ETY | MW [✔]

06.

Wonwoo's stomach churned uneasily as he made his way to the cottage early the next day. Mingyu had moved outside, sitting by the door.

"Morning," Wonwoo called.

"Hello," the alpha said in reply. That was a new development.

Mingyu sat up straighter, and Wonwoo paused, waiting for what the other man was going to say.

"I want to speak to your alpha," Mingyu said.

Wonwoo set his bag down on the ground, swallowing a grumble. "Like I already told you, I don't have an alpha."

Mingyu's eyes narrowed.

"I can smell him on you."

Making a face, Wonwoo quickly scented his shirt.

"Oh, you mean Taehyun." He'd met the alpha in the kitchen at breakfast time. "He's not my alpha."

"I want to talk to him."

"Why?"

"I want answers. I want the truth."

"Taehyun won't tell you anything different from what I'm telling you."

He was starting to get pissed off at Mingyu's refusal to accept that Wonwoo had any answers. But it wasn't like he was surprised by that. No one ever expected him to be what he was.

"Get him. Now."

Wonwoo sighed and sank to the ground, all but resting his head in his hands. "What do you think he'll tell you that I haven't."

"The truth."

Mingyu folded his arms, and Wonwoo knew they were at a stalemate.

"Okay, fine," he said, opening his bag, and taking out the food he'd brought. "Wait here. I'll go get him. Eat your breakfast."

He stomped off back toward the house, pulling out his phone as soon as he was out of sight. Taehyun answered on the second ring.

"Our guest wants to see the alpha of the house."

He was rewarded with a snicker. "They always do. I'll be there in five."

Wonwoo walked through the trees to find Hyungwon who was on guard duty that morning. They passed a few minutes chatting about Hyungwon's school plans. He'd been not too dissimilar from Taehyun and Mingyu, sent to a training school to learn to fight. He decided he wanted more to life and ran. Briar House kept an eye out for people like him, helping them out of danger and offering them other options. Hyungwon was one of the few they brought into the pack. He was a thinker, and Wonwoo liked that about him.

Taehyun jogged up a few minutes later. "Sorry, kiddo was giving us a hard time. We think his first change must be due soon."

The first shift could be likened to really, really bad teething. Sometimes there were weeks before their shifter animal actually broke through.

"Think it'll be soon?" Hyungwon asked.

"Hard to say," Taehyun replied, looking suspicious. "Maybe a day or two."

"How big is the pot now?" Wonwoo asked with a grin. Betting on a first change was an age-old tradition in some packs, and Briar Wood took it on with gusto.

"Big enough," Hyungwon replied.

"Don't we have somewhere to be?" Taehyun interrupted, looking less than pleased.

Wonwoo rolled his eyes but said goodbye to Hyungwon and led the way through the trees.

"It's just because they care," he said quietly. "You're part of the family; you and Beomgyu and Taebom."