The Nose Blind Wolf.

Chapter 7

Bobby blinks at the older beta but can't respond before Hanbin promptly throws a fit.

"Jinhwan," he hisses at his mate, shaking him lightly by the shoulder. "What are you saying? You can't just ask him that." Even though he whispers his criticism to the beta, Bobby can hear them perfectly fine. Hanbin seems to recognize this because he glances over to the other Alpha, offering him an apologetic smile on behalf of his mate's loose lips.

"Why not?" Jinhwan protests. "Junhoe's probably never going to find someone on his own. If I have to arrange a match for him then so be it. I'm simply looking after my friend."

Donghyuk makes a choked noise at his friend's declaration while Bobby tries to remind them all that he is still present so can they please try not to make his life choices without him. That would be great, thanks.

"You can't do that to Bobby though," Donghyuk protests indignantly, speaking for the first time on the subject. Said Alpha crosses his arms over his chest and nods his head in agreement, silently thanking the omega for understanding his feelings. "How can you try to force him to be with Junhoe of all people? I mean, Junhoe? That's just cruel and unusual punishment, and he's the one who helped us out. I vote that I should be his mate instead." Donghyuk tuts while Bobby blanches. Jinhwan frowns disapprovingly at the younger.

"Wait, that's not what I meant," Bobby protests, holding his hands up in surrender. The action is mostly an attempt to placate Hanbin who seems offended by the notion that someone might not like his friend - even if he's completely against Bobby as a mate. "I just - why me? You even warned me specifically not to mate him, remember?" he motions to both Jinhwan and Hanbin.

"I wanted to make sure I was right about you first," the beta defends with a shrug.

"I still don't want you to mate him," Hanbin says tightly. Alright, fair enough.

Jinhwan pinches his mate on the arm and scolds him for that statement. "Why would you interrupt a mating? Even if it's forced."

Bobby furrows his brows in confusion, half-convinced that's a rhetorical question, but Jinhwan doesn't continue his thought, waiting for Bobby to answer. "I don't know," the Alpha finally says." He was calling for help, so I helped. Why is that so weird to you?"

"Because you're an unmated Alpha," Jinhwan explains, "who didn't even know him up until that point." He glances over to Hanbin, who has stopped protesting in favor of thinking over the beta's logic, then to Donghyuk - the omega's lips forming an "oh" as he also seems to come to a realization. Bobby, however, remains lost on the significance. "Maybe it seems weird to you because of your, um, nose," he tries to explain delicately, "but what you did rarely ever happens. An unmated Alpha doesn't usually interrupt another Alpha regardless of circumstances - particularly if the interrupting Alpha doesn't have any designs on the omega in the first place."

Nope, Bobby still doesn't quite understand. "Come again?"

Sighing, Jinhwan crosses his arms. "Under normal circumstances you would have smelled that Alpha's arousal, and instinct would have either driven you to butt out of his business or challenge him for Junhoe. But you didn't do anything because of instinct, you took action on your own volition because of your own moral code it would seem. Very admirable."

Bobby scratches behind his ear awkwardly. "Thanks, I guess."

"Wait, so you want to set June up with him for that?" Hanbin clarifies, still evidently mortified by the thought. Jinhwan pats him on the shoulder sympathetically. It must be a weird thought. Hanbin and Junhoe had known each other since they were children after all.

"I like that he can't scent," the beta declares stubbornly. "It's a great quality."

Bobby blushes at the compliment. He's not very used to hearing words like that. Actually, he's not sure he's ever met anyone so kind about his...disability. So far he's only encountered scathing insults or silent pity. Compliments are new though, and not unappreciated.

Hanbin still seems uncomfortable with the thought of an unknown Alpha in his friend's life. "But -" he attempts a weak defense only to be interrupted by the sound of a door opening - hinges squeaking from overuse - followed by stumbling footsteps. All four in the kitchen freeze, waiting with bated breaths until Junhoe finally emerges into the kitchen.