You Are My Enigma | Rawoong, Seohee, Xido +18

The Red Rose

When Dongju woke up, he was clinging to Keonhee's side. He could sense all the other alfas' scents in the cave. The cave? Yes, they were back in the cave. He sat up straight and that was the moment he remembered everything that had happened, including how terrified he had felt when he had witnessed all that blood splashing all over Youngjo, and Gunhak tumbling down as Keonhee was being violently hit.

"Hyung?" He called the other before he realized his alfa was lying on his stomach beside the big omega, the marks of five claws mercilessly decorating his back and covered in a green mixture. On the other hand, Keonhee's skin was painted with purple bruises and scratches all over. The omega's eyes filled with tears at the sight of both his "alfas" unconscious and in that visibly painful state.

"Dongju-ah!" Hwanwoong stepped inside the cave as soon as he sensed the other's vanilla scent suddenly getting more similar to clove. "How are you feeling?"

"Hwanwoong hyung!!" He immediately jumped on his feet to go hug the other omega. "I'm good, but I'm so worried about Keonhee and Gunhak hyung! Is everyone alright? Is Seoho hyung okay? Youngjo?"

Hwanwoong surrounded the other omega with his arms: "They are... Fine, yes!" He looked at the entrance of the cave where he could spot the mute alfa's hair. "Seoho is sitting outside right there," he pointed at Seoho while speaking "and I think Youngjo has gone hunting again for us!"

Dongju took a deep breath in the other's scent in the attempt to calm himself down before speaking again: "I'm so happy we are all still alive! I was so scared and... Hyung?" He moved a bit away from the other as soon as he sensed a kind of a different smell on his skin. "You smell different. Are you okay?"

Hwanwoong's eyes widened when he realized the wild bear's blood was still all over his body, now dry and stinky. He desperately tried not to focus on the fact it was most likely because of how tightly he had hugged Youngjo as soon as he had appeared and saved them from the beast. "I'm- I probably just need to wash up!" He stuttered, suddenly feeling eager to clean himself and to cover his own scent with coffee beans again. "Can you keep an eye on Gunhak and Keonhee for me? I'll be back soon!"

"Of course! Go, hyung! I'll stay here with them so, take your time!!" The youngest nodded.

Hwanwoong exited the cave at a brisk pace, not before sharing a look with Seoho who had been probably overhearing everything. He didn't realize when he had shifted in his wolf form and he had started running in the wild, his nose twitching as he was searching for the nearest river. He really needed to wash that uneasy feeling off his body and he wished he could do the same with his thoughts about a certain alfa.

Hwanwoong would have waited for Keonhee to wake up and for Gunhak to feel better. Then, he would have put his original plan into action. He would have run away and he would have never seen Youngjo again. He knew Keonhee and Dongju would have always been his brothers, but Hwanwoong couldn't simply allow himself to stick with them when there was someone as dangerous as that alfa around.

Seoho and Gunhak seemed very strong, maybe they would have helped Youngjo save his pack so he would have given up finding a stupid enigma to defeat whatever pack he wanted to beat so eagerly.

When Hwanwoong was finally at the river, he didn't hesitate a minute before shifting back to his human form and jump in the water. He loved to bathe. There was something about doing it, about the feeling of the crystal clear water caressing his skin, that always made him feel home. Maybe it was because his pack used to live beside a lake as well and, if he focused well, he could even remember a couple of happy moments he had shared with his family and friends right there, in the water.

He swam, slightly enjoying the feeling of being breathless, before allowing his head out of the surface. Then, he reached the point where the water caressed his bellybutton and he used his hands to style his wet hair away from his forehead before he started thoughtfully brushing his arms, his chest and his belly to get rid of every remaining trace of the bear's blood on his skin.