The bus rolled up to the Stadium and already there were fans lined up, waiting to enter the venue. Screams erupted as Midnight's bus turned into the venue and drove past them and around to the back of the venue. Gates blocked the fans from getting too close so the boys and their band members could safely get into the Stadium and load equipment.
The members took a quick tour of the stadium while their crew took their bags into their dressing rooms. The makeup artists and wardrobe assistants started to unpack and set up what each boy would need for their concert. After the tour, the members joined their team in the dressing rooms, grabbed water bottles, and headed to the stage to do a technical rehearsal.
Stacy pulled into the parking lot and tried to find a parking spot. "I told you we should have left sooner. It's crowded as it is. At this rate, we'll be lucky if we can see anything from the back of the section."
"Oh hush," Elizabeth said, "Darcy got here late last night to save places in line. There wasn't a hurry."
Julie gazed at the crowd, feeling the excitement in the air. The crowd was bubbling with energy as fans sang favorite songs, danced their favorite routines and shared their favorite stories with each other. As they hunted for Darcy in the extensive line forming around the stadium, they enjoyed the spectacle around them. The various dance groups who were performing their favorite dances were fun to watch. People would join in for the parts that they knew before stopping to watch the rest. Fangirls and fanboys were holding signs or dressed in outfits that they hoped would get them noticed by the members of Midnight. On everyone's mind was the fact that all the members of Midnight were single and old enough to find their destined mates.
The girls found Darcy in line deep in conversation with others over what type of mate the Moon Goddess would have planned for each mate. "...anyone stuck with that loser." said one girl pompously.
"Who's the loser?" Stacy jumped in and asked.
Darcy nodded to the girl she was talking to, "This is Dana and she was saying how much she disliked certain members."
"Why is she even here if she dislikes the members?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.
"I don't dislike all of them. My bias is Jaeson. He's the youngest and is just so sweet and special and I hate that he's exposed to a pervert like Taekwoon." The girl tossed her brown hair and stuck her nose in the air. "Why do they even bother having such a member in their group?"
"Cause he's hot and sexy as hell!" Stacy said bluntly. This response caused those who had been listening to crack up with laughter. Others jumped in to defend their sexy Taekwoon and soon those standing close by in line were drawn into the light-hearted but passionate debate of the pros and cons of each member in the group.
Do you smell that? Jewels suddenly spoke up.
"What?" Julie thought to her wolf.
I'm not sure, but there is something. Keep your senses open, I'll see if I can pinpoint it. Julie could feel her wolf extending her senses. The noise of the crowd got louder, the scent on the wind became more pronounced. Julie could even taste something on her tongue with each breath. Whatever had caught Jewels' attention, wasn't standing out to Julie. She was getting hundreds of new scents from the crowd, but nothing was special about them. She let Jewels do whatever she was doing and refocused on the debate at hand.
The technical rehearsal was done, the final sound checks were completed and three boys stood on the top floor of the Stadium looking out the window on the growing crowd outside. Vendors were setting up booths so fans could buy t-shirts, lightsticks, and other goodies that would excite them.
"Some of those dance groups aren't too bad," Hoon watched them having fun.
"Too bad we can't go down there and cheer them on," Jaeson said.
"Only if you want to start a riot," said Jeon in a droll tone.
"Might be fun, been a long time since we were actually mobbed." Hoon chuckled.
"Getting my clothes ripped off my body wasn't actually as exciting as I thought it would be," Jaeson commented.
"You didn't like getting chased for blocks half naked? Where's your sense of adventure?" Hoon teased.
"I'll let Taekwoon do all the stripping." Jaeson laughed.
"I hope our mate is down there," Hoon said in his wolf voice.
"If she is, I would let her strip me to her heart's content," Jaeson's Wolf said. Jaeson grinned at his wolf's comments.
"Down, doggie." Jaeson teased his wolf.
I am NOT a dog! I'm a wolf and I want my mate! His wolf huffed, insulted.
"Calm down there, my friend. We have to find her first," Jaeson was still grinning when his phone beeped with an incoming text. Looking at his phone, he got excited when he saw who sent it. He opened it and quickly read it.
Jeon and Hoon watched him as his face fell as he lifted his head and dropped his hand holding his phone to his side. "She's found her mate." He said sadly. His friends put their hands on his shoulder in silent support.
"Come on, let's walk around a little bit and then we'll head backstage, okay?" Jeon said.
Jaeson nodded and the three of them strolled through the hallways as Jaeson tried to gather his broken heart before the concert started.
After standing in line for six hours, the doors to the venue finally opened and an excited cheer rang out through the line. Excitement built as the line moved and Julie could barely contain her excitement. The closer they got to the entrance, the more excited Jewels became.
He's here. He's here. I can smell him!! Jewels cried.
"I can't smell anything, are you sure?" Julie approached the door and got her ticket out for the security check.
I can smell him. He's here, somewhere. Julie could feel Jewels struggle to take over.
"Stop Jewels. We can not go running around. The security guards won't allow it." Julie told her.
I want my mate! Jewels cried as she felt the instinct and desire building in her wolf.
"I will help you look for him, but we have to wait till we are free to move around. Just wait and trust me." Jewels struggled to be patient but it was hard to fight her instincts. "Once we are in the stadium, we can search every section to see which of these fans are our mate, but until we get inside, we have to behave!"
Jewels sighed, You are right. We will have more success once our mate is inside and can't get away from us. The pull will lead us right to him.
Julie felt Jewels stop fighting to take over her body and handed her ticket to the ticket agent and her backpack to the security guard. Once she and her friends passed the security check, they headed over to the shop selling t-shirts and concert souvenirs and spent way too much money.
"I love this new lightstick" Darcy squealed as she clung to her newest possession.
"You already have 2, why did you need a third?" Stacy asked while she examined her own purchases.
"Says the girl who bought one of each of MIdnight's 8 t-shirts" Darcy laughed in response. "Did you need one of each of their individual shirts?"
"Absolutely, that way I can take each one to bed with me when I sleep." Stacy wiggled her eyebrows.
Julie laughed with her friends as they headed to their section. She kept looking around, trying to spot where any male fans were sitting.
"Isn't this just amazing?" Elizabeth asked. "There are so many of us here."
It truly was amazing. Music was playing and people were singing along as they found their seats. Many were moving around and taking pictures of different areas of the venue. Occasionally the room would erupt as everyone got caught up in the fan chant of the members' names. The stage jutted out in a square, with 2 lanes on each side that ran into the crowd. The boys would be able to dance close to the crowd. Three big screens ran various images of the members and played music videos with the music.
His smell is strongest in this room. I can feel him somewhere close by. Jewels commented. Julie tried to pick up on the scent of pine that Jewels said was his scent, but there were just too many bodies and too many scents hitting her at once. Her wolf senses were only two days old and she was still learning how to tell individual smells apart when in a small group. In a stadium full of 20,000 fans....not happening.
"I'm going to walk around and take some pictures before the concert starts," Julie said to excuse her need to hunt her mate's location. She didn't want to alert her friends until it was necessary.
"Let me go with you, I want pictures too," Elizabeth said eagerly as she pulled out her phone.
Julie kept her groan to herself, she would have to be stealthy about this so Elizabeth didn't guess her real reason for moving around. They walked between several sections. Elizabeth took pictures while Julie pretended to, all the while trying to pick up on the pull that Jewels was feeling. The pull was everywhere. Jewels could smell him out in the hallways and inside the venue.
"Maybe he works here and that's why his scent is everywhere?" Julie asked her frustrated wolf.
That is a good suggestion. We've been in every section on this side of the stage now and his scent is everywhere. I'm going to go crazy. Where is he?!! Maybe he's with the people behind the stage?
"Too bad my parents didn't get backstage passes. That would make this so much easier." Julie sighed.
"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked.
"Oh, nothing, I'm just wanting the concert to get started. I can't wait to see Jungwoo. Let's head back to our seats." Elizabeth nodded in agreement and they went back to their own section and found their seats.
"Did you tour the whole stadium taking pictures?" Stacy teased.
"Just about," Elizabeth grinned. "It's so great seeing how many fans of Midnight there are in this area of the country. Just when you think only you and your friends love Kpop, you find out that you aren't alone in your obsession." This cracked up several people sitting around them and everyone exchanged knowing glances.
Soon the lights started to dim and a huge cheer rose up in response. Lights began to flash and beam through the room and the music swelled. The first song started to play and the room erupted in screams as 7 silhouettes appeared on the big screens. The stage floor opened and out rose all seven members. Thankfully, Julie had already put in her earplugs so her sensitive wolf hearing wouldn't cause her pain. The sound barrage of screams was still heavy but thankfully muffled.
The seven members walked out onto the stage and started their first song as dancers filled the stage behind them. The pull was now overwhelming enough that even Julie could feel it. The faint hint of pine finally penetrated her nose and she could feel Jewels murring. Julie felt conflicted between her mate pull and her love and awe watching Midnight live for the first time. Both desires warred inside Julie's head and body. The members were just as amazing live as they were in their music videos and tv shows. As the first song ended, the screams went up another notch and the boys launched into their second song.
Please, please, can you move closer to the stage? I know he's in that direction. Her wolf whined.
"I can't move, yet. Do you see that security guard? If I tried to leave my section, he'd think something was up and follow me." Julie tried to placate her wolf. "Just be patient, I promise, I'll move when he changes position."
Her wolf grumbled and almost whined at the restriction. Julie tried to relax and enjoy the concert. Her Jungwoo was amazing. She never realized what a demon he was when he danced. He was almost hypnotic. Taekwoon was teasing the crowd with a raised shirt but he put it back down as everyone groaned in response. Hoon and Jaeson came out to the front and rapped their section of the song and Julie felt her wolf pull and nearly take over.
He's closer, he's closer, he's closer. Please, I NEED to get closer. He's mine. He's my mate! Get away from him! Her wolf kept chanting.
"Wait, you spotted him?" Julie felt confused. She could feel the mate-pull, but she couldn't tell who it belonged to. There were simply too many people.
He's on the stage. Please... I need to get closer to him. Her wolf begged.
"Is he one of the dancers or the crew?" Julie asked her wolf. She looked over to see the security guard gone. She gave her friends a quick glance and started moving. Thankfully they were on the floor and if she moved into the aisle she could get closer to the stage. She would still be a good 30 feet away from the edge of the main stage, but maybe she could get a handle on which crew member was her mate.
The third song started and Julie couldn't ignore her wolf's need any longer. She leaned over to Elizabeth, "I'm going to get a closer picture. Be right back." And before Elizabeth could do more than look at her, she was off. She moved down the aisle and brought up her phone in the act of taking a picture. Several other fans followed her into the aisle and soon she had a crowd with her trying to get closer to the stage than their seats allowed.
My mate, My Mate, MY MATE!! Julie could feel the litany of Jewels' words running through her head. Jewels was so excited that she couldn't even answer Julie and she tried to figure out who her wolf was indicating. Who was her mate?
Now that she was closer to the stage, she could feel the pull building within herself. The scent of pine was stronger here as well. Whoever he was, he was definitely on that stage. The seven members were currently surrounded by 20 dancers. There were at least 10 stagehands doing various jobs around the edge of the stage. So somewhere among those 27 people, was her mate.
The seven members and their dancers split during the bridge of the song and started coming down the side arms of the stage. This brought some of the members and their dancers closer to her position. Now they were only 15 feet away from her. Close enough for her to smell each of them individually. Mingyu, Seokmin, Taekwoon, and Jungwoo were dancing right in front of her with ten of the backup dancers. She momentarily forgot about her mate as her two biases were gyrating within smelling distance of her. Taekwoon smelled like sex. Julie had no idea what sex smelled like, but whatever it was, he was it. The boy oozed with it. Good thing Stacy wasn't this close or she might lose it completely. From the looks of it, the fans closest to the stage were cooked and done by his sexy moves. Julie laughed at the thought. Jungwoo smelled like the ocean, warm and salty. Salty? Julie smiled in amusement, he must be sweating pretty hard if he smelled salty.
The third song ended and screams erupted even louder as the fourth song started and even though the members were already breathing hard, they launched into the fast number as if it was no big deal. Their voices were on point and their dance moves belied how tired they must be feeling after 4 energetic numbers. The members and their dancers started moving back to the center and Julie snapped out of her bemusement to quickly determine that none of the group on her side of the stage arm were her mate. That left the other 3 members, their dancers and whatever stagehands were on the other side of the stage. Who was he?
"Jewels, who is he?" Julie asked her wolf.
He's mine, that's who he is. She said with fervor. Julie could feel her wolf wanting to jump on stage and take him right there. She would have to keep her wits about her to keep Jewels from embarrassing them in such a way. This could go wrong in a hurry if she didn't keep her excited wolf under control.
The boys merged in the middle and then passed each other and moved to the other stage arm. This would bring the other half of the group closer to Julie. Maybe now she could tell which dancer was her mate. It was possible that it could be one of the crew on the far side of the stage that she could see, but wasn't close enough to pinpoint if one of them was her mate. Her eyes lifted up to the stage as Jeon, Hoon and Jaeson came to the end of the stage arm and danced. Jeon was currently singing and he was owning his section of the stage. Hoon and Jaeson were dancing behind him adding their additional vocals.
The smell of pine was overwhelming to Julie. She knew that her mate was in this closer group. She was startled to realize that somehow, her mate was part of this traveling group. She was so close to him but unless she could find a way to get to him, he may leave and never know his mate was so close. She knew they needed to lock eyes to fully know if they were a match, but how do you catch the eye of a busy backup dancer? Could he smell her like she was smelling him?
Jaeson moved to the front of the group as his part of the song came next. His eyes started moving across the crowd, inviting them in, as if his rap was being said to each of them personally. Julie was hit with a powerful surge of scent and pull. She looked at Jaeson in shock. Jaeson also seemed to stumble over his words for a moment before he recovered and finished his lines and then moved to the side, but he kept scanning the crowd even harder. Julie was breathless, she was dumbfounded as realization dawned on her. Her wolf howled in the back of her mind, claiming her right as Julie locked eyes with Jaeson.
MATE!
A/N: Poor Jaeson, he's had a busy day. The concert, girlfriend finds her mate, and then his mate is an audience member. I wonder who is in more shock, him or Julie?