San's running through the forest, unable to stop smiling at the fact that in just a few days he will be setting foot on the grounds of his fated mate's home. Ever since San received that letter inviting him to Chrysalis to learn about their ways of life, his mind has been filled with thoughts of Seonghwa.

After Seonghwa's departure last year, he's all San has been thinking about. His fated mate, his future lover. One fact he can't forget, however, was how much Seonghwa denied the clear reality of the two of them being meant for each other in every sense of the meaning. San knows that when he arrives at the grounds of Chrysalis, he's going to do everything in his power to get Seonghwa to recognize and accept him as his fated mate.

Seonghwa has a hard shell closing himself off from the outside world, but San intends to break that shell down. However hellacious those efforts may be, San knows he's going to be able to see a new side to Seonghwa throughout this month-long visit.

There's a lot awaiting him in Chrysalis, and San isn't going to let this pass him by.

San has been traveling ever since receiving the letter, having packed as fast as he could after speaking to the elders of his pack about the opportunity. The elders pushed for San to go, telling him how it's about time he finally gets out of Eclipse grounds for once. San felt bad about having to leave his pack, but when his elders said how much he stays there to care for everyone, he realized that he really has always just stayed in Eclipse. He's been content in staying there with no real reason to leave... not until now, that is.

San slows his running down to a brisk walk as he approaches a small stream, happy to take a break for a drink after such a long time spent running.

"I really needed this," San thinks time himself as he laps up the freshwater from the stream. He rests himself down into a sitting position but is soon brought back up into attention when he senses a presence in the area around him.

"Who's here?" San thinks, beginning to walk towards the presence.

Soon, San spots a pair of wolves walking towards him and the stream. He wonders what two males of alpha and omega descent are doing out here. Could they be mates? San stands his ground, not wanting to shift back into his human form to speak to them until he's felt out the situation.

Yeosang nudges his head into Dongwoo's side, "Dongwoo, someone else is here. Do you feel it?"

Dongwoo hums lowly, as to show his mate that yes he does feel it and that he will protect him.

Yeosang and Dongwoo have been traveling for a while now. After Dongwoo received that letter from Chrysalis inviting him and his mate to their grounds to learn about their values, they began packing that night and left the following morning. Yeosang has been excited about the prospect of learning more about the other packs around them and Dongwoo shared his interest. They're both looking forward to spending the month there together.

"Don't worry, Yeo. Just stay behind me a bit and we will check it out together, okay?" Dongwoo sends to him in a calm voice, as to not worry Yeosang.

Yeosang returns him a nod and backs up a few steps to where he's now closer to Dongwoo's rear, a more safe place for him to be if they were to come across danger.

San stands down, kneeling in front of the two wolves approaching him. He's hoping by doing this, he will show himself as no threat even though he's an alpha. San is an optimistic person by nature, so he is wanting to become these two boys' friend.

Dongwoo and Yeosang are within six feet of the black colored alpha when they watch him kneel to the ground.

"What is he doing?" Yeosang questions, taking glances at the black wolf from behind his mate's cover.

"I believe he's showing us that he means no harm, darling. I don't feel any malicious intent coming from him either, so he seems friendly," Dongwoo says, assessing the situation at hand as he reassures his mate through everything he's saying.

"Should we shift so we're able to speak with him?" Yeosang hesitantly asks, knowing it could be risky, but he has faith in his mate saying that the alpha seems harmless. Taking a further glance at him, he sees a pretty white patch of fur going down his profile.

"Yeo, you're so trusting..." Dongwoo says with a bit of worry in his voice, knowing if he weren't here that Yeosang would've already shifted and begun speaking to the stranger.

Yeosang nuzzles his muzzle into Dongwoo's hind leg, "I know with you by my side it, I'll be safe."

Dongwoo pats the ground with his paw to alert San they're going to be back. The mated pair go behind a tree together and shift back into their human form, dressing in clothes they packed from their backpack.

San sees the two male wolves go behind and a tree and he assumes they're going to shift, so San goes and does the same. He didn't sense any hostility in their actions, but he knows for sure that the two are mates now that he's seen the way the alpha male treats his omega. It makes him smile to himself in hopes that one day his relationship with Seonghwa might get to that point.

When San makes his way out from behind the tree after changing into some clothing, he sees the pair standing close to one another. A taller man with dark hair similar to his coating when he was a wolf, and a smaller man with a lighter brown shade tinting his hair. So it is true that your wolf's fur coat and your hair color are the same for every pack, San observes.

"Hello," San says and he bows since he's unsure of their positions within their pack and all-around just to be polite.

Yeosang smiles at the alpha, holding onto Dongwoo's arm for comfort. He looks up towards him and he nods.

"My name is Dongwoo, and this here is my mate Yeosang. What is your name and where are you headed?" Dongwoo says, keeping his confidence high.

Yeosang unconsciously rubs his fingers along Dongwoo's arm, finding it quite entertaining how protective he gets when around unfamiliar people. Dongwoo is normally upbeat and cheerful, always having a smile on his face and ready to take on the world, so not much changes except his dominance becomes more apparent in these situations.

"I'm Choi San, it's nice to meet you two. I'm on my way to Chrysalis, actually. They're holding a learning program and I was one of the ones chosen to join in," San explains as he goes and sits down on a large rock by the stream, "What about you two?"

Yeosang's eyes widened with surprise, "We're going to Chrysalis too! Perhaps we could travel there together?" He asks with a bright smile on his face, slightly looking up to his mate for approval.

Dongwoo's face lights up when he hears his mate's excitement. Yeosang was always so timid when they were first mated, but they warmed up to each other quickly since they weren't complete strangers from one another. Dongwoo always had the biggest crush on Yeosang all throughout their schooling days, so of course, when he saw 'Kang Yeosang' printed on his paper after his blood work, he knew his choice for a mate right away.

San nods, "That sounds like a plan to me. If we're all traveling together, that would make it much safer too. We shouldn't run into many problems, as we only have... hmm..." San trails off as he looks up to the sky, "I would say about a day and a half, maybe two days left?"

Dongwoo motions for them to go sit and they sit on a nearby rock with San, "That's what I was thinking as well," he chuckles, "So how's your journey been so far? Run into any trouble?" Dongwoo asks with interest in his tone, hoping to make a new friend.

Yeosang sits with his head leaning against Dongwoo's arm, his hand resting on top of the one that's on his leg.

"No trouble for me, until you two came along," San smirks, his voice playful as he jokes with the two boys.

"Oh yeah, I'd say we're a pretty troublesome pair, wouldn't you say, Yeo?" Dongwoo smiles and turns his face down to Yeosang's, nuzzling his nose to his mate's in a cute fashion.

"As troublesome as two lovers can get," Yeosang shyly replies, his cheeks turning rosy from their display of affection in front of San.

San smiles longingly at the pair, "Having a mate seems like the most wonderful thing in the world, doesn't it?"

Yeosang perks up at the question and mentioning of mates, "Do you not have a mate yet, San?" He asks as he examines his neck for a mark, not finding one.

San lays back on the rock to gaze up at the beautiful blue sky, "Well... I do have a mate, but it's rather complicated. He's quite hard-headed and I haven't seen him in what feels like a very long time," San sighs, his mind once again filling up with thoughts of Seonghwa, "I think I'll get him to accept me one day, though. I'm not going to quit until I finally get through to him..."

Yeosang's eyes shine at San's words about his mate, and for some reason it makes him think of Wooyoung when he says that he hasn't seen his mate in a very long time. It's been about a year since Yeosang last saw his best friend, and about a year since his best friend basically gave him his one chance of happiness. Yeosang looks up at Dongwoo, his chance.

Dongwoo does make Yeosang happy. He would even go as far as to say he's come to love the alpha he's mated to, but he's never lost those feelings he felt for Wooyoung so long ago. His mind can't help but wonder the dreaded 'what if?' that invades his mind when thinking about him.

"I see you have no mating mark, San... So, that means you two are not technically mates?" Dongwoo questions with a bit of confusion.

"You see, that's what I mean by our relationship is complicated..."

"So you love him, but he doesn't love you?" Dongwoo asks bluntly.

San's heart feels a sudden ache when he gets asked that question, the word 'love' seemingly causing stinging reactions all over him. No, San doesn't love Seonghwa. Not yet, anyway... But San knows that they're fated to be together. They're connected on a plain that people who don't have fated mates could never understand or relate properly to. Even though San doesn't love Seonghwa, he knows that it's still there, boiling inside him until the pot is eventually going to overflow. The longing, the yearning to be by his side, is going to continue to wreak havoc in San's soul until... Well, San doesn't know what will happen... But it can't be good for either one of them.

That's why San has to push through and try his very best. For Seonghwa, and for himself.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to strike a chord with that question," Dongwoo says after San's long lull where there should've been a reply.

"No, no... It's okay. It's just a hard question for me to find a real answer to right now. How about I let you know whenever I figure it out?" San suggests, sitting back up to look at the pair.

Dongwoo and Yeosang nod in unison, both of them looking forward to their new friend eventually getting his mate.

After some more discussion of each other's lives, the three of them shift back into their wolf form and begin to run towards Chrysalis, continuing on their journey.

Their travels go as planned for the rest of the day, but when they're only a few hours outside of Chrysalis, they run into a bit of an issue.

San, Dongwoo, and Yeosang all look at each other when they sense hostility in the area they're heading towards, sending two alphas. San catches a glance at Yeosang, knowing with bad intent lying ahead, Yeosang should stay back with his mate. San nods his head towards the area head, motioning to let the couple that he will walk in front of them to check it out.

As San inches closer, two large wolves come into view, seemingly standing off against one another. He watches the two wolves walk around in a circle growling and staring at each other. San expects what happens next, but it still makes his eyes widen when the two wolves lunge at each other. It looks like they're about to rip each other's necks out, so San rushes up to them in an attempt to stop them.

Jongho couldn't think of worse possible luck than the situation he found himself in when he figured out that Hongjoong also received a letter from Chrysalis. Nightshade's head alpha, Daesung, found the circumstance amusing and encouraged the two boys to travel together. There's no reason they wouldn't travel together, right?

Until it ultimately leads to what the two of them being together always does.

A fight.

Hongjoong can't remember what exactly prompted the standoff they're in right now, but he can't calm down this rising anger within him. Jongho always seems to make Hongjoong's blood boil. In a quick flash, Jongho and Hongjoong launch at each other.

The rivals are so caught up in each other and themselves that they don't even notice the trio of men coming upon them through the forest. There are so many intense and grueling growls coming from the opponents that they howl loudly when they're torn apart by a mysterious back-coated alpha.

San's eyes are furious as he whips his head between the two men that were once fighting.

Hongjoong is surprised to see this alpha he doesn't know come between himself and Jongho, but he's semi-glad he did. They're away from Nightshade and the last thing either of them needs is to be sent back home before they've even arrived at Chrysalis.

Jongho bears his teeth to the new alpha and to Hongjoong, still filled with anger, but his anger soon subsides when he sees another pair standing off to the side. Jongho identifies them as another alpha and an omega. The omega is buried in the alphas' arms, so Jongho's instinct is to assume they're mates.

San maintains his strong stance between the two alphas, keeping them separated from each other while they take a breather and calm down.

"Dongwoo, does everything look okay...?" Yeosang asks nervously through his and Dongwoo's pack link.

"I think it's going to be okay, Yeo. San is handling it as well as he can. Just stay here with me," Dongwoo reassures, keeping a comforting hold on his mate.

San waits for the two men to completely cool down before motioning for them both to come together.

Hongjoong and Jongho slowly take steps towards the alpha between them, not breaking their fierce gaze they both hold.

"Now look at what you've done, you hellion," Hongjoong curses through his pack link to Jongho, his top lip snarling up as the two alphas communicate.

"What I've done? What about what you've done!? I can't believe Daesung made us actually travel together. He knew what this would potentially cause," Jongho mutters.

"He's trying to make us get along, and there's honestly just no use. You'll never back down, will you?" Hongjoong pushes on, "You're such a pain in the neck sometimes, Jongho. I know you're only two years below me, but god do you act like five. Not everything has to result in a battle, don't you get it?"

"The only thing I don't get is if you think you're so much more mature than I am, then why do you always retaliate? Why do you always end up in the same position as me? It takes two to have a fight," Jongho growls.

San growls loudly as he watches the two men walk closer to one another, knowing they're speaking through a bond or a pack link. Based on their build, San assumes that they're from the same pack. Then why were they fighting like that...?

"You always bring the worst out of me, Jongho. You always have," Hongjoong says, wishing to end this conversation as soon as possible. He doesn't have to wait long before the alpha between them growls loudly.

Hongjoong and Jongho both halt where they are and break eye contact, instead, turning to look up at the wolf in the middle.

San pats the ground in one quick motion, hoping they know the signal to shift. After his action, he goes back to Dongwoo and Yeosang, lifting his head towards one of the trees to show them he is going to shift to be able to talk to the two men.

San goes behind the tree and shifts, putting on his clothes in order to greet the hostile pair properly.

Just what has he gotten himself into this time?

End of Chapter Fourteen