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"That sounds very interesting, and welcome," Laurent was saying. "We've been on the hunt all the way down from Ontario, and we haven't had the chance to clean up in a while."
Jennie shuddered, trying to subtly catch Kai's attention, but he ignored her.
"Please don't take offense, but we'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from hunting in this immediate area," Namjoon cautioned them. "We have to stay inconspicuous, you understand." Namjoon's voice was perfectly assured. I envied him his hopefulness.
"Of course," Laurent agreed. "We certainly won't encroach on your territory. We just ate outside of Seattle, anyway."
Laurent laughed, and Jungkook's heartbeat stuttered for the first time. The movement of my foot faltered quickly, trying to disguise the variation. None of the strangers seemed to notice.
"We'll show you the way if you'd like to run with us," Namjoon offered, and only Jimin and I knew that it was too late for his plan to succeed. It was so close now his visions were racing to collide with the present.
"Hoseok and Jimin, you can go with Taehyung and Jungkook to get the Jeep."
It happened exactly as he said Jungkook's name. Just a gentle breeze, a mild flutter from a new direction, an aberration caused by the tail end of the storm swirling westward. So mild. So inescapable. Jungkook's scent, fresh and immediate, wafted directly into the strangers' faces.
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All of them were affected, but while Laurent and Jennie were predominantly confused by the delicious smell coming out of nowhere, Kai shifted instantaneously into hunting mode. Yoongi's camouflage wasn't strong enough to deter that kind of focus.
There was no point in pretending any longer. As if he were reading my thoughts, Yoongi pulled his concealment back in that second, leaving only himself and Jimin still hidden. I realized it was better that he do this, that it would only alert these nomads to his extra talents if he tried to keep Jungkook obscured now. Yet I still felt a weak prick of betrayal. But that was only the smallest part of my awareness. Most of my faculties were overwhelmed with fury.
