With the new plans decided, Wooyoung was immediately brought under everyone's wings withing BTS' pack.

When Jimin was satisfied that his burn was thoroughly coated in the burn cream, he wrapped it with a protective binding, then muttered something about finding him more appropriate clothes.

Hearing that made Wooyoung's face heat up and he was quick to pull the blanket back around him.

He'd completely forgotten he was still in the very revealing vest and low-cut jeans...

Seokjin was the first one to mention food, reminding Wooyoung that it had been well over twenty-four hours since he'd last eaten or had anything to drink.

The Beta must have sensed that too, because after he'd riffled around in some of their bags, he served Wooyoung first.

It wasn't much, although he was given more than everyone else, but the dried fruit, bread, cheese, and dried meat hit the spot perfectly.

"We didn't know what to expect, so we only ended up taking nonperishable stuff, or things we knew would be okay for a few days out of a fridge. That's the last of our cheese though." Seokjin frowned a little.

Finally Wooyoung felt like he had something he could contribute, because he perked up and said, "We will have food back at our cabin. The others participated in an event that taught them how to hunt. And we have a pond in our territory with plenty of fish!"

Seokjin's eyes lit up and he started rambling about how much he missed fishing and that Wooyoung needed to take him there as soon as possible. "You'll go with me, right Yoongi-yah??" He turned to the Alpha and batted his eyelashes rapidly.

Yoongi snorted and stuffed an entire piece of bread into his mouth to avoid answering.

"He'll go." Seokjin whispered to Wooyoung with a wink.

"So... they've been training you on how to survive out here?" Namjoon asked, redirecting the conversation back to a more serious topic.

"It's a way for us to earn points, that's something they made clear from the start. The more classes we participate in, the more we can earn. An Android even gave us some gold for how well we did, apparently. Although I can't take any credit because I wasn't allowed to participate..." Wooyoung stared into the fire so he didn't have to make eye contact anymore... he felt so ashamed of who he was here... which of course made his wolf upset with him, but he didn't care.

"Yeah, well that's complete bullshit." Jungkook said. Then he was walking over to Wooyoung and crouching in front of him.

Wooyoung leaned back a little and opened his mouth to say something, only to stop when he realized the older Omega was looking at his collar.

"What the actual fuck??" He growled, then lifted a hand to grab the tag still dangling from Wooyoung's collar. He placed his other hand on Wooyoung's shoulder, then he jerked his hand back quickly, yanking it free and snapping the ring used to hold it in place.

The younger yelped at the sudden constriction around his neck. His eyes flicked to the 'Tressor' tag that was supposed to lay claim to him and he grabbed it from Jungkook to throw it into the fire with a cry of rage.

He could feel everyone's eyes on him and had to work very hard to not pull his eyes away from the fire, even when he could feel them starting to water.

When he felt hands gently messing with the buckle keeping the collar on his neck, he turned his head and said, "Don't..."

Jungkook frowned at him. "But-"

"If we are going back, I don't know what they will do if they see I'm not wearing it..."

"He's right, Kook." Namjoon said gently. "We don't want to push things too far yet, not when we don't understand the new environment we will be going into."

"But-" Jungkook tried to say again, but one pointed look from Namjoon had him returning to the Alpha's side with a pout.

Wooyoung's gaze returned to the fire and he stood there for a long moment before deciding to go lay down next to the wall with his back to everyone.

He knew it was rude but seeing that damn tag... remembering what Nikolai and Bastian had done... it made him feel so disgusting.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset-" Jungkook started to say again, but trailed off for a reason Wooyoung didn't know. Maybe another look from his Alpha, maybe because he simply didn't know what else to say.

Whatever the reason, it caused the others to stay silent too.

Wooyoung tried to force his mind to drift elsewhere, but there was nothing he could think of that didn't lead back to the situation he found himself in currently.

If he thought of his career and his fans and his music, he was reminded that there was a chance he'd never get to do any of that again. Not in the same way at least on the miniscule chance they did escape...

If he thought of the fact that he had met, ate with, and cried on his idols, he was reminded that this only happened because they'd all been taken against their wills and brought here...

If he thought about is family and friends back home, he was reminded that there was a chance he'd never see them again and they may never know what happened to him...

If he thought of his pack... His San... he was just reminded of how much he missed them, and... how scared he was to face them again despite all that...

He didn't realize he'd started crying until a rag or scrap of cloth started dabbing at his one exposed cheek.

Wooyoung's first instinct was to try and turn away a little more... until a gentle, warm bourbon scent started to surround him.

Yoongi didn't speak, didn't try to make Wooyoung turn back around, didn't try to get him to stop. He simply sat next to him, acting as a shield, protecting Wooyoung from everything else in the world.

Trust Alpha.

Wooyoung's wolf urged gently, wanting him to relax a little and rest.

So he did, putting all his trust in the stoic guardian watching over him and allowing him to drift away into a, thankfully, dreamless sleep.

Yoongi was also the one to wake him in the morning with a gentle nudge to his shoulder. "Wooyoung-ssi? It's time to go."

The younger groaned a little and pushed himself up and rubbed his eyes. He could hear everyone moving around behind him, so he forced himself to stand so he could offer to help.

But it looked like almost everything was already done.

Several packs were resting against the cave wall and most of the members were tightening their shoelaces or zipping up jackets and hoodies.

Yoongi watched him for a few seconds, then gave a tight-lipped smile before going to join his pack.

Jimin was quick to replace him. "Here." He said, holding out a large, black hoodie. "You fell asleep before I could give this to you."

"Oh, sor-"

"Nope, don't apologize." Jimin scolded with a teasing smile. "You needed rest and you had the blanket." Then he leaned over to whisper, "Plus I don't think Mister Tough Guy would have let me wake you anyway."

Wooyoung couldn't help the small giggle that escaped him as he pulled the hoodie over his head.

Jimin was watching him with the happiest smile when he poked his head through and he paused for a second. "Wh-What?"

"You're laugh is cute." The older said, then held out a hand. "Are you ready to go home?"

The mood suddenly shifted a little and Wooyoung could feel his nerves rising.

Could he really do this?

Would... Would they accept him after...?

Jimin pulled him from his thoughts by raising his hand higher. "Everything is going to be fine, sweetie. We won't let them hurt you again."

Trust.

Wooyoung took his hand without any more hesitation and let Jimin lead him out of the cave with the rest of his pack.

True to their word, it was still very dark. And cold.

"Let's go slow. Keep on high alert." Namjoon said, hoisting his backpack a little higher and taking the lead while Yoongi stayed at the end. Jimin and Wooyoung fell into the middle of the group and the other four walked in a loose circle around them.

Wooyoung stepped a little closer to the older Omega, seeking warmth and comfort.

Their footsteps seemed so loud. Surely someone would hear them...

Trust.

"It's alright. There's been no signs of any packs in the area." Jimin said, sensing Wooyoung's growing anxiety. "And we know the way back to the courtyard."

Wooyoung looked at him with big eyes and did his best to give a confident nod.

"Will talking help you feel better?"

"Maybe?" Wooyoung answered, keeping his voice soft to indicate he didn't want them to talk very loudly.

"Well, let's try it and if it gets to be too much, then we can stop." Jimin offered. When Wooyoung didn't say anything to argue or disagree, he gave a kind smile and asked, "Do you have any questions about the change at all? You have a pool of knowledge around you now." He added, trying to tease a little.

Wooyoung knew he was right, even if the reasons why were awful. "Do you hear the... the voice too?"

"Yes." Taehyung answered. "I was actually the first one. Scared the shit out of me." He rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "But that was the only thing I got first; I was the last one to start recognizing scents."

"I was the first one for that!" Jungkook chirped, spinning around to start walking backward so he could look at Wooyoung. "That was a bit weird, and very overwhelming. Especially when Hobi-hyung's scent came in."

"Hey!" The Beta whined a little. "It's not my fault my scent matches my strong personality!"

Wooyoung extended his neck and tried to pick out Hoseok's scent. "Lemon pepper?" He asked after a few seconds.

"That's what it's called!" Seokjin exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "I knew it was a spice, but I could not remember the name of it for the life of me!"

"We've just been saying he's got a spicy citrus scent." Jimin sighed and shook his head. "For whatever reason, no one could put a better name to it."

"It's not exactly a common spice." Yoongi muttered from behind them.

"Yah! Why do you always have to nitpick at everything I say!" Jimin looked over his shoulder and scowled at the Alpha.

Wooyoung didn't have to look to know what silent conversation was exchanged. Not when he was suddenly overwhelmed with super fragrant roses and luxurious bourbon.

He cleared his throat and tried to think of another question. "You said the Alphas have ruts. What is that?"

No one answered right away, though Namjoon started counting on his fingers. "I suppose it is still a little early for that to happen. But it's hard to say because the serum they used might be a little different."

"Well, it has to be since they were assigned their subgenders, right?" Seokjin asked.

"Wait... You weren't?" Wooyoung looked at Jimin, who made a face somewhere between a pout and a frown.

"No. So either they picked for us or the serum picked." He answered.

"Whoever made the decision needs to seriously re-evaluate their brains because I am not an Omega." Jungkook huffed. "I should have been an Alpha!"

Taehyung instantly broke out in a smile and pinched the younger's cheeks. "Aish, not this again. You are too cute to be an Alpha, baby."

"Hyuuuuung." Jungkook pushed him away and started walking faster.

The Beta just laughed and ran forward so he could jump on Jungkook's back, who caught him and help him up easily. "Besides, if you were an Alpha, then you wouldn't have been able to live out your fantasy of having Namjoon-ah fucking you silly."

An embarrassed squeak came from Jungkook and he let go of Taehyung, letting the older fall to the ground while every else laughed.

Wooyoung just watched, still a little mystified that he was still lucky enough to simply be in their presence.

"To answer your question," Jimin said when he'd finally stopped laughing after helping Taehyung up, "Ruts are an Alpha's equivalent to our heats, but for them it can trigger their protective or angry sides. They also need to knot someone, or several someone's, for it to pass. It's honestly pretty brutal."

"What... What is going through a heat like for you?" Wooyoung couldn't bring himself to look at Jimin when he asked. No matter how easily and comfortably the others answered, he still felt his embarrassment meter rising. "I've only had the one and I barely remember it..."

"My first one was pretty back, so was Kookie's, but only because we still didn't know what was happening. Plus we spent them alone while still trapped in the individual rooms."

Wooyoung's head snapped over at that and he gasped. "What?"

"Yeah." Jimin shrugged, then pulled Wooyoung out of the way before he tripped on a small, fallen log. "But the first one with our Alphas just felt right. And I don't know how, but Jungkook and I are pretty much synced up, so when one of us goes into heat, the other one will only be a day behind."

"That's how we ended up breaking down the 'relationship barrier'." Hoseok said, using air quotes at the same time. "Having two Omegas in heat was too much for Namjoonie and Yoongi-yah, so the rest of us stepped in to help."

"It didn't satisfy our needs in quite the same way," Jimin gave his best friend a very fond look, which was returned with a sheepish, boxy smile, "but it still helped ease the pain enough until our Alphas were ready again.

"And we did the same thing with ruts." Seokjin bent over and picked a stick up, twirling it in his hands and admiring the leaves. "When Jimin-ah or Kook-ah needed a break, we'd do what we could to satisfy our Alphas."

"That's what it means to be a pack." Yoongi's voice was low, like he didn't want to admit that, but there was a hint of something else within his tone. "We were already here for each other for everything, now that bond has just been strengthened. We are a family that can never be ripped apart."

Even Wooyoung could feel the pride that flowed through the pack.

He let them enjoy their moment while staring at the ground in front of him, his own thoughts starting to race.

Would his pack feel that way too?

Already four of them had broken that barrier because they were forced to, but would the others?

Part of him honestly... hoped they would.

His love for San would always be above anything else. That red thread tying them together was something that would never break. Wooyoung would follow him anywhere, even if San decided he didn't want him anymore. He'd always stay close to his San to make sure that he was happy and loved... even from a distance.

But it was no secret that he had deep affection for the rest of his pack too. They were his found family, and he loved them so dearly.

Seeing BTS act the way they do, so open and loving and affectionate... It's all he's ever wanted but he's always worked so hard to not push boundaries too much.

He knew he could be a bit much sometimes... He could tell when the others just didn't want to deal with him or be smothered by his love, so he did his best to keep it contained, even if it meant he felt a little lonely or neglected. He would do that for them.

"Hey." Jimin's sweet voice coaxed him back to the present and Wooyoung looked at him with wide eyes. "We lost you there for a moment. Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Wooyoung gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Just nervous..."

"To go back? Why?"

Wooyoung looked down again. "What if this change has changed them too much? There was one point in time at the beginning that they didn't like me... I was the eighth member nobody wanted. What if these few days apart... they've bonded like you guys have and I don't... fit anymore."

The question sounded so foolish even as his lips formed the words. Even his wolf tried to tell him that was ridiculous. He's seen how upset Jongho and Yeosang had been during the pack meeting.

But that little seed of doubt just wouldn't stop growing.

"Oh, honey." Jimin stopped walking so he could face the younger directly, grabbing both of his shoulders. "I highly doubt that is true. And if it is, then they are complete idiots and you will just stay with us." His tone left no room for argument, but it meant everything to Wooyoung.

Tears came to his eyes and soon he was hugging Jimin just as tightly as Jimin was hugging him.

"See?" He heard Jungkook whisper to someone. "New baby."

Wooyoung felt Jimin's lips curl in a smile against his neck, causing him to blush just a little.

After a few more seconds, Namjoon gently urged that they should keep moving.

They walked without peaking after that, carefully picking their way through the trees. It was almost peaceful... The sounds beneath their feet shifting from the sharp snaps of pine needles to the soft crunches of leaves, the wind whispering its way through the branches above their heads, the melodic mixture of birdsong and other animals going about their lives.

And the ambiance only grew as the sun slowly began to illuminate the area around them.

Wooyoung took some time to observe the way his idols behaved, how the change had shifted the way they moved or responded to things.

Being idols, they already had a magical grace about them, whether fluid and beautiful like Jimin or powerful and intimidating like Namjoon.

But now, they all seemed to move with this extra... something that Wooyoung couldn't describe. There was no uncertainty in anything they did, no hesitation, just pure confidence. If a new sound entered the area, they would all turn their heads at the same time to listen, trying to determine if it was a threat.

The biggest thing he noticed, though, was how they moved as one.

"We are almost there." Namjoon held up a hand so they all would stop and he turned to Wooyoung. "Do you recognize the area?"

The young Omega blinked a couple of times, realizing he hadn't even been paying attention to their surrounding like he should have been.

He took a second to look around, then gasped when he saw the path they would take. "There!" He started moving without thinking, and soon he was the one dragging Jimin behind him.

The rest of BTS tensed for just a second before moving in closer to surround him.

He knew they needed to be careful about others seeing them since he had no tag and no one else had identifiers, but he couldn't bring himself to slow down.

Not now.

Not when they were so close.

Wooyoung didn't know how, but he could tell the second they crossed into his pack's territory. That's when he let himself go, calling out in a very uncharacteristically animalistic way, shifting between an almost howl and just calling out.

He dropped Jimin's hand for the first time and ran faster, out pacing most of them and ignoring their cries to stop.

Only Jungkook was able to keep up with him, staying close to his side, but that didn't matter.

Because the next time he called out, another call answered him.

As soon as the cabin came into view, Wooyoung started bawling so hard, he almost couldn't see.

San was running down the stairs of the deck.

San was hurdling toward him.

San.

They slammed into each other so hard, the world seemed to tremble beneath them as the momentum sent them spinning in a circle.

If Wooyoung to meld himself as one with San in that moment, he would. Simply hugging him didn't feel like enough.

Ugly sobs were the only sound either one of them could make as they spun a few more times, then fell to the ground.

Cherry blossom and lilac scents mixed together as if the petals were dancing in the air above them.

And still it almost didn't feel real...

Even as he felt San's nails digging into his back, San's teeth grazing over his neck, San's lips pressed against his own.

They'd never kissed in public before, but Wooyoung would have done the same thing after another minute because simply needed to.

Fireworks. Explosions. Pure euphoria.

It all rushed over Wooyoung, that, and more.

There was something different about this kiss that he couldn't explain, something powerful, but maybe it was just because of the reunion.

Whatever it was, he didn't care.

Not when San's hand grabbed the back of his head to keep him close, their tongues taking more and more and more.

The only reason Wooyoung allowed the kiss to end was because he started to smell charcoal.

He pulled away just in time to see Jongho throwing himself onto his knees and pulling Wooyoung into a fierce hug.

Alpha.

Wooyoung's sobs returned and he pressed his nose into Jongho's neck. "A-A-A-Al-"

"Shhhhh." Jongho held onto him as hard as he could. "You're home. You're safe."

Soon everyone else was there, all of them reaching out to touch him or kiss him or hug him.

But no one as much as San. He never strayed more than a few inches away from Wooyoung, and only so that someone else could greet him.

"No, I'm not leaving him!"

Wooyoung froze when heard the odd voice out and he pulled away from where he'd been cradled against Mingi's chest.

He looked behind him and saw Namjoon's arm outstretched as he tried to gently pull Jimin away.

That's when several gasps came from around him and, despite the tears still staining his face. "Guys, meet my saviors."

"No. Fucking. Way." Hongjoong whispered.

Namjoon pulled his arm back, then rubbed the back of his neck. "Um. Yeah..." He said, almost bashfully. "I suppose we have a lot to talk about."