Silver Lining

*******☽******

(Do you consider dog licks as kisses?)

Chan wasn't sure what he was expecting when he heard yips and yowls coming from the yard; maybe a feral coming to even the score against its more humane brethren, perhaps some stray wolf being dropped off by some unwanting parents.

What he definitely didn't expect was his younger packmates rolling around in the grass, wrestling and chasing each other through the clearing, with the silver omega no less.

He feels that his eyes are deceiving him as Felix pounces onto Jisung and Jeongin goes tumbling over the both of them in a giant dog pile, the silvernette huffing before throwing his head back in a dramatic acceptance of defeat.

It was early in the morning, so early that on any other day, they probably would have gotten away with breaking his order of not leaving the house and sneaking back inside before any of the others had woken up to notice.

But Chan didn't fall asleep at all last night; so, in his paranoid, delirious with sleep deprivation, state of mind, every last sound that rang through the house and out in the clearing felt like a scream in his hypersensitive ears.

The wolves freeze at the sight of the alpha standing in the doorway. Jisung was the first to notice, an umber head swiveling in fear before he scrambled free of his younger companions.

Jeongin is up and sitting with his chin tucked close to his chest next, showing a rare display of submissive obedience in the face of a compromising situation.

Felix doesn't join the other two, the silver wolf not moving from his position on the ground and instead just observing Chan with intrigued blue orbs.

The brunette doesn't like it.

"What do you think you're doing?" Chan asks, trying his best to sound authoritative or scolding but he will admit that the omega's stare has made him rather unnerved.

His pack members exchange glances; Felix tilts his head ever so slightly.

"I thought I made it clear that no one is supposed to be leaving the house without permission."

Jisung transforms into his human-self, releasing a small whimper. "But Hyung: we stayed in a group, the buddy system just like you said! We didn't go into the woods, didn't even leave the clearing!"

The alpha's brow furrows. "But your reason for leaving I never approved and-"

"We were just playing; we were being super careful, Hyung," Jeongin complained as he also gave up on trying to justify himself in his wolf form. "If someone was coming and we were in danger, then Jisung-hyung would have heard it!"

"It doesn't matter," Chan said with a frown, resisting the urge to give in to the youngest's widened and sparkly eyes, "You still went against my wishes; you still wouldn't have even told me about this if I hadn't come out here to call you out on it-"

The silvernette stands and stretches with a loud yawn, effectively drawing the attention of the pack and making all of the alpha's immediate thoughts fizzle out of temporary existence. Jisung and Jeongin look shocked but also rather awe-filled at Felix's boldness; Chan isn't sure how to react other than wary as the omega stalks towards him with a blazing gaze.

The alpha straightens, attempting to stand tall even in the presence of the elegant silver wolf who doesn't seem intimidated in the slightest. Felix stands on his hind legs, front paws catching on the older's shoulders, and Chan's breath catches in his throat at their close proximity.

But then the canine pushes, head butting into the alpha's jaw, and the two of them go tumbling down onto the porch with a surprised, "Umph!" escaping the pack leader.

And for a moment, it's just the two of them: Chan laying on his back, staring into the crystal blue eyes of the silver wolf that's literally pinning him to the floor, with no clue on how to proceed from here or what to expect. And before the alpha thought that Felix's behavior couldn't get any more enigmatic, the omega plops down on top of him and nuzzles his wet speckled snout against the eldest from chin to cheek.

The pack leader flushes, rendered utterly speechless despite the flurry of unbridled thoughts that assail his mind, things like: would this be how the omega would shut him up if they were mates? Is this how he would defend the younger pack members from Chan's disciplining? Would this be their dynamic as the heads of the pack: Felix the lenient cool to Chan's heated temper in the confrontation of disobedience?

He's fantasizing, he knows he is; but at this point, he simply can't stop himself. Felix isn't even that big or heavy but he just can't find it in his heart to struggle against the fluffy silver restraint. He just gulps and stares and the omega does nothing more than lay his head upon Chan's chest with closing eyes.

The alpha hears a muffled snort from his fellow human-form hybrids, throwing an annoyed look at Jeongin's knowing grin and Jisung's puffed cheeks as he attempts to contain his laughter.

"Both of you," Chan warns sternly (but there is no stopping the color that creeps across his face), "T-This isn't over. Expect to take over dishes-duty from Changbinnie tonight."

"Aw what?!" The umber werewolf yelps, "But- But my manicured fingers!"

"My poor young hands aren't used to labor!" Jeongin whines, "The soap will dry out my skin! The water will make me pruney-"

The sharp glare they receive is enough to make them quickly shut up, shoulders slumping as they collectively mutter, "Yes, Hyung," and begin their defeated ascent back up the stairs of the porch.

"Oh and wake up the others." The younger pack mates pause and turn to him curiously. Chan's lips quirk upwards as he buries his fingers into the thick silver fur at the back of Felix's neck. The omega simply cracks an eye open. "Tell them we're leaving for a pack hunt at ten."

Jeongin gaped. "All of us?"

The alpha murmurs fondly, maintaining eye contact with the now two blue orbs staring back at him, "All of us."

Somewhere behind him, Jisung elbows the raven-haired boy before tugging him inside the house; Chan ignores the indignant squawk that follows, only focused on the wolf in his arms.

"You know, you're not exactly getting out of this scratch-free either," the brunette comments in amusement once he's sure that the others are gone. "I should make you do the dishes too for distracting me."

A small huff leaves Felix, his large head lowering until it was nose-to-nose with the older hybrid. Crystal irises glance from the house to the woods and then back at him in a silent inquiry.

The alpha smiles and nuzzles the other's snout. "Well, you wanted to go on one, didn't you? I figured that we're safest in numbers so... the more wolves, the merrier."

He can't see if the omega is grinning in this form, can't pick out the constellations that bunch up on his cheeks and the crinkles at the corners of his eyes; but he can sense the gratefulness in the wolf's gaze and can feel the affection in his heart as a small pink tongue darts out to leave a slobbery lick near his all too red human ears.

Maybe, just maybe... This will be the best pack hunt yet.