Aurora ||| Ateez

26

Jongho can feel the burning in his lungs begging him to stop running, but he can also hear his packs cries for him to wait, but he won't. He has Seonghwa and Wooyoung's chocolaty strawberry scent stuck in his nose, and it's only getting stronger the farther he runs.

He can hear San behind him running with him, neither of them speaking as they share the same goal. Get to Seonghwa and Wooyoung.

Suddenly, Jongho stops, because the smell of distressed omega is strong in this area, and he can feel his wolf snarl in anger as he sniffs around and smells blood. Wooyoung's blood.

What did they do to him?! Where did they go!? Jongho growls as he looks around for a sign of where they went, and he roars as he finds nothing. Their scents get cut off in this area.

San whines as he trots down a man made path, and his heart sinks as he sees horse hooves imprinted in the ground.

Jongho..They're gone. They brought horses, they can cover three days worth of travel while we can only cover one on foot..and we don't even know where Blue Star is..

San don't talk like that! We are going to find them and bring them home! Jongho growls again as he takes off, following the horse tracks and still trying to find their scents.

He can pick up hints of Wooyoung's strawberry, his pregnancy making his scent stronger, but he can't smell Seonghwa at all, and even Wooyoung's scent isn't strong enough for him to track them. Soon, the horse hooves stop, and Jongho can no longer smell Wooyoung, and he can feel all hope crush inside of his body. It's like they disappeared.

Jongho..Please come back. San's saddened voice fills his head, and Jongho lets out a howl of pain. Of loss.

He whines, but he turns around, trotting back to his mate that's still in the spot they must have been taken from.

It's my fault..I told them to go for a walk. Alone! I should have went with them, but I wanted to give them time to be alone..I'd much rather have Seonghwa giving me the death stare the whole time than both of them being fucking gone!

JONGHO!

San's booming voice takes over every other thing he's feeling, and he's stunned to hear his mate yell at him so aggressively.

Standing here and saying what if isn't going to help us find them sooner! Get your ass out of the pity party you've made for yourself and think damn it! Every second you stand there and contemplate they're going further and further away! We need to go home, talk with our pack and figure out a plan! Or so help me I will find Seonghwa and the mother of your fucking pup by myself!

By the end of his rant, San is snarling at the younger alpha, and even though Jongho could easily make him submit, he simply accepts the fact that his mate is upset. Any normal alpha would never allow another alpha to talk them down like San just did, but the more he realizes how little he's contributing to actually finding the missing omegas, he stands down.

I'm sorry. Let's go home.

The older alpha huffs, but they start the walk back to the pack house, with Mingi and Hongjoong waiting on the front porch for them.

They both shift and get dressed, coming into the house and sitting, Jongho's head immediately falling into his hands.

"What did you find? Do you know where they could have gone?" Mingi hurriedly ask, trying to get caught up as much as possible.

"We found where they were taken from, some of Wooyoung's blood, and horse tracks. It didn't look like there was much of a struggle, so they probably went willingly to avoid conflict.."

Yeosang sucks in a harsh breathe as Archer begins to become fussy, the baby craving attention from his favorite uncle. "Where even is Blue Star? How are the six of us going to get them back from an entire kingdom?"

Suddenly and without warning , Mingi's eyes turn red, and he's rushing out of the front door, the rest of the pack confused at to what's happening. Hongjoong and Jongho run out to see what's happened, and they're confused when they see a woman running onto their territory.

But they soon recognize it to be Soyeon.

"M-Mingi! Fuck, Mingi please!" She's frantic, blood coating the white dress she wears and her blond bob in disarray around her head.

"Get off my land or I'll tear you in two. I don't have time for your games!"

Soyeon comes to a halting stop in front of him, tears standing her face as she sucks in a sob. "Please Mingi..I-I don't know who else to ask, but I'm begging you! I'll get on my knees and beg if I have too but I need your help!"

Mingi can't believe the words coming out of her mouth, but nonetheless he lets her continue. "State why you've come onto my land and demanding me to help you. Why should I?"

"T-The wolves..Those monsters..They kidnapped my mate! They killed a member of my pride before my eyes and beat me when I tried to stop them! There was too many..I was trying to get her back and they threatened to kill her and slay the rest of my people! I-I had no choice..I had to let them take her to save everyone else..You have to help me get her back, you're the only one I could think of.."

Before Mingi can replay, another women comes out of the woods frantically, but this time she's holding a bundle of sorts. Mingi freezes when he realizes its a baby.

"S-Soyeon..She won't last without her mother, there's no one else who can nurse her."

Mingi can feel his heart break when the women passes the baby to Soyeon, and the lioness looks down at the tiny bundle with more tears in her eyes. "She was born just last week. Her mother is my mate..The one those monsters took. You know I never ask for help from anyone, let alone wolves, but you're the only one who can help me..please Mingi."

The alpha in question is frozen, and he turns back to the remainder of his pack sitting on the porch. He glances at his own mate who's holding their son, and the thought of someone taking Yeosang from him sparks a new sense of pain he didn't know existed in his heart.

"I'll help you. They took members of my pack, and they're going to pay."

Soyeon glances up, a new glint of hope present in her eyes, and she extends a hand to the alpha. Mingi firmly grasp it, and with a heavy shake, their goal of beating Blue Star becomes a reality.

***
Written by sueoku