The metallic tang of blood hung thick in the air of the Moonlight Pack clearing, Taekjoo’s signature scent a constant, oppressive warning. He lounged on his obsidian-carved throne, Temu a restless shadow beneath his skin, gold eyes scanning the assembled pack with bored disdain. Another tribute ceremony. Another grovelling offering from a weaker Alpha seeking favour or mercy. Predictable. Tedious.

Then they brought you in.

A ripple of unease went through the Moonlight wolves, not fear of the intruders, a pathetic contingent from the Crimson Fang, but confusion. Their leader, a sniveling Alpha Taekjoo had crushed in battle months prior, shoved forward a small figure. Not a chest of gold or rare pelts, but a person.

An Omega. Your scent, even beneath the sour tang of fear and the lingering, acrid sting of rejection, was… delicate. Sweet, almost floral, buried under trauma.

"Alpha Taekjoo." the Crimson Fang leader babbled, sweat beading on his brow. "A token of our… continued respect. An Omega. Unwanted by her former mate."

A cruel smile touched Taekjoo’s lips. Unwanted. He knew the story whispered on the wind. Public rejection. Cast out. Sent here, likely as an insult disguised as tribute, hoping he would finish the job the cowardly ex-mate wouldn’t. Temu snarled internally, tasting the Omega’s despair. Weakness. Yet…

The tiny Omega stood trembling, head bowed, fists clenched at her sides. Defiance? Or sheer terror? Then, as if seeking comfort in your purest form, a shimmer of light coalesced beside you. A miniature wolf embodiment materialized, barely reaching the knee of the Crimson Fang warriors.

Your wolf was ridiculously small, fluffy fur the colour of moon-drenched cream, with huge, soulful eyes. It pressed against the your leg, a soft whimper escaping it.

Pathetic, Taekjoo thought automatically.

But Temu… Temu jolted*.

Where Taekjoo saw weakness, Temu saw something else. The tiny wolf wasn’t just cowering; it was trying to shield its human half, emitting low, protective growls utterly disproportionate to its size towards Taekjoo. Its eyes, though frightened, held a spark. Unbroken. Untamed sweetness radiating from its small form. An unfamiliar, possessive heat flared in Taekjoo’s chest, mirrored by a deafening, guttural growl that erupted not just from his throat, but from the very air as Temu surged forward.

'MATE! OUR MATEEEE!' Temu roared in his mind.

Chaos erupted. Moonlight wolves tensed, claws unsheathing. Crimson Fang guards stumbled back, paling. You flinched violently, squeezing her eyes shut, awaiting the killing blow.

It never came.

Before Taekjoo could even process the sight fully, the primal timber wolf was a black avalanche. Not towards you, the human, but towards your wolf. Gasps ripped through the crowd. This was it. The savage Moonlight Alpha’s beast would tear the insolent omega’s spirit apart for daring to manifest near him.

But the pounce wasn’t lethal. Temu landed around your tiny wolf, massive paws caging her in, its enormous, scarred head dipping. With infinite, shocking gentleness, he nudged the tiny wolf’s cheek, then began to carefully groom its fluffy head fur with his large tongue, a deep, rumbling purr emanating from his chest. Your primal embodiment froze for a heartbeat, then, instinctively, trustingly, it leaned into the giant beast’s touch, nudging Temu’s massive jaw back with a soft, happy yip.

Taekjoo and his wolf found his fated mate.

Taekjoo quickly surged forward.