Superstar 833
by Cristae“But,”
One of the actors who had been laughing finally spoke up.
“Aren’t they a bit… small to help us with acting?”
It was true. The Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs—about the size of medium dogs—didn’t exactly inspire the presence or wild energy one might associate with a wolf.
“There are real wolves too, but… honestly, I can’t tell if they’re dogs or wolves right now.”
All eyes turned to the real wolf wagging its tail happily under Seo-jun’s hand, and the three wolfdogs seated a little farther away.
“The wolfdogs actually look more dignified.”
The young wolf, basking in Seo-jun’s affection like a puppy, looked even more dog-like than actual dogs.
At that, Director Wilma Evans laughed and said,
“The main event hasn’t started yet.”
Oh.
Seo-jun and the actors widened their eyes at her confident tone.
“It’s better to see it for yourselves than to explain. Just so you know, trainers are on standby—so don’t worry about safety.”
What could the main event possibly be?
Seo-jun and the actors turned to the area Wilma pointed at: a large clearing surrounded by dense trees and brush.
A slow breeze passed through.
At that moment—
Still crouched, stroking the wolf, Seo-jun stood slowly, his eyes fixed on the brush. The curiosity in his gaze quieted.
The young wolf, who had been blissfully rolling around under his hand, sensed something a beat later. It leapt to its feet.
“What is it? What’s out there, Jun?”
Brian Gudel asked tensely. Dan Kendrick and the other actors looked just as nervous.
Rustle.
Something heavy shifted through the grass. The actors’ heads turned toward the sound, matching Seo-jun’s line of sight.
The chatter faded.
Stillness.
The wind still blew, but it was as if even the sound of leaves brushing had been silenced.
Someone gulped.
The silence was more gripping than any soundtrack, and the occasional rustling raised the tension.
And it didn’t just come from one place.
From the front. From the right. From the left. The sound grew closer.
And then finally—
The source of the rustling revealed itself.
!!
Several actors instinctively stepped back.
They were huge.
That one word was enough.
Massive paws trampling grass, sleek limbs, sharp frame, upright ears, swaying tail, and those piercing yellow-and-black eyes.
With slow, confident strides, wolves emerged.
They moved like it was their territory. Not a hint of hesitation.
The actors were silent.
Even Haley Roge, who loved dogs, was frozen. These were not pets. Their size alone was enough to induce fear. Their teeth and claws were real.
She should have been scared.
But somehow, this atmosphere felt… familiar?
Where had she felt this eerie, chilling vibe before?
Her eyes landed on Seo-jun Lee, standing face to face with the lead wolf—clearly the pack alpha due to its size.
Ah.
It was Jun.
Now she remembered. The very same energy she felt watching him act—it was exactly like the wolves.
She glanced around. The other actors had relaxed slightly too. They’d noticed.
Of course they had.
Even a newcomer like Haley could tell. The others, training with him since early March, definitely knew. They were playing werewolves, after all.
They felt it more deeply than anyone.
Thanks to that realization, the shock faded quickly.
But no one dared speak.
Seo-jun and the alpha were locked in eye contact.
And when the alphas meet—subordinates know to stay quiet.
Hm.
Several actors chuckled internally at the silly thought, but being immersed in the werewolf roles, it just made sense.
But among them, one subordinate was still young.
Growl!
The young wolf bared its teeth.
The only real wolf among these fakes dared to challenge the newcomers—How dare they threaten my alpha!
And that’s why they say: puppies know no fear.
The alpha wolfdog’s gaze snapped to the pup.
Seo-jun, the true alpha, stepped forward protectively and blocked the little one with his body.
The pup looked up at Seo-jun. At his firm expression, the bold young wolf instantly lowered its tail.
Seo-jun and the alpha wolfdog locked eyes again.
The wolfdog turned away indifferently.
Seo-jun chuckled, patting the sulking pup on the head.
The tension melted instantly.
“Whew…”
The actors exhaled long-held breaths.
“Whoa. That was something else.”
“Felt like I was watching a documentary.”
“Yeah. Like real wolves squaring off over territory.”
“Well… one of them was human.”
“And one was a wolfdog.”
“Jun! Jun! What was that just now? Did you win?”
Laughing at the flurry of questions, Seo-jun answered,
“Not really a win. Just a mutual agreement to ignore each other since we’re not in each other’s territory.”
As expected of a mature wolfdog—quicker to assess and decide than the pup.
“Jun… are you sure you weren’t born in the jungle?”
“Haha. Nope.”
The young wolf, perking up again, returned to melting under Seo-jun’s touch.
Director Wilma Evans, who had watched everything unfold, looked like she’d found gold.
This was not the reaction she expected from the actors—but even better!
Seo-jun standing on equal ground with real wolves (well, wolfdogs) was thrilling to watch. Her heart pounded with excitement—she wanted to shoot now.
But first, she had to explain.
“Hope everyone enjoyed the main event. We brought the small wolfdogs so you could pet them, and the large ones so you could observe their movement and presence. Since you’ll be acting with green screen backgrounds during filming, we hope today’s experience helps.”
The actors and Seo-jun nodded, smiling.
“Definitely helps.”
“We’ll remember today’s scene for our entrances.”
“And the tension standoff.”
They all chuckled at the memory of Seo-jun and the alpha.
“Now, for the next hour, you’ll observe the wolfdogs. Feel free to ask the trainers if you have questions about wolves.”
Everyone nodded and dispersed.
Some petted the smaller ones. Others, with trainer help, approached the large ones. They all seemed well-trained and gentle.
“Looked big from a distance, but up close… even bigger. Compared to the others, that one’s huge.”
Brian Gudel’s comment turned all eyes to the three wolfdogs. Two were average-sized, but the alpha—was massive.
Taller than a grown man’s waist.
On four legs.
If it stood upright, it could pass for a bear.
“Alpha’s always been big. His previous owners abandoned him.”
The trainer’s words widened the actors’ eyes.
The wolfdog, called Alpha, yawned. Its sharp fangs were no joke.
“As they feared, Alpha does have stronger wolf genes than most Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. But he was raised around humans, so he’s gentle. Great leader too—can’t imagine The Mountain without him.”
‘The Mountain’—a shelter and training center—clearly adored Alpha.
Everyone watched again as the young wolfdogs played near Alpha. They seemed to be hunting his big fluffy tail.
“But this one’s not moving.”
They laughed as they looked at the little wolf still glued to Seo-jun.
Hehe. I like the alpha. I like him a lot.
The pup’s adoration was obvious.
Soon, the curious young wolfdogs wandered over too.
When one approached, the young wolf growled—but Seo-jun stopped it with a calm “No.”
Hmph!
The sulking pup slammed its tail, but quickly melted under Seo-jun’s hand again.
The wolfdogs, too, flopped down happily at his touch.
“You’re really popular, Jun.”
“Haha.”
Then Wilma Evans said something that froze Seo-jun in place.
“Come to think of it… wasn’t your nickname ‘Snow White’?”
…?!
Seo-jun turned to her, eyes wide. How did she know?!
“Snow White?”
“Jun??”
Snow White—as in that Snow White?
The actors blinked in disbelief.
“Yes. Apparently that’s what they called him in the army. When they trained in the mountains, animals would just gather around him.”
Ah.
The image popped into their heads instantly.
Birds chirping and flying to him. Deer with white spots. Rabbits and squirrels. All flocking to the center—Seo-jun.
“Fits perfectly.”
“So fitting.”
The actors nodded while chuckling.
“Ugh…”
Seo-jun groaned.
“How did you know, Director?”
“Researching my actors is basic prep.”
Still…
Even military nicknames?
Seo-jun stared at her in disbelief. But then he laughed along with the others.
“Well, we’ll get going now.”
“Thanks for everything.”
The wolf/wolfdog experience ended, and the trainers prepared to leave.
All the dogs cooperated—except one.
Whimperrrr—
The ever-perceptive little wolf clung tightly to Seo-jun’s leg.
“Are we sure that’s not a dog?”
Honestly.
Seo-jun chuckled and crouched to pat him.
“I’ll come visit. Be good till then.”
Whether it was the words or the warmth in his eyes—
The pup whimpered one last time, then finally let go. He walked to the trainer, glancing back a few times.
Tail drooped. Legs dragging.
“Definitely Snow White.”
The actors clapped quietly, watching Seo-jun talk down a wolf with just words.