I need to make an excuse to be alone for a minute. "I need to go to the bathroom." Alpha looks up. "There's a bathroom right there." He points to the door on my left. He helps me down from the bed and walks me over to the bathroom. I go inside and lock the door. I feel around in my back pocket. My room key. I take it out and look at it.

The mark.

For the first time, I fully notice the letters engraved into the leaf of the flower.

'CB'.

The 'C' obviously stands for Chanyeol. It's his mark after all.

What does 'CB' mean? And more importantly, why do I have a room key with his mark on it in my back pocket? Where's my room key?

I unlock the door and walk back into the room. Alpha looks up from his phone. I look at his phone case. It has the same marking, but I recognize my script that wrote the initials into the foliage. In fact, I recognize traces of myself in the key I have. From the round shape of the leaf to the petal of the rose that trails off rather then just ends.

What did I do? Painting keys with his mark and designing a phone case for him? I was obviously close to him. He's hiding something.

"Alpha Chanyeol." My voice rings out in the room, authoritative. Alpha looks at me and narrows his eyes. I don't back down. I shove the key into his hands. "What was this doing in my pocket?"

Alpha smiles at the key. "I'll tell you. But, you have to come with me. We're going out into the forest."

I raise an eyebrow. I didn't expect him to tell me so easily. What do I have to loose? "Am I allowed?"

Alpha gives the key back. "I'm sure Medic Yixing will make an exception."

"Fine."

***

We exit the pack house and Alpha drags me to a rock formation not far off. It looks recently maintained—with a springy bed of pine and lack of unsettled dust. A cool breeze ruffles the leaf litter, causing them to dance in the wind. Alpha herds me inside a cleft between two rocks, the shelter above us blocking the sun. I lie down on my stomach and trace patterns on the ground. "Alpha? What was the point of bringing me here?"

I look at him, and he has tears in his eyes. "Alpha?"

He wipes some of the moisture away. "I'm no alpha." He shakily mumbles. "I can't even keep my own mate safe. I harmed him. I almost killed him once! What kind of alpha am I if I can't even keep one wolf safe? Let alone an entire pack!" He raises his voice, yelling at nothing in particular. "I'm such a fool. Such an idiotic fool." His voice goes dim. "And I though coming back to this place would make it easier!"

I sit up, alarmed. "Alpha?" He falls backwards, defeated. I catch him before he can hit the ground. "Where is all of this coming from? You know you are a strong leader, and I have no doubt that you treat your mate with the uttermost kindness." I can't believe I'm saying this to him, but I push back the doubts. I put his head in my lap and caress his face delicately. "Alpha, why are you doubting yourself now?"

He closes his eyes. "Because I let you down, Baekhyun. I failed you."

I gently wipe away some of the tears that had spilled. "I promise, you never harmed me at all." He gets up and pulls out his phone, unlocking it and sifting through photos, looking for something. I'm surprised at the photo he shows me. It's his mark, but it's not on him, the skin's too pale to be him. But I'd recognize the scar in the photo anywhere. It's tiny, right above the initials, but it's there. "Alpha, is tha-"

He cuts me off. "Call me Chanyeol. I don't think I could stand it if you called me Alpha again." He puts my face in his neck, right next to his mark. "Do you not understand the initials Baekhyun?" He turns my head, pulling out his key and tuning around his phone. "Do you not see who painted the roses?" I looks at me, square in the eyes. "Did you forget my description of my mate? Soft golden brown hair, deep chocolate eyes." He cards through my hair and traces his thumbs along the bottom of my eyes. "Do you not recognize this place? At all? Do you not recognize us?"

"B-But I t-thought," I stumble through my words, too overwhelmed by realization.

Chanyeol doesn't give me a chance to finish. His lips are already on mine. "It's you," he murmurs through the kiss. "It's always been you. And it always will be." He pulls away. "Let me mark you again. Please." He pleads with me, his voice raw with emotion. "I need you to remember. Trust me."

I let him, and it burns like fire, but I stick through it. Chanyeol murmurs apology after apology as his canines sink into my skin. He pulls out, and I fall limp into his arms, exhausted by pain. My eyes close, and I hear Chanyeol call out to me. "Baekhyun? Baekhyun? Are you okay?"

I weakly grab at his jacket. "I'm fine, just let me rest for a bit." He sits me up against his chest and wraps his arms around me, supporting my frame. I feel my mark reappear and my vision clouds, a flash of white light blasts through and a thousand memories play in my head. When I open my eyes, the cave we're in suddenly holds a lot more value. "Yeol?"

Chanyeol kisses the top of my head. "I've missed you."

I tug at one of his ears. "I've missed being close to you like this."

Chanyeol swats my hand. "Hey! Don't pull on my ears. They stick out enough as it is."

I pout. "But it's cute. Plus, your reaction's funny."

Chanyeol gives me a lopsided smile. "Only you would think my ears are cute. The others just like to poke fun at me about it."

"What else are friends for?"

"Are you indirectly stating that you aren't my friend?" Chanyeol runs his fingers along my jawline.

"Of course. I'm your mate. That's on a different level all together."

"Yes, yes it is." He gives me a peck on the cheek. I take out my phone and snap a photo.

I quickly send the picture to the ranked wolves and Medic Yixing. I caption it:

'It's nice to remember again.'

***

When we get back, we're instantly smothered in hugs. Medic Yixing smiles knowingly and pulls Chanyeol away for a minute. Out of the others, Kyungsoo is definitely the most excited. "You're back! You're back! Guys, he's back! We've missed you!"

He would have probably yelled it out to the world if Beta Jongin didn't pull him away. "Yes Kyungie, we know he's back. But I bet he doesn't want his ears blasted out by you."

I smile gratefully. "Yeah, I'd rather keep my hearing, thank you very much."

Chanyeol comes back in time to hear my last few words. "Was Kyungsoo bothering you?" He kisses my forehead.

Before I can answer, Sehun interrupts. "Normally, I would say no to PDA but since this is a special case, I'll allow it. Don't push it."

Chanyeol looks up and slowly sighs. "Great. Why are you wolves my friends again?"

Beta Jongin makes a heart with his fingers. "You know you love us." This causes all of us to laugh.

"Yes," Chanyeol concedes, "Yes we do." He places a hand on my shoulder and whispers in my ear, "but I love you more."

- § -

Who can guess where the picture of Baekhyun's mark came from? :D

Should I end it here? <3

022017