And so the lamp became the beast

Have you moved on

Ryujin stopped trying to fight San's commands. She went limp, her legs hanging in the air over her. She looked like a puppy. If the situation wasn't so serious, it would have been comical. 'I-I imprinted?'

Bangchan howled. They could all feel his distress. 'Yes'. San growled. He leveled his dark eyes on hers. He tried not to snarl, but his muzzle pulled back in an angry display. 'Get up'. Ryujin rolled over, sitting up. She padded slowly to Bangchan and licked the wound she had given him. He whimpered. San's emotions were a mix of rage and despair. Ryujin felt his turmoil, and it hurt.

'How do I make it stop?

'

'You can't. Fate has chosen her for you.'

'I don't want this! I never felt this way before!'

Ryujin looked toward the parking lot again. Yeji and Beomgyu were gone. 'She hates me. She hates everyone.'

'She won't for long'. San spat out.

'I won't cave for this. I don't want this. I won't have this and I won't have her.' Ryujin pleaded, begging her pack and herself. Even as she sent those thoughts to the others, her heart clenched painfully in her chest at the thought of staying away from Yeji.

Wooyoung looked at all of them, his emotions so in turmoil the others couldn't pick them out as he went from one to the next. 'San, what do we do?'

'I don't know.' Every wolf turned to look at San. He had never been unsure of himself, not for as long as Ryujin had been in the pack. We may have to inform the head leech.

'It's none of their business.' Bangchan snarled, startling Ryujin.

They turned to her. She stared off into the woods. 'It's no one's business. I don't want anyone to know.'

'For now, that's fine'. San turned to walk away. 'But Ryujin, at some point, they will know'. He kept walking. 'You two, come. You can't go back to school today'.

Ryujin and Bangchan fell in line and followed silently, neither of them wanting to go to class anyways. They all made their way slowly to the rez, each lost in their own thoughts when another consciousness and voice broke in. 'Hey, shit-eaters. I'm back.' Chaeryeong's voice cut into their thoughts, and Ryujin yelped in joy. She tore off to where she knew Chaeryeong's mind indicated she was. 'Slow dow'- It was too late. Ryujin's hulking wolf form slammed into Chaeryeong, knocking her onto her back. Ryujin's unbridled joy flooded the entire pack. Ryujin put a paw on either side of Chaeryeong's head, her laughter echoing through their link. Chaeryeong looked up at Ryujin from the ground. Ryujin licked her face, soothing where a tree branch had scraped her snout. 'We have really got to work on your excitement, puppy-breath'.

'I'm so glad you're back! Where have you been?' Ryujin panted, her excitement seeping from her and influencing the rest of the pack. Young shifter emotions were always the most wild, and they allowed themselves to enjoy Ryujin's happiness. Chaeryeong had abandoned them shortly after turning. As soon as she got control of herself, only a few weeks after Ryujin had changed, she crept out in the middle of the night. Chaeryeong had run as far north as she could, and when she felt San ready to command her back, she turned human and continued on foot. She had been gone for two months, and Ryujin had been worried.

'Canada's nice this time of year'. Chearyeong growled. 'Get off of me you overgrown wiener dog'. Ryujin was knocked off Chaeryeong before she could even answer. Chaeryeong's sour attitude had no effect on Ryujin. She knew why Chaeryeong hurt so much, and it only made the knot in her own stomach grow larger. 'Seems I came back just in time for the fireworks. Seriously? Even wolf you wants a leech?'