Golden Eyes [Baekhyun x Reader]
Pairing: Wolf!Baekhyun x Human!Reader (Sohee) AU: Wolves Genres: Hurt/Comfort, Supernatural Total word count: 7k
Masterlist
Sohee’s last encounter with a wild wolf has left her scarred in more than one way. Luckily, she can always depend on her best friend, Baekhyun, who she trusts with just about anything. They’ve been close ever since elementary school, but unbeknownst to her, he has a secret—he is not human.
The summer sun beat down on Sohee as she waited for her best friend to show up. She had already bought two iced lattes for them in the tiny coffee shop on the street corner. Now she lingered on the sidewalk and kept an eye on the nearby forest, knowing that he would emerge from the path in between the trees sooner or later. While she avoided said forest like the plague—for good reason—her friend Baekhyun had no qualms and took a shortcut through the woods whenever they met up. Their hometown was situated in a rural area of South Korea and the house where he lived with a bunch of his friends was right at the edge of the forest.
When her eyes searchingly scanned the treeline, she spotted his ash blond hair in the distance—he had bleached it recently and the new look suited him. Waving at him, she caught his attention and prompted him to pick up his pace. Despite running all the way from the forest into town, he wasn’t out of breath when he reached her and brushed his hand through his fluffy hair, trying to make it look neater.
“Hey cupcake! Sorry, I’m a bit late,” he grinned sheepishly, eyes forming crescents. Baekhyun had the kind of smile that simply took your breath away—Sohee would never grow tired of seeing it.
“You always make me wait, Baekhyunnie,” she rolled her eyes in fake annoyance and held the iced latte under his nose. “But it’s okay, I like you anyway. Here, I got your favorite!”
“Thanks, I knew I could count on you,” he smirked and took a sip from the cup. He wore his favorite shirt, the one she had bought him for his birthday a few months ago. It had a huge PUBG logo printed on its front. He loved that game.
Sohee had known Baekhyun since elementary school, and although she had preferred to play with girls at this age (boys had cooties!), something about Baekhyun had intrigued her and drawn her to him from the first day she had met him. She couldn’t quite describe it, but he was different—refreshingly different. When they had been children, he had loved to play hide and seek with her and the other kids in the neighborhood. Sohee had no idea how he had accomplished it, but he had always found every single hiding spot, no matter how absurd it was. He was a natural at this game and many others as well. Tag for example. His stamina was out of this world, so he had bested everyone else. Nevertheless, he had never bragged about his skills. On the contrary, he had encouraged the other children to try a little harder next time and not to give up while wearing a big goofy smile on his face.
Over the years, this smile had matured and become quite alluring—Sohee would be lying if she said he didn’t make her heart flutter. He was a ray of sunshine, spreading a good mood wherever he was. Since he went to the gym often, he had become more athletic as well, and as his best friend, she often got to see him shirtless when they went swimming together or spent time at the lake. In moments such as these, she questioned the nature of their relationship—did she perhaps have a crush on him?
Many of Baekhyun’s female admirers were jealous of Sohee for spending the entire semester in university and the summer break with him. However, despite the countless admirers he had, Sohee had never seen him date anyone since high school, and even then, it had never seemed serious. She had often teased him about this, asking why he was so picky, to which he refused to give her a straight answer. In the end, he had given up on dating altogether. She herself had dated a few guys back in high school, but they had quickly broken up (definitely didn’t have anything to do with Baekhyun’s intimidating glares). Sometimes, Sohee thought he had gotten jealous. Not that there was any reason for this.
“Want to come home with me later? We could play PUBG if you want, my new laptop arrived this week,” she suggested while they strolled down the sidewalk, enjoying their iced lattes and basking in the summer sun.
He considered it for a second, but then he cringed. “Uh… no thanks, I’d rather not. You should visit me instead.”
“Don’t tell me you still don’t like Sushi?!” Sohee laughed and playfully nudged his arm. “Come on, my cat is very cuddly and sweet.”
“She hates me. The last time she saw me, she hissed at me and wouldn’t stop making a fuss. So annoying,” he groaned.
“Don’t act like you’re innocent, Baekhyunnie! I caught you growling at her when you thought I wasn’t looking,” she remarked and scrutinized him. “How the hell did you do that?”
Sohee was a little surprised when genuine uneasiness crossed his face, but he regained control in a blink and put on a convincing smirk. “Well, wouldn’t you like to know? It’s one of my many talents.”
“Like your amazing sense of smell?”
“Exactly.”
“I wouldn’t be shocked if you told me you’re a werewolf or something,” she joked and giggled.
He choked on his iced latte and coughed, wiping his mouth. Baekhyun fell silent for a while and received a confused glance from Sohee until he finally blurted out, “What if I was a werewolf? Would it bother you?”
“Huh, what kind of question is that? Weirdo.” She took a sip from her latte to give herself some time to ponder before she answered. Since she had brought up the werewolf thing, his demeanor had changed drastically—Baekhyun normally was quite easy-going and liked her jokes, but now he was tense. His back was rigid and he didn’t look at her anymore.
“You know what I think of wolves, Baekhyun. They’re terrifying and dangerous. I’m glad werewolves don’t exist since they would be even worse,” she muttered seriously. The wolves residing in the local forest were the reason why she hadn’t gone near it for six years. It was simply too risky—she still bore a scar on her shoulder from her last visit and she wasn’t about to add another one.
“Right,” Baekhyun sighed and gazed at the paper cup in his hand. His tight grip left little indents on its surface. “Just maybe… it’s time to confront your fear… You’ve been avoiding the forest for so long, even though there haven’t been any wolf attacks in years.”
Now it was her turn to pale—this topic was not easy for her, so he generally avoided it, but now he had changed his mind for some reason and gazed at her with pleading, sorrowful eyes. As if it was vital to him that she confronted the horror hidden in her memories and the anxiety she continued to suppress.
She had been fifteen years old when it had happened. That day after school, she had wandered into the woods on her own. The forest had been known to be a safe place, and the wolves who lived there had never bothered anyone. Not a single person had ever been attacked by them. However, this would change on that particular day. Sohee had encountered a large gray wolf that had acted aggressively when it spotted her. Sohee didn’t know what had compelled it to attack her. It had pounced on her, shoving her to the ground and injuring her delicate shoulders with its claws. She had struggled to keep the teeth away from her neck. Maybe she had screamed—she couldn’t remember. Her recollection from that day was blurry. All she knew was that someone—or something—had chased the wolf away. The image of beautiful golden eyes had burned itself into her mind. It was the clearest memory she retained from that day. At some point, Baekhyun must have found her and called an ambulance. She had been treated at the hospital, and he hadn’t left her side until her worried parents had arrived. To this day she couldn’t explain why he had looked so guilty afterward.
“What does it matter if I like wolves or not, Baekhyun?” she asked, tilting her head.
He offered her a wistful smile and shook his head. “It was just an idea, forget about it.”
Their conversation had ruined his good mood and Sohee didn’t understand why. It didn’t happen often that she saw such a sorrowful expression on him—witnessing it was painful. Her heart ached to see that big sunny grin she found so beautiful or even the attractive smirk he sometimes showed her. Why was it so important to him that she confronted her strongest fear? If only she knew the answer. Maybe he was concerned about her and wanted her to overcome her trauma. Perhaps that was why he kept urging her to overthink her opinion on the wolves in the forest. They had spoken about this topic before, but she had always declined his offers of help.
As she met his dull amber eyes, however, something within her changed. If it meant so much to him, to a person she valued deeply, shouldn’t she try to face her fear? Hadn’t she run from it for long enough? Six years had passed and she had made no progress at all. She kept locking the anxiety away, letting it eat at her without doing anything about it. The issue would never be solved if she didn’t take matters into her own hands.
She took a deep breath. Hopefully, she wouldn’t regret this. “I want to overcome my fear, but I don’t know how,” she whispered, risking a shy glance at him. And there it was—his smile was back, brighter than before. Her heart swelled.
“I’ll help you! Don’t worry, Sohee, you don’t have to do this alone.”
Sohee ignored the fear bubbling in her stomach, she attempted to control the trembling of her fingers. She walked a few steps ahead of him in order to conceal the insecurity written all over her face—however, there was no point in hiding it. She couldn’t hide anything from her best friend. He always noticed when she had something on her mind.
“I’ll wait for you, Sohee,” he thought as he followed her, his eyes gleaming like molten gold. “No matter how long it takes.”
✨
Baekhyun took her change of heart seriously. A day later, he offered to accompany her into the woods. He was just as nervous about the endeavor as her, but for a different reason. The next hours might have a large impact on his life and his relationship with Sohee. Her overcoming her fear was crucial to him—a lot depended on this, much more than she realized since she was unaware of his biggest secret. As long as she was afraid of wolves, she could never find out about his true nature. The fear of being rejected by her was overwhelming—what if she was scared of him if she learned the truth? He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her like this.
Baekhyun could never be fully honest with Sohee, and the ongoing secrecy tainted their friendship. She was his treasure; someone he cherished. He didn’t like to hide his true nature from her. The weight of his secret rested on his shoulders every day, and he continuously asked himself if she would still like him if she knew that he wasn’t so different from the rogue wolf who had once hurt her.
✨
It was now or never. Sohee stood at the treeline, her gaze moving from the hiking trail to Baekhyun. Her friend was quiet today, and she hadn’t seen him smile at all. Nonetheless, his presence felt reassuring and gave her the strength she needed to go through with this. He knew the forest like the back of his hand, and his lack of fear calmed her.
“Are you ready?” he asked and studied her, assessing her worried expression.
“Yes,” she nodded. “Let’s get it over with.”
Baekhyun’s unreadable gaze rested on her for a few seconds. Then, he took her hand and linked his fingers with hers. The low timbre of his voice was like a gentle embrace. “I know you’re afraid, but I promise nothing will happen to you. You’re completely safe.”
He tugged at her arm and they entered the forest together. Sohee’s eyes flitted around, jumped from bushes to trees, to every shadow she could see. She was prepared for the worst—but she didn’t spot any wolves, not even when they ventured deeper into the woods. The more time passed without an encounter, the calmer she became, and eventually, she began to admire the pretty scenery. The forest wasn’t as dark and scary as she remembered. It was flooded with sunlight, golden rays breaking through the tree crowns and painting patterns of light and shadow on the ground. The leaves rustled in the breeze, and sometimes, she heard the chirps of a bird. They spotted a majestic deer and a tiny rabbit that she observed with a smile on her face. When she stepped on a twig, the cute animal got spooked and hopped away. Baekhyun and Sohee followed the hiking trail for about thirty minutes without any incidents until they reached a clearing.
“How do you feel?” he asked, his tone leading her to believe he was worried about her answer.
“I’m… okay. It’s overwhelming, but I’m okay. Your presence helps a lot.”
“That’s good. You’re doing very well.”
“We… we haven’t seen any wolves though.”
“They aren’t in the vicinity.”
“What? How do you know?”
His eyes widened a fraction. “It’s an assumption,” he said and cleared his throat. Sohee saw through his lie and wondered what he was hiding from her. His behavior had been a little odd today, almost as if he was nervous, but the more time they spent in the forest, the more relaxed he got. The same was true for her—she no longer felt her heart pound in her chest.
“Well, this isn’t nearly as bad as I thought. The forest is much more beautiful than I remembered.”
“It is,” he agreed with a peaceful smile. “That’s why I like to come here often. And… if you want to, you could tag along from now on.” It was a careful question, and frankly, he reminded her of a shy puppy when he posed it. He gazed at her as if he had expected to startle her with mere words.
“Um… okay. I think I can do that.”
He breathed out. The amount of relief she discovered in his gorgeous amber eyes was staggering, it engulfed her and suddenly, she felt the very same emotion. What she had accomplished by coming here today was something she could be proud of. Sohee glanced at her hands and noticed that they weren’t trembling anymore. Her fingers traced the scar she bore on her shoulder, felt its ridges through her shirt. The scar on her body would remain forever, but perhaps the one in her mind could be healed.
The path got more treacherous as they walked uphill—Sohee often stumbled over loose rocks on the ground and got a little annoyed at the fact that Baekhyun was always a few steps ahead of her. She didn’t want to slow him down, but if she walked any faster, she was afraid she might just break her ankles the next time she stumbled.
“How are you climbing over these damn rocks so fast? Are you a mountain goat or what?” she called out to him in a lighthearted tone and earned an airy laugh.
He waited for her to catch up, eyes twinkling mirthfully. Something about her remark seemed to be particularly amusing to him. “I’m the opposite of a mountain goat, cupcake.”
“A mountain lion?”
He snorted and shook his head. “Wouldn’t that be purrfect?”
Sohee stopped and stared at him. “You’re a clown, Baekhyunnie.”
“So you think I’m funny.” He grinned widely and offered her his hand when she stumbled over another stone. His eyebrow shot up at her struggle. “I’m worried you’ll end up breaking your ankles. You don’t go hiking often and it shows. Why don’t you get on my back for a while? It would be safer.”
“You want to carry me? Are you serious?” Her cheeks took on the color of ripe peaches. “I’m not a baby, though. I can walk myself.”
“Wrong. You’re my baby cupcake and I’ll spoil you as much as I want.” She didn’t have to look at him to know he was smirking—the smugness in his voice told her everything.
“Baby cupcake,” she groaned and pouted. “You can’t be serious. How can a grown man say something like that?”
But her friend just shrugged, not embarrassed in the slightest at his cheesy new nickname idea. “Stop sulking and get on my back already, or else we’ll be stuck here forever.”
“F-Fine.” He couched in front of her, hooked his hands under her thighs and when she wrapped her arms around his neck, body pressing against his back, he got up. “If I’m too heavy, you—”
“You’re almost like a backpack. This is not a problem.”
“I’m a backpack,” she deadpanned. “How kind of you.”
His back rumbled when he laughed. “No, you’re almost like a backpack. I would never call my baby cupcake a backpack.”
“Is baby cupcake any better?” she grumbled and put her chin on his shoulder as he walked. It was more comfortable like this. She was at ease being so close to him and breathed in his familiar scent.
“Of course it is.”
Sohee rolled her eyes. “I knew you would say that, Baekhyunnie.”
Again, a wide smile spread over his lips. He could bicker with her all day, especially when she was sulking—a pouty Sohee was fun to tease. Additionally, she seemed to have forgotten about her apprehension. She hadn’t voiced any concerns in a while. He considered this a small victory since it brought him a step closer to revealing the truth to her. She needed to know, he wanted to tell her so badly.
When the path became wider, he let her down so that she could walk herself. Baekhyun crossed his arms and gave her an expectant look. “So…”
“So?”
“Do I get a reward for carrying you?”
“What do you want?”
“I don’t know, how about a hug?”
She blushed and her heart jumped before she reminded herself that this wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. They frequently shared friendly hugs. Sohee engulfed him with her arms and pressed her face into the soft material of his jacket. Beneath his baggy clothes, he was hiding a whole lot of muscles—it was distracting, to say the least.
“Aww, look how cute you are, my baby cupcake,” he whispered and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly.
“I’m not your baby cupcake.” She was very flustered by his affectionate behavior—but she loved it. Baekhyun being flirty was addicting. At least she assumed he was flirting, but it probably wasn’t true since they were just friends. At any rate, this didn’t stop her from enjoying it.
“You are,” he insisted with a smirk, amber eyes glowing golden for a blink. “And you always will be.”
✨
Sohee had a lot on her mind. Ever since her hike with Baekhyun, the very foundation of her fear was crumbling, and the more she remembered the happy moments she had spent with him in the forest, the less she feared going there. They hadn’t seen any wolves yesterday. Most likely, the animals had been spooked by their presence and not shown themselves. The wolf who had attacked her so viciously years prior likely wasn’t in the area anymore.
Her outing with Baekhyun had reignited her stubbornness and her curiosity. She was ready to challenge her old beliefs and leave her fears behind for good. This was the reason why she had returned to the woods today—without Baekhyun. He had no clue she was here. Sohee wandered the forest on her own, letting her legs carry her in a random direction. Despite her determination, it was nerve-wracking to be here. She had to wipe her sweaty palms on her jeans and her gaze constantly darted around.
She walked through the forest for a good 20 minutes without seeing one of the wolves, enjoying the serene atmosphere of nature and listening to the occasional bird song. However, when she heard a loud rustle, she stopped. To her bewilderment, a black wolf emerged from the undergrowth, its fur allowing it to blend in easily with the shadows.
She took a deep breath, folding her hands in front of her stomach. This was unexpected, too sudden for her liking. Oh God, what if it would rip her to shreds and—again, she took a deep breath and stared at the wolf as it stared back. You can do this, Sohee. Calm down. It’s not doing anything.
She paused, unsure how she should act in front of the animal, and ultimately stayed rooted to the ground like a statue. The wolf inclined its head and approached her very slowly. Its movements were elegant and regal—it knew exactly how powerful it was, and yet it somehow didn’t look threatening. It was patient and gave her the time she needed to get used to its presence. This behavior was peculiar for a wild animal, but Sohee was too unnerved to question it.
“H-Hello there. How are you?” she said shakily and in a barely audible voice. The wolf’s ears perked up and it paused, simply watching her without doing anything. Despite knowing how stupid it was to talk to an animal, she did it anyway because it helped her keep calm. So far, she was doing a better job than expected.
She and the wolf maintained eye contact for a while, and she couldn’t stop herself from admiring the gorgeous golden hue of its irises. Since the animal seemed much more curious than hostile, she took a cautious step toward it, the fallen leaves on the ground crunching under her sneakers. Her knees were shaking and she feared they would give in soon. She continued to take deep breaths, but her pulse rose as her anxiety became overwhelming. She gasped. The wolf flinched at the sudden noise and let out a whine before it lay on the ground, resting its head on its paws. It didn’t look all that big anymore.
“Just… a little more,” she whispered. She was only a meter away from the wolf when her legs gave in and she fell to her knees. Her shoulders heaved with every breath she took.
“It’s not the same. It’s not the same,” she repeated until she was sure she had a better grip on herself. She used all the courage she had left and stretched out her arm. It was trembling like a leaf, but she didn’t back down. Her fingers touched the soft fur on the wolf’s head, and she looked right into its golden eyes. They seemed to glow brighter.
This wasn’t so bad. Actually, it wasn’t bad at all. The animal was calm and didn’t do anything threatening while she touched it. It was like it knew her fear; it could probably smell it. She retreated her hand, looking at it in wonder, unable to believe that she had just achieved the impossible; she had touched a wolf and she was unharmed. Glancing at her hand and back at the wolf, she felt proud of herself. Relieved tears gathered in her eyes. “This is insane,” she breathed.
She heard a low rumble from the wolf as it observed her, its gaze appearing more human than before. The way it looked at her instilled a sense of familiarity within her. She knew those eyes. Their color was a mix of amber and gold, glinting warmly in the sunlight. Where had she seen this shade before? It was rather unique, but she couldn’t put her finger on it, couldn’t explain why this color made her feel at ease.
She sat on the mossy ground and curiously observed the animal until it got up and walked to the other side of the clearing, peering into the woods. She bit her lip, thinking it would leave soon—she didn’t want to part ways yet! This animal fascinated her for some reason. Before she knew what she was doing, she had already raised her voice, “Come back, please!”
Strangely, it understood what she wanted and returned to her. Sohee patted the spot next to her on the ground, inviting it to sit next to her. She swore she saw the wolf’s eyes widen despite knowing it wasn’t possible. Stretching its legs, it lay down so close that its warm body was touching her thigh.
Now it looked surprisingly endearing for a wolf, more like a puppy. She cautiously moved her hand to its back. The wolf didn’t seem to mind her touch and so she began to pet its fur, astonished at how soft it was. For an animal that constantly roamed the woods, it was too clean. With the wolf resting next to her, she allowed herself to relax, and the initial nervousness that had befallen her dwindled. She knew she didn’t have to expect any danger from this animal, and suddenly, something in her brain clicked.
“Your eye color is the same as Baekhyun’s. That’s a funny coincidence,” she mumbled as she observed the majestic animal. It opened its eyes and gave her its undivided attention, so she decided to keep talking. “He’s my best friend, you know? I’m very grateful to have him in my life… but honestly, I’d rather be more than friends.”
Was it possible for an animal to look shocked? Because that’s what was happening right at this moment. The wolf stared at her in disbelief, frozen solid.
“Um… what’s going on?” She flushed. “I just… I’m sorry, did I offend you?” Of course she didn’t. She was talking to a wolf. What a stupid question. Luckily, nobody except for the animal had heard it, or else she would be mortified.
The wolf sat up and licked her hand, covering it in slobber. “W-What the hell?” she squeaked at the weird sensation and pulled her hand away. “Eww, what was that for?” But now that her hand was gone, the wolf moved on to her cheek and pushed its nose against it. Its tail was wagging and it couldn’t stop showering her with affection. She protested when it tried to lick her cheek, giggling and narrowly avoiding its tongue. The wolf whined and chose a different approach. This time, it lay down and curled its body around her, putting its head on her lap.
“Are you a big puppy?” she smiled, petting its head which it seemed to enjoy thoroughly. “How adorable. When I tell Baekhyun about this, he’ll never believe me.”
The wolf made a noise that could have indicated amusement had it been human. It yawned lazily and prepared for a nap while she brushed her fingers through its fur.
✨
The wind rushed past him as he shot through the greenery, dodging trees and jumping over plants and rocks that stood in his way. He could not believe what had happened. He hadn’t expected her to wander into the woods on her own. When he had spotted her, he had almost stumbled over his own paws. At first, he had considered turning around and hiding before she could notice him, but when he was in his wolf form, his actions were guided by his instincts, and they told him to approach her—being close to her was what he truly wanted, no matter which form he took. She had been reluctant at first, worrying him, but then she had warmed up to him. Making her smile while he was in his wolf form was a dream come true. She was ready to hear the truth.
✨
Sohee was over the moon when she entered her apartment and removed her shoes. A permanent smile had manifested on her lips. She greeted her cat Sushi with too much enthusiasm which resulted in a confused meow. Then, she moved to the living room, intending to text Baekhyun and tell him about her experience today. Before she had a chance to sit on the sofa, the doorbell rang. She put her phone down and jogged to the door, only to discover none other than Baekhyun outside.
“Oh, hi Baekhyun! Nice to see you,” she smiled and let him in. They went to the living room together. “If I had known you would come over, I would have prepared dinner… or at least some snacks.”
“It’s fine, cupcake. You’re the only snack I need,” he replied and winked.
She stood motionless in the middle of the living room as if hit by a lightning strike, her cheeks gradually changing color. Had her ears played tricks on her or had he just flirted with her? “What?” was all she managed to answer.
This Baekhyun was certainly different. The Baekhyun she had met yesterday hadn’t been so frank. It wasn’t simply the bold remark that stood out to her, it was also the way he looked at her. Pride, adoration, and desire were reflected in his eyes. It made her feel things, dangerous things that weren’t meant for friendships. His eyes were golden, not amber. She blinked, but the shade remained the same—the same as…
“You visited the forest on your own. I’m proud of you, cupcake.”
“How do you know I was there?”
Something peculiar flickered over his face. “We met.”
“We didn’t,” she muttered and raised her eyebrows. “What are you talking about? I only met… a wolf…” She trailed off—he did have the exact same eye color as the wolf... and the wolf had been suspiciously intelligent too. “You’re not actually a wolf, are you?” she laughed nervously since the question must have sounded crazy to him, but he remained dead serious. When her eyes grew wider and wider, he chuckled.
“I am.”
“Are you messing with me?”
He grinned confidently. “Nope! I’ll show you.”
“Baekhyun, WHY ARE YOU TAKING OFF YOUR PANTS?!” she yelled and promptly looked away. The sound of his clothes falling on the ground made her blush. Soon after, something odd touched her wrist—it felt strange and caused her to glance down, only to freeze in shock. Where Baekhyun had been standing just a moment ago lay a pile of clothes and next to it sat a familiar-looking wolf.
“Huh?! Don’t tell me you’re really Baekhyun.”
And the wolf nodded, giving a bark that sounded like a laugh. His muzzle touched her hand again.
“…I think I need to sit down.” She staggered to the sofa and sunk into the pillows. The wolf—Baekhyun?—sat next to her and cuddled up to her. “I don’t understand what’s going on and how this is even possible, but… but you’re pretty cute for a wolf… Wait, if you’re the wolf from earlier, then that means…”
He had heard her confession, he knew about her feelings. She wanted to melt into the ground and disappear forever. How embarrassing… she had confessed to him without realizing it. What the hell should she do now? Before Sohee found an answer, Sushi made a sudden appearance in the living room. She hissed and growled at the large wolf lounging on her precious sofa, arching her back. Her fur stuck up in all directions.
“Sushi, behave,” Sohee reminded her, but the cat wasn’t impressed and sent death glares to the wolf before she sauntered away to the bedroom. “Now I know why she doesn’t like it when you visit.”
Baekhyun couldn’t answer as long as he was a wolf, so she was met with silence until the furry front leg on her stomach disappeared and was replaced by a human arm. He shifted back to his human self and remained snuggled up to her like a touch-starved puppy. Only this time, things were different. Her gaze traveled over his defined arm muscles, to his chest, and further down to—
“P-Put on some clothes, you perv!” she hissed and looked away.
“Nah, too lazy.”
“You litte...! I don’t wanna see your dick.”
He had the audacity to wiggle his eyebrows. “You don’t?”
“Argh, Baekhyun, what is this conversation?”
He laughed and got up, collecting his clothes while she stared at the ceiling. Only after she heard the zipper of his jeans did she dare to look at him. He took his shirt, weighed it in his hand, then shrugged and threw it on the sofa without putting it on. She had seen him shirtless too many times than she could count, but she would still drool over his abs like a lovesick teenager.
When he sat down again, he didn’t waste a second, wrapped her in his arms, and put his head right above her chest. “I have to tell you something, Sohee,” he mumbled.
“Yes?” She gently touched his silky ash blond hair and glanced down at him, wondering what he had on his mind.
“I love you too.”
She swallowed, tensing up. Okay, that was not what she had expected. “Baekhyun… you love me?”
“I do, I’ve wanted to be in a relationship with you for a long time.”
A thousand different thoughts shot through her mind. “How would a relationship between us ever work out? I mean, I’m human and you’re not…” she sighed and her body deflated in defeat. “I have so many questions, I don’t know where to begin.”
“I’ll answer them. No more secrets, I promise.”
Sohee took a deep breath and decided to begin with the most pressing question, “Why did you keep your wolf form a secret for so long? Didn’t you trust me?”
“I trust you more than anyone, believe me, but there are certain rules in our society, and the most important one is to keep our true nature hidden from humans. It serves to protect ourselves from hunters. There are a few exceptions, though.”
“Then why did you tell me now? Won’t you get in trouble?”
“Don’t worry, there’s an exception for a wolf’s mate,” he smirked.
“Mate? As in soulmate?”
“Yes. You’re my mate. Wolves only fall in love once in a lifetime.”
“I’m your mate?” and when it dawned on her what this truly meant, her expression faded from astonishment to pure joy. Happiness lit up her brown eyes and made them twinkle.
He grinned at her reaction. “I didn’t realize it for a long time. I just… assumed I felt attracted to you because we were childhood friends and close to each other. But when I turned eighteen, I knew that my feelings were stronger than friendship and concluded that you’re my mate… That’s when my pack began teasing me about our relationship, urging me to tell you the truth,” he sighed and shook his head. “However, I knew how upset you were about the attack and I feared you would resent me if you ever found out about my wolf form. So I kept it to myself because I’d rather be just friends than not have you near me at all.”
“Oh, it must have been so difficult. I had no idea,” she frowned. “I admit I would have been shocked about it, but I’m incapable of resenting you.”
Her answer seemed to relieve him. “The wolf who attacked you was a rogue. He had nothing to do with our pack, and ever since the attack, we’ve been more careful to defend our territory.”
“So I was at the wrong place at the wrong time?”
“Yes. When I heard your scream, I thought my heart would stop. I chased the bastard away and then returned to you in my human form,” he explained with a stony expression.
“Thank you. You’ve done so much for me,” she smiled gratefully.
“Baby cupcakes need to be protected,” he joked, cracking a smile when she groaned.
“What even is a baby cupcake? It makes no sense.”
“It’s an extra pretty and sweet cupcake. Just like you,” he grinned and bopped the tip of her nose.
“If I’m a baby cupcake, then you’re a puppy.”
“Deal.”
“Huh, really? I thought you wouldn’t like it.”
“Any nickname is fine as long as you’re the one who made it up,” he answered. “Because I love you.”
Sohee would have to get used to this—otherwise, her poor heart would just give up one day. The butterflies in her stomach soared, and she leaned in to hug him. “I love you too. You… you have no idea how much you mean to me.”
A bold smirk graced his features. “If I mean so much to you, don’t you think it’s about time you give me a kiss?”
“A kiss?” She couldn’t believe it. All this time, he had kept his feelings for her hidden, and now she drowned in them. The desire to be with her poured out of him and completely overwhelmed her.
He shrugged. “I would ask for more, but we can start small.”
“Horndog,” she snorted. “If you want a kiss, then come and get it.”
His gaze sharpened and his lips formed a dangerous smirk. “Oh, I will.”
He pushed her backward and made her back hit the sofa—and then he was on top of her, caging her with his arms. His gaze spoke volumes, studying her rosy cheeks and the way she bit her lip in impatience. After everything that had happened, and the time he had waited for her, all he wanted to do was to make her his. His instinct compelled him to close the distance between them—he needed to hold her and never let go, he needed to kiss every inch of her skin. Her wonderful scent was a delight. She smelled of peaches; he would always recognize her unique fragrance even when she was in a crowd of people. He would always find her—just like he had done that fateful day in the forest. His precious mate needed to be well-protected.
Sohee gazed up at him, at his ash blond hair that framed his face, and at his eyes which glowed golden whenever he looked at her as if she was the one who made them shine. She stretched out her hand and placed it on his cheek, inviting him to close the distance between their lips. He leaned in, propping himself up with his arms, and his breath fanned over her lips. Their first kiss was an explosion of sensations. His mouth melded with hers, lips moving passionately, gentle and rough at the same time. As her hands began to wander, exploring his taut abdomen, the lower half of his back, he growled into the kiss.
“This was worth the wait,” he murmured against her lips, capturing her gaze with the cheeky shimmer in his eyes. “I love you, cupcake.”
Sohee beamed and planted a kiss on the corner of his mouth, where a cute dimple appeared whenever he smiled. “I love you too, puppy.”
✨ ✨ ✨
Hi everyone, I hope you enjoyed this fic! I wanted to write a wolf AU for a long time, but since multichapter fics take months or even years to finish, I chose to write a oneshot instead. 💕 This is basically a wolf version of Spellbound; the themes are somewhat similar, with the exception of Baek and Sohee being childhood friends. 🌼 Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on this couple! ✨