Expectations [양정원/이희승]

《chapter 7》

A hand stroked his cheek and Jungwon scrunched up his nose in annoyance, swatting it away and turning onto his other side to continue getting his much needed beauty sleep.

But the prodding persisted.

A weight behind him dented the mattress and an arm and a leg were thrown over him.
Something was messing with his hair, too.

Niki must have started bed hopping again, a habit the boy had been practising ever since ILAND.

"Niki-yah, I wanna sleep." He grumbled and tried to shake the extra weight, not happy that he was woken up so early on a Saturday morning.

But 'Niki' wasn't Niki. And it wasn't morning, but roughly around 4 am.

As the grip on him tightened even further, almost like a snake twirling around a stick, he finally opened his eyes to snap at the intruder.

Jungwon had enough to worry about, and all he wanted was sleep after his mind had plagued him for hours before his worries finally succumbed to a dreamless darkness.

"Seriously, stop. I'm not in the mood."

He was met with a whimpering noise, no words but a pathetic squeak of pain.
Not Niki.

Sunoo was squeezing the dear life out of him, as if he was trying to grasp anything he could to brace himself against the waves of pain that were rolling over him by the minutes.

"Oh shit, Sunoo!"

Jungwon frantically whipped around to see a disheveld and very unhappy Omega clinging to him. His eyes were puffy and red. Had he cried?

"Sunoo, are you okay?"

Another whimper, and the boy screwed his eyes shut, hand balling into fists around Jungwon's shirt.

"Sunoo!?"

It was Jungwon's turn to cup the other's cheek trying to get any indication out of the boy as to what was happening to him. Where was he hurt?

But as Jungwons searching eyes found no wounds or blood and no answer followed his attempt at conversation, the sweat on Sunoos forehead and the intense smell of vanilla flavoured baked goods finally registered in Jungwon's tired brain.

"Sunoo, are you in heat?"

But the boy was still curling around Jungwon in pain, as if the leader was his lifeline. His eyes were squeezed shut and bloodshot.

Jungwon's hands found the older's cheek once more and heat radiated from his skin.
As Sunoo hands unfurled, his eyes also opened, the wave of pain slowly ebbing away for now.

"It hurts. Jungwon, it hurts so bad."
His voice was strained and tears lined his eyes.

Jungwon rubbed soothing gestures along the Omega's back and tried to shush his cries.

"Shhh, I know. I know. It's okay. I've got you."

But he had no idea what to do with the crying Omega in his arms.
He only knew that he'd fight heaven and he'll to stop his pack mate from crying.

Sunoo's pleas for help quieted down a little and as Jungwon thought he could stand up to get the others to help them, the Omega clasped his hands around Jungwon's shoulders and tilted his head upwards, presenting his neck to Jungwon.
He froze.

"Sunoo, you know I can't scent you,"

He tried to speak as softly and slowly as he could, scared he could hurt the vulnerable wolf. Jungwon wished for the first time he could have given the Omega the comfort he needed. Wished he could scent him and protect him like his luna instincts were screaming at him to do.