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Hoseok It turns out the pack clinic is not really a clinic at all, but instead a full blown hospital meant to care for its ever growing pack. The three story building has a pediatric wing and OBGYN on the first floor, labs and OR rooms on the second floor and the refugee women and fem-males placed temporarily on the third floor and fourth floors. The first floor was once the infirmary but with jungmo, hyungwon, and jeA being healers, it was no longer needed and the hospital was rearranged to house the crimson women, fem-males and children. Jungmo briefs me on the work they've been doing with the girls and boys as we make our way to the third floor. "About 200 men, fem-males, women and children were rescued from crimson Lake, half of which live here on the third floor while the rest are at white snow" he explains, my eyes growing wide at the sheer amount of survivors from the fallen pack. "Thirty men were rescued with the women and fem-males, most of them victims of the no mate rule suho imposed against them. They are good men who just want to love their mates, so we are not really concerned about them being here. Only authorized and mated males are allowed on the third floor," he continues. "We don't need an unmated full male going crazy and assaulting one of our girls or boys if they goes into heat. You'll see authorized badge." The living arrangements are pretty clear. "We prioritized preserving family units so mothers, children and mated pairs are roomed together while unmated women, fem-males and siblings are housed together, three or four to a room. Many of the orphaned children were adopted either by some of the women and fem-males here or by members of the Kingdom who were willing and able to take on a child or two. No one here is a prisoner. They can come and go as they please. Most, though, prefer to stay here and only go out when there's a group activity. We're still working on them gaining confidence to be independent but it will be a while before all of them are comfortable being on their own. Our main job here is to make sure they feel safe on their own and provide a learning environment where they can grow and develop as individuals. Our volunteers take turns cooking meals, taking the girls and boys on trips to the city, and holding vocational and self defense training. We want the girls and boys to be independent by the time the pack renovations are complete, so that they will be able to move into their apartments and be functional members of the kingdom." He smiles brightly as he explains his hopes for the women and fem-males, his eyes twinkling with the same passion as hyungwon's. He gives me a few pointers on how to behave with the girls and boys, emphasizing patience and asking for consent whenever possible to make them feel in control of their lives and decisions "we are planning a shopping trip for them" he shrugs "Part of our job is helping them feel confident in their own skin and having them see their own worth. Plus going out helps them feel like real people and gives them something to look forward to." We enter the third floor where a group of women and fem-males are gathered around the large recreational area. Upon seeing jungmo, the girls and boys rush to greet him, all of them bowing giddily. Among the girls and boys is taehyun, the crimson wolf I met yesterday. He waves timidly at me, his cheeks blushing as I smile back and wave. "Guess who gave me his black card?" Jungmo wiggles his brows, the girls and boys bubbling with excitement. "Alpha dae-hyun will be hosting today's shopping spree!" Jungmo says before he splits the girls and boys into two groups of 10 and assigns them all into a van driven by the three authorized male guards, soobin, yeonjun, and sungjin. The girls and boys seem comfortable with the guards, some joking and laughing with them as we walk into the mall. Taehyun seems a bit smitten with yeonjun, but keeps his distance, walking quietly alongside me with his eyes cast down to avoid any eye contact with anyone. "Would you like to hold my hand?" I ask him, holding out my palm for him to take, hoping to make him feel more comfortable. "I-it's okay" he smiles sheepishly. "You don't have too- " "I don't mind" I reply, thinking of the many times taehyung calmed me down by simply holding my hand. "Sometimes we all need a hand to hold" I said, after a bit of hesitation taehyun timidly places his hand in mine, his palms a little sweaty and shaky. I feel a small pinch in my heart. How cruel must his life have been for him to be this timid in a shopping mall, afraid to look anyone in the eye? Jungmo leads us into a little boutique with beautiful summer outfits in the window display, instructing the girls and boys to each pick an outfit "You are all such beautiful people" he says to the group. "But you have to feel it for yourselves. l can't always be the one telling you. So pick an outfit and see for yourselves just how perfect you all are." Several of the girls and boys look nervous but jungmo offers a reassuring smile. "I've asked the boutique owner to close up the shop for us while we're here. It's just us so don't be shy. You're safe with me." Some of the nervous smiles remain but the girls and boys spread out, skimming the hundreds of outfits on the racks and filling up the changing rooms. Jungmo has a speaker brought by one of the guards and plays some music for a mini fashion show with the girls and boys. Taehyun clings to me, looking anxious about picking an outfit. "What kind of outfit do you like?" I ask. "Do you want a crop top or a full shirt? Shorts or pants?" He burns bright red and shakes his head. "I don't know... I've never had a pretty outfit before" he replies quietly, biting his lower lip. "I was a house keeping omega," he shrugs. "I was too ugly for the auctions so I was used for the cleaning and cooking in the Alpha packhouse." "Auctions?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him. "Yeah" he nods. "All girls and fem-males were raised in the omega house and automatically sold at auctions when we turned 18 by the Alpha. We would reject our mates so no bond could interfere with our duties... No one wanted to buy me so Alpha suho kept me as a servant ... " he looks like he wants to say more, but he bites his lip again and waves his hand in dismissal. "I'm sorry. That was a stupid thing to say. Ignore me." I cup his cheeks, taehyun flinching and stiffening a little at the sudden movement but relaxing when he sees the look in my eyes. "You are not ugly..... And I will never ignore you." His eyes glaze over but he tries to smile the tears away. "You don't have to say that. I know I'm not the prettiest wolf." I shrug. "I'm not lying when I say you are not ugly. I've seen ugly. My sister for example is an ugly bitch ... but you? You are among the most beautiful wolves I've ever seen." He wipes his eyes in an attempt to hide his tears, but he fails miserably. I inspect his frame as he collects herself, noting his thin waist and soft features, before grabbing his hand and pulling him to a different rack of outfits. Taehyun watches in silence as I push around outfits until I pull out a baby blue crop top and blue double button jeans, along with a pair of plain white Nike's. I push him into a dressing room. I hear him shuffling in the dressing room but he refuses to come out. "I look silly" he cries. "I-I don't think I can do this." I think for a moment before knocking on the door. "Would it help if I try on an outfit too? That way we can both come out together." he sniffles a little and there's a long pause before he answers. "O-okay..." I grab a random outfit that I know will do absolutely nothing for my body type so that he looks better and I quickly change in the room adjacent to his. "Okay, taehyun. You ready?" I call out. "No" he groans but regardless, I hear him open the door to his dressing room. I step out with him and clap ecstatically when I see how gorgeous the outfit looks, on, him, it accentuated his thin but gorgeous body beautifully.
