SEOUl 7

Pantera

The fog was dense, rolling in around the wooded area. Jimin stood in the center of the clearing, his blue luminous eyes wide open, fangs emerging beneath his gums. His nails began to grow as he listened for Hobi. The others waited too. Hobi arrived swiftly, spotting a tracker on their watch. RM followed Hobi's lead and, with top speed, grabbed the tracker. The thump against a tree halted his momentum as he tore the tracker apart. V lit a fire, and the body was tossed in to burn. Soon, the remaining trackers launched an attack within the perimeter. Yoongi felt feverish; his body stretched as he charged at a tracker at full speed. The others were now fighting. Jimin observed as Yoongi lifted off the ground, the tracker in his grip. He watched as the sky darkened and a light enveloped Yoongi, his body transforming.

He flung the tracker into the fire. Hobi, realizing what was happening, found himself standing on the ground. Yoongi descended from mid-air and, in an instant, stood on four legs, his body massive, his eyes glowing a luminous blue akin to Jimin's. He roared, echoing like crashing water, and birds scattered from the trees. JK tossed the last tracker into the fire, leaving everyone stunned. "It's true," V said, watching him.

"Yoongi is now Pantera," Jin asked RM, "Did you know this day would come?"

RM approached, his expression predatory. Yoongi recognized his brothers but understood he was no longer a hybrid.

He bolted. "Yoongi!" JK called after him, starting to follow, but Hobi held him back.

"Let him be... he needs time to come to terms with who he is," RM advised.

"Let's hunt. We need to feed. Grandfather will send more trackers."

Rios was seated when the dogs sensed someone approaching; they began to growl. She stood, hearing the gate open. "Who's there?" she demanded, fangs bared. A shadow moved past the entryway; she recognized the scent—it was Coven leader Jihoo from Black Village.

She hissed as he came into view, having broken the lock on the outer gate. Her eyes flared as she saw his face emerge from the hood of his cloak.

She stood still.

"What do you want?" she asked, his eyes full of rage.

"Now, now... You have failed me. You could have been by my side if only you had brought him back to me," Coven Leader Jihoo said, drawing her closer.

She could read his mind; he wanted them dead.

She looked at him, fearful yet determined, determined to explain why she hadn't obeyed.

"I love him; he will never obey you," she declared. His anger flared, and he seized her by the throat, his dagger-like nails cutting into her skin.

At that moment, the dogs sensed Yoongi; they began to bark and growl, their heads ramming against the kennel doors, trying to break free.

Yoongi had not returned to human form; his large, muscular body entered the kennel. Rios knew someone else was there.

The panting was heard by his grandfather, and a deep growl from Yoongi followed. Rios caught a glimpse of the shadow of his transformed body. Jihoo released her, only to see Yoongi advancing towards him, his gaze fixed on the one who had facilitated the killing of his parents.