When Friday arrived, I didn't feel ready.

I lay in Hobi's bed, staring up at the ceiling of his room, and feel a wave of emotion pass over my body. A strange hesitation builds in my chest and makes everything feel off or like a forgotten memory that returned to the forefront of my mind. It's an unshakeable feeling of discomfort.

The Hallowed Grounds will be closing its doors. I am going to lose my job and in turn, lose my freedom as a hobbyist baker, and barista. I don't have the expensive equipment to continue my hobby at the level I want to. I am going to lose all of it today.

Deep down, I know there is hope for the future. I secured a job at Bangtan Chicken and Brewery, but I know it won't be the same. 

I sit up from the bed and linger there. The scent of the room has become familiar to me, or it smells like me. Hobi has been sleeping in Jimin's room all week and despite his reassurances and his tour of his blanket fort, I feel guilty that I've taken over his room.

My apartment isn't a bad place to live but now with Tyler there, I don't feel comfortable. Nobody feels okay with me living there. Namjoon brought it up the other day, and I told the others what had happened. I expected them to try helping me look for other apartments, but they quickly told me to stay at the apartment for the time being. 

"It would be best if you stayed here," Yoongi said. "Safer."

I drag myself out of bed and walk over to my suitcases of clothes. I kneel down and pick out an outfit for the day, already planning on visiting the Hallowed Grounds one last time. I choose skinny jeans with leather boots that reach my knees. I throw on a tight-fitting black shirt and a jean jacket and leave the front unbuttoned. I decide to wear earrings today, feeling like it's special enough for that.

I walk out of the bedroom and am met with silence. The Bangtan boys must still be fast asleep. I walk quietly down the hall, avoiding the floorboards that creak the loudest and walk downstairs to make myself some coffee.

When I reach the bottom of the steps, I overhear voices.

"She's known this whole time?" Taehyung whispers in shock.

Hoseok's voice replies but it's too quiet to understand.

I pause at the bottom of the steps and hesitate to walk into the living room. It doesn't feel right to eavesdrop, yet my curiosity gets the better of me.

"Sunday? She's known since Sunday?" Taehyung asks in disbelief.

Hobi's voice rises in volume and his voice is soft and reassuring. "Yes. She has."

"But... hyung," Taehyung's voice sounds strained with emotion, "nobody can know about us. It's--, it's too dangerous. Nobody is supposed to know."

"I know that Tae, but we can trust her. I trust Finley. She's kept our secret so well that the rest of the pack doesn't know she knows. I was surprised too, but she hasn't been affected by it at all. She isn't afraid of us, she doesn't seem to care either. Nothing's changed, and our secret is still safe."

He's right. I don't feel any different about the boys knowing they are werewolves. 

"It feels so fast," Taehyung comments. "I know we like Finley, and she is very nice to us... but how did you trust her so quickly? Why is she different than everybody else?"

Hoseok is quiet for a moment.

"Yoongi has a theory," he answers carefully. "It... it might not be true, but... he has some theories."

"Wait, why Yoongi? I'm asking about you, hyung. Why don't you know?"

"I have my own reasons. She's a kind person, hard-working, responsible, I'm attracted to her. She's the first woman I've ever considered in my future. However, Yoongi's theories aren't about that. His... are a bit fantastical."

"What does that mean?"

Hoseok sighs through his nose and I listen to the sound of his feet shuffling against the ground. "It means... he thinks there is a possibility that we might... that we might actually be..." His hesitation to explain is causing my heart to race with anticipation, it almost physically hurts to be patient.

What? What is it?

"He thinks we might be mates."

Taehyung gasps.

"I know we don't believe in that, I know we don't really believe it. But Yoongi has this theory... he thinks it might be the case." Hoseok clears his throat and starts walking in direction of the kitchen. "He says it's why I can sense when she's in danger."

I frown at myself and think over the moments I've been in danger. He does show up in the right moment but isn't that coincidence? Unless he truly does sense something? What does being a mate really mean?

I know what it means in fanfiction and in movies. It's an obsession, and it doesn't sound very fun for anybody involved. Hobi and I aren't obsessed with each other, that's a definite fact. What does mate mean for them? Does it mean something different in the world of real werewolves?

"Oh..." Taehyung's voice trails with shock.

"Yeah," Hoseok whispers.

"Hyung..." Taehyung awes, "did you really feel that connection with her?"

"Feeling connected to a person is too close to describing what love is. It's hard to tell the difference when I've never felt either."

Taehyung is quiet and then his footsteps quicken. I hear the soft sound of his arms wrapping around Hoseok. "I'm sorry, hyung," he says quietly, "I... I'm really sorry. I didn't realize how much she meant to you, I'm sorry."

"Oh," Hoseok's voice hitches with surprise, "Taehyungie it's alright. You were just nervous, you had every right to--"

"No hyung, I didn't," Taehyung's voice chokes with emotion, "I'm really sorry for being so rude to you and to Finley. I didn't understand what was going on and I--, I messed up."

"No baby bear, you didn't mess up. It's okay, don't--, oh don't cry."

A quick sniffle and the press of bodies break the fallen silence.

"You were scared," Hoseok mutters, "it's scary not knowing what will happen."

"I should have trusted you," Taehyung whimpers, his voice half-muffled.

"It's okay, baby, it's okay..."

I retreat from the doorway and back up the stairs as silently as possible. This is an intimate and private moment, I shouldn't be listening right now. I turn to go back up the steps but come face to face with Jungkook. He draws back in surprise and smiles awkwardly at me.

I blink at him as I try to restart my frozen heart.

He scared me.

Jungkook bites down on his lip and looks over my shoulder. Then back at me. "Let's go," he whispers and nudges my shoulder backward, pushing me back move towards the living room.

"How long were you standing there?" I ask as I regain my bearings.

Jungkook pushes me again before finally hooking his arm in mine. He presses his shoulder against mine and drags me down the stairs, "Long enough," he whispers into my ear. "But it's alright. If you're Hobi's mate, it makes sense."

"What is a mate?" I ask, digging my heels into the ground to force him back. I don't want to ruin Taehyung and Hoseok's bonding moment. "I know what it generally is but what does it mean to you?"

Jungkook stops moving and casts me an odd look. "It means what it sounds like."

"There are other versions of mates out there, I want to know which kind," I clarify.

He studies me for a moment. The morning light casts golden shadows across his smooth skin and shines against his fluffy black hair. One half of his hair is tied back lazily and is coming loose and leaves strands hanging in front of his face. "The sacred kind," he whispers. "The kind that's meant for a pure type of love."

"And the connection?"

"Shouldn't you know?"

I close my mouth and think it over. I think I'm on the same page as Hoseok with this. I've never experienced romantic love before. I wouldn't know the difference between a mate-love and a normal love. I feel well-matched with Hoseok. I don't feel uncomfortable with him, aside from when I'm trying to be overly polite out of anxiety but that's not his fault. There is no pressure to push our relationship or slow it down. I feel like we're going through this at a perfect pace. There's no rush, no stress of guessing if we like each other. We're running the same race together, and we're doing it side-by-side.

It feels... right.

But that would be a normal type of love too.

"I have never fallen in love before," I admit to him. "I wouldn't know the difference."

Jungkook's eyes warm with adoration. "That's sweet, and I think that's your answer. Mates or not, I think you two were made for each other."

My heart flutters and I smile shyly. "Do you really think so?"

He nods, "Of course. Hobi hyung has never been in love either. He never had an interest in it and it means everything that he fell for you. You changed things for him, and it was for the better."

"Maybe this change is for the better."

A calming sensation falls upon me at the thought of it. Hallowed Grounds closing was an unwelcome change, but it brought me so many new opportunities. I was able to meet Hoseok and the others and find a new place to feel safe. I am sad I won't have my old job but perhaps something better is waiting for me at the end of this. Maybe I will really enjoy working at Bangtan Chicken. Maybe I'll find a new hobby I had never considered.

It's going to be okay, I'm going to be okay.

I smile at Jungkook as content happiness fills my heart. "I'm glad I could be that change."

He nods and moves against me again, trying to push us into the living room. "Come on, let's eat something," he encourages. I allow him to drag me out and thankfully, Hoseok and Taehyung have broken apart from their embrace. Taehyung is walking into the kitchen and Hoseok looks over at us in surprise.

"Good morning," he greets with a welcoming smile.

Jungkook beams at him and continues to drag me behind him. "Morning, hyungie!"

I chuckle softly and flash Hoseok an apologetic look as we pass by. "I ran into him in the hall," I explain. "He has a tight grip."

Jungkook giggles and actually hold tighter to my arm. He leans against me and sways us back and forth. "I need somebody to make me coffee, I can't have the barista running away from me!"

Hoseok laughs and watches us fondly, "Can't have that," he repeats.

We enter the kitchen together and I find Taehyung blowing his nose by the sink. His face is flushed bright red and his eyes are still watery with remaining tears. My heart aches at the sight of it. Jungkook releases my arm and doesn't hesitate to walk to Taehyung's side. He bends his body to lean into Taehyung's line of sight and watches him sympathetically, "Hyung, are you alright?"

Taehyung blows his nose loudly before lowering the tissue. He nods at Jungkook and sniffs loudly. "I'm okay," he croaks. He notices me in the corner of his eye and instead of that masked anger, his eyes widen and his lips pull back as he holds back a rush of tears.

My heart lurches and without thinking or hesitation, I walk towards him and he opens his arms for me. He throws himself forward and wraps his arms tightly around me. He starts to cry again and buries his head into my shoulder, soaking the fabric with his tears.

"Oh Taehyung," I say, barely above a whisper. I hold him in my arms and welcome his embrace, ready to let him cry on my shoulder for hours if he needed to. I close my eyes and rest my chin on his shoulder. He cries harder yet the sound he makes is strained and quiet.

"I'm sorry Finley," he says between his tears. He reaches up to cover his face before he decides to bury his head into my shoulder again, leaning heavily on my body. 

"It's okay, it's okay..." I pat his back softly and nod.

He lifts his head again and his arm reaches out for a moment. Taehyung steps forward, forcing me to walk backward, and then I feel the body of another come from behind. Another head rests on my shoulder and I realize it's Hoseok. I feel his arms wrap around the curve of my waist and his body close the space between us. He glances at me through the corner of his eye and leans into me like Taehyung. A silent communication passes between us.

He needs this.

"Finley, I never got the chance to say this," Taehyung begins quietly. He sniffles and pulls back from me to look into my eyes. His black hair has grown long and curls at the nape of his neck. His eyes are so pretty, so wide and gorgeous that the sight of tears swimming in them makes my heart wish to wipe them away. He swallows before he says, "I'm happy we met you. I'm sorry for being rude, I was worried and I let my fear get the best of me. I'm sorry for not being nice to you this week. I promise not to do it again."

"It's alright, I forgive you. I know it can be hard, change is hard."

"I didn't realize how much you loved each other," he adds quietly. He ducks his head and a stray tear falls from his cheek. "I was scared and I didn't want to believe anything else."

Hoseok clicks his tongue and pulls away from me. He comes around and pulls Taehyung under his arm and into a side-hug. He holds him close and lightly kisses his head, "My little bear, it's alright."

Taehyung inhales shakily and looks up at me again. "I wanted to tell you that. I'll be better, I promise."

"You don't need to change, you had every right to feel that way," I argued gently. I fight the urge to reach out and touch his cheek, feeling it is too intimate and too early to do that. "Trust doesn't come easily."

"I want to trust you," Taehyung confesses.

I nod at him. Taehyung leans out of Hoseok's warm embrace and closes the space between us. He places his hand on my shoulder and leans close to me. I watch him for a moment and then he plants a small kiss on my cheek. He pulls back with a bashful yet happy expression, "Welcome to the pack, Finley."

I chuckle quietly and smile warmly at him. I touch the spot he kissed fondly and nod, "Thank you."

Hoseok coos and glances between us with deep admiration. "You are so cute," he turns to Taehyung and fusses with his thick hair. "Aw come here... don't blush, you did good," he says in amusement.

I hadn't realized he was blushing until Taehyung laughed and turned to bury his face into Hoseok's shoulder. He throws himself onto him and starts laughing louder, They embrace each other and a soft cough brings them apart.

Jungkook is still standing by the fridge and watches silently. Then he looks at me, "Coffee?" he asks hopefully.

"I was thinking we should go out," I suggest. "Today is the last day Hallowed Grounds will be open. I think we should pay one last visit." Saying the words out loud didn't hurt as much as I thought it would.

Hobi's eyes widen with realization. "That's right. Maybe we should wake everybody up, we'll go together."

Jungkook flashes him a thumbs up, "I'll wake them up." With that, he dashes out of the kitchen and disappears.

Taehyung nods in agreement, "Maybe I'll try coffee this time." He looks to me, "Do you have any recommendations?"

"How about a toasted white chocolate mocha?" I ask.

He brightens, "That sounds good."

Hobi claps his hands together, "Woo! Let's do it!"

"Yeah!"

And so begins the final day of Hallowed Grounds.

A/N: It has been a while since I posted a chapter, but I hope this was worth the wait! I am sorry if the quality isn't the best, I am sick right now and my eyes keep tearing up. I am resting, drinking tea, munching on Oreos, and staying warm and you should too! Take care of yourselves, and remember that change is okay! Even if it doesn't feel like it, it will turn out in the end <3