Archive of Our Own

It was an amazing opportunity. No one could deny it, and he would be crazy to turn it down.

'Once in a lifetime'. That's how San described it after he came bursting through the front door with the biggest grin on his face.

It was Wooyoung's favorite look on him. Nothing would ever, ever, top it.

So how could he possibly say no when San asked to go? Even if it filled him with a deep, aching pain at the thought of being without his soulmate?

The rest of their pack was worried too. Wooyoung and San had yet to be apart from each other for more than a few days since first coming together three years ago.

And what a strange, intense, wonderful day that had been.

Wooyoung had been very anxious leading up to the 'big meeting'. His alpha, Jongho, had grown close with another pack alpha. Both he and Jongho were getting into the music industry, so they were anticipating working together a lot.

When both alphas trusted each other enough, they suggested introducing their packs to each other.

Which was easier said than done.

Jongho had a hard enough time juggling three schedules, what with Yeosang teaching classes about beta and omega rights and Wooyoung working in a catering business, but add another pack to the mix and all hell broke lose.

It took a solid two months before that fateful Saturday night happened.

Jongho was bouncing off the walls with excitement. He couldn't stop talking about how much he admired this Hongjoong, how amazing he was, how smart, how kind, how brilliant the alpha was.

If he was being honest, it made Wooyoung a little jealous, and he spent many hours complaining to Yeosang about it. And he may or may not have purposefully taken a few extra jobs to prolong meeting the other pack.

Yeosang seemed indifferent. He was happy that Jongho had made a friend, but he also used his calm, beta nature to keep Wooyoung in check.

Especially the night of the big dinner. Yeosang hovered, smothering Wooyoung with his soothing sea breeze scent, all while making comments about how ridiculous Wooyoung was being.

But he couldn't help it. His omega was worried about losing its alpha.

Wooyoung held Jongho's hand during the entire car ride to whatever park they had decided to meet at. He had to admit that it was a beautiful evening, but he'd rather spend it with just his pack.

They stopped beside a small lake in the center and Jongho grabbed Wooyoung's shoulders and forced him to turn so they were facing each other. The smile that curved his perfect lips made Wooyoung melt a little. "Woo. I want you to listen to me."

"I-"

"Shush!" Yeosang wrapped his arms around Jongho's waist and blinked in Wooyoung's direction.

The omega scrunched his nose and stuck his tongue out in response.

"Woo." Their alpha scolded, yet there was still a twinkle in his eyes. "No matter what happens tonight, you are not losing me."

As much as he wanted to play dumb, Wooyoung knew it wouldn't work. So he admitted defeat and gave a dramatic sigh as he shoved his head against Jongho's shoulder.

Strong arms engulfed him, followed by the gentle pressure of teeth on his mating mark. It was something the alpha had learned early on in their relationship he could do to calm the omega down. It said I'm here. You're safe.

A hand ruffled his hair a little, bringing Yeosang into the connection as well.

The trio stayed like that until the wind changed, bringing a new array of smells their way.

"Hyung!" Jongho perked up and moved to stand in front of his pack, puffing his chest out a little.

"Hey Jongho!" A bright, cheery voice called back.

Wooyoung poked his head around Jongho's shoulder and noticed four people standing a few paces away. Two alphas and two betas.

Interesting.

"Well, this is them!" Jongho looked over his shoulder, then motioned to Yeosang. "My beta, Yeosang," then he chuckled while glancing at Wooyoung, "And my uncharacteristically shy omega, Wooyoung."

The omega's eyes narrowed when they flicked up to his alpha, but he nodded politely at the other pack.

"It's so nice to meet you! I feel as if I know you already with how much Jongho talks about you. I'm Hongjoong, this is Mingi, the other alpha of my pack, Seonghwa and Yunho, our betas, and," Hongjoong's forehead creased and he started looking around, "Where-"

"He's here." Yunho chuckled and reached behind him. "Looks like both our omegas are a little shy. Come on, San."

Wooyoung perked up at his words. He didn't get to meet many omegas, especially in his line of business. They were few and far between anymore. He watched as a fifth boy showed himself, looking up at Yunho for a second.

The instant Wooyoung's eyes locked with San's, it was like the entire universe imploded.

They both froze, hearts racing, heat rising, vision narrowing. All they could see was the other omega. Each breath was filled with just their scent, Wooyoung's sweet grass and San's roses.

Nothing else existed.

Not the park they were in, not the setting sun, not their worried and confused pack members.

The pair of omegas walked toward each other as if in a trance. Light flashed before their eyes the second their fingers touched, and soon they were hugging each other as if they would never let go.

And realistically, they couldn't.

Saying goodbye that night was the hardest thing Wooyoung had ever done... He cried the entire way hone and barely acknowledged Yeosang and Jongho's attempt to build him a nest out of every pillow and blanket in their apartment.

He just felt so... empty.

When Jongho got a call two days later and found out San was acting the same way, he and Hongjoong called a doctor immediately.

It turned out Wooyoung and San were now a pair of bonded omegas, or nest-mates. Not very common, sometimes two omegas had their wolves form a connection stronger than any mating bond.

And nothing had been discovered to explain why. Doctors had been researching it for years and still had no answers.

But that's what they were, and it changed everything.

Hongjoong invited Jongho's pack to join his, which ended up being the best thing to ever happen to all of them.

An instant connection was formed between the group of eight, as if they were meant to be together the entire time. Seonghwa and Yeosang grew attached quickly, Jongho and Yunho also hit it off, which of course brought Mingi into their little trio, San and Wooyoung were spoiled by everyone, Hongjoong grew to love them all.

And it as all thanks to the two omegas.

Which was why San leaving was so hard.

Wooyoung clenched his jaw to try and keep a straight face while listening to San go over the details one more time.

They had talked about it extensively just the two of them, checking in on their needs, their thoughts, their worries.

San wasn't going to do this if Wooyoung wasn't ok with it. And Wooyoung wouldn't feel right if he held San back.

A month. San was going to be gone for a full month.

He had been accepted into a special dance program in the States, taking him away from his pack for a month.

Four weeks.

Thirty days.

"Youngie." San sat next to his fellow omega and wrapped his arms around the younger's shoulders. "Are-"

"Yes." Wooyoung said before the other could finish. They had already had this conversation at least twenty times and the answer was always the same. "You're going."

Everyone else in the pack gathered round to place a hand somewhere on San, with Yunho pulling both omegas into his lap to surround them with his long arms.

"The second you want to come home, call and I'll buy you a ticket." Hongjoong said for the fifth time that day.

"I know." San looked up at his alpha with a loving smile.

"It doesn't matter how much it is."

"I know."

"Or what time of day."

"Joong!" Seonghwa pushed the side of Hongjoong's head and rolled his eyes. "He knows."

"Stop babying him." Mingi said with a chuckle.

Yunho's head whipped around. "Yah! You're one to talk! Sneaking into their room at night for cuddles."

Ming's cheeks flushed for a moment before he yelled, "Says the one clinging to them like he's never going to let them go!"

As the bickering continued, both omegas laid their heads against Yunho's shoulders and just stared at each other.

You'll be fine.

You are strong.

We can do this.

I love you.

That night, San and Wooyoung built a small nest together in their room, feeling the need to hide away from all the stress, anxiety, fear, sadness, and other emotions filling their pack home. They shoved their mattress over, let it fall to the floor, then propped it against the wall at a slant. Blankets were placed inside, along with a wall of pillows and a thick comforter draped over the entrance.

They curled into each other, limbs intertwined, and just breathed in each other's scents.

"I'm proud of you." Wooyoung whispered. "I'm glad you're doing this."

"I can still cancel." San's voice was even softer and he pressed his lips against the younger's forehead.

"You'll only regret it. And resent me..."

"I could never, ever, resent you." San said while trying to pull Wooyoung closer. "You know that."

"I do." Wooyoung nuzzled his nose back and forth, then wiggled in place to settle into their nest. "I do."

Many more unsaid things floated between them, all swallowed by their hopes and fears. Their nest absorbed it all, giving them a sense of peace for just a few short, precious hours.

And then it was all gone with the shutting of a door.

A door that also seemed to close on Wooyoung's heart.

It had been decided that he shouldn't go to the airport. There was no way San would be able to leave if he did. At least this way he could change his mind and easily turn around, but the strongest reason for him to stay wouldn't be there to influence him.

Which Hongjoong made sure to mention three times before and during breakfast. He wasn't hiding how nervous this made him, saying things like, "I can't protect you there", and "What if you need us?" and "What if someone gives you a hard time?"

All of which San countered with kisses and hugs and giggles, making the alpha melt and give up.

The pack all knew San couldn't pass up this opportunity.

Wooyoung's shoulders sank and he looked down at his feet, which instantly made him start counting how many steps away San was.

Twenty steps to the elevator.

One hundred and twenty-two steps to their assigned parking spot.

Seventy-six minutes to the airport if the traffic was ok.

Fourteen hours to fly to Los Angeles.

One month.

Four weeks.

Thirty days without San.

He could do this...

"Come on, love." Seonghwa said gently while guiding Wooyoung to the couch. His calming rain scent mixed perfectly with Wooyoung's, filling the large apartment with the wonderful smells that came with a spring storm.

Jongho was waiting for him with open arms and a look of absolute worry on his face. He was quick to pull Wooyoung into his chest and nuzzle against the mark he had left on his neck four years ago. "What would you like to do today?" His voice was light as a gentle breeze, soothing Wooyoung a little.

"I don't know."

The alpha glanced up at where Seonghwa, and now Yeosang, were watching them carefully. "Youngie, we are wo-"

"I'm fine." Wooyoung sat up and pushed himself away from Jongho, sticking his chin out to accent his stubbornness.

He was determined to prove them all wrong. He was strong, he was fully capable of taking care of himself and getting through this time with out San.

One month.

Wooyoung inhaled sharply and stood up. "I'm going to work."

"What?!" Yeosang stepped forward and lifted his arms, his scent souring just a little. "Youngie, we talked about this. You've already taken today off. The others are more than capable of running the place without you."

"I know that." The omega said, walking past everyone to get his keys, fully determined to walk out the front door and ride his bike to the kitchen.

"Wooyoung, please." Jongho grabbed his hand before he could make it any further and pulled him back. "I can feel that you're not alright. We all can. Stay. Take today, and if you are still fine, then you can go tomorrow."

For a moment, Wooyoung felt the urge to still defy him. But when Mingi also stepped into the room and leaned against the wall between him and the front door, he admitted defeat. "Fine."

He let Jongho pull him back to the couch and tried not to give into all the gentle touches and caresses he was getting from the pack members that he stayed behind.

But who was he kidding? He loved it. He had always loved how much the pack spoiled their omegas, always feeding them and hugging them and giving in to their every need.

Seonghwa spent a little time in the kitchen preparing snacks and getting drinks for everyone while Yeosang helped get Wooyoung situated in the corner of their large L-shaped couch that took up most of their living room.

The first real test was when Hongjoong and Yunho came home. They didn't say much when they first walked in, taking their time with slipping out of their shoes and taking off their coats.

"How did it go?" Mingi finally asked.

"Fine. We stayed with him until security and watched him go through it. He seemed excited." Hongjoong said with an attempt at a smile. He kept moving his hands back and forth over his wrists, holding onto them with a death grip. And the sad note in his voice didn't help reassure anyone.

Their house was already missing San's bubbly, wonderful, charming, caring presence.

Wooyoung tried to swallow the lump in his throat and kept his gaze fixed on the tv. He was determined to get through this. It was what he and San had decided on. Everything would be fine.

He got up early to go to work the next day, slipping out before anyone but Yeosang was awake. The beta had always been more attuned to his feelings than anyone beside San, so he was up and waiting for Wooyoung with the promise to come and get him the second he called.

The idea made Wooyoung simply scoff and roll his eyes. He left without another word, knowing full well he had hurt his friend's feelings and would have to apologize to him later, but he refused to give in to the black hole forming behind his heart.

Work ended up being a good distraction for a little bit. He enjoyed getting into the prep work, letting his hands dance over the counter top in a playful tango with his knives. Each chop and slice was music to his ears.

It was nice getting to interact with other people outside of his pack as well. They all knew what was going on, for Hongjoong and Jongho had insisted on paying the kitchen a visit to talk to his boss and explain their situation, so they did their best not to ask or say anything that would upset Wooyoung.

Which he appreciated.

But as the day drew on, he realized it didn't matter... Every little thing that he did made him think of San. He wanted to share it all with him. The new recipe he tried, the new server who had a mental breakdown when she dropped fifteen glasses, the small cut he gave himself during one second's lapse of focus.

A small whimper came from the back of the omega's throat right before his knife fell to the floor, dangerously close to his own feet. His vision started to swim before his eyes as tears filled them.

"S-San..."

Was he ok? Did he make it to Los Angeles safely? Did he miss them?

Someone was there within seconds, shushing him gently and guiding him to the employee break room.

Wooyoung hugged his stomach and started to rock back and forth while listening to the voices around him, although he couldn't remember who they belonged to.

"Did someone call his alphas?"

"Yes, they are on their way."

"I'll keep an eye out, he needs to get home as fast as possible."

"Is he going to be ok? I've never seen anything like this before."

"Me neither. Neither of my omegas get like this when the other travels."

"What is the cause? Why is he like this?"

"I don't know, but Boss knew what had happened the second I said Jung's name, so he knows something."

Wooyoung started to shake his head back and forth. The voices, the touches, the scents... none of it was right.

He had no idea how long he had been sitting there, but at some point he recognized a wonderful applewood scent, slightly soured with worry, as it grew closer.

It made him fall to his knees and sob, reaching for the body he knew would be in front of him in a matter of seconds.

And he was. Jongho was there to pick Wooyoung up and cradle him to his chest. "I've got you, Woo. We are going home now."

Wooyoung clutched his alpha's shirt in his hands and continued to whimper the entire ride home. Jongho never let him go, which meant someone else was driving.

"What do you need?"

He didn't know. Being in Jongho's embrace helped. He could always trust Jongho to take care of him, ever since the alpha had helped him and Yeosang out of the work houses.

By the time they got home, Wooyoung had exhausted himself with how much crying he'd done. He barely registered Jongho carrying him into the elevator, or the gentle hand's that could only belong to Yeosang moving through his hair, or the wonderful scents of his pack mates waiting to greet him inside the door.

"This is ridiculous, I'm going to go get him." Hongjoong's voice came from the living room.

"You will do nothing of the sort!" Seonghwa snapped.

"It's only been one day!"

"Of coarse the first day will be hard! There's that initial shock that needs to be worked through."

Jongho pressed his lips to Wooyoung's forehead and took him into his bedroom. He set the omega down on his bed and Wooyoung instantly rolled over to the side San slept on to bury his nose into San's pillow.

The older's scent washed over him, filling his entire body with relief.

Wooyoung started to nuzzle against it furiously. He pulled everything within his reach closer to him, building a little nest on the bed itself to bury himself in.

He fell asleep like that, in a bundle of comforters and pillows, completely unaware of Yeosang looking over him while listening to the conversation in the other room.

When he woke some time later, the room was noticeably darker, indicating that the sun had set and evening was upon him.

The only reason he got out of bed was because his stomach begged him to with loud, rumbling gurgles.

He found his pack in the living room preoccupied with their own things. Yeosang looked to be grading papers, Seonghwa was reading, Yunho and Mingi were playing a game, and Hongjoong and Jongho were at the table discussing lyrics for their next song.

Seonghwa was the first to notice the omega's appearance. He slammed his book shut and rushed over, cupping Wooyoung's face and giving him a searching gaze. "How are you feeling?"

"Hungry." Wooyoung admitted, placing a hand on his stomach.

"Oh! Wonderful. I'll get you something." The beta hurried into the kitchen and started serving up a plate of whatever he had already made for dinner.

While he did, Hongjoong stood up from the table and walked over to take Wooyoung's hand. "San called a couple of hours ago."

The younger perked up instantly and looked at his alpha with wide eyes. "He did?"

"Yes." Hongjoong hummed softly. "We tried to wake you, but you were completely gone. He made it to his hotel safely and should be heading to his first class soon given the time difference."

"Good." Wooyoung tried to give a genuine smile. And truthfully, he was happy for San. He was.

His pack was happy to see him eating and out of the room. Things were peaceful that night.

But it didn't last long.

Wooyoung didn't go to work the next day, nor the day after. He was having a hard time finding the motivation to get out of bed.

It didn't matter that he told himself he could do this, or that he wanted to be strong for his pack and for San. No... He was just so tired.

San called every day. It was usually early in the morning because that's when he got a break his time. The first few days he was absolutely glowing.

Apparently he was one of three omegas who were accepted into the program, everyone else was a beta and there were seven alphas out of a class of thirty.

Hearing that set off Hongjoong at first, his protective instincts kicking in, and he had to fight the urge to fly over there to drag San home.

But seeing how happy he was made everyone trust that he was where he needed to be.

Wooyoung was glad to hear that there were other omegas there for him to.

"I think it helps, in a way." San said when Wooyoung took the phone into his room to talk to his best friend alone.

"Good, I'm glad." Wooyoung hummed while rubbing his eyes.

"What about you? Are you doing ok?"

"I'm fine, Sannie." The younger assured. He tried to keep the weariness he was feeling from his tone.

"You don't look fine."

It was true. Wooyoung could see himself in the little picture on the corner of the phone. He had bags under his eyes and he was pale. But that didn't matter. Not when San was doing what made him happy. "I just didn't sleep well last night. Yunho and Jongho were up all night playing games and kept yelling at each other." He said, which was true.

"Figures." San's lips curled into a smile, crinkling his eyes and showing his dimples.

God Wooyoung would do anything to always see that smile.

"Oh, speaking of sleeping," San moved off camera for a moment, then came back clutching one of Wooyoung's shirts to his chest. "Thank you."

The younger omega smiled and nodded. Before San had left, Wooyoung had snuck one of his shirts, sealed in a bag, into the older's suitcase that he had spent several nights sleeping with to make sure his sent was all over it.

San buried his nose in the shirt and closed his eyes. "I miss you."

"I miss you." Wooyoung whispered.

They tried to talk every day. And every day Wooyoung would remind himself that it was a day closer to San being home.

He wasn't sure if that's what made things worse, or something else... but on day eight he lost his appetite.

The very thought of trying to put anything in his stomach made it twist and turn, scrambling his insides to the point where he spent a few hours dry heaving over the side of the bed with Seonghwa and Yeosang rubbing his back.

"I don't like this." Mingi said from the door. "I'm calling Joong."

"N-No..." Wooyoung held up a hand. "D-Don't..."

"Youngie, Jongho sh-" Yeosang started to say.

"Don't." The omega said again. "They've w-worked to hard on this album. Don't interrupt their meeting." He forced himself to sit up and lean back into the mountain of pillows behind him so that he'd be propped up.

Mingi sighed and walked over to crouch next to the bed. "Woo, you're not doing well. We don't like seeing you like this."

"I'm fine."

And he tried to be. Or, he kept trying to tell himself he was.

Day thirteen was the first day he pack noticed a difference in San. He had a small but noticeable nervous twitch when he talked and he was paler than normal.

Talking with his pack seemed to lighten his spirits, but his calls were starting to get more random throughout the day.

At home, two pack members always slept with Wooyoung. He needed the contact to help him get through the night.

One alpha and one beta. That way he had the strength of one of his alphas to help calm his omega, while the beta could fill the air with their calming pheromones

It made him feel safe. And he needed safe right now.

"I miss you." San said for the seventh time during their nightly call on day fourteen.

"I miss you." Wooyoung answered, as he always did, as if just the words alone could fill the ever growing hole in his chest. "You're taking care of yourself, right? Eating properly? Sleeping? Drinking?" Even with how he was feeling, he couldn't stop worrying about the older.

"Trying to. The training here is pretty intense so I'm ravenous by the end of the day, but... it never tastes right." He paused for a moment, looking down at his lap. "You're not ok."

"No." Wooyoung couldn't lie. Not to San. Not anymore.

"Do you need me to come home?"

"No. I won't take this away from you." The younger tried to smile, but he was pretty sure it looked more like a grimace.

Day seventeen brought on a new bought of arguing amongst the pack. Wooyoung was so in and out of consciousness now that he didn't catch all of it, but he heard enough to know he was starting to be a problem...

"He doesn't want to come home yet! What don't you understand about that?" Seonghwa yelled.

"How can he not?!" Hongjoong growled. "Have you seen him? Not to mention the fact that Wooyoung won't come out of the bedroom!"

"Joong, I'm worried about him too, you know I am," Jongho's voice was a little softer but still strained, "But they agreed to do this. They said they could, and we need to trust them."

Wooyoung's appreciation for the young alpha grew a little and he nuzzled his nose back and forth against the pillow beneath him.

Then he froze. He inhaled several times.

No. No no no no no no no.

He started to rummage around in his pile of pillows, grabbing each one and bringing it to his nose. An ungodly whine escaped him and he pulled himself off the bed, across the floor, and over to the closet. His arms shook as he pulled the doors open, then as he started pulling down every shirt he could, sending hangers flying into the room in his desperate attempt to bring the fabric to his nose.

"Woo!" The door to his bedroom opened and everyone was there with him, but Jongho was the first to grab him and bring him into a hug.

The tears that erupted from him were something that had been building in him for days. "H-H-He..."

"Breathe, honey, breathe." Seonghwa sat in front of the couple and rubbed Wooyoung's back.

"I-I-I-I-"

"That's it, I'm calling San." Hongjoong pulled out his phone and started dialing.

"NO!" Wooyoung screeched, tossing his head back to stare at the older with watery eyes.

"Wooyoung, I'm not having this argument with you! Look at yourself!"

"Honey, this has been harder on you than we ever predicted." Seonghwa was doing his best to keep his voice calm, but the higher pitch gave away his worry.

"This is-s g-good for him. H-He needs this." Wooyoung tried to argue.

"Then what's wrong?"

The omega closed his eyes and sobbed again. The black hole behind his heart was starting to take over. He could feel it. "It's gone..." He muttered, burying his face in his hands.

"What's gone?" Jongho asked, carding his hands through Wooyoung's matted, unwashed hair.

"I... His scent..."

Every day after that was a constant struggle for the pack. They did everything they could to take care of Wooyoung, but he was making it harder and harder.

Yeosang had to beg him to eat or even drink. He would make fruit smoothies with protein powder or some kind of vitamin mixed in to try and get something into his system.

There were a few times Yunho would come in and attempt to build a nest for Wooyoung to curl into, although it was getting to be too hard for Wooyoung to get out of bed.

He was so empty. So incomplete.

How did he ever function before San?

How?

And San wasn't doing much better. He wasn't quite as bad as Wooyoung yet, and everyone guessed it was because of the other omegas with him, but he was losing weight and his voice was hollow and dry.

There were a few times that he would call and someone would set the phone next to Wooyoung's head so they could just listen to each other breathing for a little bit.

"I miss you."

"I miss you."

And still neither of them could say what they truly wanted.

Come home.

I need you.

I can't do this anymore.

"I'm proud of you." Wooyoung whispered, knowing San liked the reassurance.

The older whined softly. "When I get home I'm never letting you go."

Wooyoung tried to imagine it. He wanted it so badly.

By day twenty-three, Wooyoung no longer left the bed. He spent more of the day sleeping than in an even half-awake state, and would only take about one sip of juice a day.

Mingi and Yunho seemed to be the ones who could help him the most when it came to the physical contact because they could both surround him with their bodies, so they took to laying on either side of him.

And it really did help. It seemed to ground him, in a way, rooting him to the bed and reminding him that he wasn't truly alone.

Even though he was. He was so alone.

Day twenty-four... Wooyoung was drifting. Everything swayed, even with his eyes closed.

"There's nothing we can do?"

"No, they have no suggestions other than getting San home."

"Can't we take him there, or give him something?"

"No. It's the bond..."

Bond... The bond...

Wooyoung knew that word, but he couldn't figure out why it was important...

It was getting so hard to breathe... Why couldn't he fill his lungs? Why did it hurt so much?

He was drifting...

"Wooyoung... Please, hang on."

"Don't leave us..."

"He's not strong enough."

Voices. So many voices.

They just needed to go away...

And they started to. They started to get so distant. He could barely make them out.

"Yes... Yes... I'm sorry. No, this isn't you're fault. We miss you so much, but he needs you."

No, he didn't need anything besides sleep... Sleep was good.

So...

Tired...

"Ok, I'm leaving."

"Hurry."

Something was touching him. Soft. Hesitant. It needed to stop.

"Wooyoung?" The voice cracked. There was so much pain in it. "Woo, can you hear me? Please wake up."

No... No...

It's too hard...

"My love, please... Don't leave us. Don't leave me."

He knew that voice. He knew all the voices talking to him.

But what was the point...

His heart was empty. He wasn't complete.

They wouldn't miss him.

At one point something shifted. Wooyoung could feel the change and it made him move his head a little, which was joined by a soft whine.

His nostrils flared in an attempt to scent the air.

What was it?

He was still in bed, surrounded by pillows and blankets and stuffed animals that his pack had bought for him to cuddle with.

What was it?

A click came from somewhere behind him and it hit him like a rocket.

Wooyoung cried out, a long, painful, desperate howl that sounded like a dying animal. How he even made the sound, he wasn't sure, but he couldn't stop it.

His arms were so weak, but still he tried to turn himself over or pull himself off the bed.

The door to his bedroom flung open and the cause of his every moment of joy and agony blasted him.

Roses.

San.

Tears rolled down his cheeks the second San's arms were around him. The connection they had was instantly renewed, burning him like a raging fire.

Or maybe that was the fever plaguing his body, but either way.

San was home.

The two omegas pressed into each other, both whimpering endlessly, while the rest of their pack watched with heavy hearts.

They should have never let this go on for so long. Hongjoong blamed himself more than anything. He was supposed to take care of everyone in his pack, and yet he had let this separation nearly kill Wooyoung.

But the youngest omega would never blame him.

Right now all he wanted, all he needed, was San.

He started to run his tongue over San's neck, as best he could in his weakened state, savoring his taste and his scent.

San was home! He was back! And they would never be apart from each other again if he could help it.

Pure euphoria spread through his body when San bit down on his neck in a possessive way and refused to let go.

Once the initial shock of their reunion was over, however, both omegas were exhausted to the point where all they could do was sleep.

And the cycle began again.

The pack would beg them to eat or drink, but other than that they were left alone. Someone would stay in the room with them at all times, watching them for any changes, better or worse. But the best thing for the omegas was for them to just be together.

No medicine could heal the damage that had been done.

"This is never happening again."

"We know..."

"How could we-"

"Because we were respecting their wishes."

"We were trying to be a good pack."

"We failed them!"

"We all failed each other! But we are together again, that's what's important."

Days passed. How many, Wooyoung would never remember, but San never left his side.

"I missed you so much." Wooyoung whispered one night when they both were conscious at the same time. He rubbed his nose back and forth against San's shirt.

"I missed you too."

"Please don't leave me again."

The older did his best to tighten his grip. "Never. I can't do this again."

"S-Sannie..." Wooyoung clung to San, trying to pull him even closer and started to cry.

This woke up Yeosang, who had been curled up in the corner of the room, and he hurried over to stroke Wooyoung's head.

A vicious growl left San's throat and he bit down on the younger omega again.

"It's ok. I'm not taking him from you." Yeosang said gently. He backed away a little and held up his hands. "I promise, he's not going anywhere."

San seemed to relax a little at his words, but he still refused to let anyone get close to Wooyoung.

Nothing would tear them apart. Not now. Not ever.

Eventually they started to regain their strength. There was one day that the both ended up ripping each other's clothes off in their desperate need to have skin to skin contact. There was something about it that stabilized everything.

And it was possible that it helped speed up their recovery too.

On day seven of San being home, both omegas managed to eat a full meal. While it was rather bland, in order to go easy on their stomachs, they at it quickly and with no argument.

On day ten, they finally left the bedroom.

By now the rest of the pack was starting to get back to their daily lives, as best they could, and were thrilled to go buy whatever food or drink the omegas asked for.

On day twelve, they regressed just a little, retreating to their rooms to hideaway from the world. They built their nest in the corner, just like before San had left, and piled the pillows high to block out any unwanted visitors.

"You had everyone worried." San said against the back of Wooyoung's neck.

"I'm sorry... I tried to be strong."

"It's ok. I did too..."

Wooyoung closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I didn't mean for you to come home early... You didn't get in trouble, did you?"

"No, the instructors understood. And I wouldn't have cared. I needed to be back with you. I'd do anything for you, Wooyoung."

"And I you. Please don't leave me again."

"Never." San helped turn Wooyoung over so they could look into each other's eyes. "Never again. I can go through that only once in my life."

"I love you." Wooyoung started pulling more blankets on top of them, desiring that security. "I love you, Sannie. I love you." He whispered over and over.

At one point, Wooyoung could feel himself dozing off. There were voices in the background, though he didn't register what they were saying. But he awoke to the best thing in the entire world.

His pack.

They were all crammed into the tiny nest, limbs intertwined and twisted in uncomfortable ways, but none of them cared.

San and Wooyoung were together again, and all six of them were determined to touch each of them somewhere so they could feel the connection.

All eight of them would shift around occasionally to readjust, but in the end they always fell back into the same tight ball.

They were one.

And nothing would ever tear them apart again.