ATEEZ Imagines

San ✦ Lone Wolf

Word count: 6,640

DO NOT read or interact if you're under 14

Thank you to @FacotarE for suggesting the werewolf mates trope! <3

Cast out. Strewn aside like nothing.
Alone.
You were one of the only ones in your pack that hadn't found a mate yet and that was something significant to them, a high standard they held. They saw you as a stain on their reputation, a liability. Your leader attempted to let you go easy, trying his best to be polite, but you knew there was no way to kindly tell someone they were being kicked out of a group.
"You should get out there and enjoy your life." He had said. "The pack wants you to be happy."
"You mean they want me out." You corrected. "I'm an embarrassment to them."
Your leader chewed the inside of his cheek, his gaze flickering away.
"Right." You sighed. "That's fine."
And you left.

Now, you sat in a nearby cafe, having bought your favorite treat to try and cheer yourself up. Even the sweetness of the baked good couldn't brighten your mood. You were a lone wolf now. What were you supposed to do?
There was no one you could talk to about this issue or receive advice from. Normally, you'd go to pack mates, but you didn't have those anymore.
Lone wolves were outcasts, but could survive on their own. That didn't make it any less lonely though.
The chatter from people seated nearby was like a taunt, further pushing the proverbial knife in your back. You were accustomed to being in large groups and in the constant company of others. Now all you were left with was an empty space.

As you continued to sit, lost in your thoughts, the bell above the door rang out, pulling you from the storm of negativity brewing in your head. The man that entered the cafe looked like he walked right off the cover of a magazine or billboard. He was tall, his black hair styled neatly with a few loose tendrils hanging over his forehead. His features were sharp, yet they had a gentleness to them. His eyes scanned the dining area, briefly landing on you.
A strange warmth seeped into your chest when your eyes locked with his. It was something unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. He offered you a brief smile and moved to the front counter to place his order.
You couldn't pinpoint what it was about him that had you watching him with rapt attention. All you knew was that he was the most beautiful man you'd ever laid eyes on.

At some point, you realized you'd been staring for way longer than what would be considered normal and tore your eyes away from him before he could turn around. Instead you focused your attention back to your pastry, taking a bite of it and attempting to pick apart each flavor in a weak effort to look occupied.

Unfortunately for you, there was movement in your peripheral and the figure moved closer, even as you kept your gaze fixed on the front windows of the cafe.
"Excuse me." The man's silken voice reached your ears and it nearly made you melt into a puddle.
"Hm?" You turned to him, acting as if you weren't keenly aware of his presence.
He was even more stunning up close—and he was broad... so broad. Even with the long coat he wore, you could clearly see how wide his shoulders were. You could only imagine what he looked like without it.
"Is that any good?" He pointed to your half-eaten pastry, snapping you back to reality. "I love sweets and I wanted to try something different today."
"It's uh... y-yeah. It's good." You replied, internally cursing yourself for sounding so stupid.
You weren't some weak-kneed teenager with a crush. You were a grown woman, and a werewolf for crying out loud. Yet you were losing it over a man you just met.
Said man flashed you a charming dimpled grin.
"I'll take your word for it."