Y/N smiled weakly, feeling Soul's gaze on her. She hoped he didn't see through her half-truthful wish, didn't see the deeper, unspoken desire behind it. She wanted him, that much was certain, but she still wasn't sure if it was the right time to confront those feelings. For now, she would keep her heart's true wish to herself.
Jeongin, the enthusiastic one, began to cut the cake, the scent of chocolate wafting through the air. He passed a slice to Y/N, his eyes sparkling.
"Here," he said, "the pack wanted to welcome you properly."
Y/N took a bite of the cake, the rich chocolate melting in her mouth. It was delicious. As she chewed, she saw Jeongin watching her anxiously, waiting for her reaction.
"This is amazing," she said, her words making Jeongin beam with pride. And then, she added, "You're new to the pack, too."
Jeongin nodded, his eyes lighting up at her observation. "Yeah," he said. "Still don't know everyone's names."
The other pack members chuckled, ruffling Jeongin's hair in a playful way. It was clear that they had already grown fond of the younger boy, treating him as one of their own.
Y/N smiled, feeling more of a bond forming between Jeongin and herself, bonded by their newcomer status and being from the same old pack. They were outsiders, trying to find their place in this close-knit group. But atleast she had someone she knew properly here
Jeongin sat down next to her, his eyes still sparkling with excitement. He nudged her gently, a playful grin on his face. "You and me," he quipped. "The newbies."
Y/N laughed at Jeongin's words, his carefree attitude infectious. She found his lightheartedness refreshing, a contrast to the seriousness of the other pack members.
Y/N felt a small pang of surprise. It had already been nearly a month since she arrived at the pack house? Time seemed to be both flying by and standing still.
"A month already," she mused aloud, her words not meant to attract attention but heard by Jeongin and a few others nevertheless.
Jeongin looked surprised as well, his eyes widening. "A month?" He repeated, as if checking the math. "That went by quick."
The others, who had overheard the conversation, nodded in agreement. The time had passed faster than any of them realised.
Y/N took another bite of the cake, her mind suddenly wandering. She hadn't kept track of the days, too caught up in her new surroundings and the constant changes. Was this truly her life now, living in this pack house, among these people?
But then, her eyes flickered over to Soul, who stood at the far end of the room, deep in conversation with another pack member. Her heart gave a small flutter at the sight of him, a reminder of the conflicting emotions she still felt for the alpha.
She had denied her feelings for him, told herself it was too risky, too dangerous to get involved with the head alpha. But her heart had other ideas, constantly pulling her back to him, craving his attention and presence.
Despite her best efforts to bury her feelings, she couldn't get him out of her head. The sound of his voice, the intensity of his eyes, the strong presence that surrounded him - all of it drew her in, a moth to a flame.
Even now, in the midst of her introspection, her eyes kept returning to him, as if magnetically drawn. She wondered if he felt the same way, if he too was as conflicted as her.
But she shook the thought away as quickly as it came. She couldn't afford to hope, not until she was sure. For now, she would keep her own feelings a secret, a battle fought inwardly instead of outwardly.
She looked back at Jeongin, who had remained blissfully unaware of her inner turmoil. He was busily finishing off the last piece of cake, his face smeared with chocolate. It was a comical sight, enough to snap her out of her contemplative mood.
Y/N chuckled at Jeongin's sloppy eating habits. His cheeks were smeared with chocolate, a stark contrast to his innocent expression. Without thinking, she reached over to him, grabbing a tissue from a nearby table.
"You're a mess, you know that?" she teased, gently wiping away the chocolate smudges on his face.
Jeongin looked up at her, his eyes wide. He seemed surprised by her action, but not in a bad way. "I was hungry," he protested, his voice slightly muffled by the tissue.
Y/N laughed again. "That's no excuse for being so messy," she chided, finishing up cleaning his face.
The surrounding pack members, watching the interaction, chuckled at Jeongin's messy face and Y/N's maternal act.
Jeongin pouted a bit but didn't argue. He seemed to enjoy the attention, his puppy-like nature evident. Soul, too, had watched the scene unfolding before him, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Soul, finally unable to keep his thoughts to himself, approached the pair, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"Looks like you're getting pampered, Jeongin," he teased, his voice laced with a hint of possessiveness.
Jeongin looked up at him, a little intimidated. But Y/N, unaware of the undertones of Soul's comment, just rolled her eyes at the alpha. "He's just a messy eater," she said, her tone light.
Some of the other members, including Jiung, were discussing the future amongst themselves.
"What do you think will happen next year?" Jiung mused, sipping on a glass of wine.
"New pups, probably," another chimed in. "We always have new additions to the pack each year."
The others nodded, agreeing with the statement. Pups were indeed a regular occurrence.
"And maybe more territory expansion?" a third member added, his eyes narrowing in thought.
There were murmurs of agreement among the others. Expanding their territory was always on the table, a way to ensure the safety and security of the pack.
"But it takes a lot of planning and effort," Jiung pointed out, a note of practicality in his voice.
"And a good leader," another member added, looking towards Soul. Soul, who had been listening to the discussion, just inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement. The subject of leadership was always a touchy one.
The members continued discussing, each throwing in their own opinions and suggestions. It was a common scene in the pack house, a sign of the close-knit nature and the collective thinking that was part of pack life.
Soul, who had been listening to the pack members' discussion, suddenly spoke up, his deep voice cutting through the chatter.
"Actually, I was thinking of building another cottage," he said, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
There were murmurs of surprise at his words. "Another cottage?" one of the members echoed. "Why do we need another one?"
Soul shrugged nonchalantly. "The pack is growing, we need more space."
Soul's eyes flickered over to Y/N, who was engaged in conversation with Jeongin. Then he turned back to the others, his voice taking on a more solemn tone.
"And..." he began, pausing for a moment, "we might need more space... for future additions."
The members caught on to Soul's hint. "Future additions?" one of them asked, his eyes widening.
Soul didn't elaborate, his gaze still lingering on Y/N. The implication was clear – he was thinking about a future that might include her.
