Chapter Text
Wolves were hard to deal with. Large and intimidating with sharp scents that made his nose twitch. It seemed like every person who tried to make a pass at him was an alpha wolf and, Junmyeon didn’t like to judge people based on their secondary sex or their species, but it did seem a little suspicious. Junmyeon couldn’t count the times that an alpha wolf parent had hit on him just because they noticed that A) he was a prey animal and B) he was an omega. According to Baekhyun, the squirrel omega that was his classroom neighbor, it was common for him as well.
Wolves were just the worst.
Alphas were the worst.
It was a sunny day out so Junmyeon and Baekhyun had agreed to let the children go out to play for recess their classes romping and chasing each other through the playground. Like usual there were a couple of shy students milling around the teachers, not that Junmyeon or Baekhyun really minded. They enjoyed each other’s company under the shade of an oak tree that had been there since Junmyeon had been a student there himself.
The pair chatted amongst themselves, talking about the weather and music, something they both enjoyed, when a loud scream cut through the air.
Junmyeon was in an instant state of panic, sprinting to the source of the sound. He breathed a sigh of relief when he approached the circle of children, noticing that one of his students had just fallen and scraped his knee. Junmyeon willed his pheromones to calm, so the students around him would calm as he slowly knelt down to talk to the child.
As soon as he made sure the child wasn’t bleeding too badly hadn’t broken anything he gently picked him up, and told Baekhyun, whose tail was still fluffed out more than usual, that he was going to take the child to the nurse’s office.
“Tell Minseokie-hyung I said hello!” Baekhyun said with a smile as he gathered the other kids to his side, “Why don’t we all play a game of Simon Says while we
wait for Myeonnie-hyung and Bohai to come back?”
The children seemed to like that idea and waved to Bohai who was still crying in Junmyeon’s arms as they walked inside. Bohai was a lion, like his father but he was just as small and shy as his mother. Junmyeon was good friends with his mother, a mouse omega named Dejun. They had become close over the years that they spent together in university before Dejun met Yukhei and had little Bohai.
Before Junmyeon knew it he was opening the Nurse’s office door, “Hello? We have a little lion with a scraped-”
The overwhelming scent of an alpha flooded his nose, a warm cinnamony chocolate scent that made him suppress a shiver. It wasn’t the light and sweet apple scent that Minseok was known for.
Minseok was sitting at his desk, his ears flat against his head. His usual carefree smile was replaced by a concerned frown. Across from Minseok was another man, whose tall white ears stood high on his head. As soon as Junmyeon opened the door the new man stood, almost knocking over the chair he had been sitting in with his long white tail. As he turned toward the rabbit, Junmyeon felt his heart leap into his throat. He was the most beautiful person that he had ever seen.
Sharp predatory eyes as dark as the night sky, cut right through Junmyeon making him freeze unable to look away from the predator approaching him. From his perfectly shaped nose to his full lips all Junmyeon could do is stare as the wolf sauntered closer. After what felt like hours, the wolf went straight past him and slipped away into the hallway, his scent still heavy in the air.
“Mr Minseokie? My knee hurts.” A tiny hiccupping voice from his side drug him out of his fear-based paralysis. He felt like he had been doused in ice water, he found himself shivering uncontrollably, barely able to hold on to the small lion boy in his arms. Thankfully Minseok was at his side, gently prying him from Junmyeon’s grasp. The shorter man was cooing and asking Bohai questions about what happened, easily slipping into the fixing a scraped knee routine as Junmyeon tried forcing himself to calm down in the corner of the room.
“Mr Junmyeon? If you wouldn’t mind taking a step outside, your thumping is making Bohai nervous.” Minseok said with a gentle smile, his ears still twitching nervously on top of his head. Minseok was a red fox alpha, rare and gentle to a fault. He was always kind to Junmyeon and he would be lying if Junmyeon hadn’t considered the possibility of finding someone like him to be his forever mate. (Not that Junmyeon had thought about asking Kim Minseok to go on a date with him absolutely not.) Junmyeon truthfully hadn’t noticed himself slamming his foot against the ground in his nervous state. He ‘thumped’ when he was anxious, much like his mother and most other rabbits.
“Sorry.. Sorry... “ Junmyeon said quickly, excusing himself out into the hallway.
Unfortunately for him, the source of his anxiety was leaning against the wall, feet away from him. He took a deep breath before he straightened himself up, attempting to look cross. He crossed his arms over his chest, even though he could feel his ears twitching back and forth on top of his head, he glared at the wolf with what little bravery he had left.
“What are you doing here, sir?” Thankfully his voice didn’t betray him, staying steady, “Do you have a pass?”
The wolf looked him up and down before opening his jacket to reveal the bright-colored visitor pass. The bright floral pattern made the tall man seem more approachable but Junmyeon knew it was in his head, he had personally picked out the passes after all.
“I am here to see Minseok-hyung.” His voice was exactly what Junmyeon expected, deep with an air of authority to it. It was obvious that he wasn’t used to being questioned. Junmyeon held back a shiver as his eyes trailed up and down his body once more catching on Junmyeon’s name tag, “What about you, Kim Junmyeon? What are you doing here?” The way the wolf said his name made Junmyeon feel giddy. He could feel the anxiety that was sitting low in his stomach turn into cute little butterflies that flew around his insides, infecting him with this gross feeling of belonging.
Junmyeon had alphas before. He had been in relationships that had lasted years and he genuinely loved his partners. Never before had an alpha made him feel like this.
“I. Work here?”
His answer made the alpha laugh, a sharp sound that made Junmyeon’s ears ring, “Yes, but why? A pretty little bunny like you doesn’t have some rich shmuck alpha giving you whatever you want?” He gestured to the lace collar around Junmyeon’s neck, a common thing for an unmated omega to wear. Junmyeon felt his cheeks heat up from embarrassment and anger.
‘Thwack.’ His foot hit the ground as his irritation grew, “Why would I need a stupid alpha. I can take care” ‘Thwack’ “of myself.”
The wolf’s neutral glare turned into an easy grin, exposing his elongated canines. It absolutely did not make Junmyeon’s heart skip a beat. He absolutely did not want to see this man smile again. (That’s what he told himself as he gulped for air like a fish out of water.)
“You’re cute.”