Hyunjin's seven pet wolves (SKZ werewolf AU)- OT8

Who started the fire?

Ultimately, Hyunjin decided not to return to class for the rest of the semester. For his own safety. He had already submitted his 'CHILL' portfolio to be graded by his other professor and received a passing grade. So high that he didn't need to worry about missing a week of classes before the summer started.

Additionally, the others decided to keep their guards up and increase their night patrols of the territory after what Hyunjin told them. They used the Buddy system walking to and from classes (while Hyunjin stayed at the den and worked on his art with Chan in the studio.)

The stress built overtime, and it all came to a head when Hyunjin had another sleepwalking episode in the middle of the night. Like he had before he was changed into a wolf.

His sleepwalking always started off as dreams. Vivid dreams that always somehow involve this mom. This time around, they were in the forest. A familiar one that was engraved in the back of Hyunjin's mind since it was the one he lived in as a child. He was peeking through the underbrush nervously, chest to the forest floor as he shivered with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

His mother- her long dark hair tied up and her forehead wrinkled with concern- looked down at him. "You need to stay right here," she ordered. Her tone left no room for argument. It was getting dark outside and Hyunjin could hear the stream of the river not far away.

"Why, mama?" His little voice asked her. She bent down to pat his head reassuringly, even if she looked worried herself.

"You shouldn't have been here after dark. You shouldn't follow me beyond the trees any longer."

"Oh-okay mama."

"And close your eyes for me. Don't open them until
I tell you to."

"Alright mama. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie."

She kissed his eyelids when he dutifully closed his eyes, placing his little hands over them as the crunch of her footsteps could be heard. They quickly morphed from two footsteps to four, and the leaves bristled around him. A low growl reverberated through the forest air, and Hyunjin felt a chill run up his spine at the primal sound.

When he heard the sound of struggle through the underbrush, two animals fighting, he perked past his little fingers, despite his moms best wishes- to see his mama protecting him. It was a wolf, a big and dark wolf- but he knew that it was her.

And when Hyunjin was startled awake, his mates were looking at him in worry and calling out his name with their arms outstretched to steady him. He blinked once, twice, and then registered that he was outside with only pants on and the night breeze brushing against him.

Luckily- it looked like he hadn't wandered further than the porch, because the light of the den was still on behind him. Hyunjin reached up to rub the sleep from his eyes, "'M sorry, I must have sleep walked again."

"It's okay, it's fine," Chan reassured as he reached out to pull him into his arms. "Don't apologize for wandering off."

"Are you feeling stressed?" Jisung asked, "you always sleepwalk when you get stressed or sick." He reached out to feel his forehead, and Hyunjin shrugged his shoulders against Chan's warm body.

"I dunno-" he took a moment the check in on his own body before shaking us head. Everything felt normal- even the ears and tails were gone at the moment. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"Alright, let's get you back to the nest so that you can get more sleep," Chan led him all the way back to the comfort of the nest, and Hyunjin clambered on top of the other sleeping bodies to nestle himself right in the middle along with Chan, Felix, and Jisung. The only ones who managed to wake up when he wandered away.

And it was just his luck- that just when he was about to fall back into blissful sleep, that his previously dead phone started to annoyingly buzz. And buzz. And buzz some more.

He ignored the call of the random number- his dad- and rolled around to ignore it. Why would the idiot be calling him anyway, he didn't know. Jisung grumbled sleepily and reached out to wrestle with the blankets until he found the phone to ignore the call. Perfect.

Chan turned around in Hyunjin's arms, his warm chest up to his face. Hyunjin nosed at the warm skin as the alpha wrapped his own muscled arms around him. "What's wrong?" He asked, "you look a bit troubled."

"Hmm. C'mere," Hyunjin drew his late closer until he could smell his relaxing scent. "Chan?" He asked.

"Yes, my love?"

Hyunjin hesitated, biting on the bottom of his plump lip. "Um... are you sure that you killed the professor?"

"Yes. Yes we did." Chan said with absolutely no hesitation. Certain. Chan would never lie to him.

Hyunjin was suddenly cold even with all of the body heat surrounding him. "Then... why is the professor still alive?"

A sigh.

"I'm not sure, Jinnie."

No lie. He was serious about that.

And when Hyunjin woke up to shouting and the smell of smoke filling his nostrils- he knew that they were in trouble.

In a breeze- he was picked up from bed and the others all ran throughout the den to grab their belongings and find the scent of smoke, even if it was heavy in the air and indistinguishable.

Their den was caught on fire, and they lost everything that morning.