all the dark smoke that was encroaching on them. 

As the darkness grows black as night, 

Those chosen must be the light.

And when light and love join hands once more, 

Only then, will peace be restored.  

When the witches stop speaking, the projections and words all fade back into the controlled cloud of vapor escaping out of the top of the cauldron, no longer bright with the purple glow of the coven’s magic. 

No one says anything for a moment, still processing the images and words revealed in the prophecy. Hongjoong isn’t really sure what to make of it. How were those chosen by the mark supposed to do anything against the shadows? He and his pack were strong, but they couldn’t possibly take on a whole army of shadows alone. 

“So…did anyone else get that? Because I didn’t,” Mingi pipes up, breaking the eerie silence that had settled over the room. 

Wooyoung bursts into laughter at the unexpected comment and he quickly puts a hand over his mouth in an attempt to silence his cackles. He is only moderately successful, but Hongjoong appreciates the effort. 

Jongho shoves Mingi in the side for the comment and it earns him a whine from the taller wolf as well as a bout of giggles from one of the witches. 

“Yah! It was just a question. Isn't it our mission to understand this stuff?” Mingi protests as he pouts and rubs at his sore ribs. 

“I’m pretty sure our mission isn’t to look like idiots in front of the leaders of other magical cities either,” Jongho grumbles back. 

The same witch as before lets out another laugh and Minji gives them an amused smile.

“Don’t worry, we do not see you as fools for not understanding. We don’t fully understand it either, as we only have access to part of the prophecy,” the coven leader explains. 

Hongjoong blinks at them in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

Minji’s expression turns regretful. “We only have access to the information the original dream coven was given. It was believed that keeping such vital information all in one place was too dangerous in case any of the leaders were ever corrupted as the dark wizard was or one of the major cities was overrun by shadows and the prophecy was lost. If any of that ever came to pass, a piece of the prophecy would still exist somewhere else to give guidance to the chosen.” 

Hongjoong presses his lips together in displeasure. Although he understands the safety precautions, this just makes their mission far more complicated. 

“So then, where do we go for the rest of it?” Hongjoong asks, tone bordering on impatient. 

“According to some of the text I’ve researched, the end of each part of the prophecy is meant to lead you to the next one. So in theory, we already have the answer,” Yoohyeon answers quickly. 

Hongjoong’s frown deepens with uncertainty. He didn’t want to mistrust the witches but the prophecy seemed pretty definitive to him. Nothing indicated that it should lead them anywhere, let alone that it was unfinished. How were they supposed to guess at something written centuries ago? 

The rest of the pack shares in Hongjoong’s confusion, especially Mingi who is quick to voice his doubts. 

“I’m sorry, but how is holding hands and restoring peace a clue? Sounds more like a fairytale or a nursery rhyme to me.” 

Just as Jongho is about to scold Mingi once more for his lack of manners and self-awareness, Yunho’s eyes light up in recognition.

“Mingi, that’s it! You’re a genius,” the tallest wolf beams as he turns to his best friend in excitement. 

“I am?” Mingi asks, perplexed as he looks into his friend’s animated features. He clears his throat to try and cover up his disbelief and starts again. “I mean, of course I am,” he says, puffing up his chest proudly. 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes at the display and turns to look at Yunho instead. “And why, exactly, is Mingi a genius?” 

Yunho turns to Hongjoong, still grinning from ear to ear. “The last part of the prophecy mentioned peace.”

The Captain didn’t know if his lack of sleep from the night before was catching up to him but he really didn’t understand what Yunho was trying to get at. What did peace have to do with where they had to go? 

“Moons, Mingi is a genius!” Seonghwa exclaims as he turns to Yunho, now grinning as well and with that same look of realization in his eyes. 

“Would one of you care to share with the class?” Wooyoung chimes in, getting impatient that none of his packmates were explaining anything. 

Hongjoong could relate. 

“A city of peace straight out of a fairytale,” Yunho says in excitement. 

The Captain is still confused for a moment until realization slowly dawns on him as well. 

“Pyeonghwa..” He says just above a whisper. 

Seonghwa nods beside Yunho, a large grin still stretched across his pretty lips. “We have to go to Pyeonghwa.” 

One of the witches starts clapping then, and they all turn to look in her direction. “Looks like this little pack is smarter than they look after all,” she says with an amused laugh.

Gahyeon lightly elbows Siyeon for her comment. “Don’t be mean, Siyeon-unnie. If it were up to you, we’d still be trying to figure out the prophecy.” 

The rest of the coven laugh at the young witch’s comment and Siyeon frowns but doesn’t bother to defend herself. 

“What Siyeon means to say is that we’re impressed with your team. Surely the mark is in good hands if you are all to be chosen,” Minji says with a warm smile. “Now, is there anything else we can do for you before you leave for Pyeonghwa? I know you must be anxious to get going, but we would be happy to accommodate you for the night.” 

Hongjoong’s first instinct is to insist that they leave as soon as possible considering the gravity of their mission, but when he glances over at his team and is reminded of Wooyoung’s injured leg and Seonghwa’s wrapped arm, he decides it would be best for all of them to rest for the night. 

“Yes, I think that would be for the best, thank you. Would it also be possible to get some healers to look over my team? We wolves heal fast but some of us were injured during the fight with the shadows earlier and I’d like for them to have a clean bill of health before we head out in the morning.”

“Of course, Gahyeon can see you to the medical wing after this. Do you require any other provisions?” 

Yunho cuts in then to answer instead. “Some new energy crystals for our vehicles would be useful if you have them on hand. I’m not sure how far Pyeonghwa is from here and I’d like them as a backup.” 

“We should have plenty in the technical supplies building. I’ll have Yubin gather some supplies for you. She’s our expert when it comes to technology magic. I’ll also have her provide you with a navigation system to help you get to Pyeonghwa. It’s not too far from here, but the fog between our territories can get rather dense,” Minji offers. 

Yunho thanks her with a smile. “That would be great, thank you.” 

“Is there anything else?” she asks. 

“Food?” San pipes up enthusiastically from the side as he raises his hand as if he were in school. 

Jongho groans in exasperation as his hyungs continue to embarrass them. 

Minji and a few of the other witches chuckle at the outburst. “Yes, dinner will be prepared for all of you in your lodgings after you finish at the infirmary.”

San fist pumps in triumph as the pack, minus Hongjoong and Jongho, snicker at his antics. 

“Thank you for sharing your knowledge and opening your city to us, Minji-ssi. KQ is grateful for your help,” Hongjoong bows and says his thanks, ending the conversion before his team can ask any more questions of varying levels of significance. 

“No need for such formalities, Captain. We’re all allies in this fight and we’re happy to help the chosen in any way we can,” Minji replies, bowing back respectfully. 

Hongjoong still doesn’t know if he likes or hates the title of “chosen”, but so far the title has brought them more harm than good so he’s leaning more towards the latter. The titles of “Captain” and “pack leader” were already heavy enough titles to bear in his opinion. 

“Now, Gahyeonie, could you please escort them to the medical wing? It’ll be nightfall soon and it would be best for them to get settled in as soon as possible so they can rest up for their journey tomorrow,” the head witch orders kindly. 

“Sure thing, Unnie. Kirara must be tired from carrying Wooyoung around anyway,” the youngest witch replies, sending a teasing look in Wooyoung’s direction. 

Wooyoung guffaws in offense. “I’m as light as a feather!” he protests. 

Gahyeon snickers and walks over to them. “Whatever you say, Youngie.” 

The two continue to bicker back and forth as the pink-haired witch leads them out of the large meeting room. 

“Oh, and Hongjoong,” Minji calls before he’s completely out the door. 

He turns to her as the rest of the pack follows Gahyeon down the hall. “Yes?” 

A dark expression passes over her face for a moment before her pretty features smooth over. The sudden change of expression unnerves Hongjoong, but not as much as her words do right after. 

“I’ve heard from multiple cities that the shadows around their borders have also increased. You and your pack best be careful out there,” she warns. 

Hongjoong swallows thickly and nods his head. “I will. Thank you.” 

He gives the coven a short bow before turning and following after his team, now even more anxious to move on to Pyeonghwa and hopefully get some real answers as to where he and his pack fit into all this. 

Kyungmoon’s words from the infirmary reverberate in his mind once more. 

“The last documented soulpack was over a thousand years ago during the great war.” 

He hopes it doesn’t all mean what he thinks it does, but the feeling of foreboding follows him throughout the evening up until he finally falls into an exhausted sleep. 

-

The next morning, the team is up and ready to go as soon as the sun peeks over the horizon. There are a few grumbles about the early hours, especially from San and Mingi, but they’re all in a better mood and far more awake after the breakfast the quaint, gothic inn they stayed in provided. Wooyoung was also back on his feet after his visit to the infirmary and taking Gahyeon’s healing potions before bed, which Hongjoong was grateful for. They couldn’t afford to be a man down with such an important mission ahead of them. 

Seonghwa’s forearm was also healing well and he should be able to remove the bandages by the next day according to Yeosang, who had decided that Seonghwa’s injuries were not severe enough to require Gahyeon’s potion. Hongjoong still hadn’t been able to apologize to his second in command, but he hoped the concern he showed over his well-being was enough for Seonghwa to understand he wasn’t upset with him, just worried. From the disapproving look, Yeosang gave him when he refused to ask Seonghwa about his condition directly, he assumed the healer disapproved of him avoiding the issues as much as Mingi and Yunho did in the jeep. 

But surely words could wait until their mission was over, right? 

As they bid the innkeeper farewell and start their trek back to where they had left the jeeps behind the previous evening, Gahyeon and another witch join them. Hongjoong recognizes her as one of the coven members from the day before but he isn’t sure what her name is. The cart behind her is rather full and Hongjoong almost offers to help her pull it until he realizes it seems to be floating behind her on its own. 

“Good morning!” Gahyeon greets brightly. Kirara yips sleepily from her shoulder now back in her smaller form and the witch gently pets her tired familiar. 

“Morning, Gahyeonie!” Wooyoung greets just as cheerily and gives her a quick one-armed hug. 

“How’s the ankle?” 

“Way better thanks to you and your coven. It’s still a little stiff but I can at least walk on it now without any pain. That potion really is magic,” he says with a little giggle. 

The smile on Gahyeon’s pretty face widens at the comment. “Well, it’s a little magic, a little medicine and a lot of trial and error but I’m glad it was able to help. I actually have a few more vials I wanted to give to you guys. I hope you won’t need them, but just in case.” 

She reaches into the pouch on her side and hands a few vials over to Yeosang who is walking beside Wooyoung. “You’re a very capable healer, so I’m sure you’ll know when these are needed or not,” she says as she places the three vials in Yeosang’s hands. 

“Thank you,” Yeosang gives the witch a polite smile as he pockets the potions. 

“What’s all that behind your friend?” Wooyoung asks, peeking his head over Gahyeon’s shoulder in an attempt to see what that other witch had in her cart. 

“Oh! This is Yubin-unnie. She was in charge of getting all your supplies together,” the pink-haired witch explains as she steps aside to introduce Yubin to the wolves. 

“Nice to officially meet you,” The other witch, Yubin, bows politely. She’s only slightly taller than Gahyeon and has long blue hair that starts almost gray at the top and ends at an intense cerulean at the tips. She has a handsome face, with pouty lips, a small nose and intense, almond eyes. Her expression would be intimidating if her demeanor weren’t so calm. 

“Likewise,” Hongjoong replies, bowing back. “Thank you for bringing us the supplies we asked for.” 

“It’s not trouble. It’s nice to get a new project every once in a while,” she says with a small smile. 

“How are you getting the cart to float behind you? I’ve never seen magic like that in KQ!” San asks excitedly, popping up on Hongjoong’s left side. 

“It’s a simple levitation spell. They’re hard to maintain for long periods of time, though, so I paired it with some energy crystals I installed in the cart to keep it moving while the spell is active,” she explains easily. 

“Wow…” San says in awe as he watches the cart float effortlessly behind Yubin as they walk. 

“You didn’t understand a word she said, did you?” Hongjoong asks with a snort. 

San shakes his head. “Not a clue, but it’s still really cool,” he admits shamelessly. 

Yubin chuckles at San’s honesty. “That’s alright. The process is quite technical from a magic standpoint, but it’s similar to how energy crystals power your vehicles. Magic users infuse the crystals with energy magic and then that energy is used to power other things. I just use spells to redirect that energy in different ways.” 

San nods in faux-understanding and Hongjoong is tempted to tell Yubin that San isn’t familiar with how energy crystals work either, but he decides to leave it be for his packmate’s sake. 

The walk continues for only a little while longer before they finally reach the town’s gate. Hongjoong still isn’t a fan of the haunting architecture and foggy streets, but he supposes there’s a certain peace to it in the early morning hours that many would find charming amongst the hustle and bustle of life in other cities. 

San and Mingi help load the extra energy crystals into the back of the jeeps with the rest of their supplies while Yubin teaches Jongho and Yunho how to work the navigation system she created to help them get to Pyeonghwa and other major cities in the area through the dense fog. 

Hongjoong tries to busy himself with double-checking his equipment and making sure everything is accounted for, but he can’t help but let his eyes wander to Seonghwa every now and again as the eldest helped re-organize the supplies once the new crystals were packed away. It was a bad habit of his, to let his eyes linger on Seonghwa for more than was acceptable for a simple cursory glance. But Seonghwa was beautiful and Hongjoong was weak to that beauty. 

The second in command looked sleek and put-together as always, ash blond hair pushed back artfully and not a wrinkle to be found in his black clothes even though they had all woken up at the crack of dawn. His movements were fluid, even with the healing injury on his forearm, and he worked steadily as he always did with a focused look pinching his pretty features. 

Everything seems normal until Hongjoong catches sight of Seonghwa’s eyes. They were usually a deep honey color, bright and shimmering as they reflected the rays of the sun or a deep caramel tinged in fondness as he watched over the pack. However, Seonghwa’s eyes were dimmer now and he looked tired. It reminded Hongjoong of the look Seonghwa wore the night before they left, weary and forlorn all for reasons Hongjoong still didn’t fully understand. He wonders what it was about this mission that is wearing on his lieutenant almost as much as it is on him. 

“I hear pictures last longer, hyung,” a voice stage whispers from behind him. 

Hongjoong snaps out of his musings and glares at Wooyoung by his side. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Wooyoung muffles a laugh behind his hand. “I never took the great Captain Kim for a liar,” he quips back. 

“Shouldn’t you be helping the others pack or bothering someone else right now?” Hongjoong deflects, pointedly turning away from Wooyoung and pretending to observe the rest of his team at work. 

The obvious dismissal only makes Wooyoung cackle more. “Whatever you say, Captain. But remember, Seonghwa-hyung doesn’t bite. Or at least not unless you ask him to,” he teases one final time with a devious smirk on his lips before walking towards where Gahyeon and Yeosang were gathered. 

Hongjoong chooses to ignore the younger wolf’s teasing and re-focus on the mission instead. He had already wasted too much time daydreaming as it was. He spares Seonghwa one last concerned look before promising himself that he’d ask the lieutenant what was wrong the next time he got a chance whether the mission was over or not. He usually reserved personal conversations for after missions since emotions could complicate issues rather than help resolve them out in the field, but for Seonghwa, he could make an exception. It was his job to ensure his packs well being, after all. 

With the new resolution in mind, he re-directs his attention and addresses the rest of his team. “Alright everyone, we should get going.” 

The pack replies with a quick chorus of “Yes, Captain,” before saying goodbye to the witches who were still with them. 

“Thank you for everything, Gahyeonie. Don’t be a stranger when you’re in KQ next time, okay?” Wooyoung says as he hugs his friend tightly. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to ask for you when I need more test subjects for my potions,” she jokes as she hugs him back just as fiercely with Kirara letting out little yips of protest from being squished between them.

Yubin bows to them and says her goodbyes in a much less physical way than her fellow coven member who gives all the wolves a warm hug before bidding them farewell. 

“Take care, you guys!” Gahyeon says one final time as they all load up into the jeeps. 

Hongjoong smiles in her direction and waves goodbye to both her and Yubin. “Thank you! And tell Minji and the others thank you for me, as well. You were all a great help and wonderful hosts.” 

“I will!” Gahyeon shouts over the sound of the engine coming to life. They all give the witches one final wave before setting off toward their next destination. 

Pyeonghwa.

Chapter Text

As expected, the road to Pyeonghwa is filled with a dense fog as the dream witches had warned them. Unlike the fog surrounding Dreamveil that was saturated in the scent of magic, this fog is more of a natural mist that hangs heavy in the air like a humid blanket even though Hongjoong suspects it has some sort of magical origin as well. Either way, his nose wasn’t a fan of either smell. 

According to the navigation system Yubin gave them, they weren’t far from the fairy capital but they had to drive slower than usual because of the eerie mist. The only good thing about the magical haze was that there were little to no shadows lurking about. Since shadows were born of dark magic, they usually avoided areas with a high concentration of light magic even if it was just the foggy exhaust of it. 

They were back to their previous car arrangements except this time San and Wooyoung had switched jeeps. Wooyoung said he needed bonding time with the others but Hongjoong is sure that he just wanted to annoy Jongho as he drove since he had already grown bored of questioning Yunho on the way to Dreamveil. 

Driving to Pyeonghwa was exceptionally more lackluster with not much to see out the windows besides dilapidated shrubbery and dense fog. Eventually, the monotony of the dull view combined with the gentle swaying of the car and San’s animated chattering with Mingi lull Hongjoong into a light sleep. His lids fall closed on their own volition just as San starts talking about how Gahyeon promised he could ride on Kirara next time and soon he falls unconscious. 

Hongjoong is awoken what feels like just minutes later when the jeep comes to an abrupt halt. 

He’s immediately more alert when he sees the looks of confusion on his packmate’s faces after he blinks away the sleep enough to see them clearly. 

“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asks, looking around them to try and identify any threats to his team as he shakes off the last vestiges of sleep. 

“The car just…stopped,” Yunho says as he tries the ignition one more time, frowning when nothing happens. 

“Is the energy crystal depleted?” Hongjoong asks. 

Yunho shakes his head. “It shouldn’t be. I was keeping an eye on the energy gauge and the last time I looked it still had more than a quarter left. There’s no way it could have completely drained that quickly.”

The Captain’s brows furrow as he looks at the dark control panel of the vehicle and tries to come up with other explanations for the sudden stop. 

“We should contact the others and let them know we lost power. After that, we can get down and try and figure out what’s wrong,” Hongjoong decides, reaching up to activate his earpiece since the car radio was no longer working. 

Before he can tap into the other team’s frequency, a voice comes through the communicator first. 

“Captain, can you hear me?” He hears Jongho's voice say. 

“I hear you, over.” 

“Our vehicle has lost power a few paces behind you and we aren’t sure why,” the youngest reports, voice serious. 

Hongjoong’s concern increases as the situation grows stranger and stranger by the second. “We’ve lost power as well. We’re about to get down and see if we can figure out what’s wrong. You guys should do the same. Contact us again if you run into any trouble or if you can figure out what’s wrong. We’ll rendezvous in half an hour if we still haven’t made any progress.” 

“Roger that. We’ll let you know if we find anything,” Jongho replies. 

“Good. Make sure to stay safe while you look around out there,” Hongjoong warns, concern creeping its way into his voice. He hates it when he has no control over a situation and even worse when his team is split up like this, even if it’s only a short distance. 

“Don’t worry, Captain, we’ll be fine. Talk soon.” 

And with that, Jongho cuts off their communication. 

“What did they say?” Mingi asks, leaning forward to get a better look at Hongjoong from the back seat. 

“They said the same thing happened to their jeep. They shouldn’t be too far behind us but I feel uneasy being separated like this for too long so I told them to meet up with us in half an hour if neither of us are able to figure out what’s wrong,” Hongjoong explains, eyebrows still knitted together in apprehension. It was strange enough that their car stopped working all of a sudden, but for the others to experience the same thing had to be more than a coincidence…

“How far are we from Pyeonghwa?” the captain asks, turning his gaze back to Yunho. 

“If the navigation system is correct, then we’re only a little more than a mile away. We could probably make it on foot if anything and then see if someone in the city can help us move the jeeps if worse comes to worse,” Yunho explains, looking at the dots on the navigation screen in thought as he contemplates their options. 

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t like the idea of us walking through this thick fog even if the city isn’t too far from us. But we can discuss it as a group if we aren’t able to resolve the issue,” Hongjoong says, not liking the idea of walking into the mist blind. 

“Well, no time like the present,” San says as he opens the side door and hops outside. 

“Don’t stray too far,” Hongjoong warns as he, too, jumps out of the car after San. 

Mingi and Yunho follow suit and exit the jeep as well. Yunho immediately opens the hood of the car to see if there is anything obviously wrong with any of the machinery while San takes a lap around the jeep to see if there is anything off about the tires or the exterior of the car. Mingi heads to the trunk, presumably to get Yunho a new energy crystal to test the engine and Hongjoong scopes out their surroundings for any signs of danger or the rest of their packmates. 

Wolves have sharp senses, possessing a stronger sense of smell, vision and hearing than most other magical creatures. However, even with all of those advantages, Hongjoong isn’t able to see or smell much through the dense fog surrounding them. The dampness in the air stiffles his sense of smell and the heavy layer of mist makes it almost impossible to see more than a few feet in front of them at a time. 

He ventures a little further away to see if he can catch a whiff of something in the air or hear traces of other life around them, making sure to keep the jeep in his sights so he wouldn’t get lost. 

Hongjoong knew there was something off about the situation, he just didn’t know what and it was starting to fray at his nerves. Was it some sort of trap? Maybe an ambush by rogue goblins looking to steal from unarmed travelers? Vengeful spirits waiting to see if they can attack any fairies passing through? He knew all his theories were far-fetched, but there wasn’t much out in the neutral area that could hurt them aside from shadows, and there was no way they would be able to set a trap like this if it was them. 

Hongjoong keeps his senses sharp as he moves further to survey the area, frustration growing as he finds nothing but dirt and trees and more fog. He is about to give up on his search for any foul play and head back to the jeep to see if the others had made any progress when he hears it. 

“Hongjoong…” 

The word is so faint he barely catches it at first, most of it lost to the unsettling silence around him. But then, it comes again. 

“Hongjoong.” 

The voice is still faint, but this time it’s loud enough for him to understand the call of his name. 

He looks around slowly, moving his hand to rest on the blade on the front of his vest, ready for an attack should it come. The hairs on his arm are standing on end and he feels goosebumps forming on the surface of his skin at the unnerving sound of the strange voice. 

“Hongjoong,” it calls again, and this time the distorted voice almost sounds…familiar. 

The Captain narrows his eyes in suspicion, gripping the knife tighter as he moves slowly in the direction he thinks the voice is coming from. 

He takes a few steps in anticipation, on edge as he waits for the voice to come again. 

“Hongjoong.” 

This time, the voice is much clearer and Hongjoong immediately recognizes who it belongs to. 

He loosens his tight grip on his knife and stares into the dense fog in confusion. “Seonghwa?” he says just above a whisper, unsure if his ears were deceiving him or not. Wasn’t the second in command supposed to be with the others? 

“Hongjoong, please. Come quick,” Seonghwa’s disembodied voice calls out to him once more, this time much more frantic. 

“Seonghwa, what’s wrong?” Hongjoong shouts, now moving more urgently through the mist. Seonghwa would never disobey a direct order unless it was to keep the pack safe, so if he was really wandering in the fog asking for help, something must be very, very wrong. 

“Hongjoong, hurry!” Seonghwa’s voice calls urgently. 

Hongjoong picks up the pace, now looking around frantically as he runs aimlessly through the fog. Flashes of how tired Seonghwa looked this morning pass through his mind unbidden. Maybe he was sick or feeling so exhausted that he had collapsed trying to find them? Or maybe he was injured by a shadow in the mist? Terrible scenario after terrible scenario play out in his mind as he stumbles along the desolate landscape in search of Seonghwa. 

“Seonghwa, where are you?!” he yells, trying desperately to locate his teammate and find out what’s wrong. 

“Hongjoong, help! Please!” Seonghwa’s voice calls out again, growing more and more hysterical by the moment. 

Hongjoong is all but sprinting at this point, trying desperately to catch sight of Seonghwa, or the jeep, or any of his packmates. His heart is pounding wildly in his chest as his head swivels quickly from side to side, feeling almost disoriented as he’s met with nothing but fog wherever he looks as he follows the sound of Seonghwa’s voice.

“Hwa! Seonghwa!” 

He runs and runs into the mist feeling his leg muscles start to ache and his throat go dry from all the yelling, but he doesn’t care. He needs to help his team, he needs to reach Seonghwa. 

“Seonghwa!” He yells again when there’s no response and he’s starting to doubt the direction he’s running in is even the right one. 

“Hongjoong, over here! Hurry!” Seonghwa’s voice sounds again, this time much closer than the last. 

Hongjoong gains a renewed burst of energy at the proximity of the reply and sprints blindly into the fog in front of him, hoping to see Seonghwa on the other side. 

However, when the mist finally clears, it isn’t Seonghwa he sees, but the edge of a cliff. He’s running too fast to catch himself and he takes a large step into empty air before he can stop his momentum. He feels his stomach fall to his feet as he tips over the edge and starts to free-fall straight into the misty depths of the ravine below. All he sees is an empty abyss in front of him filled with nothing but a light fog that he is sure conceals the deadly height of the cliff he is currently falling from. 

A million thoughts flood his mind all at once as alarms blare in his head, but none are coherent enough to understand over the pure feeling of dread that floods his senses. The soulmarks on his body burn as panic fills every cell in his body when he realizes there’s little he can do even if he turns around and tries to grab the edge of the cliff that is getting further and further out of reach by the second. 

He closes his eyes and braces himself, hoping beyond hope that he survives the impact he is sure is only moments away. 

However, his fall is abruptly halted and to Hongjoong’s surprise, it’s not by the harsh surface he thought he was plummeting towards. 

“Hyung!” he hears Mingi’s panicked voice shout from above him. 

Belatedly, he realizes Mingi’s hand is clutching his wrist almost painfully tight and his shoulder is aching from being tugged in the opposite direction gravity intended for him to go. Hongjoong’s vision is swimming as he looks up into his friend’s frantic, gray eyes, almost unseeing as the panicked haze slowly lifts from his mind. If it weren’t for the hint of orange still tingeing Mingi’s distressed scent, Hongjoong isn’t sure he would have been able to recognize who it was that had caught him. 

“Mingi..?” he manages to reply weakly, mind still half-frozen in terror.

“Hyung, hold on! I’m gonna pull you up, okay?” 

Hongjoong thinks he nods, but his body is still too numb to tell. Apparently, he manages to do something because the next moment, Mingi is heaving him upwards, closer to the edge of the cliff he had carelessly stepped off of. 

When more of his body is on solid ground than dangling off the edge of a deadly cliff, most of the panic has finally made its way out of Hongjoong’s system and he can now feel more than the all-consuming dread that had paralyzed him as he fell. 

The first thing he feels is the ache in his shoulder. Initially just a prick of discomfort, the joint is now pulsing in pain. It isn’t dislocated, but he definitely hyperextended the ligaments surrounding it. 

The next thing he feels is the stiffness in every one of his muscles as if they had all seized up at once and are only now being released from the iron grip his panic had on them. 

The last thing he feels is a tingling sensation around the wrist still grasped in Mingi’s tight grip. It isn’t painful like his shoulder, just overly warm, almost as if Mingi is gripping his wrist directly-

Hongjoong abruptly jolts and yanks his wrist out of Mingi’s grasp when his mind finally catches up to his body, wincing as the movement jostles his aching shoulder. He looks down at the reddening skin exposed between his gloved hand and the receding hem of his shirt sleeve and sees something there he’s almost positive wasn’t there this morning. 

Thin black lines in the shape of a rope wrap around the entirety of his bare wrist and are connected by an overhand knot in the center of his inner wrist. A soul mark. 

“You know, if I wasn’t still shaking from saving your life, I would be over the moon about getting a soul mark before Yunho,” Mingi says from beside him, breaths still heaving as he gives Hongjoong a shaky smile. 

The Captain looks up at his packmate and returns the smile with a small quirk of his lips, still just as shaken up but no less grateful that Mingi was able to reach him in time. 

“I’m not exactly a fan of bonding with people without asking, but thank you,” he replies.

He feels the warm feelings of relief and joy pulse through the new soul mark before Mingi breaks out into a more genuine smile and envelops Hongjoong in his large arms. 

“I’m glad you’re safe, Hyung,” the taller wolf exhales as he embraces Hongjoong fiercely. The captain can still feel minute tremors pass through Mingi’s body as he hugs him. He can’t even imagine what it must have been like for Mingi to watch him run off the edge of a cliff like that. 

“Me too, Mingi, me too.” 

Hongjoong rubs Mingi’s back in comfort, returning the hug as best he can with his good arm, afraid to move his shoulder too much and risk hurting it more. 

They sit on the rocky ground by the cliff’s edge in silence for a few moments before a thought suddenly strikes Hongjoong. 

“How did you know I was in danger?”  

Mingi loosens his grip around Hongjoong’s shoulders enough to speak clearly but doesn’t let go of him completely. 

“We got a call from Wooyoung over the coms. He said he and Yeosang felt something weird through the bond and when they tried to contact you, you didn’t answer. Me, Yunho and San thought you were just checking the perimeter, but when you didn’t answer our calls either, San and I decided to go look for you while Yunho watched the jeep. The others did the same, so I’m sure they’re running around looking for you somewhere. I’m just the one who lucked out and got to see you walk off a cliff,” he finishes with a subdued laugh, aiming for humor but not quite hitting the mark and landing somewhere closer to discomfort. 

“I’m sorry you had to see that, but I’m glad you found me, even if I have to have an ugly rope around my wrist for the rest of my life now,” Hongjoong teases to lighten the mood. 

Mingi shoves him playfully. “Yah! It’s a cute rope, how dare you!” 

Hongjoong feels lighter as he laughs at Mingi’s exaggerated indignance, happy beyond words that he gets to laugh so freely alongside his packmate after almost falling to his demise just minutes prior. He never thought of himself as lucky, but he really felt he was in that moment. 

“We should contact the others if they were also looking for me. I don’t want them wandering around in this fog after what happened to me,” Hongjoong says, already reaching up to tap on his coms. 

Mingi just shrugs. “I’m sure they’ll be able to pick up on the stench of moldy wood like I did. You smell awful when you’re distressed, do you know that?” 

“You save someone's life and suddenly think you can insult them, huh brat?” Hongjoong reprimands as he pulls Mingi into a headlock with his good arm. 

“I’m just speaking the truth!” Mingi protests as he flails in the loose hold for show. 

Hongjoong chuckles at his packmate’s antics, glad he seems to be back to his usual self, and finally opens his coms. He doesn’t remember turning his com link off, but that would explain why no one was able to get ahold of him. 

“Aurora pack, come in,” he speaks aloud. 

Hongjoong isn’t quite ready for the chaos that descends in the coms after that. 

“Captain, where were you?!” 

“Are you alright, Hongjoong?”

“Hongjoong-hyung, you had us worried sick!”

“Captain, is Mingi with you? He didn’t come back with San.” 

“I swear to the moon, hyung, I will roast your ass for ghosting us like this.” 

More and more questions pile up all at once and the Captain can barely identify who is talking with how loud and disjointed all the voices are over the connection. 

“Enough!” Hongjoong says sternly through the coms to try and quiet the cacophony of sounds. “Mingi and I will rendezvous with you all at jeep 1 and I'll explain everything there. Understood?”

A few grumbles and “yes, captain” come through the line and Hongjoong considers it good enough for now. 

“See you all soon,” he ends the connection with a tap to his earpiece and looks down at Mingi comfortably lying on his lap after having been released from the headlock. 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes fondly at the gesture and gently nudges Mingi to get off him. “Time to go, Mingi-yah.” 

Mingi groans in displeasure but eventually stands, offering a hand to Hongjoong. The Captain takes it gratefully and heaves himself off the hard ground before they both start walking back towards the jeep and very far away from the cliffside.

By the time they make it back to the car, the rest of the pack is already waiting for them. 

Yunho is the first to spot them, head turning in their direction right away as they step into view. 

“Captain! Mingi!” he says in excitement, running up to them immediately. 

Relief is evident in his features as he looks over both of them and sees they are no worse for wear. 

“Where did you guys go?!” Wooyoung is quick to follow up, having jogged over as soon as he saw Yunho move towards them. 

“Yeah, what happened?” San adds, peeking his head between Wooyoung and Yunho’s shoulders, always wanting to be in the know as well. 

“Oh, nothing. Hongjoong-hyung just almost fell off a cliff, nothing major,” Mingi shrugs nonchalantly. 

Hongjoong wants to face-palm at the less than stellar delivery, knowing this would only garner more questions. 

“He WHAT?!” Wooyoung all but shrieks. 

“Yah, you’re going to destroy our hearing and attract potential enemies to our position screaming like that. It wasn’t that serious. I’m fine, “ the Captain tries to calm them all down. 

“Barely,” Mingi snorts. “I had to pull him back over the edge. Look! I even got a soul mark because of it,” he says, proudly showing off the new rope outline now adorning his wrist. 

Hongjoong groans again and this time he really does run a hand over his face. 

“What?! No way!” San says, going on his tiptoes to try and see over Yunho and Wooyoung. 

“I thought you said no more bonding, Captain!” Wooyoung protests, as he yells at Hongjoong. 

“Wow, let me see!” Yunho says as he excitedly grabs Mingi's wrist. 

“Stop! No more questions. I’ll explain everything when we get to the rest of the pack. Now, everyone quiet down especially you, Mingi,” Hongjoong adds as he sees Mingi about to open his mouth and make another comment. 

The taller wolf’s jaw clicks shut and he pouts down at Hongjoong but says nothing else. 

Hongjoong sighs and looks at Yeosang, Jongho and Seonghwa waiting by the jeep expectantly as Yunho, Wooyoung and San fidget in front of him, fighting the urge to ask more questions about what happened. This was not going to be a fun conversation. 

They walk over to the rest of the pack and Hongjoong quickly dismisses their worries about his well-being, saying only his shoulder was hurt but it wasn’t anything serious. Yeosang insists on taking a look anyway and Hongjoong lets him while he recounts what had happened to the rest of his expectant teammates. 

He tells them what he experienced in the mist (conveniently leaving out exactly whose voice he heard in the mist) and how Mingi had saved him. Mingi takes the opportunity to step in and tell the story from his perspective afterward. Explaining how he smelled something off in the air and was able to follow it straight to Hongjoong. He said that he had called Hongjoong’s name several times as he ran after him, but it appeared that the Captain couldn’t hear him for some reason. And finally, he recounted how he had managed to dive after Hongjoong’s falling form and save him from plummeting off the cliff just in time. 

Mingi speaks as if he’s telling a group of children a fairytale in which he’s the hero of the story. Although Hongjoong finds the display humorous and enjoys how the others roll their eyes and tell him to be serious, he knows the truth. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever be able to forget the fear in Mingi’s eyes and the trembling in his body as he hugged him, much like he’s sure to never forget his own fear in that moment.

“I actually did hear things while I was walking through the mist, but I thought I was just imagining it,” Yeosang says after Mingi and Hongjoong are done speaking and he has put Hongjoong’s arm into a sling to rest the sore muscles in his shoulder. 

Hongjoong’s eyes immediately snap to their healer. “What? Really? Why didn’t you believe it?”

“When a weird, disembodied voice offers you chicken, it’s just too good to be true,” Yeosang says, sounding more disappointed than worried about the existence of strange magic in the mist that surrounded them. 

“Ha ha, very funny, Sangie,” Wooyoung says sarcastically, not believing his best friend one bit. 

“I’m serious! But I was too focused on finding the Captain anyway. The bond wouldn’t stop nudging me,” he defends, rubbing at the rose on his wrist absentmindedly. 

Hongjoong’s interest peaks once more at the comment. 

“Mingi mentioned you and Wooyoung felt something through the bond and that’s why you all went to look for me. What did you feel?” the captain asks curiously. 

“It just felt like something was wrong and we both knew we needed to find you,” Wooyoung answers instead.

Yeosang nods in agreement. “Yes, it almost felt like intuition or instinct.” 

“Since the soul bond is tied to our pack bond, maybe it makes you more aware of your wolf instincts?” Yunho suggests. 

“It could be. Like our wolves telling us our pack leader was in danger,” Wooyoung contemplates, rubbing his chin as he mulls over Yunho’s words. 

“Like a wolf spidey-sense! I wonder if I have it now, too,” Mingi adds excitedly as he looks down at his new soul mark. 

Jongho rolls his eyes, choosing to ignore Mingi’s comment. “Whatever it was, I’m just glad it happened. It seems like it really saved the Captain from a dangerous situation.” 

The rest of the team nod along to the youngest wolf’s words. Hongjoong didn’t even want to think of what could have happened if the bond hadn’t warned them. Perhaps this whole soul pack thing wasn’t all bad after all. 

“Now that we’re all together and safe. We should continue on our mission. Were you guys able to restart either of the jeeps?” Hongjoong changes the subject, not wanting to dwell on his near-death experience. 

Yunho shakes his head. “Negative. I even changed the energy crystal and still nothing. I think there might be some sort of magical interference that doesn’t let the crystals function properly. Seonghwa-hyung thinks it might be because we’re so close to Pyeonghwa.” 

Hongjoong turns to Seonghwa for the first time since returning. He hadn’t dared make eye contact with Seonghwa as he was recounting what had happened, afraid the second in command would be able to tell he was lying about the voices he heard. But now, he regrets not having had the courage to look at him before. His lieutenant looked even more stressed than when he had seen him this morning, obvious signs of weariness now marring his handsome features.

“Yes, I remember reading that cities protect their borders in different ways. Much like Dreamveil has its barrier and KQ has its tall walls and patrol teams, Pyeonghwa might have their own way of deterring shadows and other magical creatures from trespassing,” Seonghwa explains elegantly, astute as ever even while under pressure. 

“So, they might be jamming other types of magic around the city?” Hongjoong asks, trying not to let any of his concern show on his face.  

Seonghwa nods. “I think so. It would explain why the crystals aren’t working and why our communicators might be glitching. Like what happened to yours when we tried to contact you.” 

“Then how do we get there?” Mingi cuts in, frowning at the news. 

“Why don’t we just walk? Yunho said it wasn’t too far,” San suggests with an easy shrug of his broad shoulders.

“You want to walk a mile in this weird mist that almost got the Captain killed?” Wooyoung asks, raising a skeptical brow at his mate. 

“Don’t say it like that,” San whines, “We’ll all be together this time and we can even hold hands so we don’t get lost!” 

Jongho chokes on a laugh. “What are we? Pups? I’m not holding any of your hands.” 

San pouts. “Spoilsport.” 

“Actually, it’s not a bad idea,” Hongjoong hums in thought. 

San brightens up immediately. “We can hold hands?” 

“Not that part,” Hongjoong corrects and San deflates once more. “The part about walking the rest of the way to Pyeonghwa. How far did you say it was, Yunho?” 

“About a mile. At least that’s what it looked like on the navigation system,” Yunho clarifies. 

Hongjoong contemplates the idea. Although he doesn’t want any of his team wandering through the mist, they were basically sitting ducks stranded out in the middle of it. They were better off trying to reach Pyeonghwa and getting help than standing here and wasting time. Besides, they hadn’t encountered any shadows while they were walking around the area, so it seemed safe to assume that whatever magic had created the mist was also working to deter the shadows. And as San had mentioned, if they all walked together as a group, there would be a lower chance of any of them getting lost or separated even if they didn’t hold hands. 

Pyeonghwa also had a fairly good relationship with KQ, so Hongjoong was sure they’d be able to help them retrieve the jeeps if they were the ones who created the mist around the city. 

Hongjoong nods to himself before turning to the rest of the team. “Alright, we’re walking,” he announces. 

San looks excited that his idea was approved, while Mingi and Wooyoung grumble at the prospect of having to go the rest of the way on foot. Yeosang, Yunho and Jongho look relatively unperturbed by the news and Seonghwa looks mildly concerned, but no one outright disagrees with the decision. 

“Yunho, do you think you can lead us in approximately the right direction?” he asks. 

Yunho nods enthusiastically. “Yes, we should be able to reach it if we walk straight from here and I should be able to smell strong magic when we get close enough to the city.”

“It’s settled then. Grab anything you need from the jeep and let's head out,” he orders. 

They all quickly grab their weapons and small travel bags from the jeep, those in jeep 2 having already brought over their things earlier. Mingi and Wooyoung are still not all that enthusiastic about walking, but San offers to hold both their hands on the way to cheer them up. Wooyoung sighs fondly and lets San take his hand while Mingi reluctantly agrees as well, letting San happily swing their hands and drag them both to where Yunho is waiting for them in front of the jeep. 

Hongjoong shakes his head at his silly packmates as he quickly grabs his own things. While he looks around to make sure he has everything he needs, he sees Seonghwa still rummaging through the trunk as if looking for something. He raises a brow, curious, and before he can think better of it, he walks over to the lieutenant. 

“Did you lose something?” he asks as he sidles up beside Seonghwa. 

Seonghwa startles slightly but doesn’t turn to look at him when he replies. “I was looking for extra water flasks. Wooyoung lost his when he fell so he and San have been sharing, which is fine, but I’d prefer if everyone had their own just in case.”

Hongjoong nods in understanding even though Seonghwa isn’t looking at him. He’s trying to ignore the way Seonghwa seems to be avoiding his gaze, and tells himself the other is just too focused on his current task. 

“I think Yunho has a few with him. He always carries extra supplies in case Mingi forgets or loses his, so you can probably ask him,” Hongjoong suggests. 

Seonghwa stops his aimless searching and throws his small satchel over his shoulder. “Thanks. I’ll go ask him before we head out,” he replies with a polite smile, one that seems too cold and distant to be genuine, and turns to head in the direction of the others. 

Hongjoong’s heart feels iced over by the impersonal treatment. He knows Seonghwa isn’t doing anything wrong. He’s probably trying to keep things professional out in the field even though he may be unhappy with Hongjoong as a person at the moment. Hongjoong can’t even blame him with the distance he himself had put between them. But Seonghwa was such a warm person that this detached professionalism felt like a slap to the face. 

As Seonghwa takes his first steps away from him, Hongjoong moves without thinking and wraps his gloved hand around Seonghwa’s forearm, stopping the other from moving any further. 

Seonghwa turns to him in surprise, eyes wide in shock. Hongjoong couldn’t even blame him. He almost never initiated physical contact. He told himself this was a tactical decision. He had resolved to talk to Seonghwa after they left Dreamveil after all, this was just the perfect opportunity to do so. It had nothing to do with Seonghwa’s sad eyes or the way his heart constricted at the other’s cold politeness. Definitely not. Because then, he would have made a decision based on emotion and not rationality, and that was something Hongjoong just didn’t do out in the field. 

Until now. 

“I’m sorry about yesterday. It was out of line for me to yell at you and Wooyoung. I was upset at myself for letting you both get hurt and I took my frustration out on you, which is something I never should have done. I know we don’t talk about personal issues out in the field, but I just want to clear the air between us. We make a better team when you don’t want to punch me in the face, right?” Hongjoong rambles, trying to end on a joke to lighten the heavy tension between them. His smile is lopsided and a little forced, but he hopes Seonghwa can see the genuine effort he’s putting into apologizing even if his words are stiff and all over the place. 

Seonghwa’s expression is hard to read. Still stuck between surprised and carefully neutral. Hongjoong can hear his heart pumping nervously in his ears and hopes it isn’t loud enough for Seonghwa to hear. That would make the situation even more mortifying than it already was. 

He’s about to start rambling again when Seonghwa finally ends his suffering. The lieutenant offers him a smile, and this time, it’s a real Seonghwa smile. It is bright, and warm and pretty, just like him. The corners of his lips pull upwards, slowly revealing his pearly white teeth and sharp canines. And if that weren’t enough, Hongjoong’s breath is knocked right out of his lungs by Seonghwa’s airy giggle. 

“My, my, Captain. One would think you’re being tortured, not apologizing to a friend with the look you have on your face,” Seonghwa teases gently, bright smile still sitting prettily on his lips. 

Hongjoong can’t help but crack a smile in return. Seonghwa’s happiness was always contagious. 

“Yah, don’t tease. I was afraid you’d be mad at me,” Hongjoong replies. His tone is light but there is definitely truth to his words. 

By the way Seonghwa’s expression softens, it seems he understands Hongjoong was genuinely worried that he was upset. “I’m not mad at you, Hongjoong. I never was, to be honest. I was confused about why you yelled at us and I was annoyed that you were ignoring me instead of confronting the issue, but I was never mad at you. I’m glad you apologized, though,” he says with a kind smile. 

Hongjoong is at a loss for words at the moment, just staring at Seonghwa’s soft features and kind eyes. He doesn’t know if it’s Seonghwa’s dazzling smile or his sparkling honey gaze that finally melts his brain and all coherent thought but his next words come out before he can even think to stop them. 

“So you don’t want to punch me in the face?” he blurts, unthinking. 

He wants to slap himself for saying something so silly after Seonghwa had been so sincere, but the moment he hears Seonghwa laugh again, all his thoughts come to a halt once more. He didn’t know going just a few days without hearing the sound of Seonghwa’s laughter would affect him so much. 

“No, not currently,” Seonghwa replies, small giggles still bubbling out of him. 

“Good. I’ll try to keep it that way for the rest of the mission at least,” Hongjoong says, a smile sneaking its way onto his face. 

Seonghwa looks like he wants to say something more but he’s cut off by Wooyoung’s yell. 

“Are you guys done making out back there? I want to get out of this creepy mist sometime today,” the younger shouts. 

Hongjoong and Seonghwa both go red at the accusation and Hongjoong’s brain decides that now is the perfect time to remember that his gloved hand is still around Seonghwa’s arm. He pulls away immediately, his face turning three shades darker in embarrassment. “Sorry,” he whispers automatically, making a fist with his hand and trying to ignore the foreign warmth in his palm as butterflies dance in his stomach at the contact. 

Soenghwa shakes his head, a pretty flush decorating the tops of his cheeks as well. “It’s fine. We should get going anyway.” 

Hongjoong nods. “We’re good now, right?” he asks one more time, just to make sure. 

He thinks he still sees a bit of hesitation clouding Seonghwa’s honey eyes at the question, as if something was still bothering him or holding him back from being completely honest. But when the second in command smiles at him again, Hongjoong’s heart can’t help but do another little flip as static fills his brain. He needed to get a hold of himself. 

“Yeah, we’re good, Joong,” Seonghwa replies warmly and the sound of the familiar nickname in Seonghwa’s smooth, comforting voice is all Hongjoong needs to feel at ease. 

His wolf also finally feels settled after the incident in the mist. Seonghwa was here and he was safe and he didn’t sound anything like the distressed voice he had heard in the fog. 

“Wait, are you guys ACTUALLY making out back there?!” Wooyoung screeches and their comfortable moment is broken once more. 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes and yells back. “Quit the yelling, we’re coming!” 

“I swear, he forgets werewolves have enhanced hearing or something,” he adds in a lower voice so only Seonghwa can hear. 

The other wolf just grins, amused. “Shall we go before he tries to rupture our eardrums again?”

“Definitely,” Hongjoong says with a low chuckle.

They make their way back to the rest of the team who are impatiently waiting for them at the front of the jeep. Wooyoung, Mingi and San look about ready to jump around the corner to see what’s happening while Yunho, Jongho and Yeosang are holding them back to give their pack leaders some privacy. 

“Took you long enough,” Jongho grunts as he finally lets go of Mingi’s arm, letting the other stumble forward now that no one was holding him back. 

“Sorry for the delay. Is everyone ready to go?” Seonghwa says seamlessly moving the conversation forward and away from any questions about why they took so long. 

Hongjoong was beyond grateful for his second in command’s natural ease in these types of situations. 

“Oh, so we’re not gonna talk about why you guys took forever?” Wooyoung asks. His brow is raised in suspicion as he shrugs off Yeosang’s loose hold on his shoulder. 

Seonghwa smiles diplomatically and Hongjoong can see the subtle threat in his exaggerated politeness and narrowed eyes. “Nope. Now, let’s get going,” he replies, easily herding Wooyoung and the rest of the pack away from the jeep. 

“No fair,” Wooyoung whines as he crosses his arms and lets himself be ushered away. “I liked you better when you were mad at him.” 

Seonghwa chuckles goodnaturedly but doesn’t reply. 

“Alright. If everyone’s ready, let’s head out. Yunho, lead the way,” Hongjoong commands, noticing that they were all, in fact, ready to go and had just been waiting on them. 

He would be more embarrassed if he didn’t feel so much better after taking the time to speak with Seonghwa. 

Yunho takes the lead easily and they all fall into step behind him. Hongjoong and Yunho take the front and Seonghwa takes the flank with Wooyoung close by, still trying to wheedle information out of the older wolf. From what Hongjoong could hear, Wooyoung hadn’t made much progress on that front. 

They walk for almost twenty minutes before they start to see a looming shadow in the distance. 

“Is that…?” Yeosang asks, squinting at the vague outline of buildings in the distance. 

“I think so,” Yunho says, taking a quick inhale of the air. “The smell of magic is a lot thicker in that direction.” 

“Tread carefully, everyone. If we’re close to the outskirts of the city, there may be fae guards nearby,” Hongjoong advises. 

The rest of the pack give sounds of acknowledgement as they all start walking a little more cautiously and taking the time to be more vigilant of their surroundings, even if they still couldn’t see very far ahead of them in the thick fog. 

After another few minutes of walking, the blurred image of a large elegant castle starts to materialize in front of them. A lot of details were still hidden by the mist, but Hongjoong could definitely tell that it was Pyeonghwa now. The large castle had multiple sections that spread wide across the city’s center. It looked to be covered in mosses and ivy, but it was no less elegant. The low wall surrounding the entire city was also completely covered in plants and flowers, so much so that Hongjoong wasn’t sure if there was any stone behind there at all or if it was just all foliage. Hongjoong had heard that Pyeonghwa was the least changed by time out of all seven magical cities, and he couldn’t say he disagreed. The city of fairies really did look straight out of an old fairytale. 

They’re about to reach the tall iron gates that are also covered in ivy and sparse blooms, when they encounter a set of fae guarding the entrance to the city. 

Hongjoong waves to them and gives them as friendly a smile as he can muster. “Hello,” he greets. 

The fae guards look at them curiously. “Afternoon. What brings wolves to Pyeonghwa?” one of the tall guards asks. 

“We traveled here to speak with the fae King about a matter of great importance,” Hongjoong answers, tone serious and even, trying to infuse his words with as much urgency as he could. 

However, the guards eye him skeptically. “We weren’t informed that wolves requested an audience with the king,” the other guard says. 

Hongjoong tries not to let the annoyance show on his face as he replies, “We didn’t request a formal audience, but we are on an urgent assignment from the head general of KQ. We have his official recommendation on hand if your King wishes to confirm the nature of our assignment himself, but I can assure you it’s a matter he would be exceedingly interested in discussing,” he tries again. 

But the guards still eye them with suspicion. “If it was something so important, then why wouldn’t you inform his Majesty ahead of time? Not just any visitor can have an audience with the King,” the second guard says more forcefully this time, eyeing them down with condescension, as if he didn’t think Hongjoong was worthy of speaking to their King. 

The Captain’s patience is starting to wear thin at how unreceptive the guards seemed to be to his words. He knew it would be harder to get into Pyeonghwa than it was to get into Dreamveil, but he didn’t expect it to be this annoying. 

“Listen here. The success of our mission can determine the fate of the entire magical realm, so if you would just please let us through so we can request an audience with the King, that would be ideal,” Hongjoong grits out, trying his best not to lose his temper. 

But the guard is not amused by his attitude, despite Hongjoong’s best efforts. “And we’re telling you that we can’t let you in on official business that hasn’t been approved beforehand so scram, dogs.” 

Hongjoong is about to bite their heads off, literally or metaphorically, he isn’t exactly sure himself, when a new voice interrupts their conversation. 

“Is everything alright over here?” the new voice asks, light and airy as a summer breeze. 

The guards turn around immediately and scramble to bow. “P-prince Yeonjun, what are you doing so far from the palace?” the guard who had just spoken rudely to them stutters out. 

Now that the guards were bowing, Hongjoong could see the fae standing behind them. The man, or Prince, was just as beautiful as one would expect a fairy prince to be. He wore light, but elegant robes that were embroidered with golden thread and made even brighter by the thin layer of magic that emanated from the man like fairy dust. His eyes were slightly pointed at the ends and he had a set of magnificent fairy wings protruding from his back as all fae royalty did. His hair was even magical, with pretty pink strands dotted with faint flashes of yellow and blue scattered throughout. His features were also soft and fairy-like, dainty, but still striking and handsome. 

The beautiful fairy frowns. “This is my city. Am I not free to go wherever I please?” 

“O-of course, your Majesty, it’s just dangerous for you to be this close to the city gates, is all,” the guard tries to clarify. 

“Hmmm. Is that why you’re giving my friends such a hard time? Because you think they’re dangerous?” the prince asks. 

“Friends?” the guard asks in shock. 

The prince nods and now even Hongjoong is staring at him in confusion. He had never seen this fairy before in his life. 

However, it seemed that one of his packmates had. 

The fairy turns to look at the group of wolves and smiles at them, but his eyes are focused on one wolf in particular. 

“Hello, darling, it’s been a while,” he greets, smiling brightly at Wooyoung. 

Wooyoung’s eyes light up in recognition and a broad smile pulls at his lips. “Yeonjunie?! You never told me you were a prince!” 

The prince laughs. “Well, you never asked, darling. We can catch up once you’re inside. My guards will open the gates for you and your friends, won’t they?” he finishes as he turns back to the guards who were standing frozen by the gate and turning paler by the second. 

When the prince addresses them, they almost trip over one another in their rush to comply with the prince’s request. They wave their hands over the gate and it slowly opens on its own, probably under some sort of enchantment. 

“Thank you,” the prince tells the guards before turning back to look at the pack. “Sorry about that. They can be quite overprotective sometimes. I suppose that is their job, but they’ve been even worse about it lately,” Yeonjun says with an exasperated shake of his head as he leads them inside the city. 

“No, it’s alright. Thank you for letting us in,” Hongjoong says, trying his best to be polite even though he was still mildly annoyed at the guards. 

“Enough about that,” Wooyoung says as he squeezes himself between Hongjoong and Yeonjun. “Yeonjunie, you’re here and you’re a prince!” 

Yeonjun chuckles at Wooyoung’s excitement. “I’m 10th in line for the throne so I’m not exactly the most important prince in Pyeonghwa, but yes, technically I am. Sorry I never told you back in school. My family didn’t want me to tell anyone for safety reasons,” he says apologetically. 

But Wooyoung only waves him off. “Don’t worry, I get it. But wow…I was best friends with a fairy prince! I knew you totally used magic to cheat in our horticulture class. I never saw you water that plant even once!” Wooyoung accuses playfully. 

Yeonjun laughs at the memory. “We were ten. How did the teachers expect us to be responsible enough to keep a plant alive the conventional way?” he replies with a shrug, not even trying to deny that he had used his fae magic to keep the plant alive. 

“So, are we gonna address the fact that Wooyoung is apparently friends with everyone in the magical realm?” Mingi pipes up, looking from the dazzling fairy prince to the rest of his pack.

Wooyoung rolls his eyes. “This might be surprising for you mister recluse, but some of us actually have more than one friend. Yeonjun and I met back in middle school. We were close friends until I went off to the academy for training and Yeonjun went back home. We were pretty young so that’s why it took me a second to recognize him. He was a lanky little kid and his wings hadn’t come in yet when we met. Now he’s all princely and shit.”

Wooyoung yelps as Hoongjoong elbows him for being so rude to the prince. They may be childhood friends but the pack was in foreign territory at the moment and cursing wasn’t exactly well-mannered or diplomatic. 

“Watch your mouth,” Hongjoong sneers under his breath. 

But to Hongjoong’s surprise, the prince just laughs. 

“It’s quite alright. I find his snark rather charming. It’s how my darling and I became such good friends in the first place. Hard to forget the boy who bit someone to defend your honor,” Yeonjun says pleasantly, a nostalgic smile on his face. 

Yeosang snorts. “Yeah, that sounds like Wooyoung.” 

“I have sharp teeth and those bullies deserved it,” Wooyoung says with an easy shrug. 

“Umm, is there a reason you keep calling my mate darling or…?” San cuts in, looking visibly uncomfortable as he sticks close to Wooyoung’s side, eyeing Yeonjun suspiciously. 

“Oh, I didn’t know you were mated! How wonderful. Congratulations, darlings,” Yeonjun beams, seeming genuinely happy for his friend.

San’s jealousy immediately deflates and he sinks into Wooyoung’s shoulder in shame. Wooyoung chuckles at his silly mate but pats his head in comfort anyway. “Yeah, this idiot here is my mate, San. We’ve been mated for about two years now. And he calls me darling because he calls all his close friends darling, dummy.” Wooyoung says the last part to San directly as he bumps his head against San’s affectionately. 

“I apologize if that seemed too forward of me. It’s just an old habit. I have no intention of courting your mate, San. I have a betrothed of my own, so that wouldn’t go over well with him either,” Yeonjun giggles. 

“No way! Is he here in the city? I wanna meet him and tell him how lame you were in middle school,” Wooyoung says excitedly, a devilish twinkle in his amber eyes.  

“As much as I am riveted by this conversation, we came here to discuss important business with the King, not to gossip with old friends. No offense, Prince Yeonjun,” Hongjoong interrupts before the conversation can get too out of hand. 

“None taken. It was rather rude of me to start speaking with Wooyoung without introducing myself to all of you. I’m Prince Yeonjun of the Choi family of fae. I already know Wooyoung and San, but what about the rest of you?” 

“I’m Hongjoong, leader of the Aurora pack and a Captain in the KQ army. This is my second in command, Seonghwa. The tall duo in the back are Yunho and Mingi and the quiet ones are Jongho and our healer, Yeosang,” Hongjoong introduces the team easily. 

“Nice to meet you all,” Yeonjun says with a polite smile. “What is it that you wish to discuss with the King?” 

Hongjoong looks around their immediate vicinity and makes sure there aren’t too many prying eyes or ears on them before answering. “It’s about the increase in shadow activity recently. We’re on a mission from the heads of KQ to figure out a way to stop it and we think the King may have some information that might be able to help us.” 

Yeonjun hums in acknowledgment. “My grandfather is rather busy so it’s almost impossible to talk to him unless you request an official audience.” 

“But-” Hongjoong tries but is cut off by Yeonjun raising a hand to stop him. 

“Almost impossible,” he repeats. “Unless you have the recommendation of his favorite grandson, of course,” he finishes with a wink. 

Hongjoong breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” he says sincerely. 

“You’re the best, Yeonjunie!” Wooyoung squeals as he gives the fairy a quick hug, careful to avoid his wings. 

Yeonjun chuckles. “Of course, darling. But careful, your mate might get jealous again,” he teases as he glances in San’s direction. 

San turns beet red, whining as he goes to hide behind Yunho in embarrassment while Wooyoung cackles loudly at the joke. 

Hongjoong is beginning to notice a pattern with all of Wooyoung’s friends. 

“Don’t tease my mate too much, Yeonjunie, that’s my job,” he says as he lightly shoves the fairy away. 

Yeonjun chuckles. “Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t resist. He’s rather cute when he’s embarrassed.” 

Wooyoung gives an exaggerated dreamy sigh. “I know. Can you believe people think he’s scary? He’s just a big softy under those broad shoulders.” 

Hongjoong shakes his head as the two continue to talk, making jokes at poor San’s expense as well as each other's while they make their way through the town and towards the tall, looming architecture of the castle. 

Even the town itself looked straight out of a fairytale. Unlike KQ’s more modern buildings and tall city centers, Pyeonghwa was laid out like a traditional magical town with small homes and businesses made of mostly wood and stone instead of metal and glass scattered throughout. It felt like Hongjoong had been transported into the past or one of those Renaissance festivals Seonghwa always wanted to go to in the human realm. 

The people seemed to go about their business, much like they did in Dreamveil, but the streets were much busier with all sorts of magical creatures running about. It was the only real similarity Pyeonghwa had to KQ. The hustle and bustle of city life was present no matter how different they looked from the outside. 

When they finally arrive at the white, stone steps of the castle, Hongjoong cranes his neck up to look at the tall building. The ivy and moss he had seen from afar was still present, but it was much more deliberately placed than he had initially thought. Instead of covering the intricate golden engravings that decorated the white stone pillars and windows, it actually accentuated it by following the neat gold detailing with the twists and turns of flowering vines. It was the perfect mix of nature and craftsmanship. Even the tall pillars and pointed roofs of the various castle towers were tastefully decorated in moss and vines to balance the stark white stone with the lush green flora. 

Yeonjun leads them past the guards at the front, easily dismissing their concerns about the strangers he was letting into the castle. 

Hongjoong was beyond relieved that Wooyoung somehow had a connection in Pyeonghwa because getting to see the King without Yeonjun’s help really would have been impossible. He isn’t even sure a good word from Kyungmoon would have granted them an audience this quickly. He silently thanked the moon for their good fortune. 

When they finally reach their destination after walking down a long hall that was far too ornate and pristine for a pack of dusty wolves to be walking through, Yeonjun pushes open the large, white and gold doors easily, not even bothering to knock. 

Hongjoong is suddenly nervous to be in the presence of such a powerful ruler, especially when they came unannounced.

“Grandfather, I brought you some visitors,” the prince announces as he ushers them inside. 

A fairy with soft orange hair looks up from the mountain of paperwork on his desk. His glasses hang low on his nose and his translucent wings flutter elegantly behind him. He’s dressed in robes similar to Yeonjun except his are much more detailed and colorful, fitting of his status as the King of Pyeonghwa. 

However, to Hongjoong’s surprise, the fairy doesn’t look much older than General Kyungmoon. He knows fae age much slower than werewolves, but he didn’t expect someone who was a grandfather to look quite so youthful. 

The ginger fairy looks up at them curiously as he removes his glasses and sets them gracefully on his refined wooden desk. “I didn’t know you were acquainted with a werewolf military unit, Yeonjun.” 

“I went to middle school with one of them when I was sent to study abroad in KQ. I believe it was fate that brought us together today as I was making my way around the city. I know how busy you are, but I believe they have important information you’d be interested in hearing,” Yeonjun says, sounding far more polite and formal with his grandfather than he had been while talking to them. 

Hongjoong supposes he was the king after all. 

King Kwon looks contemplative, his small but striking features pinching in thought. “Fate huh…” he says as he glances over at the pack of wolves before returning his gaze to the fae prince. “Very well. I’ll listen to your friends if you make me your ganjang gaejang the next time I go visit.” 

Hongjoong sees Yeonjun’s lips curl up into a smile as he answers. “I’ll be sure to fish the freshest crab for you, your Highness,” he says with an exaggerated bow. 

King Kwon laughs, subdued but still genuine. “Stop that. Family doesn’t bow to one another. Now,” he says as he turns back towards the wolves, “What can I do for my grandson’s friends?” 

His voice is melodic and his smile is polite but kind. Somehow, Hongjoong thought someone of such high standing who had been ruling for so many centuries would be more..cold and traditional. But he was pleasantly surprised by how modest and friendly the fae king seemed to be. 

“Thank you for allowing us the time to speak with you, your Highness. My name is Hongjoong, and I am the Captain in charge of this team. We’re on a mission from KQ to find out why the number of shadows has been increasing lately and…” Hongjoong hesitates for a moment, not sure how he should go about revealing the existence of their soul bonds. He knows the prophecy led them here, but he was still reticent to speak about the soul pack with a stranger. 

The king looks expectant but doesn’t make any move to rush Hongjoong, waiting patiently. Hongjoong takes a moment to observe the king, but when his wolf doesn’t sense any ill-intent or any reason to mistrust him, Hongjoong decides to keep going. 

“And also to find out if the awakening of a new soul pack has anything to do with it,” he finishes, watching the king closely for his reaction to the statement. 

King Kwon’s eyes widen minutely, but that’s the only indication that he recognizes the significance of the term. “A soul pack? So that’s why the shadows have become more aggressive…” the king says more to himself than Hongjoong. 

Hongjoong’s heart sinks at the confirmation. He knew the activation of the leader mark probably wasn’t a good thing, but to hear it affirmed somehow made it worse. 

“So, there’s a connection? We only heard part of the prophecy when we visited Dreamveil, so we weren’t certain,” Hongjoong says, quick to question the comment. 

“The witches gave you their prophecy?” This time, the king’s eyes grow obviously wide in surprise. “Then, that means you bear the leader mark?”

Now it was Hongjoong’s turn to look surprised. He wasn’t expecting the king to bring up the leader mark so quickly. Did the entire magical realm know more about the mark on his chest than he did? 

“Uh, yes, I do. The prophecy led us here so we were hoping you’d be able to tell us more about it?” Hongjoong asks, still a little uncertain. 

“I don’t mean to be rude, but may I see the mark before we continue this conversation? I need to be sure before I tell you any more,” King Kwon says, voice soft but serious. 

Hongjoong knows he has no reason to doubt the king’s intentions, but being asked to reveal something so personal out of the blue wasn’t exactly something he was comfortable with. 

At the delay in his response, Wooyoung subtly nudges his left side, trying to hurry him along. 

The captain sends a glare the other’s way, but is met with Wooyoung’s fierce eyes instead. He isn’t sure if it’s the bond or if he just imagines it, but he swears he can hear Wooyoung’s voice in his head telling him to “Stop being such a coward and hurry up.”  

He scowls at this packmate, but unzips the combat vest over his long sleeved shirt anyway, his need for answers outweighing his reservations in the end. 

Hongjoong doesn’t take off his entire shirt like he did in the infirmary, instead, he pulls down the collar of his fitted activewear shirt as far as he can to reveal most, if not all of the mark.

Recognition flashes across the king’s face and Hongjoong isn’t sure if that’s a good thing or not until he speaks. “It’s exactly the same…” he whispers in awe before looking back up at Hongjoong.

“Thank you for showing it to me, and sorry if it seemed as if I didn’t believe you. I’ve been guarding the fae prophecy for over a millenia, so you can understand my caution.” 

Hongjoong releases his shirt, letting it rest naturally over his chest again to cover the leader mark. “Yes, caution is something I definitely understand when it comes to this topic,” he answers with a short laugh. 

“More like paranoia,” Wooyoung whispers under his breath, earning him a subtle stomp on his foot from Hongjoong. 

The king smiles in amusement. “As is to be expected. It’s a great responsibility to be a leader and the chosen one on top of that.” 

Hongjoong grimaces at the term. “Yeah, I’m not exactly thrilled about the last bit. What does it even mean to be the chosen one?” 

King Kwon chuckles at Hongjoong’s honesty. “It means you and your pack have been chosen to defeat the shadows; for good this time if all goes well.” 

Hongjoong is rendered speechless at the enormity of the claim but the rest of the pack are more than a little vocal about it. 

“US???” Mingi nearly screeches. 

“But we’re just one pack!” San protests. 

“How are we supposed to defeat an entire army?” Yunho whispers in disbelief. 

“Yeosang can’t even use a vacuum!” Wooyoung yells. 

Yeosang shoots him an offended look. “What does that have to do with anything?” 

“Settle down, everyone!” Seonghwa eventually intervenes, placing his hands on Mingi and Wooyoung’s shoulders to try and calm them down through touch. Hongjoong also notices his floral scent sweetening in an attempt to put them all at ease. 

“It’s not that we don’t believe you, your majesty the king of fairies, sir, but…it seems a little impossible for eight wolves to be able to defeat a threat that’s been around for like a thousand years?” Mingi says, doubt clearly evident in his voice and on the strained look on his face. 

“What my teammate means is that the last soul pack had an army behind them to help fight the corrupt wizard and the shadows. We might have KQ on our side, but we don’t have an army ample enough to take on such a task,” Hongjoong tries to clarify. 

“I understand your skepticism, but even if we had an army even larger than the one formed through the alliance during the great war, we would not be able to defeat the shadows without the soul pack, not the other way around,” the king states. 

“But…how?” Hongjoong asks, still not quite believing his ears. 

The king's expression is still pleasant and mild but his eyes grow distant, as he looks away from Hongjoong and out of the large arching Renaissance-style window. 

“I fought in the great war a millenia ago and the cause almost seemed hopeless until the soul pack joined the fight. Their light magic was the strongest I had ever seen and I studied under some of the most powerful mages and fae rulers in history,” he says before turning back to Hongjoong and the rest of the team. “If that same magic flows through you and your pack, which I believe it must, then you are more valuable than any army.” 

King Kwon’s tone is serious but his eyes are alight with something close to hope. 

Hongjoong swallows thickly at the weight of the statement. How could they be so important? How could he be so important?

Sensing the other’s tension, King Kwon changes topics as he leans back in his seat to sit more comfortably. “Tell me something, Hongjoong. Did you see anything in the mist surrounding the city?” 

If possible, Hongjoong grows even more tense at the question. 

“Not so much see as hear. I heard voices that sounded like my teammates. It made it seem as if they were in danger,” he decides to use a half-truth, hoping the king wouldn’t catch on to the slight waver in his voice.  

The king hums and Hongjoong isn’t sure if he believes him or not, but he doesn’t call him out on it either. 

“Nearly took him off a cliff, by the way. A little too extreme for a security measure if you ask me,” Mingi adds gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Hongjoong shivers at the memory of dangling off the edge of a cliff still fresh in his mind. Definitely not something he was keen on reliving any time soon. From the deep frown on Mingi’s face and the cloudiness in his eyes, he was sure his packmate felt the same. 

King Kwon’s eyes widen slightly, but he just gives them an apologetic look. “My apologies. The shadows have been getting rather aggressive around our territory lately, so I intensified the enchantment on the mist to ward them off. However, it’s only supposed to affect creatures with high concentrations of magic like the shadows, which brings me to the reason why I asked you in the first place. A regular wolf would not have triggered the enchantment. You would need much more magic than that. Magic that dwells inside you because of the leader mark, whether you’re aware of it or not.” 

Hongjoong is floored by the explanation. That would explain why he was the only one affected by the mist. He was grateful the rest of his team didn’t have to experience what he had, but it honestly terrified him a bit. He’s always known the leader mark made him different from other werewolves in some way, but this was so much more than he thought. 

The captain stands there in stunned silence, unable to articulate any type of response in return. 

But thankfully, there was always one person who knew how to pick up the pieces for him. 

“So, then, what do we do? If our pack has all this power, what are we supposed to do with it?” Seonghwa asks, stepping in to fill the silence Hongjoong had left. 

“That is for you all to find out,” the king says cryptically as he stands up to approach the expansive bookcase behind his desk. He moves briskly, reaching for a nondescript black book on one of the higher shelves with the help of his pretty fairy wings. 

He floats back to his desk gracefully and sits down in the chair once more as he sets the book down in front of him. 

“Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what you need to do to rid our realm of the shadows, but I can give you what you need to figure it out.” He places his hand on top of the black leather-bound book. A golden ring appears on the book cover and glows brightly as the king holds his palm to it as if unlocking some sort of magical seal. 

The pack stares, mesmerized by the ethereal glow until the light diminishes and the king opens the book. 

Hongjoong is expecting some sort of text to appear on the pages or even a projection like the prophecy given to them at Dreamveil, but instead, the book opens to a hollow slot carved into blank, yellowing pages. From inside the indent, the king pulls out what looks like a message in a bottle. 

“This is the part of the prophecy I was given to guard when the alliance decided to keep the soul pack a secret. The text will not appear unless the chosen one touches it, so it’s been kept in this vial for centuries. I think it’s about time it gets some ink on its pages,” he stares at the bottle nostalgically before turning to Hongjoong and the rest of the pack with a small smile, extending the bottle in their direction. 

Hongjoong hesitates, taking the bottle but doing nothing with it at first, simply staring at the innocuous object as if opening it would unleash some unimaginable horrors, and maybe it would. 

Before Hongjoong can continue to overthink, he feels a gentle hand on his shoulder. He doesn’t need to look back to know it’s Seonghwa, all too familiar with the other wolf’s reassuring presence and encouraging scent. The touch is firm and grounding, reminding him to focus on the task at hand and not on all the intimidating “what ifs” that swirled in his mind. 

The leader swallows down his anxiety and takes a deep breath, letting Seonghwa’s grounding touch and comforting scent calm him as he uncorks the small glass bottle. He shakes it carefully to allow the paper inside to slide out onto his hand before he unfurls the page, mindful of how delicate it could be given the age of the parchment. 

Once the paper is completely open, the rest of the pack not so subtly crowds into his space to get a look at what’s written inside. 

There is nothing on the page at first and they wait for the words to appear like the king had said. 

But when nothing happens after a tense few minutes, it seems that something is off. 

“I think it’s broken,” Wooyoung says, tapping the paper none-too gently to get it to do something. 

Hongjoong quickly pulls the paper out of his reach to prevent him from tearing it. “Let’s not accidentally rip the ancient parchment, yeah?” he scolds. 

“But nothing is happening. Shouldn’t something be happening?” Wooyoung complains as he stares down the page as if he could intimidate it into revealing the hidden words. 

King Kwon clears his throat and they all turn to him. “If I may. Perhaps you should remove one of your gloves, Captain?” the king suggests demurely. 

Hongjoong feels almost ashamed at not having thought of that himself. Of course he would need to touch the parchment directly to activate whatever magic it was enchanted with, just like he needed to touch others directly to bond. He was just so used to wearing his gloves all the time he didn’t even think of it. 

“Oh-right, of course,” Hongjoong says, trying to cover up his awkwardness by putting all his focus into removing his glove without fumbling and looking even more like an idiot in front of the king. 

This time, when Hongjoong’s bare fingers grasp the edge of the parchment, it begins to glow with the faint traces of old magic. The entire slip of paper turns black under Hongjoong’s touch and words start to appear in red letters one by one, just as the king had said they would. 

“Let rivalries remain but old scars,

And retrieve what is hidden in the darkness amongst the stars.” 

Hongjoong reads the words that appear out loud as the glow fades and leaves clear, bold letters in its wake. The message itself isn’t all too ominous, but the red color of the letters reminds Hongjoong too much of blood to be anything good. 

At the end of the phrase, there is a small, five-star insignia that looks vaguely familiar to him. It makes something unsettling churn in the pit of his stomach, as if he’d seen a symbol like it before and was told to stay very far away from it.

Which is strange considering werewolves have very few natural enemies except-

Hongjoong’s eyes widen as he reads over the phrase once more, heartbeat accelerating and nerves skyrocketing when he finally puts all the pieces together. 

A location hidden in darkness. A city of stars. A message to rivals written in blood . 

“Xing…” Hongjoong breathes out in disbelief. 

Out of all the magical cities in the realm, they just had to go to the city of vampires. 

Chapter Text

Seonghwa taps his foot impatiently as he waits for Hongjoong to emerge from the Fae King’s office. 

After Hongjoong had announced that their next destination would be Xing, it had put the entire team on edge despite King Kwon’s reassurances that the vampires weren’t as bad as they all thought. 

They had reluctantly agreed to head to Xing as soon as possible given that the vampires were more active at night anyway, when the King had asked to speak to Hongjoong alone before they departed. 

Seonghwa felt uneasy leaving their leader with the King even though his wolf didn’t sense anything malicious about the fairy, but Hongjoong had given them a reassuring look and said he would join them in just a few minutes so Seonghwa had let it go. 

However, it had definitely been more than a few minutes and Hongjoong was still in there discussing who knows what with the King. What could they possibly be talking about for so long? If it was something regarding the mission or the soul pack, shouldn’t the rest of the team be present for the conversation as well?

Irritation, confusion and anxiety course through Seonghwa as he waits, eyes trained on the large wooden doors as if willing them to open. 

What was taking so long? Had Hongjoong been hurt? Kidnapped? Yeosang, Mingi and Wooyoung would be able to sense if anything was wrong, right? 

The longer they took, the more unpleasant scenarios started to materialize themselves in his mind. 

As if the moon goddess was showing him mercy, the ornate doors finally open and Hongjoong comes walking out with the fae king not too far behind.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I’ve sent some of my guards to retrieve your vehicles and undo the enchantments on them, so they should be ready for you shortly,” the king informs as he steps out into the hallway gracefully. 

Some of the tightly wound tension finally leaves Seonghwa’s frame when he sees that the Captain is no worse for wear after his long discussion alone with the fae king. However, the momentary sense of relief is quickly snuffed out when he sees the deep furrow between Hongjoong’s brows and the tight set of his jaw. Whatever discussion had taken place in the King’s office had left Hongjoong looking even more concerned than when he realized they had to go to Xing. 

Seonghwa is immediately on high alert, glancing at the fae king wearily while trying to make eye-contact with Hongjoong to determine what could be bothering his Captain so much. But Hongjoong resolutely dodges Seonghwa’s questioning gaze. 

The obvious avoidance only makes Seonghwa’s concern grow. What was going on and what exactly did the fae king tell him?

Apparently, he’s not the only one who notices the difference in their Captain’s demeanor. “Everything alright, Captain?” Wooyoung asks as he looks at Hongjoong critically. 

Hongjoong glances at Wooyoung but doesn’t maintain eye contact when he answers. “Yes, everything’s fine. I’m just a little tired.” He offers them a small, tired smile and brushes off his teammate’s concern.

Seonghwa is unconvinced. 

“You should try and rest on our way to Xing. It’ll help your shoulder heal faster as well,” Yeosang chimes in, not seeming too convinced either, but prioritizing Hongjoong’s health over his curiosity. 

Hongjoong agrees easily, which is just another red flag to Seonghwa. Hongjoong always put up a fight when anyone told him to rest, adamant that he didn’t need any even when he obviously did. Something was definitely off. 

“I would have liked to host you in Pyeonghwa for the night, but I do think it wise to move quickly given the circumstances,” the king says regretfully. 

He seems genuine in his concern for them, but Seonghwa still isn’t sure if he can trust him after Hongjoong had come out of his office looking so upset. 

Hongjoong nods. “We appreciate the sentiment. Thank you for your help and if possible, please send that message we discussed to Xing if you can.” 

Seonghwa raises a brow at the request. He feels uneasy being left so in the dark about everything. 

“I will. I’m not sure it’ll reach them in time, but I hope it’ll be of some help. Your vehicles should be ready by the time you walk back to the front gates. I wish you all luck and safety on your journey. The magical realm is counting on you,” King Kwon says with an encouraging smile.

“No pressure, right?” Hongjoong laughs dryly and Seonghwa can’t help but agree with the feeling. It was a lot of pressure on all of them to succeed. 

“Remember what I said, Hongjoong. You have more power than you know, you and your pack. Trust in the bond, and you’ll be just fine,” the king reassures them with a kind smile before turning to his grandson. “Yeonjun, would you lead them back out to the gates and make sure they have everything they need before they depart? I have some business to attend to.” 

“Of course, grandfather,” Yeonjun replies. “Let’s get going. Seems you all have a pretty long journey ahead of you.” 

“Thank you, again, your majesty,” Hongjoong gives the king a polite bow. 

Seonghwa is even more perplexed by how normal Hongjoong is acting toward the king. If he had said something that upset Hongjoong so much, why wasn’t the Captain’s discomfort directed towards the king as well? If anything, Hongjoong seemed to be avoiding the pack more than the fae king. 

Despite his confusion, he and the rest of the pack follow Hongjoong’s lead and bow to the king to give their farewells, Yunho having to remind Mingi to bow before following behind Yeonjun. 

Almost as soon as they’ve exited the castle doors, the questions start. 

“What took you so long in there, Captain?” Yunho asks casually, trying to play off how curious he is. 

“Yeah, what did you and the king talk about?” Mingi jumps in, not nearly as concerned with hiding his eager curiosity. 

Hongjoong shrugs, feigning an easy-going demeanor to try and hide the stiffness in his shoulders. “Nothing too important.” 

“Then why weren’t we allowed to be in there with you?” Wooyoung pries further. 

“He wanted to know all the details of what I saw in the mist. I guess he didn’t want to stress you guys out by having me recount it since Mingi wasn’t too happy about it when he brought it up the first time,” Hongjoong answers easily.

“What was all that at the end about sending a message to Xing, then?” Jongho asks, raising a brow as if challenging Hongjoong to keep deflecting their questions. 

“I asked him to send word to Xing about our arrival. He says he has a good relationship with the rulers of the city and that might help us get on their good side considering they aren’t too fond of wolves,” Hongjoong explains. 

“Did he say anything else about the city?” Yunho asks. 

Hongjoong shakes his head. “Nothing that would help us. He just mentioned that the city got its name from how well you can see the stars there because it’s always so dark.” 

“Great. Can’t wait to have a nice view of the stars while we get sucked dry,” Jongho deadpans sarcastically. 

“Jjongie don’t be so negative! Maybe they’ll be nice since the Captain is the chosen one,” Wooyoung says, elbowing their youngest teammate. 

Jongho huffs. “Sure.” 

“There really wasn’t anything else you discussed? You two were in there for an awfully long time and when you came out you looked…upset.” Seonghwa presses one more time, trying to get at least an inkling of what might be bothering Hongjoong. 

The Captain makes direct eye contact with him for the first time since he stepped out of the fae king’s office, but the look is as fleeting as the chatter floating through the streets of Pyeonghwa. 

“He just asked me about what we already knew about the soul pack from the information we had at KQ and what we learned in Dreamveil. Took some time to go over everything,” he says evenly, not giving anything away in the tone of his voice or the look on his face. 

Seonghwa stares at the other intently. He could tell Hongjoong wasn’t telling them everything, but he also knew that if Hongjoong didn’t think it was vital to the success of their mission, his lips would remain firmly shut on any subject he didn’t wish to discuss. And apparently whatever had upset him during his conversation with King Kwon was one of those things. 

The lieutenant understood Hongjoong’s need for privacy most days, but he couldn’t lie and say he wasn’t frustrated with his leader. They had just alleviated some of the tension in the air between them and now it felt as if there was this new ominous cloud hanging over them. Hongjoong was doing a poor job of hiding that something was bothering him and if the information was enough to unsettle him to this extent, it just made Seonghwa worry more. 

“I see…” he says finally, forcing himself not to pry any further. He hates it when Hongjoong keeps things bottled up like this, but when the Captain sets such a clear boundary, he tries his best to respect it no matter how much he wants to get to the bottom of things and offer their stubborn Captain his support if he can. 

“It’s really nothing, Seonghwa. I'm just tired from everything that happened today and I probably looked uncomfortable because my shoulder still hurts,” Hongjoong assures him, tone taking on something more natural rather than the forced evenness from before. The Captain even offers him a lopsided grin to try and ease his worries, but Seonghwa can see it straining at the edges. It’s not fake necessarily, but it isn’t as sincere as Hongjoong would want him to believe either. 

Compared to the easy smiles they had shared earlier, this was just a cheap imitation. 

Seonghwa tries to smile back, but he knows it probably looks just as strained as Hongjoong’s. “Alright, be sure to get some rest and let Yeosang look at it on the way.” He ends their conversation at that, not having the heart to keep pretending that everything was fine. 

He knows that if they kept talking, the unease would bleed into his voice and expression and he didn’t want to add to Hongjoong’s list of worries. 

They make it to the front gates of Pyeonghwa without incident, Wooyoung and Yeonjun talking animatedly along the way and relieving some of the leftover tension in the air. The jeeps are ready when they get there and Wooyoung squeezes his friend in a bone-crushing hug as they part ways with the fairy prince. 

“Promise to visit KQ or at least message me every once in a while. I expect an invitation to your wedding at the very least,” Wooyoung says as he holds the other close. 

Yeonjun laughs as he pats Wooyoung’s back gently. “Of course, darling. I’d be honored if the chosen ones attended my wedding,” he jokes lightly before his tone turns softer and more sincere, “Be careful out there, yeah?” 

Wooyoung nods and pulls away from the embrace. “We will. Thanks for your help, Yeonjunnie.” 

Yeonjun waves to them as he wishes them safe travels while Yunho and Jongho prepare the jeeps to leave. The arrangements stay the same except this time Yeosang and San switch places in order to allow Yeosang to care for Hongjoong’s injured shoulder along the way. 

Seonghwa climbs into his designated seat in jeep two and waits as the rest of his team prepare to leave. 

He watches as Yunho double checks that the engines are functioning normally and that the power levels of their energy crystals are high enough to get them to Xing without any issues. He watches as Wooyoung gives Yeosang a playful kiss on the cheek as they part ways to go to their respective jeeps. He watches as San drags Wooyoung over as Yeosang playfully rolls his eyes at his friends. . 

He watches as Hongjoong lifts himself into the backseat of jeep 1 with his good arm and pretends he doesn’t feel a heaviness settle on his heart. He wants to help Hongjoong bear his burdens, both physical and emotional. He wants to be the shoulder Hongjoong can always lean on. He just wants to be there for Hongjoong, but for some reason, the Captain just wouldn’t let him. 

“Hey, hyung?” Jongho asks from the driver’s seat. Seonghwa was so lost in thought he hadn’t even noticed when his youngest teammate had entered the vehicle. 

“Yes?” he answers quickly, trying to hide his surprise. 

“Why did you let the Captain off so easily when you knew he was lying?” 

Seonghwa is struck silent by the sudden question. Jongho was always direct with his questions, not one to mince words or waste time when it came to conversation, but his bluntness was still surprising sometimes. Like now. 

“How-” Seonghwa struggles to respond. 

“How did I know he was lying? The same way you did,” Jongho grins. “I’m sure the others also picked up on the fact that something was off, but when you let it go, they backed off too.” 

Seonghwa sighs, knowing there was no way he could avoid this conversation. “I didn’t want to stress him out even more. He holds the things that bother him close to his chest and although it frustrates me, I want to trust that if it were something vital to the mission or our safety he would tell us. I don’t like it, but there are far more pressing matters to worry about at the moment, and if he wants to focus on that instead, I will respect his decision as our Captain.” 

Seonghwa knows it probably sounds like a half-assed excuse, but it was mostly true. He didn’t want to burden Hongjoong by prying more than he should, their mission was too high-risk for that.

“Sounds like something you’d read out of a training manual in one of Kihyun-hyung’s classes at KQ,” Jongho snorts. “I just think you’re too soft on him. Our Captain is stubborn, sometimes he needs a little push and you’re one of the few people he’d probably let do that.” 

Seonghwa’s heart warms at the thought of somehow being special to Hongjoong, but he tries to not let those feelings take root. Even if he were special, it wouldn’t be in the way he truly wished to be. 

“Perhaps. But a mission where the entire magical realm hangs in the balance doesn’t seem like the best place to test that theory,” Seonghwa replies. 

Jongho chuckles. “Maybe that’s exactly the right time to try.” 

Before Seonghwa can reply, San and Wooyoung come bounding into the back seat. 

“Yah, let’s get going. I want to beat the others there for once,” Wooyoung demands, quickly shutting the door behind him. 

Jongho rolls his eyes at the request. “I already told you last time, it’s not a race. We’re supposed to stay behind the others to watch their backs.” 

“Yeah, well tell that to Mingi. He keeps saying we’re too slow and now he’s saying he’s gonna learn how to use the soul bond faster too. I say we shut him up,” Wooyoung huffs in annoyance. 

“Your pissing contest with Mingi has nothing to do with me. You can complain all you want, but I’m following orders,” Jongho says with finality as he shifts the car into drive. 

“You’re no fuuuuun. I don’t know why Yeosang likes hanging out with you so much,” Wooyoung huffs as he kicks the back of Jongho’s chair to annoy him. 

Jongho resolutely ignores him, but Seonghwa can tell he’s annoyed by the slight wrinkle on his forehead. 

Seonghwa shakes his head and settles into his seat, hunkering down for the long road ahead. 

-

By the time they finally make it to the outskirts of Xing hours later, it’s the middle of the night. Seonghwa isn’t sure if it’s really as late as it seems or if it’s the magic that keeps the city in perpetual darkness, but even their bright headlights have trouble illuminating their path. 

He had been dozing in and out of sleep until they finally came to a halt in front of the city's tall, iron gates. 

“We’re here,” Jongho announces. 

Seonghwa rubs the sleep from his eyes and does a quick once over of their surroundings. Even with his enhanced eyesight, it’s hard to see much of anything beyond the gates and the few trees in their immediate vicinity. 

San gently nudges Wooyoung, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder somewhere along the way. The younger wolf grumbles as he reluctantly wakes up, yawning loudly as he bumps his head into the side of San’s neck affectionately before pulling away and stretching his arms above his head. 

“Well, this place is just sunshine and rainbows, isn’t it?” Wooyoung says sarcastically as he looks around. 

Jongho exhales a short laugh as he opens his door. “Try driving in it.” 

“Our Jjongie is so brave,” Wooyoung teases as he follows suit. 

“Let’s keep the banter for after we’re safely inside,” Seonghwa interjects as he exits the jeep as well. 

“I wouldn’t exactly call being locked inside a city full of vampires ‘safe’, but I admire your positivity, hyung,” Wooyoung snorts.

“Yeah, this place gives me the creeps,” San says, grabbing onto Seonghwa’s arm and looking around nervously. 

“It’ll be fine, San-ah. We’re all going in together,” Seonghwa reassures, patting his fellow packmate on the head gently as they approach the gates. 

“Don’t be such a chicken, Sannie,” Wooyoung says as he sidles up beside San and grabs ahold of his mate’s hand. “Jongho will just punch them in the face or something.” 

“Great way to build diplomatic relations,” Jongho says sardonically, not even bothering to look back at them. 

Seonghwa is about to scold them for bickering once more when a sudden movement out of the corner of his eyes catches his attention. He turns his head in the direction he thinks he saw something, but all he can see is a few dead trees and endless darkness. 

He scents the air and doesn’t smell anything out of the ordinary, he doesn’t even pick up other sounds other than their footsteps and light chatter. 

The realization makes him freeze. 

He doesn’t hear anything other than the four of them. Not the sound of the wind, not the light hum of magic as the jeep’s headlights illuminate their path, and not the sounds they should be hearing from their other teammates. 

However, by the time Seonghwa realizes something is wrong, it’s too late. He doesn’t even have time to warn the others before he feels a light prick on the side of his neck and his vision goes as black as the darkness surrounding them. 

When Seonghwa comes to, he’s laying on one of the most embellished floors he’s ever seen in his life. His head is throbbing and he doesn’t remember how he got there, but when he smells the scent of blood, a whole slew of alarm bells go off in his head. He sits up quickly and realizes he’s holding onto something, or rather, someone. 

San groans beside him, arm having been yanked when Seonghwa abruptly sat up. Seonghwa feels some of his panic subside as he sees San stirring on the ground beside him, looking uncomfortable but thankfully no worse for wear. Once he assures himself that San is alright, Seonghwa ignores his headache to quickly look around and check for the rest of his packmates. 

To his relief, everyone is accounted for, including the members from jeep one. The situation wasn’t ideal, but at least no one seemed injured and they were all together. 

“Ugh,” Mingi groans, grabbing at his head as he begins to wake. It would seem that all of them were feeling the side effects of whatever they had been injected with. 

“What happened?” Yunho asks as he sits up and shakes his head, trying to clear the brain fog after having been knocked out. 

“We were drugged,” Yeosang keeps his eyes shut as he explains, probably not wanting to strain them in the dim light and further irritate his headache. “From the splitting headache and how weak my body feels, I’m guessing it was probably some sort of sleeping potion mixed with traces of silver.”

Seonghwa’s jaw drops at the statement. They had used silver on them? Not only was it incredibly rare in the magical realm, it was basically outlawed outside of very specific uses since it was harmful to a variety of magical beings, including werewolves. 

Before Seonghwa can fully process Yeosang’s words and come up with a reply, the sound of clapping cuts through his thoughts. 

“Very good. Nice to see that not all you dogs are uneducated,” a shrill voice says. 

Seonghwa’s head snaps up and he sees two black and gold thrones sitting a few paces away on a small platform accessed by a short staircase. In one throne sits the male vampire that had just spoken and in the other sits a female vampire who looks as if she were carved from marble, sitting stoic on her throne and looking terrifyingly beautiful. 

Behind them stand another set of vampires, who look at the wolves intently but seem uninterested in the conversation. 

Seonghwa’s eyes flit around the rest of the room as he takes stock of just how many vampires are in the room with them. There are about 10 guards surrounding them from what he can see, but who knows if there are more lurking in the shadows. Usually he would be able to sniff them out, but the silver had dulled his senses. 

The entire room they were in is heavily decorated with expensive linens, gold trimmings and inlaid wall accents, accompanied by artwork and perfectly carved moldings to compliment the extravagant décor. It looked like a throne room straight out of a renaissance painting, almost too elaborate to be real. If he didn’t currently fear for his pack’s life and his own, he would stop and stare at the highly decorated walls and intricate, high ceilings in awe. 

“Uhh, Wooyoung, you wouldn’t happen to have any vampire friends, would you?” Mingi gulps as his eyes roam the room nervously, probably realizing how outnumbered they were at the moment.

“I already told you I don’t know everyone,” Wooyoung grumbles back, but he still squints at all the extravagantly dressed guards and royals, trying to make out their features in the limited lighting. 

Mingi frowns. “Of course your extroverted ass doesn’t come through when it counts.” 

“Yah! My friends aren’t bargaining chips!” 

“Silence! Don’t you mutts have any manners? You're in front of the King and Queen of Xing!” The male guard to the left of the king admonishes them. He’s tall and broad and looks stronger than most of the other vampires in the room, probably the king’s personal guard. 

Mingi and Wooyoung quickly close their mouths, but don’t look nearly as apologetic as they probably should.

“With all due respect, you injected us with an illegal substance. I fear all manners are lost when operating outside the rules of our alliance,” Hongjoong cuts in smoothly. 

Seonghwa turns at the sound of the Captain’s voice and his heart stutters involuntarily. Hongjoong is still on the ground like the rest of them, the silver in their systems weakening them, but the intense look in his eyes is a clear sign to everyone that the Captain was not to be reckoned with. 

His arm was no longer in its sling, so he is able to square his shoulders in challenge even in his seated position. He looked just as fierce and defiant as he did back in their academy days when someone mistook his short stature for weakness. Seonghwa had been in awe of him then, and he was still in awe of him now. 

The vampire who had spoken first huffs in derision. “Do not think yourselves so innocent. You were trespassing into our territory and we defended our borders, as is our right in accordance with the alliance.” 

“We didn’t try to forcibly enter your city and we even sent word of our arrival. None of that seems like trespassing to me,” Hongjoong argues. 

The vampire raises his brow and Seonghwa notices a missing patch at the end of it. “Oh, really? From where?” he asks skeptically. 

“From Pyeonghwa. I asked King Kwon to send you a message. It may have been short notice, but surely that isn’t enough reason to use silver on wolves that mean you no harm,” Hongjoong answers diplomatically. 

Seonghwa sees the vampire’s eyes narrow in annoyance. “And who are you to be asking the Fae King for favors, dog?”

Seonghwa turns to look at Hongjoong and doesn’t miss the way his eyebrow twitches in indignation at the word ‘dog’, but their leader does not let the insult distract him from answering. 

Hongjoong shrugs, feigning nonchalance. “Me? I’m no one special. Just a regular dog in the KQ army. But everyone else seems to think otherwise because of this,” he says casually as he pulls down the collar of his undershirt to give the vampires a glimpse of the leader mark. 

Seonghwa wishes he could laugh at the truly comical way the vampire’s eyes widen at the sight of the mark on Hongjoong’s chest. Even the queen is breaking her statuesque façade and suddenly paying them far more attention. 

“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about it, would you?” the Captain asks, lips twitching upwards as Seonghwa watches him fight to keep a smug smile off his face. 

After recovering from the initial shock, the vampire goes back to glaring at him. “The chosen one, huh?” he scoffs. “Jiyong must love you.” 

“He was certainly more hospitable than you, but that isn’t saying much,” Hongjoong replies, not hiding his dry humor nearly as well this time. 

The vampire’s eyes flash red and Seonghwa is about to will his body to shift in order to stand between the vampire and his Captain, silver be damned, but his movements are completely stunted by the booming laugh that comes from the vampire sitting on the other throne. 

The sound is melodic and pleasant, far from the type of laugh Seonghwa had imagined an ancient vampire to have. “He has a tongue almost as clever as yours, Kibum.” 

The vampire who had been antagonizing them before turns his sharp gaze to the queen. “Are you really entertaining these mongrels, Taeyeon?” he asks, incredulous. 

“Of course not. But I do not need to believe them in order to find them clever,” the queen placates, turning her devious grin in their direction. “Why don’t we have the ‘chosen one’ prove himself?” 

For some reason, Seonghwa feels they aren't going to like whatever that means. 

Kibum seems intrigued by the prospect, irritation starting to fizzle out as the queen speaks. “What do you propose?” 

“Let’s have the leader prove he really is the chosen one. After all, that mark can just be a ruse to trick us into trusting them. Let’s have him do something that can’t be faked like, let’s say…bonding with one of his packmates.” 

Seonghwa’s breath catches. They couldn’t be serious. 

“Even after living for centuries, I have yet to see a soul bond materialize with my own eyes and I am ever so curious.” Taeyeon looks at them expectantly, her self-satisfied grin only growing as she takes in their reactions. 

Kibum gives a light laugh from beside her, amused and approving. “My dear, you truly know how to make things interesting.” 

Seonghwa couldn’t believe they had the gull to ask something like that of them. Soul bonds and soul marks were incredibly personal and not to be put on display for the entertainment of others, let alone strangers who were their enemies at best. 

Hongjoong clenches his jaw, equally as affronted by the request. The Captain looks conflicted, as if he wanted nothing more than to refuse but unsure if that would be the right move for their safety. 

When no reply is immediately given, the queen continues to taunt them. “What’s the matter? If you really are the chosen one, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?” 

“And why should I agree to your demands?” Hongjoong asks, tone defiant and eyes hard as he stares the queen down. 

Taeyeon is unaffected by Hongjoong’s intimidating glare and only offers them a serpentine smile, as if she knew she held all the cards. 

“Because I know we have something you seek, wolf. A pack of wolves would not garner Jiyong’s recommendation or step foot in Xing otherwise.” 

Hongjoong’s eyes widen imperceptibly and Seonghwa’s anxiety begins to rise. She knows . 

On the one hand, it’s a good sign that they didn’t come here for nothing. Whatever the prophecy wanted them to find in Xing was at least actually here, but having the vampires use that very knowledge against them was not something he was expecting. 

“If you know what we’re here for, then you know just how important it is that we cooperate,” the captain says seriously. 

“I do,” the queen replies easily. 

Hongjoong narrows his eyes at her blasé attitude. “Then, are you really willing to endanger the fate of the entire magical realm for something like this?” 

“Are you?” 

The queen smiles at Hongjoong in challenge, not even remotely phased by the Captain’s warning tone or piercing glare. Seonghwa wasn’t sure if she was bluffing, but her passive expression gave nothing away. If she had been ruling Xing for centuries, he isn't surprised that she knew how to get exactly what she wanted without having to lift a finger. The queen was truly terrifying. 

Seonghwa can feel the mounting tension building in the room. All the guards watched intently to see if the wolves would try to retaliate in any way, and he could see how his packmates were anxiously glancing between their Captain and the queen atop her lofty throne to see what his final decisions would be. 

And Hongjoong...Hongjoong looks like he wants to simultaneously rip the queen’s throat out with his teeth and disappear from this plane of existence. 

Seonghwa doesn’t know if it’s the almost pained look on Hongjoong’s face or the distressed scents of his pack in the air that incites him to act, but he takes a determined step in Hongjoong’s direction. 

“I’ll do it. Bond with me,” Seonghwa tells his Captain, not an ounce of hesitation in his voice. He knows that Hongjoong is probably agonizing over the choice for several reasons, but forcing one of them to bond with him under such circumstances is probably the most prominent one, so Seonghwa tries to make it clear that he is unquestionably willing to do it. 

However, the reaction he receives from Hongjoong is the complete opposite of what he expects. If anything, the Captain looks even more terrified, face going pale and eyes widening in alarm. 

“Absolutely not,” Hongjoong replies with finality, panic coloring his every word. 

Hongjoong’s words strike through him like lightning. Seonghwa thought that after the first time he had been rejected, it wouldn’t hurt as much, but he was unfortunately sorely mistaken. 

But instead of letting the pain paralyze him as it had last time, he lets it push him forward. 

“Why not? Our mission depends on you adhering to their demands and this is one of them. If we refuse them, it could endanger the team and even the realm,” he all but seethes at Hongjoong. He doesn’t want to cause a scene or expose any weaknesses to the vampires, but it was his job to tell Hongjoong when he was making a poor decision, and this was one of them. 

He understood Hongjoong’s hesitance, but so much more was at stake here than Hongjoong’s discomfort over bonding with others. Who knows what the vampires would do if they refused and they were still too weak from the silver to effectively defend themselves if the vampires chose to attack them. 

It wasn’t as if Hongjoong would have to bond with a stranger, he would bond with someone he knew, someone that was already pack. As unideal as the bonding would be, they could get what they came for and be able to hopefully make it out of the vampire’s den safely. 

This is the course of action that made the most sense for the pack’s wellbeing, so he didn’t understand why Hongjoong was being so hesitant. 

“We don’t even know if they’ll come through on their end of the bargain. We can’t trust them,” Hongjoong growls back. 

“We can hear you, you know,” Kibum calls from the other side of the room. 

Hongjoong deliberately ignores the vampire king and keeps speaking in as low a tone as possible. “You know how sacred soul bonds are. Why would you even suggest agreeing to something like this?”

“I’m not asking you to bond with a stranger, Hongjoong. I’m volunteering to bond with my pack leader to keep the rest of my pack safe because the safety of the pack is my main priority and I thought it was yours too,” Seonghwa argues back. 

“Ohhh, I like that one, he’s feisty,” Taeyeon giggles. “You should listen to him, leader-nim ,” she taunts. 

Hongjoong turns to the queen and nearly snarls. “I’d appreciate a few minutes to deliberate your unreasonable request with my team in peace, your majesty .”

“Hmmm,” the queen says as she pretends to think it over. “I’ll give you one more minute, but only because you asked so nicely.” 

“What?! That’s hardly any time at all-” 

“Time is already ticking, pack leader. I’d spend the next 55 seconds making a decision instead of yelling at me if I were you.” 

“Shit,” Hongjoong curses under his breath. 

“Make that 54 now,” she says with a jeering grin. 

Hongjoong sends her a murderous glare, which only seems to amuse the queen more. 

“I think Seonghwa-hyung is right, Captain. You’re bound to bond with all of us eventually, right? So, what’s the harm?” San suggests. 

“The harm?! The harm is giving in and becoming a side-show attraction for a vampire’s entertainment,” Hongjoong snaps. 

“I don’t like having to do what they tell us either, but didn’t the prophecy say we should put this feud aside for the greater good? As much as it sucks to have to share something as intimate as a soul bond with our mortal enemies, it’s for the sake of something bigger than ourselves, isn’t it?” Jongho interjects. He was always good at keeping a level head and using logic to get others to listen, even in the face of Hongjoong’s fury. 

Hongjoong’s anger visibly deflates at Jongho’s words. His shoulders are still stiff with tension, but he no longer looks like he wants to tear everyone in the room limb from limb. The Captain contemplates the youngest’s words, face scrunching up unhappily before he passes a frustrated hand over his face. 

“Fine,” he finally breathes. 

Seonghwa’s heart lodges itself in his throat in anticipation. It was really going to happen. He was finally going to bond with Hongjoong. 

“But not with Seonghwa,” Hongjoong adds almost immediately after and Seonghwa feels his heart drop all the way to his feet. 

“Wha-but I-” Seonghwa trips over his own words in shock, reeling from the whiplash of being so happy one moment and then completely devastated the next. 

Hongjoong was willing to bond with one of them. Just not him.

It felt like the rug had been pulled out from under him and he had no idea where he landed. All he knows is that it hurt . It hurt a lot. 

“Just 10 seconds left, little wolves,” the queen’s high voice breaks through the static forming in Seonghwa’s mind. 

He had almost forgotten where they were as his negative thoughts began to drag him deeper and deeper into himself. He couldn’t afford to be this distracted, even if it felt like his heart was being crushed in his chest. 

“I’ll do it, Captain,” Yunho speaks up quickly, aware of the time restriction placed on them. 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to force you…” Hongjoong asks, brow furrowed in concern. 

Seonghwa just wants to scream that he would be more than willing if only Hongjoong would consider him an option. 

Yunho nods. “Yeah, I can’t let Mingi have all the fun of being bonded to you now can I?” he says, giving Hongjoong one of his signature grins. 

“Alright then,” Hongjoong replies with a stiff nod. 

Mingi pouts. “I was still first,” he grumbles. 

Yunho laughs at his best friend and steps over to where Hongjoong is standing, taking off his glove in preparation. 

“Your time is up, chosen one. I do hope you’re ready to give us a show,” Taeyeon says, still smiling at them in amusement. 

Hongjoong turns an icy glare in her direction, but the vampire queen does not even flinch as she sits in her throne expectantly. 

The Captain turns back to Yunho when he realizes that nothing he does will deter the queen or make her change her mind. He looks up at their tallest teammate and takes a deep breath. “Ready?” he asks, trying to sound as confident as possible. 

Yunho nods and offers Hongjoong his bare hand. “Ready whenever you are, Captain.” 

Hongjoong hesitates as he stares at Yunho’s open palm as if he still wants to back out, but he is eventually able to muster the courage to take off his glove and place his hand into Yunho’s larger one. 

The bond forms just as seamlessly as it had with the rest of them. There’s something like a spark of magic that flits through the air when their hands make contact and almost instantly, Seonghwa can see a mark forming on Yunho’s bare forearm. 

He hears a sharp intake of breath, from somewhere behind him, unsure if it’s one of his packmates or even one of the vampire guards, but he can relate to their surprise. He had witnessed two of his teammates bond with their Captain, but it was still such a surreal experience every time, especially getting to see the beautiful mark that was left behind afterwards. 

When the bond solidifies, Hongjoong pulls his hand away and quickly puts his glove back on while Yunho looks down at his soul mark in wonder. 

The mark is a compass rose with a small circle in the background and an intricate set of triangles surrounding it. It had the four nautical directions delicately etched in dainty black letters on his pale skin and light water color bursts of blue and orange around the edges of the inner circle. 

It truly was a spectacular soul mark and Seonghwa thought it was quite fitting. It reminded him of the pack roles Yoohyeon had mentioned when they were in Dreamveil. He wasn’t sure if they were all true, but the role of navigator seemed to fit Yunho to a tee. After all, his nose had never led them astray.

He focuses back on Hongjoong when the leader rolls up his sleeve to reveal his forearm. He sees the new soul mark now etched across Hongjoong’s skin, and yet again, he doesn’t have one to match. 

Seonghwa ignores the sinking feeling in his gut when he sees the compass rose, trying to focus on Yunho’s happy scent instead so the negative thoughts don’t pull him under once more. 

“Happy now?” Hongjoong asks gruffly as he shows the vampires the new mark on his arm. 

Taeyeon no longer looks as condescending as she had before, now openly staring at the marks on Hongjoong and Yunho’s arms without the mask of passivity hiding her true emotions. 

She looks…delighted? Happiness wasn’t something he was expecting to see on any vampire’s face when they came to Xing, let alone on one of their rulers. 

“So, it really is true…” she says in awe, chocolate eyes still glued onto the soul marks. “We finally have another soul pack after nearly a millennia. I was starting to wonder if I’d ever see the day the realm would choose another pack to combat the shadows.”

“What?” Hongjoong asks, rightfully confused by the queen’s sudden change in demeanor. Seonghwa had an equally perplexed look on his own face. 

“Fighting endless waves of dark magic for hundreds of years gets dull, you know. I’ve also been hanging onto this thing for far too long,” Taeyeon says with a smirk as she pulls a small box out of her billowing dress. 

“Is that…?” Seonghwa breaths, not quite believing they would give them what they were looking for so easily. 

She smiles. “Yes, this is what you seek. Just as other magical beings guard pieces of the prophecy, we vampires guard this, the key to unlocking a soul packs true power.” 

“Why would wolves entrust their oldest enemies with something so important…?” Mingi wonders aloud. There is no malice in his words, only bewilderment. 

“Simple. We don’t trust wolves, so we would never give away the key so easily, even to the chosen ones,” this time the king answers, wearing a shit-eating grin on his face, as if he was having fun watching them struggle every step of the way. “The lack of trust goes both ways, though. Taeyeon has had that box in her possession for centuries but the seal placed on it does not allow us to open it. Can you believe it? If we didn’t owe that old mutt a favor for helping us win the war, I would have burned it out of spite.” 

“Talk about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer,” Wooyoung grumbles. 

The queen laughs. “Precisely. I’m sure just showing off that little mark of yours did the trick for everyone else, hm?” She asks, directing her question to Hongjoong. 

Hongjoong frowns in annoyance and doesn’t reply, which seems to be answer enough for the queen. 

“We hold the final key, so we do not take our task lightly. In fact,” she starts with a grin that’s too pleased for Seonghwa’s liking, “we aren’t quite done testing you all yet.” 

“What?!” Hongjoong all but yells. “You just forced me to initiate a soul bond right in front of you after being injected with silver, and that’s still not enough to prove we’re who we say we are?” 

Seonghwa can tell Hongjoong is livid and he couldn’t even blame him. What else could there possibly be to prove?

Taeyeon waves off Hongjoong’s anger easily. “Oh, we know you’re the chosen one already. But you still need to prove you’re up to the task of defeating the shadows for good. We aren’t about to hand over the key to a weak pup.” 

Hongjoong growls. “Come down here and I’ll show you what this weak pup can do.” 

The queen laughs in delight at Hongjoong’s ferocity. “That’s the spirit!” 

“Wait, how are we supposed to fight with silver still in our systems?” Yeosang cuts in, looking at Hongjoong in concern as he struggles to stand upright. 

“Oh, no need to worry, pup. Only your leader will be fighting,” she says with a wry grin. “Kibum, would you like to select his opponents?” 

“Gladly,” the king says as he waves his hand at the guards to the pack’s left. 

“Kun, you and your squadron will face them,” Kibum commands. 

A vampire with red hair steps out of line and bows towards the king. “Certainly, your majesty.” He then nods his head in the direction of the five other guards beside him and they line up in front of the pack, ready to pounce when given the order. 

“This isn’t fair! How is he supposed to fight off six vampires by himself?!” Wooyoung immediately protests as he struggles to get to his feet. 

“If he is worthy of being the chosen one, surely he can take on multiple opponents at once,” Kibum replies easily, having no sympathy for the situation whatsoever. 

“At least let some of us help him!” Yunho yells. 

“I’m afraid that’s not the challenge, young one,” Taeyeon says. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” Hongjoong says, heaving himself to his feet and taking out his combat knife. 

“Captain, this is insanity!” Seonghwa yells at him, but Hongjoong doesn’t even glance in his direction. 

“If this is the only way to get what we need, then it’s what I have to do. Isn’t that what you said earlier?” 

Seonghwa falters. It is what he had said, but couldn’t Hongjoong see that this situation was completely different? He wasn’t at full strength and those vampires could easily kill him if they wanted. 

“But-” he struggles to reply, but Hongjoong lifts his hand to silence his rebuttal. 

“I’m doing this,” he says with finality and steps forward on wobbly legs. “I’m ready,” he says to the vampires on the throne, nothing but unwavering determination in his voice even as his lithe frame shakes from the strain of standing. 

Kibum grins. “Guards, attack.” 

The six member squadron wastes no time in using their speed to pounce on Hongjoong. The Captain lumbers from side to side, movements not nearly as sharp and coordinated as they are normally, but he manages to dodge five out of the six vampires that had tried to claw at him. The red-headed vampire is the last to attack and unfortunately, his elongated claws find their mark and Hongjoong’s upper arm receive a nasty slice that sends him stumbling back as a pained hiss leaves his lips. 

“Hongjoong!” Seonghwa yells in distress. There was no way Hongjoong would be able to win this fight. He wasn’t even able to get a counter attack in and now he was bleeding. 

“Captain, look out!” Mingi shouts as the vampires launch yet another attack before Hongjoong has the chance to recover from the previous blow. 

This time, the Captain is a lot less successful in blocking their attacks. One of them is able to get a hit in on Hongjoong’s ribs and another is able to punch the Captain square in the jaw, sending him careening to the floor.

“Hyung!” Wooyoung screams. 

When Hongjoong nearly topples over once more as he struggles to stand back up, Seonghwa decides he has had enough. 

He forces his body to shift, no matter how painful it is with the lingering traces of silver still in his bloodstream and he launches himself at the vampire closest to Hongjoong who was about to attack the Captain while he was down. Seonghwa tackles the vampire to the ground with a fierce snarl and sinks his claws into the guards chest until he hears the vampire groan in pain. 

Seonghwa notices another one of the guards move in his direction, probably in an attempt to throw him off his fellow vampire. Seonghwa doesn’t think he’s fast enough to turn and block the attack given the vampire’s enhanced speed and his weakened state, but thankfully he doesn’t have to. 

San comes running into the fray still in human form and is able to block the vampire’s path to Seonghwa, easily using the guard’s momentum against him and flipping him onto the ground with a heavy thump. 

After that. it’s as if a seal had been broken and the rest of the pack jump into the fight without hesitation, even Mingi who isn’t the best at hand-to-hand combat is able to get in a good hit or two on the surprised guards. 

The pack form a semicircle around Hongjoong, who is still on the ground staring up at them in surprise, making sure their leader is well-protected as they keep the vampires at bay. 

After Jongho knocks out one of the attacking guards with a particularly fierce punch to the face, the other vampires in the room decide to join in as back up. Seonghwa thinks they may very well be outnumbered now, but a loud voice quickly puts an end to the fighting

“Enough!” The king commands. “All of you, return to your posts.” 

And just like that, all the attacking vampires step away from the pack and return to the neatly organized lines they had been in before except for the vampire Jongho had knocked out, who is carried out of the room. The guards look less than pleased to have been called out of the battle, sending glares in the pack’s direction, but do not offer any words of complaint. 

Seonghwa pants as he eyes all the vampires surrounding them, protective instincts still blaring at the forefront of his thoughts as he stands his ground in front of Hongjoong and the rest of his pack. He was ready to protect them tooth and nail if he had to. 

However, what he doesn’t expect is the sound of clapping. His ears perk up in surprise and he looks up to where the sound is coming from. 

The queen is smiling from ear to ear. “Well done, chosen ones.” 

Seonghwa brinks in confusion. She was…happy that they had broken the rules? 

“I was really hoping you’d at least let your Captain get a little more roughed up before jumping to his rescue,” Kibum sighs dramatically. “It would have been far more entertaining.” 

“Wait, what?” Mingi blurts. 

Taeyeon laughs at their dumbfounded expressions. “You passed.” 

“But we cheated,” Wooyoung says, perplexed. 

“No, you defended one another, which is what we wanted to see. No soul pack can succeed if they are not united,” the queen clarifies. “You also didn’t try to kill any of the guards even though vampires are your natural enemy, you only wanted to protect your leader. The magical realm doesn’t need any more killers, it needs protectors.” 

“And you, young leader,” Taeyeon turns her gaze to address Hongjoong specifically. “You must learn to trust your pack more. If there is one piece of advice I will offer you, it’s to put your faith in them. Your true strength lies in the bonds you have forged with your pack, not in your own hands.” She lifts her hand and the small box she had shown them earlier floats its way to them, stopping right in front of Hongjoong. “Do not make the same mistakes as the soul pack leader before you. I wish to see an end to these shadows this time around,” she finishes, voice much more serious than Seonghwa had heard it before. 

Hongjoong nods dumbly as he outstretches his gloved hands to let the box land safely between them. 

“Once you leave this place, touch the box directly and it will reveal what is inside. I wish you luck, chosen ones.” 

The room is silent for a few beats before Jongho speaks up. “That’s it?” 

The king and queen laugh. “What, everything we put you through wasn’t enough? You want another shot of silver to make things a little harder?” the king teases. 

“Um, no, thank you,” Jongho replies with a blush, embarrassed by his brazen question. 

“I’m afraid that’s all we have for you. I would offer you rooms in the city for the night, but I think we both know that wouldn’t be the wisest decision,” the queen says. 

Seonghwa internally grimaces at the thought of staying in vampire territory for any longer than they had to. They may be on civil terms at the moment, but he didn’t exactly feel safe staying in a city full of them just yet. 

“Maybe in a few more decades,” Hongjoong offers playfully. 

The queen laughs. “If you all survive, I’ll hold you to it. Now, go. I have a feeling time is of the essence.” 

“I’ll get someone to escort you mutt- I mean, wolves, out,” Kibum says, tapping on the arm of his chair. “No need to hurry back and pay us another visit on my account.” 

Seonghwa would roll his eyes if he weren’t in wolf form. At least the king had attempted to be civil. But he supposes getting used to being in the presence of your long-time enemy wasn’t exactly high on the king’s list of priorities. 

“Thanks,” Hongjoong says with a grunt as he pulls himself to his feet. “We aren’t in any rush to experience your hospitality again, so no need to worry.” 

“We’ll try to keep the silver-laced potions to a minimum next time.” Kibum grins, the closest thing to a genuine smile Seonghwa had seen from him throughout their interactions. It showed off his sharp fangs and brought some light to his dark, black eyes. 

Before any more banter could be exchanged, the doors to the throne room open, revealing a pair of vampires that appeared much younger than the guards and royals inside the room. 

One is tall and lean and has fluffy blond hair and the other is shorter and stockier, seeming broad and well-muscled under his ornate guard jacket. 

When they walk in, Seonghwa smells Wooyoung’s instant excitement, which is far from the reaction he expected his packmate to have at seeing more vampires. 

“Oh my goddess! Changbin?!” he squeals as he stares at the vampire duo.. 

“Wooyoung?” The shorter vampire asks, eyebrows rising in disbelief. 

“Oh come on! Wooyoung’s vampire friend couldn’t have shown up like an hour ago when we were all fearing for our lives?” Mingi complains in annoyance. “I told you guys he knew everyone.” 

“And I told you that my friends aren’t bargaining chips,” Wooyoung says as he sticks his tongue out at Mingi before turning back to address his vampire friend. “Although, I really could have used your help a few minutes ago, Binnie.”

Changbin blinks at him as if he still can’t believe Wooyoung is really there. 

“I am loving this reunion, I truly am, but I’d love it even more if my throne room no longer smelled like dog,” the King comments, a fake smile plastered on his lips. “So, if you two could continue this on your way out of Xing, that would be ideal.” 

“You guys don’t smell that great either, just sayin-oof,” Mingi points out, earning him glares from the guards and an elbow to the ribs from Jongho.

Seonghwa sees the queen smile in amusement and thinks they're safe from any retaliation for now, but he makes a note to talk to Mingi about potentially endangering them with his off-handed remarks. 

“My apologies, your majesty. We’ll get right to it,” Changbin bows. 

“Let’s go,” the vampire says as he motions for them to follow him, dragging Wooyoung out by the wrist as the wolf complains about being man-handled. 

Seonghwa huffs a laugh as he trots behind them. Wooyoung really did seem to know everyone. 

-

It turns out that Wooyoung had met Changbin while completing an assignment in the human world while he was still in the academy. Changbin came from a vampire coven that primarily lived in the human world, so Wooyoung never expected to meet him in Xing of all places. Apparently the vampire and his cover were in the main city to help bulk up Xing’s defenses since they had been encountering an increase in shadows lately. 

Seonghwa raises a brow at the comment. It really did seem as if every magical city was having some issue or another concerning the shadows. It was hard to believe that even such powerful rulers were struggling to keep the shadows under control. It made him wonder if maybe the situation was even more grave than he thought and that’s why even the vampires had agreed to help them in the end. 

They part ways with their vampire escorts at the city gates and Changbin promises to contact Wooyoung before he moves back to the human realm after Wooyoung threatened to send Changbin’s sire a letter about all the coven rules he broke when he hung out with Wooyoung in the human realm. 

Once the pack is back by the jeeps, Seonghwa finally shifts back into human form away from prying eyes. He grunts as his bones rearrange themselves into an upright position and he leans against the car door for support. Shifting with silver still in his body was a lot rougher than he expected it to be. 

“You alright, hyung?” Yeosang asks as he comes up beside him. 

Seonghwa nods before shaking his head a bit to get rid of the haziness left in his mind after shifting. “I’ll be fine.” 

Yeosang looks like he wants to ask something else, but he’s interrupted by Yunho. 

“So, where to next, Captain?” 

Hongjoong bites his lip in thought before looking down at the rectangular box still in his hand. “We won’t know where to go until we see what’s inside this box. I think we should find a good place to settle for the night and open the box there so we know where to go in the morning after we sleep off the rest of this silver.”

The pack agrees to the Captain’s plan easily, loading up into their respective jeeps quickly, none of them wanting to stay in vampire territory for any longer. 

They drive for about half an hour, just far enough to no longer be able to see Xing on the horizon, before finding a small outcropping that had just enough trees to provide a decnet amount of cover should they need it. 

Once they park the jeeps behind some tall trees, they all unpack the camping gear provided to them for this mission as well as the protection crystals that Gahyeon had packed for them to create a safe perimeter around the campsite while they slept. 

They set up their makeshift resting place for the night with minimal quarreling, all of them having memorized how to pitch tents and set up sleeping bags from basic training. 

“Anyone wanna go get us some firewood?” Jongho asks as he digs a shallow pit for the fire to safely sit in. 

“I’ll go,” Seonghwa volunteers. He could use a few moments alone to clear his head after today. 

“Captain, why don’t you go with him?” Wooyoung suggests from his spot next to Jongho. He was prepping a small dinner for them with the pre-packaged ingredients they had in the camping kit. 

Seonghwa’s eyes widen in panic. He definitely wasn’t ready to talk to Hongjoong yet. “No, that’s alright. I can go alone,” he hurries to reply. 

“Yeah, uh, Yeosang still needs to finish treating my wounds, right?” he hears Hongjoong say from behind him. He had been avoiding Hongjoong since they left Xing, so he wasn’t even sure what the other was doing at the moment. 

“It’s just a scratch and I already disinfected it. You’ll be fine by the morning after the silver is out of your system and you can heal properly. Carrying a few sticks won’t hurt,” Yeosang dismisses the Captain’s excuse easily. 

Seonghwa glances in their direction and catches a glimpse of the medic patting Hongjoong’s back as if saying he was good to go. 

“The Captain should rest. I can go alone,” Seonghwa insists again, turning to look at Wooyoung. 

But unfortunately, the cooking-savvy wolf would not budge. “No can do. You guys always tell us not to go anywhere alone and that rules applies to you, too. Buddy system or no soup for you.” 

“Yah, you can’t threaten your superior,” Hongjoong complains. 

“It’s not a threat, it’s just me upholding the rules you set in place yourself, Captain,” Wooyoung says innocently as he continues to add ingredients into the pot. 

Hongjoong scoffs. “Then why don’t you go instead?” 

“Because unlike someone , I’m busy doing something right now. In fact, everyone’s pretty busy right now but you, so looks like you’re the only option,” he grins triumphantly. 

Seonghwa looks around their campsite and sees the rest of the team hard at work on their individual tasks, or at least pretending to be hard at work. He swears he had seen San unpack the same sleeping bag about three times now. 

He narrows his eyes at Wooyoung. Everyone was definitely in on this. 

“Chop, chop you two. Can’t have dinner without a fire,” he sing-songs, making a show of stirring the ingredients already in the pot for emphasis. 

Seonghwa hears Hongjoong sigh in defeat. “Fine,” he grumbles as he stands up from his seat.

“Everything better be done by the time we get back.” 

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Wooyoung giggles as he throws them a wink. 

Seonghwa gulps, anxiety spiking at the prospect of having to do this with Hongjoong. He was so not ready to be alone with him after today. 

“Let’s go,” he hears Hongjoong say gruffly as he walks past Seonghwa and into the sparse woods. 

Seonghwa hesitates for a moment before following after Hongjoong’s retreating figure. Yeah, he definitely wasn’t ready. 

They walk in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, the quiet only broken by the crunching of their feet against the dying grass and the sound of them picking up dry branches suitable for kindling their fire. 

Seonghwa is determined to keep quiet in the tense atmosphere, hoping that they would finish their task before he crumbles under the unbearable silence. 

Unfortunately for him, he’s always been weak when it comes to Hongjoong. 

He hears the Captain hiss in pain before the sound of branches clattering to the floor catches his attention. 

“Crap,” Hongjoong says as he reaches down to collect the branches with a wince.

“Here, let me,” Seonghwa steps in, coming to Hongjoong’s aid almost on autopilot. He picks up the dropped branches and organizes them neatly before placing them back in Hongjoong’s arms. 

“Thanks,” the Captain murmurs, accepting the branches back. 

Seonghwa nods even though Hongjoong is too busy staring at the wood in his arms to look at him. He pretends it doesn’t hurt to see Hongjoong avoiding him even now. 

“No problem. We should get back to camp if you’re in pain.” 

He starts to turn away to walk back towards where the team had set up their camp, when Hongjoong’s voice stops him. 

“Hey, Seonghwa?” he asks in a hushed tone, almost hesitant. If the night weren’t so quiet, Seonghwa may not have heard him.

The lieutenant turns to look at Hongjoong, to really look at him, for the first time since they left Xing. Hongjoong has a thin bandage wrapped around his forearm, probably the wound that had been causing him the most problems while collecting firewood. His eyes are also hooded by the dark shadows cast by his black hair in the dim moonlight, so it’s impossible to read his expression. But what surprises him the most is how…small Hongjoong looks. 

Even though their Captain was short in stature, Seonghwa never thought of him as small. His presence alone could command an entire room. Hongjoong was confident, and determined and larger than life. But right now, he looked defeated, and that only made Seonghwa feel even more uneasy. 

“Yes?” he replies, keeping his voice as neutral as possible. 

“We’re not good anymore, are we…? 

Seonghwa doesn’t know what makes his heart shatter more; the sound of resignation in Hongjoong’s voice, or the fact that it was the truth. 

“No, Hongjoong. We’re not.” It takes all his will power to keep his voice from cracking. 

He sees Hongjoong bite at his bottom lip. Seonghwa can smell how upset he is, but he isn’t sure what to do about it. His instincts urge him to comfort Hongjoong, to help his pack leader like he had before, but the wounds on his heart are still too fresh, too sensitive to take on the burden of someone else’s pain as well. 

“I’m sorry, Seonghwa. I just- I can’t bond with you, not yet at least, not until it’s safe,” Hongjoong says, still keeping his eyes firmly on the ground and not looking at Seonghwa at all. 

He doesn’t know why, but that upsets him even more. Hongjoong knew he had hurt him, but he still didn’t have the decency to look him in the eyes as he gave his half-assed apology. 

“Why not? If you’re okay with bonding with everyone else but me, don’t I at least deserve to know why?” Seonghwa demands, feeling furious tears begin to blur his vision. 

Hongjoong reluctantly shakes his head, as if wanting to say more but not allowing himself to. “I can’t tell you, I’m sorry.” 

“You’re sorry?! If you were really sorry, you would just tell me the truth! Did I do something to become so unworthy of your trust?” Seonghwa knows he’s yelling now, but he can’t keep the tidal wave of emotions back any longer even if he tries. 

This is exactly why he needed this time alone to piece himself back together. Now, all his cracks were showing, raw and red with rage and sorrow. All in front of the one person he never wanted to show this broken side of himself to. 

“That’s not it! Of course, I trust you, Seonghwa. I trust you more than anyone,” Hongjoong tries to defend as his contrite gaze finally lands on Seonghwa. 

Seonghwa’s wolf wants to howl in joy at finally getting Hongjoong to look at them, but the hurricane of emotions whirling in Hongjoong’s dark brown eyes is almost enough to stop him in his tracks. 

He sucks in a sharp breath involuntarily, he had never seen the Captain look that way before, so conflicted, so anxious, so sad . But he had already come too far to back down now. 

“Then why?! What makes bonding with me so different from bonding with the rest of the pack?” He pushes, honeyed eyes gleaming fiercely in the moonlight as he holds back his angry tears. 

“Because it’s you!” 

Seonghwa’s heart seizes up and all his anger evaporates as the dam finally breaks and the tears he had been holding back spill over the rim of his eyes. It really was just him. Hongjoong found something so terrible about him, so undesirable, that out of all the members of their pack, he was the only one Hongjoong refused to bond with. 

Having it confirmed point blank hurt more than he ever could have imagined. The ache in his chest from earlier being easily doubled by the blunt edge of Hongjoong’s words. 

Seonghwa almost wished that Hongjoong had said he had lost his trust or that he had done something wrong. That he could fix. He could work toward rebuilding trust, or apologize if he had been too pushy about the soul bond. But this…how was he supposed to fix things when the problem was merely being who he was? 

“Do you hate me that much?” Seonghwa croaks, no longer being able to hide the hurt in his voice as hot tears continue to run down his face. 

He doesn’t know why Hongjoong looks as heartbroken as he feels. He wasn’t the one who was just told he wasn’t good enough to bond with the person he loved. 

“What-no! I could never hate you, Seonghwa. That came out wrong- I didn’t mean it like that, I swear,” Hongjoong trips over his words. He has a desperate look in his eyes as he tries to convince Seonghwa that he has it all wrong. 

Now Seonghwa is both heartbroken and confused. What else could Hongjoong have possibly meant? 

“Then, how did you mean it?” 

Hongjoong opens and closes his mouth a few times, looking even more lost than before as he struggles to find the right words to piece together a coherent sentence.

“Seonghwa, I-”

Unfortunately, Seonghwa doesn’t get to hear the end of that sentence because a loud rustling sound from nearby makes both wolves automatically turn towards it. 

There’s a beat of silence after that and Seonghwa almost thinks it was just the wind until dark tendrils start to emerge from the shadows. 

“Shit,” Hongjoong curses as he un-holsters his gun and points it at the mass of approaching shadows, firewood clattering to the ground as an afterthought. 

Seonghwa finally understands why Hongjoong was so adamant about leaving personal conversations for when their missions were complete. 

They had been too reckless, too caught up in their own emotions to notice the dangers that lurked in the forest. 

And now, they were under attack. 

Chapter Text

Things were not looking great. Hongjoong couldn’t even get an accurate count of how many shadows had surrounded them while they were distracted, but he knew that it was far more than he and Seonghwa could handle, especially when they weren’t at their full strength. 

“These. Fuckers,” he grunts as he slashes through another shadow with his combat knife, now back to back with Seonghwa as they stand in the middle of a sea of encroaching darkness. He knows he doesn’t deserve any of Seonghwa’s help at the moment, but he’s glad the other wolf is still willing to have his back in situations like these. 

“Can you call for backup?” Seonghwa asks as he shoots two shadows square in the chest, disintegrating them immediately. 

“I sent a distress signal through the com link. They should be here soon,” Hongjoong pants as he dodges a few attacks before shooting at the shadows that were starting to get too close. He was glad they were at least easier to dodge than vampires because his ribs were already aching. 

Seonghwa groans as he blocks an attack from a shadow’s claws and pushes the dark blob away from him, shooting and stabbing it for good measure. “Soon may not be soon enough.” 

Hongjoong grits his teeth and doesn’t reply, focusing instead on slashing his knife through the shadow in front of him. He didn’t want to think of what could happen if the others didn’t show up fast enough. 

The battle becomes a chorus of magical bullets whooshing through the air along with their staccato grunts and pants as they strain themselves to keep up with the overwhelming amount of enemies trying to attack them. 

It’s an uphill battle, and eventually, the climb is too much for them. 

Seonghwa yelps as he’s forced to the ground by two large shadows, trying his best to keep their teeth and claws away from his face as they try to bite and grab at him. 

“Seonghwa!” Hongjoong yells, shooting the shadow trying to wrap its tendrils around him before turning on his heels to help his teammate as quickly as he could. 

Even though he and Seonghwa were only a few steps apart, it feels like there’s an ocean of shadows separating them now. Hongjoong slashes and kicks and shoves at the shadows in his way, no longer caring about the constant aching in his ribs or the throbbing in his arm. He couldn’t risk shooting at the shadows so close to Seonghwa either so he could only rely on his knife, making his progress far slower than he would have liked. 

“Don’t these fucking things end?” 

Hongjoong is finally able to get a glimpse of Seonghwa after the third or fourth shadow he cuts down (he had stopped counting at some point). He can feel the sweat running down the sides of his face and he’s definitely out of breath, but it’s like finding a light at the end of the tunnel after seeing nothing but black. 

However, the moment of relief is short lived as Seonghwa grunts in pain and Hongjoong smells blood in the air. Wolf’s blood. 

It’s enough for his instincts to take over and all Hongjoong sees is red as he tears through the last remaining shadows between him and Seonghwa. He rams into the shadows keeping Seonghwa pinned down, something he would normally never do because coming in direct contact with a shadow could potentially drain your life energy. But at the moment, all he was thinking about was getting these shadows off of Seonghwa and protecting his pack. 

He growls as he tackles one of the shadows, stabbing it as they collide and crashing down to the ground a few feet from Seonghwa. 

“Hongjoong!” He hears his teammate yell, but he doesn’t have time to look back and check if he’s alright as he wrestles with the remaining shadow. 

His hand is in a precarious position after he stabbed the first shadow, and unfortunately, he doesn’t have time to reposition his knife in time to stab the second creature before it bites him with its ghoulish maw.

“Agh!” Hongjoong yells in pain as the creature sinks its teeth into his hand, easily piercing through his leather glove and drawing blood. “Motherfucker!” he sneers as he punches and kicks at the creature to let him go.

He’s about to nail the shadow right in the head (or what he assumes is its head), when his fist phases clean through the creature as it evaporates. 

“Wha-” 

“Couldn’t even last a few minutes without us, Captain?” Jongho’s voice rings over the blood rushing through Hongjoong’s ears. 

Hongjoong blinks in surprise as he looks up and sees their youngest teammate standing over him, bracers glowing a light purple as the ashes of the shadows he has defeated float around him. 

“The cavalry's here!” He hears San exclaim from behind him, and he quickly turns his head to see Yunho and San swooping in to take care of the shadows that were still going after Seonghwa from the other side. 

He feels relief flood his entire body. His team had made it. 

“Took you all long enough!” He shouts as he struggles to his feet. 

Jongho’s strong hand wrap around his bicep when he stumbles. “We’re still slow because of the silver. You’re just lucky Yunho is such a good tracker and we didn’t take any wrong turns on the way here,” he says as he helps Hongjoong to his feet. 

“Are you two, alright?!” Seonghwa yells as he rushes over to them. 

Hongjoong immediately looks over the lieutenant and thankfully finds no major injuries. He glares at the bloody claw marks on his shoulder, but they thankfully don’t seem too deep. He had been worried the wound was much more serious when he smelled blood earlier. 

“I’m fine. The Captain might need another session with Yeosang, though,” Jongho replies, looking down at the nasty bite mark on Hongjoong’s hand. 

“I’ll live,” Hongjoong dismisses. “For now, let’s help Yunho and San clear the rest of these shadows before any more show up,” he says as he un-holsters his pistol with his good hand. 

“Seonghwa and I will provide cover fire while you help the others clear the ones that are left.” 

Jongho knocks his fists together as the glow of his gauntlets intensifies. “With pleasure.” 

Hongjoong takes aim and glances to his side when he hears the click of Seonghwa’s gun as well. They were both too beat up and worn out from the fighting earlier to be of much help in close quarters combat, but they could still help from a distance. 

It doesn’t take long for the combined strength of Yunho, San and Jongho to take out the remaining shadows. San swiftly cuts through the throng of evil creatures with his trench knives even though he isn’t as quick on his feet as he usually is. He’s able to sidestep the worst of the shadow’s attacks and thread through them safely as he cuts them down one by one. 

He and Yunho coordinate their attacks well to help make up for their lack of speed and strength at the moment. San would slash through the shadows he could, and when he encountered shadows too big for him to take down in one hit, he would roundhouse kick them in Yunho’s direction, where the other wolf would use the shadow’s momentum to easily hack it in half with his sword. 

On the other side of the battle, Jongho was making it look easy as he always did to rip through shadow after shadow. He was working his way through where the shadows were the densest so that San and Yunho could effortlessly take care of the stragglers once they no longer had the numbers advantage. 

Hongjoong couldn’t help but smile a little as he watched his team at work, perfectly in synch as they supported each other without a word. It was like watching a sword and shield work in tandem to protect those around them. 

Between the five of them, they’re able to clear out the rest of the shadows quickly and no other groups are able to appear and potentially overwhelm them. 

“Good work everyone,” Hongjoong says as he jogs over to the rest of the team, holstering his pistol and knife as he goes. 

“Piece of cake,” Jongho says with a shrug as Yunho and San catch their breath behind him. Jongho looks put together, but Hongjoong can see the sweat beading on his forehead and the stiffness to his shoulders. Jongho had taken on the bulk of the shadows, so Hongjoong knows he must be just as tired as the rest of them even if he was hiding his signs of fatigue well. 

The Captain puts a hand on Jongho’s shoulder without thinking, squeezing it in reassurance and thanks. “Thanks for the save back there. We’re really lucky to have someone as skilled as you on the team,” he says, giving Jongho a grateful smile. 

Jongho blushes. “Yeah, well. Just doing my part,” he says, scratching the back of his head, shyly. Jongho was all confidence until someone complimented him. It was one of the few occasions where their youngest really showed his age.

Hongjoong smiles, about to tease him for acting so cute and humble when he feels it, the tell tale tingling he’s come to associate with the soul bond. 

He looks down at Jongho’s shoulder and notices belatedly that the hand he had placed on Jongho’s shoulder no longer had a glove on it, having been shredded by a shadow’s teeth. And to his surprise, Jongho is not wearing his combat jacket, leaving his arm and part of his shoulder bare as it comes into contact with Hongjoong’s bare skin, bonding him to yet another one of his packmates. 

Hongjoong’s eyes widen as he pulls his slightly bloodied hand away, watching as a soul mark appears on Jongho’s upper arm and feeling it form in the same place on his own arm. As the outline of an anchor appears on Jongho’s tanned skin, Hongjoong feels yet another thread of his soul reach out and connect, solidifying the bond. The weight of the new bond settles comfortably in the center of his chest, just as all the other bonds had and his wolf can’t help but feel a little more complete. 

“So, that’s what it feels like…” Jongho exhales, looking at Hongjoong with wide eyes. 

Hongjoong blinks a few times, adjusting to the influx of all the new sensations that came with a fresh bond. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to initiate a bond like that out of nowhere. It can be overwhelming at first, but you get used to it,” he apologizes. As much as he loved the warm feeling of closeness a new bond brought, he wasn’t a fan of it happening without either of them being aware of it. 

Jongho laughs, gummy smile on full display as he gives Hongjoong a broad grin. He feels the surge of joy through the bond and can’t help but smile in return. “Don’t apologize, Captain. It’s nice to be part of the club,” he teases as he nudges Hongjoong. “Besides, like San said, we’re all bound to bond eventually. It was just my turn.” 

“Maybe not all of us.” 

Hongjoong turns to see Seonghwa walking over to them, face perfectly neutral, but the disappointment in his eyes is hard to miss. The lieutenant had murmured the comment under his breath, probably not intending for anyone else to hear it, but Hongjoong still did. 

The Captain feels a lump form in his throat as he remembers how miserably their conversation had gone before the shadows attacked them. Any mirth he feels from the formation of his new bond with Jongho is quickly trampled by the guilt that had been eating away at him since they left Pyeonghwa. 

“Seonghwa-”

He tries to say, but Seonghwa lifts a hand as if to silence him. 

“Not now, Hongjoong,” he says tiredly before addressing the rest of the pack. “Everyone ready to head back?” 

Hongjoong feels a pang of hurt at being addressed so coldly, but can’t even bring himself to resent Seonghwa for it. After all, he deserved it. 

“In a second,” San pants as he leans against Yunho. “This silver sucks.” 

“Are you alright?” Seonghwa asks, voice turning from cold to concerned in an instant.

Hongjoong pretends the switch in tone doesn’t sting. 

San nods and straightens, taking in a few deep breaths to try and calm his erratic breathing. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be fine. Let’s get going before any more of those things show up. Besides, I wanna see the look on Mingi’s face when he sees Jongho’s soul mark.” 

Yunho and Jongho snicker while Seonghwa grimaces but tries to cover it up with a forced laugh, leaving him with a pained looking smile on his face. 

Hongjoong wants to comment, but bites his tongue. Seonghwa was right, now wasn’t the time. But Hongjoong wonders if he’d ever find the right time to talk to Seonghwa about this…

The five of them make their way back to camp, falling into line easily with Hongjoong and Jongho in the lead and Seonghwa and Yunho in the back. Half way through their walk, San convinces Jongho to carry him and he gushes about how cool Jongho’s anchor mark is. San says it makes him look like a badass and that Yeosang would probably find it hot, which promptly leads to the youngest dropping San flat on his ass. 

Hongjoong would laugh if he didn’t smell the faint scent of wilting flowers every time one of them brought up their soul marks. He glances back to see Seonghwa helping San to his feet with a sad smile on his pretty lips and his heart aches. 

When they finally reunite with the rest of the team, the others are quick to run over and make sure they’re alright. 

“You guys are hurt again?!” Wooyoung shrieks as he sees Seonghwa’s bleeding shoulder and Hongjoong’s bloodied hand. 

Yeosang lets out a long-suffering sigh. “We’re going to run out of bandages at this point,” he says as he looks over Seonghwa’s shoulder. “At least it doesn’t seem too bad.” 

“Yah! Is that a SOUL MARK?!?” Mingi shouts, pointing at Jongho’s arm accusingly. 

Wooyoung and Yeosang’s eye immediately move to Jongho and they all quickly spot the large anchor outline that was most definitely not there before the youngest had left to help Seonghwa and Hongjoong. 

“Quiet down, Mingi! We may be in a protective barrier, but your yelling can still attract trouble,” Hongjoong scolds. 

“Well, excuse me , Captain. But you just bonded with like three people in one day after telling all of us ‘no more bonding’ ,” Mingi raises the pitch of his voice at the end to try and imitate Hongjoong, but ends up sounding more like a squeaky toy. 

“It was an accident!” Hongjoong tries to defend. 

“ Sure ,” Mingi replies, unconvinced. 

Wooyoung rolls his eyes. “You’re just jealous that Jongho and Yunho’s soul marks are way more badass than yours.” 

“I wouldn’t be talking mr. sunshine scribble,” Mingi scoffs. 

“Yah! My sun is super cute! At least I don’t have a spaghetti on my wrist.”

“Hey, it’s a rope not spaghetti ! That’s way cooler than a pup’s rendition of the sun!” 

“At least you can tell what mine is! Yours just looks like a line from far away. Tell him, Seonghwa-hyung,” Wooyoung protests, turning to Seonghwa for support. 

But unfortunately, the older wolf does not look like he’s in the mood for joining in on the banter.

“I-uh, I’m actually really tired. I think I’m going to go lay down for a bit,” Seonghwa says, giving another pained smile as he shuffles awkwardly in his spot. 

Wooyoung frowns. “Are you alright? You look a little pale...” 

Seonghwa nods. “The fight was more strenuous than I expected, but I’m sure I’ll be fine after some rest. I think I’ll just turn in early.” 

“What about your wounds?” Yunho asks worriedly. 

“They’re not that deep. Yeosang can come check on me after he’s done with the Captain.” 

Yeosang stares at Seonghwa for a moment, as if deciding whether to believe him or not. 

Eventually, though, the healer hesitantly agrees. “Alright. I’ll come by with some food later too if you don’t feel up to eating with the rest of us.” 

“Thank you,” Seonghwa says, offering Yeosang a weak smile. “I’ll see you all later.” 

He gives them a brief wave before turning on his heels and heading over to his tent on the far left. 

Hongjoong’s fingers itch to reach out, to tell Seonghwa to wait, but he can’t think of anything to say that would give the other a good reason to stay. 

“What was that about…?” Mingi asks the question they were all thinking. 

Wooyoung sighs dramatically. “Looks like our plan failed, boys. Mom and dad are still fighting.” 

Yunho shakes his head. “Should have known. Getting the Captain to open up is like pulling teeth.” 

Hongjoong splutters. These meddling brats were always too involved in his personal business. 

“First of all, this is none of your business, and second of all, we were literally attacked by a swarm of shadows!” Hongjoong snaps. 

“You guys had plenty of time to talk things out before the distress signal came in,” Wooyoung points out. “You just suck at apologizing.” 

Hongjoong scowls. “It’s not that simple.” 

“Yes it is! You’re just a stubborn asshole who can never talk about how he really feels!” Wooyoung argues back, taking an angry step towards the Captain. 

The rest of the pack is deathly quiet, no one saying a word as Wooyoung very blatantly challenges Hongjoong’s authority. 

The other wolf is the same height as he is, so the stance isn’t particularly intimidating, but the strong emotions of anger and disappointment coming through the bond are enough to make Hongjoong’s frown deepen. 

It was the first time he had felt any real strain on the bond, and he very much did not like how that made him or his wolf feel. He was already angry enough at himself for unintentionally hurting Seonghwa, he didn’t need the rest of his pack to be upset with him as well or make his wolf think that they were an unfit leader. 

Normally, he would fight back, try to put Wooyoung in his place or at least call him out for overstepping, but right now, he just wanted to be done with this conversation and how it was making him feel.  

“I’m done talking about this,” he says, leaving no room for further argument. “You wouldn’t understand anyway,” Hongjoong scoffs as he shoulders past Wooyoung, ignoring his packmate's shouts of indignance. 

Hongjoong stomps over to the edge of the perimeter the others had set up, trying to use his angry energy for some good at least. He walks around the entirety of the campsite, making sure there aren’t any gaps in their protective barrier and that all the crystals are working as they should. He tries to clear his head as he evaluates the magic levels of each charm, but the aching pit in his chest just seems to grow bigger and bigger the more he distances himself from the rest of the team. 

It wasn’t just his guilt and anger he was feeling, but the anxieties of the rest of his team through the bonds he had with them. The bonds were usually warm and comforting, something stable he could cling onto when he was lost, but now it was tainted by feelings of anger and confusion and Hongjoong no longer had a buoy in the storm of his tumultuous emotions to cling onto. All the negative feelings just seemed to stack on top of each other one by one and bury Hongjoong deeper and deeper…

“Captain. Hyung! Hongjoong-hyung!” 

Hongjoong snaps his eyes open to see a very worried looking San standing in front of him. He hadn’t even realized he had closed his eyes at all. 

“San?” He asks, feeling a little disoriented as he releases the death grip he has on his combat vest . How long had he just been standing there, lost in his own thoughts? 

San grips his shoulders in worry and Hongjoong realizes he must have been shaking him to try and get his attention. Just how out of it was he?

“Captain, are you alright? I’ve been trying to get your attention for almost a minute now,” he asks, obvious concern tinging his voice and coloring his features. 

“I-” Hongjoong starts to answer, but has to stop and swallow because his throat is so dry. “I’m not sure…I was checking if the perimeter was secure and I just…spaced out.” 

San furrows his brows, eyes confused but searching, as if he can figure out what’s wrong with his Captain if he stares at him long enough. Hongjoong can’t even blame him, he isn’t sure what’s going on himself. 

“Let’s head back to camp so Yeosang can look you over. Maybe you just need some rest and a good meal. Wooyoung’s stew came out really good,” San eventually says. His arms drop from Hongjoong’s shoulders and he grabs onto one of Hongjoong’s clothed forearms, gently tugging him towards their campsite. 

But Hongjoong won’t budge. 

“I don’t think I’m ready to go back,” he admits weakly, holding his ground when San attempts to pull him forward. 

The other wolf frowns. “No one’s mad at you. Well, maybe Wooyoung, but he’ll get over it if you compliment his cooking.” 

“I just want to be alone for a while. Besides, I’m not that hungry,” Hongjoong argues, but almost as if on cue, his stomach betrays him with an angry rumble. 

San’s giggles bubble out of him in surprise and Hongjoong flushes. Apparently not even his body wanted to listen to him today. 

“How about this? We’ll take one more loop around the perimeter so you have some more time to clear your head, and then we can join the other’s for dinner, yeah?” 

Hongjoong bites his lip, contemplating his options. He would like to be able to clear his thoughts more before returning to his team, but maybe having San with him as he tried to do that was the best option considering what a dark place he ended up in when he was alone. 

The Captain eventually nods and San rewards him with a bright smile, it offers Hongjoong a flicker of warmth in the otherwise icy expanse of his chest and he manages to return the smile as best he can. 

They walk together in silence at first, just absently checking over the crystals and looking around their dark surroundings for any inkling of danger, much like Hongjoong had been doing before. 

They’re about halfway to the campsite when San finally speaks up. 

“I know I’m not the best at giving advice, but I’m willing to listen if there’s anything you want to get off your chest. No pressure, though,” San says as he lifts up his arms in a non-threatening way. “We can just keep walking in silence if you want. Just thought I’d offer.”

Hongjoong stays silent for a while, just trailing behind San as they walk by the crystals the others had set up around their campsite. Usually, if he was feeling overwhelmed, he would talk to Seonghwa about it. The other was a great listener and would never judge Hongjoong for feeling inadequate or tired or angry. His heart lurches when he remembers how crushed Seonghwa had looked before the shadow attack. He had really messed things up between them. Maybe he could alleviate at least some of the heaviness in his heart by talking to someone, even if it wasn’t the person he wanted to talk to most. 

“I hurt Seonghwa. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but I did. And now… now I’m not sure how to fix it,” he admits, voice subdued but still clear in the quiet night air. 

San doesn’t say anything, but slows his steps to fall in line with Hongjoong, letting him know he was listening. 

Hongjoong takes it as a sign to keep talking, so he does. “He wants me to tell him the truth, which isn’t unreasonable. I know that. But I just…I can’t. And I don’t know how to tell him that without hurting him ever more.” 

“Why can’t you tell him?” San asks, voice perfectly neutral. 

Hongjoong gulps, looking down at his feet instead of at San. “Because it could ruin everything.” 

San stays silent for a moment as if contemplating Hongjoong’s words. 

“Telling him you have feelings for him won’t ruin everything, hyung,” he says eventually. 

Hongjoong nearly chokes on his own spit at the younger wolf’s bluntness. 

“Wha-that’s not. I don’t- That isn’t what I was going to say!” Hongjoong tries to defend, cheeks having gone a bright pink. He doesn’t even want to know how San had reached that conclusion so easily. Was he that obvious…? 

San looks at him with and tilts his head curiously. “What else can’t you tell him?”

Hongjoong’s eye twitches, but he resists the urge to once again deny that he was in love with Seonghwa. Although it was true, it wasn’t the only issue. 

He sighs, running a hand through his unruly black hair. “You remember how King Kwon wanted to talk to me in private?”

San nods. “And you came out looking like Mingi after Jongho forced him to watch a scary movie.” 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. “It wasn’t that bad, but yes. He said- well, he said something that really scared me, which is why I reacted so poorly when Seonghwa asked to bond with me in Xing. But I can’t explain it to him because I’m afraid it will reveal too much and push him away even more. Or worse, get him hurt,” he says, anxiously biting at his bottom lip. 

“What? The king said he was in danger?” San stops in his tracks, now turning to Hongjoong in alarm. 

“No, not exactly,” Hongjoong corrects as he tries to calm San. “Seonghwa should be fine as long as he doesn’t bond with me. I think.” 

If possible, San looks even more confused. “I know I’m not the brightest, but you aren’t making a lot of sense, Captain. Why would bonding with you put Seonghwa-hyung in danger?” 

Hongjoong chews on his lip, sure he is biting them raw at this point with how anxious he’s been lately. He wasn’t planning to reveal what King Kwon had told him to any of his packmates, not wanting to worry them in an already stressful situation. However, he could already feel his mental burdens becoming too much, weighing down his mind and keeping him from thinking as rationally as he should in such precarious circumstances. 

Taeyeon and King Kwon’s words ring in his head. “Trust in your pack.”

Maybe it was time he started doing that. 

Hongjoong takes a deep breath to center himself and exhales slowly before looking up at San, who is still looking at him with a perplexed and slightly worried look on his face. “You remember how Yoohyeon said that one of the original soul pack members was killed before they could break the dark wizard’s curse and banish the shadows?” 

San nods slowly, almost as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to know where this was going. 

“King Kwon told me it was the Luna. They died protecting the Alpha, the soul pack leader,” he says, voice morose as he recalls the story the fae king had told him. “He told me to be careful not to lose sight of the pack’s safety so that the same thing doesn’t happen again. And well…” he trails off, not sure how to put the rest of his thought into words. 

King Kwon’s warning had come after Hongjoong had told him he only heard one of his packmate’s voices in the mist. Hongjoong didn’t want to assume it meant that Seonghwa was his Luna, but if his feelings for him made that even a slight possibility, he didn’t want to risk history repeating itself just because he was in love with his best friend. Now, it wasn’t just the fear of his feelings being revealed to Seonghwa that made him reluctant to bond, it was the possibility that Seonghwa could be put in danger because of it. 

“So, you’re scared Seonghwa will get hurt if he’s the Luna?” San asks, looking like he was still trying to put the pieces together. 

Hongjoong hesitates before nodding. It was a little more complicated than that, but that was essentially the heart of the problem. 

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Captain, but for being so smart, sometimes you’re kinda dumb,” San says. 

Hongjoong gapes at his packmate. Of all the things he expected to hear after confessing some of his greatest worries, that was definitely not one of them. “Excuse me?” he asks, affronted. 

“I told you not to take it the wrong way,” San whines, jutting his bottom lip out petulantly at Hongjoong’s harsh tone. 

“I get that you’re worried about Seonghwa-hyung, but literally any of us would take a hit for you, just like you would risk your safety for us. It doesn’t matter what position we’re assigned in the pack or whatever, we would all protect each other without a second thought. Just look at the last few days. Mingi almost fell off a cliff to catch you, Seonghwa-hyung put himself in danger to help Wooyoung, we all jumped in to protect you against the vampires, Jongho over-exerted himself just now trying to shield us from the brunt of the shadows so we’d have an easier time taking them down. The list goes on and on,” San says, counting each incident on one of his fingers. 

“So, yeah, being bonded to the chosen one is kind of dangerous, but I’m sure none of us regret it one bit. We would all have each other’s backs regardless because we’re pack, and that’s what pack does,” San finishes with conviction. 

Hongjoong gives San a waning smile. He appreciates the sentiment, he really does, but being reminded of how often they all get hurt protecting each other doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. “Thank you, Sannie. I know the pack will always have my back, it's just that…” 

“Seonghwa-hyung is different?” San guesses. 

Hongjoong doesn’t know how to answer that, so he just stays quiet, opting to stare down at the ground between them instead. 

“Would it really be so bad if Seonghwa-hyung were the Luna?” San asks tentatively. 

Hongjoong knows it’s an innocent question, but it still manages to irritate him. Why did no one else seem to understand what a bad idea it was for him to bond with Seonghwa?

“Yes,” he grits out. 

“But why?” San pushes, voice small but insistent. 

Hongjoong clenches his jaw, trying to control himself from lashing out at San with his hurt and anger. “Because wouldn’t you hate it if you accidentally forced someone to love you?” 

San blinks at him in surprise. “What?” 

“Ugh,” Hongjoong grunts in frustration. “Don’t you see? If Seonghwa and I bond, and he ends up being the Luna, my literal soulmate , he’ll know I-” Hongjoong stops himself before he can say the words aloud. He could still barely admit it to himself, let alone to another person, so he quickly changes his line of thought. “He might feel pressured to be more than just my friend. You know how Seonghwa is. He’s too kind for his own good. I don’t want him to feel like he owes me something just because his soul mark might show up on my chest.” 

And that really was the core of the issue wasn’t it? Deep down, it was what Hongjoong was the most afraid of. That his own feelings would pressure Seonghwa into feeling the same way. He didn’t want Seonghwa to feel like he had to love him just because the universe put them together. That would be even worse than being rejected. 

“How do you even know Seonghwa-hyung will end up being the Luna? You still haven’t bonded with me either. I could be the Luna,” San argues.  

Hongjoong blinks in surprise and a laugh is stolen right out of his lungs at the ridiculous statement. “San-ah, you’ve been a great listener, but somehow I doubt that’s the case.” 

“Well, how do you know?” his packmate presses, apparently unperturbed.  

Hongjoong gives him a deadpan look. The answer was blatantly obvious. Wooyoung and San were already a mated pair, so if by some strange twist of fate San was his Luna, Hongjoong was sure Wooyoung would kill him himself. 

“San, you’re literally already mated,” Hongjoong eventually says when the other makes no move to back down. 

San shakes his head. “But that’s not the reason why you know.” 

“Then, enlighten me,” he says, exasperated. He didn’t know what San was getting at. 

San grins. “It’s because you’re in love with Seonghwa-hyung, not me.” 

Hongjoong ignores the way his heart flutters at the words and glares at San instead. He didn’t need San to keep reminding him of something he already knew. “Your point?” 

San sighs, as if he’s the one who is being emotionally drained by this conversation. “Don’t you see, Captain? If Seonghwa-hyung ends up being the Luna, that means he loves you too!” 

Hongjoong blinks once, and then twice. He had never even thought of the possibility before…surely not…

“What?” he asks dumbly, unable to fully process that piece of information. 

“I’m no expert on soul bonds or chosen ones and all that fancy magic stuff, but I do know a thing or two about mating bonds. They don’t work unless the feelings go both ways,” he says as he points to the healed mating bite on his neck. “That’s just how werewolf bonds work. Look at our pack bonds. Even before all the soul pack stuff, we all had to agree to be a pack for our wolves to be in synch, right? So, why would a soulmate bond, probably the most significant bond there is for a wolf, be one-sided when every other type of bond needs to be mutual?” San explains, eyes alight with excitement as he explains his discovery to Hongjoong as if he had just figured it all out himself. 

Hongjoong feels hope blossoming in his chest. Could it really be possible? Could his feelings for Seonghwa be mutual? 

But just as he starts to accept that there might be a chance, his doubts all come flooding back. He had allowed Seonghwa to get injured not once, but twice on their mission. He had hurt him and made him cry . The image of Seonghwa looking devastated as he asked him why he hated him was still fresh in his mind. How could he possibly be worthy of Seonghwa’s love after everything he had put him through? Seonghwa was brilliant and kind and beautiful. He deserved so much better than Hongjoong. 

He shakes his head, as if forcing himself to reject San’s words and stop hoping for the impossible. “I’m sure that’s easy for you to say since you and Wooyoung bonded so effortlessly, but it’s not always that simple.” 

San snorts. “ Easy ? Just because Wooyoung and I have always been close, doesn’t mean it was easy. I was scared shitless of my feelings for him because I didn’t want to mess up what we already had. Wooyoung is liberal with his affection but he doesn’t love easily. He hugs and kisses all his friends, so I never thought I was special when he hugged or scented me too. I thought I was just like everyone else to him, but I knew I wanted to be more, and that thought terrified me for a long time.” 

The confession catches Hongjoong completely off guard. He remembers San and Wooyoung always clinging to each other during their academy days, so when they bonded the year after their pack became an official fighting unit at KQ, he just thought it was the natural progression of their relationship. They were always so open with their affection for one another, Hongjoong assumed their relationship had been easy.

“So, I know what it’s like to be scared of rejection. I know what it’s like to not want to ruin a friendship because you selfishly want more. I get it, which is why I’m telling you it’s worth the risk. I know you won’t believe me when I say this, but just how you could tell Wooyoung and I had a connection, we can all tell that you and Seonghwa-hyung do, too. You’re special to each other, Captain, and that won’t change whether you guys end up being soulmates or not,” San insists. 

Hongjoong doesn’t know what to do other than stare at San in astonishment. He never knew his sweet, happy-go-lucky teammate could think so deeply about things or have such a strong understanding of other people’s emotions. 

He feels his wolf howl in his chest, as if agreeing with San. It was a strange feeling to let himself hope like this. His chest was still a mess of emotions between all his bonds with the others and his own worries, but letting hope take root in his heart did make things more bearable, lighter in a way. He still wasn’t sure if he was ready to bond with Seonghwa, or if he should even risk it before their mission was over, but he was no longer as afraid of the outcome. 

No matter what, they would always be pack. 

“Wow. I can’t believe you lied to me,” Hongjoong says, looking at San in mock shock.

San balks. “What? I’m telling you the truth!” he protests with a whine bordering on hurt. 

Hongjoong has pity on his friend and smiles to let him know he was only teasing. “You said you were bad at giving advice, but I have to disagree.”

San is surprised at first, but then is quick to grin when he realizes what Hongjoong means. “Yah, don’t scare me like that, hyung! I was pouring my heart out here,” San says with an exaggerated whine.

Hongjoong laughs and ruffles the other wolf’s hair. “Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t resist teasing you a little. You were so cute, acting all serious.” 

San blushes a bright red and bats Hongjoong’s hand away. “I was being serious!” he complains. 

“I know,” Hongjoong says, smiling at San fondly. “And thanks for the advice. I don’t know if I’m ready to bond with him yet and deal with everything that might entail, but I’m not as afraid any more. If he’s the Luna, we’ll protect him, and if he’s not…” his heart cracks at just the thought, “If he’s not, I’ll come crying to you and complain about your shit advice,” he ends, trying to distract himself with a joke. 

San laughs. “Good thing I’m pretty sure about this one, then,” he replies with a wink.

“And even if he’s not the Luna, which I highly doubt by the way, that doesn’t automatically mean you guys can’t be together. I didn’t need a fancy magical tattoo to tell me Wooyoung was the one. This was enough,” San adds, tapping a finger over his heart. 

Hongjoong wishes he could be as brave as San when it came to matters of the heart. And maybe there was a way he could better understand those feelings…

There’s a miniscule tug in his chest, something he had noticed since San had offered to hear him out earlier without any pressure and without any judgment. A part of him wishing to convey his gratitude to his teammate in a way beyond words. The part of him that longed to be close to all of his packmates and secretly rejoiced in every bond he created with them, regardless of how ill-timed some of them had been. 

Hongjoong looks at his still ungloved hand. The bite mark from the shadow stood out against his pale skin, red and angry, but at least no longer bleeding. However, that wasn’t what he was focused on. His hand is bare, a foreign sight considering he had his gloves on more often than not. He could feel the cool night air kiss his skin and send goosebumps up his arm and it felt… nice . It felt really nice to feel without a layer in the way. 

He looks up at San again who is now looking at him curiously, slight tilt to his head as if trying to figure out what Hongjoong is thinking. 

Hongjoong grins at his teammate and does something he didn’t think he’d be doing again any time soon, but at least this time it was willingly. 

He outstretches out his bare hand to San and watches as his teammate’s eyes grow large in surprise. 

“Are-are you sure?” San asks, tentative hope rising in his voice and eyes alight with barely concealed excitement. 

Hongjoong nods. “Only if you want to,” he emphasizes even though he’s already pretty sure about San’s response. 

San gives him a mega-watt smile, eyes crinkling into cute slits as his whole face lights up. “I’ve been wanting to do this since Youngie got his!” he confesses and doesn’t hesitate to take Hongjoong’s hand in the next instant, as if he expects Hongjoong to take it back. 

As soon as their skin comes into contact, Hongjoong feels it. The familiar sensation of his soul reaching out and tying itself to yet another person. The warmth of San’s happiness washes over him immediately, like a balm to the frayed edges of his heart that have been spread too thin. 

He sighs at the pleasant feeling and allows himself to enjoy it for once instead of being caught off guard by it like with Jongho or being forced to ignore it because of the situation like when he bonded with Yunho. With San, he gets to enjoy the newfound connection without distraction. 

His wolf rejoices as their pack is almost complete. 

Almost. 

The thought of Seonghwa being the only one left is both exciting and frightening and the mixed feeling is what leads him to finally break contact with San. It was pleasant to feel connected to another member of his pack, but he knew there was still something missing…

A small gasp brings Hongjoong’s attention back to San who is now staring openly at his right forearm. Hongjoong looks down and sees a small mountain range now painted across San’s skin, the same mark he’s sure to find on his own arm if he rolls up his sleeve. 

Hongjoong can’t help but chuckle softly at how on the nose it is. “It’s not the most creative soul mark I’ve received, but I can’t say it doesn’t suit you.” 

San chuckles as well, still looking down at his soul mark fondly. “I’d like to think of it as finally living up to my name.”

Hongjoong could catch glimpses of San’s emotions as they flitted through the bond. Happiness, relief, pride. San has always been sentimental, so Hongjoong isn’t surprised to feel so many emotions from him all at once. 

Whenever anyone questioned San’s strange name, he always proudly told them that his father had named him after the great mountains that protected their home so that he could be a comforting hill to his friends and an insurmountable obstacle to his enemies. Some people thought the reasoning was too old fashioned, but Hongjoong thinks San’s father really knew what he was talking about. San was one of their deadliest fighters, but also one of the sweetest wolves he had ever met. 

“I think you’ve more than lived up to it, San-ah,” Hongjoong says, with a kind smile. “You were a nice hill to lean on, today.” 

He feels a surge of emotions from the bond before his arms are full of a very happy San.

“Thanks, Captain,” San whispers as he squeezes Hongjoong tight. 

Hongjoong doesn’t get a chance to react to the sudden affection before San is already pulling away, knowing Hongjoong wasn’t the best with physical affection and probably sensing his surprise through the bond. 

When they’re face to face once more, San offers him his signature bright grin. The one where his eyes crinkle into crescent moons and his nose scrunches up cutely. “Now, let’s head back to camp before you starve, or worse, Wooyoung comes looking for us.” 

Hongjoong lets out a full-bodied laugh at that. “Probably a good idea.” 

San’s grin doesn’t falter as he starts walking again. “Yummy stew, here we come!” He cheers as he makes a bee-line for their campsite. 

Hongjoong follows close behind, smile not leaving his lips as he enjoys San’s enthusiasm through their new bond, letting it quiet some of his anxieties for now. 

He takes the time to roll up his sleeve and look at the new mark as they walk. He knows it’ll look exactly like the one on San’s arm, but he still likes looking at them himself sometimes as a reminder that the foreign feelings in his chest are real. He glances down at his forearm and is a little surprised by what he sees. The intricate mountain range is on his arm, as he expects, but what astounds him is how close it is to one of his other soul marks. 

All the marks he has received so far have been fairly spaced out, with none of them even coming close to overlapping. But San’s mountain mark was so close to Wooyoung’s sun mark that the peak of one of the mountains intersected one of the sun’s rays, as if the sun were rising from behind the mountain. 

Hongjoong thinks of all the reasons why their marks would show up so close together on his skin, and comes to only one possible conclusion. 

His smile grows soft. San may not have needed any magical mark to tell him Wooyoung was the one, but it looks like the universe had given him one anyway. 

-

When they make it back to the campsite, the rest of the pack is gathered around the campfire, eating and chatting. 

Hongjoong’s eyes automatically search for Seonghwa, and he’s crestfallen when he doesn’t see him. It was so unlike Seonghwa to isolate himself, especially when the majority of the pack was gathered together. He had figured that Seonghwa would join the rest of them if he weren’t around, but it seems the oldest wolf had made good on his promise to turn in early for the night. 

“You guys ate without me?” San whines as he hurries forward to peer over Wooyoung’s shoulder and check if there is still any stew left.

Wooyoung rolls his eyes fondly at his mate’s worry and grabs the ladle to start spooning some stew into a bowl for him. “I saved you some so stop pouting. You should be thankful, too. I had to fight off Yunho and Mingi with a ladle.”

San laughs. “Thank you for fighting off giants for my dinner,” he says as he gives Wooyoung a peck on the cheek before taking the steaming bowl from him. 

“I just wanted some extra potatoes,” Mingi grumbles from the other side as he drinks the broth left in his bowl.

Hongjoong clears his throat, trying to get the other’s attention. “Any stew left for me?” he asks, trying not to sound nervous but probably failing. 

The pack turns to him as soon as he speaks. 

Wooyoung’s expression goes from fond to annoyed in an instant as he huffs. “Depends. Are you gonna keep being an asshole?”

Hongjoong’s brow twitches at Wooyoung being so disrespectful, but he supposes he deserves it.

He sighs as he rubs the back of his neck tiredly. “I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I don’t like when you meddle, but I know you were all just trying to help. I’m the one who messed up and made everything worse and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” 

For someone who prided himself in being level-headed under pressure, this mission had really worn his emotional limits thin. He didn’t know if it was the pressure of being the chosen one or the weight of having to feel and maintain so many emotional connections because of all the different soul bonds, but he really wished he could stop lashing out when he got overwhelmed and hurting his team. They deserved a better leader, a better friend. And he needed to get it together and be that for them. 

Wooyoung’s harsh stare doesn’t waver and Hongjoong starts to get nervous. Maybe he had messed up more than he thought and it would take more than a simple apology to earn his pack’s forgiveness. 

He’s about to continue apologizing for his behavior and ask how he can make it up to the team when Mingi interrupts with a pitiful groan. 

“How can you all just sit there when he looks and feels like a dejected pup?! My heart hurts,” he whines as he holds his chest. 

“Yah, Mangi, keep it together!” Wooyoung yells at him, breaking the intense stare he had on Hongjoong and focusing his disapproving gaze on Mingi instead. 

Jongho snorts. “I told you Mingi wouldn’t be able to do it.” 

“You’re all heartless!” Mingi complains as he curls up next to Yunho, still clutching his chest.

Yunho chuckles. “No, we just know how to manage the bond a little better than you.”

Mingi pouts at the reply, but seems to be placated by Yunho’s comforting head pats. 

Hongjoong just stands there, completely lost as he tries to understand the conversation. “Um, what?”

Yeosang sighs from the small table he was sitting at while he organized one of their medical kits. “Wooyoung wanted to give you a hard time to get back at you, so he told us to pretend to still be mad until he said you were forgiven,” the healer explains. 

The captain blinks, absorbing Yeosang’s words. So, they weren’t all still mad at him?

“It would have worked too if Mingi weren’t such a baby,” Wooyoung complains. 

“Hey, the bond is still brand new for me and I’m a gentle soul unlike all you heartless monsters,” Mingi protests, lifting his head from Yunho’s shoulder to glare at Wooyoung. 

“Oh, please,” Wooyoung scoffs. “Jongho and Yunho’s bonds are even newer than yours and they handled it just fine.” 

“That’s because Yunho and Jongho are good at everything. You can’t compare me to them, it’s not fair,” Mingi says with a pout. 

“Oh, I have one now, too! But I knew Young-ah was up to something so I didn’t say anything,” San says proudly as he lifts his arm up, showing off his little mountain mark as he sips at the broth from his stew. 

Everyone pauses to look at San’s arm, eyes widening slightly in surprise. The entire camp is completely quiet for a moment before Jongho and Wooyoung burst into laughter. 

“I can’t believe even San knows how to handle the bond better than you,” Jongho laughs. 

“Where are your excuses now, Mingi?” Wooyoung cackles. 

“No way…” Mingi groans in disbelief, dropping his face into his hands in defeat. 

“Wait, wait, wait,” Hongjoong speaks up, trying to bring order to the chaos. “So, you guys aren’t upset?” 

Wooyoung wipes moisture from the corner of his eyes from his laughter and shakes his head. “Nah, I just wanted to watch you sweat a little after being such a jerk,” he replies with a mischievous grin.

Hongjoong scowls at Wooyoung but he can’t help the relief that floods his system. His pack wasn’t mad at him. They were okay. He no longer feels bitter emotions lingering in their bonds, just the pleasant hum of their presence in the back of his head, steady and comforting. He was glad that they had seemed to go back to normal after reconciling because he wasn’t sure he could have handled the strain of six bonds for very long. 

“Brat,” he says, but there is no bite to his words as a small smile starts to push up the corners of his lips. 

Wooyoung grins back. “Ah, ah, ah. Be nice, Captain. I can still withhold dinner from you,” he teases as he points the ladle he had been holding at him. 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. “Fine. Can I please have some of your delicious stew, Wooyoung-ah?”

Wooyoung’s grin brightens when Hongjoong plays along and he can feel his delight pass through the bond. 

“You may,” he replies, giving Hongjoong a hearty helping of the stew. 

Hongjoong offers him a grateful smile as he takes the bowl. “Thank you. And sorry, again, to all of you,” he says as he glances at his packmates around the campsite.

They all easily wave off his concern, already having forgiven him even before he apologized. His heart warms at the gesture. He was truly lucky to have such an understanding pack. 

“Has everyone eaten already?” he asks as he takes a sip of the steaming broth. It was delicious, as expected. 

“Everyone except Seonghwa-hyung,” Yeosang replies, having moved from his workbench to sit by Jongho close to the fire. 

Hongjoong stops dead in his tracks, the tender piece of meat he was about to eat now forgotten at the mention of Seonghwa. 

“I treated his shoulder and told him I’d come back later with some food, but maybe you should be the one to take it to him?” Yeosang suggests delicately. 

Hongjoong places his spoon back in his bowl as hunger is slowly replaced by anxiety. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea…” 

He didn’t want to upset Seonghwa more by trying to talk to him so soon after their last argument. San may have helped him come to terms with whatever bond he and Seonghwa may end up having, but that doesn’t mean he was ready to face him yet. 

“And why not?” Wooyoung demands. 

Hongjoong sighs heavily. “I just don’t think he’d want to talk to me right now.” 

Wooyoung groans in frustration. "Stop assuming things and just go talk to him! Apologize to him like you did with us.”

Hongjoong knows Wooyoung is right, but he still shakes his head no. “It’s not the same,” he insists. And it was the truth. He had hurt Seonghwa so much worse than the others and he deserved more than one of Hongjoong’s cookie-cutter apologies. 

“Captain, we talked about this,” San cuts in with a frown. 

“I know, I just- I don’t know what to say…” he trails off. He stirs his stew to distract himself, as if he’d be able to find the answers in the hearty chunks of meat and potatoes that floated about in the thick liquid. 

He doesn’t look back up until he feels one of his packmates approach him. At first he thinks it’ll be Wooyoung coming over to berate him again and tell him to get his shit together, but then he smells it - the calming scent of vanilla. 

Yunho takes a seat beside him and doesn’t say anything at first, just setting his empty bowl on the stack of dirty dishes that had accumulated next to the large pot by the fire. 

The actions are so innocuous that Hongjoong is almost startled when Yunho finally speaks. 

“Do you know why I volunteered to bond with you in Xing, Captain?” Yunho asks casually as he picks up the ladle to stir the remaining stew. 

Hongjoong just shakes his head, unsure of how else to respond. 

“Apart from the fact that I was excited and honored to be part of the soul pack, I thought your bonding with Seonghwa-hyung should be more meaningful not done in a den of vampires because you had to,” he explains. 

Hongjoong is shocked to hear the other’s reasoning. Why did everyone think he and Seonghwa had something special? Was he really missing something so obvious? 

Yunho grabs the last unused bowl from its container and starts to ladle some of the stew into it. “I also knew you weren’t ready to bond with him. I could smell your anxiety from a mile away,” he chuckles. “It’s okay if you still aren’t ready, but I think you should at least talk to him,” he finishes as he hands Hongjoong the now full bowl. 

The captain raises a brow in confusion, looking from the steaming bowl of stew and then up at Yunho in question. Why was he giving Hongjoong another bowl of stew when he hadn’t even made a dent in his?

Yunho smiles and just moves the bowl closer to him. “Just be honest. He cares about you a lot, so he’ll forgive you like the rest of us did, I promise,” he assures him. 

Hongjoong doesn’t know if Yunho is able to smell his apprehension or if he can feel it through the bond, but he’s able to help calm his fears regardless. He takes a deep breath of Yunho’s soothing vanilla scent and catches notes of orange, cinnamon, coffee, pine and rose. His team. His pack. 

Hongjoong feels his eyes burn at their combined efforts to soothe and encourage him, but he doesn’t allow his tears to brim.

“Thank you,” he says as he grabs the bowl from Yunho’s hand. 

Yunho smiles and Hongjoong can feel his distinct brightness through the bond for the first time. It’s warm and comforting like all his other bonds, but somehow softer, more reassuring. 

Hongjoong doesn’t get to enjoy the pleasant feeling for long before the moment is broken. 

“That was a great pep talk and all, but the stew will get cold if you keep sitting there like an idiot, Captain,” Wooyoung interrupts. “Or do you need Yunho to tell you that too so you’ll listen?” he adds sarcastically. 

Mingi snickers. “Maybe more people would listen to you if you were nicer.” 

Wooyoung sends Mingi a glare but the taller wolf just smirks. 

“I think Yunho just has oldest child privileges. I gave the Captain a whole speech and he still didn’t want to talk to Seonghwa-hyung,” San says with a put-upon sigh as he drapes himself over Jongho’s shoulders. The youngest wolf rolls his eyes at San’s dramatics and shrugs him off, almost sending San crashing to the forest floor yet again. 

“Quit your whining, at least Yunho got the job done,” Jongho grunts. 

Yunho shrugs. “Third time’s the charm, I guess.” 

“I think it’s the compass. Don’t captain’s always listen to their compass or something?” Mingi contemplates aloud as he grabs his chin in thought. 

“If you’re all done, Wooyoung is right, the Captain should get going before the stews get cold,” Yeosang cuts in. “Here, split this between you and Seonghwa-hyung after you eat. It should help flush the rest of the silver out of your systems,” the healer says as he offers Hongjoong a small vial of clear liquid. 

Hongjoong puts his bowl of stew aside and takes the vial, putting it in one of the pockets of his combat vest for safekeeping. “Got it. Anything else I should do for his injuries? Or will you go check on him later?” 

Yeosang shakes his head. “I wrapped his shoulder and it should heal just fine once the silver is gone. You just go mend the wounds I can’t, yeah?” he says knowingly. 

Hongjoong is taken aback by the comment. He doesn’t know if he’s giving away too many of his thoughts and emotions through the bond, but he really didn’t give his team enough credit for how perceptive they could be when it came to pack conflict. They may be rowdy and chaotic, but they paid attention when it mattered. 

He nods slowly. “I’ll try.” 

Yeosang gives him an encouraging smile. “Good. Now go before your feet get cold, too.”

Hongjoong can’t help but laugh at the lame joke, grateful for Yeosang’s attempt to alleviate some of his anxiety. He was still incredibly nervous to speak with Seonghwa, but now he at least had the courage to try. 

Hongjoong makes his way over to Seonghwa’s tent, trying to calm the erratic beating of his heart. He stops right outside the tent and tries to organize his scattered thoughts to at least have an idea of what he wanted to say to Seonghwa. He doesn’t think he’ll be able to confess everything, but he hopes he can at least clear up some of the misunderstandings between them.

When he finally feels grounded enough to confront Seonghwa, he takes a deep breath and steps into the tent. 

The older wolf is lying on his sleeping mat, facing away from the entrance. He shifts slowly, when he hears Hongjoong come in, almost groggily. When his eyes land on the Captain, though, he suddenly seems wide awake, as if shocked to see Hongjoong there. 

“Hongjoong?” He asks, eyes a little wide in surprise as he addresses the pack leader. His ash-blonde hair is askew from laying down and there’s bags forming under his eyes from exhaustion, but even run ragged from the intense day they had, he was still the most handsome man Hongjoong had laid eyes on. 

Hongjoong stands there awkwardly, holding the bowls of stew and shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I-uh. I brought you some stew. Yeosang said you hadn’t eaten anything yet, so…” he trails off inelegantly, unsure what else to say to explain his presence. 

Seonghwa still seems a little stunned and confused to see Hongjoong there, but he nods slowly. “Thanks…” he replies stiffly as he averts his eyes from Hongjoong. “You can leave it on the side.” 

He lays down and gives the captain his back, very obviously wanting to end their conversation. 

Hongjoong bites his lip nervously as he stands by the entrance, unmoving despite Seonghwa’s request. If he put the bowl down, he wouldn’t have any other excuse to stay in Seonghwa’s tent and he still hadn’t figured out a good way to broach the topic he really wanted to talk about. These awkward and stilted conversions between him and Seonghwa were so difficult to navigate compared to the ease in which they used to talk before all this started, leaving Hongjoong at a loss for words. 

However, he knew that if he didn’t at least try to talk things out with Seonghwa, the rest of the pack wouldn’t let him hear the end of it and his own wolf wouldn’t be very pleased with him either. So he just stands there, torn about what to do next. 

When he makes no move to leave, Seonghwa glances at him over his shoulder.

“Was there something else you needed, Captain?” he asks. His large eyes are searching, their honey color muted by the dim light of the tent as he stares at Hongjoong and tries to figure out why he was still there. 

Hongjoong wants to look away, too intimidated by Seonghwa’s piercing gaze, but as he stares into his teammate’s big, doe eyes, he sees it. Behind the confusion and fatigue, there’s hurt and a sadness Hongjoong knows he put there.

He feels a pull in his chest to do something, anything to make that sadness go away. He doesn’t know if it’s the combined bonds of his pack pushing him into action or his wolf urging him to comfort the person they hold feelings for, but he knows he can no longer run away from this conversation. If not for his sake, then for Seonghwas. 

“I just- can we talk for a bit? About earlier,” He stutters out before he loses his nerve. 

Seonghwa’s eyes harden, as if trying to shield his emotions from Hongjoong. “What is there to talk about? I think you made yourself abundantly clear already,” he tries to sound detached, but Hongjoong can still hear the hurt in his voice. 

“I told you, I didn’t mean it that way,” Hongjoong defends, trying not to let Seonghwa’s cold tone deter him from trying to fix things. 

But apparently, he’s not convincing enough. 

Seonghwa breaks eye contact and turns away. “I’m tired, Hongjoong. I don’t want to talk about this right now,” he says in a voice more exhausted and defeated than Hongjoong has ever heard from him. 

He swallows down the pain bubbling up in his heart at being the reason his vibrant and beautiful packmate looked so dejected. 

He had to fix this. 

“Just, hear me out. Please. If you still don’t want to talk to me after, I’ll leave you alone, I promise. But just give me a chance to explain,” Hongjoong all but begs. He wouldn’t blame Seonghwa if he turned him down, having hurt him so many times already, but he had to try. 

Seonghwa hesitates, unmoving from his position curled up in his sleeping bag. Hongjoong’s anxiety builds the longer Seonghwa takes to answer and he only feels like he can take a breath when Seonghwa’s voice finally breaks the silence.

“Okay,” he sighs softly, almost as if he were still trying to convince himself that giving Hongjoong a chance to potentially hurt him again was a good idea. 

Hongjoong didn’t know if he was more grateful or heartbroken by the subdued response, but he hoped he could find the words to be worthy of Seonghwa’s fragile trust. 

“Thank you,” he starts sincerely, hoping to at least convey that he truly appreciated being given a chance. Now, he just had to figure out what else to say. 

He clears his throat, trying to buy some time as he gathers his thoughts. It was now or never he supposed. “I guess I should start by clearing up the misunderstanding from earlier by saying it’s not a bad thing that bonding with you is different from bonding with everyone else. And it’s not because I don’t want to bond with you,” he’s quick to correct when he notices Seonghwa’s floral scent start to wilt. “Of course I want to, I’d love to have that type of connection with you, but I’m just…scared of what will happen if I do. You’re important to me, Seonghwa. So incredibly important, and if anything were to happen to you just because you were bonded to me, I don’t think I’d ever be able to forgive myself…” 

He trails off after that. After talking to San about this, he thought it would be easier to tell Seonghwa, but it was still just as daunting. He already felt too exposed, like Seonghwa would be able to see right through him and figure out his true feelings with just a glance. 

“Why do you think something might happen to me…?” Seonghwa asks quietly. His back was still turned but at least he seemed willing to let Hongjoong speak. 

Unfortunately, answering that question was exactly what Hongjoong had been dreading the most. He bites his lip, sure his nerves are evident to Seonghwa even without a bond or being able to see him as his scent dampens and fills the small space. 

He gets lost in his own head, trying to figure out the best way to explain things without giving away too much, but the bitter scent of wilting flowers brings him back into the moment. 

“Is it because you think I’m weak…?” Seonghwa’s voice is so fragile his words could have been carried away by the wind if they were standing outside. 

Hongjoong’s chest aches at the defeat in Seonghwa’s voice. Why did he keep letting his own fears and insecurities hurt his teammates like this? What kind of pack leader was he? He feels his wolf growl in displeasure, as if angry with him, and Hongjoong couldn’t blame him. He just kept messing up no matter how hard he tried to fix things. 

He lets out a frustrated groan as he sets both bowls of stew down at a small table in order to kneel in front of Seonghwa. He needed to be closer. He needed to make Seonghwa understand that he was beautiful and perfect and wonderful and Hongjoong was just an idiot. 

“Seonghwa, no, please. You are one of the strongest wolves I know. Don’t let me or anyone else make you think any differently. I am so incredibly lucky to have you by my side as my lieutenant, and as my friend and I don’t think any of us would have made it this far without you. You’re brilliant, Seonghwa,” Hongjoong scrambles to say, hoping his words will reach Seonghwa. 

“Then why?” he demands, voice stuck between frustration and sorrow. 

The why was exactly what stumped Hongjoong the most. Why was this so hard? Why did he have to be the chosen one? Why did the prophecy and the soul pack have to make everything between them so complicated? Why was he such a coward?

Hongjoong’s heart breaks at the sound of Seonghwa’s voice, but he just can’t bring himself to tell him the reason why. It could reveal too much and potentially endanger Seonghwa’s safety. No matter how many reassurances San and Yunho had given him, he still didn’t think now was the time to confess everything.

“I’m sorry I keep hurting you. I know it’s all I seem to do lately, but I really don’t mean to,” Hongjoong starts, voice small, pleading. “I care for you, Seonghwa, even if I don’t act like it all the time. I care about you and your safety, which is why I can’t tell you everything right now.”

Hongjoong tentatively reaches out and places his gloved hand over Seonghwa’s, like an olive branch in the middle of the hurricane that was threatening to tear apart their friendship. Normally, Hongjoong would never initiate physical contact, especially with Seonghwa, but he knew how much Seonghwa liked the reassurance of physical touch, so he hoped the gesture would help prove that he was being genuine. 

When the other doesn’t pull away, he takes it as a sign to continue. 

“I know I’m asking for a lot and giving so little in return, but I just need you to trust me on this. I promise that after all this is over, when it’s finally safe , I will bond with you and I will tell you everything. I’ll do whatever you want, just please, believe me when I say that the reason I’m hesitant to bond with you right now has nothing to do with any fault of yours. It would be an honor to be bonded to someone as kind and amazing as you, Park Seonghwa, and I would love to give it a try once we’re back home. So please, just trust me and wait a little while longer, okay?” he pleads, tightening his grip on Seonghwa’s hand. “I’m not asking as your captain or even your pack leader, I’m asking as your stubborn friend, Kim Hongjoong, who just wants his best friend to stop hurting.” 

Hongjoong feels winded after speaking, emotionally drained after pouring so much of himself into his words. He hopes Seonghwa can hear the sincerity in them. He hopes it’s enough. 

He waits with bated breath for Seonghwa’s reply, and he almost jumps in his seat when he feels Seonghwa’s hand move in his. At first, he thinks he’s trying to pull away and his heart immediately sinks, thinking he had failed yet again. But instead of pulling away completely, Seonghwa turns his hand over and clasps it with his gloved one. 

The captain’s heart stutters and his breath hitches, shocked and incredibly grateful that Seonghwa hadn’t pushed him away. He wasn’t sure if he was still worthy of Seonghwa’s trust, but he would not take it for granted. 

“You really are stubborn, Kim Hongjoong,” Seonghwa sighs in exasperation, but there’s a fragile smile starting to make its way onto his pretty lips. 

Hongjoong laughs in relief, an airy sound that brightens the room and his rain scent. “I know, I’m sorry,” he says as he squeezes Seonghwa’s hand for emphasis.

There’s a pause as Seonghwa stares at their clasped hands, as if deciding on what to say next. 

“You really think I’m amazing?” he eventually asks, voice still small, almost disbelieving. 

Hongjoong blushes at the words, but he doesn’t let his embarrassment stop him from reassuring Seonghwa that yes, he was amazing and so much more. 

“The most amazing wolf I’ve ever met,” he responds without hesitation. His ears are on fire and he’s sure they’re bright red now, but it’s worth it if he can get Seonghwa to believe him. He was done hurting the people he cared about. 

Seonghwa hides his face shyly. “I get it, you can stop now,” he mumbles into his pillow. 

Hongjoong chuckles at the cute reaction, using the hand entwined with Seonghwa’s to gently nudge his face out of the pillow, tilting it up so that they’re face to face. Seonghwa’s eyes are starry, like twinkling gems in the night sky now that they’re no longer dimmed by the hurt and sadness from earlier. Their honey color is much more vibrant up close and Hongjoong feels like he can get lost in their amber depths. Hongjoong can still see some hesitance in them as he continues to stare, like Seonghwa is reluctant to believe his words. 

“I mean it, Seonghwa. You’re amazing and we’re more than lucky to have you in this pack. I’m sorry that I ever made you feel like you weren’t.” 

Hongjoong watches intently as Seonghwa takes in his words, barely blinking to make sure he can decipher each emotion on Seonghwa’s beautiful face. He would be more embarrassed about their position if he weren’t so entranced by the other wolf. Seonghwa’s expressive eyes shine in the dim light as they become glassy with emotion and Hongjoong hopes that’s a good sign and he hasn’t somehow made Seonghwa cry again. 

But when Seonghwa smiles, all his worries melt away. “Thank you, Joong.” 

Seonghwa’s smile looks a little more steady now, less brittle around the edges with doubt. Hongjoong smiles back, chest feeling lighter than it has in over 24 hours. There was nothing like seeing Seonghwa’s smile directed at him, no matter how small or big it was. 

“I should be the one thanking you. This whole mess was my fault, but you still gave me a chance. I’ll make it up to you once we’re back home, I promise.”

“You better. After this mission is over, no more excuses, alright?” Seonghwa says. His voice is light, but Hongjoong can tell he’s serious. This would be his last chance. 

He nods enthusiastically in response. “Promise,” he repeats wholeheartedly. 

“Good, because the next time we do this,” he says as he brings up their interlocked hands, “I expect there not to be a glove in the way. No more walls, okay?” 

Hongjoong’s blush returns full force, but he resists the urge to look away at such a crucial moment. The thought makes him a little anxious, still not entirely used to the idea of being without gloves let alone holding hands with Seonghwa so freely, but he agrees nonetheless. He had promised Seonghwa the truth and anything else he wanted. That included removing the last few barriers left between them, gloves and all. “Okay.” 

“And,” he continues, “I expect you to sit with the rest of us during pack bonding night from now on.”

Now, that makes Hongjoong really panic. “What, why? The couch is so cramped and Mingi and Yunho are going to crush me and don’t get me started on Wooyoung-” 

Seonghwa raises his free hand to stop Hongjoong from talking. “You said anything I wanted, didn’t you?” he asks with a raised brow. 

Hongjoong pouts, not expecting his words to be turned on him so quickly. He sighs in defeat, knowing he had to keep his promise even if he was crushed under his packmates in the process. “Fine.” 

Seonghwa smiles in triumph, this one even brighter than the ones before. Hongjoong isn’t sure his heart can take any more skipped beats. 

“Anything else, your highness?” he teases, trying to distract from his red cheeks and speeding pulse. 

Seonghwa pretends to contemplate the question before shaking his head. “Hmmm, I’ll have to think of more before we get back. For now, pass me my stew?” he asks, a pretty smile playing on his plush lips.

“That, I’ll gladly do,” Hongjoong says as he grins back, standing up to grab their bowls from the table. The stew is a little lukewarm, but definitely still edible. 

“Thank you,” Seonghwa says, his warm gratitude far more inviting than it had been when he thanked him earlier. Hongjoong almost breathes a sigh of relief at the visible change. 

This is the Seonghwa he always wanted to see. Content and safe, drinking lukewarm soup and still blowing on it just in case because he was endearing that way. 

After all this was over, he’d muster up the courage to tell him the three words he’s been keeping locked away for years and maybe, just maybe, have his feelings returned.

Chapter Text

Seonghwa was…conflicted. 

He was happy that he and Hongjoong had talked things out and Hongjoong had cleared up some of Seonghwa’s major worries, but something still felt…unresolved. They were in a better place, but there was still something holding them back and Seonghwa just wished Hongjoong was able to tell him the entire truth right now instead of having to wait. Whatever it was, Seonghwa could tell it was weighing heavily on Hongjoong and he just wanted to help. 

Another, more selfish part of him, wanted to know because it seemed to have something to do with him. Why would he be the only one in danger if he bonded to Hongjoong? What made him different from the others? 

Seonghwa tried to not take that as negatively as before, especially after Hongjoong had made it very clear that it wasn’t a bad thing and that he thought Seonghwa was amazing. 

The lieutenant's heart still flutters at the thought and how genuine Hongjoong had looked when he said it. His captain thought he was a valuable part of the pack, that he mattered, that he was important . Deep down, Seonghwa knew he was appreciated by his pack, but to hear Hongjoong say all of it out loud when he was normally so reserved about his feelings just made it feel even more special and more true. 

He wanted to hold on to that feeling, to bask in the kind words from the person he loved and admired most. His wolf was more than happy to preen and purr at the compliments, but Seonghwa couldn’t help but hesitate. He felt almost guilty for not letting himself enjoy the moment and focus on the positives like the warmth of Hongjoong’s hand through his glove, or the sincerity in his dark eyes when he looked down at him and showered him with sweet words of care. The softness in his gaze was what really sent Seonghwa’s heart into overdrive. Even though he couldn’t place all the emotions in Hongjoong’s tender gaze, it still made him feel cherished. 

However, the lingering fear and worry over whatever he was keeping from Seonghwa still remained. 

He knew Hongjoong promised to tell him everything once this was all over, and he believed him, but that didn’t stop the feeling of wrongness lingering in his gut. He trusted Hongjoong’s decision-making, but anyone was prone to making bad decisions when motivated by fear, even their Captain, and that’s what Seonghwa was afraid of. Whatever King Kwon had told Hongjoong was currently dictating how Hongjoong was directing their missions and Seonghwa couldn’t tell if it was the right call or not.

Not being able to fulfill his role as second in command because he didn’t have all the information he needed to paint a full picture of the situation was really what was bothering him the most. He was supposed to help Hongjoong make the best, most informed decisions for their team, but he wasn’t able to do that when he was left in the dark like this, even if it was supposedly for his own safety. 

“Seonghwa-hyung, hurry up! Breakfast is ready.”

Mingi’s loud voice startles him out of his early morning musings. 

Seonghwa jumps in his sleeping bag and quickly sits up. 

“Coming!” 

He replies as he begins to get dressed and freshen up a bit with the small portable sink and mirror in his tent. 

“I’ll eat your share if you take too long!” Mingi warns before his shadow moves away from the entrance of Seonghwa’s tent and towards the main campfire area.

Seonghwa splashes his face with water to help clear his thoughts before he needs to step out of his tent and face the rest of the team. He just hoped Hongjoong wouldn’t do anything reckless based on whatever information had him so on edge, and if he did, he hoped one of them would be there to keep him safe. 

Seonghwa makes it to the main camping area shortly after. The rest of the team is already there in various states of consciousness. They had agreed to open the box the vampires had given them in the morning given how physically and emotionally exhausted they all had been the night before. However, since they decided to open it in the morning instead of the evening, they had to wake up at dawn to make sure they didn’t waste too much daylight planning their next move. 

Wooyoung was sleepily stirring the porridge he had made for breakfast while Hongjoong was trying to eat said porridge without falling face first into his bowl. San and Yeosang each dozed on one of Jongho’s shoulders while the youngest sat up stock straight in an effort to stay awake himself. Yunho and Mingi were showing the most signs of life as they chatted and ate their portions. 

Wooyoung perks up when he sees Seonghwa approach and is quick to pour him a heaping bowl of porridge. 

“Morning, hyung!” he chirps happily, sounding far more awake than he looked. 

Seonghwa smiles warmly and takes the bowl. “Morning, Wooyoung-ah. Thank you for breakfast and dinner last night. The stew was delicious and I’m sure your porridge will be, too.” 

Wooyoung beams at the compliment and giggles in delight. “At least someone here knows how to appreciate good cooking,” he says as he puffs up his chest with pride. 

He pours himself a bowl of porridge as well and starts to eat along with the others. Seonghwa takes a bite of the warm porridge and lets it warm his belly as he looks at Wooyoung fondly. It was always endearing to see Wooyoung make sure everyone was served and taken care of before finally serving himself. 

“Are you feeling better, Seonghwa-hyung?” Yunho asks as he polishes off his first bowl of porridge. 

Seonghwa nods, a small smile playing at his lips at his teammate’s concern. “Yes, I feel much better, thank you.” 

“I’m glad a good night’s rest was all you needed,” Yunho says knowingly as he glances over at Hongjoong. “Aren’t you glad Seonghwa-hyung is feeling better, Captain?” 

Hongjoong nearly chokes on his porridge and Seonghwa blushes. He supposes the entire pack must know what happened last night but it didn’t make it any less embarrassing. There wasn’t exactly much room for privacy when you were sharing a very small space with 7 other werewolves. 

Seonghwa pats Hongjoong’s back until he stops coughing and clears his throat. “Yes, I’m glad we’re all doing better. Is everyone’s condition back to normal, Yeosang?” Hongjoong asks, trying to redirect the conversation. 

Yeosang nods his head sleepily, still not moving from the comfort of Jongho’s shoulder. “Mmhmm, all idiots healthy,” he mumbles. 

The pack snicker at his reply as Hongjoong rolls his eyes. “Thanks for the detailed report. Since everyone is using their mouths to be snarky instead of eating, I’m going to assume you’re all ready to open the box and get down to business?” 

“Can I get seconds first? I can’t concentrate unless my stomach is full,” Mingi replies, holding up his empty bowl in question. He was giving Hongjoong his best puppy eyes and Seonghwa was tempted to get up and just give him the rest of his breakfast.

Hongjoong sighs, always weak for his team even if he refused to admit it. “Fine, but make it quick. We’ll all need to be fully awake for this.” 

The team nods and Mingi does a little happy wiggle as he pours himself another bowl after getting Wooyoung’s permission. 

Jongho takes the time to wake up San and Yeosang, roughly nudging San off his shoulder so he falls into Wooyoung and startles awake, and gently running his fingers through Yeosang’s hair to rouse him gradually with soft words and light touches. 

Seonghwa almost can’t contain his laughter at the contrast in methods as he watches San glare at Jongho for his rough treatment as Wooyoung pats his head with an amused look on his face, probably also finding Jongho’s blatant favoritism quite comical. 

Seonghwa notices the new soul mark on San’s forearm as he wraps his arms around Wooyoung for comfort and can’t help the pang in his heart. He’s not as upset by it as he was yesterday, but it still hurt to know that he was now the only member of his pack left without a mark. 

He focuses on Hongjoong’s promise to bond once their mission is complete and holds onto each word tightly in his head as he finishes his porridge. He would get his chance later, Hongjoong had given him his word, so there was no need to feel sad or inadequate about it.

It would be easier to rationalize his emotions if his wolf didn’t feel so dejected every time one of his packmates gained a soul mark, though. 

When they’re all fully awake and well-fed, Hongjoong moves to the center of the half-circle they had formed around the campfire with the box in hand. 

“Chop, chop, Captain. We’re burning daylight,” Wooyoung says impatiently when Hongjoong doesn’t make a move to open the box right away. 

Hongjoong shoots him an annoyed look but doesn’t reply. He takes off one of his gloves in preparation and Seonghwa notices the faint bite mark on his hand from the shadow the night before, now just a faint scar on his pale skin.

“Alright, is everyone ready?” he asks. 

The rest of the pack nod, eager to see what lies inside. 

“Okay,” Hongjoong says mostly to himself before finally touching the ornate wooden box. 

Seonghwa holds his breath as he watches the box intently, not sure what to expect. 

As soon as the Captain touches the wood, it starts to glow a bright blue. The light is so bright that it engulfs the entire box, obscuring it from view. The light glows even brighter as words start to appear above the radiant box in bright blue letters, similar to how the prophecy appeared to them in Dreamveil. 

“To unlock what is in plain sight, 

You will need a key to shine your light. 

And let no obstacle stand in your way, 

For not even stone can stop fate.”

As soon as Seonghwa finishes reading them, the words fade away and the bright light begins to dissipate, finally revealing the contents of the box. There is no longer a lid on it, a by-product of the magical seal having been broken, and Seonghwa can see the top of something small and made of glass. 

“What is it?” Wooyoung asks as he tries to peer over the side of the box. 

“It looks like an hourglass,” Hongjoong says as he gently lifts the small glass object from the velvet padding of the box. 

Its glass curves reflect the early morning sun as its silver accents shine prettily in the light. The silver frame holding it together is just as decorative as the box it came in. Seonghwa notes the unique shape it has along the edges, making it impossible for the hourglass to sit upright on a flat surface, almost as if there was a piece missing or it was meant to sit on a specific stand.

“I think there’s something written at the top,” Jongho comments as he squints at the shiny silver surface of the hourglass that’s facing towards him. 

Hongjoong tilts the hourglass up and looks at the top. “Follow the light,” he reads aloud. His eyebrows knit together in question as he tries to decipher the message. 

“Like…the sun?” Mingi asks, confused. 

Jongho shakes his head. “Whoever wrote these prophecies seriously overestimated the intelligence of the chosen ones.” 

“Why are these all riddles? I hate riddles,” San whines as he drapes himself over Wooyoung’s shoulders in defeat. 

Wooyoung snorts at San’s exaggerated complaints. “You just hate them because you’re bad at them.”

“Hey! You’re not any better,” San protests, pouting. 

“I never said I was. I just said you were bad,” Wooyoung shrugs. 

San’s pout intensifies as he tries to glare at Wooyoung, but it’s a little difficult from his position squished against the other’s shoulder. 

“Is there something written on the other side?” Yunho asks curiously, easily ignoring Wooyoung and San’s bickering. 

Hongjoong turns it over and it starts to glow once more, startling them and bringing all their attention back to the small glowing object to see if any more messages appear or if the hourglass would let out any more magical cues. 

Seonghwa waits in anticipation but nothing seems to happen. The hourglass continues to glow but it doesn’t dim or increase in intensity like it did before. What did it mean? 

“Um…guys,” Mingi says as he tries to get their attention 

“Not now, Mingi. The magical hourglass is trying to tell us something,” Wooyoung scolds as he continues to stare down the hourglass as if he could intimidate it into telling them what they had to do next. 

“I think I know what it’s trying to tell us,” Mingi says. 

Seonghwa and the rest of the pack immediately look at him. 

“What is it?” Seonghwa asks expectantly, not sure if Mingi’s wide-eyed look is good or bad. 

The silver-haired wolf points behind them. “Follow the light.” 

All their heads turn and Seonghwa’s eyes widen to match Mingi’s as he sees an enormous beam of blue light shine in the distance. 

“Well, shit,” Wooyoung says as he looks at the very obvious direction the hourglass was pointing them in. It was probably the most straightforward clue any of the pieces of the prophecy had ever given them. 

“I guess they did make it idiot-proof,” Jongho says, impressed by the large column of light. 

“Wait, is that…?” Yunho starts in alarm. 

Seonghwa isn’t sure what has caught Yunho’s attention until he focuses on where the beam of light is coming from and what else resides in that exact direction. 

“That’s KQ,” Hongjoong breaths, eyes just as wide and panicked as Yunho’s. 

“Is that…bad?” San asks, voice uneasy as he turns his head from Yunho to Hongjoong, sensing the tension building in the air. 

“I’m not sure…” Hongjoong replies, uncertain. 

“Does the box say anything else?” Seonghwa is quick to act, not letting the surprise keep him paralyzed for long. He had to know how serious this really was before he started to panic. 

He reaches for the box still in Hongjoong’s hand and gently takes it, looking it over for any more clues when he catches sight of some faint scrawl. Along the inside of the velvet interior where the hourglass was resting, there are a few lines of small, golden script inlaid into the decadent fabric. 

“Be mindful of the turning of time

As you try and fulfill your fate.

For when the final grain is in decline,

It might be too late.”

His eyes widen as he reads the words over and over trying to make sure he understands them correctly. It appeared that whatever they had to do now had a time limit. 

“What is it?” Yeosang asks when he notices Seonghwa stiffen. 

“We need to get to KQ before the sand runs out,” Seonghwa says urgently as he looks up at his pack. 

“Oh, come on! They couldn’t have warned us a little earlier?!” Mingi whined in protest. 

“I’d kill whoever designed this box if they weren’t already dead. Who puts the instructions under something?!” Wooyoung yells in indignation, glaring down at the small golden letters that had been hidden by the hourglass. Seonghwa couldn’t help but agree with the sentiment. 

“Can we turn it back?” San asks anxiously, watching as the grains of sand trickle without stopping, granting them less and less time to get back home. 

Hongjoong tries to turn the hourglass over, but the sand continues to fall in the opposite direction, ignoring the pull of gravity. It seemed there was no turning back the clock on this one.

“Shit,” Hongjoong curses. 

“Sometimes, I really hate magic,” Wooyoung grumbles. 

“So, does this mean we don’t have time for thirds or…?” Mingi asks tentatively as he looks back at the pot or porridge by the fire. 

“Now is definitely not the time, Mingi-ya,” Yeosang says as Jongho elbows Mingi in the side for asking something like that in such a tense situation. 

“Okay, this isn’t ideal but we can make it to KQ in a few hours if we leave now. Hopefully, that gives us enough time to figure things out before the sand runs out. San and Mingi, pack up the tents. Yeosang and Wooyoung, gather all essential supplies and and load them into the cars. Yunho and Jongho, make sure the jeeps are ready to go and that the energy crystals have enough charge to get us back home. Seonghwa and I will double-check all our equipment and make sure everything is ready for combat should we need it. I want us out of here in 10 minutes or less, understood?” Hongjoong commands, not letting the stress of the situation faze him as he quickly takes the lead and gets everyone moving. Seonghwa can tell he was stressed by the death grip he has on the treacherous hourglass, but his eyes are determined and sharp as steel, ready to face whatever else this journey had to throw at them. 

A chorus of “Yes, Captain,” is heard in return and they all get to work on fulfilling their tasks. 

By the time they’re all in their respective jeeps, only 8 minutes have passed. Seonghwa thinks their training instructors would be pleased with their efficiency 

“Team 2, we’ll be going at full speed to get back to KQ as fast as possible. Keep up as best you can and do no slow down or stop to engage with any shadows unless absolutely necessary, over,” Hongjoong’s voice comes through the jeep radio as they all buckle their seat belts. 

Seonghwa picks up the receiver to answer. “We hear you loud and clear, Captain. We’ll let you know if we see any trouble coming our way. Over.” 

“Good. See you there, team…be safe,” and with that, Hongjoong cuts the connection. 

San giggles. “Look at him being all protective,” he teases. 

“It’s only because we have Seonghwa-hyung in the car. He’d tell the rest of us to floor it if he could,” Jongho jokes as he puts the car into drive. 

Seonghwa laughs. “Stop that. He’s protective over all of us.” 

“Sure, if we were all named Park Seonghwa,” Yeosang deadpans, sending both San and Jongho into a fit of giggles. 

Seonghwa blushes but tries not to let the teasing get to him. He was sure they were only saying that to tease him considering they could all probably sense how Hongjoong really felt through their soul bonds. Something Seonghwa was most definitely not envious of. Not one bit. 

“Let’s just all focus on getting back home quickly and safely,” he says, making a point to look out the window towards jeep 1 and away from the rest of his team. 

“Whatever you say, Seonghwa-hyung,” Jongho dismisses, teasing grin still tugging at the corners of his lips as he follows after the other vehicle. 

Seonghwa can hear San snicker in the backseat but chooses to ignore it. He really didn’t need yet another reason to think about Hongjoong on their long ride home. 

It takes them a total of 4 hours to reach the outskirts of KQ, almost half the time it should considering how fast they were going. There were a few shadows that had tried to chase them along the way, but luckily they were moving too fast for the creatures to be able to keep up and they didn’t need to make any unnecessary stops along the way. 

However, as they approach the gates of their home city, their luck runs out. 

The radio in their jeep buzzes to life just as they see KQ on the horizon. 

“Team 2, come in,” Hongjoong’s voice breaks through the static. 

“We’re here, Captain,” Seonghwa says as he answers the call. 

“Mingi spotted multiple groups of shadows ahead of us. It looks like they’re all heading toward KQ, so we probably won’t be able to avoid them. Try to only engage from the jeeps for now until we get closer to the city and have a better idea of how many we’re up against,” Hongjoong instructs them, voice tight and calculating. 

Seonghwa looks ahead of them and sees multiple black dots in the distance. He frowns, concerned. That seems like an even bigger group than the one they encountered outside Dreamveil. 

“Understood, Captain. Stay safe and update us if the situation changes on your end,” he answers evenly, trying to keep the worry out of his voice. 

“Will do. Over and out.”  

Seonghwa puts the receiver back in its place and stares ahead of them anxiously. He hoped they’d be able to stay in the jeeps and use their speed to their advantage. It would be really dangerous if they had to get down to fight the creatures considering they didn’t even know how many shadows were currently surrounding the city. 

Unfortunately, he didn’t have the luxury of contemplating the situation for too long as they quickly approached the first group of shadows ahead of them and his priority was making sure his team was ready. 

“Alright, everyone, you heard the Captain. Yeosang, please ready your bow and arrow to start shooting any shadows that may come too close. San, there should be extra guns in the compartment in the back that you can use to shoot and I will cover Jongho and make sure none of the shadows interfere with his driving. All clear?” he asks as he unholsters his enchanted pistol and turns the safety off. 

“Aye, Aye, Lieutenant,” San mock-salutes as he searches the back for the aforementioned ranged weapons. 

“Hmm. Doesn’t exactly have the same ring as Captain, does it?” Yeosang contemplates as he strings his bow. 

San shrugs. “Still sounds important.” 

Seonghwa chuckles. “I’d much prefer you just call me, hyung.” 

“Nah, that definitely doesn’t have the same ring to it,” San replies with a laugh. 

Seonghwa smiles as he tries to release some of the tension from his frame and focus on the relaxed atmosphere inside the jeep. The team was always really good at keeping stress low before a fight with their easy-going attitudes and quiet confidence. He appreciated how calm they all were acting even though he’s sure the number of shadows ahead was more than a little intimidating for all of them. He takes a steading breath and forces the majority of the heavy tension resting on his shoulders to melt away, not wanting any lingering stiffness to affect his aim during such an important fight. 

He was determined to keep his packmates safe. 

“Heads up! Shadows incoming on our left in t-minus 10,” Jongho informs them as they come closer to the first large group of shadows. 

“On it,” Yeosang says as he stands up, pulling an arrow from his quiver and knocking it into places against his bow. 

Seonghwa can already hear the sound of Mingi’s rifle, signifying that team one had already encountered another group up ahead. The fighting had officially started. 

“Remember, focus on taking down the ones closest to us and ignore the others to conserve ammo. We should be able to outspeed most of them,” Seonghwa instructs as he leans out the window, preparing to take aim at the first shadow that gets too close to him or Jongho. 

“Roger that!” San shouts over the loud sound of the wind blowing past them. 

Not a moment later, Jongho drives them straight through a group of shadowy creatures, avoiding as many as possible without deviating too far from the other jeep or the road to KQ. 

Yeosang immediately fires an arrow at the first shadow that turns around and notices them, quickly turning it to dust before it can even think of attacking their car. He’s quick to pull another arrow from his quiver and fire off more as they gain the attention of even more shadows ahead. 

San is close behind, firing shot after shot with the auto rifle he found in their weapons compartment. He wasn’t the best marksman on the team, preferring to train in hand-to-hand combat, but he was no slouch either, proficient at eliminating shadows no matter what weapon was in his hands. He may miss more shots than Seonghwa or Yeosang as they drive through the throng of shadows, but he always hits the ones that count, not letting any shadow get too close, just as he was asked to. 

Seonghwa has an easy time shooting any of the shadows that try and get in their way at first, but it gets harder and harder as they get closer to the city. He’s gone through almost three clips for his pistol and they weren’t even close to the gate yet. They were also going significantly slower than before given the sheer number of shadows they were trying to get through, leaving them more vulnerable to attack.

“Jongho, is there any way to drive around some of these groups? Our ammunition won’t last if we have to keep fighting at this rate,” Seonghwa asks, shooting a shadow that was about to sink its claws into him. 

“Negative,” Jongho grunts as they hit a few shadows with the jeep. “There’s even more up ahead and I don’t see any clear path around them. The city is completely surrounded,” he says as he swerves to the side to avoid a cluster of shadows. 

Seonghwa glances towards the tall walls of KQ and goes pale at the sea of black he sees ahead. He had never seen such a large gathering of shadows in all his life. This is far worse than any of them had been expecting. 

He quickly clicks on his comms link and continues shooting, eyes darting around frantically to try and spot any sort of cover in the mass ocean of enemies. “Hongjoong, come in,” he shouts, hoping his Captain would be able to answer in the midst of all this chaos. 

“I hear you, over,” Hongjoong’s strained voice comes over the comms. 

It seemed the other team was struggling as well. 

“We need to regroup and come up with another plan, Captain. There are too many of them and we’re at risk of running out of ammo before we even get to the gates,” Seonghwa says, taking out his knife to stab at a shadow that was trying to climb the jeep while he reloaded. 

He hears Hongjoong grunt and Wooyoung yell in the background, but he tries to be patient and wait for them to have a free moment to reply, not wanting to risk distracting them just because he was anxious about the situation. 

Finally, a reply comes. “You’re right. I was hoping they would thin out at the gate where the barrier is, but it doesn’t look like we can make it that far without putting ourselves at risk. Let’s back out and rendezvous further away from the city where there are less of them,” Hongjoong pants. 

Seonghwa swallows his worries and nods even though he knows Hongjoong can’t see them. At least they had a plan now. “Roger that. We’ll fall back now, over.” 

The lieutenant quickly relays the message to the rest of the team. “Jongho, turn us around! We need to find an area with fewer shadows so we can rendezvous with the others safely.” 

“On it,” Jongho grunts, gripping the steering wheel even tighter as he makes a sharp u-turn and starts heading in the direction of jeep one as they retreat as well. 

Seonghwa hears a thump and sees San flailing around in the back seat. “Warn a guy next time, would ya?!” he huffs, satori accent peeking through as he picks up his discarded rifle and sits up in his seat after having been jostled by Jongho’s rough driving. 

“Just put on your seatbelt and keep shooting!’ Jongho shouts back, eyebrows furrowed in both irritation and concentration as he tries to navigate them out of the swarm of shadows around them. 

“A little less talking and a little more shooting would definitely be appreciated!” Yeosang adds, releasing three arrows at once to aid in their retreat. 

San grumbles but obeys, taking out a few of the shadows that were starting to grab onto the back frame of the jeep. 

Seonghwa hears a booming sound and turns towards the noise, seeing the others making a speedy getaway in the aftermath of one of Wooyoung’s explosions. They were being seriously overwhelmed if Hongjoong had let the young wolf release such powerful explosives so close to them. It makes Seonghwa even more anxious to get to them as soon as possible. 

They fight and drive their way toward the rest of their team, but unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much end in sight to the shadows that surround them. If possible, there seems to be even more at every turn, as if their new focus is catching them instead of surrounding the city. 

With each round he fires, he worries more and more about the sand that’s steadily trickling down in the hourglass. At this rate, he doesn’t know if they’ll really be able to shoot their way out of this and make it to KQ before they run out of time. 

“Crap!” San says as he suddenly stops firing and looks down at his gun. “It’s jammed!” he yells as he grabs one of the knives under his seat and stabs at a shadow who was trying to grab at him. Seonghwa could see a few angry claw marks already on his arms, and scowls. Now was really not the time for their weapons to be failing them. 

“Grab a new gun. I’ll cover you!” Seonghwa yells as he angles his body to be able to see the shadows approaching from the back as well, making sure none of them get close enough to claw at San while he’s looking for another weapon. 

“Hyung, watch out!” Jongho yells as he suddenly swerves, jostling all of them around in the car. 

Seonghwa nearly falls out of the window, having had most of his torso outside the car in order to fend off the shadows. He yelps as his stomach collides with the top of the passenger door, knocking the wind out of him and making him lose his grip on his pistol, dropping it somewhere by his feet. 

He hears San scream and feels the car lurch underneath them, barely having enough time to grab onto the frame before they’re nearly tilting over, coming to a rough and very abrupt stop in the grass. 

“What happened?! Is everyone alright?” Yeosang asks frantically, holding onto the top part of the jeep’s frame for dear life. 

“I’m fine,” Seonghwa wheezes as he regains his breath, bending down to retrieve his gun quickly once his lungs had sufficient air in them again. 

“I think I just got five new bruises, but I’ll live,” San grunts, also managing to sit upright in his seat once more. 

“Sorry,” Jongho apologizes. “One of those bastards managed to pierce a tire when Seonghwa-hyung turned back to cover San. I tried to avoid it, but it was too fast.” Frustration is clear on his face as he glares at the approaching shadows through the windshield, not letting up on the white-knuckled grip he has on the steering wheel. 

“It’s alright, Jongho. At least we’re all safe,” Seonghwa tries to soothe their youngest. He had done a great job keeping the car as stable as possible through the attack. Things would have been much worse if they had outright crashed or flipped over. 

“For now,” Yeosang says, apprehension growing as he straightens up and reaches for another arrow. 

Seonghwa’s gaze quickly shifts forward and he sees the shadows that had been chasing them quickly catch up and start to move in on the now halted vehicle. He clenches the grip of his pistol and reaches for the door handle, preparing to step out and defend their position until the others arrive. 

However, before he can open the passenger door or Yeosang can release another deadly arrow, a loud booming sound disrupts the tense quiet of the battlefield. Seonghwa looks up to see two figures jumping into the fray followed by a series of kunai being thrown in quick succession at the incoming shadows. 

The booming sound stuns the dark creatures long enough for the kunai to easily hit their mark and dozens of shadows begin to disintegrate all at once as the knives are pulled back into the hand of their owner by glowing purple threads. 

Seonghwa’s eyes are wide and his mouth is agape as he sees two very familiar wolves now standing in front of their jeep. 

As Seonghwa is about to call out to them, jeep one skids into the clearing they had swerved into and the rest of their teammates come rushing over. 

“Is everyone, alright?” Hongjoong asks frantically as he looks over the rest of the team in jeep two. “We saw you lose control but no one was answering my pings.” 

Seonghwa reaches up and notices his earpiece is no longer in his ear. It must have fallen out when they all got jostled in the accident. 

“I’m sorry. My earpiece fell out in all the commotion,” Seonghwa says apologetically, noticing how worried the others looked. 

“It was super scary! I thought Hongjoong was gonna kill us if you guys weren’t okay,” Mingi says as he appears behind Hongjoong.

“We’re fine, just a little banged up. We got lucky with some unexpected backup,” Yeosang says as he gestures over to the two wolves who had saved them. 

One was a little taller than Seonghwa, with a muscular build that contrasted his soft cheeks and charming features, the other wolf was shorter but equally as fit with dark eyes and a striking nose. 

Wooyoung gasps and sprints over to the pair, throwing his arms around the brunet with the sharp features. “Changkyunnie-hyung!” 

The wolf, Changkyun, chuckles and pats Wooyoung on the head. “Hey, squirt.”

“You pups alright?” the other wolf asks, jogging over to check on the rest of them. 

“Major General Jooheon, what are you doing here?” Hongjoong asks, just as surprised to see some of the highest-ranking officers in KQ out in the middle of a swarm of shadows. 

“I could ask you all the same thing. This isn’t exactly the safest place to be at the moment,” he says as he throws a shuriken through another group of shadows that was now approaching them.

“We’re trying to complete an important mission from the general and it’s crucial that we get into KQ as soon as possible,” Hongjoong explains. 

Jooheon raises a brow but nods. “Alright. The city is in total lockdown, so we’ll need to show you another way to get in. Let’s head towards the forest so we can talk. There should be fewer enemies there.” 

Hongjoong nods, eyeing the new group of shadows approaching them wearily. 

“Team, load up. We’re heading for the forest immediately,” Hongjoong commands, already turning to return to his vehicle. 

“Wait! We got a flat tire. The jeep will be too slow,” Seonghwa interjects. 

Jooheon shrugs. “Then, you better get running.” 

He releases another paralyzing sonic boom from what looks like some sort of megaphone to slow down the shadows before shifting into his golden wolf form and sprinting toward the forest. 

Changkyun sighs as he pulls away from Wooyoung. “Always so impulsive. I’ll see you all there,” and with that, he shifts as well, following after his teammate. 

“I call a seat in the working jeep!” San yells as he jumps out of the backseat and runs over to jeep one. 

“Yah! Get back here. You’re literally our fastest runner,” Jongho complains as he goes after him. 

“Everyone just get in the jeep, we don’t have time to waste!” Hongjoong orders, stalking off to take his spot in the passenger's seat. 

“Hey, give me shotgun! You’re small and I’m too tall to be squished in the backseat,” Mingi complains. 

Seonghwa can practically see the vein popping out on Hongjoong’s forehead from here. 

“Then, you can stand in the trunk. Now, move it!” Hongjoong barks at them. 

Mingi frowns but lets out no further protests, quickly jumping in the back of the car to avoid being sandwiched between his other teammates in the backseat. 

Seonghwa decides to take one for the team and ends up squished between Wooyoung and San with Yeosang somehow ending up half on Seonghwa and half on Wooyoung’s lap as they all piled into the backseat as quickly as possible. Jongho took the standing spot beside Mingi in the trunk of the car and they were able to get moving just before the shadows Jooheon had stunned started to inch towards them once again. 

They make it to the treeline without incident, the shadows on the outskirts of the city much more sparse as the majority seemed more interested in KQ than attacking them when they weren’t actively trying to fight. Mingi and Hongjoong still had to take some out along the way and Seonghwa could see Jooheon and Changkyun tearing through a few to clear the area for them as well, but it was definitely much more manageable. 

When they finally reach the safety of the forest, they dismount the jeep and walk over to their commanding officers, who shift back into human form to be able to speak with them properly. 

“So, what’s the situation? Why are there so many shadows surrounding KQ?” Hongjoong gets straight to business, probably just as worried as Seonghwa was about the sand trickling down the hourglass. 

“We aren’t sure. They started showing up when the beam of light appeared this morning and they just keep coming. Jonghoon had to call some witches from Dreamveil to help strengthen the barrier and keep them out, which is why you can’t go through the front gates right now,” Jooheon explains. 

The pack shares a grim look. They had unintentionally put KQ in danger when they activated the beam with the hourglass. It must be made of pure light magic for it to be attracting this many shadows so quickly. They had to hurry up and fix this if they wanted to keep the city safe. 

“How were you two able to get out here?” Hongjoong asks. 

“General Kyungmoon has different units running perimeter checks to make sure the shadows don’t damage the barrier or somehow manage to get through, so there’s a small opening in the barrier by the barracks where only light magic can pass through. We were patrolling the barrier when we heard explosions and saw you guys in trouble. I know you’re all skilled, but taking on that many at once was a bit ambitious,” Changkyun answers this time. 

“I was hoping that if we could get closer, there wouldn’t be as many by the gate since the barrier would repel them, but it was a miscalculation on my part. Thank you for helping us, Major General Changkyun and Jooheon,” Hongjoong says with a bow. 

“No need to be so formal, kid,” Changkyun chuckles. “It was no problem. We’d help anyone who needed it, especially our comrades.” 

“Yeah, it was fun getting to rip through some shadows, too,” Jooheon adds with a dimpled grin. “We’re just glad you’re all okay.” 

“Do either of you know where the beam of light is coming from inside the city? If we can get to it, we may be able to stop the shadows,” Seonghwa interjects. He appreciated their help, but they were running out of time and they needed answers fast. 

Jooheon looks surprised at the comment. “Really? Wow, your mission is pretty important.” 

“It looks like it’s coming from somewhere near the northern edge of the city, but I couldn’t tell you for sure. General Kyungmoon sent some teams to investigate this morning, but Commander Son and the rest of our unit were charged with defending the city and we’ve had our hands full ever since. Your best bet would be to ask the General once you get inside,” Changkyun answers. 

Seonghwa nods. He was hoping they’d be able to save some time by knowing exactly where to go once they were inside, but they’d just have to rely on the beam to guide them it seems. 

“Would you be able to help us get inside? I hate to put you both in any more danger, but we really need to get to the city as soon as possible,” Seonghwa urges. 

“If you can get these shadows to back off, we’re more than happy to help, lieutenant,” Jooheon answers confidently. “Besides, danger is part of the job in the KQ army,” he smirks. 

“Like the danger we’ll be in if we don’t report back before Kihyun-hyung notices we’re taking too long,” Changkyun adds. 

Seonghwa chuckles. Vice-commander Kihyun was definitely a force to be reckoned with. 

“Let’s get going, then. The car will attract too much attention, so we’ll have to leave it here, but we can make it there quickly in our wolf forms,” Jooheon says. 

“You heard them team. We’re traveling light so only take what you need and let’s get moving,” Hongjoong commands, already checking his vest to make sure he has all the essentials. 

The team quickly checks the jeep for anything they might need on the journey, only replenishing their ammo and pocketing a few more weapons before rejoining the other two wolves. 

“Ready to go?” Changkyun asks. 

Hongjoong nods. “Ready.” 

“Wait, do we really have to go in wolf form? I can’t shoot anything in wolf form. If I can’t shoot, I can’t defend myself, and if I can’t defend myself, I’m a liability, and if I’m a liability the Captain might kick me out of the pack and-” 

“Mingi!” Seonghwa says, grabbing onto his teammate’s hand. “It’ll be okay. We’ve got your back.”

Seonghwa lets out calming pheromones, his floral honey scent sweetens and soothes the air around them. Mingi visibly relaxes at the grounding touch, taking in a deep breath of Seonghwa’s calming scent to pacify his anxieties. 

“We’re all here for you Mingi-ya,” Yunho says as he steps in and squeezes Mingi’s shoulder in comfort. 

“You’re my partner in crime at making the Captain’s life miserable, I’m not letting you go anywhere, Mangi,” Wooyoung declares as he latches onto Mingi’s arm. 

San quickly grabs onto Mingi’s other arm and cuddles close.”I’ll keep you safe, Minki.” 

“What they said minus all the hugging,” Yeosang chimes in. 

“Yeah, if the Captain still hasn’t thrown you out for calling him short, I think you’re pretty much here to stay,” Jongho jokes, giving Mingi a few encouraging pats on the back.

Mingi tentatively looks up at Hongjoong and the Captain offers him a lopsided grin. He points at the wrist where Seonghwa knows their shared soul mark is. “You’re stuck with us for life, remember? Pack protects pack.” 

Mingi looks like he’s about to cry, but he swallows back his tears. “Thanks guys,” he chokes out, a wobbly grin pulling at his lips as he sniffles. 

Seonghwa can tell that he’s still nervous, but it was normal to be at least a little apprehensive in the face of such a daunting task. 

“You ready to go now?” Hongjoong asks softly.

Mingi nods and rubs his face, getting rid of the remnants of any tears before looking up at them, determination now shining in his eyes. “Let’s go kick some shadow ass.” 

Jooheon chuckles as he comes up to pat Mingi on the back, dimples on full display. “That’s the spirit! Why can’t you be all cute like this too, Changkyunnie?” 

Changkyun rolls his eyes. “I’m not Hoseok-hyung. Now, let’s get going.” 

Jooheon pouts but steps away from Mingi, taking his place next to Changkun. “Stay close, we’ll shift back when we get closer to the entrance.”

“Roger that,” Hongjoong replies. 

“Let’s move out,” Jooheon announces, loud enough for all of them to hear before he and Changkyun start to run ahead, changing into their wolf forms as they go. 

Seonghwa and the rest of the pack follow suit, trailing close behind the golden and black wolves as they weave through the forest and sprint back toward KQ. If they weren’t in such a rush, Seonghwa would take the time to enjoy the fact that they were all on a pack run after so long. It was always such a serene feeling to run through the forest as a full pack, hearing the pants and yips of his packmates as the wind swept through his fur and the trees blurred past. Like this, he felt more in touch with his wolf and the wolves of his pack, driven by instinct and free of the worries that so often plagued him in his human form. 

But right now, not even the bliss of running with his pack could distract him from the heavy weight of the mission they carried and the impending deadline that hung overhead. The shadows that stood between them and the next step in their journey were also a blatant reminder that they still had a long way to go before they could actually enjoy a carefree run through the woods together. 

They make it halfway to the side of the city before they start to run into denser groups of shadows that they could no longer easily avoid. Jooheon and Changkyun bite and claw through a few at a time to help clear a path for them, while the pack picks off any stragglers that try to lunge at them. 

It’s a bit of a struggle, but they do finally reach the wall near the KQ army barracks, quickly shifting to human form to be able to fend off the shadows and get through the opening in the barrier safely. Their wolf forms were great for attacking on the run, but their human forms were far better at defending with the help of their weapons. 

“The entrance is on the side of the wall. It might be hard to spot at first, but just look for the KQ symbol, it’ll signify where the entrance is. You can all go first, we’ll distract them,” Changkyun says, taking out a kunai and spinning it in his hand before holding it in his fist. 

“Are you sure?” Seonghwa asks, looking at the duo in concern. They may belong to one of the strongest units in KQ, but they were still only two wolves up against an army. 

“Yeah, we got this. As your commanding officers, it’s our duty to keep you all safe,” Jooheon says with a proud grin as he takes out his megaphone and steps out in front of them to stand beside Changkyun. “Now, go.” 

Seonghwa makes eye contact with Hongjoong and the Captain nods. 

“Thank you. We’ll see you inside,” Hongjoong says and then turns to the rest of them. “Let’s hurry.” 

They all follow Hongjoong towards the side of the wall, leaving the sound of booming sonic blasts and kunai cutting through the air behind. 

“You think they’ll be okay?” Wooyoung asks nervously as he glances back at the pair they left behind. 

“Don’t worry, Wooyoung. They’re some of the toughest wolves out there. They helped train you and Jongho after all,” Yeosang reassures him. 

Wooyoung nods, trying to focus on his best friend’s words rather than his own fears. “You’re right. Your boyfriend can probably take on half of these things by himself with his crazy strength. It should be a piece of cake for them.” 

Jongho snorts while Yeosang blushes at the ‘boyfriend’ comment. “A little exaggerated but I’ll take it.” 

“Well, we’re about to put everyone’s strength to the test soon. Look alive team, we have shadows up ahead,” Hongjoong announces, sharp voice cutting through the casual conversation. 

Everyone straightens and looks far more alert now as they get closer to the wall. It appeared not all the shadows had fallen for Jooheon and Changkyun’s ruckus distraction tactics. 

“Don’t these things ever fucking quit?” Wooyoung complains as he gets out a handful of throwing knives. 

“Apparently not,” Yunho grunts as he stabs a shadow clean through with his short sword. 

“I hate it here,” Mingi complains as he takes out a set of handguns, already starting to shoot away at the shadows in their way since he couldn’t use his sniper rifle from such close range. Fortunately, he was just as deadly with the smaller guns as he was with his signature weapon. 

Seonghwa slides in to slash through a few shadows that were starting to gang up on Yeosang, who was using his brass knuckles instead of his bow and arrow like he normally would since they were in such close range with the dark creatures. 

“Thanks, hyung,” he says as he uses his impressive arms to punch through another shadow. 

“Any time,” Seonghwa says as he kicks a shadow away before shooting it. 

“Can someone go check the wall for the entrance? We need to hurry before they start overwhelming the major generals or us,” Hongjoong shouts into the battlefield. They were all lucky to have werewolf hearing or they might have heard Hongjoong over the sound of gunfire or the growls and groans of the creatures they were taking down. 

“I can go check!” Yunho replies, cutting through a series of enemies easily. 

“San, go as backup. You can fend them off while Yunho focuses on the wall,” Hongjoong instructs as he stabs his knife into the nearest shadow, swiftly pulling it from its disintegrating body before spinning on the balls of his feet and stabbing another one in the side. 

“On it, Captain!” San shouts from the other side of their small group. 

Seonghwa sees San dash through the shadows between him and Yunho, taking down every last one of them with his trench knives as he went, masterfully dodging attacks and placing his punches to weave through them like thread through a needle. 

“Head up, everyone! There are some abnormal shadows incoming at three o’clock,” Jongho yells over the cacophony of the fighting, ripping and tearing through his own group of shadows as the team slowly made their way towards the wall. 

“Great,” Seonghwa thinks as he stabs a shadow through the chest and watches it crumble under his blade. They definitely didn’t need any more challenges on this mission. Abnormal shadows either looked different or were somehow stronger than normal shadows and were largely unpredictable, making them harder to fight. Yunho and San had dealt with a few abnormally strong shadows in the forest last night, so Seonghwa hoped these would be just as easy for them to handle as a team. 

“Wooyoung! See if you can take care of them with any of your explosives before they get too close,” Hongjoong directs. 

“Roger that!” he replies, sprinting off to try and block the shadow’s progress toward them. 

“I’ll cover you!” Mingi says, as he helps take down the enemies in Wooyoung’s way, making sure his teammate is able to cross the battlefield safely. 

“Watch the ones coming from the left, too!” Jongho warns as he takes out his axe to help him vanquish more shadows at once. The sharp blade of the weapon glows purple as it cleaves through two shadows at once. 

Seonghwa turns around, aiming his pistol at the incoming shadows on the other side, making sure to cover Yeosang’s back as he deals with the others with his brass-knuckled fists. He hears Wooyoung’s explosives going off not too far from them and hopes his younger packmate isn’t being too reckless with his favorite weapons as he keeps the abnormal shadows away from them.

There aren’t as many as there were when they got swarmed in the jeeps earlier, but it was still a brutal pace to keep up, even with the eight of them working in tandem. When they finally reach the wall, they still have to hold the line while they wait for Yunho to find the entrance. 

It feels like an eternity later when a cry of victory finally comes. “Guys, I found it!” Yunho shouts from a few yards down the wall from where they’re still fending off the shadows. 

“Good work!” Hongjoong says, quickly dispatching the shadow he had been fighting and turning to address them. “Everyone, fall back to Yunho’s position,” he commands. 

They all start to disengage from the fight, creating space between them and the shadows as they begin to run toward Yunho and San. Mingi and Seonghwa provide most of the cover fire as they ran, making sure most of the shadows weren’t able to reach the team as they made a break for it. 

They’re almost at the entrance that’s now glowing as Yunho puts a hand through it to activate the hidden magic when Seonghwa sees it. 

A shadow is moving quickly on the ground, almost like a dark pool on the floor as it makes its way toward them. An abnormal. 

It’s moving so low to the ground that the rest of the team doesn’t seem to see it, too distracted by making their escape to look down and notice the strange creature slithering toward them from below. Seonghwa snaps his head forward and sees Hongjoong holding the outside of the line, putting his body between the shadows and the rest of the team to ensure their safe retreat. 

Seonghwa wants to shout, to warn him of the danger rapidly moving towards him, but the creature is too fast, already launching its attack before Seonghwa has time to aim his gun or process what’s happening. His body moves on instinct to protect Hongjoong and whoever else its trying to dig its gnarled claws into. He brings his blade up to stab it as he throws his body forward with no care for his own safety, his only thought being to protect Hongjoong, to protect the team, to protect his pack. 

His knife finds purchase as he stabs the shadow, but not before he feels its thick, jagged claws dig into his abdomen. 

He gasps, releasing the knife as he falls to the ground from both the pain and momentum of the blow as the twisted abnormal shadow starts to slowly fade. He grunts in discomfort as the shadow's claws rip out of him as it fades away, leaving his wound open and aching. 

“SEONGHWA!” 

He hears someone yell behind him, he thinks it sounds like Hongjoong, but he isn’t sure because his ears are ringing. He tries to move, but his body refuses to listen, stuck in the sprawled position the blow had left him in. He thinks he’s in shock because he can’t feel anything, not even he sharp pain in his stomach where he’s sure the shadow had struck him. He manages to move his hand after a few failed attempts and clumsily places it on his abdomen, still not having full function of his limbs. He lifts his arm in front of his hazy eyes and all he can see is crimson. 

Blood. 

His blood. 

And a lot of it. 

He’s paralyzed by the sight. Surely he couldn’t be bleeding that much. It didn’t even hurt anymore. He couldn’t be hurt that badly…could he? 

Seonghwa doesn’t have any more time to contemplate the severity of his wound as he feels hands on him, lifting him off the ground and pulling him this way and that, as if deciding the best way to carry him. He stares up to at the late afternoon sky, the setting sun changing the cerulean blue to hues of orange and purple. He blinks, or he thinks he does, and the scenery suddenly changes. He is no longer watching the changing sky but is now staring at a dull, gray concrete ceiling. He misses the sky and all its beautiful changing colors for just a moment until his vision is filled with something better, something even more beautiful. 

Hongjoong. 

The captain is crying. Seonghwa doesn’t understand why. Was he in pain? Did someone get hurt? 

He suddenly remembers the sharp pain of the shadow’s claws and the blood on his hand. 

Was… he hurt? 

Seonghwa tries to remember, tries to assess the damage to his body, but he can’t seem to get his thoughts to focus long enough to piece it all together. 

His scattered thoughts are once again derailed when Hongjoong starts to say something. It takes all of Seonghwa’s fading consciousness to understand what the Captain is trying to say. 

“-sorry. I’m so sorry, Seonghwa,” Hongjoong cries. 

The Captain has one of Seonghwa’s hands in his as he cries. Seonghwa doesn’t want him to be sad and he doesn’t want him to be sorry. Seonghwa was just protecting the people he loved. There was no one to blame. 

“Not-your fault,” Seonghwa croaks out, just now realizing how hard it was to speak, to breathe with each stuttered rise and fall of his chest. 

He coughs after speaking and feels a warm liquid drip down the side of his mouth. 

“Shhh, no, no. Don’t speak. Save your strength. Yeosang is going to fix you up and you’re going to be okay,” Hongjoong says desperately as he gently sweeps Seonghwa’s sweaty blond bangs out of his face before tenderly cupping his cheek. 

It feels nice so he leans into the touch, soaking up Hongjoong’s rare affection. Even through the layer of leather, Seonghwas thinks he can still feel Hongjoong’s warmth. The only warmth he can feel at the moment as his body grows heavy and cold. 

It feels like he’s laying in a puddle, his clothes soaking through with whatever liquid was pooling underneath him and chilling his body to the bone. 

His eyes grow heavy. He was so tired from the fighting and now he was so cold. He just wanted to close his eyes for a little bit and rest. 

“Hey, no. Don’t do that. Stay with me Seonghwa. Stay awake, please,” Hongjoong begs, now grabbing onto both sides of his face and shaking him lightly to keep him awake. He can also feel other hands lower on his body, but the sensation is so fleeting he doesn’t have the capacity to concentrate on it long enough to identify it. Especially not with Hongjoong taking up what little awareness he had to spare. 

Seonghwa looks up at Hongjoong and stares into his deep, dark eyes, They look pained as if he’s distressed. From what? Seonghwa isn’t sure, but it makes him feel sad. Sad that he can’t help Hongjoong, that he can’t fix the situation, that he keeps upsetting him when all he wants is to see him happy. He wants to see his entrancing eyes spark with light as he smiles, as he laughs as he enjoys carefree days without all the responsibilities the world has given him. 

If Seonghwa has one regret, it’s not getting to see Hongjoong smile one last time. 

He’s struck by a sudden desperation. A need to set things right. A need to ease Hongjoong’s pain. A need to ease his own. He has to tell Hongjoong the truth before it’s too late before he closes his eyes without a guarantee that he’ll see Hongjoong again when he opens them. 

He uses what fleeting strength he has left to move his hand up and place it on Hongjoong’s damp cheek. He realizes too late that it’s the same hand he stained with his own blood, but there’s no time to try again. 

He opens his mouth a few times, trying to get the words out, but a thick liquid lays heavy on his tongue and the back of his throat, making it hard to speak. 

Hongjoong tries to stop him, but he keeps trying. He has to say it. He has to. 

“Joong… cough …Love-you,” he finally manages to force the words out, even broken as they are. 

He sees Hongjoong’s eyes widen, and then fill with even more tears. He wants to wipe them away and ask if they’re happy tears or sad one, but his eyes fall shut without his consent before he gets the chance. He hears Hongjoong call his name, hears a chorus of other voices buzz in the background as well, but his consciousness is slipping too fast to identify any of them or even what they’re saying. 

He feels Hongjoong’s hands still on his face, now pressing into his cheeks more insistently, but the sensation grows fainter and fainter by the second as his own hand falls limply from Hongjoong’s soft cheek. 

He tries to hold on. To stay awake a little longer for his pack, for Hongjoong. But he’s fighting a losing battle and his awareness soon slips through his fingers like water. 

All that’s left is darkness.

Chapter Text

Hongjoong watches Seonghwa’s eyes close and his heart ceases. He can barely feel the steady stream of tears running down his face or the sticky wetness of Seonghwa’s blood on his cheek as his wolf howls in anguish from deep within his soul. 

Their mate was dying. 

Seonghwa was dying. 

He can’t bring himself to believe what’s happening as he grips Seonghwa’s limp body. They were so close to making it into KQ, and now Seonghwa was laying in a pool of his own blood as Yeosang tries frantically to stop the bleeding. He’ll never be able to forgive himself for not seeing that shadow coming. 

“Sangie isn’t there something else we can do?! What about Gahyeon’s potions?” Wooyoung cries desperately as they watch Seonghwa grow paler and paler by the moment. 

Yeosang shakes his head, distraught as Seonghwa’s blood soaks through the gauze he’s using to put pressure on the wound. “The potion can only help increase your natural healing ability, not heal you on its own. It won’t work unless his healing factor is working and right now his wound isn’t closing at all. The shadow must have sucked too much of his life force when it stabbed him.” 

Hongjoong can feel the distress of every one of his packmates through their shared bond, but nothing compares to the bone-deep agony he feels as his heart slowly breaks pieces by pieces as he feels Seonghwa grow cold under his gloved hands. 

Wooyoung’s eyes grow in panic. “Then, what do we do?!” 

“I don’t know!” Yeosang yells, finally cracking under the pressure. “I don’t- I don’t know…” he repeats softer, looking down at his bloodied hands over Seonghwa’s abdomen in despair. 

“This can’t be it…there must be something ! There has to be! Seonghwa-hyung can’t- He just can’t!” Mingi’s voice cracks as he begs for a solution, anything that could save their packmate. 

Yeosang shakes his head, but can’t bring himself to answer. Hongjoong can see the tears already forming in his eyes as Jongho comes to kneel beside him, putting a steadying hand on the healer’s shoulder. Jongho’s pain is also easy to see as he stares down at Seonghwa, eyes glassy and expression wrought with sorrow. 

When no further answer is given, Mingi begins to cry in earnest. “This isn’t fair. He promised. He promised everything would be okay. This isn’t fair!” 

Yunho wraps his arms around the other wolf and Mingi cries anguished tears into his best friend’s shoulder as Yunho fights to hold back tears of his own. 

Wooyoung falls to the ground and desperately grabs onto one of Seonghwa’s shins, shaking the limb in hopes of rousing the unconscious wolf. 

“Hyung. Hyung, please wake up. I promise I won’t tease you for a whole month and I’ll make you your favorite food every day. Just- just please wake up. We can’t do this without you. We need you. Please…” his voice breaks on the final plea. Begging Seonghwa, the moon, or any being that would listen to please save their packmate. 

But no matter how many tears the pack sheds or what pleas they offer, Seonghwa is unmoving and his blood continues to stain the concrete beneath them. 

Hongjoong’s tears blur his vision as the severity of the situation finally starts to sink in. Seonghwa was fading fast and there was nothing they could do about it. 

He lets out a heart-wrenching sob as he cries, no longer able to keep the agony tucked away inside his chest as his wolf cries out in despair as they watch their chosen mate slip away, clawing at the back of Hongjoong’s mind to move, to do something to help Seonghwa. 

But there was nothing to be done. 

Hongjoong lurches forward as he wails, feeling his soul being torn apart. Mingi was right, this wasn’t fair. The magical realm tasks them with such an impossible mission and then does nothing to help them. Nothing to save a member of the pack they had bet the salvation of the realm on. Where was the prophecy now that they needed help? Where was the light magic that was supposed to be stronger than the shadows? 

What was the point of being the chosen one when he couldn’t even save the man he loved? 

He cries in frustration and agony, feeling inept and pathetic in the face of the situation as he crumbles further and further into himself, crushing his lungs and making it harder to breathe with each hiccuped sob that leaves him. But it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. 

He finds himself regretting pushing Seonghwa away more than anything. He thought he was doing the right thing. He thought he was protecting him. But now, he’ll never get the chance to hold Seonghwa’s hand without his gloves on. He’ll never be able to tell him how beautiful he is and watch his cheeks flush a pretty pink. He’ll never be able to tell him that he loves him too. 

Goddess, he was so stupid. 

“I’m sorry,” he cries as he places his forehead on Seonghwa’s. He can’t even relish in the skin-to-skin contact he had craved all these years because Seonghwa feels so cold to the touch. Nothing like he fantasized his warm, golden skin to feel like. It makes even more tears fall from his eyes. 

“I’m sorry I failed you,” he whispers, sharp intakes of breath punctuating his misery. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I love you. I’m so sorry,” he babbles between stuttered breaths and quiet, heart-breaking sobs. 

He sits there and cries and apologizes over and over again as his tears fall on Seonghwa’s pale face. He feels desolate and wretched, all his sorrows pouring out of him until his heart is left empty. He starts to grow numb, slowly losing feeling in his limbs as his body shuts down, unable to carry the weight of his suffering. 

He’s so far gone in his own grief, he almost doesn’t feel it at first. 

It’s subtle, like the sun warming your skin little by little as it rises after a long, cold night. It’s a flicker of light in the darkness of his despair. It’s his soul reaching out slowly, desperately, into the void and trying to connect. 

And somehow, finding purchase. 

Hongjoong gasps as he feels another soulbond fall into place in his core, the pull of this connection stronger than any other he’s felt before. It’s almost painful, but Hongjoong doesn’t want the feeling to ever end. The skin over his heart burns as he feels every line being etched into his skin by fate in vivid detail. 

His eyes snap open in shock and he rips his vest open to look at it, to see the evidence that his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. 

When he sees the new mark lying over his heart, he almost starts crying again. It’s a crescent moon with a star sitting in the space between its tips. There are intricate spirals and delicate lines decorating the inside of the crescent moon, while the star is solid black, strong, and bold. It’s beautiful and it can only belong to one person. 

His star. 

His luna. 

Seonghwa . 

The other wolf is still unconscious, but Hongjoong is suddenly filled with a hope he cannot shake. 

If they had bonded, it could only mean one thing. 

Seonghwa was still alive. They could still save him. 

“Is that…” Yunho starts to ask but trails off in disbelief as he stares at the new mark on Hongjoong’s chest. 

Hongjoong doesn’t have time to answer as he turns to Yeosang. 

“Yeosang, use the potions,” he says, breaking the shocked silence that had fallen upon the group. 

The healer looks up at him in surprise, not expecting the sudden command. 

“But it won’t work unless-” 

“Just trust me!” Hongjoong cuts him off, quickly taking off his leather gloves and throwing them aside. 

Yeosang looks hesitant like he doesn’t dare hope for the impossible, but he eventually nods, deciding to trust his leader. 

“Jongho, can you pass me the vials? My hands are…” he asks, turning to the younger wolf next to him. 

“I got it,” Jongho nods and starts to rummage through the medic’s bag, not needing him to clarify exactly why he couldn’t do it himself. 

Hongjoong turns his attention back to Seonghwa once he sees the Yeosang and Jongho take action, trusting them to do as he had asked. 

He cups Seonghwa’s cold cheeks with his bare hands and places his forehead on top of his once more. He takes a deep breath as he closes his eyes and concentrates on the new connection burning in his chest. If Seonghwa’s healing factor wasn’t working because his life energy had been drained, then all Hongjoong had to do was share some of his own life energy with him through the bond. It didn’t have to be a lot, just enough for him to start healing so the potion could take effect. If he had all this extra magic inside him because of the leader mark, then surely he had enough magic to spare, right?

Gahyeon had said that all magical creatures could control the magic inside them to a certain extent, whether it was shifting or casting a spell. He was still inexperienced when it came to controlling his soul bonds, but he would be damned if he didn’t try. 

He feels his wolf nudging at the edges of his consciousness, no longer broken or desolate in the back of his mind. He’s being pushed by instinct, by the pull of the new bond and grows a little more confident with the feeling. 

This was going to work. It had to. 

Hongjoong focuses on the ebb and flow of the bonds in his chest and reaches for the brightest one, the newest and strongest of all the connections. He tries to remember the feeling of shifting, of letting the magical half of himself take over the human half for the few seconds it takes him to turn from man to beast. He concentrates on the feeling and redirects that strong burst of magic through the bond instead of through his own body. He repeats the process over and over, not sure if it was working or if he was doing it right, but hoping at least some of his magic was being transferred to Seonghwa through the bond. 

“Come on, Hwa,” he implores in a small voice. He feels the warm buzz of the bond between them in his chest, the light that ignited his hope, and pours all of himself into it. 

His hands start to tremble at the mental exertion and the strain on his own magic, but it doesn’t stop him. He was willing to give Seonghwa every drop of his magic if he had to. 

Yeosang inhales sharply in surprise. “It’s working,” he breathes in awe. “His wound is closing!’ 

He can hear more rustling coming from the healer’s direction, maybe Jongho grabbing another vial or Yeosang scrambling for more gauze, but he can’t afford to open his eyes and break concentration to check. 

Hongjoong keeps pumping his magic through the bond with a renewed sense of vigor, ignoring the fatigue he feels at expending so much energy. Even if Yeosang had said the wound was healing, Hongjoong wouldn’t be satisfied until Seonghwa was completely out of the woods.  

He doesn’t know how much time passes after that, stuck in a loop of forcing magic through the bond while his wolf paces impatiently in his mind, not being able to focus on anything else for fear of losing the connection and potentially compromising Seonghwa’s healing. 

He’s so absorbed in the process that he nearly jumps out of his skin when he feels a hand brush against his. 

His eyes snap open and he’s met with tired, honeyed orbs. Beautiful amber eyes he thought he might never get to stare into again. 

“Joong…?” Seonghwa rasps out, words tight and ragged coming from his dry throat, but it’s still music to Hongjoong’s ears. 

It’s as if a weight is finally lifted from his aching soul and he feels a comforting warmth blanket him from just the sound of his name falling from Seonghwa’s lips, so different from the despair he felt the last time Seonghwa had spoken it. The tension that had coiled in his body from hunching over and focusing all his energy on their bond melts away and he feels boneless, almost collapsing at Seonghwa’s side in relief if it weren’t for Yunho catching him. 

“Captain!”

“Seonghwa-hyung!”

Different members of the pack shout all at once. 

“Seonghwa, please don’t move. Your wound still isn’t closed yet and you lost a lot of blood,” Yeosang chastises, continuing to work diligently as he cleans up the blood and applies more salves to the healing wound. 

Seonghwa wince after trying to move. “But Hongjoong-” 

“Is fine. You’re the one who almost-,” the healer cuts himself off, not being able to finish his sentence. The thought alone makes Hongjoong’s blood run cold at just how close they had been to losing someone. “Just please keep still until your wound is closed at least, alright? I’ll take a look at Hongjoong after.” 

“Worry about yourself for once, hyung! You really scared us,” Wooyoung scolds him as he moves up to grab Seonghwa’s hand. The dried tear streaks are still visible on his red cheeks from his crying earlier and new tears are threatening to fall from his eyes once more as he grasps Seonghwa’s hand tightly.  “We thought-” he chokes on the word before continuing, “We thought you weren’t gonna make it…”

Seonghwa’s expression softens almost instantly at Wooyoung’s fragile expression, such a contrast to the younger wolf’s usually fierce and defiant personality. 

“I’m sorry for worrying you, Wooyoung-ah,” Seonghwa says softly as he squeezes Wooyoung’s hand back. 

Wooyoung sniffles and roughly wipes away his tears before they can fall. “You better be. You made us all cry, even Hongjoong-hyung. He’s such an ugly crier, too. I can’t believe you made us have to see that.” 

Hongjoong just rolls his eyes at the jab, too tired to retaliate and knowing that Wooyoung was just trying to lighten the mood after how devastated they had all been earlier. 

Seonghwa chuckles lightly at Wooyoung’s comment and Hongjoong’s heart flutters at the sound. He wasn’t a religious man, but he thanked every higher power out there that he still gets to hear that sound. 

“Sorry, sorry. I don’t really remember what happened after I fought with the abnormal shadow, but thank you all for saving me,” Seonghwa says gently, turning his head to address the entire pack. 

“We’re just glad you’re okay, hyung,” Mingi croaks as he kneels beside Wooyoung and San, close to Seonghwa’s knees. He places a reassuring hand on Seonghwa’s shin, to reassure himself or Seonghwa more, Hongjoong wasn’t sure. 

San nods in agreement, holding back relieved tears of his own. “Yeah, I’d hug you right now if Sangie wasn’t working so hard to patch you up, but I’m really happy you’re gonna be okay.” 

“It was mostly Yeosang and the Captain who saved you, the rest of us were just a mess, honestly,” Jongho says with a lopsided grin as he hands Yeosang some pins to hold the gauze in place. 

Yunho chuckles. “Definitely. I don’t know what kind of magic the Captain used, but I’m just glad it worked.” 

Seonghwa turns to Hongjoong then and the Captain’s breath hitches at having Seonghwa’s full attention on him. The color was finally returning to his sullen features and pale cheeks, highlighting his honey complexion and full, rosy lips. He was mesmerizing, and most importantly, he looked so alive. It took Hongjoong’s breath away. 

Seonghwa untangles his hand from Wooyoung’s and reaches out for Hongjoong. The captain doesn’t hesitate to sit up a little straighter, taking most of his weight off of Yunho as he meets Seonghwa halfway and entwines their bare hands without a second thought. 

He feels the spark of their connection when their hands meet and the soulmate bond thrums pleasantly in his chest. His wolf rumbles happily in the back of his mind and everything finally feels right. Their pack finally feels complete. 

“Magic, huh? That’s pretty reckless of you,” Seonghwa starts, looking straight up at Hongjoong. 

Hongjoong snorts, only Seonghwa would wake up from a near-death experience and call him reckless. Sharing his life energy with someone was definitely dangerous, but nowhere near as reckless as what Seonghwa had done. “You’re one to talk.” 

“I suppose you’re right,” Seonghwa laughs lightly before his expression turns more serious, more sincere. “Thank you for saving me.” 

Hongjoong feels hot tears prick at the back of his eyes, overwhelmed but grateful that he was able to save the man he loved. “Let’s call it even and agree to never do something like that again, yeah? We can’t afford to lose you. I can’t afford to lose you,” he emphasizes the last part, subconsciously clutching at the fabric over their soulmate mark. 

He never wanted to feel anything like that ever again. If it was unbearable to watch Seonghwa slip away before, he couldn’t even imagine what it would be like when they were linked like this. 

Seonghwa gently untangles their fingers and places his hand on the one Hongjoong has clutched over his heart. “You won’t lose me, Joong,” he promises, squeezing his hand.

The lieutenant’s eyes are filled with so much emotion Hongjoong struggles to pick them apart, but there’s one shining feeling blooming in his chest above all the rest - affection. It hums pleasantly through their bond, bright and warm and beautiful just like Seonghwa, and it’s everything Hongjoong had ever wished for. 

Seonghwa was his soulmate and he was going to be okay. They were all going to be okay. 

He feels the tips of Seonghwa’s fingers brush over the visible part of the soul mark on Hongjoong’s chest, right over the star. He gasps at the light touch and the tingling feeling it produces on his skin and through the bond. 

“So, we’re really…” Seonghwa trails off, mesmerized by the mark and enamored by the foreign yet pleasant feeling in his chest. 

Hongjoong nods, unable to find his words as he stares at Seognghwa, as he feels his astonishment and delight at being Hongjoong’s soulmate. He’s floored by the rush of emotions, still not quite processing the fact that this was real, that they were soulmates and Seonghwa was actually happy about it. 

“Hmmm, feels nice,” Seonghwa whispers, relishing in the newfound feeling. 

“What does?” Hongjoong asks, still distracted by the pleasant buzz of the bond in his chest.

“You,” he answers automatically. 

Hongjoong’s brain halts all function at the reply, ears already turning red at Seonghwa’s boldness. 

“I-what?”

Seonghwa chuckles as if amused by Hongjoong’s fumbling. “The bond I mean. It feels…really nice. I know this isn’t how you wanted it to happen, but I don’t regret anything. I’d do it all again if it meant I’d get to be your Luna in the end,” he says as he flattens his hand over Hongjoong’s chest, over their soulmate mark .  

The Captain feels his heart trip over itself as it tries to catch up on the beats it had lost after hearing Seonghwa’s words. Seonghwa deserved to be courted and pampered and given the choice of when he would bond with his soulmate, not being on death’s door when their soul’s finally entwined. But somehow, he didn’t regret a thing. He didn’t resent Hongjoong for pushing him away for so long or keeping so many important secrets close to his chest instead of being honest about them. He didn’t even regret putting himself in harm's way to save him, even though Hongjoong himself regretted ever putting him in that position. Seonghwa was just happy to be bonded to him, no matter how it happened, and Hongjoong couldn’t believe someone so incredibly selfless could even exist. 

The universe had short-changed him in a lot of ways, but he thinks it's okay to have been so unlucky all his life if he still got to have Park Seonghwa as his soulmate. 

“We’re seriously gonna need to do some soul bond training or something after all this because I don’t think I can handle feeling Hongjoong-hyung getting all mushy every time he talks to Seonghwa-hyung now,” Jongho complains, a disgusted look on his face as he stares at Hongjoong and Seonghwa. 

Hongjoong blushes, not having realized he was projecting his emotions so strongly through all his bonds, not just the one with Seonghwa. He would definitely have to work on that. 

“Jjongie, don’t ruin the moment!” Wooyoung chides, reaching over to smack him on the arm. 

Jongho grunts at the impact. “I’m just saying! Besides, aren’t we on a time limit? Shouldn’t we not be wasting time watching the hyungs make heart eyes at each other?” 

Everyone’s eyes widen in realization, including Hongjoongs. He had completely forgotten about the hourglass in the chaos of the fight and everything that had come after it. He reluctantly breaks contact with Seonghwa to search his combat vest for the small, enchanted object. 

When he finally pulls it out of one of his vest pockets, his blood runs cold. 

The sand had completely run out. 

Hongjoong frantically looks out the small window in the barracks hallway they were sitting in and no longer sees the beam of light in the city. 

‘Fuck.’ This was bad. 

“That doesn’t seem good,” Mingi comments nervously. 

“No shit,” Wooyoung replies. “What now?” he asks, turning to look at Hongjoong. 

“I don’t know…” The captain is at a loss. If the sand had run out, did that mean they were too late? Had they really failed after coming so far?

“This can’t be it, right?” San asks, voicing Hongjoong’s fear aloud. “We still need to save KQ!” 

“It’s not over,” Seonghwa interjects, sitting up with the help of Yeosang, who doesn’t look too pleased about Seonghwa moving just yet but doesn’t force him to lay back down. “The warning said it might be too late when the sand runs out. It wasn’t definitive, that means there’s still hope.” 

The look in Seonghwa’s eyes is determined, and Hongjoong can’t help but want to believe him. This was still possible. They couldn’t give up now. 

“Seonghwa-hyung is right. Changkyun said that the General had sent squads to investigate where the beam of light was coming from. Maybe he can tell us where it was so we can find it even without the beacon being active,” Yunho adds, getting to his feet. 

Hongjoong follows suit, feeling the energy pulsing through the bond, the need to get up and get moving and see their mission through to the end. He still feels drained from the magic exchange, but the combined strength of their bonds motivates him to push forward. 

“Good thinking, Yunho. Yeosang, do you think Seonghwa is well enough to move? We don’t have much time, but I don’t want to risk his health,” Hongjoong asks, looking over at the medic. 

Yeosang bites his lip, looking down at Seonghwa who is still leaning against his side for support, but ultimately nods. “Yes, his wound is closed, so we can move him, but he still lost a lot of blood, so I would prefer he didn’t strain himself. Maybe one of us can carry him while we track down the general?” 

“I’ll do it,” Jongho volunteers easily. “I’ll shift into wolf form and you can ride on my back. I’d carry you bridal style, but I think the Captain would get jealous,” he adds with a smirk. 

Seonghwa laughs and Hongjoong just rolls his eyes. The teasing was going to be endless after they were done with the mission, he could already feel it. 

“Enough teasing, let’s get going,” Hongjoong says taking a few steps forward to shake out his heavy limbs. “We have a city to save.” 

“Yes, Captain!” 

The rest of the team stands behind him at the ready, Jongho quickly shifting into his wolf form to help carry Seonghwa. 

They hurry down the halls of the barracks towards the command center of the compound, where the general and other higher-ranking officers should be in times of crisis. Hongjoong leads the way, sprinting across the courtyard once they make it out of the communal area. There are squads milling around and medical tents set up around the large square, everyone helping where they can in the wake of the unexpected shadow attack. 

When they make it to the command center, Hongjoong doesn’t bother knocking, heading straight inside with the pack at his back. 

“Hey, you can’t just barge in here!” Hongjoong hears someone yell, but ignores them, not having time to waste. 

Everyone in the room turns to look at them and thankfully General Kyungmoon is among them. The general’s eyes widen when he sees them. 

“Hongjoong!” he yells as he runs up to them. “I’m so glad to see you’re all safe.” 

“Likewise. We’re sorry for not contacting you sooner, but we were able to find the prophecy and we need your help to complete it,” Hongjoong says, cutting straight to the chase. 

Kyungmoon looks a little surprised by the urgency but takes it in stride. “Is that why the city is being attacked? They’re trying to stop you from fulfilling the prophecy?” 

Hongjoong nods. “Yes. We were trying to solve one of the pieces of the prophecy and activated that beam of light you all saw earlier in the process. If we can get to wherever the light was coming from, we might be able to get rid of the shadows surrounding the city and that’s why we need your help. The timer for the beacon ran out, but we heard you sent squads to investigate the beam earlier. Would you be able to tell us where it was coming from?” 

“Yes, of course. It was in the northern district, where the temples of the great moon goddess are. We determined it was coming from one of the smaller Twilight temples, but none of us were able to get in due to the intensity of the beam’s magic,” Kyungmoon explains.

Hongjoong could jump for joy. They had a solid lead, now all they had to do was get there. “Thank you, that should be enough for us to find it.” 

The general is about to reply when a tremor shakes the command center, all personnel inside being jostled by the sudden quake. 

“What’s going on?!” Kyungmoon yells over the shouts of fear and surprise. 

Jonghoon, the head wizard of KQ, comes rushing in then, just as the shaking stops. “The shadows have breached the barrier. Our magic users are falling back now and trying to fend them off, but we don’t have much time,” he says. 

Hongjoong’s eyes widen in panic. This was not good. 

“Send all available ground units to take over for the magic users and get them somewhere safe to reestablish a new barrier around the innermost part of the city. Send all medics and available rescue units to the front to evacuate all civilians and bring them into the protection of the new barrier,” General Kyungmoon gives rapid-fire commands, trying to mitigate the situation as quickly as possible. 

He turns to Hongjoong then as the communications officers start delivering the General’s message to the designated squads. 

“You should all get going. I don’t know how long we’ll be able to fend them off, but we’ll try our best. I’m counting on you, Aurora pack,” he says, giving them an encouraging nod and urging them to go. 

Hongjoong nods, feeling the heavy weight of their mission settles on his shoulders, but this time it doesn’t feel as heavy. He has 7 other werewolves to share the burden with now. 

“We won’t let you down. Keep the city safe, we’ll finish this as fast as we can. Team, let’s hurry,” he says as he quickly turns on his heels, heading out the door with the rest of his pack following close behind. 

“Stay safe, general, everyone!” Wooyoung yells over his shoulder as they exit. 

Hongjoong hopes they’re able to finish their mission before they take on too many casualties. The KQ army was an incredible fighting force, but the shadows were endless. 

When they exit the command building, it’s utter chaos outside. Combat units, medics and witches all bustle around giving orders and organizing transport vehicles as quickly as possible. 

Hongjoong stares up at the ominous sky, now almost black as night even though it was only late afternoon. He can feel the pressure of dark magic encroaching closer and closer to the city. 

They didn’t have much time. 

“We need to hurry,” Seoghwa says urgently, still sitting on Jongho’s large reddish, brown wolf form. 

The Captain nods. “Yunho, can you lead us to the temples? We need the fastest route and no one knows these streets better than you.” 

“You got it, Captain,” Yunho agrees easily. “I know a few shortcuts.” 

“Thank you. Everyone, follow Yunho and watch your backs. There could be shadows lurking anywhere and with our luck, they’ll come straight for us,” Hongjoong warns. No one had confirmed that the shadows were attracted to the light magic of the soul bond or even the pieces of the prophecy, but Hongjoong knew they had to be able to sense something. They always managed to find them. 

The team makes their way through the city, darting around buildings and running down narrow streets, carving their way toward the northern temples as quickly as possible. 

The journey is blissfully uneventful until the large lunar temples come into view, and along with it, the shadows that had been able to breach the barrier. With the KQ army focusing on evacuating the densely populated areas of the city, they probably didn’t have resources to spare to go after the shadows that wandered off to the northern district since it was mostly empty land. 

“Of course, they’d beat us here,” Wooyoung scoffs. 

“It seems like we’re in the right place if they’re here, too,” Yunho comments. “They must have been attracted by the large concentration of light magic from the beam.” 

Hongjoong narrows his eyes at the large group ahead of them. There were too many to simply fight through them all, and they didn’t have time for that even if they could. They had to think of something else if they wanted to find the right location before the enemy could overpower them. They needed a distraction. 

The captain looks over at Jongho in his wolf form and then back to the rest of the team sprinting towards the temples and clenches his jaw. He had an idea, but he knew Seonghwa wouldn’t like it. 

“We need to split up,” he announces. 

“What? Why?!” San yells in surprise, coming to a halt next to Hongjoong. 

“That’s a terrible idea, Captain,” Wooyoung accuses, stopping in his tracks as well. 

“Just, hear me out. Time is already not on our side and it would take way too long to clear the area. There are just too many of them. But, if we can cause a diversion, it can give one of us enough time to find the right temple without shadows breathing down their necks,” he suggests. 

The team contemplates this, and by the scowl on Wooyoung’s face, they know he’s right. This was their best option. 

“Who would go search?” Yunho asks, eyes uneasy with the prospect of having to separate. 

Hongjoong bites his lip and glances at Seonghwa, bracing himself for the backlash. 

“Seonghwa and Jongho would go. Jongho will be fast since he’s in wolf form right now and Seonghwa is still recovering from his injuries, so it’s best to keep him away from the fighting. They can sneak past the shadows while we distract them and if they encounter any stragglers, Jongho can take care of them while Seonghwa continues the search,” he explains. 

As expected, Seonghwa isn’t happy with the decision. 

“No. Absolutely not. Splitting up will just weaken our fighting power, especially with Jongho off the field. He doesn’t need to protect me, I can still fight,” Seonghwa protests. 

“I know you can, but you’re still recovering. You’re of better use to the team finding where we need to go than out on the battlefield right now. Weren’t you the one who told me to rely on the rest of the team when I can’t do something on my own? Well, I trust that brilliant mind of yours to find the right temple, so rely on us to hold the frontline while you do.” 

He hopes his words are enough, that Seonghwa can hear and feel the conviction in them. Of course, he knew Seonghwa was an incredible fighter, but he had also just watched him almost bleed out in front of him only a few hours ago. He wasn’t going to risk Seonghwa’s safety again if he could help it, especially when he wasn’t fully healed yet. He also wasn’t lying when he said he trusted Seonghwa with this task. He was methodical and observant, the perfect person to figure this out. 

Seonghwa still looks like he wants to argue, but hesitates, as if realizing Hongjoong has a point, but still not wanting to accept it. 

Hongjoong understands his hesitance. It was always risky to split up when they didn’t have all the variables, but they didn’t have a choice. They had to find the temple as quickly as possible and this was the only way. 

The Captain reaches into his vest pocket and pulls out the hourglass, handing the delicate glass object to Seonghwa. 

“I trust you Seonghwa, so please. We don’t know how much time we have left,” he says gravely, cupping Seonghwa’s hand as he holds the hourglass. 

Seonghwa locks eyes with him, searching. He can feel him poking and prodding with the bond as if making sure Hongjoong really means it, that he isn’t just acting out of fear or being overprotective. When he realizes Hongjoong really believes this is the best course of action, he resigns himself to the plan, anxiously clutching the hourglass tightly between them. 

“Okay, I’ll do it. But promise me you’ll be safe,” he says, looking at Hongjoong with honeyed eyes filled with worry before turning to the rest of the team. “All of you.” 

“We’ve got this, hyung. You and Jongho just worry about finding the temple,” Yunho assures him. 

“Just mind your injuries, alright? I don’t have enough supplies to patch you up again.” Yeosang warns as he walks over to him and Jongho. “And you. Protect hyung, but don’t forget to keep yourself safe too, okay?” he says softly, running his fingers through Jongho’s thick fur gently. Jongho huffs in response and taps his nose to Yeosang’s cheek in an attempt to ease his worries. 

“If worse comes to worse, I’ll just blow everything up,” Wooyoung says with a shrug. 

Hongjoong knows he means it mostly as a joke, but Seonghwa’s anxiety spikes at the words. 

“Um, can you not?” Mingi says, not at all on board with that plan. 

“Maybe save the explosives for when we’re not in danger of getting blown up, too, babe?” San suggests. 

“No explosions at all unless I say,” Hongjoong orders. 

Wooyoung huffs and crosses his arms. “You’re all no fun.” 

Hongjoong turns back to Seonghwa when he feels a tug on his hand. 

Seonghwa’s amber eyes are dampened with worry as they look into his. “Promise me you’ll be safe,” he pleads, holding onto Hongjoong’s hand tightly. 

Hongjoong brings Seonghwa’s hand to his lips, pressing a feather-light kiss to his knuckles that sends an electric current of affection through their bond. His lips tingle at the contact and he wonders how much more intense it would have been if he had kissed Seonghwa’s lips instead. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the luxury of finding out right now. 

He looks into Seonghwa’s concerned gaze and flushed face and gives him as reassuring a smile as possible. “I promise. Now, go,” he says, helping Seonghwa back onto Jongho’s back. “Wait for us to engage and then take the long way around the main temple to stay out of sight. We’ll keep them occupied for as long as you need,” Hongjoong instructs, addressing both of them.

Seonghwa nods and Jongho chuffs in understanding. He gives them one last smile before turning back to the rest of the team. 

“Alright, mutts. Time to play the distraction game. I know all of you are intimately familiar with being nuisances, so this should be a walk in the park for you,” Hongjoong teases. If there was something he was confident in, it was his team’s ability to hold their own in a fight and be annoying as hell. The perfect combination for a distraction. 

Wooyoung cackles. “Oh, they won’t know what hit them. It’s just a shame they can’t understand my jokes.” 

“It would make it a lot easier if they could. They’d die from how bad they are,” Mingi comments, earning giggles from San, Yunho and Yeosang in the process. 

Wooyoung wacks him on the shoulder and Mingi yelps. 

Hongjoong just shakes his head in exasperation. He thinks they’ll be just fine. 

“Alright, keep the fighting for the battlefield. Aurora pack, move out!” he commands. 

“Aye!” they all chant in unison.

They take off, heading for the left side of the swarm of shadows to hopefully draw their attention away from the Lunar temples as much as possible. 

Yeosang and Mingi set up on one of the main temples, getting a better vantage point so they could take out shadows from a distance while simultaneously diverting attention away from the minor temples Seonghwa and Jongho would be checking. 

Yunho and San jump into the left side of the swarm’s flank, San running circles around them and getting their attention so Yunho can easily cut them down with his sword as they try to follow him. 

Wooyoung and Honjoong attack from the right side, splitting the shadow’s attention in as many directions as possible to give Seonghwa and Jongho the best chance of staying undetected, at least long enough for them to find the right temple. 

Hongjoong relies on his knife as much as possible, saving up the ammo in his handgun for the targets he and Wooyoung can’t take down fast enough. He hears Wooyoung’s daggers wizz past him as he smoothly slashes through shadows with his own knife, trusting his teammate to not stab him as they fight side by side. 

One of the shadows attempts to make a grab for them, so Hongjoong rolls to the side, avoiding the attack and turning swiftly to shoot the creature before it can go for Wooyoung instead. He feels another shadow come up behind him and is about to turn and shoot it when a dagger flies past him, cutting straight through the shadow behind him and even the one directly behind it as well. Hongjoong glances over his shoulder as he hears the disintegrating hiss and sees nothing but black smoke in its wake. 

“Thanks,” he grunts as he stands, already plunging his knife into the next enemy and watching it evaporate. 

“I got your back, Captain,” Wooyoung says with a wink as his dagger returns to his hand. 

Hongjoong would have to get Major General Changkyun to teach him that trick one day. 

They continue to distract the shadows as best as they can, fighting in a spearhead formation with Mingi and Yeosang picking off any stragglers from their vantage point in the center and Yunho, San, Hongjoong and Wooyoung containing the shadows on the sides. It’s hard to battle and also make sure none of them try to split off from the group, but they manage with both San and Wooyoung using their impressive speed to keep the creatures in check when they wander too far. 

Hongjoong is panting as he takes down yet another shadow, muscles starting to burn from the strain of battle, when he hears it. 

A howl from the other side of the temple grounds. 

Jongho . 

They had found it. 

“Everyone, rendezvous at Jongho and Seonghwa’s position!” He shouts over the sounds of battle, slicing through a shadow as he goes. He turns quickly and starts sprinting in the direction the howl is coming from, being sure to cover his retreating teammates with the last few shots left in his gun as he does so. 

“I think it’s time for Wooyoung to blow some shit up!” Mingi says as he shoots his way over to them, clearing a majority of the shadows before Yeosang helps punch through the rest with his brass knuckles.

“No! No, explosions until we’re safely inside the temple. We can’t afford to waste them or destroy something important by accident,” Hongjoong yells, taking out another knife to help him fight through the shadows now that his gun was out of ammo. 

“Things are getting pretty dicey, Captain. I’m sure the moon goddess will forgive us,” Wooyoung comments as he throws a handful of daggers at the shadows hot on their heels. 

“We’ll make it,” Hongjoong grits out, determined. They needed those explosions to buy them time inside the temple. They couldn’t use them yet. 

“There! I see Jongho!” San calls out, voice obviously relieved. “He’s by the doors of the second twilight temple.” 

Hongjoong snaps his head in the direction of the small temples and sees Jongho protecting the entrance in wolf form, taking down shadow after shadow with his impressive teeth and deadly claws while Seonghwa does his best to cover him from the top of the temple stairs with his pistols. From what Hongjoong can see, Jongho was definitely biting off more than he could chew with how many shadows were starting to gather around them now that the rest of the team wasn’t serving as a distraction. 

“Mingi, Yeosang, move to the front and start providing Jongho with support, the rest of us will watch your backs,” Hongjoong commands. 

“Roger that,” Mingi grunts as he speeds up his steps, redirecting his handguns straight ahead instead of behind them. 

Yeosang doesn’t reply, but Hongjoong sees him run ahead of them just as he had asked, already firing his machine pistol at the shadows trying to overpower Jongho. 

Him, Yunho, San and Wooyoung bring up the flank, mostly stabbing or slicing through the shadows that get too close to any of them as they make their way to the rest of their teammates. 

When they finally make it to the temple doors, Hongjoong is panting harshly, arms feeling the burn of forcing his combat knife through the bodies of countless shadow creatures. He can smell the faint scent of dark magic and werewolf blood in the air, knowing that they had all received their fair share of scrapes and bruises along the way. It was nowhere near as potent and nauseating as the amount of blood Seonghwa had lost earlier, but the smell still put Hongjoong on edge, making him even more anxious to get inside the safety of the temple walls as soon as possible. 

“Hurry!” Seonghwa shouts from the top of the temple steps. “I’m almost out of ammo, I won’t be able to help for much longer.”

“We’re coming!” Hongjoong yells back, grunting as he stabs his sharp enchanted blade through yet another shadow. “Wooyoung, can you set off your remaining explosives all at once?” 

“It’ll take me a minute, but yeah,” he pants, using his daggers to keep the shadows around him at bay. 

“Go set them up now,” Hongjoong instructs. 

Wooyoung lights up. “Time to blow stuff up?” 

“Time to blow stuff up,” Hongjoong confirms. 

Wooyoung hoots in excitement between pants as they run. 

Hongjoong smirks at the other’s excitement before turning to address the rest of the team as they fight their way through the swarm.

“Everyone! As soon as Wooyoung gives us the signal, run into the temple as fast as you can. I want everyone inside before those bombs go off, am I clear?!” he shouts. 

“We hear you, Captain!” Yunho replies, spinning in a half circle and arching his sword to cut through three shadows at once. 

“Make it fast, Wooyoung!” Yeosang urges, shooting another set of shadows that attempt to attack Jongho from behind. 

“I’m going! Just run fast when I tell you to!” Wooyoung shouts over his shoulder, sprinting in the direction of the temple. He’s too fast for the shadows to follow right away, making it easy for San and Hongjoong to cover his escape. 

Hongjoong doesn’t think he can keep this up for much longer, so when Wooyoung gives the signal only a few minutes later, he’s actually happy to hear his high-pitched screech for once. 

“Everyone, fall back!” Hongjoong yells, turning to run towards the stairs. He sees the rest of the team disengage and make a run for it as well, the shadows hot on their heels. 

Wooyoung and Seonghwa are waiting for them by the entrance of the temple, holding the doors open for them to run inside. When they’re halfway up the stairs, he sees Wooyoung grab a grenade out of his pocket and remove the pin with his teeth before tossing the explosive as they retreat. Hongjoong’s eyes widen as he watches the grenade land right behind them and go off just as they step foot into the temple. 

He stumbles forward as the grenade detonates and triggers a series of subsequent explosions that evaporate the hoard of shadows outside and send the doors of the temple slamming shut behind them. 

“Wooyoung, are you crazy?!” Mingi protests from the ground, sitting up to glare at Wooyoung. “My ass nearly caught on fire!” 

“What are you talking about? It was perfect timing,” Wooyoung stands proudly as if the explosions hadn’t affected him at all. 

“Maybe not so close next time, huh, Young-ah?” San heaves from his sprawled-out position on the stone temple floor. Hongjoong assumes that’s just how he’d landed after the explosion had pushed them forward. 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure half my eyebrow got singed off,” Yeosang mumbles from the ground, feeling his brow to see if he even had any hair left. 

“My therapist is gonna love all these near-death experiences I’m accumulating,” Yunho grunts as he stretches his shoulder, which had taken the brunt of his fall when they had tumbled inside the temple. 

Wooyoung just rolls his eyes at his teammate’s complaints. “You’re welcome, you ungrateful mutts.” 

“I suppose I should thank the moon goddess that you didn’t actually blow us up. Your little stunt at least bought us enough time to figure out what we’re supposed to do in here,” Hongjoong says as he looks around the small, stone temple. It’s rather plain compared to the main Lunar and Mist temples most people visited to give their respects to the moon goddess given that it was one of the smaller offsets. The twilight temple was bare bones, with only a few wooden benches and a small altar covered in candles at the front. The one stand-out amongst all the cold stone and dull wood was a stained glass depiction of a wolf howling at the moon right behind the small altar area. The rest of the windows on either side of the stone walls were standard glass cut into triangles to allow some light into the dark space. 

“How did you know this was the right one?” Hongjoong directs his question to Seonghwa and Jongho, who had shifted back into his human form once they were safe inside the temple. 

Seonghwa pulls the hourglass out of his combat vest and Hongjoong immediately sees why they had chosen this temple. The hourglass, which had been inactive since the sand had run out earlier, was now glowing a dull blue. “The hourglass started to glow when we passed this temple and you can’t see it now, but the moon symbol at the front of the temple was also glowing the same color. We walked by all three twilight temples to confirm that this was the right one and the hourglass only started to glow for this one,” Seonghwa explains. 

“So, what now?” Jongho asks, shaking out the stiffness in his limbs from being shifted for so long.

“Now, we figure out what we’re supposed to do with the hourglass in here,” Hongjoong says, looking around the temple once more to see if there were any hints as to how they should proceed.

“What did the prophecy say again? Something about stones and fate and shining some light?” Wooyoung asks, scrunching his face up in concentration as he tries to remember the words that had flickered past in smoke when they had first opened the box. 

“To unlock what is in plain sight, you will need a key to shine your light. And let no obstacle stand in your way, for not even stone can stop fate,” Mingi recites perfectly. 

Everyone turns to him with wide eyes not expecting him to know the prophecy at all, let alone word for word. Even Hongjoong had struggled to remember it exactly given how much information they had to keep in mind with all the individual prophecies they had received. He could paraphrase it, sure, but he doubted he could recite it so effortlessly. 

Mingi blinks a few times at their stunned silence, confused as to why they had reacted that way. “What?”

“How did you memorize all that?!” San asks, still wide-eyed. 

“Oh, it’s a couplet, it’s supposed to be easy to memorize. Haven’t any of you read poetry before? That’s why they all rhyme.”

“I thought they were just trying to be fancy or fuck with us. They made it rhyme on purpose to make it easier to remember?!” Wooyoung shrieks in disbelief. 

“Wow,” Yeosang says, astonished. 

“I always forget Mingi actually likes to read given how often he spaces out during briefings,” Jongho comments, thoughtful. 

“Hey! I pay attention,” Mingi defends. 

“What was on the brief Hongjoong gave us before we went on the shadow-clearing mission last week?” the youngest follows up right away. 

Mingi opens his mouth to answer, but quickly shuts it, not knowing the answer. 

“Exactly,” Jongho smirks, smug. 

“That doesn’t count! Mission briefs are boring, books are actually fun to read,” Mingi whines. 

“Alright, alright, enough. Ignoring Mingi insulting my briefings, the shadows aren’t going to stay gone forever. Wooyoung’s explosions may have taken out this swarm, but I’m sure more will be attracted to the magic here again, so let’s figure this out before then,” Hongjoong cuts in, putting order to the chaos before his team could get too carried away. “Now, does anyone have any ideas on what it could mean or what we should look for?” 

“Any ideas, Shakespeare?” Wooyoung turns to Mingi. 

Mingi rolls his eyes. “Very funny, but no. I may have memorized it, but that doesn’t mean I actually understand it. Riddles are hard,” he says as he crosses his arms. 

“Maybe there’s something in the walls? It said something about stone, right?” San offers. 

“This whole place is stone, though. How are we supposed to know which one?” Jongho counters, making San pout. 

“Maybe we should focus on the beginning of the riddle instead?” Yunho suggests. 

“If we have to ‘unlock what is in plain sight’, shouldn’t it be something pretty obvious?” Seonghwa says, looking around at the walls with a scrutinizing gaze. 

“That’s what I’m thinking. What’s the first thing you see when you enter a temple?” he asks eyes alight with excitement as they always are when he’s onto something. 

“The front?” Mingi asks, not sure where Yunho was going with this 

Yunho grins. “Exactly. My guess is that it has to be somewhere near the altar or the stained glass window. That’s where everyone’s eyes go when they come in. That’s what’s in their sights.” 

Hongjoong hmms in approval. “That could be it. Let’s search the front of the temple. If we can’t find anything, we can start scanning the rest after.” 

They make their way past the few rows of wooden benches and start to look around the small altar and the far wall where the stained glass depiction of the wolf and the moon were. San and Yunho feel along the wall to see if there are any indents or obvious divides in the stone bricks, while Mingi, Jongho and Yeosang move around any furniture in the way to see if there’s anything underneath. Wooyoung and Seonghwa walk back and forth along the narrow platform and walkway between the altar and the far wall to see if there are any clues in the stone flooring. 

Hongjoong contemplates the riddle as he watches his team search, giving certain areas he thinks may fit the description of the prophecy a once over before eliminating it and moving on. He thinks Yunho has the right idea about what was ‘in plain sight’ given that nothing else really stood out in the small temple aside from the front. He looks all around, just in case they missed something else of note when his eyes land on the front doors. 

They’re stone just like the other walls of the temple, but what catches his eye is the delicate carving of an altar in the center. He must have missed it earlier when they had tumbled in after the explosion. It looks like the same one that sits in the front of the room, a fairly basic stand with a flat top to provide a small surface for candles and offerings to be placed. He almost dismisses it entirely until he notices the bold outline around it created by thick, carved lines, giving it an hourglass shape from a distance. 

Hongjoong’s eyes widen. “Let no obstacle stand in your way, for not even stone can stop fate.”

This had to be it. 

He quickly makes his way to the front where the others are still searching. 

“Jongho, help me move the altar,” he commands, jogging up to the stone table. 

Jongho puts down the bench he had been looking under and stands, dusting his hands off as he goes to help Hongjoong. 

“Isn’t that like, disrespectful?” Mingi asks, face scrunching up in concern as he watches Hongjoong and Jongho position themselves around the alter. 

“If any of us are incurring the moon goddess’s wrath, it would definitely be Wooyoung. I think she can forgive a little redecorating,” Yeosang says. 

“You blow up one sacred staircase to save your pack and suddenly you’re being cursed. No good deed goes unpunished,” Wooyoung shakes his head as he sighs dramatically. 

Hongjoong ignores the light banter from his team and looks at Jongho. “On the count of three, we pull it back.” 

Jongho nods. “Ready when you are.” 

Hongjoong grips the top of the altar in preparation. “One, two, three!” 

They both heave the heavy stone altar up and away from its original position and place it back down a few feet away. 

As soon as they move the alter, Hongjoong hears a series of gasps from the team. 

He looks at where the altar once stood and feels himself grin in triumph. Etched into the stone tile that was hidden underneath is a small divot that looks suspiciously like the strange curves at the bottom of the hourglass.

They had found it. 

“No way! How did you know it was under there?” Mingi asks as he stares at the strange divot on the floor.

“The front door,” is all the explanation Hongjoong offers before turning to Seonghwa. “Care to do the honors?” he smirks, signaling the blond to put the hourglass in the divot. 

Hongjoong can feel the pleasant buzz of their bond as Seonghwa grins back. “With pleasure,” he says before walking over to Hongjoong and kneeling down, placing the still-glowing hourglass on the groove. 

When the hourglass slots into place, it starts to glow an even brighter blue as the stone tile it sits on begins to rise, causing the entire temple to shake. 

“Is this supposed to be happening?!” San yells in alarm as he leans against the back wall for support. 

“I hope so!” Hongjoong replies, instinctually grabbing ahold of Seonghwa’s waist to keep him upright through the tremors. He wasn’t sure if this was right, but he hoped the glow of the hourglass was a good sign that the building wasn’t about to collapse on them. 

Once the hourglass had risen to eye level, eight more stone tiles rose from the floor, forming a small circle around the hourglass. 

Mingi yelps as he jumps out of the way of a rising tile and Yeosang easily catches him before he falls to the hard stone floor. Yunho and Wooyoung easily dodge the ones that shoot up next to them, using the wall for support as they move out of the way quickly. 

When all 9 tiles are around the same height, the shaking finally starts to subside along with the glow of the hourglass. 

“That was cool and all, but I wish these things would stop scaring the shit out of us for once,” Mingi grouses from Yeosang’s arms, still squished against the healer for support. 

“You don’t think that attracted more shadows, right?” Wooyoung asks nervously. 

“I’d love to say no, but I’m almost positive it did,” Hongjoong replies, taking a cautious look out the window to see if he could spot any. 

“Let’s hurry, then. We probably don’t have much time until they swarm the area again,” Seonghwa says, jaw tight as he steps towards the hourglass. 

Hongjoong follows him easily, keeping his arm around his waist for support. When Seonghwa doesn’t brush his hand away or show signs of being annoyed by his overprotectiveness, he keeps his arm there, squeezing Seonghwa’s hip in reassurance. 

“Wait, it’s not over?” Mingi asks, incredulous. “But- but didn’t we do the thing? The hourglass is in the right place and the floor even shook! How is this not the grande finale?” 

“I don’t know,” Hongjoong says honestly. “It seems we did everything right, but nothing’s happening.” His brows furrow in confusion. What else were they missing? 

“Hey, the other pillars have little symbols on them!” San exclaims as he looks down at the one in front of him. 

They all turn and inspect the one nearest to them and find that they all have different ones.

“These were definitely not there when Wooyoung and I were checking the floor tiles,” Seonghwa says in surprise as he looks down at one of the pillars. 

“What do you think they mean?” Yeosang asks, tilting his head curiously as he looks at the one that had nearly skewered Mingi. 

Mingi frowns as he glares at the same pillar distrustfully. “I don’t know but these hands are kind of ugly.” 

“This one’s cool. It’s like a shield engraved with some- Ah!” San yelps as the symbol begins to glow as soon as he touches it. 

“What is it? What happened?” Seonghwa is quick to ask, worried that San had gotten hurt. 

“I don’t know! I touched it and it started to glow,” San says looking up at Seonghwa and then back down to the symbol with wide eyes. 

Hongjoong looks at the now glowing symbol in thought. “Do they all do that?” he asks. 

Yunho places his hand over his symbol and nothing happens. “Doesn’t look like it.” 

“Then why did San’s start to glow?” Seonghwa asks, confused. 

“Wait, what are all the symbols?” Jongho asks. 

“I have some plants I think,” Wooyoung says. 

“I have a moon,” Yunho adds. 

“This one is a scale,” Seonghwa says, pointing at the one closest to him and Hongjoong.

Jongho looks down at his symbol in thought before turning to Mingi. “Mingi, touch yours,” he instructs. 

Mingi splutters. “What? Why me?!” 

“I have a theory, just trust me,” Jongho insists. 

“The last time you told me to trust you, I ended up drunk off my ass in the forest,” Mingi deadpans. 

Jongho rolls his eyes. “It wasn’t that serious, Mingi, but this is. Now, touch the hands,” he says seriously. 

Mingi glares at Jongho but eventually gives in, grumbling about him having no respect for his elders before he reluctantly places his hand over his pillar. As soon as his skin touches the stone, the symbol begins to glow. Mingi’s eyes widen and he quickly snatches his hand away as if burned. 

“How…?” 

“How did you know that would work?” Hongjoong picks up where Mingi’s stunned question leaves off. How had Jongho figured it out?

“I think the symbols stand for our position in the pack. I remember Yooheyon telling us about it in Dreamveil, like how they were based off traditional pack dynamics. Ropes tied together and a shake of hands both mean trust, so I figured it matched up with Mingi’s soul mark and I was right,” Jongho explains. 

Hongjoong is thoroughly impressed. He would have never been able to put those things together so quickly, and Jongho had done it only after a few observations. His team really was incredible. 

“Very impressive, Jongho,” Seonghwa compliments, smiling proudly as Jongho’s ears turn a bright red in embarrassment. 

“Jongho, that’s genius! Do me next,” Wooyoung demands, jumping in his spot in excitement. 

“Well, we’d have to look at all of them to place you. But Yeosang is definitely the plant one and Seonghwa-hyung is the moon, those two are the most obvious,” Jongho says, clearing his through to rid himself of some of his previous shyness. 

Hearing Jongho make the connections out loud made them feel more obvious to Hongjoong, or maybe it was because Yeosang and Seonghwa fit their designated roles so perfectly. 

Wooyoung pouts. “Fine. Anyone see a sun?” he shouts. 

“No, but I did find a sword?” Yunho chimes in. “I think that might be Jongho. If San is the shield, then Jongho is the sword for sure. They’re our strongest fighters.”

“Let’s see,” Jongho says. He walks over to touch the symbol and it immediately begins to glow.

Hongjoong grins. “Five down, three to go. If you already have one or a guess as to which one is yours, go touch it to see if it glows so we can figure out whose is whose.” 

Seoghwa pulls away from him to follow the order and Hongjoong misses his warmth at his side instantly, but he knows they need to move quickly. 

As expected, Seonghwa and Yeosang are a match with the moon and herbs symbols respectively, but figuring out the last few wasn’t as simple. 

The three left were a wolf, a scale and a bird. Technically they were all wolves, so the last one fit all of them in that sense, but it was next to the pillar with the moon and it would be weird for the alpha to not be next to his Luna, so it was decided that one was probably Hongjoongs (not without teasing from the others, of course). After that, they thought Wooyoung would be the bird since birds flew in the sky and his soul mark was the sun, but when he touches it and nothing happens, he frowns. 

“I can’t believe I get the stupid scale. The moon goddess really is punishing me,” he wines as he places his hand on the scales and watches as they start to glow. 

Seonghwa chuckles. “It’s a good symbol, Wooyoung-ah. You help keep us balanced.” 

Wooyoung grumbles but doesn’t protest any further. Yunho snickers as he places his hand over the hawk symbol, grinning as it glows under his palm. 

“Alright, everyone place your hands on your piller. Let’s see if this works,” Hongjong says. 

He places his hand over the wolf and watches it come to life under his touch and glow a bright blue. The rest of the pack follow suit and all their symbols light up. And then… 

Nothing. 

Nothing happens. 

Hongjoong frowns as he looks down at the glowing wolf outline under his hand. Why wasn’t this working? 

“Ummm, is something supposed to be happening or…?” Mingi trails off, looking around the room at his packmates for an answer. 

Before anyone can answer him, though, a loud crashing sound can be heard from the front doors of the temple.

Hongjoong turns around to see where the noise had come from and sees streaks of black pass by the glass windows of the temple.

Shadows. 

“Shit, they’re back. We’re running out of time,” Hongjoong curses. Looking around the room for something, anything they may have missed.

His search comes up empty as he just sees the same stone walls and wooden benches as every other time he had looked around the area. 

“Think, Hongjoong. Think.”

There had to be something they overlooked in one of the parts of the prophecy, Something that could tell them what to do next. There had to be. 

He feels a hand slip into his and startles, still not used to the casual skin-to-skin contact he could experience now without his gloves.

Seonghwa looks worried, about the situation or about him, Hongjoong isn’t sure, but he squeezes the captain’s hand tightly, grounding him. “Don’t panic. We can figure this out,” he assures, voice level and eyes holding so much certainty that Hongjoong couldn’t help but believe him. 

He swallows thickly and tries to calm his racing thoughts. Seonghwa was right, he couldn’t think straight if he was panicking.

“Thank you,” he says, squeezing Seonghwa’s hand back and letting his gratitude shine through their bond. 

Seonghwa smiles and Hongjoong feels his worries melt away, if only for a moment. He would do anything to protect that smile. He would figure this out and take care of his pack. 

The sound of shattering glass interrupts their moment and Hongjoong looks up to see some of the shadows trying to break in through the narrow, triangle windows. The banging on the front door also grows louder as the heavy stone creaks in protest at the strain. 

Hongjoong clenches his jaw and holds onto Seonghwa’s hand tighter. They were running out of time.

San stares at Seonghwa and Hongjoong’s intertwined hands in thought before letting out a loud gasp. “Let’s hold hands!” 

“San-ah, I love you, but I don’t think there’s time for you to be acting cute when shadows are about to break in and soul-suck us,” Wooyoung says taking a few tentative steps back as the stone doors rattle in warning. 

“No, I mean that’s how we activate whatever this thing is. The prophecy in Dreamveil said we should join hands!” he exclaims.

Jongho makes a face at the reasoning, not thrilled about the suggestion. “When the hell did it say that?” 

“At the end! Something something join hands something something peace will be resored. It said it, I swear!” San defends even if he didn’t present the most accurate evidence.

Jongho looks skeptical and Hongjoong can’t blame him, it didn’t exactly inspire confidence that the fighter new what he was talking about. But Seonghwa is quick to back up San’s claim. 

“He’s right. It did say for light and love to join hands. I didn’t think it was literal, but we could give it a try. What do we have to lose?” Seonghwa says. 

As if on cue, another set of windows shatters as shadow limbs start to reach through the small spaces in the walls. 

“Our lives?!” Mingi shouts, eyes widening in horror at the sight. 

“Does anyone have any better ideas?” Hongjoong yells, wearily eyeing the buckling door and broken windows. It would only take the shadows mere minutes to finally break in. He didn’t have high hopes for the plan, but Seonghwa had vouched for San’s idea and they didn’t have many other options left. 

When no one speaks up, Hongjoong grabs ahold of Mingi’s hand, ignoring the funny feeling he gets from sparking their bond through the touch. It isn’t as electrifying as when he touches Seonghwa, but it’s definitely something he’d have to get used to. 

“Well then, everyone grab a hand, we don’t have much time to try something else if this doesn’t work,” he announces. 

San squeals in excitement and takes Jongho and Yunho’s hands in his. “It’ll work, you’ll see!” San shouts confidently, already swinging his packmate’s hands in anticipation. 

“All my years of training, for this? We might as well let the shadows take us out now,” Jongho grumbles melodramatically. 

“Don’t be such a drama queen, Jjongie, now take my hand,” Wooyoung says, holding out his hand for the youngest to grab.

Jongho lets out a long suffering sigh not suited for someone as young as him but takes Wooyoung’s outstretched hand. Wooyoung grins mischievously and leans forward to try and peck Jongho on the cheek to tease him even more. Jongho shoves him away, but it’s hard to get away from someone when you’re holding their hand so Wooyoung eventually finds his mark. Jongho fake gags as he wipes his cheek with his forearm. 

“Ugh. This better work or I’m killing woosan before the shadows can,” Jongho grouses, cheeks flushed and a cute pout on his lips that evaporates any threat left in his words. 

Wooyoung cackles at the empty threat. 

The rest of the team take hands easily, with Mingi grabbing Yeosang’s hand and Yeosang taking hold of Wooyoung’s to complete to circle.

Hongjoong feels their bonds pulse in his chest, beating as one as all 8 of them are connected both physically and through their soul bond with him. He squeezes both Seonghwa and Minig’s hands in anticipation, hoping that by some miracle this would work. 

No one is more surprised than Jongho when it actually does. 

The floor starts to vibrate once more and, at first, Hongjoong fears the worse and thinks KQ’s backup barrier had been compromised. But instead, the hourglass starts to glow brightly once again and they are lifted into the air on a circular platform that just holds them and the 9 pillars above the ground. The hourglass turns on its own, releasing a strong wave of magic with a click as the sand begins to trickle down anew. 

“I knew it would work!” San cheers, lifting Yunho and Jongho’s hands up in victory. 

“I can’t believe all it took for a thousand year old prophecy to work was a little hand-holding,” Yeosang says, shaking his head in disbelief. 

“Is that it? Did we finally do it?” Mingi asks hopefully. 

But unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. 

They hear a crash behind them and see that the shadows have finally broken through the front doors of the temple. 

“Shit! Why are they still coming for us?” Wooyoung yells in panic as they watch the shadows start to flood into the small room. 

Hongjoong looks from the glowing hourglass to the hoard of shadows now below them and gulps. If the sand running out deactivated the beam of light the first time, then that means…

“I think the sand has to run out,” he says, not wanting to believe the words himself. 

“I’m sorry, what?! Wooyoung bites out. 

“The sand needs to run out. It’s reversing the curse, but its magic is only activated and deactivated whenever the counter starts or ends. That means, it won’t break the curse until the sand runs out,” he explains. He knew curse breaking was complicated and casting a complex spell could take a while, but this was ridiculous. How were they expected to stand here holding hands for however long it takes the sand to run out with shadows coming for their throats? No wonder the original soul pack had such a hard time. This was an almost impossible task. 

“How are we supposed to wait that long? We’re sitting ducks up here!” Jongho protests, already attempting to let go of San’s hand to fight the shadows instead.

“Don’t let go! The only reason the hourglass is even working is because we’re all linked, we need to stay connected for the soul bond to be at its strongest so the curse can be broken,” Hongjoong warns, voice commanding and desperate in a way that stops Jongho in his tracks. 

“Then, what do we do?” Yunho asks, large puppy eyes full of trepidation. 

And wasn’t that the million-dollar question? What were they supposed to do ?

“We stand our ground until the sand runs out,” Seonghwa speaks up. 

Hongjoong looks up at him, feeling the surge of determination through the bond.

“That’s all we can do. If we want the shadows gone for good, we can’t let them stop the timer. The reversal spell needs to be completed and we’re the only ones who can protect it,” the lieutenant speaks as confidently as he can. Hongjoong catches the minute tremors in Seonghwa’s frame through their linked hands, but his eyes hold nothing but fierce determination. A drive to see this through to the end after all they had been through to get this far. 

“Seonghwa’s right,” Hongjoong backs up Seonghwa’s words. “We need to do what we can until the hourglass finishes reversing the curse. Kick them, headbutt them, do what you have to do, but do not let go of each other’s hands and don’t you dare die on me. Understood?” Hongjoong’s voice is bold and direct as it always is when he issues a command, but this time it’s also filled with emotion. He didn’t know if they would all make it out of this unscathed, but he’d be damned if he’d let the shadows keep thriving after everything they had done to them and the entire magical realm. They had to stand their ground no matter how hopeless it seemed. 

“Aye, aye, Captain!” they all yell back and Hongjoong can’t help but crack a smile even in the tense situation. With his team at his back, he always felt they could accomplish anything. 

“Good timing, because here they come,” Yunho says, tapping the toe of his boot against the stone floor and revealing a small knife. 

“Do those come in all our boots? Please tell me those come with all our boots,” Mingi says as he eyes the knife. 

“Only if you asked for them,” San says with a smirk, tapping his own boot on the floor to reveal the same knife.

“Fighters get all the cool stuff,” Mingi grumbles, attempting to grab his pistol while still holding Hongjoong’s hand. 

“This is gonna be interesting,” Hongjoong mumbles, tapping out his own boot knife.

Seonghwa smiles and fits a knife in between their entwined hands. “I’m sure we’ll manage.” 

“Here they come!” Jongho shouts, hand held in San’s glowing purple from his bracer. 

As soon as the first shadow starts clawing at their feet, it’s a battle to see who can hold out the longest. 

Hongjoong jabs his boot into the nearest shadow, hearing it hiss as it disintegrates under his heel. Seonghwa swings his knife into the one that replaces it, quickly stopping its assent to their little platform. He feels his shoulder pull as Mingi swings his gun to fire at another one crawling up the side, he lets out a little huff of discomfort but keeps fighting, knowing they had no choice but to keep their hands connected until the hourglass ran out.

This was going to be a long fight. 

Wave after wave the shadows keep climbing up and trying to overtake their circle in an attempt to reach the hourglass, and they struggle to hold on.

The team is showing clear signs of fatigue about fifteen minutes into the fight, already over exerted from the fighting they’d had to do throughout the entire day. Muscles are sore, joints are stiff, and bones creak from the effort of keeping up the fight. The only bright side seems to be that the sand is moving much faster this time than when they were heading back to KQ. It was passing the halfway point when exhaustion finally got the better of them. 

“Ahh!” Mingi yells as a shadow manages to sink its claws into his calf, blood soaking his pant leg instantly. 

Hongjoong is quick to kick it away and stab it with the tip of his boot knife, but the damage was already done. 

“Mingi, are you okay?!” Yeosang asks, not able to afford looking away from the fight long enough to assess the other’s condition. 

“No, but I can keep going. Just, fuck, I can’t put any weight on my left leg,” he grits out painfully through clenched teeth. 

“Lean on me!” Hongjoong tells him, taking on some of his weight as he kicks another shadow away. His body aches with fatigue but he has no choice, they had to keep fighting. 

“Yeosang, watch out!” Wooyoung yells as a shadow appears next to Yeosang and takes a swing, cutting a gash on his upper thigh before Wooyoung has a chance to slice through it with one of his daggers. 

“Agh,” Yeosang cries out in pain, doubling over and clutching the hand he held with Mingi against his bleeding thigh. 

“Yeo!” Jongho shouts, distracted by his lover's cry of pain. He lets his guard down for a second too long and the shadow he had been fighting takes the opportunity to sink its sharp teeth into his arm. 

“Fuck!” he yells punching it away and sending it to pieces, but not without it leaving a crude bite mark oozing blood from his forearm. 

“Everyone, stay focused. Protect yourself and each other at all costs!” Hongjoong commands. He couldn’t let them falter now. They were so close. 

“We just have to hold on a little while longer!” Seonghwa adds, stabbing a shadow as he pants heavily, probably even more exhausted than the rest of them, but still fighting. 

Hongjoong glances back at the hourglass and sees that there’s only a quarter of the sand left to go. They could do this. 

“Cover your injured teammates and keep fighting. We’re almost there!” Hongjoong encourages his pack as much as himself, sending them all motivation through the bond with whatever energy he has left. 

They keep going, grunts of pain and exertion heard over the hisses and haunting growls of the shadows who were unrelenting and neverending. 

Hongjoong starts to get overwhelmed by Mingi’s weight on his side and the rapidly moving shadows below. Eventually, he misses a jab and a shadow manages to grab hold of his foot, yanking him forward as it sinks its claws into his ankle. 

“Captain!” Mingi shouts, trying to help free Hongjoong’s leg, but not being able to do much with his own injury. 

“Ugh!” he yells in pain, managing to yank his foot back as Seonghwa stabs the shadow clean through. 

“Hongjoong, can you stand?” Seonghwa says worriedly, trying to keep his attention on the shadows but concern still flickers in his eyes and through the bond as he glances back at Hongjoong. 

“Yeah,” he wheezes between pained pants, forcing himself to stand on his injured foot despite the blood dripping onto the stone floor. 

“Captain! We won’t be able to hang on much longer!” Yunho shouts, movements sharp and sloppy, so far removed from his usual grace as he sports long gashes and cuts on his arms. 

Hongjoong breathes heavily as he and Mingi basically support each other, their blood starting to make the floor below their feet slippery with the quantity of it. They were on their last legs.

“Just hold on for as long as you can!” Hongjoong responds, voice growing desperate. 

“We’re almost there, just a little more. We can make it,” Seonghwa keeps repeating like a mantra, stumbling from side to side as he swings his knife erratically, trying to cut down as many shadows as possible before they could get to him or the team.

Hongjoong hoped he was right. 

The Captain clenches his jaw and stands more firmly, ignoring the pain in his foot as much as possible as he continues to hold his own as best he can. Stabbing through shadows even with his injured foot. 

“Fuck,” he curses when another shadow manages to claw at him, his movements growing more and more sluggish with every new bruise and cut.

Just a little longer, he just had to keep going for a little longer. 

He’s hanging on by a thread, trying to keep upright if only to help support Mingi’s weight at his side, but the thread finally snaps when one of the dark creatures bites into the same wound on his ankle. White hot pain blurs Hongjoong’s vision for a moment and he feels himself get his feet pulled out from under him as the shadow tugs his already ripped and bleeding flesh. He thinks he screams but he can’t hear anything over the ringing in his ears. 

He realizes he’s being dragged forward when he feels no solid ground under his feet any longer and that’s when his mind finally starts to catch up with what’s happening, alarms blaring in the back of his brain and urging him to fight, to hold on, to not let himself be dragged into the pit of shadows. 

He holds onto Mingi and Seonghwa’s hands tighter, trying to pull himself forward and out of the grasp of the shadows as he kicks and flails to try and free himself. Jolts of pure agony run through his leg as the shadow refuses to let go of his ankle, teeth still buried in his skin, but he keeps struggling. 

“Hongjoong, don’t let go!” he hears Seonghwa yell. 

“I’m-trying,” he wheezes, feeling out of breath, out of strength and out of time. 

“Just hold on, Captain!” Mingi grunts. Hongjoong can see the strain on his face, his limbs pulled taut and sweat dripping down his temples as he struggles to deal with his own injury on top of having to help Hongjoong.

“I-I don’t know if I can,” Hongjoong admits, feeling himself losing the battle to exhaustion faster than he had hoped. 

Seonghwa shakes his head, panic spiking through the bond and gripping his heart as if it were his own. “Don’t you dare Kim Hongjoong! I’m not losing you. There’s still so much we have to talk about, there’s still so much I want to tell you,” his words cut off as he takes a deep intake of breath, panting from the effort of holding onto Hongjoong. “Goddess, we’re soulmates and we haven’t even gotten to enjoy it!” tears begin to prick Seonghwa’s eyes and Hongjoong feels his grip slipping. 

He gulps. They wouldn’t be able to hold onto him for much longer. Not without endangering themselves or the rest of the pack. 

“I’m sorry,” he says, feeling his limbs start to lose the battle to exhaustion, no longer kicking as fiercely while the shadows tug him lower and lower. His wolf growls and howls, begging him to fight but Hongjoong is too weak. 

His hand begins to slip out of Soenghwa’s and the other desperately grasps at him, trying to keep their hands linked. “Hongjoong. Hongjoong, please!” he begs. 

“Stay with us, Captain!” Mingi yells. 

Hongjoong tries, he really does, but he feels his energy waning with each gush of blood from his wound and each futile flail of his legs, more tired than he’s ever been before in his life. 

His fingers are just about to slip out of his packmate’s hands when a sudden burst of light engulfs the entire battlefield. At first, Hongjoong thinks he’s blacked out again, but when he feels himself blink and the blinding light still remains, he realized he’s still very much awake. 

As soon as the bright light illuminates the area, Hongjoong feels weightless, no longer dragged down by the shadows on his heels or the scorching pain in his ankle.

He feels floaty, light and most importantly, still alive. 

He turns to see if the shadows are still there and finds only the remnants of their ashes floating in the air around them, completely vaporized by the strong glow. He looks back up and sees Mingi and Seonghwa staring up in awe. Hongjoong follows their line of sight and sees the hourglass, glowing with the same light that had surrounded them and with no more grains of sand left to fall. 

They did it. 

They had reversed the dark wizard's curse. 

They had finally defeated the shadows. 

“We did it,” San breathes, collapsing onto the floor, exhausted. 

The rest of the pack follows, falling to their knees in relief. 

“It’s finally over,” Yeosang pants, but his voice is light, happy. 

Wooyoung laughs, half-crazed and half overjoyed. “I can’t believe we made it.”

Yunho chuckles breathily, leaning against the pillar that held the hawk. “That was even closer than Wooyoung’s explosion earlier.” 

“I would have taken getting my ass set on fire over this,” Mingi shakes his head with a relieved smile playing at his lips.

“For once, I agree with you,” Jongho groans, cradling his injured arm to his chest. 

“We really did it,” Seonghwa says in awe. He turns to Hongjoong and shouts, “We’re alive!” Happy tears streaming down his cheeks as he sweeps Hongjoong into a bone-crushing hug. “You’re alive,” he whispers the words right into Hongjoong’s shoulder, voice cracking as he cries tears of joy and relief into his neck. 

Hongjoong brings his shaky arms up to hug him back as tightly as he can manage, burying his nose into Seonghwa’s messy ashen hair. Scenting him for the first time.

He smells like battle, like sweat and dirt and the smoke from Wooyoung’s bombs. But underneath all that, Hongjoong can still pick up on the warm honey notes and floral tones in his scent. The syrupy sweetness of spring and the comforting hibiscus that make up Seonghwa, heightened by his happiness and their proximity. 

He smelled like home. 

“I love you,” Hongjoong breathes. The words fall from his lips without his consent, but he doesn’t regret them. He knew Seonghwa could feel it in their bond, but he deserved to hear it aloud now that they were free to feel, to enjoy one another without the pressure of the mission hanging over them. 

Seonghwa’s breath hitches and he pulls away slowly, sniffling as he goes. “I hope we don’t make it a habit to only say I love you after a near-death experience,” he laughs, wiping away his tears. 

Hongjoong chuckles. “Don’t worry. After this, I’m banning near-death experiences from all future missions.” 

“I think that’s a good call, Captain,” he teases. His eyes twinkle with mirth and his plump lips pull up into a pretty smile 

Hongjoong is enamored by the sight. 

“Do you remember what you promised me yesterday? When you came to talk to me in my tent?” Seonghwa asks, distracting Hongjoong from committing every one of his features to memory. 

“Hmm?” he prompts him to continue, not sure exactly what he means. 

“You said when we get back to KQ, you would do anything I asked,” Seonghwa clarifies. 

Hongjoong blinks a few times, clearing his thoughts of Seonghwa’s pretty smile in order to think back on their previous conversation. He did remember begging Seonghwa to believe him and he may have thrown in some vague bribes in an attempt to get him to agree. 

Hongjoong gulps. “Yeah, I remember.” 

Seonghwa’s grin only grows and his excitement sparks electric through their connection. “I think I know what I want, now.” 

Hongjoong’s throat goes dry when Seonghwa’s eyes flicker from his lips back up to his eyes. “Yeah?” he croaks out the question, anticipation bubbling in his gut. 

Seonghwa leans in until their noses brush. “Kiss me,” he breathes against Hongjoong’s lips. 

Hongjoong closes the distance between them without a second thought, drawn in like a bee to Seonghwa’s sweet honeyed scent. His lips are as lucious as they look, chapped from battle, but no less pleasant to feel pressed against his own. He knows it’s cliche, but he really does feel as if sparks fly between them when their lips finally meet. The bond thrums stronger than he’s ever felt it, pleasantly pulsing between them and making every touch of their lips electrifying. Hongjoong presses closer, moving his lips against Seonghwa’s slowly and kissing him thoroughly. He presses a hand to Soenghwa’s cheek, tilting his head to the side for a better angle, sucking on his plump bottom lip before parting his lips and diving in for another kiss and then another. 

He’s lost in the sensations, in the feeling of Seonghwa’s warm lips pressed to his, in their bond flourishing in his chest and at their affection for one another taking root and blooming into something even more wonderful than Hongjoong could have imagined. 

So, of course, the universe chooses that exact instance to interrupt them. 

“You guys think they forgot we were still here?” Wooyoung stage-whispers. 

“Definitely,” Mingi replies, lacking just as much subtlety. 

Hongjoong immediately breaks the kiss, most definitely having forgotten they had an audience as soon as Seonghwa’s alluring eyes and luscious lips had taken up all of his attention.

“Can you brats mind your business, for once?!” Hongjoong yells, glaring at his teammates. 

“Hey, we were innocent bystanders. You guys are the ones who started sucking face in broad daylight. Not even Sannie and I do that,” Wooyoung counters putting his hands on his hips. 

“Yeah, just because you’re soulmates doesn’t mean you can make out in public,” Mingi adds with a nod. 

“Kill me,” Hongjoong groans, covering his face in embarrassment.

“Nope, sorry. You’re gonna have to live with us teasing you for the rest of your life now, hyung,” Wooyoung says with a wide grin. 

Hongjoong looks up and sees his packmates all looking at them. They’re definitely worse for wear. Yunho has his arm around Mingi’s wasit, helping him stay upright, his shirt sleeve is completely torn and his arm is bloodied but he has a broad smile on his face, enjoying their easy banter and the fact that they were all okay. Yeosang, Jongho and San stand right next to them, with Yeosang held between San and Jongho’s good arm, heavily favoring one of his legs over the other. Wooyoung seems the least injured, but he definitely looks run-ragged, combat uniform torn in more places than Hongjoong can count, and bloodied scrapes littering his arms and face. 

They looked rough, but they were alive. 

Hongjoong feels his chest warm with the collective feelings of happiness and relief he can feel flooding the bond. 

He makes a show of sighing deeply. “I guess I’ll have to manage somehow.” Hongjoong can’t keep the smile off his face as he answers, voice sounding far more affectionate than annoyed, but that was okay. 

He looks around at his team and can’t help but feel lucky to have found such an amazing group of people to call his pack. His family. 

Hongjoong heaves himself up, Seonghwa hurrying to help him up and throw his arm over his shoulder to help support him. He winces when he puts weight on his ankle, but it still doesn’t wipe the smile off his face when he addresses them all. 

“Let’s go home.”

Chapter Text

It was finally time. 

The day Hongjoong had been dreading the most since the final battle with the shadows. 

Pack bonding night. 

It had taken KQ three months to fix all the damages the shadows had made to the city and life was pretty much back to normal in the werewolf capital. The process was accelerated by the help sent to them by the other magical cities, who were apparently also under attack by large mobs of shadows until their team reversed the curse and banished them once and for all. Even the ever-reclusive vampires made an appearance in KQ to show their gratitude and help with the repairs to the city (not without a few snobbish remarks about the smell of dog, of course). 

All in all, things had gone even better than Hongjoong and his pack had hoped and they were free to finally enjoy some downtime in their pack barracks after recovering from their injuries and working hard to repair the city. 

Which has led to Hongjoong’s current predicament. 

General Kyungmoon had granted the entire pack a full month of leave to properly rest after everything they had been through now that things were relatively back to normal. 

At first, the Captain was relieved to finally get a break and have his pack rest for the first time in what felt like ages since their initial mission had started.

That was until he remembered the promise he had made to Seonghwa on their journey and almost asked the General to put him on guard duty while the rest of his pack was on vacation. However, as much as Hongjoong wanted to run away from the inevitable crushing and invasion of his personal space that pack bonding night would bring, he was still a man of his word. 

But that didn’t mean he had to be happy about it. 

He hears Seonghwa snicker at his side as the rest of the pack bustle about, getting the board games ready for their usual (borderline violent) game night. 

He turns to look at his beautiful mate and his deep frown almost slips at the sight of his smile. Almost. If Hongjoong was anything, it was stubborn. 

“Don’t laugh. This is all your fault,” he complains half-heartedly. He wasn’t really upset about the situation and he knew Seonghwa could tell, but that wouldn’t stop him from complaining about it. 

His petulant pout makes Seonghwa laugh all the more, his grin growing and lighting up his entire face, amusement dancing in his amber eyes. 

Hongjoong tries to keep his scowl but he can’t help all the fuzzy feelings bubbling up in his chest at the sight of his soulmate so happy and he knows Seonghwa can feel it through their bond too. 

“A promise is a promise, Joongie,” he sing-songs with a playful grin. “You know, most people find game nights fun and don’t look like they’re about to be tortured.” 

“Most people haven’t had to break up a fistfight between their packmates because of a game of Uno,” Hongjoong grumbles. 

Seonghwa laughs brightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll be your backup,” he says as he snakes his hand into Hongjoong’s, intertwining their fingers effortlessly. 

The skin-on-skin contact sparks electricity through the bond as it always does, still just as warm and buzzing with fondness as it had been the first time they held hands without Hongjoong’s gloves in the way. He had grown more used to the feeling, no longer surprised whenever it happened thanks to Seonghwa taking it upon himself to hold the Captain’s hand at every given opportunity. 

Hongjoong sometimes still got overwhelmed by extended contact with the others, but he was getting better at it. He knew this game night would probably help in the process of getting him accustomed to the easy affection and skinship the rest of the pack was used to, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t dreading the shouting and the squishing that was to come. 

However, any real apprehension he felt was easily soothed by Seonghwa’s gentle and reassuring touch. He squeezes the blond’s hand back and feels the swell of affection through their bond, a combination of both his and Seonghwa’s fondness. 

“Alright lovebirds, make some room. It’s time to ruin lives with some good old Monopoly,” Wooyoung announces, sitting right between Seonghwa and Hongjoong as he places the Monopoly box on the coffee table in front of the couch. 

Hongjoong grunts as their packmate squeezes himself between them and scowls when Seonghwa lets go of his hand to accommodate them into a more comfortable position 

“Yah, brat. Find your own seat. We were here first,” Hongjoong complains, shoving Wooyoung completely off his lap and into the narrow space between himself and Seonghwa. 

“It’s pack bonding night! I’m just getting you used to being up close and personal with the rest of us, not just Seonghwa-hyung,” Wooyoung mocks, poking Hongjoong in the chest with a devious smirk. 

His scowl deepens and this time Seonghwa’s calming touch isn’t there to soothe him, instead he groans in discomfort as he gets a lap full of Mingi when the rest of the pack take their seats on the already cramped couch. 

“I brought snacks!” Mingi announces as he plops himself atop Hongjoong without a care as to how their smaller Captain would fare, and places a handful of candy and chip bags on the table. 

San happily jumps into the space right next to Hongjoong as if their Captain wasn’t currently being crushed and Yunho takes the seat on the edge, somehow fitting into the small space without any complaints. 

Yeosang and Jongho take their seats on the opposite side of Seonghwa, and just like that, they become the puppy pile Hongjoong sees them turn into every pack bonding night, except this time he’s directly in the action. 

“Can I have some room to breathe, please?” Hongjoong bites out, shoving Mingi until he is at least sitting half on him and half on San to not be completely crushed under his packmate.

“No can do, Captain. Pack night is all about cuddles!” San yells, throwing his arms around both Hongjoong and Mingi and squishing them to his chest, making it feel even more cramped on the couch. 

Hongjoong groans in discomfort and tries to shove them away, but when Mingi wraps his larger arms around them, he knows he’s well and truly trapped. 

“Lighten up, Hongjoong-hyung. We just want to give you love,” Mingi coos as he squeezes him tight and ruffles his hair. 

“Yeah, Captain, embrace the power of the puppy pile,” Wooyoung snickers.

“No thanks,” he grunts. Hongjoong decides he’s had enough of his pack’s teasing and jabs Mingi in the gut until he’s released. He already had to deal with being cramped on this couch, he didn’t need any extra crushing. 

Mingi lets go of Hongjoong with a little “oof” at the blow but ends up laughing right after at the annoyed look on Hongjoong’s face. 

“Okay, okay, I promise to reign it in so stop looking like you just sucked on a lemon,” Mingi chuckles. 

“I don’t promise anything if we end up watching a scary movie,” San chimes in, already clutching onto Hongjoong’s arm as if they were about to press play on the Grudge. 

“Thankfully, we’re playing Monopoly, not a scary movie, so no need to cling to me just yet,” Hongjoong says, swiftly untangling his arm from San’s hold, making the younger wolf pout. 

“Oh, I call the car!” Mingi cheers excitedly. 

“Nope, you had the car last time. It’s your turn to get the wheelbarrow,” Wooyoung counters beginning to unpack the pieces of the game. 

“But the wheelbarrow is lame,” Mingi whines. 

“Exactly, it’s perfect for you, Mangi,” he teases with a devilish grin. 

Mingi lunges for Wooyoung and the younger wolf yelps in surprise, not expecting to get tackled. 

The pieces fly across the table and Hongjoong finds himself squished between his warring packmates once again. 

“Yah, get off me you mutts!” Hongjoong protests, trying to break free of the tangled mess of limbs trapping him on the couch. 

“He started it!” Mingi complains, trying to suffocate Wooyoung with one of the couch cushions. 

“You were breaking the rules!” Wooyoung fires back, struggling to escape Mingi’s grasp. 

“Those rules are made up and stupid- GAH!” 

Mingi screams in shock as Wooyoung manages to turn his head and bite him on the hand that was holding him down. 

Hongjoong normally didn’t condone Wooyoung’s biting habit, but Mingi flinching away after the bite had freed up enough room for him to breathe again, so he’d let it slide this time. 

“Serves you right!” Wooyoung yells, sticking his tongue out at Mingi. 

“Why you little-” 

“Enough! Give me the stupid wheelbarrow,” Jongho interrupts before Mingi can have another go at Wooyoung, snatching the offending piece from the table and placing it on the GO square on the board. “Doesn't matter which piece you have, I’ll still crush you both,” he huffs as he settles back into his corner of the couch by Yeosang. 

Mingi grumbles but takes the small victory while he can, claiming the coveted car piece and placing it on the square next to the wheelbarrow. 

He sends a glare Wooyoung’s way and the smaller wolf snaps his teeth, making Mingi startle and Wooyoung snicker. 

“Keep your piranha teeth away from me!” he yells, scrambling further away from Wooyoung. 

Hongjoong and San grunt at Mingi’s weight being thrown around on top of them again as Mingi tries to “escape” and Hongjoong scowls in Wooyoung’s direction for all the commotion he was causing. 

Thankfully, Seonghwa steps in before they can have another go at it and Hongjoong gets an accidental elbow to the face just from being in close proximity to them. 

“Stop that,” Seonghwa chastises, lightly batting at Wooyoung’s hip, which was still half on his thigh. “No threatening anyone during pack bonding night.” 

Wooyoung feigns offense, eyes wide and innocent like he hadn’t just snapped his teeth at Mingi like a feral wolf. “Threat? My bites are full of love! Just ask Sannie or Yeosangie. It’s Mingi who tried to suffocate me with a couch cushion,” he accuses, crossing his arms with a dramatic huff. 

“I wouldn’t say there was much love in the bite you gave me in fourth grade that almost got infected and gave me a fever, but I don’t know what you and San are into,” Yeosang cuts in at the mention of his name. 

“Nor do I want to know,” the healer adds, holding up a hand when Wooyoung opens his mouth to reply. 

Wooyoung rolls his eyes. “When are you gonna let that go? I was ten and my adult canines had just come in!” he yells, raising his arms in the air in protest. 

“You’re the one who asked,” Yeosang shrugs - a feat in and of itself given how wedged he was between Jongho and Seonghwa. 

“Besides,” Yeosang continues, a playful glint in his eyes. “what kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t remember all your embarrassing moments and tell everyone about them? I’m keeping our friendship alive.” 

Mingi and Jongho snicker and Wooyoung just glares at his best friend, his plan of redirecting all the blame onto Mingi having failed spectacularly thanks to Yeosang. 

“As much as I love seeing Wooyoung squirm, I’m losing blood flow to my legs, so if we could get this game started, that would be great,” Hongjoong interrupts gruffly as he tries to find a more comfortable position. He didn’t want to prolong the bickering any longer either, knowing Wooyoung and Yeosang could go back and forth for hours trying to one-up each other with stories of the past (a byproduct of their long friendship). And his legs really were getting numb under Mingi’s weight. 

Mingi turns and pouts at him. “I’m not that heavy.” 

He’s about to confirm that yes, Mingi is in fact heavy and cutting off his circulation, especially with all the moving he had been doing, when Yunho sweeps in to answer instead. 

“Of course you aren’t, Princess, but the Captain has a small lap so why don’t you come sit in mine instead?” Yunho says smoothly, his charming smile persuading Mingi easily. 

Mingi blushes at the familiar nickname and moves off of Hongjoong to slip into Yunho’s lap at the edge of the couch. 

Huh. That was new. 

Ignoring Yunho calling him small, Mingi had never blushed at Yunho calling him princess before. 

Hongjoong feels for their bonds in his chest to see if everything was alright, but didn’t notice any changes, at least on the surface. If they didn’t want the rest of the pack to know that anything was going on between them, then Hongjoong would let it be. For now. 

Begrudgingly, he admits Seonghwa had been right about him learning new things about the pack every time they bonded like this. He doesn’t know if he would have noticed anything different had he been sitting in his usual spot across the room. 

“Well,” Seonghwa claps his hands together as his voice cuts through the sudden quiet in the room. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who had noticed the unusual interaction. “Now that everyone is situated, let’s start, shall we?” 

Thankfully, it seemed they had all come to a silent agreement not to make light of it, knowing how skittish Mingi could be, and acted as if nothing had happened. 

“Right! I vote Seonghwa-hyung be in charge of the bank. He’s the only one who probably won’t cheat or short-change us because he’s bad at math,” Wooyoung announces giving San a pointed look and handing Seonghwa the colorful paper bills. 

“It was one time!” San protests. 

“One time too many, San-ah,” Wooyoung shakes his head gravely, always one for the theatrics. “I had Jongho on the ropes. If you had counted right, I would have had enough to buy the Boardwalk and Jjongie’s empire would have crumbled.” 

Jongho snorts. “You wish. You were on the edge of bankruptcy the entire game, you would have never been able to afford Boardwalk.” 

“Wait, don’t we need to assign the rest of the pieces?” Hongjoong asks, confused as to why the entire reason for the fight earlier was currently being ignored. 

Wooyoung pointedly ignores Jongho’s comment and waves Hongjoong off. 

“It’s fine, the rest are easy. Hwa-hyung is the iron since he loves to do housework. You get the ship, obviously, Captain. Yuyu is the dog, because duh. I’m the boot because I kick ass, Sannie is the cat because like Yunho, duh, and Sangie is the top hat because he’s an outdated loser. See? Easy,” he announces, voice turning overly chipper at the end. 

“You were just waiting for that, weren’t you?” Yeosang shakes his head at the childish insult.

Wooyoung grins like the cat who got the cream. “Maybe,” he snickers. 

“Then why were you even fighting over the car…” Hongjoong trails off, now officially lost. 

“Because we agreed you couldn’t get the car twice in a row after Jongho, Mingi, Yunho and I got into a wrestling match over it and broke one of the coffee table legs,” Wooyoung explains with a shrug. “Even if we don’t care about the pieces as much anymore, rules are still rules and Mingi was breaking them.” 

Hongjoong snorts. “Since when do you care about the rules?” 

“I care about the rules when I make them,” he smirks. “Plus, teasing Mangie is like my second favorite pastime.” 

“I knew you were just being an ass,” Mingi grumbles, cuddling closer to Yunho and giving Wooyoung the stink eye. 

Wooyoung simply blows his packmate a kiss and laughs at the disgusted face he makes in response. 

“Now, let’s tear this family apart with a nice, wholesome game of Monopoly, shall we?” Wooyoung says mischievously, placing his boot on GO. 

Oh, Hongjoong was so not looking forward to this 

The game was just as brutal as Hongjoong had expected. San was on the verge of tears for half the game because he somehow kept ending up in jail and couldn’t roll doubles to save his life. Wooyoung and Jongho were at each other’s throats, trying to sabotage and bankrupt each other at every turn while Seonghwa struggled to keep them civil. Yeosang was adding fuel to the fire by buying the properties Wooyoung wanted and selling them to Jongho just to watch Wooyoung’s anger flair. He might as well have been sitting on the sidelines with a bag of popcorn in hand for all the times he had caused an argument. Mingi was fighting for his life trying to hold on to even one property in the face of his ruthless packmates and Yunho somehow ended up winning after getting his hands on Park Place by chance and picking up the Boardwalk after Jongho had bankrupted Wooyoung. Hongjoong barely understood what was going on and pretended to be in jail with San half the time to avoid paying Wooyoung’s unreasonable rent and nurse his growing headache. 

“That’s not fair!” Wooyoung whines as Yunho snatches up the last of his properties and takes the win. “You cheated!” he accused. 

“Nope! All luck, Woo,” Yunho says with a wink as he sweeps up the rest of the board. “Better luck next time.” 

Wooyoung scowls and Hongjoong is almost positive that if Yunho were sitting closer, he would have undoubtedly left a nasty bite on Yunho’s arm for that one. 

“The only one who cheated was Jongho. Yunho won fair and square,” Seonghwa confirmed, counting out the fake bills and making sure all the money had been returned. 

“What? I didn’t cheat,” Jongho defends, putting up quite a believable front with his wide, doe-eyed look. 

“I saw Yeosang sneak you that hundred. You wouldn’t have been able to pay rent on Wooyoung’s property without it,” Seonghwa explains shaking the stack of colorful bills at the youngest wolf. “I was counting.” 

Jongho scoffs, all feigned innocence gone in the blink of an eye. “I miss when San was the bank.” 

Wooyoung’s eyes widen. “You mean I could have bankrupted him first?! I demand a rematch!” He declares, standing up from the couch and pointing a challenging finger at Jongho. 

“Absolutely not,” Hongjoong says firmly. “I already have a headache from one round, a second one is out of the question. Kill each other later on your own time. Now, Jongho go get Yunho the last bag of potato chips since he won and Wooyoung go pick another, less violent, game while Seonghwa and I put this one away,” he commands, not in the mood to hear Jongho and Wooyoung go at it again . 

Wooyoung grumbles but does as he’s told and goes off to the far corner of the living room where they keep their stash of board and card games. Jongho lets out a long-suffering sigh but gets up and heads for the kitchen as asked. 

Even with two members of the pack gone, the couch still feels far too cramped, so Hongjoong opts to kneel on the floor by the coffee table to help Seonghwa pack things up instead. 

The others left on the couch begin to converse amongst themselves and Hongjoong zones them out in favor of folding up the board and gathering all the little metal pieces while Seonghwa finishes up with the money, all the while trying to ignore his pounding headache. 

He feels Seonghwa sit next to him on the ground, their shoulders brushing lightly as Seonghwa reached over to place the money in the appropriate slots in the box. 

“You alright?” he asks softly, placing a hand on Hongjoong’s lower back. 

Hongjoong leans into the touch and sighs. “Yeah, just a headache,” he says as he rubs his temple for what feels like the millionth time that night. 

Seonghwa frowns but says nothing, continuing to rub Hongjoong’s back gently in thought.

They stay like that for a while, long enough for the others to return and move Monopoly off the coffee table and replace it with a much more harmless card game.   

He eventually feels Seonghwa reach out through their bond as if trying to assess his condition before they start the next game. He must not like what he finds because he’s making a decision for them both in the next instance. 

“It’s getting late so I think Hongjoong and I will turn in for the night. Enjoy your game of go fish and make sure to clean everything up before going to bed,” Seonghwa says pointedly, giving the rest of the pack a warning look before grabbing Hongjoong by the hand and dragging him in the direction of their quarters. 

Wooyoung rolls his eyes but agrees easily. “Yes, mom. Don’t go too crazy while we’re still out here, though. The walls are thin and I don’t feel like getting traumatized.” 

Hongjoong’s ears immediately burn red at the insinuation and he whips his head around to give Wooyoung the finger, ignoring how the sharp movement only made his headache worse. 

Wooyoung simply cackles as he unboxes the next game and hands the deck over to Yeosang for a quick shuffle. 

“Goodnight, hyungs!” San calls out over Wooyoung's laughter, nudging his mate to get him to settle down.  

“Yeah, goodnight Captain, Seonghwa-hyung,” Yunho follows up, still happily munching on his hard-earned potato chips. 

“Goodnight!” Seonghwa replies over his shoulder. 

The Captain sends Wooyoung one final glare before allowing himself to be pulled out of sight by Seonghwa’s gentle guidance. 

When they’re finally back in their room, Hongjoong unceremoniously sags into his bed like a sack of potatoes. 

Seonghwa sits on the edge of his bed and starts to run his fingers through his dark hair. 

Hongjoong closes his eyes and enjoys the soothing touch, breathing a sigh of relief as he sinks into his sheets and enjoys the comfort and quiet of their room. 

“Feeling better?” Seonghwa asks softly after a few minutes of silence, not wanting to aggravate Hongjoong’s headache. 

Hongjoong hums in acquiescence. The headache was still there, but it was definitely much more bearable. He loved his pack, he really did, but sometimes he needed the solace and silence of an empty room to balance their chaos. 

“I’m sorry if I pushed you too hard,” Seonghwa apologizes gently. 

Hongjoong shakes his head and sits up. “Don’t apologize. You were right. It was fun spending time with everyone, even if I want to tear that monopoly board to shreds.” 

Seonghwa chuckles at the comment and Hongjoong smiles, glad to feel the guilt in their bond start to fade. 

“It was just…a lot, you know? Not just the physical closeness, which is still overwhelming sometimes on its own, but also all the unchecked emotions rampaging through the bond every time they got too invested in the game. I’m just not used to managing so many at the same time, but tonight was good practice,” he explains truthfully. It had been nice to enjoy such closeness with his pack even if some aspects had still been overwhelming. 

“You don’t have to,” Seonghwa says, reaching out to grasp Hongjoong’s hand. 

Hongjoong blinks up at his mate, taken aback by the statement. 

“What?” he asks, bemused. 

“You don’t have to manage it all on your own. The bonds I mean,” Seonghwa explains, but Hongjoong is no less confused. Hongjoong alone housed all the bonds of the pack within his soul. 

Seonghwa sighs in affectionate exasperation. “You don’t remember what the Dream witches said about the positions of the pack, do you?” 

Hongjoong furrows his brows in contemplation, but other than the overall details of the prophecy, he was blanking on the specifics of that conversation. It had been information overload throughout the entire mission, so if it hadn’t been relevant to their survival or a task they had to complete his mind filed it away as not important enough to remember.

Seonghwa smiles and pokes at the furrow between Hongjoong’s brows to smooth it out. “It’s alright, it’s my job as your Lieutenant to remember the information you can’t, just as it’s my job as your Luna to help you shoulder the burden of all your soul bonds.” 

Hongjoong’s eyes widen, Seonghwa’s words sparking the memory of Yooheon’s words. “Lunas are vital to the stability of a soul pack because it can be a great burden on the leader to maintain so many soul bonds on their own.” 

“But- I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed either or feel like you’re obligated to take on some of the emotional burden for me. I just need time to adjust, I can deal with it on my own. You and I just need to worry about our bond,” Hongjoong tries, not wanting Seonghwa to burden himself just because an ancient tradition said he should. 

But it was no use, he knew that when it came to helping others, Seonghwa wouldn’t take no for an answer. 

“Being your Luna and helping you shoulder the burden of the pack bond isn’t an obligation for me, Hongjoong, it’s a gift. How special is it that I get to be the only being in the universe who can help the person I love most in this way?” Seonghwa says, a look of pure awe and gratitude shining in his bright amber eyes and melting away all the reservations Hongjoong held.

When Seonghwa put it like that, it did sound rather magical. 

“So, will you let me help, you stubborn wolf?” his Luna asks, gently resting their foreheads together as he scoots closer on the bed

Hongjoong chuckles, relishing in the sparks of warmth he feels through their subtle touches and the bond.

“How can I say no when my mate asks so sweetly?” 

Seonghwa grins from ear to ear and Hongjoong’s heart skips a beat, enamored, as always, by the simple beauty of Seonghwa’s smile especially when he was the cause of it. 

Seonghwa leans forward and gives Hongjoong a soft peck on the lips and Hongjoong nearly short-circuits, still not used to their casual affection. They were soulmates sure, future mates even, and he was pretty sure he knew Seonghwa better than anyone else, but they were still in the early courting stages of physical intimacy and Hongjoong had to calm his poor heart every time Seonghwa surprised him with a kiss. 

His soulmate looks at him knowingly and giggles, most likely feeling how frazzled and disgustingly in love Hongjoong was through their bond. Hongjoong would be more embarrassed if he didn’t feel how pleased and besotted Seonghwa was with him in return. 

Hongjoong clears his throat and wills the redness in his cheeks to subside. “So, how are we supposed to do this?” 

Seonghwa hums in thought and Hongjoong feels it more than hears it from where their foreheads are still resting together. “I have a few ideas. Can you close your eyes and focus on the bonds? Not just one at a time, but as many as you can at once?” 

Hongjoong nods. “I can.” 

He focuses on the foreign feelings in his chest as he usually does to assess the overall state of the bond. He didn’t focus on any one feeling and just let them all pour through, his headache already growing as he tried to navigate through the dozens of emotions flooding his senses all at once now that he had let himself feel them. 

But then, slowly, the amount of raucous emotions started to dissipate and there were less and less of them for him to try and sift through. 

His headache eventually fades and the bond is at peace once more, with everyone’s emotions compartmentalized into their individual bonds instead of spilling over and becoming a jumbled mess. 

Hongjoong slowly opens his eyes and sees Seonghwa already staring back at him. 

“How did you…?” he asks in awe, not understanding how Seonghwa had been able to calm the bond so easily. 

“I’m good at organizing things, remember?” He grins. 

And Hongjoong just laughs in amazement. How did he get lucky enough to have a soulmate as incredible as Seonghwa?

“You’re amazing, you know that?” Hongjoong breathes, bringing his hands up to cup Seonghwa’s face, a pleasant buzz simmering under his skin at the touch. 

Seonghwa smiles fondly and leans his cheek into one of Hongjoong’s palms, enjoying the warmth. “I remembered Yoohyeon saying all the bond needed was balance. So, I thought if I could just take some of the extra emotions that made the bonds overwhelming for you, it might help. I didn’t know what I was doing at first, there were a lot of confusing emotions to sort through, but once I understood them, I was able to clear them away. It’s hard to explain and I’m not sure if it’s just something a Luna’s bond can innately do, but I’m glad it worked.” 

Hongjoong would have to contact the Dream Coven to make sure they weren’t doing something wrong and that this wouldn’t hurt Seonghwa if he kept doing it, the bonds were still so new to them after all. But, for now, Hongjoong was content to just hold his Luna in his arms and enjoy the rest of the night headache-free. 

“What were your other ideas?” Hongjoong asks after a while, curiosity getting the better of him after sitting in silence for so long. 

“Hmmm?” Seonghwa sounds drowsy as he lifts his head from where he had been resting it against Hongjoong’s shoulders. 

Hongjoong feels almost bad for disturbing his mate, but he knows they’d have to move eventually to get ready for bed. There was no way Seonghwa would go to sleep without brushing his teeth and doing his skincare routine. 

“You said you had a few ideas earlier, what were the others?” he asks again, running a hand through Seonghwa’s hair to tame the strands that had stuck up while he had been leaning against his shoulder. 

Seonghwa stares at him for a few moments before his eyes crinkle cutely and he lets out a surprised laugh when the question finally processes. 

“What?” Hongjoong asks, raising a brow at his soulmate in question. As much as he enjoyed the sound of Seonghwa’s laughter, he didn’t think the question was particularly funny. 

Seonghwa shakes his head. “No, it’s nothing. My other idea was to distract you. Do you want to give it a try?” he asks instead, turning his body towards Hongjoong on the bed. 

If possible, Hongjoong was even more confused. Why would they need to try his other idea if the first one had worked? But the silent excitement shining in Seonghwa’s gaze promised something more, and Hongjoong was but a moth to Seonghwa’s flame. 

“Sure,” he says into the rapidly closing distance between them. 

As soon as the word leaves his lips, Seonghwa’s mouth is over his. 

It’s not soft and playful like the peck from earlier, nowhere even near it. This kiss is deep and wanting, demanding in a way that takes the breath right from Hongjoong’s lungs and reminds him of the earth-shaking fact that he is kissing his soulmate. The bond between them is like molten lava in Hongjoong’s chest, radiating with the burning heat of their desire and sheer want to be close to one another. It was as if all the longing he had felt for all these years was instantly quelled in just the simple touch of their lips solidifying that this was real and that Seonghwa was truly his, and he was Seonghwa’s. 

All too soon, Seonghwa is pulling away. Hongjoong wants to whine at the loss of contact, but he loses his voice when he opens his eyes and sees how absolutely dazzling Seonghwa looks on top of him. 

His lips are red and slightly parted, breath labored from the intensity of their kiss. At some point, he had climbed into Hongjoong’s lap and his arms were now draped over his shoulders as he looked down at him with stars in his eyes, nothing but love and adoration etched onto his beautiful features. 

He was perfect. 

“Are you distracted?” Seonghwa finally asks. 

Hongjoong blinks owlishly. Was he what? 

Seonghwa bursts into laughter at his expression. “Well, it’s good to know we have a solid backup plan if the bond overwhelms you again and my first idea doesn’t work.” 

Hongjoong blinks again, then once more before his brain function finally returns enough for him to understand what Seonghwa had said. He had already completely forgotten what they had been talking about before the kiss. Seonghwa’s sweet lips were definitely one hell of a distraction. 

But Hongjoong wasn’t one to be outdone by anyone, not even his soulmate. 

“Hmmm, I don’t know. We might have to run a few more tests before we decide to make it an official backup plan,” Hongjoong muses casually, running his thumb over Seonghwa’s plush bottom lip. 

He can feel Seonghwa shiver at the touch and the smoldering embers of his desire are stoked once more. 

“I wouldn’t be opposed to a few more test runs,” Seonghwa replies, voice low and sultry as he leans forward, eyes completely focused on Hongjoong’s lips as he tightens his grip to bring them closer. 

“Then, distract me, Hwa,” he breathes into the space between them, and just like that, they’re lips are connected once more.

This kiss is slower but no less passionate, savoring every press of lips and slide of tongue like two people who could finally take the time to learn one another in this intimate way and enjoy every second of it. The molten fire from earlier was still there, flowing through the bond like cloying molasses as they got lost in each other. 

It could have been minutes or hours, Hongjoong didn’t know, but they were panting when they finally pulled apart, lungs begging for oxygen. 

“I love you,” Seonghwa whispers reverently between them, resting his forehead on Hongjoong’s once more. 

“And I love you. So, so much,” Hongjoong replies, just as adoringly, pressing one more deep kiss to Seonghwa’s pliant lips. 

The bond burns bright with their love, their affection, their devotion. They had been through hell and back with their pack and somehow ended up in each other’s arms along the way. It was almost too much, the emotions too grand and wonderful to put into words or fit into the limited space of his heart, but it was overwhelming in the best of ways. 

Seonghwa was like the shining rays of the sun that kept everything alive but was too bright to stare into directly, too brilliant for mere mortals to comprehend. 

And somehow, he had chosen to love Hongjoong. 

They settle in for the night after they each complete their nightly routines, opting to share Hongjoong’s bed even though it was a bit of a tight fit. Seonghwa lays his head on Hongjoong’s chest as he climbs back into the bed, draping his arm over Hongjoong’s waist as Hongjoong wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close. He buries his nose in Seonghwa’s soft, blond hair and breathes in the warm scent of spring, soothing honey and soft hibiscus tickling his nose and lulling him to sleep. 

He has never been more grateful that he gets to experience this peaceful intimacy with Seonghwa when he had been so close to losing him, to losing all of them if their mission had failed. 

His heart plummets at just the thought. He feels Seonghwa nuzzle into his chest, scenting him lightly in response to the negative emotions he probably projected through the bond. Hongjoong smiles affectionately, squeezing Seonghwa a little tighter and drowning himself in his mate’s comforting scent to chase away any negative thoughts that remain. 

He knows it will probably take a while to completely get over everything that had happened, to accept his shortcomings, to forgive himself for letting others get hurt because fate had chosen him, but he was still grateful he got to have this. The bond with Seonghwa and his packmates was worth every tear he had shed and every wound he had received along the way. 

He feels for the gentle thrum of his pack bonds deep in his soul, a reassuring presence in his chest that he wouldn’t trade for anything in the world, not even when it became overwhelming. 

He feels Wooyoung’s elation at beating his packmates at Go Fish. He feels Jongho’s annoyance and reluctant affection. He feels Yeosang’s quiet fondness for his packmates. He feels Mingi’s happiness and hesitance. He feels San’s joy and Yunho’s playfulness. 

He feels Seonghwa safe and warm in his arms. 

They’re all there and they’re all alive. 

His pack. 

His family. 

His light.