We're the Maestros Who Lead the World

Act 5 - In Groups Like These, We Have To Stick Together To Live

Felix woke up in an unfamiliar bed, but he relaxed the moment he noticed how he was practically surrounded by Wooyoung's scent, the pirate's arms wound tightly around his waist and encasing the wolfman in his warmth. Felix let out a shuddering breath, turning around so he could nuzzle his True Mate's chest. A purr-like noise escaped him when he felt a hand gently petting his ears, and a chuckle rumbled in Wooyoung's chest.

"Someone's feeling cuddly."

"I've missed you," simply replied Felix.

"I've missed you too, love. How do you feel?"

"Better." Talking helped Felix wake up a bit, and he finally remembered how he'd unceremoniously passed out before. "What happened? Did we leave?"

"You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"We left the Capital's port five days ago. You regained consciousness shortly after our departure, but you were probably driven too delirious by your heat to notice."

At the mention of his heat, Felix paled and immediately pulled at Wooyoung's shirt. A strange mix of relief and hurt filled his heart when he noticed the clear lack of a marking bite on the man's neck. Seemingly reading his mind, Wooyoung chuckled again and pulled his hand up so he could kiss his palm.

"I wanted you to mark me," he assured softly. "Your packmates explained everything to me, I know what becoming your mate entails, and I'd love nothing more than for you to claim me as yours – but in a bout of lucidity, you refused, saying we needed to properly talk things out first."

"Oh..."

"After that, Yeosang gave you something to keep you under for the duration of your heat. You've woken up a few times in the past few days, but this morning is the first one that you've been awake for more than a minute, so I think it's over now."

"I think so too," nodded Felix, sniffing the scent gland on his wrist. "My scent's back to normal, at the very least. Have you been here this whole time?"

"Mmm. They'd have had to tie me to the mast to keep me from your side – and something tells me that pretty suitor of yours wouldn't have had any qualms doing it, trust me on that."

"Suitor?" repeated Felix, a tad confused.

"Hyunjin."

Felix grimaced a bit. "He's not..."

He wasn't Felix's suitor. Or at least, not anymore. Though he'd courted Felix for a while, the freckled boy had ultimately rejected him, unable to share his romantic feelings. It had definitely driven a wedge between the two of them, who used to be so close, and it had led to many quarrels – one of which was the reason why Felix had run out of home so carelessly all those months ago, and how he'd ended up getting kidnapped.

"He loves you," whispered softly Wooyoung.

"And I love you. What lies between Hyunjin and I is nothing more than a childhood romance I grew out of much quicker than he did. I do not doubt his feelings for me are genuine, but he and I are not meant to be mates, and he'll understand that, one day."

"Because..." Wooyoung gulped. "Because we are True Mates?"

Felix stiffened, then relaxed. "Who told you?"

"Jeongin."

"... ah."

Against all odds, Wooyoung didn't appear upset. In fact, he pulled the freckled boy closer, gently kissing his forehead, and Felix immediately melted into the display of affection, snuggling closer to the pirate.