Something about you (PT1)
*pairing: pervy wolf hybrid Jake x human student girl
*trope: popular playboy x nerdy girl-tutoring
*inspiration: off campus book 1
*synopsis: Jake only had one problem: History. He's always been good at any subject, especially since balancing being the captain of the football team and studying engineering is no walk in the park, but his lack of history could compromise everything, and when he saw a girl holding the text with the word 100 written on it, he realized that you could be his only chance of getting through that damned subject.
But what would it sweat if tutor sessions began to become moments where he could be himself, where you began to open up after a long time to a person and discover that jake wasn't as much of a womanizer and you weren't as broken as you thought you were?
*tags: Jake is a playboy at first but after a while you arouse his curiosity, Y/n at first is skeptical of letting Jake into her life, Y/n suffered violence in high school (I won't write anything about this act also because my stories have to be a fun) many kisses, Jake is a wolf hybrid and little by little he will become territorial but also clingy with Y/n, Y/n thinks she's broken but Jake will trust her both intimately and physically, visual masturbation, protected sex, unprotected sex (dont' horny ppl) knotting, jealousy, possession, sucking to claim Y/n, declaration, +18, little bit angst, pet names (jakey) (baby, sweetheart)
banner by: @eightnyn *wc: 37k
The Contemporary History classroom was packed with students, and Jake was there, neither at the front nor at the back, but right in the middle, where he could observe everyone.
His knee wouldn’t stop bouncing with anxiety, his wolf ears were perked up, and his tail, just like his knee, twitched with every breath he took and you’re probably wondering: ears and a tail? Well, yes—he was a hybrid, specifically a wolf hybrid. For decades now, humans had shared everything with hybrids: from everyday jobs to school lessons, from apartments to entire neighborhoods where humans and hybrids lived side by side without resistance. Mixed couples were even trendy by now—no, more than trendy, they were fully accepted in society, especially in big cities. You could see them everywhere: in malls, restaurants, or parks, with hybrid children, kids with rabbit ears or fox tails playing alongside human ones and that sight warmed Jake’s heart more than anything, because hybrids had endured so much racial discrimination and persecution but finally, things were changing, and he had played a small part in that revolution.
In that classroom, humans were still the majority, but that was normal, especially at the university, where hybrids like him had only been admitted a few years earlier. Jake, however, was an exception: about a year ago, he’d been elected captain of the soccer team, the first hybrid to ever hold that position. Thanks to him, the number of hybrids in both recreational and competitive sports had risen. One of his best friends, Heeseung a hamster hybrid had even followed in his footsteps and become captain of the basketball team.
But back to the present: Jake was in that half-anxious state because the professor was handing back the history exams. Let’s just say that, as an engineering student, he didn’t care much for the subject—especially since it was just an elective. But it carried a lot of credits, and the reason he disliked it was simple: his engineer’s mind thrived on logic, formulas, structural calculations, and precise physical dynamics things with no room for interpretation. History, with all its dates, nuanced socio-political contexts, and long texts to memorize, just felt like a waste of time to him… even if he did find the revolutions between humans and hybrids fascinating.
Still, he needed to pass all his classes to stay captain of the university team and to catch the attention of scouts from the big professional leagues, who didn’t tolerate academic slippage. He had to be the perfect student and the perfect player. So when the professor approached his desk, her expression was almost apologetic, as if she knew the potential of the young man in front of her. Jake did have excellent grades in every subject… except hers.
The test paper slid across the wooden desk, and at the top—circled in red marker (a color that, unfortunately for him, was not in his pendant) was a glaring 45 out of 100 and to make matters worse, it wasn’t even close to passing.
The professor peered at him over her glasses and said, “Jake, I hope for your sake that next time you at least manage a basic passing grade. Otherwise, I’ll have to report this to Coach, and we all know how strict Coach Smith is about academic performance.”
He nodded, and his tail suddenly stopped moving, drooping down and tucking itself under the chair. He nearly slumped over his desk, staring at that disastrous grade. His right hand fidgeted nervously through his soft hair, right at the base of his tense ears, as if trying to ease the tension. He sighed heavily, racking his brain for solutions but there were none. All his closest friends were in different majors, and if he didn’t find a fix fast, his soccer dream would be over before it even began.
Unbeknownst to him, just a few rows away sat a girl twirling her pen, completely unbothered about her history test grade. She watched the professor intently as she moved between the desks, papers in hand.
Suddenly, you felt a sharp elbow nudge from your best friend. “Stop staring at the professor!” Allie hissed. “She probably saved your test for last, one of the first three she’s handing out just so she can praise you in front of everyone. We all know you’re the biggest nerd in here.”
You rolled your eyes, exasperated but amused, as Allie sat there sipping her fruit smoothie her latest attempt at this “fructarian” diet, while her own test, a modest but honest 70, lay forgotten beside her. With absolute nonchalance, she scrolled through an online sexy shop store, browsing through undeniably sexy sets at prices that would make any other girl’s wallet tremble...but not hers.
“Stop looking at your phone,” you whispered back, giving her a light shove. “If the professor saw you scrolling through a sex shop right now, she’d have a heart attack. I bet she doesn’t even know the difference between a thong and a Brazilian.”
Allie let out a snort, nearly spitting her drink all over the guy in front of her. She slammed her phone down on the desk just in time, because the professor finally stopped in front of you, her face breaking into a full, thirty-two-tooth grin.
“Y/n, I’m not even surprised anymore,” she said. “But you know I struggle to give out perfect scores. Still, this last test of yours on the Cold War and the geopolitical dynamics of the Soviet bloc… it’s simply flawless. The knowledge you’ve shown, the historical interpretations, even the extra research you included on the Cuban Missile Crisis...it’s all perfect. I’m so proud to have you in my class. It’s a shame you’re not majoring in history, because if you were, you’d be unstoppable.”
You smiled, thinking about how everyone had always told you to study history or political science but your love for music was stronger. “Well, it’s my job to study, get good grades, and give it my all especially in history, since you know it’s one of my favorite subjects,” you said shyly, feeling the eyes of half the class turn toward you.
Then the paper slid onto your desk, revealing a bold, perfect 100 in red ink. Allie, ever the dramatic one, blurted out way too loudly: “Holy shit, you actually got a 100?! We studied together the whole time...how the hell did I only get a 70? Okay, I’m not complaining, but damn, Y/n!” She stared at you, eyes wide, lower lip jutting out like a wounded puppy. You shrugged, suddenly self-conscious under all the attention, and tried to cover the test with your hands but Allie was faster—she snatched it right out from under you, held it up to her face, and before you could protest, she’d already pulled out her phone, snapped a crystal-clear photo of the red 100, and sent it to your friend group chat, roasting you for being such a nerd.
Your phone buzzed nonstop with the incoming messages from your friends, all teasing you affectionately. Meanwhile, a few rows back, a pair of wolf ears suddenly perked up, drawn by the noise and the word “100.” Who the hell had gotten a 100? It was practically impossible in an elective class. His amber eyes locked onto your back, and in that moment, he realized he’d just found his only lifeline to passing Contemporary History.
Jake couldn’t look away. Not even when the bell rang, signaling freedom. His mind was consumed by a single thought: He had never seen anyone get a perfect score in his entire university career and when he saw you stand up, followed by the blonde girl he assumed was your best friend, his instincts flared to life. The wolf in him, the one that drove him to chase, to track down what was vital for his survival (or in this case, his scholarship) awoke with a jolt. Because let’s be real: in his life, there was only room for one thing: Soccer
And at the thought, a surge of adrenaline shot down his spine, making his ears snap forward and his tail muscles twitch back to life, swinging wildly with excitement at the idea of meeting you.
He shot to his feet, shoving his notebook haphazardly into his bag without even zipping it shut. Weaving through the maze of wooden desks, he spotted you stepping into the university’s main atrium. Jake quickened his pace, using his athlete’s stride, until he was just a few steps behind you, right in the middle of the chaos: students switching classes, others heading to the campus bars.
“Hey, Chloe!” he called out, loud enough to be heard, throwing out a random name he’d picked up somewhere in the classroom. The truth was, he had no idea what your name actually was and, honestly, he’d never seen you at one of his famous Friday night parties, nor cheering from the stands during league matches. That fact unsettled him a little… but it also piqued his curiosity.
Of course, you didn’t turn around, because, obviously, your name wasn’t Chloe. You just kept walking and talking to Allie. But Jake wasn’t about to give up. He took two quick steps forward and tried again, this time stretching out a hand to intercept you.
“Hey, Chloe! I’m talking to you!” he said, a little louder this time.
Finally, you spun around. And that was the moment Jake saw you up close for the first time, no filters, no distance of desks between you. A lightning-fast thought shot through his mind: Damn. Not only is she a terrifyingly smart nerd, but she’s also ridiculously cute. He took in your eyes, framed by a faint shadow of annoyance, as they swept over him from head to toe, far from impressed by the figure smiling at you.
“You mean me?” you asked, pointing at your chest with one finger, while Allie stopped beside you, staring at him in confusion.
“Yeah, you,” Jake confirmed.
You rolled your eyes. “Well, for starters, my name is Y/n. Not Chloe… you weren’t even close.” You looked at him bluntly, and at those words, Jake’s wolf ears drooped slightly, flattening against his soft hair in embarrassment. Before he could apologize or come up with one of his usual ready-made excuses, a sharp, ironic voice cut in from beside you.
“Jake Sim is seriously talking to Y/n? What’s this, did you come here to ask for more signatures to sponsor your precious soccer team? Or were you sent by your little basketball buddy, Heeseung, to do his dirty work? Because if you’re here for charity signatures, we’re not interested. The university’s already cutting tons of funding from both the theater and music majors because of you and your best friend,” Allie said, her expression dripping with disdain.
Jake’s head snapped toward the blonde, annoyed by the intrusion but forcing himself to keep his cool. “No,” he replied, straightening up and turning back to you, locking his eyes onto yours. “I’m here because I need to talk to Y/n. About something important.”
At his direct statement, you instinctively crossed your arms over your chest, pressing them tightly as if creating an invisible shield between you and him, a gesture born from deep insecurity and the trauma you still carried inside. The sudden movement didn’t go unnoticed by the hybrid in front of you.
Jake distinctly felt your heartbeat speed up. At the same time, his nose picked up the sudden shift in your scent: the clean aroma of your skin was abruptly overpowered by a sharp, acidic trail, the unmistakable feromone signature of discomfort, mixed with a warm, suffocating note of pure embarrassment. The unwanted attention and physical proximity of an alpha male, especially one like him, had triggered it.
He ran a hand through his brown hair, furrowing his brow deeply as he studied your reaction with a mix of perplexity and concern. His wolf side picked up on your distress like an alarm signal. Why does my mere presence make her feel so threatened or uncomfortable? He wondered. Usually, girls fell over themselves to get a word or a glance from him.
You looked first at Allie, then back at Jake, eager to end this situation as quickly as possible and head to the café for your caramel macchiato in peace.
“Allie, wait for me at the usual faculty café. This’ll take two minutes,” you said with a smile to your best friend. Allie eyed Jake with suspicion, weighing whether to leave you alone or not, then slowly nodded. “Fine, I’ll get your usual,” she said, but as she walked away, turning her back on you, she shot Jake a final, fierce warning glance, one that carried a crystal-clear message: Don’t be stupid, or this will end badly for you.
Left alone with him in the atrium, you immediately took two steps back, putting more distance between you and Jake. You shifted your weight from one foot to the other, clutching your books against your chest, and fixed your gaze on him.
“So, Jake Sim, you’ve got two minutes. Tell me what you want.”
Jake studied you carefully, analyzing every tiny movement. His tail gave a slight, excited wag from side to side at finally having your attention, but he stopped it instantly, not wanting to reveal even that small loss of composure. He cleared his throat and said:
“Yeah, well… sorry for calling you Chloe. I just didn’t remember your name.”
You merely responded with a sharp nod, and Jake realized he needed to get to the point before time ran out. So, he decided to pull out the big guns: he unleashed his full Playboy charm, squaring his muscular shoulders and tilting his head slightly to the side with a crooked, magnetic smile. Along with his posture, his hybrid nature did the rest—without realizing it, he released a subtle but intense trail of reassuring pheromones into the air around you. A warm, clean scent filled the space, a mix of citrus and something salty, blended with his natural hybrid scent. It was the kind of biological chemistry wolves used to charm people, lower their defenses, and make them instinctively feel safe and drawn to them, but he didn’t yet know that with you, it would be extremely difficult.
“I saw you got a 100 on that test earlier, and first of all, congratulations. Seriously… not everyone can pull off a score like that in an elective class,” he said, taking an almost imperceptible step closer to you. “And second… I was wondering if you’d be willing to tutor me. I know a lot of people do it for academic credits, but I figure you’ve probably got enough of those already, if you scored a 100, you’re probably acing all your major classes. Or maybe for money? So I was wondering if you’d give me private lessons. I desperately need to pass Contemporary History. Especially since it’s an extra-curricular subject for me, and it’s worth double the structural credits. If I don’t pass… I’m screwed.” He finished with a crooked little smile, but you didn’t take the bait.
The trauma you’d experienced in high school had made you completely immune to the shameless charm of popular guys, and your mind rigidly resisted even his wolf pheromones, pushing them away like a self-defense mechanism. You looked at him with no emotion at all. “Thanks for the compliment on my grade, but no. I don’t tutor anyone. And as you’ve already figured out, I’ve got all the credits I need, and even if we’re talking about money, which, sure, every student could use—I’ve got a ton of studying for my own classes. Plus, I’m in the university choir, and that takes up a lot of time because I’m studying music.” You said all this while keeping your gaze lowered, almost avoiding his face, focused instead on the colorful bookmarks invading your notes. This total indifference deeply unsettled him.
Jake was used to humans hanging on his every word, to girls who would pay just to spend an hour alone with the team captain. Being rejected like this without so much as a glance wounded his alpha male pride and confused him. Sensing that you might not even like his presence, he took a step back, furrowing his brow, and blurted out in one breath:
“Is it because I’m a hybrid that you don’t want to tutor me? Or because you think that, as the soccer team captain, I’m just another shallow idiot who can’t balance engineering studies with training?”
At those words, your eyes widened, struck by how suddenly vulnerable and frustrated his voice sounded as he looked at you. You responded with a flurry of gestures: “No, no! It’s not that at all!” you exclaimed sincerely. “Even if a human had asked me, I would’ve said no, Jake. I’m really sorry… especially because I know balancing engineering studies and being the soccer team captain comes with a lot of pressure ut if you check the bulletin board in the atrium or the university’s official forum, in the history section, I bet you’ll find a tutor way better than me…I…I’ve got to go now, yeah, I’m meeting Allie.”
You said this with slightly flushed cheeks, still not looking him in the face, and began walking quickly down the hallway, almost hunching your shoulders as if afraid he might follow you or reach out to stop you. His fully matured wolf instincts immediately picked up on something strange in your sudden flight. His nose caught that your scent was no longer just annoyed; now it carried a clear trail of fear, and maybe even something vulnerable, and Jake didn’t understand why.
They called him the golden boy of campus for a reason, no one had ever run away from him before. In fact, it was usually the opposite. He stood frozen, watching you disappear into the faculty crowd, his ears perked up, his mind racing at a hundred miles an hour. Your terrified reaction intrigued him, drove him wild. Because Jake Sim, when he wanted something, always got it and his wolf side had just decided that you, sooner or later, would be his tutor, no matter the cost and maybe, over time, something more than just a tutor. But that was something you’d both discover later… certainly not today.
The university campus’s main bar was nearly closing by that time, but you still had another half-hour left before your afternoon shift behind the counter ended. To pass the time and get ahead on your assignments, you’d set your laptop directly on the counter, trying to focus on your next project, studying music. You needed to dive deep into the acoustic composition of sounds and the various instrumental timbres to create balanced arrangements, ensuring the sound was perfect. Your dream was to become a singer, but you’d also love to work as a songwriter or composer. Your hearing was hyper-developed, and you’d already received requests from music agencies.
However, at that moment, music theory was the last thing on your mind. Your eyes kept wandering from the screen, drawn to the brightest corner of the bar, where Soobin was sitting. He was a Communication Sciences student specializing in Digital Media, and he played on the campus basketball team. Let’s just say you had a slight crush on him. Your head was lazily resting in the palm of your left hand, while your right hand sipped through a straw on a refreshing seasonal drink you’d made for yourself. You couldn’t help but admire how incredibly cute Soobin was: he was tall, over 185 cm which was probably why he was on the basketball team, you thought as you took in his lean, athletic build. His hair fell messily across his forehead, giving him a constantly sweet, approachable vibe and then, suddenly, his infectious laughter echoed through the bar, and an involuntary little pout formed on your face when you saw his famous dimples appear on his cheeks, giving him an irresistible puppy-like aura.
Seriously? Soobin?” Jake’s bright, ironic voice cut through the air. “What’s so charming about that guy? He’s always half-clumsy and doesn’t even know which way a door swings unless he’s on a basketball court.”
At those words, your drink nearly went down the wrong pipe. When you straightened up, there he was, Jake, standing right in front of you. His worn-out soccer bag was slung over one shoulder, his dark hair still slightly damp from his post-training shower, and that usual smirk of his that always got under your skin. Caught red-handed, you blushed furiously and stammered:
“Soobin? I...I have no idea who you’re talking about!” You pointed at yourself, then frantically looked around to divert attention, but Jake just flashed that crooked grin of his, his eyes sparkling with pure amusement.
“Oh, come on! I could help you get to know him, you know? And especially get noticed. Did you know he plays on the same team as my best friend Heeseung? He comes to almost all our weekend parties.” He turned to glance at Soobin, and you shot him a dirty look.
“Hard pass. Now… what drink or food would you like to order, Jake?” As you said it, your fingers pressed a little too hard on the bar’s computer keyboard.
“Easy: tutoring from you in history to pass the next two exams,” he said with nonchalance.
You stared at him, exasperated, and let out a long sigh. “You really don’t like hearing ‘no,’ do you?”
At that, his wolf tail, which was peeking out from under his sports hoodie gave a slight, rhythmic wag. You didn’t know much about hybrid anatomy or behavior, but to Jake, that involuntary movement meant one very clear thing: he was incredibly stimulated by your resistance toward him. It was almost like a challenge, and it excited him to no end. Jake loved competition, and right now, you were a very compelling one.
“Mmm, I knew you were a sharp girl, sweetheart,” he said with total nonchalance. Your cheeks burned, and you stammered, “Sweetheart?!”
He chuckled, thoroughly amused. “Well, yeah, it’s a cute nickname. Though, to be honest, there’s not much ‘sweet’ about you right now.” He gifted you one of his perfect smiles.
“Tell me what you want to drink or eat, or just leave,” you said sharply, crossing your arms over your chest, annoyed by the way his eyes had briefly flicked to the neckline of your shirt. Jake raised his hands in mock surrender, still grinning.
“Fine, fine. A hot caramel macchiato and a slice of Black Forest cake. You’ll bring it to my table, right? Especially since… I’ve decided I’ll go sit right across from Soobin.” He pointed at the guy you’d been admiring earlier. With that, he tapped his phone on the card reader, paying with a quick beep, leaving you standing there, stunned and speechless. You muttered a low curse under your breath: “I hope the cake chokes him.”
You watched as Jake sat down with absolute ease right at Soobin’s table, and you huffed in frustration. But before you could do anything, the two guys exchanged a quick, athletic handshake—a sign of brotherhood among teammates. You knew Jake could help you get closer to Soobin, who smiled at him. A moment later, Jake turned his head slightly toward the counter, catching your gaze, and shot you a smug, triumphant grin.
In just five minutes, Jake’s order was ready. With the tray clutched in your slightly trembling hands, you walked toward the table where Jake and Soobin were sitting. Trying to keep your voice as professional and detached as possible, you said:
“Hey, guys. Here’s the Blackforest cake and the caramel macchiato.” You set the plate and cup down in front of Jake, who watched you intently. “Thanks, Y/n,” he said.
You hoped to turn on your heel and flee as quickly as possible, but Jake, of course, spoke up immediately to keep you there, so Soobin would notice you and remember your name.
“Soobin, this is Y/n. We’re in the same Contemporary History class, and she’s a total genius. She scored a terrifying 100 on the last test,” Jake said, addressing not just Soobin but also the other basketball players sitting around the table, who proceeded to compliment you. Soobin’s eyes widened, clearly impressed, and he looked at you with that gentle, heart-melting way of his. “You seriously got a 100 in that extracurricular class? Wow… what’s your major? You know, I’ve been struggling with those geohistory exams too. We could study together sometime, you could give me some pointers, and we’d help each other out,” he said with a shy smile.
Your cheeks instantly turned a deep burgundy, embarrassed by the unexpected compliment from the guy you liked. You just managed a timid smile and a nod.
Jake, observing the scene with the precision of a predator, knew full well that Soobin had taken the bait. With total nonchalance, he interrupted the moment before Soobin could elaborate, speaking in a tone that was falsely apologetic but incredibly possessive:
“Soobin, I hate to disappoint you, but she’s already taken. You know I’m a disaster in history, and the team desperately needs me to be up to date with all my classes for the championship… so I’ve already asked Y/n to give me private tutoring. I couldn’t possibly pass up an opportunity like having the best tutor around.” He looked at you with that crooked grin of his, and you shot him a furious glare, clenching your fist so tightly against your apron that your knuckles turned white.
“I study music… but if you’re having trouble, Soobin, I could still find time to...”
But Soobin shook his hands and cut you off with a sincere smile. “No, no, don’t waste your precious time on me! I only play basketball for fun, to help the team. I’ll never be a professional athlete like Heeseung or Jake. You absolutely should tutor Jake. Guys, if he doesn’t have all his classes in order, the federation will exclude him from the university championship and right now, there are scouts from the national leagues watching him...they’re carefully evaluating whether his public and academic image is perfect before offering him a contract in a higher soccer league.”
At those words, you furrowed your brow, and your eyes widened slightly. You knew Jake was good at soccer, he was the captain, after all but you hadn’t realized how serious the situation was. There were actually professional scouts involved, and his entire future depended on those damn history tests?
Jake, as he nibbled on his slice of cake, savoring his victory, doubled down: “See, Y/n? Even Soobin’s asking you. I seriously need your help. And remember… if you ever wanted to ask me for anything in return, or needed some special help with someone, I’d be more than happy to return the favor.” As he said this, he gave you a knowing wink, subtly nodding his chin toward Soobin. You rolled your eyes, was he blackmailing you under the guise of helping?
Your shift at the café was finally over, and everyone had left—except, of course, Jake, who had stayed until the very end and even “helped” you clean up the tables, though he’d spent more time asking you questionable things, like what the weirdest drink mix you’d ever made was since you started working at the campus bar. Eventually, you both ended up outside as you locked the door. His tail, peeking out from under his hoodie, couldn’t seem to stop moving, swaying frantically from side to side in a rhythm that almost made you laugh. But you just furrowed your brow, exhausted after hours of work, and said:
“Is your tail always moving like that?” You pointed at it with one finger.
Jake’s mouth fell open in embarrassment, completely caught off guard, no one had ever asked him something so direct before, especially not a girl calling him out on an uncontrollable reflex tied to his hybrid nature. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s just say my tail and generally, the tails of hybrids who have them reflects our emotions. We can’t control it. It’s an involuntary reflex of our nervous system,” he explained, trying to relax.
You looked at him, curious. “And what emotion are you feeling right now, Jake? We literally just left a bar and are walking toward campus. I don’t think you’re feeling some great emotion… especially not in my company,” you muttered under your breath, almost to yourself but his wolf ears picked up every single word, even the way you’d said it. Jake furrowed his brow but decided not to make a big deal out of the fact that he’d heard. He looked you straight in the eyes and said:
“Anxiety? Anxiety over your verdict. Sorry if I’m being pushy, but history is literally the only subject I’m bad at, and you’re my last hope… I already checked the university forums like you suggested, but no one has your grades, and honestly, none of them inspire much confidence. So my tail’s wagging like this because I’m anxious to know if you’ve changed your mind. Is that okay?”
You sighed deeply, clutching your books to your chest, and stayed silent for a few steps as you walked along the campus paths lit by streetlamps. You thought it over, weighing the importance of his future and the veiled blackmail about Soobin, until you finally said:
“I decide when and where the tutoring sessions happen. Obviously, we’ll have to work around our academic schedules. And I don’t want to be messed around: if you want to pass history, you actually have to commit. No excuses...neither about soccer nor anything else and I want you to be honest if you don’t understand something. In addition to our sessions, you need to study on your own at home. I’m not doing all the work for you. Just like in soccer, you have to put in the effort in this subject too.”
You said it all in one breath, setting down ironclad rules to protect your boundaries. Jake’s eyes widened, his ears snapping straight up in surprise. “Wait… does this mean… you’ll tutor me for the next few months?” he asked. This time, his tail moved differently, and you wondered if it meant he was happy.
You nodded resignedly, bringing a hand to your face. “I just hope it’s worth it… and that I don’t lose my patience with you by the first session,” you muttered.
At your confirmation, Jake, overwhelmed with relief and happiness, completely lost control of his human inhibitions. Without realizing it, he lunged forward and pulled you into a tight hug. He pressed you against his broad, warm chest, wrapping you completely in his strong, athletic arms. You froze, stiff as a block of ice, and your heart skipped a beat from the sudden physical contact.
Why was he hugging you? God, you hated physical contact, especially with people you didn’t know or trust. The memory of what you’d gone through in high school came rushing back like a slap. Your hands began to tremble slightly against your books, and you couldn’t bring yourself to place them on Jake’s back to reciprocate. You stayed motionless, breathless.
Jake, being a hybrid, immediately noticed how rigid you were in his arms. His body sensed your instant stiffness, but it was your scent that changed in a millisecond under his hyper-developed nose. The sweet, clean strawberry scent of your skin was literally overpowered by an intense, acidic trail, the unmistakable signature of negative emotions: primal panic, terror, and shock. It was the scent of someone who felt attacked, not just surprised by a hug. His wolf instinct, which never failed when it came to deciphering pheromones, picked up on that internal danger signal. It forced him to pull away from you immediately. Seeing you silent, your hands shaking, your expression blank, and your eyes wide and empty, Jake felt a pang of guilt, he was afraid he’d crossed a line with you.
Oh God, I’m sorry… I… I didn’t mean to,” he said, slightly embarrassed, running a hand through his hair and messing it up nervously as he saw you still standing completely stiff in front of him.
“I… I really like physical contact when I’m happy or relieved. It’s a hybrid thing...we tend to be pack-oriented… I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, gesturing with his hands. You swallowed hard, trying to regain control of your breathing, and gave a weak nod. “Yeah… well, I don’t know much about hybrids, but please… just don’t do it again with me, okay? No hugs.” You shifted even farther away from him.
Seeing how shaken you still were, he nodded seriously, his ears lowering in a sign of submission and respect toward you. “Okay, okay, no hugs. I’ll message you on Instagram later, alright? So we can exchange numbers and set up our first lesson.”
You nodded one last time with a quick motion and hurried toward your apartment, desperate only to close the door behind you and sink into a long, hot bath.
Jake stood frozen on the path, watching your figure disappear into the dim light. His ears were tense, motionless, and his tail was completely still. His predator and protective wolf instincts took over everything else because that drastic and terrifying shift in your scent wasn’t normal for a girl your age. As he furrowed his brow, the wolf inside him had just caught the scent of a painful secret you were trying to hide.
What are you hiding that’s so serious, sweetheart? he muttered under his breath. Who reduced you to this?
Without realizing it, Jake’s instinct had just vowed that he would uncover the truth and whoever had hurt you would be gone, long before you even saw it coming.
You had arranged everything with Jake down to the last detail in your messages: the library, west wing, at 4:00 PM sharp. He had replied with a thumbs-up, promising he’d be there. But now it was nearly 4:15, and there was still no sign of him. Curious, you’d even checked the official team schedule to see if he had practice but Monday was marked as a full rest day for the soccer players.
That excuse, then, couldn’t possibly justify his lateness. You sat there, nervously tapping your pen against the table, your laptop open to your notes and the heavy Contemporary History textbook splayed open to the chapter on World War I. You glanced around every three seconds, but there was still no trace of Jake. Finally, you huffed in frustration, running a hand through your hair.
“What the hell… why did I agree to this?” you muttered under your breath and just at that moment, you heard the study room door swing open with a little too much force. There he was: Jake, zigzagging hastily between the empty tables, his gym bag slung over one shoulder. His dark hair bounced against his forehead with every quick step, and his fluffy wolf ears swayed with the movement. When he finally reached you and leaned over the table to set down his bag, your senses immediately picked up on something that made you stiffen. Beyond his usual wild, warm scent, the air was filled with an unmistakably sweet, almost floral note...a girl’s perfume that was definitely not yours.
“Don’t tell me you’re 23 minutes late because you were hooking up with some girl,” you said, staring him straight in the eyes with a look that could have killed him. At those words, you watched his wolf ears drop instantly, flattening completely against the sides of his head in a clear sign of surrender and submission. Even his tail, peeking out from under his hoodie, dropped abruptly and went still between his legs. You caught a glimpse of his cheeks turning a deep red with embarrassment. His hybrid sense of smell must have already told him you were furious, and Jake swallowed hard, he knew he’d been caught red-handed.
“I...I… no, not a girl! It’s just… the elevator in the guys’ dorm got stuck, I swear! And, um, there just happened to be a girl in there with me… that’s why I smell like this…” he said, giving you his best puppy-dog eyes—but he knew instantly it wouldn’t work on you.
“I wasn’t born yesterday, Jake, and I know perfectly well you don’t have practice today,” you said, crossing your arms firmly over your chest. “I saw in the university’s official vlog that soccer players rest on Mondays. So why do you have your soccer bag?”
Backed into a corner, Jake tried to play it cool to lighten the mood, smirking as he curled his lips into that usual crooked smile that drove girls wild. “Oh, so you’ve been stalking me? I didn’t know you were already this interested in my routine, sweetheart.”
Your eyes widened, stunned by his audacity. You seriously wanted to slap him, but the only thing stopping you was the fact that you were in a public place.
“I haven’t been stalking you! I just wanted to know if you were late for a valid reason, like soccer. But apparently, that’s not the case,” you said, pointing with a sharp flick of your pen at his hair, which was far too disheveled to be the result of just running down a hallway.
He rolled his eyes slightly, then lowered his voice and stretched his hands across the table toward you. “Come on, Y/n, I’m sorry… I lost track of time, okay? It won’t happen again, I promise. Now let’s sit down and open the books. I’m all yours for the next few hours,” he said, winking at you. But you stopped him immediately, you were really angry, and even though your voice was a whisper to avoid getting kicked out of the library, your tone was unmistakably sharp.
“No, Jake. Listen carefully. This is exactly why I didn’t want to tutor anyone, especially not someone like you. You have zero respect for the time someone else is giving you, sacrificing their own studies to help you. If your absolute priority on this campus is to play the playboy, show up late to every lesson, and take my help for granted, then know this: this will be the first and last session we ever have. Consider this goodbye. You can say hello to failing that test, losing your captain’s armband, and kissing goodbye to every professional league scout watching you! I don’t waste my time on people who won’t commit to something they asked me for. I don’t recall chasing you down, begging to tutor you!”
For the first time in a long time, Jake felt cornered—not just by the harshness of your words, but by the fact that you weren’t like all the other girls who fell at his feet. For the first time, the team captain had found someone who wasn’t willing to let him off the hook for anything. Deep down, he knew he had to step up, and perhaps, beneath the surface, he felt the need to get his act together.
“I’m sorry, Y/n. From now on, I’ll always be on time. I promise,” he said seriously, extending his pinky finger to make a childish “pinky promise” in an attempt to lighten the mood. You studied his expression carefully to see if he was sincere, then said:
“I’ll let it slide this time, but it’s the last warning, Jake.”
Then you looked at his outstretched finger, and though reluctant, you wrapped your pinky around his. In that brief moment when your skin touched, you both felt something an adrenaline rush that stole your breath, while for Jake, it was yet another confirmation that his wolf side responded intensely to your presence. Deep down, he found himself wanting more.
“Today, we’ll start with the triggering causes of World War I and the European alliances of 1914. First, you’ll read the text on your own, and I’ll do the same. Then, I’ve prepared five questions here that will help you summarize the entire first chapter about ten pages, to help you understand it better.”
Jake nodded, carefully looking over the first chapter.
“Go ahead and read the chapter first, and if you don’t understand something, just ask. I’m here to help,” you said gently this time. You noticed his tail swaying slightly from side to side under the table, this time with slow, lifted movements.
“Got it, Professor!” he said, saluting like a captain. You sighed, shaking your head, it was maddening how he could act like such a kid.
So, you both began silently reading the first chapter. Thanks to your study habits, you finished in just ten minutes. When you looked up, you expected Jake to be done too, but you realized he was only halfway through the fifth page. You tried your best to look away so as not to stare and make him self-conscious, but Jake had that kind of magnetism anyone within his radius was almost forced to look at him and he was truly handsome, even that day, dressed in just a loose, dark hoodie and comfortable cargo jeans.
His face perfectly embodied the proud aura of a wolf: thick, black hair that created a stunning contrast with his soft, slightly dark gray ears, which occasionally twitched or moved at the slightest sounds in the library. His eyes still had a hint of puppy-like charm, framed by long, dark lashes, a large, pronounced nose that suited his facial features divinely, and slightly full but not overly so lips.
And then there were his hands: truly beautiful, large, and well-kept. Your eyes lingered a little too long on the prominent veins on the back of his hands, a testament to the physical strain of his training, adorned with several silver rings.
As you watched him, you saw Jake make a small pout that you found incredibly cute. He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair to mess it up nervously.
“Struggling?” you asked softly, and he didn’t even look up from the page, answering almost defeatedly: “A little.”
You asked if he’d underlined anything in the book, and he shook his head. “It’s really hard… mostly, I struggle to remember all these names of ministers, archdukes, and tsars, and which territories belong to each one,” he sighed. Moved by a sudden wave of understanding, you said something without even realizing it: “You could use colors as a visual aid, or associate historical dates with the jersey numbers of famous soccer players you know.”
At those words, Jake suddenly looked up, surprised and intrigued. “You’re telling me to try memorizing historical dates using soccer jersey numbers?”
“Yes, and you could also use a different color for each era or nation, so it sticks better in your mind. You can mentally link it to a team. Soccer teams all have different jersey colors, right? The German Empire could be the black jersey, Russia the red one, and so on…” you said, picking up the highlighters. His eyes widened slightly, and a genuine smile lit up his face.
“Wow… I never thought of that. In engineering, we never use colors, but it actually makes perfect sense for a subject like history!”
At that point, he started asking you a series of general questions to better understand how to apply the trick: he asked for explanations about the year of the Triple Alliance, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and how the European balance had collapsed. You listened, and finally told him:
“Alright, now try to answer at least two of the five questions I prepared for you. But before you write, you need to highlight the parts of the text you find truly important, using the colors we decided on.”
After an hour and a half, you’d covered two chapters, and Jake seemed fully absorbed in his studies—thanks both to your help and your company. He’d finally found a rhythm with your color and soccer association method. Then you glanced at the time on your phone screen and sighed loudly. Jake immediately looked up, his ears perking up curiously.
You nodded, starting to gather your things. When he saw you stand up, something inside him snapped he wanted to stay with you, but he didn’t understand why.
“Yeah, sorry, but I have to go to work. I would’ve stayed here studying a little longer, but not all of us have a scholarship secured thanks to soccer!” you said, slipping your laptop into your bag. Jake stretched in his chair, the muscles in his shoulders tensing under his loose hoodie, and curled his lips into a smirk.
“Was that a dig at me or at athletes in general?” he asked, pointing at himself. You shrugged. “Take it however you want.”
But Jake wasn’t the type to back down easily, and he loved having the last word. So he leaned forward on the table, looking at you intently: “Spoiler: I don’t have an athletic scholarship, sweetheart!”
You stared at him with wide eyes, freezing with your bag strap halfway over your shoulder, and stammered, clearly shocked—it was extremely impossible. “H-How’s that possible? You’re the team captain…”
He rocked slightly in his chair, and even from there, you could tell that despite being 23, he still acted like a kid. “I was just too good at both sports and school, even back in high school. I didn’t need an athletic scholarship, I got in on my grades,” he said smugly. Your mouth snapped shut, and you sighed, running a hand over your face, almost embarrassed.
“Right… I always forget you’re studying engineering, after all.” “Touché, Y/n,” he chuckled, then his expression turned a little more serious. “It’s just Contemporary History that I can’t seem to like or get into my head. Because believe me, if I liked it or found a logic in it, I would’ve gotten a 100 like you.”
You chuckled, amused by his excess of self-confidence, and gestured with your hands to tone it down. “Don’t be such a know-it-all egotist, Jake! But… take it as a personal challenge… who knows, maybe not for the next test, it’s too soonbut for the one after that, you might even beat me… if you start liking the subject,” you said, openly teasing him with a challenging smile you’d never given any other guy before. Jake lightly bit his lower lip and muttered under his breath: “Challenge accepted, sweetheart.”
You said goodbye with a quick wave and turned, walking briskly to exit the west wing of the library and rush to the bar for your shift, your heart beating suspiciously fast.
As you walked away, Jake’s hybrid instincts were literally rejoicing inside him. Under the table, his tail began to wag frantically, and his ears stretched forward to catch the sound of your footsteps. His wolf instinct was celebrating a double victory: not only had he managed to get you to give in and tutor him, but he’d just discovered that behind your cold, defensive armor, there was a girl capable of challenging him and holding her own with wit and that drove him wild. But what made him gloat the most was the scent you’d left in the air when you said goodbye: your smell of fear had faded, replaced by something sweeter and he couldn’t wait for the next lesson.
You and Jake had been studying together for two weeks now, and you would NEVER have imagined that, deep down, he wasn’t actually so bad. Sure, he was still a living jester...no lesson passed without him trying to tease you but there was one thing that had really stuck with you, something that had made your heart flutter more than once: he strictly respected physical distance. After that hug he’d given you, and after sensing how cold you’d been in returning it, Jake had never tried to touch you or get too close again. He’d limited himself to verbal provocations and to you, that meant a lot, because for so many guys, the word "no" simply didn’t exist in their vocabulary.
That morning, though, he’d sent you a WhatsApp message that had left you a little taken aback, though you understood why. The campus had erupted in chaos after the soccer team won an away game, and he’d asked if you could come to hisplace to study instead—he’d gotten back late last night and was completely wrecked.
At first, you’d been pretty reluctant, but he’d quickly reassured you, saying you wouldn’t be alone because there were six other people in the house, and at least one of his roommates would be there. So you’d agreed and now here you were, standing in front of… a house? No, this looked more like a villa. You thought you must’ve gotten the address wrong, but when you stepped closer to the intercom, you read the names of the seven guys who lived there: Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, Ni-ki.
So you rang the bell, expecting Jake to answer immediately, but instead, a stunning guy with chiseled features and an incredibly charming vibe opened the door. You immediately noticed his dark ears and sleek, glossy tail: he was a black cat hybrid.
“You’re Y/n, right? Come in, Jake’s upstairs,” he said with a smile. You nodded, but before you could even respond, you heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs, a tall guy with brown hair and slightly almond-shaped eyes—unmistakable black panther ears—peered into the hallway.
You thought this place was less of a student house and more of a model recruitment center...
The panther hybrid looked at you and pouted like a child, sighing: “Oh, no… I was hoping my takeout had arrived.” You smiled timidly, a little intimidated by his size, but the panther’s eyes widened as soon as he met your gaze. Pointing at you, he said: “Oh my God, wait! Are you the famous Y/n? Jake’s tutor? Damn, lately he hasn’t stopped talking about....”
But before Ni-ki could finish, all three of you heard Jake’s loud voice call out: “Ni-ki!”
Like a bolt of lightning, Jake appeared at the top of the stairs and slid down the steps, stretching out a hand to yank Ni-ki’s shirt sleeve and silence him instantly. Ni-ki just laughed, completely unfazed, and said: “Oh, hyung! You’re here too, with us at home!”
Jake really wanted to strangle him, but he loved his little brother too much. When you finally looked up at Jake, you noticed he was dressed extremely comfortably: gray sweatpants, an oversized university T-shirt, his dark hair still damp from the shower, and a white towel draped over his shoulders, giving him a cozy, domestic vibe and at the same time, he looked at you and gave you a genuine smile, saying:
“Hey, Y/n. Don’t mind this bunch of lunatics. Follow me, we’ll study in my room so it’s quieter.”
But the second he said those words, you froze on the spot. Your mind went into overdrive:
Your brain short-circuited, and you stood completely still on the doormat, clutching your books to your chest like a protective shield. You did not want to go into a room alone...especially not with a guy.
Both Jay (the black cat hybrid) and Ni-ki turned to look at you strangely, since all three of them were predator hybrids, their senses instantly picked up on the drastic shift in the air, as well as the sudden change in your clean scent, which had just been overpowered by a sharp trail of embarrassment mixed with a strong, clear note of defensive fear and panic.
Hybrids had incredibly strong olfactory instincts, and Jake froze on the spot. His smile vanished, replaced by something he didn’t often feel or see. But with you, he’d smelled that scent before: the first time he’d spoken to you, and again when he’d hugged you. With an incredibly gentle and reassuring tone, he said:
“We’ll keep the bedroom door wide open, okay, Y/n? If that makes you feel more comfortable and you two… no nonsense from now on, got it?” He directed this mostly at Ni-ki, who rolled his eyes, while Jay, understanding the situation, gave a serious nod and walked toward the kitchen: “Don’t worry, I’ll go make a snack.”
Jake looked at you again, giving you a soft nod to invite you to follow him up the stairs. Before you moved, you took one last look at Ni-ki and Jay, who returned your gaze with warm, welcoming smiles. You let out a small sigh of relief—those guys didn’t seem dangerous at all… in fact, they seemed really nice and Jake… Jake was proving to be far more attentive and protective than you’d ever wanted to admit to yourself.
When you stepped into Jake’s room, you were immediately enveloped by a mix of warm, inviting scents: the fresh aroma of pine-scented body wash he’d just used, a rich note of cedarwood, and that signature musky scent unique to his hybrid nature—which, over time, had begun to make you feel strangely safe.
Your eyes landed on the center of the room, where a large, slightly unmade king-sized bed sat with its gray sheets tangled. Nearby, a desk was buried under stacks of calculation sheets and heavy structural engineering manuals. The shelves, on the other hand, were packed with frames, photos of Jake as a child, and you smiled at the sight of him with his wolf ears still too big for his head. There were pictures of him hugging the other six hybrids from the house, all grinning with mud-streaked jerseys, and beside the photos stood rows of gleaming trophies and medals. Your eyes widened, and you let out a quiet whistle at the sight of so many merit certificates for math Olympiads.
“Wow… I knew you were good, but not this good,” you said, picking up a certificate with his name printed in gold letters. Jake shrugged, but you noticed the smirk tugging at his lips, his ears perking up with pride he knew he was smart, and damn good at what he did.
“I told you I wasn’t bad. History’s just my one weak spot,” he said.
You nodded, setting the frame down. When you saw him move toward the bed and stretch out comfortably on his stomach, with history notes scattered in front of him, you couldn’t help but comment: “You know, normal people study sitting in a chair, facing a desk.”
But he just waved a hand dismissively, burying his face in the pillow for a second. “Overrated. If I can stretch out on my bed and study, why not?” Jake lifted his head to look at you, and in that moment, your scent: a delicate blend of fresh strawberries, cream, and a clean trail of vanilla filled the room, mingling perfectly with his hybrid scent. Jake went still for a second, breathing deeply, his expression shifting into something he didn’t let show. That scent… it’s heavenly, he thought before he could stop himself. Then he shook his head slightly, unsettled by the spontaneous thought.
Heavenly? Damn, Jake, what the hell are you saying? It’s… it’s just a nice smell, that’s all… focus.
Oblivious to his thoughts, you took the desk chair, turned it around, and sat sideways, balancing your notes on your knees. “Overrated or not, this is how I’m used to studying. If you want to stay there, fine, but I don’t want to find you snoring in five minutes,” you said with a half-smile. Jake chuckled, and you saw his tail, peeking out from under his hoodie thumping eagerly against the mattress, a clear sign he genuinely enjoyed your company.
“First of all, I don’t snore. Second, I’ve never fallen asleep during a study session and I bet that soon, even you’ll end up sitting on this bed… it’s amazing, sweetheart. Memory foam with built-in massage tech, you know, as a soccer player, I need the best for my body,” he said, shifting slightly onto his side, teasing you with a mischievous grin and a wink. “Everyone who tries it wants to come back to sleep in it… there’s plenty of space… and I’m an excellent human heating pad, you know as a wolf hybrid, my body heat is way higher than yours. Perfect if you get cold in the winter!” he added with another wink.
You wanted to smack him with the history book for his audacity, but instead, you just blushed and shot him a glare. “Stop talking nonsense and let’s start studying. We’ve got the first exam on Friday, and if you fail, I fail as a tutor.”
You and Jake had been studying for over two hours, and in that time, Jay had brought you delicious snacks to the room, and you’d even met Sunghoon, another one of the roommates. You’d already heard about him on campus: he was the famous captain of the hockey team, and he, too, was a hybrid, specifically a snow fox, as well as one of the most popular athletes at the university. He also worked as a model for brands like Adidas, and everyone talked about him.
After the intense review session, you stood up for a moment to stretch your back and arms. Your eyes kept wandering around Jake’s room, and he watched you carefully from the bed, noticing the tension in your body. “Come on, Y/n, I bet your back is killing you from sitting on that wooden chair. Just sit with me on the bed for five minutes, I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself,” he said.
To prove his intentions, he laced his fingers behind his back, looking up at you with a sweet, slightly reluctant smile. Knowing how wary you were, you finally gave in and sat on the edge of his bed. You immediately felt how incredibly soft it was.
Jake patted the large, dark fabric headboard, inviting you to get comfortable. So you settled in, half-sitting with your back resting against it, while he stayed stretched out beside you, his laptop and a pile of notes in front of him as he continued underlining according to your schemes.
After a little while, the exhaustion from the previous days caught up with you, and you yawned widely. Jake lifted his gaze from the papers. “Are you tired, sweetness?”
“A little,” you admitted, tilting your head back. He stretched slightly, letting out a sigh. Then, before you could predict it but driven irresistibly by his hybrid nature, which, in moments of tiredness or when wanting to make someone feel safe, instinctively sought contact with its “pack” to share warmth and relax, Jake turned onto his side and, with complete naturalness, rested his head on the upper part of your legs, using them as a soft pillow.
Your eyes widened because his face was so close to your stomach. You immediately felt the impressive warmth of his body against your skin through your jeans just like that time he’d hugged you. He radiated an almost feverish heat, typical of wolf hybrids. From this close position, you could perfectly see how long and dark his lashes were, how his ears had partially lowered backward and deep inside, you felt a sudden, almost uncontrollable urge to reach out and touch them, they looked so soft and fluffy at the same time, and you wanted to know if they felt like a normal dog’s or cat’s.
Jake’s body relaxed completely against you, and you, having no idea what to do and with your heart beating a mile a minute, said his name softly: “Jake…”
He just let out a low murmur, keeping his eyes half-closed because he liked feeling your body against his—until you spoke.
“Why did you rest your head on my legs?” you asked, slightly curious. He gave a light shrug against your thigh.
“I know you hate sudden physical contact… and I’m not squeezing or openly touching you with my hands, so you can see I don’t want to hurt you. You can trust me. It’s just for support,” he said as his eyes opened fully, and two amber pools looked up at you, smiling. As your head tilted toward him, in that moment of absolute closeness, Jake’s sharp sense of smell picked up on something that left him breathless: your strawberry and vanilla scent suddenly intensified in the air, growing sweeter. There was no trace of the acidic note of fear, nor the detachment of embarrassment—because you were starting to trust him.
Without even realizing it, you lifted a trembling hand, and your fingers barely brushed one of his fluffy ears, right where the fur transitioned from light gray to the super-dark shade at the tip.
You froze instantly at that sound, blushing all the way to the tips of your ears, and stammered:
“J-Jake… God, I’m sorry! Did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to… I didn’t know...” But Jake burst into genuine laughter, and you caught a glimpse of his dimples, thinking he looked damn cute.
“No, don’t worry, you didn’t hurt me, sweetness,” he said, slowly reopening his eyes. “It’s totally normal that I growled. I told you the other day, both our ears and tails are the most sensitive parts of our hybrid bodies. If they’re touched the right way, they stimulate a huge amount of pleasure, even strong excitement inside us… it’s just a biological reflex. We can’t help it.” He said this almost shyly, and at those words, you immediately pulled your hand away from his ears but Jake immediately pouted in protest, letting out a small, annoyed whine his sense of smell had instantly noticed the loss of your skin’s warmth. He looked up at you with an almost pleading expression.
“Can I take your hand, Y/n?”
You stared at him as you leaned over him, and though hesitant, you offered him your hand. Jake, however, was incredibly gentle. He didn’t interlace his fingers with yours but instead wrapped his large, warm fingers around your wrist, guiding your arm upward until your hand rested again at the base of his gray ears.
“We hybrids are very sensitive to both smells and touch,” he explained, watching you carefully. “And if someone becomes part of our circle, our life… well, we quickly become much more insistent with physical contact. Let’s just say we have an almost physical need for it. That’s why I stretched out with my head on your legs. My wolf just wanted to be close to you.”He said this without realizing it, but he didn’t say things like that to just anyone… in fact, he hoped you wouldn’t fully understand what he was implying. For your part, you just nodded.
“I… well, I don’t know much about hybrids. I’ve always attended all-human schools before university, so this is the first time I’ve been in close contact with one of you.”
Jake studied your reactions from below, sensing that you were relaxed, and said: “Well, there are many first times in life, and this is a new first for you. Don’t be shy about touching me, sweetness… I can sense it, your scent, your instinct, they tell me you want to.”
You rolled your eyes, trying to hide your embarrassment at being caught, and said: “Sometimes it bothers me, this thing. You sense and understand things through smells that we humans will never be able to comprehend.”
He chuckled but didn’t move, and when he felt your fingers—now moving with more confidence—begin to stroke the base of his ears again, Jake let out a long sigh of pure relief and closed his eyes. He felt so relaxed in that moment, a feeling he hadn’t experienced in years. Only his mom and grandmother could calm him with just a touch. He felt how his body was vibrating with total submission to your touch, but he quickly shook that thought from his mind. You smiled because you liked the idea of being able to relax someone as energetic and hyperactive as him. With the tips of your fingers, you moved from his ears to his thick, black hair, gently ruffling it, and asked, slightly shy:
“Why do you hybrids love physical contact so much? Is it something that comes from your puppy-like nature, or…?”
Jake opened his eyes, staring straight into yours. “Yes, it partly comes from when we’re pups. But actually, all hybrids need constant physical contact, both as kids and as adults, especially during heat. It can be suppressed with medication, of course, but doctors say it’s not good for our health or mental balance. And then… when a hybrid finds his mate, there are specific ways he uses to be with her.”
Curious, you tilted your head slightly to the side and asked: “And what are these ways?”
“Well… besides being touched by his mate, the hybrid loves to touch her in return. It’s a little embarrassing, but in the early stages of a relationship, it’s constant: holding her hand, hugging her, squeezing her… but the most important thing for us is to make sure our scent completely soaks into her. We want our chemistry to stay on her skin, on her clothes, so the whole pack and other males know who she belongs to.”
You were slightly shocked by this possessive and biological revelation, your eyes widening as you struggled to respond, unable to fully grasp the nature of hybrids. Jake, seeing your petrified face and sudden confusion, didn’t miss the chance to tease you.
“Oh God, you should see your face, sweetheart! What’s wrong? Are you afraid I’ll rub my wolf scent all over you any second so you’ll smell like me all over campus? Don’t worry… for today, I’ll settle for your legs as a pillow, but I won’t make any promises for our next lessons!”
You huffed, looking away to hide the heat still burning on your cheeks, and said: “I definitely don’t want your scent on me, especially if I want to have any chance with Soobin.”
At those words, Jake froze on your lap. His ears snapped backward, stiffening, and his tail’s movement stopped instantly, you’d almost forgotten about it. The only reason you’d accepted this compromise and were helping him with Contemporary History was his deal: using his influence to get Soobin’s attention. For a second, his possessive, territorial animal instinct pressed to emerge and growl at that name, but his human side quickly regained control. He slowly lifted himself from your legs, sitting on the edge of the bed, and looked at you intensely, saying:
“Relax, the only way a hybrid’s scent spreads to a girl is if they do sexual things—which means undressing and sniffing each other—or if the guy bites her. So don’t worry, you won’t run that risk with me, Y/n.”
You frowned at his answer, then checked the time on your phone and said it was getting late and that you absolutely had to go. Jake returned to being his usual carefree self, wearing a mask of indifference. He nodded and asked if you wanted a ride, but you refused, explaining that Allie would pick you up.
Just as you reached the entrance hall, the front door swung open, and Heeseung—the basketball team captain and an adorable hamster hybrid—burst in, beaming as he held dark streamers in his hands, shouting at the top of his lungs: “Friday, I want all six of you dressed up for Halloween because we’re throwing a legendary party here! No excuses!” He looked at all his friends, and a chorus of reactions immediately rose from the kitchen and living room:
Jungwon and Sunoo—a cat hybrid and a fox hybrid with huge ears—groaned at the idea of chaos in the house. Ni-ki enthusiastically exclaimed, “Awesome!” Jay muttered that he’d prepare amazing cocktails for the occasion, while Sunghoon, still sprawled on the couch, just rolled his eyes because he wasn’t a fan of parties at all.
As you watched the scene, you suddenly felt warm breath right next to your ear. Jake had leaned toward you, his lips just millimeters from your skin:
“This is the perfect excuse for us to be seen together by Soobin, sweetheart…” he whispered, sending shivers down your spine. “Tell me how you’ll dress for the party… because you are coming, right? He’ll definitely be there.”
You turned abruptly, finding his challenging smile just a centimeter from your face. And if there was one thing you hated, it was crowded parties—but the idea of finally talking to Soobin pushed you to do something crazy.
“Yes, I’ll be there… but only if Allie can come too.”
Jake nodded, widening his sly grin. You said goodbye to all the guys with a wave and finally left that villa. As soon as you got into Allie’s car, you told her everything in detail. But your best friend could tell deep down that you wanted to go to that party to be with Jake—because for the entire ride, you hadn’t even mentioned Soobin.
As soon as the door closed behind you, silence fell over the entire living room. Jake turned to go back upstairs but froze on the spot—all six of his friends were staring at him with their arms crossed, wearing smiles that were half-amused and half-suspiciously knowing. All six hybrids in that room were literally breathing in the pheromones Jake had unconsciously released over the past two hours.
Jake felt his cheeks heat more than they should, turning bright red. He wanted to deny everything, but then Heeseung, the oldest in the group, twitched his hamster ears with a mix of amusement and curiosity, shook his head, and dropped the final bombshell, looking at the others:
“Guys, I think the first one to find his lifemate is actually one of the two biggest playboys and frat boys in the entire university… Who would’ve ever thought that the great Jake Sim would fall at the feet of a nerd who didn’t even know he existed a few weeks ago?”
Jake’s blush deepened, spreading under the fur of his ears, which twitched nervously. He growled, baring a hint of fang to hide his panic: “Shut up, you don’t know what you’re talking about! She’s just my tutor, and I’m just keeping my end of the deal. At the party on Friday, you’ll see...she’s into Soobin.” Jake then bolted up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
But as he stormed up, his tail....always the traitor, began wagging frantically at the thought of seeing you dressed up for Halloween and his friends were absolutely right… the wolf inside him knew it all too well.
The house of the seven hybrids had been completely transformed for the Halloween party. Thick cobwebs hung from the ceiling corners, ghost-shaped sheets floated mid-air, and witch hats seemed to fly on their own thanks to invisible wires. The place looked like it had stepped straight out of a horror cartoon rather than a university party. Soft, rhythmic music played in the background as people from the campus began filling the hallways and living rooms of the villa.
You and Allie had arrived together. Allie was wearing a sexy pirate costume that suited her perfectly, while you had gone with the plan you’d agreed on with Jake: a lilac and purple dress inspired by Rapunzel. According to your friend, it looked divine on you, and to be honest, even you felt pretty looking at yourself in the mirror. However, you couldn’t help but notice that the corset was a little too tight, accentuating your curves in a way you usually disliked but tonight, it gave you an extra boost of self-confidence. Deep down, you were a beautiful girl, but the only thing that made you wrinkle your nose a little was the cleavage, which made you feel a bit uncomfortable under the gazes of the people you passed. The rest of the outfit, though, was perfect: your hair was gathered in a soft braid decorated with tiny fake flowers, and you held a lightweight plastic frying pan, artfully stained with fake blood. You seriously hoped Jake had kept his word about dressing as Flynn Rider.
When your eyes finally spotted him near the bar corner, a small, spontaneous smile appeared on your face. Allie, who had been watching you carefully out of the corner of her eye, noticed that spark in your eyes as you looked at Jake. Deep down, your friend had already figured it all out, but she chose to stay silent, driven by a strong protective instinct toward you.
Jake, for his part, looked simply perfect. He wore the typical blue vest over a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up past his elbows, showcasing his powerful biceps and the prominent veins of his athletic arms. Dark pants completed the look, but what truly took your breath away was his hairstyle: his dark hair was perfectly parted in the middle with Flynn’s signature rebellious tuft. You thought he should opt for that fluffy, middle-parted hair more often. On his cheeks and neck, he had drawn small, fake red scratches, as if he had just barely escaped the clutches of the law.
When Jake turned and saw you, he froze mid-step for what felt like an eternity. His wolf nose instantly picked up your scent in the air—a heavenly, thick aroma of fresh strawberries, powdered sugar, and a warm note of pure vanilla. At that olfactory contact, his tail twitched violently under his costume, swaying so hard from side to side that he had to restrain himself to keep it from breaking free of the fabric.
His wolf instinct gave a primal jolt: he thought you looked incredibly beautiful, and at the same time, he almost didn’t recognize you. He had never seen you so exposed, with your figure and curves so visibly on display. Jake swallowed hard at the sight of your shy smile and ran a hand through his hair, momentarily ruining the perfect part. His animal instinct was literally screaming at him to reach out, grab you by the waist, and carry you away from all those people to keep you close to him. But he knew he had to rein in that urge, you weren’t his, and besides, you were interested in another guy. Damn, you looked stunning, and his eyes couldn’t stop drinking you in.
He closed the distance between you with feline steps, leaning slightly toward you, and whispered directly into your ear in a low voice that sent shivers down your spine:
“Damn, sweetheart… I knew you were hiding something under those hoodies or sweaters, but I didn’t expect all this,” he said, unable to stop rambling because he couldn’t take his eyes off you, especially not from the line of your cleavage. You blushed violently, and in self-defense, you crossed your arms over your chest, clutching the frying pan to your side.
“In your dreams, Sim. I only came here because you asked me to, and because we have a deal. Otherwise, I’d be comfortably in my room right now trying to compose music for my class… but I’m here because you promised me something. You have to help me get to know Soobin… speaking of which, where is Soobin? You promised he’d be here.”
At the sound of that name, Jake’s smug smile vanished in a millisecond. His wolf ears twitched slightly backward, flattening almost imperceptibly against his hair—a clear sign of pure annoyance and territorial jealousy. His body stiffened for a moment, irritated by the fact that your first thought had gone to another guy just as he was devouring you with his eyes. He gave a vague nod toward the kitchen. “He’s in there, in the kitchen with Heeseung and the other basketball guys but don’t rush, sweetheart… first, you need to loosen up… and have a drink.”
Before you could tell Jake you had no intention of drinking alcohol, he turned and started walking toward the kitchen with confident steps. Following him inside, you were immediately greeted by three enormous glass bowls filled with rum punch and chopped fruit. At the sight, your instinct screamed at you to run out of the room...high school memories threatened to resurface, and you feared they’d ruin what could have been a fun night.
Jake, unaware of your internal struggle, grabbed a ladle and poured himself a glass of the reddish liquid. From the note pinned to the table, you read that it was a cocktail made with rum, prosecco, and berries. When he turned and held out the glass to you, you looked up at him and said in a thin voice: “Thanks, Jake, but… I don’t drink alcohol… I don’t like it.”You tried to hide it, but Jake wasn’t stupid. His hybrid sixth sense was far too sharp, and he saw the slight but unmistakable tremor in your hand as you refused the glass. He noticed how your posture had suddenly stiffened, and, intrigued, he tilted his head, studying your reaction.
“Mmm, okay. Wait here a second,” he said without teasing you or trying to pressure you. You simply nodded, clutching the plastic frying pan to your chest, and watched him disappear behind the door of a pantry at the back of the kitchen.
Left alone, you turned to look around. You saw Allie talking or maybe arguing with Heeseung, and your heart literally leapt into your throat when Soobin walked into the kitchen. He was dressed as Cullen from Twilight in a baseball game version—white and blue jersey, a backward cap, and even a baseball glove tucked into his left hand. You immediately thought he looked cute, especially when he noticed you, and his famous dimples deepened in his cheeks. Your eyes, however, instinctively searched for Jake’s figure.
Where the hell did he go? Soobin was walking straight toward you, and you thought, half-panicked: Where the hell has that wolf gotten himself? Why is he leaving me alone right now?!
But then a part of you forced yourself to reason after all, this was the plan, right? Jake was supposed to give you the chance to meet Soobin and make an impression. Yet deep down, you wanted him there with you so badly, and you didn’t understand why.
When Soobin reached you, he gave you a sweet smile. “Oh my God, Y/n? Is that you? Jake’s tutor, right? Damn… you look stunning tonight. The costume suits you perfectly,” he said, even stumbling slightly over the last word as his eyes lingered inevitably on the line of your braid and the lilac corset. Your cheeks burned, turning burgundy in a millisecond from compliments you weren’t used to hearing. You said:
“You… you don’t look bad either… I mean, you look really cute,” and a second later, you wanted to slap yourself in the face. You had no idea how to flirt, and having a decent conversation with the guy you liked felt like a titanic task.
But just at that moment, Jake reemerged from the pantry, holding both a sealed glass bottle of Coca-Cola and a bottle of water. The scene before him, however, made him freeze on the spot. Seeing you blush, smelling your strawberry scent grow more intense and vulnerable for another male, literally drove him wild—and he didn’t understand why.
Okay, you were cute. Many times, you drove him crazy. Many times, he’d sought you out in class but you weren’t his type....you were too… well, a little too shy. You usually gave as good as you got, but you preferred to keep to yourself or stick with a few people, while he loved being almost the center of attention. He didn’t understand why he felt so strange when he was with you.
A wave of pure, territorial jealousy burned in his chest. Under his costume, his tail tensed instantly, becoming as rigid as a poker, and his ears flattened. But when his eyes met yours, Jake read your silent plea for help and your embarrassment. He understood that this was the exact moment to step in and play his card.
Jake hurried over to you, and without touching you, you immediately felt his presence as he stood in front of you with a serious expression. “Hey, sweetheart, I got you a Coca-Cola and a sealed bottle of water, so you know exactly what you’re drinking,” he said, smiling warmly as he handed them to you. Once again, you were caught off guard by how well Jake could read you. It was incredible how this guy—who, just a few weeks ago, you’d considered nothing more than a shallow, heartbreaking athlete—could pick up on every subtle nuance of your discomfort and protect you in such a quiet, precise way.
You thanked him shyly, taking the cold glass bottle in your hands. It was at that moment that Jake turned toward the other guy.
“Oh, Soobin, you’re here too,” he said with a crooked grin. Soobin wasn’t intimidated by Jake’s predator-like aura and met the soccer captain’s gaze head-on. “Well, you know I’m here every weekend. And when I saw your tutor alone in the middle of this pack of hybrids, I came over right away to see how much sweetness and beauty she had as Rapunzel.”
Jake glared at Soobin, then shifted his gaze to you, as if expecting a reaction. Feeling caught in an invisible grip and wanting to ease the tension, you said: “Well… it was my idea to dress as Rapunzel and Flynn. Jake doesn’t look bad tonight either, to be honest.”
At those words, a wave of immense pride washed over the wolf hybrid. Jake chuckled, visibly pleased by your unexpected compliment. He drastically closed the distance between you, eliminating the personal space you’d established, and you watched as his large hand lowered and gently brushed against yours. You bowed your head for a moment, watching his fingers slowly spread across your palm, ready to welcome yours. Driven by a sudden, overwhelming sense of security from the fact that he’d thought to protect your drink and the primal warmth radiating from his presence—you interlaced your hand with his, fitting your fingers between his. It was a spontaneous gesture that made your heart race, because you’d never thought that this Jake—the one everyone talked about as a playboy or someone who only thought of himself—could be like this.
Jake tightened his grip around your hand—your fingers were ridiculously cute and small compared to his—and lifted his chin toward his rival. With a possessive tone that brooked no argument, he said: “It was a pleasure, Soobin. But Y/n is with me tonight, and I need to show her around the house.”
Without giving Soobin time to respond, Jake started walking toward the villa’s stairs, gently pulling you behind him. As you climbed the first wooden steps, you leaned toward him and whispered: “Do you think it’s right to leave him already? He seemed really into talking to me…” You felt bad for cutting short the only real conversation you’d started with the guy you had a crush on. But Jake couldn’t have cared less about what you thought in that moment or what Soobin might have been thinking. His only goal was to get you away from the other males’ gazes and claim you for himself, because damn, that night he wanted all your attention. So he took you to the very top of the stairs, to a raised and partially shadowed spot from which you could perfectly see the entire party below—the crowded living room and the music echoing off the walls.
“He’s still watching us, sweetheart,” he murmured against your ear, his warm breath on the bare skin of your neck making you shudder. Instinctively, you tried to turn your head downward, toward the kitchen, to look for Soobin’s figure. But Jake’s free hand shot lightning-fast to your face, his long, warm fingers caressing your cheek as he firmly held your face in place, preventing you from turning. You weren’t supposed to let Soobin see you flustered by the guy you liked.
“Don’t give him the satisfaction of having your eyes on him. Otherwise, he’ll realize you’re interested and that he has control over you,” he warned in a low voice, his gaze fixed on your lips. You swallowed hard at how well Jake could embody his character, and trapped between his hand on your face and the stair railing, you stammered in confusion: “A-and what the hell am I supposed to do, Jake? I… I’m not good at this stuff. It’s already a lot if I managed to talk to him for two minutes straight without making a fool of myself.” You said this with a half-smile, and Jake looked at you intensely, his ears lowering slightly in an unexpectedly tender shade of sweetness.
“But with me, you don’t have a problem talking, Y/n. You don’t freeze up. You hold your own, you answer back. Maybe… maybe you need to find someone you actually feel comfortable with, not someone your mind just thinks is cool, but who ultimately just makes you feel a little… constant anxiety?” Jake said this without fully realizing what he’d just admitted. For him, those words carried immense meaning—almost a declaration of intent tied to his biological nature. He wanted you to understand that love or attraction shouldn’t be a mental effort or an ideal of perfection to chase (like Soobin). Instead, it should be a natural chemistry based on loyalty, security, teasing, and a safe harbor where your body and soul felt protected and free to express themselves without fear. And those feelings? You definitely didn’t feel them with Soobin—but you did with him. He wanted you to understand that the wolf in front of you was the only one capable of naturally breaking down your protective barriers. He knew you were hiding something that had happened to you, and he couldn’t wait to see you lower your guard and let go with him.
But you didn’t have time to process the concept or respond, because Jake had closed the last millimeter of distance between you and pressed his lips firmly against yours, catching you completely off guard at the top of those stairs.
Jake’s full lips pressed against yours, and your brain completely short-circuited at the sensation of that physical contact between you and him.
What the hell was he doing? Why was he kissing you like this, in front of everyone, and especially under Soobin’s gaze? But before your mind could even formulate a protest or find the strength to push him away, the devastating warmth of his body enveloped you. As if by magic, the anxiety that had been gnawing at you since before you even entered their house vanished. After just a few seconds, almost as if moved by an involuntary reflex, you parted your lips slightly. Jake let out a warm, trembling sigh right against your mouth—a sound of pure relief—because you hadn’t slapped him in front of everyone, even though he knew you hated being touched. Damn, he’d been dreaming for a while now of knowing what it was like to kiss you. And he began to kiss you with a disarming gentleness.
It wasn’t the rough or arrogant kiss you would have expected from the soccer team captain. His lips moved against yours softly, as if he were afraid that at any moment, you might pull away. Jake gently sucked on your lower lip, savoring every single millimeter of your mouth, and you tasted the sweetness of the Coca-Cola mixed with the fruity flavor of his alcoholic aperitif. You would have never imagined that the campus playboy could kiss a girl with such care and reverence. Your cheeks burned as you felt his hand gently caress your cheek. Without realizing it, your hands—which had been timidly resting against his chest—slid upward, settling firmly on his broad shoulders, gripping the fabric of his white shirt. Jake leaned even closer into you, pressing you gently against the railing at the top of the stairs, isolating you from the rest of the world.
When your strawberry and vanilla scent suddenly became even sweeter and more intense than usual—a clear sign that your body had surrendered to him and that you no longer felt any fear—Jake broke the kiss for a millisecond. He growled in an incredibly rough, low voice: “Damn… you smell so good, Y/n. Stay like this… please.” He said this against your lips, and you didn’t understand the meaning of that comment. You tried to pull your head back to protest and ask for an explanation, but Jake, seeing your deliciously parted lips, didn’t waste time. He took advantage of that moment and slid his warm tongue into your mouth, deepening the kiss against your lips, which were increasingly drawn to him.
At the same time, his hand slid down from your face, settling firmly around your waist, gripping the lilac fabric of your Rapunzel dress. In that moment, Jake held his breath—he was afraid that this contact might trigger your usual resistance. He hoped with all his heart that you wouldn’t pull your hand away or break free from him. But to his surprise, you kissed him back. And you did it in a way that left him completely stunned: your fingers tightened with more force on his shoulders, and your tongue responded to his with an initial shyness that quickly turned into a desperate, hungry rhythm, as if you had found a secret refuge in this guy you thought you couldn’t stand. You pressed yourself closer to his chest, forgetting about Soobin, the people below the stairs, and everything else.
Jake literally smiled against your lips, savoring your total surrender, while the wolf instinct inside him screamed at the top of its lungs that you were his mate, that he should never let you go, and that he should especially not let other guys have you.
Jake’s human side forcefully pushed back the animal instinct that wanted to take control. He didn’t want to scare you—he just wanted to savor this incredible moment with you. Your tongues continued to seek each other relentlessly, as if it were just the two of you in that house. And maybe it was, because from where you stood, only someone climbing the stairs could see what was happening.
Then, seized by a sudden boldness you didn’t even know you possessed, you lightly nibbled on his lower lip. Jake was completely caught off guard by such an intimate, unexpected, and boldly provocative gesture from you. He wanted more, and a low, rough moan escaped his lips. At that sound, you felt your cheeks burn damn, Jake was kissing you and moaning in the middle of a packed party!
This realization set off an alarm bell in your mind, jolting your rationality back to life. This was not part of the deal you’d made with him. Breathless, with your heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst, you pulled away from him by just a few millimeters, breaking the kiss. Even though, deep down, you wanted his lips against yours again, you quickly pushed that thought away. Both of you had glossy eyes, your lips visibly redder and fuller than usual.
Embarrassed and adrenaline-fueled, you lowered your gaze and started nervously fiddling with the lilac tulle of your Rapunzel dress, trying to compose yourself. Jake, on the other hand, simply couldn’t stop looking at you. His chest rose and fell rapidly under his Flynn Rider shirt. When you finally looked up again, your eyes locked once more, unable to pull away, as if they were always searching for each other. You stammered:
“I… I… why did you kiss me, Jake?”
Jake gave a small, crooked smile and repeated softly the same words from earlier: “He’s still watching us, sweetheart.”
This time, though, he didn’t bring his hand to your cheek to block your face, leaving you free to check if Soobin was indeed watching. When you slowly turned toward the living room below, your eyes immediately caught Soobin’s figure. He was standing at the end of the hallway, arms crossed, with a hint of obvious jealousy mixed with frustration in his gaze. Once again, Jake had won—because he hadn’t expected someone like Jake to claim you so boldly in front of everyone, especially since you weren’t his ideal type of girl.
As you spun back toward Jake, confused, he looked down at you, stretching his wolf ears with a proud air. Then he murmured:
“Give it less than a week… you’ll see, Soobin will come looking for you and ask you out. Because very soon, everyone here will know I kissed you. But they’ll also know you’re not my girlfriend. And you’ll officially be the girl who stood up to Jake Sim. And believe me, sweetheart… every guy on campus will become terribly curious to find out who you are.”
Was Jake Sim a fortune teller? Or maybe a genie? No, because ever since you’d set foot on campus that Monday morning after the Halloween weekend, his prophecy had come true 100%: people couldn’t stop staring at you. Every time you walked down the hallway, there were whispers as you passed. Classmates and even complete strangers looked at you differently now—all because they’d spotted you with the university’s golden boy.
At that exact moment, you rolled your eyes for the umpteenth time as you stood behind the café counter, preparing hot chocolates. Allie was leaning against the milk crates, staring at her phone screen with wide eyes. “I can’t believe it… my best friend, the person who spends the most time in bed writing sheet music or watching K-dramas, ended up on the university blog! There’s a photo of you and Jake at the top of the stairs while you were kissing, and I almost missed that scene because of his best friend. I never would’ve thought I’d see you in a situation like this!” she said, laughing excitedly as she waved her phone back and forth. You tried to lunge forward to snatch the phone from her, but with little success since Allie pulled it back, laughing.
“Come on, stop looking at that phot, it’s embarrassing, please!” you whispered, glancing sideways to make sure no customers heard you. But Allie couldn’t stop staring at the picture, and her tone suddenly turned more serious and dreamy as she looked at you and Jake: “But seriously… you and Jake look so good in that photo. In a way I never would’ve imagined: you, the down-to-earth girl who works double shifts to pay for university and build a future in music, kissing the campus golden boy, the soccer team captain with his path already paved to some famous club… It’s a perfect match. Admit it, just a few months ago, you never would’ve imagined ending up in a situation like this!” she concluded with a mischievous smile. But you scolded her immediately, slamming the coffee tamper on the counter and glaring at her: “Stop it right now, Allie! There’s no match, no romantic movie. It was just… a setup to get Soobin’s attention, and Jake just wanted to help. It’s a 50% help for both of us,” you said, trying to sound convincing. Yet your eyes couldn’t pull away from that photo on the screen.
Looking at it, you almost didn’t recognize yourself: pressed against his chest, your hands gripping his shirt, and the way Jake was looking at you as he held your waist radiated an energy that could give butterflies to even someone like Allie, who’d been in a relationship forever. Even though the photo wasn’t high quality, you could still see both you and Jake smiling at each other. And just the memory of his lips against yours made your stomach clench.
Your thoughts were abruptly interrupted by someone arriving at the counter. You heard a familiar voice, and when you looked up, you found Soobin standing there with his usual shy smile. That morning, he was in full “nerd mode”: he was wearing an oversized sweater that made him look even softer, round glasses with thin black frames, and his dark hair was slightly messy on his forehead. But it was strange—until that moment, you would’ve gone crazy at the sight of him. Now, you were happy, but you couldn’t understand why your mind kept drifting to Jake…
“Hey, Y/n…” he said in his usual shy way, and you gave him a timid smile. Soobin glanced quickly at Allie’s phone in her hand and then back at you. “Mmm… did you see the photo of you and Jake kissing too?” The question came out of his mouth with a slightly casual, almost detached tone, but his eyes were hungry for your reaction. You nodded, feeling the blood rush straight to your cheeks, and immediately tried to downplay it by waving your hands in the air: “Yes, I saw it… but I swear, Soobin, it’s nothing serious! Jake is just a show-off. We were just… joking. There was so much confusion at the party, and…” You tried to say something, as if you owed him an explanation, but he stopped you by raising a hand: “The other night, I was really shocked when I saw you dressed like that and I noticed right away how your cheeks turned red when you saw me next to you,” he said, looking down at you from his nearly two meters of height—Soobin was truly imposing, unlike Jake, who, despite being muscular, was only a couple of centimeters taller than you.
“Jake took you away, and… well, we all know him, he’s a show-off. But I bet that kiss was just for show, right?” And then, leaving you completely shocked, he leaned a little further forward, lowering his voice: “Would you like to go out for a serious coffee with me this afternoon? Just you and me, I promise.” He took a sip of his drink, and you stood there, literally paralyzed with the milk jug in your hand. Was he seriously asking you out? You’d wanted this moment for months. You’d spent entire nights hoping Soobin would notice you. But now… Jake’s image kept tormenting your mind. And with startling clarity, you remembered the warmth of his full lips, how he’d gently held you close, afraid you might pull away, and especially that damn moan that had escaped him when you’d bitten his lip and what scared you the most was the realization that, next to Jake, your body hadn’t felt the slightest bit of anxiety.
With Soobin, however, you felt like you were under examination, and your instinct told you to take it slow with him, not to rush. But a part of you wanted to seize the moment, to not waste this opportunity—you’d already wasted so many because of what happened to you as a teenager. Yet, accepting his invitation for that afternoon would mean canceling your study session with Jake. So you took a deep breath and, forcing a sweet smile, said:
“Soobin, I’d really like to… but as you know, I’m tutoring Jake. He has his Contemporary History test on Friday, and we absolutely need to meet at his place this afternoon to review the last chapters. But… this weekend, yes, we could go out for breakfast together, if you’d like.”
At your positive response, Soobin smiled sweetly, his dimples on full display. “The weekend works perfectly. Oh, by the way… I don’t know if you noticed, but I already followed you on Instagram a little while ago. I’ll message you after class so we can figure out the details.” He said, and you nodded, your heart racing as you watched him turn and leave the café with his easy, relaxed gait.
Allie, who had been silently pretending to clean a nearby table the whole time, rushed over as soon as Soobin was out of earshot. She looked you straight in the eyes, her usual playful demeanor gone, and said in a low voice:
“Y/n… if you really wanted to go out with him this afternoon, Jake can wait. Or he can study for the test on his own. But please, be honest with yourself—because you just turned down a date with the guy of your dreams to lock yourself in a house with a jock who, until recently, you claimed to detest, and who practically kissed you passionately in front of half the university. Are you sure Soobin is still the only one on your mind?”
She asked, watching you carefully and at those words, you honestly didn’t know what to say.
As you walked briskly toward Jake’s house, Allie’s words still echoed in your head. You tried to shake them off, Jake was just a… a "friend"? You didn’t even know how to define him, to be honest. You were his tutor, end of story. What happened at the Halloween party was just a staged scene to get Soobin’s attention and land a date and it had worked. That was all… right?
When you stood in front of the massive door of the seven hybrids’ villa, you typed in the code Jake had kindly given you a few days earlier so you wouldn’t have to wait in the cold. But out of politeness, you knocked anyway. No one answered, so you pushed the door open. The living room and large kitchen were completely empty. It was really strange, the place looked almost eerie compared to the chaos of the last time you’d been there, for the Halloween party. So you walked in and, reaching the bottom of the stairs, called out: “Jake! I’m here!”
But there was no answer. You assumed he was in his room, as usual when he wanted to avoid chores. So you climbed the wooden steps one by one, looking around. All the doors on the landing were closed except one. When you reached Jake’s door and saw it was half-open, you knocked lightly with your knuckles on the wood and said: “Sorry I’m late, Jake, but we really need to review three chapters of Contemporary History on the post-war period and the peace treaties…”
But the words died in your throat.
Jake was there but he wasn’t alone. He was leaning back against his messy desk, and between his legs stood a girl you recognized all too well: one of the most popular and beautiful girls on campus. She had her nails buried in Jake’s dark hair, kissing him passionately, her hips moving against his. And yet, you noticed immediately that Jake wasn’t touching her at all. His hands were lazily resting on the desk, as if he didn’t even have a girl kissing him in front of him. His ears were slightly lowered, and his tail, beneath his pants, was completely still—no twitch, no movement. It was strange because with you, Jake was always the opposite. The way they were kissing seemed almost mechanical, especially on Jake’s part… as if he were bored. There was none of that desperation to touch you like at Halloween, none of that devastating heat, none of that deep, rough moan he’d reserved for you at the top of the stairs just a few days earlier.
And yet, despite his obvious detachment, the sight of Jake wrapped around another girl hurt, badly. You suddenly felt stupid, like a total fool. But stupid for what? Jake wasn’t your type at all… and yet, watching him share his personal space and his lips with someone else filled you with a sharp, cutting disappointment that quickly turned into burning anger toward him.
In the shock of that vision, you abruptly took a step back to leave, but the sudden movement made your heavy backpack bump against the wooden doorframe. At such close range, Jake’s wolf hearing instantly picked up the noise but more than that, he caught your scent. He pulled away from the girl almost immediately, as if pushing her off, and his eyes widened when they landed on you in the doorway. His nose wrinkled instantly because he’d just caught your scent in the air—but your usual sweet strawberry fragrance was gone. It had turned sour, sharp, and not good—it reminded him of the early days when you couldn’t stand him being near you at all.
“Y/n! Wait!” Jake exclaimed, taking a decisive step toward you but you had no intention of staying there to be humiliated. You spun around on your heel, your cheeks literally burning with embarrassment.
Jake gently grabbed your wrist in an attempt to stop your rush down the stairs: “Hey! Stop for a second!” he exclaimed, looking at you but you spun around abruptly, yanking your wrist free from his grip especially from his touch and said:
“Let go of me, Jake! Don’t touch me! I knew you were irresponsible, but I didn’t think you’d go this far! We have a test in three days, and I rearranged all my plans today just to come here and help you pass the exam and what do you do? Not even train—which would make more sense—but kiss one of your many girls who throw themselves at you with a snap of their fingers?!” You glared at him, and Jake looked at you carefully, almost caught off guard by the vehemence of your words. His wolf ears lowered slightly, betraying a hint of regret or perhaps confusion about what was happening. His nose wrinkled imperceptibly as he sniffed the air around you, sensing how your scent was becoming sharper, more acidic as if every fiber of your body was screaming how much you disliked the situation. It reminded him of the scent you gave off when you couldn’t stand being near him.
Trying to take a step toward you to calm you down, Jake said in a low voice: “Y/n, we weren’t doing anything serious. She just came to return a hoodie to me and...”
But you didn’t care at all about his justifications. You cut him off abruptly with a wave of your hands: “I don’t care what you were doing! It just bothers me that I wasted my time with a guy who doesn’t have his head on straight, who only thinks about having fun and showing off! You know what? Figure it out yourself. I’ll send you the notes online from now on because I have no intention of setting foot in this house again to waste time with you!”
At those words, a spark flashed in his eyes—no way was he going to lose you. He… he wanted to be with you. Seeing you every day kept him mentally stable, and he always found an excuse to see you or be near you. So Jake took a decisive step closer to you because he didn’t rationally understand what was going through your mind at that moment but his animal nature—his primal wolf instinct—spoke to him, suggesting a fucking precise idea:
Could it be… that she’s jealous of seeing you with someone else?
In that moment of high tension, his animal side took over completely without him realizing it. His usual cocky smirk reappeared on his face, and tilting his head slightly toward you, he said in a rough, teasing tone: “Are you mad because I’m not studying, sweetheart… or because the lips on my mouth weren’t yours? Do you miss me that much already after the other night?”
At those words, your eyes widened. Did he seriously just say that out loud? You were completely shocked and wounded in your pride by what he’d just dared to say. Feeling your cheeks burn even redder, you forced yourself to laugh and, lifting your chin, looked him straight in the eyes with a shamelessly defiant air: “You’re completely crazy! I don’t care at all who you kiss, Jake Sim! In fact, I’m even happy you’re so busy with your ‘friends’ that way, you won’t interfere in my life this weekend when I go out with Soobin!” You said with a small smirk.
At the sound of Soobin’s name, Jake’s earlier smirk vanished completely. His ears snapped backward, almost stiffening, and his jaw tightened slightly at seeing you so bold with him. In a low voice, he said: “What did you say?”
You looked at him before leaving and said: “You heard me. He asked me out today at the bar, but I told him no to come here and study with you because I’m a responsible girl and stupid me, but we’ll see each other this weekend. So try to do well on the history test because I finally got what I wanted.”
With that, you pushed him slightly, taking advantage of his moment of shock, opened the villa’s door, and walked out, slamming it behind you. You left the university’s golden boy alone in the hallway, furious and jealous for the first time in his life.
After you left Jake, leaving your notes in plain sight on the table, the atmosphere inside that house had become literally suffocating—especially for Jake. When the other six members of the pack returned, they found Jake sulking, half-stretched out on the large, dark leather sofa in the living room. The younger ones almost laughed at the sight, but the older ones immediately understood that something had happened. Every second, Jake ran his fingers through his thick hair, ruffling it furiously, or hurled a stress ball against the wall in front of him, catching it mid-air with his reflexes before throwing it again.
Jay and Sunghoon exchanged an exasperated glance. Jay, the black cat hybrid, ran a hand over his neck, annoyed by the negative energy dominating the room.
“Can someone tell me what happened with your tutor? Why isn’t she here in a chair, making you memorize dates or the names of generals? God, this house stinks so much of your bad pheromones. There’s a sour, wet-dog smell coming from you that I haven’t smelled in I don’t know how long…” said the cat hybrid, wrinkling his nose. Sunghoon did the same, but Jake, at the mere word "tutor," jolted upright on the couch, hurling the ball onto the floor with such force that it bounced off the ceiling. He almost growled, nervously running his hands through his hair:
“Nothing! Nothing happened! She’s just a stubborn little girl who says she doesn’t want to come here anymore because… and she’s going out with that damn Soobin this weekend.”
Sunghoon coughed in a half-laugh, unable to hold it back, and a cynical, amused grin appeared on his lips. “Oh, so Choi is seriously interested in Y/n… who would’ve thought! He’s been practically chasing her for weeks. And well, on the other hand, you were busy getting kissed by one of your groupies five minutes before Y/n arrived, right? You don’t care if Y/n goes out with another guy...especially Soobin, do you? You know, we saw her on the path as she was leaving, and human girls don’t work like hybrids, who dream of finding their mate 90% of the time just to be knotted and not claimed. Human girls don’t have a pack instinct. They don’t accept sharing, and above all, you can’t have your foot in two shoes with them.”
Jake rolled his eyes because everyone had warned him not to play around, especially with human girls. He covered his face with his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. “I don’t know what bothers me more...that she doesn’t want to come here anymore to study with me… or that she’s going out with another guy. She’s not… she’s not my type at all, you know! She’s a simple, down-to-earth girl—all about home, work, and musical scores and what pisses me off the most is that she’s almost as much of a know-it-all as I am. But damn, if I even think for a second about her laughing, walking, or looking at Soobin with those sweet eyes… my wolf side goes completely blind with rage, and I don’t understand why. Me? Jake Sim only cares about getting signed by a national team and living for soccer, not romantic drama. But if I imagine her with another guy, I feel like something’s being ripped away from me something that, technically, isn’t even mine… I just want to go out there and make everyone understand that she’s mine.”
At those words, Jake’s eyes widened—because… because he shouldn’t be thinking those things. Those were things people said when they’d found or were with their mate, not with a simple girl who gave them tutoring. Jay and Sunghoon stopped laughing, and their expressions turned serious, almost severe, as they watched their roommate crumble under the weight of a feeling he refused to admit but had just confessed a few seconds earlier. They exchanged another glance and, almost in unison, took a step forward toward their best friend, placing their hands on Jake’s shoulders.
“We told you to be careful with her, Jake,” Sunghoon said, with a rare note of seriousness in his voice. “But above all, we warned you right away that she was the one… the one who could calm the beast inside you without you having to pretend to be the king of the campus.”
Jay nodded in agreement, gently stroking the lower part of Jake’s ears this time: “Your tutor isn’t playing hard to get, Jake. She saw what you always do: using people out of boredom, for sport, to confirm to yourself that you can have anyone. But this time, you chose the wrong person. Y/n isn’t one of your fans who hang on your every word and accept your leftovers. If your wolf feels sick and is howling inside your head, it’s because he knows perfectly well that you’ve ruined the only good, real thing you’ve encountered in years. The few times I’ve seen you together, she’s the only person who looks at you for who you are—not for the captain’s armband, your beauty, or your status.”
“So get your ass off that couch,” Sunghoon concluded. “Apologize to her and please, don’t let her get away, because the true ‘mate’ only comes once in your life… don’t make the mistake so many others do of not letting go.”
Jake had one clear mission: he never wanted to see you angry with him again, even if it meant swallowing his pride. So, between one soccer training session and another, he took his studies deadly seriously.
He locked himself in his room and spent hours poring over the pages of Contemporary History you’d worked on together. He started bombarding your phone: sending you photos of his summary diagrams late at night, voice messages over five minutes long (which were practically illegal in your book) answering the open-ended questions you’d left him as homework before your fight. And at the end of every voice message, he’d always try to make it personal, asking in a low voice: “Hey… how are you? What did you do after class today? Do you want to meet up before the test on Friday afternoon?”
But you were categorical: you never replied to those personal questions, leaving him brutally on read. And for the study messages, you responded with an icy coldness that wasn’t in your nature but deep down, you knew you were jealous of him, so you tried not to think about him, not to give in. You’d look at the photos or listen to the voice messages, and you’d respond simply by leaving a reaction: a thumbs-up 👍 if the answer was correct, or a thumbs-down 👎 if he’d messed up the dates. No written messages. No “Okay,” no “Good job, you got six out of ten right.” Just absolute silence from you. And this was literally driving Jake crazy because no one in his entire life as an alpha hybrid and soccer captain had ever treated him like he was invisible.
Since the messages weren’t working, he switched to a more direct—and obviously more visible—strategy with you. Every single morning, he’d show up at the faculty café and patiently wait in line among dozens of students, just to reach your counter. When it was finally his turn, he’d lean heavily on the counter with his elbows, stretching forward to watch you as you prepared the coffees. He didn’t look like a loser at all, in fact, with that team jacket draped over his broad shoulders, his messy hair, and his magnetic amber gaze following your every move, he looked like he was searching for even the smallest crumb of your attention. It was the most shameless approach you’d ever seen from a guy, and sometimes, while you worked, a small smile would tug at your lips seeing him like that.
As you stirred the coffees or steamed the milk, he wouldn’t stop teasing you for a second: tilting his head, barely moving the tips of his ears to catch your eyes, and whispering with a crooked smile: “Good morning, sweetheart. Did you know WhatsApp was created as a messaging app, not an app for one-word replies or simple 👍👎? I preferred it when you actually spoke to me when I got distracted… are you sure you don’t want to review together tonight?”
But you had become almost mute with him. You didn’t give in even a millimeter to his antics. You kept your gaze fixed on the coffee machine and, slamming his receipt on the counter with a sharp tap, you responded every day with the same detached chant: “That’s four dollars and fifty cents for the oat milk cappuccino, Sim. Move it, there’s a line behind you.”You’d point with one finger at the long line behind him, and Jake would almost always pout. The scene was so ridiculous that, a few tables away, his pack never missed an opportunity to enjoy the show—especially the younger members, like Sunoo, who would burst out laughing, covering his mouth with his hands, absolutely loving the drama between you and his hyung.
Next to him, Ni-ki would shoot Jake an amused glance and comment in the group chat that you’d refused to speak to Jake again. Even Jungwon, the cat hybrid who was usually the calmest, would chuckle under his whiskers, shaking his head—though it was nice to see Jake, for the first time, thinking hard and working seriously on something that wasn’t soccer.
The door in front of Jake was still closed, but his ears picked up the sound of the history professor arranging the tests on the desks inside. There were still five minutes until the exam started.
This was shaping up to be the most important weekend of his entire academic year: not only was there the Contemporary History exam weighing on his mind, but on Sunday, he had a crucial league match. In the stands, scouts from some of the country’s most famous soccer teams would be watching, and Jake was hoping with everything in him to be chosen by one of them—to finally take off toward a professional career. Yet, despite the pressure of the upcoming match, the thing that had made him relax his shoulders and feel genuinely better that morning was your message.
After endless days of receiving nothing but cold thumbs-up or thumbs-down, your message had lit up his phone screen as soon as he woke up, his eyes still heavy with sleep:
“Hi. Don’t mix up the peace treaties from the various international assemblies, especially between World War II and the Cold War (P.S. I know there will be at least 2 questions on this topic). Good luck, Jake. Show them what you’re worth. :)”
At the sight of it, a smile, his first in a long time, crept onto his lips. He had reread that message all morning, and he was still staring at it now, just outside the classroom.
His inner wolf, which had been curled up, dull and listless for days in a corner of his mind, suddenly woke up at the news. His tail began wagging incessantly all day, and his animal instinct spoke clearly or perhaps it seriously hoped he still had a chance with you and said:
“If she didn’t care about you at all, she wouldn’t have written… especially today, when she knows how important this day is for your future. There’s still hope, Sim Jaeyun. Embrace it.”
That’s exactly why, gripping his phone between his fingers, Jake decided not to reply to you right away. For once, he wanted to avoid making a wrong move. He didn’t want to ruin that tiny bit of closeness with one of his usual bold responses. He wanted actions to speak for him.
So when the door to the lecture hall finally swung open and the students began pouring in, Jake took a seat at one of the central desks. And as soon as the Contemporary History test paper was placed in front of him, with a determination his classmates had never seen on his face before, he began answering all the questions. He didn’t want to disappoint you. He couldn’t allow himself to waste all the hours you’d spent writing him summaries, explaining every single chapter in detail even when you were angry with him. Or the fact that, despite everything, you’d taken a minute to wish him good luck.
So he put his head down and focused for the full two hours of the test, isolating himself from the rest of the world and concentrating on the answers he had to give.
After two grueling hours of the exam, Jake could literally not wait to find out his score. He was hoping with all his heart that the electronic system or the professors would give him the result immediately—he wanted to know if all that crazy studying you and he had done together had paid off. But the professor had decided to grade the tests on the spot, and all the students, Jake included, were stuck in their seats. He rested his face against his arms, trying to calm himself and imagine how you would react if he’d passed.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity to his wolf, the professor stood up from the desk with a stack of papers in her hands and began handing them out. When she reached Jake’s desk, she stopped and looked at him with a sincere and slightly surprised smile: “I don’t know how Y/n managed to make you ‘like’ Contemporary History, Sim, but I’m truly happy and proud of you.”
The professor handed him his test, and Jake lowered his eyes. There, written at the top in bright green marker, was a 75/100, accompanied by a small smiling face. He was literally shocked—his tail began wagging, and his pheromones started filling the air with his scent. He had never gotten a grade this high in that subject before. Without wasting a second, he pulled out his phone, took a photo of the test, and sent it immediately to the WhatsApp group he had with the other six members of the villa. They all praised him, but all he wanted was to hear you or see you. So as he strode out of the classroom, he opened your private chat and was about to attach the photo of his 75 to brag to you too—until he froze halfway down the hallway.
His wolf senses suddenly kicked in, and he caught an unmistakable trail of your sweet, unmistakable strawberry and cotton candy scent in the air—the one he had loved discovering so much. Jake’s head snapped around twice until his eyes locked onto you. There you were, just a few meters away, leaning against the hallway wall as you waited for him outside the classroom. At the sight of you, his hybrid nature rejoiced: his gray ears perked up happily on his head, and his tail, beneath his tracksuit pants, began moving in a frantic, enthusiastic rhythm, thrilled that you were there for him—even though he hadn’t asked you to be.
You gave him a small, shy smile, and Jake closed the distance between you in a flash, almost running until you felt his strong, large arms wrap tightly around your waist. Before you could even realize what was happening, Jake lifted you off the ground, nearly taking you into his arms mid-air in the middle of the hallway.
“J-Jake! What are you doing?! Put me down, are you crazy?!” you stammered, your heart in your throat, as you instinctively clung to his broad back to avoid falling. But Jake ignored your protests and buried his head right near the hollow of your neck, breathing in your scent deeply. He whispered with a voice rough with emotion and adrenaline: “Y/n… I got a 75. I did it… thanks to you.”
Your smile widened involuntarily at hearing him so happy, and you gently caressed the back of his neck. “I knew you’d do great things, Jake. Remember, you told me that by the end of the course, you’d get a 100 if you applied yourself! But now put me back down, seriously!”
Jake chuckled, only then realizing that all the students left in the hallway were staring at you. With extreme slowness, he let you slide back down but when your feet touched the ground, he didn’t pull away instead, his face stayed just a few centimeters from yours, so close you could feel the warmth of his breath on your skin. You swallowed, feeling your cheeks turn red, and he loved seeing you so close to him again. He studied you with an intense gaze, lowering his eyes to your lips for a second before meeting your eyes again.
“And now… where’s my reward?” he asked in a provocative tone, watching you with a challenging look.
“Your reward is that the history box on the register finally has a green checkmark instead of a red one, and that maybe you won’t fail… that’s your reward, Sim,” you said, as if it were obvious.
Jake pouted cutely, shaking his head, and teased you by reaching out to give you a light tap on the tip of your nose: “Really, sweetheart? That’s it? You’re a ruthless tutor. I was hoping for something much more… this weekend… we haveto celebrate, Y/n. Tomorrow evening is one of the most important matches of my life....there will be scouts from national and global teams watching. Please come watch me play in the stands.” He said, almost pleading with his hands.
You immediately tried to shake your head and protest, crossing your arms: “Jake, no, I told you… I have plans this weekend… I mean, I have to meet Soobin for breakfast, and then I have to study for my exams. I can’t spend the evening in a pub…”
But he, being the skilled manipulator he was when he wanted something from you, took half a step closer, reducing the space between you even more. You felt his pheromones teasing your body, and he said: “Breakfast is Sunday morning. My match is tomorrow evening. You have to come to the stands to cheer me on, Y/n. You sent me that message this morning, tomorrow, you need to be there in person. You helped me get through the hardest part of the week… you don’t want to leave me alone right at the finish line, do you? I’m only asking you to come tomorrow, okay?”
Jake Sim was seriously a thorn in your side, and he knew exactly how to get a “yes” out of someone at any cost. You rolled your eyes, feigning fake exasperation, and started nervously fiddling with your backpack strap to avoid looking at him. “Okay, fine… I’ll come to the match with Allie,” you conceded in the end, hinting at a small smile. But then your tone turned more serious and low. “But… you know I don’t drink alcohol, Jake. So there won’t be much for me to do at the pub, and I want to leave at a decent time so I can be awake and on time Sunday morning.”
Jake immediately noticed that sudden shift in your mood. His wolf instinct picked up on a different nuance in your voice, and he desperately wanted to know what had happened to you in the past—what was the reason behind your total refusal of alcohol, or why you trusted people so little and disliked physical contact so much. But he knew he had to take it one step at a time.
He took a deep breath, looking at you with a rare seriousness, and said: “I know you’re still hesitant about me… and I’m sorry for the other day,” he said, almost mentally cursing himself for letting that third-year girl kiss him. “But we’ve known each other for a while now, and at the Halloween party, you trusted me. We worked as a team… so I thought that tomorrow evening, you could try drinking something with me and my friends. They might seem like a bunch of lunatics, but all six of them are curious to meet you, Y/n.”
You looked at him, stunned, your eyes wide, and opened your mouth to protest. But Jake immediately interrupted you, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder to reassure you. “I just want you to feel safe with me. When you’re with me, nothing bad will ever happen to you, I promise. If you’re afraid of drinking for some reason… well, you’ll tell me about it, when and if you want to. But tomorrow evening, I’ll stay right by your side, without drinking a single drop of alcohol, so I can stay 100% sober. You can have fun without touching a drink, obviously but I also want you to understand that you can trust me blindly and if you want to try drinking, you can do it in complete peace of mind, because after the party, I’ll pick you up, put you in my car, and take you home safe and sound, ready for your date with Soobin the next day,” Jake said, the last part reluctantly, running a hand through his thick hair and betraying a hint of jealousy at the innocent mention of your date. But he wanted, above all, to make you understand that he wasn’t selfish—he’d loved making people like him since his scout days, loved being known for who he truly was. But between his reputation as the golden boy of the soccer team and knowing he was a good-looking guy, many girls wanted him, and he had fun with it. Now, though, he wanted to see if things could work with you.
You stood still because you’d never heard a guy—let alone a fiery, popular hybrid like him—say something like that to you, or put himself completely at your disposal just to make you feel protected.
You lowered your gaze, feeling your cheeks burn, because deep down, you knew it was true: despite his flaws, his arrogance, and his distracted kisses with others, with Jake, you’d felt safe almost from the first day. And with him, the anxiety that usually clenched your stomach always disappeared. This had to make you realize that there was something more to Jake. When you looked up again, you said softly: “Thank you, Jake…”
He smiled at you and said: “I promise you, Y/n. If you want to drink something, I’ll always be by your side… and even if you decide not to drink, it’ll be the same for me—I’ll be there to protect you,” he thought the last part in his mind, while his inner wolf growled with pride at the idea of being your shield against the rest of the world. “Everything will be fine, I promise,” he said, reaching out his hand toward you, lifting his pinky finger in a solemn and slightly childish vow. You looked at him for a second, then smiled, and linked your pinky with his, squeezing it.
“Okay… I’ll come to your match… and maybe I’ll drink something at the party.”
At that contact and those words, Jake’s smile grew enormous. He pulled you close, even if only through that link between your pinkies, because he couldn’t wait for you to discover and get to know the real Jake.
The stands of the university soccer field were literally packed with people: some were leading the university chants, others were playing drums and trumpets, blasting the university anthem, and there were countless screams from fans cheering on all the players but one name echoed louder than all the others: number 5, Jake Sim.
You and Allie were sitting in a kind of covered VIP box, a reserved area where the other six hybrids from the villa were also watching the match. You were sitting right next to Jay, the black cat hybrid, who was watching the game with his arms crossed and his tail lazily swaying behind his back—he wasn’t part of any sports team, but for his best friends or hyungs, he would never miss a thing. To Allie’s left was Heeseung, the hamster hybrid, who, true to his sweet but incredibly magnetic nature, hadn’t stopped flirting with her for a second, making her giggle while she kept rolling her eyes.
At one point, Allie turned to you, her eyes wide, and pointed at the crowd below: “Wow, Y/n… I knew Jake was the ‘golden boy’ of the university and the soccer team, but look how many girls are wearing his jersey!” Looking down, you noticed that almost 90% of the female fans were wearing the number 5 jersey with Sim printed on the back. Out of pure spite, you had decided to leave the original jersey he’d given you the other day with a cocky smile in your closet but to avoid freezing from the evening wind, you had accepted wearing only his team scarf, which still smelled intensely of him. You weren’t entirely sure if it bothered you to see so many girls with his name on their backs. After all, you didn’t like Jake… right? And besides, the next morning, you had a special date at one of the best bakeries in the area with Soobin. So you didn’t understand that annoying itch that was creeping through your body at the sight of so many girls talking about Jake.
But those confused thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the booming voice of the university commentator over the speakers, who shouted: “…And there’s Anton with a perfect pass to Jake from the corner kick! Sim breaks free in the shooting zone… he jumps higher than everyone else and… HEADER! GOAL! IT’S A GOAL FOR OUR UNIVERSITY!”
A crazy roar spread across the entire field, and the stands almost trembled from the crowd of people screaming, jumping, and recording videos. Caught up in the adrenaline of the moment, both Jay and Heeseung leaned toward you. You felt Jay’s muscular arm wrap around your neck, pulling you into a brotherly hug while Heeseung did the same with Allie, jumping and cheering. You burst out laughing, infected by that insane energy you never thought you’d enjoy, exchanging an amused glance with Allie as you saw her lean into Heeseung.
Jay, noticing your laughter, looked down at you and gave you a light, teasing nudge with his elbow. “Look at you… You didn’t want to wear his jersey to play it cool, but you’re clutching his scarf around your neck, sniffing it every two seconds like you miss him. And you can’t stop rolling your eyes when some girl comments on Jake, yet you can’t take your eyes off him during any of his plays! I bet if Jake knew you were smelling his scent while he scores, he’d jump around like a puppy!” He said, observing you. You blushed instantly and retorted, giving him a playful shove to his chest: “Stop it, Jay! I’m only wearing it because it’s freezing up here, not because of… I only smell it because… because Jake has a nice scent.” Jay nodded, shaking his head with a smirk.
At that moment, your eyes returned to the field. Jake was running like crazy on the green pitch, but instead of heading toward the ultras’ curve, he ran straight under the VIP box where you were sitting. He slowed his pace, making a slight theatrical bow with his arms open to the crowd. And as soon as his eyes found you in the crowd, he winked at you and gave you a cocky smile. You felt your cheeks burn completely, and Allie immediately brought her hands to her chest, striking a totally dramatic pose like a true actress: “Ohh! Jake Sim winked at me! I’m about to faint!” Heeseung immediately interjected, leaning toward her ear with a half-smile: “I don’t think so, doll… I don’t think that wink was meant for you…” Allie, however, let out a small huff and said, “Oh, come on, let me dream!” before giving you a knowing nudge.
You watched Jake as he turned to run back and let himself be swallowed by the embraces of his teammates. But when you tried to turn away to hide your embarrassment, you realized that the atmosphere in the box had suddenly changed because all six hybrids left there were staring at you.
In their gazes, there wasn’t just happiness for the goal. Their eyes (feline, canine, or wild) shone with an intensity and a protective, almost possessive warmth in the way they looked at you. Because in a hybrid culture, the bond forming between you and Jake was terrifyingly similar to an imprinting, the sacred recognition of their “female. and in the pack, you were the first female even if you hadn’t yet been knotted or bitten by Jake.
The pub where the victory party was being held was literally packed with students who had been in the stands, all dancing and drinking. The space on the small sofa in the pub was so limited that you were half-stuck to Jake, his shoulder pressed against yours. You were leaning over, scrolling through the drink menu, while Jake was telling you which one he thought you’d like best but in reality, your eyes weren’t really looking at the names on the menu at all—they were completely captivated by him.
You observed his backward baseball cap, from which a few strands of dark hair escaped, falling rebelliously across his forehead. His cheeks were still slightly flushed from the physical exertion of the game, but also from the heat of the room. Jake was really too handsome—a lethal mix of hybrid charm with his large hands and ears that wouldn’t stop moving, but also a sweetness in the small dimples on his face or his tired eyes… not to mention his full lips, which he bit every now and then. You realized it was a tic—partly a nervous reflex, but also something personal, slightly explicit, directed at you.
Your thoughts dissolved instantly when you felt his warm voice against your ear, so close it sent shivers down your spine: “So, sweetheart? What are you getting?” he asked, watching your every reaction closely. Snapping out of your trance and having barely read anything, you pointed to the first combination that caught your eye: a cocktail with grapes, lime, currants, and a vodka base.
Jake added your drink to the order and then ordered a simple Coca-Cola for himself. Looking at him, you realized he was dead serious—he wouldn’t touch a drop of alcohol all night, giving up toasting to his own victory just to keep his promise of protecting you.
When the drink arrived at the table, Jake picked up the glass, adjusted the straw, and gently turned it toward you. You leaned slightly forward to take your first sip, and he whispered: “Don’t drink too much at once, okay? Take small sips, or your body won’t handle the impact.”
You looked up at him as you drank, watching him from below. At the sight of your lips wrapped around the straw and your bright eyes locked on his, every rational thought in Jake’s head vanished. His alpha hybrid instinct short-circuited at the realization of just how damn beautiful you were. His senses picked up the warmth spreading across your skin, and your strawberry scent, mixing with the fruity smell of the drink, created an intoxicating, addictive blend for a hybrid with such a developed alpha side as his.
After sliding that first drop of alcohol into your body for the first time in years, you pulled away from the straw and said with a fake challenging tone: “I’m not a child, Jake!”
He sighed, shaking his head with a crooked smile, and said: “I know you’re not a child… but you told me you’ve barely ever drunk in your life, and I just want this fear of alcohol to fade, even thanks to me and I want you to have a great night. So yes, I’ll keep an eye on you, Y/n.”
At those words, you bit your lip, playing with the straw, and leaned even closer to him. Slowly reaching out, you gently caressed the base of his wolf ears, feeling them soft and warm under your fingers knowing it would make him more sensitive. “I like this drink… but maybe there isn’t that much alcohol in it,” you whispered close to his face.
Jake sniffed your glass, his ears twitching pleasantly under your touch, and nodded: “Good. I certainly wouldn’t have started you off with aged gin or century-old grappa!” he said, smiling at you. You laughed and, leaning even closer to his cheek, whispered against his lips: “You’re such a good boy, Jake…”
Jake’s inner wolf couldn’t tolerate being called a "good boy" when every single fiber of his body was screaming the opposite. His breath suddenly became heavier, and he fixed his gaze directly into your eyes. For perhaps the first time, driven by something even you didn’t think you had, you were teasing him, rendering him more inert in his hybrid nature than his human one.
“Stop saying things like that, sweetheart… you have no idea what it does to a hybrid’s mind,” he hissed, his mouth a millimeter from your ear. You pouted slightly, openly challenging his gaze, and said with a tone dripping with fake innocence that shattered his self-control: “Why not, Sim? Are you afraid your bad-boy reputation might get tarnished by me? What would happen if I went around saying you’re not actually a show-off? That you love taking care of people, and that in your pack and on your team, you act more like a protective father figure rather than just an older brother?”
At that declaration, Jake realized you knew him better than some people he’d known for years. It was true—you saw through him, past the arrogant athlete mask he’d stitched onto himself. He was a good guy, always had been with the people he loved but in that precise moment, with you so terrifyingly close on the pub’s small sofa, the warmth of the vodka beginning to melt your anxieties, and the scent of your skin shifting to reveal a growing excitement that his predator nature picked up with millimeter precision, Jake was having thoughts far too obscene to be defined as a "good boy."
His inner wolf was wide awake. It wanted to spin you around and kiss you in front of the entire pub. It wanted to push your head back and drag his nose along your neck, lingering on the scent gland—the most sacred area for hybrids like him, where a female’s scent was most concentrated. He wanted every last hybrid on this earth to smell his scent on your body.
But his hybrid mind went even further, imagining much darker, wilder fantasies—definitely not the kind a "good boy" would have. In his head, he pictured you straddling him, completely naked, your breasts bouncing with every movement, gasping as you clenched your fingers in his dark hair and bent his ears backward with pleasure. He wanted to see you trembling with pleasure beneath or above him as he thrust deep inside you, claiming you not as a human, but as an animal claiming his mate he had finally found and the most depraved image of all was seeing you swollen with his knot. He imagined pushing all the way inside you, swelling in your belly to lock himself inside your body, forcing you to stay bound to him while his pheromones marked you from within. At the same time, he wanted to hear you cry and moan his name like a sick prayer, trapped in his knot.
So no… Jake was not a good boy in that moment but until he officially went into heat—that time of year when hybrids completely lost their minds or until you became his female in every sense, he would force himself to be good. He would keep the beast that had been pulsing inside him for months whenever he was near you on a tight leash.
The overwhelming beats of Scream & Shout blared at full volume, literally shaking the walls of the pub. You were in the middle of the dance floor, the alcohol coursing through you giving you the confidence to sing and dance with Allie, arms raised, hips swaying in rhythm, a few sweat-dampened strands of hair sticking to your forehead and face as you laughed and hopped but every so often, your eyes instinctively snapped toward the small sofa where Jake had stayed seated next to Heeseung.
He hadn’t danced or drunk, staying true to his promise to be your shield. He kept his large hand tightly wrapped around your third drink of the night—a deep pink Cosmopolitan and he hadn’t taken his eyes off you for even a second. That gaze, both sweet and magnetic, had sent shivers through you all evening. When the song ended, you pushed your way through the crowded, overheated bodies, and when you finally reached the table, you practically collapsed onto the sofa next to them, smiling radiantly especially at Jake.
You swept your hair behind your back with a fluid neck movement, and Jake couldn’t stop watching you. You leaned forward to grab the straw of your Cosmopolitan, and as the cool, alcoholic liquid slid down your throat, you gave him a sweet but incredibly sly smile. “It’s… it’s so good,” you slurred slightly, your cheeks flushed. “I… I definitely want another one!” you said, giggling.
Heeseung burst out laughing, turning to Jake and slapping him on the shoulder: “Wow, Sim… I think tonight you’ve awakened a completely new personality in Y/n! This party is going to cost you a lot if she keeps this up.”
Jake shook his head with a half-protective smile curving his lips. He leaned toward you and whispered in your ear: “You still have to finish this one, sweetheart. But the answer is no...no fourth drink. It’s already a lot that I let you get to this Cosmopolitan.”
You immediately pouted, disappointed by his refusal. Driven by a sudden, bold audacity you’d never have had while sober, you stretched toward him, wrapping your arms around his neck. You leaned forward, pressing your face right where his neck met his shoulder—exactly above his wolf scent gland.
At that contact, Jake froze instantly, stiffening as if he’d been hit by an electric shock. His breath caught because, without realizing it, by moving there against him and breathing in his skin, you were literally marking him with your strawberry and vodka scent. For a few seconds, your pheromones—less sharp because you were human—mixed with his, and for his wolf, that gesture was both ecstasy and exquisite torture.
“Please, Jake…?” you whispered against his neck. “You know… yeah, well, I’m really having so much fun tonight!” You raised your hands in the air to emphasize, giggling again. “And besides, you were… you were so good at soccer tonight. You’re a champion, so we have to celebrate big, right?”
Jay, who was sitting on the sofa across from you, watched the whole scene and put a hand on his face, shaking his head though with an amused smirk. “Jake, my friend, listen to me: maybe you should take her home now,” the black cat said. “Otherwise, tomorrow morning, when she wakes up, she’ll be mortified by everything she’s doing and saying with just three drinks in her!”
You turned toward Jay, exaggerating your pout: “No, Jake, don’t listen to him! I… I want to dance more, and I want another drink! We could… we could share it, what do you say? One sip each… there are so many drinks I’ve never tried.”
But Jake, struggling to regain control of his instincts after that close contact on his neck, slid his large hand down your back, steadying you, and looked you straight in the eyes. With a low, incredibly gentle tone, he said: “Y/n… earlier, you said I was a good boy, right?”
You looked at him for a few seconds, enchanted by his lips, and slowly nodded, almost hypnotized.
“Exactly,” he continued, gently rubbing your back. “Good boys always take their girls home safe and sound. It’s a promise I made you, and I’m not breaking it. So game over for tonight.” He said, standing up and gently pulling you up by your arm. “Put on your coat actually, take my team hoodie too. It’s freezing outside.”
As you weakly protested because you seriously wanted to go back to the dance floor and have fun, and most of all, you wanted his eyes glued to your body again, Jake helped you slip your arms into his enormous hoodie, which completely wrapped you in his scent
The notes of Into It filled the car, and you closed your eyes slightly, smiling. “I’d love to write a song like this… I love alternative R&B and synth-pop,” you said, leaning back against the seat. Jake smiled at the sight of you so relaxed in his car. He knew perfectly well that both you and he loved Chase Atlantic—they were one of the many things that connected you without needing too many words, something he’d discovered about you almost by accident.
“Well, who knows… maybe one day, at the Champions League final, you’ll be the one opening the ceremony with your own song, and I’ll be on the field with my team, walking down the tunnel,” he said, shooting you an amused glance but also offering encouragement—for both of you. He’d make a pact with the devil himself to become an elite soccer player, but at the same time, he wanted to see you fulfilled. At that statement, you almost shot upright, clapping your hands enthusiastically: “That would be amazing! Even if in three or four years, you’ll probably have even more girls wearing your jersey… You know, today at the stadium, almost all of them were wearing it, and I don’t blame them, because you’re…”
Jake furrowed his brows, not understanding where you were going with this, your cheeks still flushed from the alcohol. “I’m…?” he asked, turning the steering wheel. At the sight of his veined hands gripping it, you bit your lip slightly and giggled, shifting in your seat to trace a finger over his hand resting on the gear shift. With your cheeks incredibly red, you whispered: “You’re really gorgeous, Jake. But not in a… ‘sexual’ way. In the way that you’re gorgeous inside and out, and it kills me that you’re ashamed to let people see that, hiding behind your bad-boy mask.”
Jake smiled softly. “Well… I think that’s the most genuine and deep compliment anyone’s given me in years,” he said sincerely, squeezing your fingers for a second before putting his hand back on the wheel.
You clapped your hands again, happy, and started humming softly along with the rhythm of the music until the car turned onto the driveway of the hybrids’ big villa. Jake took you straight to his room to avoid waking the others who hadn’t come to the party. With infinite patience, he took care of you, as he’d promised, helping you take off your coat and his oversized hoodie, turning away respectfully when you unclasped your bra to be more comfortable. He handed you a clean T-shirt and a pair of soft sweatpants to wear as pajamas. Like a good boy, he waited outside the bathroom while you washed your face. When you came out, he’d changed too.
Without his team jacket and the daytime clothes that often made him look over the top, in his pajamas, he looked like the classic boy next door—just an ordinary, accessible, and incredibly sweet guy. But this wasn’t the real Jake you’d come to know, was it? With that question in mind, you sat on the edge of the padded headboard. When Jake sat down right next to you, you turned your face abruptly and stared at his profile under the soft light of the bedside lamp. Your eyes traced the perfect lines of his profile—Jake had a beautiful nose, straight and large, typical of his hybrid nature. Without even realizing it, guided by the alcohol and a sudden urge to touch him, you reached out, placing a finger on the bridge of his nose and gently traced its entire outline down to the tip.
Jake turned his head, letting you do it as his wolf ears twitched slightly and a small smile formed on his lips. “Earlier… I also wanted to tell you that you’re beautiful, Jake,” you said softly as you met his eyes, pulling your hand back and looking up at the ceiling with a small huff. “But I already knew that… every girl tells you that every single day of the week.”
At that, Jake rolled his eyes, and his hybrid nature kicked in instantly—because this was the second time you’d subtly let him know you were completely jealous of all those stupid number 5 jerseys the other girls wore in the stands. A small grin took over his lips. “Damn… If I’d known that with three drinks in you, you’d be this chatty and admit things like that, I would’ve taken you to every party this season, sweetheart,” Jake said with an amused tone.
In the strange euphoria of the alcohol, you almost knelt on the soft mattress, leaning over him as he lay partially stretched out on the bed. Neither of you could stop looking at each other, unfiltered and guided only by instinct. You whispered in a low voice: “I… Can I kiss you, Jake?”
Jake’s eyes widened, completely caught off guard by such a direct request. Where the hell had the girl who hated being touched—especially the one who was mad at him—gone? His tail began wagging frantically on the mattress, betraying his wild excitement. When he saw you leaning in even closer, he made a huge effort of willpower, lifting a finger and gently pressing it against your mouth. “Sweetheart… I’d pay gold to do it again and kiss you right now,” he said in a low voice. “But damn, as you said earlier, right now I’m a ‘good boy,’ and I can’t take advantage of you like this. You have to ask me when you’re sober, Y/n. When you’re sober, you can ask me for anything… anything. And if tomorrow morning you still want me, you can ask me for whatever you want...but not now.”
You made an adorable pout, visibly disappointed by the refusal—you’d never expected it. “Anything?” you murmured. Jake nodded slowly. “Anything.”
“Well… fine, then tomorrow morning,” you whispered, your fingers already lazily playing with his big wolf ears again. You continued, your voice shy and your eyes heavy with sleepiness: “I… I want to ask you something tomorrow, but I won’t spoil it now.”
Jake gently caressed your flushed cheek with the back of his hand, tender and dying of curiosity about what you might ask him. “You should try to sleep now, Y/n. The bed is all yours,” he said. You nodded weakly, exhausted from the day, and curled up against him, nestling on his side and resting your head on the pillow.
Jake reached over to turn off the bedside lamp. Despite the wolf inside him screaming with the impulse to pull you close, trap you under his body for the whole night, he forced himself to respect your space. He didn’t yet have the official right to hold you or keep you close as if you were his mate. So he settled for stroking the back of your hand with warm, protective fingers all night, letting you rest. As he felt your breathing become steady, Jake stayed awake in the dark, his heart pounding in his chest. He was so curious and impatient to find out what you intended to ask him the next morning.
In his hybrid mind, he wondered if that mysterious question had to do with your fear of being touched by others.
Jake woke up stretching, his nose catching your faint scent of strawberries and something sweet—maybe a hint of cotton candy, or perhaps a sugary note from one of the drinks you’d had the night before. As he stretched to see if you were still asleep, he placed a hand on the part of the bed where you should have been. It was still warm, but you weren’t there. His heart started pounding, and he sat up almost abruptly, lazily running a hand through his hair. When he opened his eyes, at that exact moment, he saw you entering his room, still wearing his clothes, with two steaming cups of coffee in your hands.
You smiled at him shyly, and he thought you were 100% back to the girl he’d met months ago—not the teasing version of you from last night, the one who had asked if you could kiss him or who had looked at him with eyes full of excitement. When you handed him the cup, he responded with a rough, small “Thanks,” and you sat down in front of him. As you sipped your coffee, you couldn’t stop looking at him, and Jake chuckled into his cup.
“Stop looking at me like that, sweetheart. Spit it out…tell me what you wanted to say last night,” he said. You opened your mouth to speak, but the words got stuck on the tip of your tongue, and your cheeks turned even redder. “You… you, forget it, Jake. It’s… it’s nothing, what I wanted to ask you. Please, just forget it,” you said.
Jake tilted his head, observing you, and he could sense how embarrassed your body was. Teasing you, he said: “No, no, beautiful. Now you tell me what you wanted to ask me. And I certainly can’t forget you begging to kiss me!” You opened your mouth to retort, rolled your eyes, and said: “Why are you always so shameless? It’s not even 8 in the morning.” Jake chuckled and replied, still in a low voice—it was in his nature. You pouted and said: “I’ll ask you this thing, but first, don’t laugh, don’t tease me, and don’t make a scene, okay? Don’t yell or act like a clown, okay?”
Jake was seriously curious about what you wanted to ask him. He stretched out his pinky finger as a promise, and you squeezed it tightly. “Okay, well, I won’t beat around the bush… you… do you want to have sex with me?”
Jake thought he was still asleep. Was he dreaming? Hallucinating? But when he spat out half the coffee in his mouth onto his pajama shirt, the burning contact of the liquid on his warm skin made him cough violently. You jumped up and started patting his back for a full minute. Neither of you said a word. Jake placed his coffee on the nightstand, and as he turned to you, he looked at you carefully and said, perhaps too loudly: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ARE YOU STILL DRUNK, OR… DID YOU GET A HIGH FEVER IN THE FEW HOURS YOU SLEPT?”
You glared at him and almost growled his name. He lowered his voice, but his hand pressed against your forehead—you were cold… damn. You were serious.
“I’m not feverish, and I’m not drunk. Damn, I wasn’t even drunk last night, Jake, and… and I’m not joking. But if you don’t want to… I understand,” you said, fiddling with the strings of your pajama. Jake was extremely restless at that moment. He ran his hands through his hair countless times, and after what felt like endless minutes, he said: “I want a reason, Y/n. I want a damn reason for why you asked me something like that. Where’s the girl who hated my physical contact? Where’s the girl who was even afraid to sit next to me? Where’s that girl? That girl wouldn’t have asked me to kiss her in the first place, let alone to have sex with me. So excuse me, but I want the fucking truth. And then we’ll consider it. But I want… the truth about why you were and still are afraid of being touched or drinking a drink with a little alcohol in it.”
You sighed because only your family and Allie knew the truth about what had happened to you in your last year of high school. You closed your eyes for a moment and tried not to relive all the pain that night had caused you, or the rumors that had spread about you and your parents. Then you said:
“Okay, I’ll tell you the truth. But please, this has to stay between you and me. It must not leave these four walls, and you… Please don’t say or do anything until I’ve finished telling you what happened.”
Jake nodded and shifted slightly closer, trying to calm you with his pheromones, but it didn’t work. When you started telling him that in your last year of high school, you were dating a guy from the soccer team, and you thought he was the right one for you, because he was the perfect guy: good grades, part of the best students’ club, and loved by your entire town because he did volunteer work. You had built a clear image of him in your mind. But everything changed one night… You and this guy had been together for a couple of months, and you went to a party together. He had drunk a little too much, and you weren’t completely sober either. Jake immediately understood what had happened to you: an assault.
His hybrid nature wanted to know who this guy was and make his life a living hell, especially when you started crying. He pulled you into his arms, and you buried your entire body against him. For endless minutes, he held you, gently stroking your hair and telling you it wasn’t your fault. But you didn’t stop crying and sobbing until you said:
“I… I’m broken, Jake. Every time someone tries to make me feel good, I freeze and go into this cold trance. That’s why I asked you… because it’s hard to admit, but I trust you. And you’ve made me realize that so many times these past few months.”You said this with tears in your eyes, and Jake gently wiped them away with his thumbs, closing his eyes for a moment because he never would have imagined finding himself in a situation like this.
Jake wanted to make you happy, so he gently shifted you away from him, lifted your chin, and looked deeply into your eyes. “You’re not broken, Y/n. You went through something horrible that no one in this world should ever experience. So it’s normal for your body to be afraid, for you to go into a negative, protective mode. Therefore… my answer is yes.”
You gave him a 32-tooth smile and hugged him even tighter than before. “You… you’re serious? You’ll help me overcome this?” Jake nodded and wiped away another tear sliding down your face. He whispered in a low voice: “I never want to see tears of sadness in you again, Y/n. These… these tears should only be of joy or excitement. So yes, I’ll help you. But on my conditions.”
You nodded and said, “What conditions will we adopt?”. Jake tried to show his most human side, not the dark hybrid one, and said: “
First, you need to start taking the anti-hybrid pill. I don’t want to accidentally knot and impregnate you when we… You know, have sex. And I’ll take it too, as long as this is safe.” You tried to speak, but a finger pressed against your lips. “Let me talk, Y/n. Second, we will not have sex right away. Before sex, there must absolutely be awareness and enjoyment of what we’re going to do—especially for you, since you’ve told me you can’t let yourself go or be touched by others. So there will be a lot of foreplay, both for me to discover your body and for you to discover mine. Third, you must tell me at any moment if you want to stop or if you don’t like something. There will be no safe word—if you tell me NO, it will be a NO. If you tell me you like it, I’ll continue. If you want to stop, I will stop. But if you beg me to continue, I will continue… because I have two natures, Y/n—both the human one and the animal one. These are my conditions, Y/n. If you’re up for it, we’ll do this together. But if you don’t agree with even one of these things, my answer will be a NO.”
You swallowed and nodded, still sitting on top of him, continuing to play with the strings of his pajama. After a while, you said, “These conditions are perfect for me. It’s clear that deep down, you’re a good guy!” You said this, trying to ease the tension that had built up. He gently caressed your side and, looking at you, said: “I’d like to suggest another condition. From the moment this starts… I’d like for you not to be with other girls, and obviously, the same will go for me. I know it might seem trivial to you, but I’d feel more comfortable. And when… well, if it ends, we could… yes, go back to our lives,” you said, a little embarrassed.
But in Jake’s mind, it was already settled that this wouldn’t end because you were his mate, and he would make you understand that in any way possible. You would never be with another guy except him, and the same went for him.
Were you a bad person for forgetting about your date with Soobin while crying in Jake’s arms, finally sharing what had happened to you? Maybe… but at the same time, after years of silence, you had finally told someone the truth. And perhaps, thanks to Jake’s words, his touch, and the growing realization that you might have found someone you could trust completely, you didn’t feel like a bad person at all.
You did like Soobin—maybe just physically, not for his personality, since you’d never really had the chance to get to know him deeply. And now here you were, giving him a slightly shy smile behind the campus café counter, apologizing for the hundredth time to the guy in front of you. You were making coffees, inventing excuses that, deep down, weren’t entirely false—but you’d twisted them to suit your needs.
“I’m really sorry I didn’t show up at the bakery. I woke up super late because the night before, I went to the soccer team’s party with Jake and his friends, and Allie wouldn’t leave me alone—she kept making me dance with her. Before I knew it, it was maybe 2 AM by the time I got home. And in the morning, when I woke up, I texted you right away,” you said, winking. Soobin, 99% convinced by your story, took a sip of the new winter recipe you’d added to the seasonal menu and nodded. But you heard him mutter under his breath: “Of course you were at Jake’s party.”
At the sound of that name, something inside you twitched. And as if on cue, your phone lit up. You saw Jake’s name at the top of your notifications. It wasn’t news that Jake and Allie usually topped your chat list. You glanced at the message:
-> Jake⚽️🐺: Come over at 6 PM. There won’t be anyone around for a good two hours, so you can relax! I’m heading to practice. See you later, sweetheart :)
You froze at those words. The day had arrived. Obviously, as he’d said, it wasn’t about sex...it was about… physically getting to know each other. Oh my God, what had you gotten yourself into? But he was the only man—besides your dad—who didn’t make you anxious. You’d thought and reasoned so much before asking him that question, and now the moment was here.
Two fingers snapped in front of your face, and you jumped. Soobin’s voice cut through your thoughts: “Seems like you just read a notification about a good grade or something amazing happening. Did something good happen?” he asked, looking at you. You quickly lied: “Yes, the music production company Hybe wrote to me… they want a meeting. You know I write music, and they want to get to know me and the drafts I have on my computer—there are over 100 of them.”
Soobin’s eyes widened. “Damn, Y/n, that’s huge news! I know Jay works under that label too, you could ask him about it…” You cut him off before he could finish, raising your hands. “I… please, don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to get contacts or opportunities because of someone else. I want them to want me, to like my lyrics and my melodies. So could you… not tell anyone? Only you, Allie, and my family know.”
Soobin’s ego swelled a little at the thought that you hadn’t even told Jake yet. “Don’t worry, my lips are sealed,” he said, miming a zipper over his mouth with his fingers. You thanked him.
Soobin wasn’t a bad friend, he was funny, seemed like a calm guy, and had his head on straight. But to your defense… he didn’t make you feel anything anymore. Or maybe you’d never really felt anything for him at all.
Your low-rise jeans hugged your legs perfectly, and your slightly snug sweater accentuated the curves you usually disliked but had started to appreciate as part of who you were. You had light makeup on, but your signature strawberry gloss never missed your lips, and your hair was softly wavy. You felt pretty, but anxiety was eating you up inside as you entered Jake’s house using the code you knew. This time, Jake rushed down the stairs, and when he saw you dressed so nicely to spend time with him, a small smile formed on his face.
“Hey, damn, sweetheart—if I’d known you’d dress this well, I would’ve spent a little more time on my outfit too!” he said, licking his lips slightly. You rolled your eyes, but when he offered his hand, you looked at it carefully before taking it. As he led you to his room, you felt a wave of anxiety, and Jake knew it. “Y/n, I don’t want to force you to do anything, okay? Before you got here, I thought maybe you could get comfortable in my clothes, and then we could listen to some music, do some Legos—I’ve got a ton or we could watch a movie. Whatever helps you relax is fine with me. I know you’ve never been with a hybrid before, but I can smell your scent notes, and right now, I can sense that sour, persistent note in you. So you choose what you want to do,” he said, giving you a small smile.
You lowered your head at the sight of his clothes because you knew you’d never meet another guy like Jake again. At first, you had to admit, you didn’t particularly like him. But as you got to know him over the months, you realized Jake was the kind of guy every mom would want as a partner for their daughter. Yes, he often acted like a show-off, but deep down, he had a huge heart and you knew, deep down, that he was opening it up to you.
“It’s a great idea to wear your clothes. I don’t even know why I dressed up so nicely. We’re just staying in your room, so yeah, I’ll put on your stuff, and then maybe we could… listen to some music? And what do you think about dancing?”Jake’s eyes widened slightly, and he said in a low voice: “Dancing?” You nodded, slightly amused, because you wanted to see if he’d get embarrassed. But Jake understood your gaze immediately and said: “You said that before doing anything, we need to get to know our bodies. I don’t want a dance-off, Jake. I just want some closeness between our bodies with the music, and yes… you can touch me, and obviously, I can touch you too,” you said. Jake nodded—if that’s what you wanted, it was fine with him.
When you came out of his bathroom, you were wearing one of Jake’s soccer jerseys, of course, with his number and last nam —and a simple pair of pajama pants. At that sight, something inside Jake clicked. He’d been disappointed on game day when he hadn’t seen you in his jersey, but now he thought it was a thousand times better to see you in his room, wearing his jersey, with only his eyes on you. In his hybrid nature, it was a beautiful victory.
He knew he was a little possessive by nature, but seeing you in his jersey, in his clothes, with his scent—the beast inside him rejoiced fiercely. He couldn’t wait to see you without them, at his mercy. But he had to push those thoughts away immediately. After what you’d confided in him, he wanted to give you all the time you needed. He wanted you to understand that only he could have you, desire you fiercely… because only he would listen to your body 100%.
You and Jake stared at the open Spotify screen on his laptop, scrolling through song options.
“What song could we listen to that we could both dance and sing to?” you asked, tilting your head as you read through various titles that were also in your own playlist. Jake made a small, thoughtful pout, running a finger over his chin until his eyes lit up. “How about ‘Dancing with Myself’? It’s super rhythmic, I used to listen to it all the time with my dad. It’s got that ‘80s rock beat that makes your feet, body, and head move all at once. What do you think?”
You beamed and hit play on the computer resting on his desk. Immediately, the iconic, overwhelming drum intro filled the room through the speakers. You didn’t need to be told twice—you started swaying your hips and bouncing on the rug, following your own rhythm. Meanwhile, Jake brought a hand to his face, perhaps out of embarrassment? His wolf ears bent slightly backward, betraying a hint of shy embarrassment at seeing you so unleashed—just for him. But at the same time, he was thrilled to see you so at ease in his company.
“Come on, Jake! Don’t tell me you’re embarrassed to dance a little with me!” you laughed, your hair swaying slightly with every movement. Seeing his gaze on you, you approached him—he was still sitting on the edge of the bed and teased him, holding up your pinky finger. “There’s no one else here. I won’t tell anyone!” Without thinking, you grabbed his wrists with your hands and playfully but firmly urged him to stand up and dance with you.
He closed his eyes for a second, sighing to compose himself in the situation he’d gotten himself into just to make you happy and help you understand he was the right one for you. When he opened them again, he saw your contagious laughter ringing out with the music, and a resigned but incredibly sweet smile spread across his lips. He, too, began to sway his body, following your movements, which were clumsy but magnetic to him, because in that moment, it was just you.
“Come on, Jake, loosen up a bit! Where’s the fearless campus bad boy who’s afraid of nothing?” you teased, pulling him even closer. “We’re just dancing and trying to… trust each other.” You swayed your hips, and at the mention of trust, Jake took a deep breath. He placed his large hands with extreme gentleness on your waist, moving to the rhythm of the song.
You laughed happily, and with a burst of joy, you did a little spin, gracefully slipping out of his grip and stepping a few paces toward the center of the room, perhaps on purpose, because you definitely wanted his attention and those eyes always on you.
Jake made a small, frustrated pout at being deprived of your touch and walked with feline grace to close the distance again. When he reached you, you threw your arms around his neck, stopping his advance but staying very close.
“Don’t try to touch me like you already own me, Jake,” you whispered, looking him straight in the eyes with a mix of challenge and vulnerability. “Try to let go… and touch me like I’m something completely new.”
At those words, Jake’s animal nature took over for a moment. The wolf inside him growled softly, eager to grab you tightly and press you against his chest, to show you that every single cell of your body already belonged to him. But he shook off that overpowering thought with a shake of his head and muttered in a low voice: “Easy for you to say… when you already own my entire body, Y/n.”
Jake prayed you hadn’t heard him and maybe you hadn’t. So he slowly slid a hand behind your back, caressing the fabric of the jersey right where the large number 5 was printed. You let him, returning to your gentle dancing in front of him, completely wrapped in his scent. But seeing him completely lost in you, you turned your back, still following the rhythm of the music. Your body inevitably pressed against his chest, and that’s when you clearly felt Jake losing patience with you… his self-control was crumbling because of you. You felt the warmth of his nose press directly against your exposed throat, inhaling your scent until it gave you shivers, while his hands tightened decisively around your waist, anchoring you to him.
As you continued to move against his warm body, Jake exhaled a trembling sigh against your skin, breathing in your sweet scent, which had finally softened and become extremely sweet—a sign that you were completely trusting him.
“Damn… they’ll have to make me a saint for how I’m holding back tonight, Y/n,” he said roughly against you in a low voice. You giggled, finding his frustration incredibly adorable, especially because you knew all the girls he’d been with had thrown themselves at him without a second thought. He’d never had to fight for anything when it came to girls. Seeing him so vulnerable sparked something in you. So you moved your hips even more against him.
But Jake, sensing his limit was almost reached, abruptly stepped back. When you turned to look at him, confused, he shook his head, his breath short and his ears lowered, trying to recover that last shred of “good boy” dignity he had left.
This time, you took a step forward. You walked toward him with determination as the first notes of Enrique Iglesias’ I Like It began to fill the dimly lit room. Driven by a sudden rush of adrenaline and the desire that had been building for weeks, you rose slightly onto your tiptoes, grabbed the collar of his T-shirt, and pulled him down forcefully, eliminating any remaining distance. You pressed your lips against his in a wet, sweet, and desperate kiss
Your lips tasted like strawberries—a sweet, sugary flavor that revealed your obsession with the fruit. Jake was completely hypnotized by it. It was only the second time you’d kissed, but his mind instantly registered how your lips fit and locked perfectly with his, as if they were made for that exact embrace.
In the room, lit only by the glow of the computer screen, the wet sound of your mouths meeting echoed clearly, amplifying the tension that had built up between you over weeks. When you slightly parted your lips to catch your breath, Jake took the opportunity. With extreme slowness, he used the sharp tip of one of his wolf canines to gently nibble on your lower lip. A weak, excited moan escaped your throat, making both Jake’s human and hybrid sides tremble.
“Ahh…” you moaned, and Jake smiled against your lips, pleased by your reaction. He moved on to gently sucking that spot while you began to sway and wiggle in his arms, pushing your hips against his body out of pure instinct—to get closer to him, to tease him in return. Not wanting to give him all the control, you slid your hands into his hair, reaching the base of his wolf ears, where you knew, from the beginning of your acquaintance—that ears and tails were the most sensitive parts for a hybrid. You began to caress that ultra-sensitive spot with your fingertips, and Jake let out a deep, almost growl-like moan that escaped as your lips were still just millimeters apart:
In retaliation, this time you smiled between his lips, continuing to move your fingers over those soft, warm ears, making him shiver. Jake was restraining himself with every single cell of his body because his wolf nature was literally howling from the sensory overload of everything happening in just a few moments. His instinct screamed at him to pin your wrists above your head, to use his canines to mark your skin, and to take everything he desired. But before the beast could take over, you took two steps back, pulling him with you. You tripped over the edge of the bed, and you both tumbled together onto the soft mattress, with you lying on your back and him on top of you.
Jake quickly planted his forearms on either side of your head, using all the strength in his muscular arms to avoid crushing you with his weight. He lowered his gaze, and at that sight, he seriously thought he was a dead man. You were fuckingbeautiful lying there on his pillow, your hair messy and framing your face, your lips visibly swollen and glossy from the kisses, your cheeks flushed with excitement.
Damn. He never would have thought you, of all people, would be his mate, the human who would bring his wolf to its knees. He had to mentally admit that Jay, Heeseung, and all the other pack members had been right—they’d realized from the very first moment you’d stepped through the door of their house that you were his destined mate.
Your hands trembled slightly as they continued to caress his ears. Jake, noticing that tremor and seeing how your eyes kept searching for his, asked in a rough whisper: “What do you want to do, sweetheart?”
You stayed silent for a few seconds while his eyes continued to devour your body, careful not to cross that invisible line you’d drawn after telling him what had happened to you. “Could you… could you, I don’t know, kiss me again?” you finally murmured, looking away in embarrassment. “But… not on the lips. I don’t really know what to do, Jake… Honestly, I don’t want this to be embarrassing for you.” You tried not to feel at fault in that moment, and Jake released one hand from its grip on the mattress. He passed it with infinite gentleness over your cheek, lifting your face to force you to look at him. He whispered against your lips:
“Sweetheart… you can’t make anything embarrassing with me. It’s all in your head. Whatever we do tonight won’t be anywhere near embarrassing. You just have to tell me when you feel overwhelmed, just tell me to stop, and I’ll do it instantly… I promise.” You instinctively nuzzled into his warm hand, pressing your cheek against his palm, and closed your eyes.
“Please… please, kiss me, Jake.”
Jake didn’t need to be told twice. He leaned over you and kissed you again, but this time, it wasn’t a kiss charged with urgency like the previous one. Instead, it was an incredibly slow, wet, and protective contact to make you understand that you could trust him.
Then, he slowly slid downward, and his nose pressed directly against the hollow of your neck. He inhaled deeply, your sweet scent now even more intense with your heated skin. He wondered how he’d managed to survive 23 years without noticing that scent.
“Damn, Y/n…” he murmured against your skin, and those words sent shivers down your entire spine. “This scent is driving me literally crazy. You smell like warm strawberries, something like cotton candy, and clean skin… I swear I could spend the whole night just breathing you in here.”
You let out a weak giggle at that declaration because you knew those words came more from his animal nature. But your laughter died in your throat when Jake’s warm lips finally pressed against your bare skin, and the wolf began to place light, wet, slow kisses along the entire line of your neck, moving up to the base of your jaw and then back down toward your collarbone.
Small, muffled moans echoed in the room every time Jake’s mouth moved, placing wet kisses and light, gentle bites from your neck down to your chest, just above the hem of his T-shirt. His hybrid nature clearly sensed how his wild scent was covering your skin, marking you minute by minute beneath him. Feeling his scent blend so intimately with yours sent a wave of even denser, more primal excitement through him. He never thought it would feel so incredible to have his scent anchored to his mate, and this realization drove him wild.
Your eyes were slightly closed, your fingers still weakly tangled in his hair. Everything was going incredibly well—until Jake slightly pulled away from your neck and slid a hand under the hem of the T-shirt, caressing the bare skin of your stomach. Small shivers of pure pleasure bloomed on your skin as he continued to kiss you lightly and tease your throat. He asked in an incredibly sweet and rough whisper: “Is this okay, sweetheart? Do you like it?”
You simply nodded, but that wasn’t the answer you’d agreed on to maintain control. So Jake stopped a millimeter from your lips: “Words, sweetheart… use those beautiful, plump lips I’ve been kissing to answer me. I want to hear your voice,” he teased. So you lifted your eyes to his and murmured: “Yes… it’s all good, Jake. You can keep going.”
At that confirmation, a smile lit up his face, and he praised you shamelessly, making your blood rush: “That’s how a good girl behaves…” You rolled your eyes at that statement, but then his hand slid slowly lower, slipping out from under the T-shirt to gently press against the inside of your thigh. At that pressure, you swallowed hard, feeling your heart race. But you trusted Jake blindly, so as he kissed you again to distract you, you felt his hand slide under the sweatpants. He began with just one finger to brush against the thin fabric of your lace panties. But as soon as you felt even the slightest real pressure of that intimate contact, your body short-circuited. You froze instantly, stiffening like a piece of ice beneath him. You tried to speak, to say something, but your throat tightened as if blocked by a thread pulling tight—one of the things that had happened to you on that damn night.
Jake, whose hybrid senses were tuned to every millisecond of your reactions, immediately noticed the drastic change in your heartbeat and the tension in your muscles. He stopped instantly, pulling his hand back. As he lifted his gaze to you, he whispered your name: “Y/n…?”
You didn’t answer, but he saw how your wide, fixed eyes on the ceiling were beginning to fill with silent panic, making you feel vulnerable in front of him. Without a hint of hesitation, Jake completely moved away from you, shifting to the side to free you from his weight. “Hey, hey… little one, nothing’s happening. Look at me, it’s all okay,” he said in an incredibly gentle voice, opening his arms. You slowly sat up and immediately took refuge in his arms.
You hugged him as if he were your living shield, hiding your face in the hollow of his warm neck, breathing in his scent to at least ease all the bad thoughts resurfacing in your mind. For the second time in just a few days, you whispered against his skin, barely holding back tears of frustration: “See, Jake… I… I’m broken. I trust you, I really do… but I just can’t do it. And that’s the worst part… feeling like this.”
His large hands began to gently caress your back, tracing circles over your T-shirt to calm you. But inside him, the wolf was growling furiously because he had a mad desire to find whoever had hurt you in the past and punch them, leave them to rot somewhere. But his human, rational side took over because he knew he had to handle the situation with extreme delicacy.
After a few moments of silence, he caressed your hair and asked, with a slightly embarrassed but extremely serious tone: “When you’re alone… do you feel safe giving yourself pleasure? Or is it a situation that blocks you, whether you’re alone or with other people?”
You slightly widened your eyes, still with your chin resting on his shoulder, because the question caught you completely off guard. It was the kind of question your therapist asked, not a guy you’d known for only a few months. But you answered: “Sometimes… I feel safe alone, but other times, no,” you said in a low voice. Jake pulled back just enough to look at your face. “So, when you’re alone and feel safe… can you give yourself pleasure, or not?”
You lifted your chin slightly, feeling your cheeks burn with embarrassment at the conversation because you didn’t understand where he was going with this. “Are… are you asking if I can masturbate, Jake?”
Jake chuckled, and you saw his cheeks redden as he shrugged, running a hand through his thick hair. “Damn, sweetheart… you asked me to have sex with you a few days ago. I don’t think you’d be scandalized if I ask if you can give yourself pleasure! I just want to understand,” he said, trying to be the most serious guy in the world at that moment. You looked away and said: “Yes… I can give myself pleasure, but…”
You couldn’t finish the sentence, but Jake answered right away, anticipating the truth: “You can give yourself pleasure, but you can’t come, right? You block yourself at the last moment, right?” You nodded slowly, lowering your head. A deep, calm silence fell over the room, interrupted only by the sound of light rain beginning to patter against the window. Suddenly, you saw Jake get up from the bed.
A shiver of terror ran down your spine because you feared he wanted to end things there, that he was tired of your blocks and complexities, that you had to hurry up and figure it out on your own or with a good therapist: “Where are you going?” you asked in a thin voice. But Jake wasn’t running away. You watched him walk to the desk, grab the swivel chair, and place it against the desk. The distance wasn’t much, but at the same time, you felt alone sitting on that bed. You watched him sit down right in front of you, and you didn’t understand what he wanted to do.
“You can give yourself pleasure, but at the same time, you can’t reach orgasm. And it’s all in your head, Y/n. It’s a matter of trust—in yourself, but also in the other person who’s there with you in that moment,” he explained calmly. Then, with a slightly cheeky smile, the corners of his lips curled up—one of those smiles you’d started to recognize right away, and you didn’t know whether to trust it.
“So… here’s my idea: why don’t we pleasure ourselves together, but each on our own?”
You widened your eyes, struck by the proposal because you’d never thought of anything like that. “You try to make yourself come by yourself, touching yourself the way you usually do when you’re alone in your safe space… and I’ll try to make myself come by myself, but right here in front of you. It’ll be a test of total mutual trust, Y/n. We’ll both be vulnerable, both exposed, but without either of us touching the other or forcing anything. We’ll just watch each other. What do you think?”
You opened your mouth to protest, but no words came out for a full minute. Jake’s proposal had never crossed your mind in all these years it was definitely too intimate for two people who weren’t even officially together, yet it was also incredibly mature.
“Y/n? Are you there?” he asked as you tortured your lips, biting them. You looked at him carefully, searching his eyes for any trace of irony. “You’re not teasing me, are you, Jake?” you whispered. He shook his head decisively. “I’ve never been more serious in my life, Y/n.”
“It could work… I usually don’t do things like this...actually, I’ve never seen anyone masturbate in front of me,” you admitted, your cheeks literally burning. After all, you’d never even watched porn, so you had no idea what to expect.
“But I think we could try, like you said—it’ll be a test of self-trust. You’ll see me vulnerable, but I’ll also see you exposed, ‘inert’ in a way… and I think it’ll be an important step for when, one day, we have sex for real,” you said, convincing yourself that it was a good idea to see each other vulnerable. Jake nodded, and with a crooked, amused smile, he commented: “See? I’m not so bad… I told you I was smart, Y/n!”
You rolled your eyes but hinted at a smile: “Don’t count your chickens just yet, Jake. Let’s see if it works first,” you said as you both stared at each other for a moment. You felt the tension in the room start to rise again, and you bit your lip, embarrassed, asking: “Who… who takes their clothes off first?”
Jake shrugged with total nonchalance at your question and said: “I’ll go first. I’ve got nothing to hide… quite the opposite,” he teased. You closed your eyes slightly until you saw him stand up. With a fluid movement, he pulled his T-shirt over his head. Without that fabric covering him, you couldn’t help but count the ridges of his abs, sculpted and defined, four perfect muscular hills on his toned stomach until your gaze fell on the obvious V-line that descended symmetrically, disappearing into the waistband of his Calvin Klein boxers.
His arms, though not excessively massive, were marked by bulging veins that stood out under his skin, giving him an incredibly athletic appearance. Deep down, you understood why everyone said Jake was gorgeous, and you literally felt your mouth water as you watched him lazily grab the strings of his sweatpants. Jake noticed immediately how your eyes were practically worshipping him with a hint of mischief. He shot you a complicit look, feeling his hybrid nature rejoice with pleasure. “Can I take off my pants and boxers too, sweetheart?” he asked, and you murmured: “Yes…”
With a smirk on his face, he let his sweatpants slide down, revealing his muscular, athletic thighs. But it was when he completely dropped his boxers that your eyes widened, and a shiver ran down your spine. Jake had no issues with his body—in fact, he was extremely comfortable in his own skin. At the sight of his erect member slapping against his lower abs, you nearly lost your breath. You’d never seen anything like it before: it wasn’t excessively long, but it was incrediblythick, hard, marked by prominent veins, and already covered in a slight pearly sheen on the tip. You realized it was seriously wild and not entirely human.
Seeing you so captivated and curious, Jake enjoyed the show of your wide eyes and loved seeing you open-mouthed for him. “Do you like what you see, sweetheart?” he asked with a cheeky tone. You swallowed hard, forcing yourself to lift your gaze to his face so you wouldn’t get too distracted by all that perfection just a few meters away. You desperately wanted to touch him, but you knew that first, you had to trust him completely.
“Wow… besides being beautiful on the inside, I have to admit you’re beautiful on the outside too, Jake. But you already know that—everyone tells you so,” you said.
He made a small, disappointed pout, as if that compliment wasn’t exclusive enough for him. To tease you, he took a slow step toward you, wrapping his hand around his shaft and moving it just slightly with a single, slow slide of skin just to show you how responsive he was to your gaze.
“They might say that to me, but I only care if you like it,” he whispered in a rough voice. Then, with a nod of his chin toward your clothes, he concluded: “But enough talking… Your turn, Y/n. Take your clothes off.”
At that command—which could’ve been interpreted in a way far different from how you saw it—Jake couldn’t wait to discover the beauty of your body, judging by the way he was looking at you. You felt your cheeks literally burn, and a sudden heat dyed your face a deep red, which he found adorable.
“I’ll… I’ll obviously take off my pants and the shirt, but I’d like to keep the bra on, if that’s okay with you,” you said in a barely audible voice, almost afraid of his objection. But Jake looked at you with his hands trembling slightly along his sides, betraying the immense effort he was making not to pounce on you and touch you, smell you.
“Do whatever makes you feel most comfortable, Y/n,” he replied in an incredibly gentle tone, though his tail couldn’t stay still for a second. His nose picked up every scent of yours, ranging from sweetness to something teasing due to your anxiety. “There’s absolutely no problem for me. Take all the time you need.”
Reassured by his words, you nodded. You weren’t sure what to take off first, feeling his eyes on you, not missing a single millimeter of your movements. You wanted to scream at him to close his eyes or turn away, but sooner or later, Jake would see you naked. So you slightly rose from the mattress, and with somewhat uncertain, maybe awkward—not entirely sexy—gestures, you let the sweatpants slide down your legs.
At the sight of your toned thighs and fair skin, Jake visibly swallowed, clenching his fists against his hips. When his eyes caught the purple lace trim of your panties peeking out from under the hem of his oversized T-shirt, a mix between a moan and a sigh escaped his lips, which he’d been torturing with his teeth. He wanted to touch you in that exact moment—it was a damn devastating temptation, the idea of getting up from the chair and crawling back onto the bed to trap you beneath him. But he forced himself to stay still because he didn’t want to ruin anything, especially seeing how your hands were trembling.
After minutes of staring at each other, you took a deep breath and murmured: “Okay… I’m taking off your shirt now.”
Jake nodded slowly, unable to tear his eyes away from your body. “Do it, sweetheart. You’re so damn beautiful… don’t be afraid to let me look at you. I bet there’s a body to worship under there, not one to hide from my eyes,” he said in a low voice. Those words gave you courage, and you crossed your arms, lifting the fabric over your head. In the exact moment you stood in front of him wearing only a damn purple Victoria’s Secret set, decorated with small embroidered flowers that framed your body like you were a work of art on a canvas, the hybrid inside him lost his mind completely.
Jake let out a low growl that came entirely from his animal instinct—a purely wild sound. It was the very first time you’d heard him growl like that, so wild and primal. That sound made your entire body tremble, but not out of fear—rather, it was a mix of physical and mental connection between you. You’d discovered that hybrids both purr and growl: they purr in acts of pure docility with their mate, while growls can serve as a warning of danger, a sign not to touch their mate or their pack, or in a sense of pure excitement. And that’s what Jake was feeling in that moment: he was growling at the sight of the bliss of your body just a few meters away from him, but he couldn’t even brush you with a finger.
His eyes widened at that sound because you hadn’t expected it, and Jake couldn’t stop staring at you, open-mouthed, devouring your body with his hungry eyes. He studied carefully how the curve of your breasts seemed to try to escape from the bra cups, pushed upward. He’d always known you had an abundant chest, but at that sight, his mind—which was currently running on purely animal and instinctive tracks—was flooded with dark, possessive thoughts. He thought about how much he wanted to grab that soft flesh in his hands, how he wanted to suck on those warm nipples until you screamed his name. He even thought about how beautiful it would be to see them swollen and full of milk, watching it gush out as he filled you with his seed to bring your pups to life.
He shook his head to chase away those intense fantasies, running a hand over his mouth before complimenting you in that typical hybrid tone of his—shameless and lewd: “Damn, Y/n… you’re a fucking work of art. That purple against your fair skin is driving me crazy. I knew you had perfect breasts, and I swear, if I weren’t confined to this chair, I’d have already consumed your skin with bites and kisses.” He said this while biting his lips, which were almost bleeding from how much he’d been nibbling on them in the last few minutes.
You sat back down on the edge of the bed with your legs curled up, trying to calm your racing heart. Now that you were both almost completely naked, you had to start what you’d agreed to do.
“Who… who starts this time?” you asked, looking at him with a mix of shyness and challenge, watching as he was already lightly touching his exposed shaft. But the Jake you’d known in the lecture halls or around the campus café wasn’t the one answering now. This time, it was his dominant, unfiltered wolf side speaking, with an incredibly rough and authoritative voice: “Let me see how you make yourself feel good, Y/n. Let me see how you slide those trembling fingers inside your wet folds… and I want to hear how my name sounds when it comes out of your lips while you touch yourself in front of me.”
At those words, you swallowed hard and closed your eyes for a moment. You’d never done anything like this before, and you wanted the earth to swallow you whole. But when you opened your eyes again, Jake was there, watching you intently. “You don’t have to be afraid right now, Y/n. It’s just you and me. Slide your panties aside gently if you don’t want to take them all the way off. Let me see how wet you are… I can smell it from here, you’re already soaked.”
Your cheeks burned at his words. With trembling hands, you slid your fingers toward your panties, already feeling the heat of your arousal. You pulled the edge down just enough to reveal your lips to Jake. At the sight, he groaned, and you instinctively closed your eyes but that wasn’t what he wanted.
“Open your eyes, sweetheart,” he said, his voice a mix of command and tenderness. “It’s not just me who gets to watch you pleasure yourself. You need to watch too.”
You obeyed, and what you saw took your breath away: his hands wrapped around his shaft, moving up and down in a slow, deliberate rhythm. The tip, flushed and glistening, grew thicker with every stroke, and a bead of pre-cum slid down the length. You crossed your legs, the desire burning inside you. “Please, Jake… Please talk to me. I feel… lost,” you mumbled, your eyes fixed on him.
Jake sighed, his patience stretched thin. “Slide your panties all the way down your legs,” he ordered, his voice a contained growl. “Use your middle finger on your clit and start rubbing. But don’t you dare close your eyes.”
You sighed in response and did as he said. Your panties slid off, and you shifted slightly higher on the bed, spreading your legs under his hungry gaze. Jake cursed under his breath—the sight of you naked and ready to touch yourself without needing his command pushed him to the edge. It was as if, little by little, you were starting to understand the situation you’d gotten yourselves into… and that you could trust the man in front of you.
Jake watched as your trembling finger found your clit, already swollen and sensitive. “Is this okay?” you asked softly. He nodded, his dark eyes filled with desire. “Rub. Slowly. Let me hear you moan.”
And so you did. Your clit was already hypersensitive, and the touch of your fingers made you let out a small moan. Little by little, you felt more at ease, more daring. “Don’t stroke your cock so much, Jake… or you’ll come first,” you stammered, your lips parted, your breath ragged. “I… I want to come with you.”
Jake’s eyes widened at your confession, but he nodded. You saw his abs clench as he slowed his rhythm, rubbing his cock slowly in the grip of his hand. It was an incredible sight, you’d never imagined how exciting it could be to see a guy like him, just sitting there, watching you, while at the same time pleasuring himself just to make you feel at ease.
He realized that without his guidance, you wouldn’t dare go further. And at the sight of your naked body at his mercy, he could have come at any moment like an inexperienced teenager. But that was exactly what you did to him—you made him weak, and that both frustrated and reassured him, confirming that you were his mate. He adjusted himself on the chair, spreading his thighs, and said in a rough voice: “Sweetheart, your clit is swollen and ready. Now, with your eyes on me, try sliding a finger inside you. Any finger is fine, as long as it goes into those beautiful lips of yours. Let me see… let me hear your sounds, little one. Otherwise… I won’t last much longer.”
At his confession, you bit your lip. This was the hardest part: letting go without thoughts, without fears. But the sight of Jake, his honesty, his vulnerability, pushed you to want to give yourself pleasure… and to give him something deeply intimate. You spread your legs a little wider, took a deep breath, and slid a finger between your wet folds. The intrusion was a new sensation, different from the solitary games you played under the covers. You moaned, surprised by the pleasure coursing through you, both mentally and physically.
The wet sound of your finger moving in and out of you made Jake groan your name. You felt completely at ease under his gaze, which never left you for a second. You saw how his cock grew thicker and thicker, how droplets of fluid escaped with every movement.
“Keep going… keep going like that, little one,” he urged, his voice a growl. “You’re doing so well. Now that you’re nice and stretched, try sliding another finger in. And at the same time, rub your clit. That way, you’ll come soon… and I’ll come with you.”
As Jake had instructed, you slid another finger inside yourself. A deep, throaty moan escaped your lips, and his name spilled out like a broken sigh: “Jaaake…” The way you said it was desperate, sweet, and raw—like he was the only lifeline in a sea of overwhelming sensations. At the sound of his name, Jake cursed under his breath, a guttural “Fuck…” rumbling from his chest as he watched you completely lost in pleasure. He couldn’t hold back anymore. His arm muscles tensed as he began stroking himself harder, his fist gliding up and down his thick, throbbing shaft.
The room was thick with the sounds of your muffled moans and ragged breaths. It echoed with the wet, rhythmic sounds of your fingers pumping in and out of you, the creak of the chair beneath Jake amplifying every tiny noise. The scent was intoxicating—musky, sweet, and sharp all at once. Jake’s heightened hybrid senses picked up on how your fragrance grew richer with every passing minute, a heady blend of strawberry, arousal, and a hint of sweat. “Damn, Y/n… you’re so fucking sexy,” he growled, his voice rough and low, his eyes glued to you as he watched you writhe, pleasure coiling tighter inside you. “Look at how wet you are… how perfect you look.”
You closed your eyes, and with your free hand, you clutched Jake’s blanket, gripping it tightly between your fingers. Your voice trembled as you stammered, “Jake… it’s too much…”
He paused for a moment, his hand still wrapped around his cock, and asked with a mix of concern and desire, “What’s too much, sweetheart?”
You moaned, breathless, and confessed, “Everything… it’s all too much… and I… I want to come.”
At those words, Jake smiled—a hungry, satisfied grin. “You will in a few minutes, trust me. Now, tease your clit more and let go. But open those fucking eyes and watch what you’re doing to me,” he commanded, his voice a contained growl.
Embarrassed, cheeks flushed and lips parted, you obeyed. You opened your eyes and saw Jake barely holding back, his muscles taut, his breath ragged. With a whisper, you dared to say to him, “Let go…”
His eyes darkened slightly at your boldness, as if he hadn’t expected you to take control. But he didn’t say a word. Deep down, that small act of defiance only turned him on even more.
Your walls began to tighten around your fingers, and your clit throbbed with pleasure as small, breathy moans escaped your lips. “I… I’m about to come,” you whispered, your eyes half-lidded and glistening. At the sight of you so lost in pleasure, Jake gripped his shaft tighter and pumped harder, his voice rough as he urged, “Come on, sweetheart… let me see you come.”
You cried out, pleasure crashing over you like a wave. A few moments later, shivers raced through your body. You clenched the sheets of his bed tightly, your fingers still pumping and teasing your clit as your orgasm tore through you first. At the sight, Jake’s abs clenched, and with a groan of your name, he came too. Thin streams of white cum spilled from the tip of his cock, and he moaned in pleasure at the release. But honestly, he didn’t care much about his own climax. His eyes were locked on you—sprawled out on his bed, your stomach rising and falling rapidly with each ragged breath, your lips parted in a perfect O, your hair wild, and your legs trembling.
Jake slowly stood up, wiping away the remnants of his release before pulling his boxers back on. At the sight of you lying there, relaxed and half-lidded, he asked, “Can I… can I come closer to you, little one?”
You opened your eyes and tried to sit up slightly, but the sticky wetness began to seep out of you, and you moaned at the sensation. At the sight, Jake’s smile returned, and he said, “See? I told you I could make you come without even touching you, sweetheart.”
You let out a weak, breathless giggle, still trembling from the last waves of pleasure. You watched Jake stretch his arm toward the nightstand to grab a tissue, then lean toward you on the bed with a naturalness and care that left you breathless. You felt his large, warm hands settle firmly but gently on your thigh to keep you still, and then he cleaned you slowly, with no rush or malice in his gaze, treating you as if you were the most precious thing in the world. Your eyes never left his, not even for a millisecond, captivated by the sweetness in his expression.
When he finished and tossed the tissue into the trash can beside the bed, you shyly tucked a few strands of hair behind your ear, your cheeks still warm from everything that had just happened. Seeing you so timid, Jake leaned toward you again, offering you the T-shirt you’d taken off earlier. He knew perfectly well that you’d just taken giant steps, having been half-naked and vulnerable in front of him, and he didn’t want to ruin the magic of the moment by rushing things.
“Lift your arms, sweetheart,” he said softly, and you did as he asked. He slid his oversized T-shirt down over your body, dressing you completely. As soon as the fabric covered you, moved by an impulse of gratitude and affection, you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him forcefully toward you to kiss him.
Jake hadn’t expected you to kiss him of your own free will at all. He’d expected that, once the moment had passed, you might tease him or hide under the covers. Instead, you leaned forward and gently pulled his lower lip between your teeth, trapping it between your lips almost as a victory for everything that had happened.
Jake groaned against your lips a mix of a surprised grunt and a deep, pleasure-filled moan that vibrated in the back of his throat—as he instinctively placed his large hands on your hips to steady both of you on the mattress. Your mouths sought each other with a new urgency every time you had to pull apart to catch your breath. When you timidly slid your tongue against his, tasting him, you felt Jake smile against your mouth.
“Fuck, Y/n… you’re really driving me crazy tonight,” he whispered against your lips, unable to pull away from you. He’d become a full-on clingy boy with you. After a few seconds, Jake slowly pulled back to give you space, and you looked at him with infinite sweetness. “Thank you, Jake,” you said.
He smiled almost timidly, for the first time since you’d known him—and opened his arms on the bed in a silent invitation to hug you again. You didn’t need to be told twice. You nestled against his massive chest, inhaling his reassuring scent of pine, and pressed your head into the warm hollow of his neck.
Jake pulled you close, wrapping you completely in his strong, protective body. For long minutes, you both stayed there, still and embraced in the silence of the room, lulled only by the sound of your heartbeats slowly returning to normal and the patter of rain against the roof of the house. Eventually, you pulled back slightly from his chest and lifted your chin to look at him.
Jake was there, watching you from above, his ears relaxed and his gaze attentive. In that moment, he would have given anything for the ability to read your mind and know exactly what was going through that little head of yours.
Suddenly, though, he noticed your eyes growing glossy, filling with tears ready to spill down your cheeks. Jake’s heart literally skipped a beat, and his face painted an expression of pure panic, he thought he might have done or said something wrong.
“Hey, hey… little one, no, don’t cry!” he exclaimed, gently squeezing your shoulders. “Did I… was I too rough? Did I do or say something you didn’t like? I swear, I just wanted to...”
Before he could finish, you pressed a finger directly to his lips to silence him, cutting off the stream of anxious apologies.
“You… you made me realize that I need to talk to people, Jake. But most of all, you taught me that, after a while, I need to start tearing down my own protective walls… and that’s exactly what I managed to do tonight with you,” you said, looking him straight in the eyes. “I really don’t know how to thank you. You’ve been so patient with me, you never backed down from anything, and you’ve respected me from the very first moment I walked into this house. So… no, don’t be sad. These tears are just pure joy,” you concluded, weakly giggling as you wiped your face with the edge of his T-shirt sleeve.
Jake sighed deeply, feeling a knot of tension finally dissolve in his chest. A small smile formed on his lips as he lifted his hands to caress your face, using his thumbs with infinite gentleness to wipe away the last tears wetting your cheeks.
For days, since you’d confessed you wanted to have sex with him and shared everything that had happened to you, he’d feared he was too overbearing, too abrupt, or simply “wrong” for a sensitive girl like you. But in that moment, lulled by your strawberry scent, now free of any trace of fear, Jake finally felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be.
“I only did what any guy worthy of being by your side would have done, Y/n,” he murmured softly and sincerely, looking at you with a tenderness he rarely showed outside the walls of that room. He was only ever this sweet with his family and his pack… not even with his teammates, with whom he spent hours training, had he ever been this honest in his life. But you shook your head, pressing your cheek against his warm palm.
“No other guy would have done this…” you said quietly, meeting his gaze. Then, feeling embarrassment creep back in but determined not to lose that beautiful harmony, you continued with a clearly shy but resolute tone: “Now… yes, for next time, I’d like things to be less planned. I’d like them to flow more naturally between us. When they happen, they’ll happen… though, obviously, I expect it to happen again as soon as possible!” You said this while playing with the sleeve of his T-shirt, hoping he’d understand what you meant.
Jake’s eyes widened slightly, surprised by that sudden burst of boldness, and he burst into laughter as he watched you make yourself smaller. At the sight, he gently pinched your side, knowing you were ticklish, and said: “Damn… Where’s the shy, reserved girl who struggled to even look me in the eye gone? Don’t tell me I’ve created a creature who’s greedy for my touch, or that now you can’t do without me?”
You laughed heartily when his fingers started lightly tickling your sides, making you curl up against him on the mattress. To defend yourself, you rolled your eyes dramatically and teased him, playfully tapping his muscular chest: “Oh, please, Sim! Don’t get a big head. You’re the ‘golden boy’ of the team, the ‘frat boy’ everyone dreams about—I think that guy disappeared a while ago thanks to me. So before you talk, think about how you can’t stop finding excuses to touch me!”You laughed as Jake intensified the tickling.
Without stopping his smile, he leaned over you, pressed his soft lips to your forehead, and then moved up through your hair, leaving a reassuring kiss on you. When he pulled back slightly, his eyes shone with a hopeful light, finally making you understand that you could trust him.
“Will you stay tonight, Y/n?” he asked this time, stopping his teasing. You made a thoughtful pout and then slowly nodded, pulling him back to you by the shoulders, welcoming him into your embrace again.
But that happy ending hadn’t yet provided the right answers: What were you and Jake? How would he balance university, your constant presence in his routine, and being the captain of the soccer team, which was under the spotlight of scouts looking for the best striker for their teams? How would he balance his human nature with his hybrid one, with you getting closer and closer to him? And how would he get through his first heat as a hybrid, knowing you were his mate and that he wanted you for himself forever?
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