ONE OF the best parts about having a heightened sense of smell was that it was extremely easy to track down magical creatures.

one night, hyunjin had received an urgent request from the citizens of porthaven— a small town that focused on their fishing exports to keep themselves running— to take care of a feral monster that had suddenly appeared and was terrorizing the town. nobody had gotten close enough to discover what it was in fear of being ripped to shreds. fear was present among the townspeople, and the stench of it radiated off of them so much that it was too overwhelming for chan to bear. so, as soon as they arrived, hyunjin ordered everyone to evacuate, promising that it would only be an hour before they would be able to return.

hwang hyunjin was the only 21-year-old chan knew that could promise something so ridiculous yet somehow make it happen.

"can you smell it?" hyunjin asked.

chan nodded. "i've picked up on an unfamiliar scent. it's not human, but it's not completely monster either. it's odd." he rubbed his nose and sighed. "maybe the townspeople's scents are still lingering in the air. but whatever it is, i'm certain it's what we're looking for."

hyunjin gestured forward. "well, then, go ahead. i'll catch up."

chan immediately bolted, sprinting through the streets at lightning speed, following the scent trail that was left by the mysterious creature. his speed made the trip short, and in an instant, he came face-to-face with a gigantic black wall.

"woah!" he cried, skidding to a halt just before he crashed into it. by now, the smell was so powerful that it stung. looking up, he realized that it wasn't a wall, but a body.

a large, furry, snarling body.

"shit!" chan jumped out of the way just before the creature could slam into him. now that he could get a better look at it, the male saw that what he was going up against was a massive black dog that reeked of hostility. its canines were sharp and yellowed, and its breath— chan had to refrain from hurling right then and there. normally he wasn't one to mind dog breath, but this wasn't an average dog. as he stared into its black, void-like eyes, chan realized exactly what this creature was:

a hellhound.

the last time i saw one was over seventy years ago, chan thought. they're supposed to be extinct. so how could one just show up out of nowhere?

the male had no time to ponder over his question, for the hellhound began to sprint towards him, a bundle of matted black fur and rock-hard muscle. its speed shocked chan, who barely had enough time to react before a giant paw swiped at him. its claws raked down chan's arm and he hissed in pain. that'll definitely leave a mark.

"listen here, mate, i— woah!" chan leaped out of the way as the hellhound's jaws came down, snapping shut in the spot where the male once was. i guess talking to it won't help, he thought, holding his bleeding arm gingerly. i don't want to fight, but if it comes down to it...

"chan!" the silver-haired man shifted his gaze to hyunjin, who had finally arrived and was standing on the rooftop of a small brick building. "you were right! this one isn't just a monster— it's actually a human who's under a curse!"

a cursed human? no wonder their scent was strange! chan thought whilst inwardly admiring hyunjin's ability to identify cursed beings in a heartbeat. damn, now i really can't harm them. this job just got even more complicated.

"what do you want me—" he never got to finish his sentence for the hellhound barreled into him, throwing him onto the cobbled street. chan winced as he was slammed onto the ground. that's gonna leave a bruise.

"chan!" hyunjin's voice caused the hellhound to switch his attention to the wizard. it charged towards him, trampling the wooden carts and boxes in its path. chan watched as hyunjin's lips moved rapidly, and suddenly he was gone.

"i need you to be a distraction." chan jumped slightly when the wizard's voice sounded right next to his ear. he must have used a teleportation spell. "immobilize it temporarily so that i can have the time to prepare a restriction spell. i haven't done one in a while, so i might be rusty."

chan snorted as he watched the hellhound look around confusedly, probably wondering where the brunette disappeared to. "you're never rusty."

"i could say the same to you."

chan laughed but clamped his mouth shut when the hellhound's head whipped around to face them. "ah, shit," he muttered, "here we go again."

hyunjin patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. "you'll be fine. you've got that blood in your veins for a reason. use it."

their eyes met— bright green on blood red— before hyunjin dashed off into the night.

the hellhound howled as it ran toward chan, and while the sight of it would've made any normal person scream in fright, the silver-haired male simply stood his ground. you've got that blood in your veins for a reason. use it. "if you say so, mate," he chuckled, going into a crouch, "but don't blame me if things get a bit messy."

right as the creature opened its jaws to devour him, the whole world went dark. the stars that shined over porthaven suddenly disappeared, as did everything else around the hellhound. the beast froze when it realized that it couldn't see anything anymore, and blinked confusedly.

then, a moment later, the world came back into the light...and a body slammed into the hellhound's side.

the creature lay stunned on the ground for a few seconds before jumping back up with a growl, ready to tear apart whoever it was that attacked them, but the surprise on its face when it was met with an equally ferocious growl was probably the best thing chan had seen in weeks. because there he stood, bang chan himself, but he was in his other form.

the form that made him an outcast and caused him to be mocked.

the form he rarely brought out yet relished in when he could.

the form that made him a half-blood.

"werewolf," the hellhound snarled, and chan was caught off-guard momentarily. i didn't think it was intelligent enough to speak— well, i suppose it's part human, so it makes sense. "kill...kill werewolf."

chan's red eyes narrowed. "sorry, mate, but i don't plan on dying today, especially not to a filthy mutt like you."

this clearly agitated the beast, who growled and charged towards him. chan met him head-on, digging his claws into the hellhound's flank. it howled in pain and attempted to shake him off, but his efforts were futile as the silver wolf was larger and far more muscular than it. however, the hellhound managed to drag chan to the ground, and the pair rolled around for a few seconds before the half-blood finally managed to pin it down. the hound thrashed under his paws, not willing to give up, but when chan sunk his fangs into its throat, the beast stilled itself.

"no...hurt..." it whimpered, and chan's blood ran cold. the hound's voice, which once was scratchy and rough, had turned into what sounded like a young boy's. it was then that chan remembered that underneath the deadly creature was just a human. that in itself was almost enough to make him let go. i don't want to put their life in danger— i just need to keep them down for a bit. so, the wolf slowly removed his jaws from the hellhound's neck.

that was his mistake.

wham! in a split second, he was kicked across the street and crashed into a building, destroying a good portion of it. pieces of rubble fell onto his torso, and chan coughed as he struggled to breathe under the piles of stone and wood.

"wolf down!" the beast yipped, its voice back to its normal hellish tone. it jumped around excitedly, which would have been adorable if it weren't for its blood-soaked fur and mangled features. "me finish job now! bye-bye, wolf!"

it began to make its way over to chan, who was attempting to dig his way out, but was growing weaker by the second. when he saw the enemy approaching, he whimpered and shut his eyes tightly. hyunjin, if you're going to do something, now would be the time to do it!

suddenly, the sound of footsteps crunching against rubble stopped. chan's eyes cracked open to find that the hellhound was frozen in its place, poised to deliver the strike that would end his life. in the moonlight he saw hyunjin standing atop a roof, panting heavily, with his hands clasped together in the way that magic-users did when casting constricting spells.

damn, talk about a close call, chan thought right before he blacked out.

❂❂❂

"—an? chan? please don't die on me!"

chan groaned as he opened his eyes, light flooding his senses. he was instantly greeted by the sight of a teary-eyed felix, who gasped when he saw that the male was awake. "you're alive!" he bawled, draping himself over the silver-haired man (who was back in its human form). "i thought we had lost you for sure!"

chan ignored his dramatic friend and took in his surroundings. sunlight streamed into the room he was in, which looked like a tornado had blown through it. papers and trinkets were scattered everywhere, and his fingers itched to clean it all up. who would keep their room like this? it's a mess! but when he saw a picture of his family laying on the ground next to him, he realized exactly where he was.

"felix," he hissed, "why the hell is my room an absolute wreck?"

the wizard blanched. "uh..." he quickly glanced out the door. "hm? hyunjin? you want me to go outside for a bit? alright, whatever you say! sorry, chan!" and with that, he sprinted away.

"liar! get back here!" chan yelled, dashing out into the hallway. however, he paused when he smelled something that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. an intruder is in the castle. with silent steps, chan traced the scent to a room a couple of doors away from his own. it was one of the extra rooms in the castle that nobody ever used. as he stood outside the door, the male couldn't help but think that the smell was awfully familiar.

"it's the hellhound." chan jumped and whipped around to see hyunjin standing behind him, an amused look on his face. "would you like to see him?"

"y...you're just keeping it in a normal room?" chan sputtered. "aren't you afraid it could break out? it's rather powerful."

hyunjin shrugged. "i chained him up using the enchanted shackles we purchased a few years back. he can't do anything. besides, i don't think he's much of a threat right now."

chan cocked an eyebrow. "what do you mean?"

"you'll see." the wizard pushed him towards the door. "go inside. i think you'll be interested in seeing the person that gave you those nasty wounds."

for the first time, chan noticed the many bandages that were wrapped around his body in place of a shirt. (thankfully, someone dressed him in a pair of loose brown slacks, so he wasn't as shameless as jisung.) he hadn't felt it before, but now there was a slight burning sensation that ran along his back and arms that worsened when he moved. he frowned. "well, whoever they are, they'd better be ready, because i'm going to give them a piece of my damn mind!" chan threw open the door, mentally preparing his speech in his head.

however, he was not expecting to find a young boy huddled against the wall, sobbing quietly.

...well, fuck. all of the anger dissipated out of chan as soon as he saw the boy's sorry state. he was clearly malnourished, which was evident by his sunken cheeks and the way his ribs jutted out from his slight frame. his hair was dark and unkempt, a stark contrast from his ivory skin, which was covered in dirt and scratches. like chan, the boy was shirtless, and he saw bandages similar to his own wrapped around his abdomen and his neck. the bandages on the boy's neck were completely soaked in blood, and guilt crept up chan's spine.

he took small steps towards the boy, noting how he was doused in the smell of fear. the smell grew stronger the closer he came, so he stopped a few feet away from the shaking boy in hopes that he would calm slightly. he opened his mouth to speak, but the boy beat him to it.

"i'm so sorry," he choked out, and chan's heart broke. "i'm so sorry. please don't hurt me, i swear it was—" he paused to hiccup— "an accident. please let me go."

that's the same voice that came out of the monster earlier, chan thought. i suppose the hound is able to change its voice at will. it was hard to believe that such a frail, feeble boy could turn into a gigantic, slobbering beast.

chan had entered the room with the intention of being cold and cruel, but now all he wanted was to make sure the boy was alright. curse my soft heart.

the silver-haired male knew that him towering over the boy wasn't helping his fear to lessen, so he slid to the floor and sat cross-legged across from him. "i'm not going to hurt you," he said as kindly as he could. "i just want to talk."

he could still sense the boy's apprehension. "okay," he said softly, and chan began to rattle off questions.

"what's your name?"

"yang jeongin."

"i'm bang chan. it's nice to meet you." jeongin nodded. "how old are you?"

"...19. i think."

i think? "what do you mean?"

"well..." jeongin shifted uncomfortably. "i don't know my actual birthday, but i do know i'm at least 18. i'm pretty sure i'm 19, though."

chan nodded, speculations floating around in his head. i think i know what's happening here. "you're a runaway, aren't you?"

to his surprise, jeongin shook his head. "not a runaway. more like...abandoned." his eyes shifted downcast. "i was given to a warlock when i was younger in exchange for my parents' lives. but all he did was place a curse on me and then he let me go. i remember he told me to spread chaos around the world, but i never knew what he meant until..." a new batch of tears began to swim in his eyes, and chan resisted the urge to hug him in fear that he would make the boy even more scared. "i woke up one morning, an everything around me was destroyed. i was so scared, so i ran from that place. but then things like that kept happening to me. there are always some nights where i can't remember anything, and when i wake up, it's like an exploding spell had gone off. then people always find me at the center of these disasters and blame me for it." tears streamed down his pale cheeks. "i know that there's something wrong with me, but i don't know what it is. everywhere i go, people call me a monster, but i'm not! i'm just me!"

chan listened to his story in silence. when he was finished, jeongin began to sob again, and this was when the half-blood decided that enough was enough.

"come here," he said and closed the few feet of space between them by wrapping the younger boy in a large hug. he held him gently as if he were made of porcelain, and rubbed a hand up and down his back comfortingly, making sure to avoid his wounds. "you're not a monster— i hope you know that. those people don't know anything, so don't listen to them."

jeongin's body was tense when chan first took him into his arms, but after a while, he slowly relaxed and leaned into chan's shoulder. it was some time before his quiet sobs stopped racking his small body, and even longer before he pulled away, hastily wiping his tear-streaked face. their eyes met— black on grey— and after a moment, jeongin tore his gaze away shyly. "you're nicer than a lot of the other people i've met."

chan chuckled. "i'm not sure about that, mate. i was the one who gave you those—" he jabbed a finger at jeongin's wounds— "after you gave these—" he pointed to his own cuts— "to me."

jeongin's eyes widened. "i did that?" he cried. "i'm so sorry! i can't believe i injured someone that badly!" he gingerly ran his fingertips over chan's bandages. "does it hurt a lot? is anything broken? can you still move? wait, that was a stupid question. sorry."

chan watched him, thoughts swirling around his brain. "...you really don't have any idea what happened, do you?" he asked, and received a shake of the head in response.

"not at all. i...i just can't believe i'd actually do something like this to someone."

an ache bloomed in chan's chest when he saw the truly saddened look in jeongin's eyes. "it wasn't you," he said. "it was your curse. none of what happened was your fault at all."

chan explained to him what had happened the night before and jeongin hung onto every word, horror crossing his features. "i turn into a hellhound?" he exclaimed, and chan nodded grimly. jeongin put his face in his hands. "no wonder all those things kept happening! i'm a danger to everyone!" he looked up at chan, worry filling his eyes. "you have to let me go. if i stay here, who knows what damage i'll do? i don't want to hurt you..." he swallowed thickly. "...or the people you live with."

chan shook his head. "no. the best option is for you to stay here with us." when jeongin protested, chan put a finger to his lips. "we can keep you safe here and give you an actual home. trust me, everyone in this house has dealt with their fair share of magical creatures and is more skilled than you may think. we can teach you how to deal with your curse and figure out a way to work around it."

jeongin visibly hesitated. "...i can't accept. you wouldn't want me here. none of you would. i'm not normal."

chan snorted. "kid, not one of us is normal. you'd fit in just fine."

"are you sure? i don't want to cause you any trouble. i've been told i bring bad luck."

chan ruffled his hair with a grin. "well, if bad luck brought you, i hope we get a taste of bad luck more often."

for the first time, jeongin cracked a smile.

❂❂❂

when chan left the room, he found that hyunjin was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "well?" the wizard asked, clearly impatient. "what's the verdict?"

"he's joining your weird-ass cult. that's the verdict."

hyunjin frowned. "i never said that you could— wait, i don't run a cult!"

"sure you don't."