EDITING || Surrounded By Wolves (HIATUS)

Chapter Four

You won't be alone, we're unstoppable.

The anxious smell of spearmint clung to Chan's nostrils as he inhaled sharply. He sat up with a start, wincing as the movement jarred his still healing body. Glancing around fervently, he searched for the Boarus, certain that he would find the beast looming over him, ready to devour him while stealing Jisung's voice. His racing heart calmed when he realised that he was in a bedroom and not the basement, that the Boarus was nowhere in sight.

He exhaled a sigh of relief noisily through his nostrils. He was safe. The scent of spearmint disappeared, and his brows furrowed for a moment before he shook it off as his imagination. His eyes roamed over the room and he frowned. This wasn't his room. This wasn't even Jisung's room. He looked down and saw that the covers and bed weren't familiar either. His head moved left and right as his muscles tensed. Where was he?

Before he could contemplate how he could have gotten into the room, the door opened. The person entering the room froze as their eyes met Chan's dark gaze. In their hands was a tray with two identical plates of food.

"You're awake?" The voice was hoarse and it cracked painfully over the words. Chan frowned at the surprise in the question, his eyes dropping to the food as his stomach rumbled excitedly. He was starving. He dragged his eyes back up to meet the hunter's uncertain gaze. Woojin hadn't moved a muscle since he entered the room, his free hand still resting atop the doorknob awkwardly, his movements paused mid step.

"I brought you some food. I didn't think you would be awake, but I brought you some just in case," Chan smiled slightly at Woojin's nervous rambling. It was almost endearing and a small blossom of fondness warmed Chan's chest. The hunter finally moved and shut the door, turning the handle with a wide-eyed stare locked on the door after the action was complete.

Tangy lemon scented the air with sorrow before the spearmint punched through it. Chan threw the covers off of himself as an instinctive realisation struck him. Woojin was thinking about the Boarus. The scent of spearmint the exact same as the one that had lingered in the room when Chan woke up. He paused for a second, his eyes widening slightly. The nightmare of the Boarus must have trapped Chan so far into his memories that he had vividly remembered the distinct scent of Woojin's fear.

"Hey," he whispered softly so as not to startle the boy. No response. Woojin's eyes remained glued to the door, his anxiety spiking as he began to lose himself to the memory of the Boarus. Chan stood silently, wincing and sucking in a sharp breath as pain shot up his right leg. He limped cautiously towards Woojin who was now trembling, his bottom lip wobbling as lemon once again swamped Chan's senses. He was curious as to what happened before Woojin ran into the basement. How had he even come across a Boarus? What had happened to leave him so traumatised and upset? What memories had closing the door triggered?

"Hey," he whispered again. "Hey, Woojin," he spoke slowly, keeping his voice soft and quiet as he reached out a gentle hand to touch Woojin's shoulder. While Chan was expecting Woojin to flinch, he didn't expect the hunter to practically jump out his skin and whirl away from him as if he had been burned.

The reaction stung Chan's heart, and he frowned. He didn't understand why him being the reason Woojin's anxiety intensified was distressing but he didn't have time to contemplate it. The food tray teetered precariously in Woojin's hands and Chan leapt forward, snatching the tray from the hunter's hands before it could fall and spill everywhere. With a heavy sigh, Chan limped towards the bedside table and placed the tray delicately on the wooden surface. He paused as his knuckles dragged against the polished surface. It reminded him of his table at home.