"Interesting."

"What is it, Madame?"

The woman leans forward, a smirk twisting her red lips, as she studies one of the packs that has caught her eye. "The Alphas aren't taking the bait yet. It appears they are fighting their instincts, like the serum hasn't fully taken over yet."

She looks over at another screen where a man has a woman from is pack pinned underneath him and is furiously fucking into her. Next to it, a screen shows to women tangled together in a bed.

"Others seem to be doing just fine." A man says, taking notes on a clipboard. "Everyone seems to be developing at their pace."

"I suppose that is to be expected." The woman hums, eyes still focused on the screen where one Omega was trying to comfort the other. She pressed a button directly below the screen and the imaged flicked to that packs living room where the two alphas were talking to each other. "Don't worry, you'll take the bait soon. I can promise you that."

A door slides open behind her, and she turns to see one of her lead scientists walk in. "Madame." He says with a nod of his head.

"Well?"

"Pack One has not shown any changes or regression. They are still as strong and fit as when they first changed."

"And their behavior?"

The lead scientist gives a proud smile. "It's everything we've hoped for. Their bonds seem even stronger, and they have been following the hierarchy."

"Excellent. Keep a close eye on them. One of our primary missions moving forward needs to be studying the differences between their behavior and the behavior of the other packs, taking into consideration the sort of bonds the packs had before the change took place."

"Yes, Madame Curator." Several people answered at once.

The woman turns back to the wall of screens. "How is the bidding?"

"Going through the roof now that heats are starting."

Her cherry lips curve into a satisfied smile.

"I know this is hard to understand, but if this is really what's happening, he needs you guys." Yeosang started pleading as soon as he stepped into the living room.

Jongho clenched his jaw and glared at him. "Do you have any idea what you're asking us to do?"

"Of course I do, Jongho." Yeosang froze and his body stiffened with silent anger. His voice deepened, showing how serious he really was. "I of all people know how dangerous this request is. And you should know that I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was necessary. Especially concerning Wooyoung."

Hearing that made Jongho frown a little, but he didn't back down. He wouldn't. "Fine. I'll give you that, but- "

"We can't do that to San either!" Mingi said from where he was pacing along the side of the room.

Jongho saw the worry flicker across Yeosang's face for just a second before he regained his composure. "You're going to have to do the same with San eventually."

Mingi froze mid-step, as if hearing that shut down his ability to do anything.

Maybe he hadn't realized that was a possibility too, but Jongho had...

He knew the second Yeosang had finished, and he stormed out of the room, his heart racing.

But he hadn't fled in fear. Not fully at least...

He'd run from the room because he was ready to pounce on Wooyoung at any moment. Everything in him screamed for him to claim the Omega calling to him from that bed.

It had been so hard, but Jongho used every ounce of his will to leave, because he knew there was no turning back if he went forward with what Yeosang was suggesting... with what a very large, new part of him wanted.

That's what terrified him.

"Are you fucking insane?!" Mingi practically roared.

"I KNOW I AM!" Yeosang yelled back. "But what else are we supposed to do?!"

"Forfeit!"

Mingi's words shattered the tension and they all looked at each other with disbelief.

"You heard me!" Mingi threw his hands up and fell with a huff onto one of the couches, sitting so hard that it moved back a few inches. His hands fisted his hair and he let out a shuddering breath. "What you're asking... I... I can't... We've never..."

A wail came from upstairs and Jongho's head whipped in that direction, something inside him tugging on him to go.

As if by some miracle, the door opened a few minutes later and the rest of their pack came through with wide smiles, which faltered the instant they sensed the distress coming from the others.

"What's wrong?" Hongjoong asked, setting down the leather bag in his hand, which clinked on the table.

Seonghwa stayed next to him while Yunho went over to sit next to Mingi, a hand moving to his arm to try and comfort him. "Min?"

The younger wouldn't look at him, just shaking his head slightly.

Yeosang licked his lips, then started explaining what he believed needed to happen.

All three of the newcomer's eyes grew wide the longer he spoke. Mingi's leg started to bounce.

And Jongho... He felt a restlessness inside him that just kept growing and growing and he didn't know what to make of it.

They all looked to Hongjoong, though, when Yeosang was done, needing the advice of their captain. Even Jongho.

And Hongjoong was just standing there, eyes fixated on something in front of him as he worked out the problem in his mind.

The seconds passed by feeling like hours.

Until Hongjoong said something that change everything.

"Yeosang is right."

Even Mingi looked up now, utter shock written on his face.

Hongjoong kept his eyes down and started chewing on his lower lip. "I've noticed changes too, and this place... there's much more going on than they let on when we got here. And something in my gut tells me that if we don't play their game, we won't be able to go home."

"I've been worried about that too." Seonghwa admitted softly. "But we signed a contract. They have to let us go if we ask, right?"

"I'd like to think so, but my gut tells me we are safer staying here and working together." Hongjoong gave a short, sharp sigh, then looked at Mingi and Jongho. "Well?"

Mingi's face twisted in pain and let out a strangled sound. "H-Hyung..."

Then Yunho squeezed his arm. "Min, it's okay." Even though there was pain in his eyes, he gave a small smile to try and reassure him. "We are a team. We've helped each other in the past."

"But not like this."

Yunho's smile faltered a little as he nodded, but he did his best to sit up a little straighter. "I know. But... If we really are changing, then we are a pack now. And I've seen your instincts taking over. We need to take care of each other."

Mingi looked like he was about to cry, his eyes glistening with mixed emotions. "How are you handling this so well?" He asked, voice hoarse and thick.

"Because," Yunho said, voice just as soft, "I know your heart, Mingi. And I love everyone in this house. I think all of us would do the same for each other if roles were reversed, once we all come to grips with it."

Seonghwa and Yeosang exchanged a quick glance, then the older moved closer to Hongjoong. "Are you sure about this?"

"No." Hongjoong looked up at him and sighed. "But I'm not sure what else to do. And you saw that other pack by the last item. It looked like their Omega had the same symptoms as Wooyoung."

"And Hwanwoong didn't look the best either when we parted ways..." Seonghwa looked at the floor and sighed. "So, what... Are we saying that we are all basically going to enter an open relationship? Because if Yeosang really is right... Won't this be something that occurs frequently?"

"That..." Yeosang pursed his lips. "And ruts for Mingi and Jongho."

Yunho was the only one to really react to that statement, visibly paling where he sat. "Which can be bad if this is truly like the stories."

Yeosang nodded, a grim look on his face.

"Bad how? Maybe you two should elaborate on this a little more since you seem to know so much about it." Hongjoong crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow.

Both Yeosang and Yunho shrank into themselves with bashful looks, then Yunho motioned for Yeosang to continue.

The younger rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine, since I've had to say everything else." He took another deep breath. "Basically, for Alphas and Omegas, their ruts and heats are a biological thing that turn them into sex crazed maniacs where they either need to knot someone or be knotted. Betas can help both sides, but they aren't physically capable of fully helping either side since they don't typically have a knot and they can't produce slick. Everyone tends to write it differently, but the most common theme is that an Omega's heat is the best time to get..." He blanched and his eyes grew wide when they locked with Yunho's, who looked equally scared.

"Get what?" Mingi choked out.

"Knots? Slick??" Hongjoong said at the same time.

Yeosang cringed and closed his eyes. "Please don't make me say more... This is uncomfortable enough as it is..."

Seonghwa gave him a slightly sympathetic look. "So... If we try to interpret it very loosely and it a way that makes it easier for us to talk about, it's... sort of a way for packs to get closer and bond, yes?"

"Yes." Yunho said. He visibly relaxed and nodded. "I like that. Pack bonding."

"And it sounds like it's going to be an instinctual thing, right?"

"Most likely, if this ends up progressing like Yeosang thinks." Yunho glanced at Mingi, who then let out a low growl.

Jongho growled as well, hungry and possessive, when the scent of lilac filled the cabin.

Both of them glanced at the stairs, pupils dilated, and nostrils flared.

"A perfect example." He thought he heard Yeosang say, but all sound was starting to grow fuzzy and muffled in his ears.

"I don't like this..."

"Neither do I, especially when we can't talk about it all together."

"I don't think there's any stopping it now."

"What are we supposed to do?"

"Things could get a lot worse if we try to fight it."

"So... We just trust whatever these new instincts are?"

"I'm not sure what else we can do."

A wail came from the floor above and Mingi rose from the couch while Jongho took two steps forward.

Then, San came halfway down the stairs, looking very flushed and defeated. "Please, I... I can't h-help him." He said with such a tiny voice.

Jongho immediately started walking toward the stairs, then paused when Mingi did the same.

They faced each other and tensed...

"Alright, none of that." Yeosang hurried forward and stood between them, placing a hand on both their chests. "I get that you are both in overdrive, but you are going to regret it if you fight each other. I don't know how this will work, and again everyone wrote things differently, but there's a chance he may need you both since we are a pack."

Jongho trembled a little and did his best to fight a snarl. He didn't want to share.

He could take care of his Omegas just fine.

San's soft voice drew him out of that suddenly hostile headspace when he started speaking again. "I don't want to cause issues... but he... he asked for Jongho..."

Yeosang nodded, his hands still in contact with both Alphas. "Honestly I was going to suggest Jongho go first anyway because he is our Head Alpha." He turned to look at each Alpha one at a time. "Can you both accept this?"

A few tense seconds passed, then Mingi relaxed and took a step back. "Yes." His eyes flicked in Yunho's direction before they closed, and he breathed in deeply through his nose.

Jongho took a second to do that same, out of respect for his hyung and to also try and collect himself. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me, Hyung."

Mingi's wonderfully playful smile broke all tension in the room, and he pulled the younger into a big hug. "It's the same thing that's wrong with all of us, so don't apologize. But I'm sorry too."

Despite not liking physical touch, Jongho found himself leaning into the taller.

When they broke apart, Mingi gently jerked his head toward the stairs and moved to sit next to Yunho once more.

Jongho glanced at the rest of his pack and tried to not let their worried faces freak him out more than he already was.

The last one he saw was Yeosang, who gave him a firm nod. "I wish I had better advice for you, but in this instance, I think the best thing to do will be to trust your instincts."

"Thanks, Hyung." Jongho said, then he made his way toward the stairs.

San gave him a grim smile. He was starting to look more and more like Wooyoung, flushed cheeks, pale skin, sweaty forehead, but he didn't seem like he was in pain yet.

They both went up the stairs and toward Mingi and Wooyoung's room, but Jongho stopped him with a touch on his arm. "Are you okay?" He asked, hoping San got the meaning that he was wanting to know about several things at once.

The older turned his head slightly, not fully looking over his shoulder. "I don't know, Jongie. But I need him to be okay."

Jongho understood, even as guilt started to rise within him.

But so did something else when he inhaled again and was surrounded by the scent of lilac so thick, he could almost see it swirling in the air around them.

Even so, he grabbed San's hand to give it a gentle squeeze. The older looked to be on the verge of tears. "Hyung..."

San wouldn't look at him. He just motioned to the door, then went to lean against the opposite wall. "I'll... I'll go downstairs in a moment."

All Jongho could do was nod.

He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he turned toward the door.

On the other side was a life changing event. Part of him wanted to run away again, knowing the consequences of it could be severe. But a larger part of him, something deep within, begged him to turn the door handle and step inside.

Your Omega needs you. It seemed to say.

The voice in his head won, erasing all other thoughts.

Jongho knew what he needed to do.

So, with one final breath, he turned the handle, and stepped into the room.