You Need an Alpha

Chapter 12

"And it's still unknown who Avery Graftern has attached herself to..."

"It's assumed a Kpop group is involved what with her recent trip to South Korea..."

"Who actually was willing to put up with her..."

"Previous dalliances of the "alpha" do not give any incite to the gender of her pack members..."

"Well obviously it's Stray Kids..."

"No, it's gotta be a group who needs money..."

"Only able to get a pack if she paid for it..."

--

The online and news discourse had been driving the rest of the pack up a wall, which in turn made Avery twitch. She could feel the stress coming off of the other members, could tell that they were blaming themselves for putting her into the eye of this media hurricane.

Honestly, she was used to it. Had prepared for this. It was fairly obvious that their company was going to wait until this media storm hit its pinnacle before revealing who her pack was. Using the press to promote, it made a great deal of sense with the upcoming tour she knew was in the works.

The knowledge of this didn't help when she was constantly comforting the four omegas who came to her in various states of distress. It didn't help when the betas got even more territorial, their instincts driving them to protect their new pack member. It certainly didn't help that she was unable to go out in public without being swarmed. She couldn't even fight back against the crowds without painting another target on her back to get called an out-of-control alpha menace.

Her skin was starting to itch. Her teeth ached. Everything was just too sharp and frustrating.

So, she reached out to Shownu and set a dinner date for their pack for tonight. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go without fully deregulating.

The pack had freaked out and spent a couple hours getting ready to have dinner with their idols. Every member had tried to approach her throughout the time to try to convince her to dress up a little more, but Avery had shrugged them off, insisting that she was fine in the leggings and tank top. She did cave a little, though, when Jongho presented her with one of his flannels and asked her to wear it. How could she not give in to her youngest beta.

--

"I thought we were meeting them at their den?" Wooyoung asks from next to her.

"Had to have a quick change of plan. Hyunwoo and I have some business to discuss that can't really be done in a pack den." Avery says while staring at the building.

The pack exits the two cars, Avery covered head to toe and put in the middle to avoid any paparazzi incidents. They make their way into the building, all of the Ateez packs' heads on a swivel as they take in their surroundings. Avery pulls off the hat, glasses, and mask; throwing them onto a table nearby.

"Avery!" multiple men yell as the Ateez pack walks through the door. They stand frozen as they watch their pack alpha get grabbed and passed around the members of MonstaX, smiling the entire time.

"Hey!" she yells when Minhyuk smacks her shoulder, "What?!"

He huffs and glares at her, "Why am I only hearing about you having a pack now? Why weren't we included in your search? If we knew you were open to a kpop pack, we would have snatched you up sooner."

Hongjoong is the one who ends up growling at the other omega, yanking Avery back and wrapping around her, baring his teeth at the other pack.

"Oh! Territorial little pup!" Hyungwon exclaims, the other members laughing.