Don’t Mess with the Puppy!

Heesung couldn’t answer the introduction and, seeing him up close, secretly admired Yang Hyechan. Yang Hyechan was a young man with a mature charm. The suit he wore suited him well, and unlike when he was scared before, now he smiled comfortably like a well-raised noble gentleman. He was clearly a different kind of werewolf from Heesung, who had grown up struggling at the bottom.
‘…So this is the kind of person ChiYoung dated.’
Heesung felt uneasy in a corner of his heart. It wasn’t just that he knew this person had dated ChiYoung; he just found him annoying.

Heesung glanced at the mirror beside him and frowned. He saw himself—still pale and boyish-looking. Wearing ChiYoung’s oversized coat awkwardly made him look even more inexperienced. What he hated most was that his tears in his black eyes had been seen by someone else.
Pretending nothing was wrong, Heesung frowned and turned on the faucet at the sink.
“My name is Gyeon Heesung.”

“Are you from the wolf clan?”
“No. I’m from the Gyeonin clan.”
Heesung washed his hands and answered casually, not bothered to hide that he was Gyeonin. Since 30% of werewolves are Gyeonin, it was a common enough race.

But as soon as Yang Hyechan heard that, he sat on the sink and looked down on Heesung condescendingly.
“So you really are a dog.”
Damn purebred wolves. Here we go again.

Having suffered discrimination in the gambling den for his species, Heesung just looked annoyed as he finished washing his hands. Meanwhile, Yang Hyechan continued speaking in a polite, friendly tone.
“Director Yoon has been oddly bringing dogs around lately…”
“……”

“Is that okay? Considering he’s here to get pheromone suppressants, it seems dangerous.”
“Why?”
“That depends on the relationship… what kind of relationship do you have?”

“We sleep together.”
Heesung answered rashly, not wanting to lose.
‘Why did I say that?’
He regretted it right after, but it was true. Since living as a puppy, he had always shared a bed with ChiYoung.

“You sleep together?”
Yang Hyechan sneered subtly, as if he thought it was a lie. That disdainful look typical of purebred wolves felt really annoying.
“If that were true, ChiYoung wouldn’t have gone into isolation.”

‘What’s that got to do with you?’
Heesung just glared at him through the mirror. He couldn’t figure out what the guy wanted to say.
“You’ve changed. You refused to sleep with me no matter what.”

Yang Hyechan implied that he had dated ChiYoung and pretended to care.
Heesung finally realized this guy was trying to mess with him. He openly showed annoyance. Unlike the gambling den, here he could express his mood in front of guests, which was somewhat comforting.
“Considering his personality and that he’s bringing a dog around, he must have some purpose…”

Yang Hyechan looked Heesung up and down, then lowered his voice, pretending to be worried.
“He’s a man-eating wolf who even bites his own kind. Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Yes.”

“He looks young, so I’m giving him a chance to run.”
“Ah… mind your own business.”
“Did he get anything from that beast…?”

Wheee!
Ignoring him, Heesung turned on the hand dryer. Having met him once as a puppy, Yang Hyechan seemed shabby now. It felt like he was just trash-talking his ex.
‘Who’s calling who a beast?’

Besides, calling a werewolf a beast was a huge insult. Heesung himself secretly thought ChiYoung was a beast, but felt he was different from Yang Hyechan.
He also insulted ChiYoung himself. Suddenly, anger bubbled up inside Heesung.
He knew a lot about ChiYoung. ChiYoung hadn’t wanted to be a watcher and was forced into harsh training by the wolf clan, which excessively developed his pheromone lines during growth. Hearing Yang Hyechan’s warning as if to keep distance made Heesung angry. Like the wolves he’d seen at family events, Yang Hyechan seemed desperate not to let ChiYoung become an outcast.

Though Heesung didn’t fully understand why he was so angry, he had no intention of leaving ChiYoung after hearing such cowardly gossip. After all, ChiYoung was his only… partner in revenge.
Still, he couldn’t cause a scene at the hospital.
‘…I’ll hold it in for now. ChiYoung’s sick.’

He sighed deeply and barely held back, shaking his hands and trying to leave the bathroom. Behind him, he heard Yang Hyechan’s mocking voice.
“I warned you. That guy’s a man-eating wolf.”
“……”

He couldn’t hold it in anymore. Thinking it over, he realized he had no reason to. Heesung had no one to care about and nothing left to lose.
Turning back, he glared fiercely at Yang Hyechan and strode forward.
“Want some strawberry juice?”

“Um, no thanks…”
Before Yang Hyechan could finish, Heesung poured the strawberry juice right onto his smirking face. For the first time, Yang Hyechan’s expression lost its contempt and showed surprise and anger.
He set the plastic cup down on the sink with a thud, bared his fangs slightly, and said,

“Don’t talk trash about ChiYoung in front of me. I’m his guardian.”
“…Ah, shit…”
“What? If you don’t like it, bring your own guardian.”

Leaving the warning, Heesung exited the bathroom. After that, the wolf’s growling grew louder in the bathroom. Instinctively, Heesung’s steps quickened. Having almost been eaten by a wolf last night, the beast’s roar scared him more than usual.
Exiting the bathroom quickly, Heesung hurriedly spoke to JiYoungBae at the corner of the hallway.
“YoungBae hyung, I messed up.”

“…What?”
Before JiYoungBae could understand, Heesung transformed into a puppy behind the door of the guardian waiting room next to him.
The puppy, roughly dressed and stuck behind the door, stomped his front paws, helpless, then scrambled to JiYoungBae’s trouser leg and clung tightly to his sock-covered ankle. He could have hidden in the pile of clothes, but to hide his scent, staying close to JiYoungBae was best.

Meanwhile, Yang Hyechan’s harsh voice echoed down the hall.
“Did you see that mutt pass by here just now?”
“No, I didn’t.”

JiYoungBae kept his tone unchanged and feigned ignorance. Heesung felt like he understood why deer repay woodcutters in fairy tales. Even though he was suddenly caught in trouble, JiYoungBae had his back, which he was grateful for.
Yang Hyechan pressed further, but JiYoungBae’s answers were like a fortress. The puppy, hiding behind the trouser leg, nervously wagged his short tail and held his breath.
Then Yang Hyechan persistently asked,

“So, is that dog ChiYoung brought really sleeping with him?”
‘Why the hell does he keep prying about this?’
Heesung found Yang Hyechan really pathetic, gossiping about ex-lovers. Meanwhile, JiYoungBae answered gravely,

“That’s not something I can answer.”
“Hah, so they really are sleeping together.”
The puppy thought Yang Hyechan’s muttering was pathetic. Little did he know, telling the watcher of a monogamous wolf clan he had found a lifelong mate was a very touching thing. ChiYoung would be so moved he’d probably shut his mouth if he knew.

After that, Yang Hyechan asked JiYoungBae a few more times about Heesung and ChiYoung’s relationship, then gave up. But since ChiYoung came to the hospital with someone, he was convinced they were lovers and disappeared.
“You can come out now.”
When the hallway quieted down, JiYoungBae took Heesung from his ankle. His delicate touch was unusually careful.

Soon a clump of white fluff rolled out from inside the trouser leg. The puppy, fur all messy, looked sharply at JiYoungBae and asked,
‘Gone?’
“Yes.”

JiYoungBae smoothed down the puppy’s ruffled fur. Heesung sighed in relief and climbed onto JiYoungBae’s hand. His expression was serious, but tension still lingered, and his tail trembled rapidly.
Anyway, Heesung didn’t regret pouring juice on Yang Hyechan.
After all, he had insulted ChiYoung in front of him first. But it still bothered him that Yang Hyechan was the lover of the purebred wolf leader.

‘Will I be okay?’
Worried, Heesung asked JiYoungBae through body language.
He wasn’t worried about ChiYoung’s mood. He was concerned because ChiYoung was sensitive due to pheromone shock. Already in poor health, he feared adding stress and triggering another pheromone shock. He also thought he might get scolded by ChiYoung for the first time—this time for messing with the leader’s lover among purebred wolves.

Surprisingly, JiYoungBae acted calmly.
“You’ll be fine if you got the injection first.”
‘I was the one who started it.’

He regretted provoking Yang Hyechan further but didn’t regret throwing the juice.
At that moment, a call came from inside the isolation room.
“Guardian of ChiYoung?”

The puppy answered “Woof,” and JiYoungBae picked him up and carried him. The nurse tried to guide JiYoungBae but couldn’t understand the puppy’s grateful mumbling and just smiled warmly, finding him cute. She hadn’t considered that the werewolf guardian’s original form was a puppy.
Then the doctor entered the isolation room holding a chart.
“The guardian…”

‘That’s me.’
Even when Heesung raised his paw to answer, the doctor, failing to find the young guardian he saw earlier, began explaining ChiYoung’s precautions to JiYoungBae.
“Pheromone levels have dropped to 1,018 thanks to the suppressant, but for now, you must avoid giving the patient excessive stimulation. If he feels threatened or anxious, there is a high chance of another pheromone shock.”

Woof.
“Separation anxiety may also occur, so it’s recommended the partner stay close. Feeling secure can help reduce pheromone levels. Also, pheromones from other werewolves may increase aggression, so keep a distance if possible.”
Woof!

“Please stay by the patient’s side for now, talking to him continuously to help him stay calm.”
Woof.
“Please relay my message to the guardian.”

The doctor looked bewildered at the responsive puppy, then unconsciously stroked his small head before leaving. Although he had examined Heesung directly, he couldn’t match the guardian’s true form with the human shape.
Whether the doctor was confused or not, Heesung stared at ChiYoung lying shirtless inside the glass chamber. He was still half-transformed and had the patches on his neck and back removed.
‘Was the separation anxiety what appeared after the last pheromone shock?’

Heesung recalled how ChiYoung panicked looking for him that morning. To avoid another terrifying pheromone shock, he had to cling to ChiYoung and cherish him like delicate glass art.
He looked at ChiYoung’s well-toned upper body with a mix of envy and irritation, then at his face. ChiYoung slowly woke up, frowning painfully as he shifted his prostrate body and lay properly. The veins bulging on his arm and the sweat on his forehead showed he was still in pain.
Heesung tried to wake him by saying anything.

‘Wake up. I’ll buy you shrimp.’
‘Wake up.’
‘I beat your ex.’

Muttering, ChiYoung slowly relaxed his frown and turned his head. He smiled brightly as soon as he saw the little puppy—the happy smile he gave every morning when their eyes met.
Their eyes met, and the puppy hesitated, then placed a paw on the glass. The jelly pads stuck well, and ChiYoung smiled as if he was dying of cuteness, gently stroking where the paw touched.
“Did you wait for me?”

…Woof.
Heesung felt a sudden warmth. This cruel wolf’s face was best right after waking. The elegant, usually composed man looked like a scattered gem when a bit tousled. For that reason, Heesung thought ChiYoung looked good when relaxed in the morning.
But there was one worry.

‘How do I tell him about the accident?’
Seeing ChiYoung smile happily, Heesung felt a little sorry to mention the mishap. He gave a subtle glance to JiYoungBae, who had just lifted him up—a silent plea for good translation.
With a hesitant heart, the puppy mustered courage and spoke.

‘But I messed up.’
“The puppy declared to YoungHyechan that the director and the lover relationship was true and threw strawberry juice.”
‘Hey!’

The puppy barked loudly at Jiyoungbae in great betrayal. He’d have preferred the usual sloppy translation over this transcendental one. Still, since it was true, Heesung felt embarrassed. He began to watch ChiYoung’s reaction, but it was strange.
“Hehehehehehe…”
ChiYoung laughed softly, his shoulders trembling as if amused by something cute. His loose smile in a sleepy haze was both comforting and satisfying. The puppy wagged his tail slowly, not understanding why. Heesung felt relieved ChiYoung wasn’t taking it seriously.

After a long laugh, ChiYoung finally stopped and asked,
“Ha, are you just jealous because of the puppy?”
‘Jealous? Yeah right.’

“Now he’s even jealous.”
The puppy looked at ChiYoung with disdain. Jealousy? Ridiculous. He stubbornly thought it was just because Yang Hyechan was annoying.
Buzz.

The glass door slowly opened. Jiyoungbae placed the puppy gently on ChiYoung’s chest, then quickly left the isolation room as if escaping. Heesung understood it was to minimize pheromone exposure to ChiYoung but still felt a bit resentful. Leaving him alone with a man-eating wolf.
Yet it had a positive effect.
‘The pheromone levels really dropped?’

Perhaps because of the comfort, the pheromone level shown on the monitor dropped slightly to 1,013. Seizing the moment, Heesung plopped down like a steamed bun on ChiYoung’s chest, hoping it would drop more.
Then ChiYoung, petting the puppy, said something puzzling.
“Good job. Our puppy took revenge for me.”

‘Revenge?’
Heesung was puzzled but couldn’t ask more in his puppy form. Though frustrating, he kept the form intentionally for ChiYoung’s sake. When human, ChiYoung acted as if turned on by his scent, so staying like this seemed to be pet therapy for ChiYoung.
ChiYoung rested comfortably until fully awake, then slowly left the hospital.

‘I took revenge.’
The puppy’s tail wagged continuously until they got in the car. Feeling oddly excited about how the big incident passed peacefully and he even got praised. Something he’d never experienced living with Park Guntae.
Watching the wagging tail, ChiYoung began snapping countless photos of the puppy in his arms.

“Sometimes, ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ I really think I’m going crazy…”
It wasn’t Heesung’s words but ChiYoung’s lazy mutter. Even when the puppy looked at him with a pitiful expression, ChiYoung smiled delicately and murmured,
“He’s my jealous lover puppy.”

‘Crazy bastard.’
Heesung thought sullenly but didn’t scold him. He was glad ChiYoung had his back. Plus, hearing about the revenge made him feel proud. The puppy puffed his chest fur and sat confidently on one of ChiYoung’s thighs. It wasn’t so much that he liked ChiYoung overlooking the details, but that he was thankful ChiYoung understood he did well. It felt like he finally had a pack where he could feel secure.
Returning home brought a big change. Heesung had his own room.

It seemed the members who hadn’t come with ChiYoung today had remodeled it. As soon as he saw his room, half-transformed Heesung looked around with wide eyes. The sudden gift made his black eyes sparkle and his tail wag gently, but unfamiliar with receiving, he unknowingly asked curtly,
“Why did you suddenly make me a room?”
“Because we’re living together. Of course you need one.”

Behind him, ChiYoung draped a gown over Heesung’s shoulder and hugged him. Heesung’s ear was bitten softly by ChiYoung as he looked around the stylish room with unfamiliar eyes.
Heesung’s room was the second largest after the bedroom. Opening the built-in closet revealed racks filled with brand-new clothes and shoes. Next to it were a soft sofa, table, and even a new laptop.
What puzzled him was the lack of a bed. He thought it didn’t matter since he slept with ChiYoung anyway but paused. Why had sleeping with him become so natural?

But there was a bigger complaint.
Heesung frowned deeply and glared at one corner of the room. There were colorful puppy supplies and popular fainting cushions for dogs.
“Do they really think I’m a dog?”

“They do. Our puppy’s a fighting dog.”
ChiYoung wondered what else he could say if not “puppy,” so he just went along with it. Anyway, everything the puppy said was right. Heesung looked over the dog supplies with a disgruntled face, though his black eyes brightened at all the useful stuff.
“……”

Heesung soon turned his gaze away weakly. Having a room in a wolf’s den still felt strange and odd. This wasn’t the place he was meant to settle.
“Don’t make my room without asking.”
“Why?”

“I’m going to be independent anyway.”
ChiYoung’s voice behind him grew quiet and firm. The sudden chill made Heesung afraid to look back. ChiYoung’s usually warm demeanor had changed drastically, which was unfamiliar.
After a pause, ChiYoung softly asked in his usual tone,

“We agreed to live here together forever.”
“I never said that.”
Heesung looked down somewhere on the floor with a complicated expression. A silent tension filled the stylish room.

After being betrayed, Heesung had changed. Having his own space at ChiYoung’s house as a partner in revenge didn’t feel right. He hated owing anyone and didn’t want to depend on anyone anymore. Such relationships would eventually break, and when they did, Heesung would bear the consequences—material or emotional. It was better to start alone with nothing.
“……”
After the silence, ChiYoung released his arms from a back hug. Heesung, curious, hesitated and looked back to see his expression. His gray eyes, staring down Heesung’s neck, were sharp and seemed thirsty—just like the wolf eyes from last night.

Heesung shivered and stepped back, but ChiYoung gently pulled him closer by the waist. Then, as usual, he looked into Heesung’s eyes and smiled softly. While Heesung watched in surprise, ChiYoung suggested a small compromise.
“Then at least the puppy should wear clothes.”
“Clothes?”

“Yeah. My clothes didn’t fit you well.”
That was true. Heesung had been wearing ChiYoung’s clothes several sizes too big, which was uncomfortable. Hesitant, he secretly wanted his own clothes and decided to browse a few. ChiYoung finally let go and gently opened the closet for him.
Inside, clothes were packed by season. For Heesung, who once owned less than a box of clothes during his gambling den days, it was another world.

‘My new clothes…’
Heesung first pulled out a coat he had always wanted. Not cheap suits or hand-me-downs from his brother, but something that really fit him. He ran his hand over the fine fabric of the expensive coat. It looked as luxurious as what Yang Hyechan wore.
Thinking of Yang Hyechan without realizing it, Heesung hesitated and asked,

“But… who is Yang Hyechan? Why did you say I took revenge on him earlier?”
ChiYoung smiled kindly and answered casually.
“He just tried to kill me.”

“…”
Heesung turned, surprised, to see ChiYoung sitting elegantly on the sofa, wagging the tip of his black tail. He spoke lightly as if recalling a boring memory.
“I took care of his older brother. So Yang Hyechan and my sister teamed up to approach me on purpose.”

“Why your sister?”
“Leaders usually dislike watchers being too strong.”
“……”

Heesung finally understood the real hardship watchers faced. He thought it was hard just to watch and deal with the clan, but it was a role that even caused resentment from relatives. He recalled ChiYoung being unwelcome at a clan gathering. It was a memory full of anger.
He hesitantly asked,
“So you killed Yang Hyechan’s brother?”

“No. I made him pay the price for his betrayal.”
“Oh, so…”
Heesung’s serious expression softened. Then betrayers got what was coming to them. Raised by tenacious fighting dogs, he believed betrayal deserved punishment.

‘So that’s why you said you bit Yang Hyechan on purpose…’
He thought ChiYoung probably let Yang Hyechan approach to gauge him, then retaliated. ChiYoung was the most cunning of wolves. At least with him as a puppy, he only showed silly affection.
“……”

One thing still worried Heesung.
Although ChiYoung just did his duty, he became resented by his kin and even threatened. His own sister tried to kill him. And it seemed this wasn’t the first time.
Heesung, eyes dark, carefully touched a new pair of shoes and asked quietly,

“...Aren’t you sad?”
“Why?”
“Your brother and sister tried to kill you.”

“Puppies don’t get sad.”
“Damn, I’m not sad.”
Heesung frowned stubbornly. ChiYoung smiled like he was charmed, folding his gray eyes, which made Heesung even more irritated. But he didn’t want to whine about betrayal. He stubbornly believed he had no reason to be sad.

ChiYoung quietly stopped laughing and leaned his arm on the sofa back, saying casually,
“It’s okay. I never expected anything anyway.”
“……”

Heesung was left speechless. Looking down, he fiddled with the new shoes in his hand.
Maybe because he was recently betrayed by someone he considered family, he felt concerned for ChiYoung. They both had a strong sense of pack identity as water and animals.
Being cast out or rejected by the pack was a terrible feeling. Heesung had nightmares about it every night, but for ChiYoung, it was normal.

“…How can that be okay?”
“Um, I was angry, though…”
ChiYoung smiled and gently reached out. He grabbed Heesung’s arm and carefully pulled him close.

“After meeting the puppy, everything got better. I even quit gambling.”
Now that Heesung thought about it, he knew ChiYoung was a VIP at many gambling dens, but after meeting him, he had never gone back. He thought ChiYoung just worked and lived wildly with the puppy 24/7, but it really changed. Being together was so natural, it was a new realization.
ChiYoung, sitting on the sofa, hugged Heesung standing in front of him. He pressed his cheek to Heesung’s waist, twitching his black wolf ears.

“So don’t leave me alone…”
“……”
“You’re my guardian.”

Every time he said that, a black tail swayed behind ChiYoung. Heesung knew wolves didn’t wag their tails, but the man-eating wolf was mimicking the puppy. Mimicking each other was a sign of kinship.
“……”
Heesung, dazed, gently stroked ChiYoung’s head resting on his chest. The wolf ears were folded back, easy to pet, and ChiYoung closed his eyes comfortably.

But the confused puppy’s eyes showed turmoil, mixed with a faint hope.
Just like when he would be alone leaving this place, ChiYoung would be alone too. The future was uncertain, but right now, they only had each other.
Feeling a little warmth for ChiYoung, Heesung hugged his head deeply. His heart pounded fast. Werewolves had strong instincts. The instinctive satisfaction of belonging to a pack fascinated Heesung. The puppy, unaware his rapid heartbeat was transmitting, spoke sternly.

“Don’t try to coax me with words like that.”
“You noticed?”
ChiYoung grinned slyly, pulling Heesung’s body closer. Heesung found himself sitting on ChiYoung’s lap on the sofa.

Outside the window, the sun was setting, casting gentle light. In the quiet, ChiYoung bit Heesung’s white cheek in a naughty way. Their hands played a push-and-pull game, skin brushing in a strangely unfamiliar sound.
ChiYoung playfully bit Heesung’s dry chin in succession. Heesung laughed without resistance, and ChiYoung smiled happily. Then he kissed Heesung like a bird kiss.
“You…”

Startled, Heesung quickly pulled back his lips. Though he had kissed ChiYoung endlessly as a puppy, kissing in human form was still unfamiliar. ChiYoung, however, looked at him with a slightly pained but affectionate frown.
“Why?”
He tilted his head and asked with sad eyes,

“It’s just the two of us… is that not allowed?”
“……”
The words “just the two of us” hit Heesung deeply. Not just in this space, but in the vast world, it felt like he only had ChiYoung on his side.

People who always approached Heesung expected much from his innocent look. Some worse ones expected special favors. No one ever accepted his true self.
But ChiYoung was different. Even if he was a man-eating wolf with a mysterious past, he was the only one who accepted all of Heesung’s sides and showed unconditional love. Heesung carefully looked at ChiYoung’s handsome face. ChiYoung bit his lip, struggling with something, then pressed his forehead against Heesung’s. His hand holding Heesung’s waist tightened gently.
He didn’t want to push him away.

For the first time, Heesung returned what he had received from ChiYoung. Hesitant for a moment, he clumsily pressed his lips to ChiYoung’s. Seeing Heesung’s awkwardness, ChiYoung smiled and gladly embraced him, softly mixing tongues. He wrapped his arms tightly around him as if to hold everything in.
Soon Heesung, like when he was a puppy, accepted ChiYoung’s lips without resistance. But as ChiYoung’s breath grew heavy, he didn’t deepen the kiss on purpose.
Pulling back a little, Heesung said,

“But why did the leader leave it be…? Shouldn’t we kill Park Guntae together?”
“Should we? They left him alone because he didn’t cause trouble…”
Heesung thought hard, then whispered seriously,

“Then let’s watch him longer.”
ChiYoung smiled brightly, pressing his forehead to Heesung’s. The earnestness in Heesung was too adorable. He pulled Heesung’s neck and kissed him.
“Huh, that’s…”

The kiss grew deeper as emotions rose. ChiYoung’s breath became rough again. Heesung’s face turned bright red, and pushing ChiYoung’s shoulder away, he broke free from the embrace.
Standing up, Heesung hastily tied the half-loosened gown belt. His fur looked like soft down, clearly feverish. ChiYoung, pupils dilated, tried to pull him back, but Heesung pushed his hand away sternly.
“No, the doctor said not to stimulate you.”

“Skinship helps release pheromones anyway.”
Woof!
Before he finished speaking, Heesung fled, transforming back into a puppy and quickly leaving the room.

“……”
Left alone, ChiYoung, unable to stand on his aching legs, held his forehead with his large hand. Veins stood out on his forehead.
‘I was supposed to help.’

Knowing Heesung needed time, ChiYoung wanted to get rid of the useless doctor.
〈To be continued in Volume 2〉