Yu looked around; the perch of Jin's tall back had this advantage of giving her a great view of the now seven men that were making their way home. They did refer to themselves as a pack but they didn't seem to fit the description...
''How many other members are in your pack?'' the girl asked.
''You met everyone; it's just the seven of us!'' Jimin explained with a smile.
She had seen many packs of wild wolves, despite not mingling with them, and this didn't look or feel like a pack.
Firstly, they were only seven. A pack needed as much members as possible for safety.
Second, they were all the same age. A normal pack had elders that cared for younglings as well as adult hunters and fighters.
Third, there was no female. A pack needed an almost equal amount of male and females, for... multiplication purposes...
The question burned her tongue and she couldn't hold it back, so Yu asked bluntly ''Are you guys really a pack? You just look like a random bunch of rogue males...''
Her question made the boys chuckle.
''We're a bit different from your typical pack; but we're a group of wolves that live together and protect each other.'' Hoseok said with a smile. ''We're more like brothers.''
Yu tilted her head to the side in interrogation.
''We're not actually related, we're all orphans who got adopted by the same man. Mr Bang took us in despite being a human, he had a soft spot for wolf cubs... His sister was in love with a wolf and she died in childbirth, along with her child... Wolf pregnancies are very risky and difficult on the mother's body when... so many wolves end up orphans early in life...'' Jin explained calmly.
His story gave Yu a feeling of nausea and it made a lump grow in her throat.
''If it's so dangerous, why do wolves even mate with humans?! It's senseless!'' Yu exclaimed, her sudden agitation almost made her fall off of Jin's back.
''They don't really have a choice. The wolf gene is related to high testosterone levels for purposes of survival. Such an increased amount of male hormones in the feotus's system will generally lead to them to develop as male... That makes female wolves rare and highly sought after.'' Namjoon explained in the tone of a teacher.
The pack's weird composition was starting to make more sense now, but there was still a missing piece to the puzzle.
''Who is your alpha?'' Yu asked bluntly.
Silence fell on the group and everyone immediately seemed uncomfortable. Did she say something bad?
''We don't have one...'' Hoseok explained calmly.
''How can you not have an alpha, someone has to be in charge?'' Yu pondered out loud.
''We decided to wait before deciding on a leader, so we're sure it's the right decision.'' Jin explained calmly.
''Picking an alpha isn't hard, just fight and choose the strongest...'' Yu said in a matter of fact tone.
''Becoming an alpha is different from the way it happens in nature. There is a ritual involved where the pack has to pledge its loyalty to the chosen alpha...'' Hoseok said.
''We're not dogs who need a master...'' Yoongi said coldly.
''An alpha isn't a master, it's simply a leader. It's a matter of practicality and cohesion. Gaining alpha-hood makes the leader more powerful and more apt to protect the pact.'' Namjoon replied with a dark glare at Yoongi's reaction.
''An alpha gains Dominion over his pack. Nobody is going to coerce me and play with my brain.'' Yoongi stated.
''What's Dominion?'' Yu asked in a whisper while leaning towards Jin's ear.
''In nature, the alpha has natural dominance over his pack members. In werewolves, this translates into Dominion. It's a power that compels the pack to follow the alpha's orders. It's almost like hypnosis...'' Jin explained patiently.
The boys had gone silent and the air was so dense it was almost hard to breathe. Clearly this was a subject they didn't like. Yu regretted being so pushy with her questions, she should have read the mood earlier on...
Fortunately for her, they had finally made it to the house so he awkward silence didn't have to last too long...
''I'm tired, I'm going to bed...'' Yoongi said before walking in front of the group and entering the house, the door slamming behind him.
''I'm tired too. Good night Yu...'' Namjoon said before storming inside in the same manner.
''I'll go make sure they're okay...'' Hoseok murmured to Jin, following the two others
''I didn't mean to make them mad...'' Yu said apologetically.
''You're allowed to ask questions, they're grown ups, they got mad on their own.'' Jin reassured her.
Yu nodded as everyone walked into the house. Why were werewolves so much more complicated than ordinary wolves?
The place was very cozy and warm, with wooden floors and big window providing a nice forest view. The house was filled with trophies, mismatched decorations, pictures and souvenirs. What the decor lacked in thoughtfulness and cohesion, it made up for in personality and soul.
It felt like heaven on earth after how cold she had been outside! Jin carried her all the way to the room she had escaped from and they both looked at the shattered window.
''Sorry 'bout that...'' Yu said quietly.
''It's okay... we'll fix the window tomorrow. You can't sleep here tonight; you'll be too cold. We'll have to find you another place to sleep...'' Jin explained.
At the very second he finished talking, Jimin appeared behind them.
''In my room! She can sleep in my room! I'll take the couch!'' he exclaimed enthusiastically. ''
Yu wasn't sure what a couch was, but it seemed to be something quite amazing for Jimin to be so excited to ditch his bed to sleep on it...
Jin dropped Yu in Jimin's room and left to fetch some bandages for the girl's wounds. Jimin's room was small but cozy. It was mostly white with small touches of color. His bed was almost completely covered by a wide array of plushies.
Yu sat on the bed, curiously looking at some of the plush animals as Jimin walked into his room.
''They're cute, aren't they? What kind of animal do you like most?'' Jimin said with a smile as he sat on the best next to Yu.
''Ducks are the tastiest...'' Yu replied absent mindedly, the thought of fatty duck meat almost made her salivate.
''I don't have a duck... but I have a chick! Looks it's like a baby duck. Isn't cute?'' Jimin exclaimed while squishing a yellow chick plush.
Yu tilted her head to the side curiously.
''Chocking it isn't the way to go, you have to use your teeth.'' She stated bluntly, making Jimin laugh.
''Plushies are not for killing and eating, they're for cuddling!'' Jimin explained as he squeezed the plushy against him. ''There; try to hold it!'' he encouraged Yu while handing her the plush.
She awkwardly took the chick and inspected it. She gave it a soft squeeze between her hands and the way its chubby cheeks stuck out drew a smile out of her.
''It is kinda cute...'' she admitted.
''Then it's yours! I have plenty, so you can keep this one and think of me when you hold it! Hoseok once told me I look like a baby chick!'' Jimin said with a smile.
Yu tilted her head to the side, trying to figure out whether or not Jimin looked like the chick he had just given her. Without a warning she extended her hands and squeezed his cheeks.
''I see the resemblance.'' The girl concluded before letting go of Jimin's face.
He lifted a hand up to his cheek where Yu's fingers were the moment before, with a smile.
''So that means you think I'm cute, right?'' the man asked playfully.
Yu could feel her face turn burning hot and before she could mutter an answer Jin arrived in the room with his medical kit.
Author's note: Poor Jin rooster-blocked Jimin! xD Isn't Jimin adorable in his flirty ways? Don't worry, the rest of the boys will also have their own little priviledged moment to get to know Yu!
I'm approaching this story a lot like an otome game, where each boy will have his chance to shine and share an almost equal time with Yu in the beginning! The direction of the story is already planned out, but the main ships and the romantic development will really depend on you guys!
I hope you enjoyed the read, this story is really a romantic one at it's core but if you know me, you know that I always have some tricks up my sleeves to play with your expectations; so stay on your toes!
Thank you so much for reading and I j-hope to see you next chapter!
Don't forget to have super day, kay?