Sungyeol sat straight and stiff with his gaze fixed on the sleeping face of a pale boy and his hand caressing the pale cheek with feather little touches, absent mindedly. Everything felt surreal at that moment, Sungyeol wasn’t ever sure if he was dreaming or both- he and Myungsoo- had actually not died at the hands of unnamed enemies, when they both were in their most vulnerable state. But then again, maybe he did survive but his mate…

Sungyeol’s body started rocking with silent sobs without his realizing… his wolf was in too much pain for it to be disguised… he felt like his heart was being prickled with pointed needles.

“Don’t worry, Sungyeol.” Sunggyu’s gentle voice made Sungyeol to slowly look up at the speaker, who sat at the edge of the big bed Myungsoo was currently laying on with Sungyeol on his one side and Woohyun on the other. “Even though the stake was coated with wolfsbane, but it didn’t hit Myungsoo in the heart thus it’s not fatal.” The King’s voice was laced with concern as well, Sungyeol noted dully. “Wolfsbane has absolutely no effect on Vampires… it would take some time but his Vampire blood will neutralize wolfsbane’s effect and he would be up and about just like before, alright?”

Sungyeol nodded slowly, not having enough strength to speak, and brought his eyes back to feast on Myungsoo’s ever gorgeous and flawless face. Even if Sungyeol was trying his best to keep his outer demeanor calm and silent, his inside was anything but calm. His mind was jumping from one scenario to another… analyzing all of his options now. Even if he and Myungsoo had not mated yet but the urge to take revenge for the sake of his mate was enormous and Sungyeol was desperately trying to make himself realize that he needed to think with his brain rather than heart… something his wolf disagreed with.

Sungyeol snapped out of his murderous thoughts that revolved around a certain Witch, even though they weren’t sure who exactly the culprit was behind this attack but Sungyeol had his own doubts.

“I don’t know what I would have done if you haven’t come there right away, Ryeowook and Yesung.” Sungyeol mumbled softly with his eyes still fixed upon Myungsoo before he slightly turned to look at the duo, who stood just beside the bed. “I can’t thank you guys enough.”

“Myungsoo is as important to us as he is to you, Sungyeol.” Ryeowook replied somberly while putting a reassuring hand on the young wolf’s shoulder. “There is no need to thank us.”

“Yeah… my only regret is that if we have started our patrol five minutes earlier then we could have caught that b**tard before he could even think about aiming that stake.” Yesung growled with his hands balled tightly, a menacing glint in his eyes that somewhat scared Sungyeol.

“I don’t think this would have been that easy, Yesung.” Sunggyu said thoughtfully. “Whoever that was, he had ways of being sneaky… he did cross our defense line without us knowing… I wouldn’t be surprise if he was still lurking around and none of powers are able to sniff him out.”

“You mean to say…” Yesung left his sentence hanging as his eyes skipped toward Woohyun, who had his whole attention on his son.

“Yes, I believe someone who can play with magic could have entered our boundaries without breaking the spell… just like what Myungsoo had been saying that he can feel unwanted guest presence for some time now.” Sunggyu explained for the sake of every listening ear present there.

“But… what can we do in that regard??” Yesung demanded, taking a step toward the King of Kim Clan. “We can’t possibly kill her… that’s like calling for our own death.”

“We can’t be sure of that. She is the one who keep saying it… what if it’s just her way of making sure none of us try to kill her.” Sunggyu challenged and Sungyeol realized the King actually had a point. “Why would she link us with herself anyways? And if we really are linked and killing her means killing whole Vampire line… then it should work other way around too. But she doesn’t even feel a scar if a Vampire dies…”

Sunggyu’s assessment left a ringing silence in its awake, making Sungyeol, Ryeowook and Yesung to gap at him, clearly none of them thought like he did.

“Then kill her!” A cold grave voice snapped others to stare at Woohyun, whose eyes were still fixed on the unconscious Myungsoo. “Even if we are linked… if she succeeds in hurting my Myungsoo then I don’t wish to live anyways.”

“But… but Woohyun, she is your mother.” Sunggyu whispered, closely watching his mate’s reaction.

Woohyun closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath before saying, “No one who wishes to hurt my son is anyone dear to me!”

Sungyeol noticed how a smirk managed to climbed Sunggyu’s lips, like he was only waiting to hear this sentence all his life. But before he could reply the door of Myungsoo’s bedroom was thrown open and in came a grave looking Minseok, whose eyes first fell on the unconscious body of his friend before he turned toward their leader.

“We have searched the forest as far as we could but we didn’t find any kind of trace or clue… there weren’t even any footprints or scent around the area.” Minseok announced dutifully.

“Well, I was expecting that,” Sunggyu mumbled under his breath before sharply looking back at Minseok. “What about Heechul?”

“Heechul Hyung and Kangin Hyung are still out there, they sent me to update you. And Heechul Hyung said to get all the warriors for briefing and new strategies.”

“Yeah we need to revise our plans,” Sunggyu agreed as he stood up. Glancing at Myungsoo, once, he just exhaled a heavy sigh. “Come on Minseok, Yesung and Ryeowook… we have work to do.”

The Vampires left, leaving a heavy silence in their awake. Sungyeol felt really awkward being left alone with Woohyun. He was nice, the wolf knew that, Woohyun had been nothing but nice and kind to him from day one, but he had never been left alone thus he couldn’t help feeling awkward but once he was back at caressing Myungsoo’s face he forgot about his surroundings.

“Myungsoo told me you have been obsess with some book your wolf friend has brought you,” The sudden statement from Woohyun jolted Sungyeol in surprise. He quickly looks up but only to find Woohyun’s attention on his son as he kept talking. “He said you believe you can find some way of breaking his curse… was that your reason to be out in the clearing?”

Sungyeol gapped his mouth like a fish, wishing to say something but not knowing what… because suddenly he realized that this whole ordeal was his fault! This epiphany left him a little frustrated at his own self but he was quick on snapping out of his belittling himself session when Woohyun looked up at him… seeking an answer to his question.

“Y-yes… yes we were out there because of that.” Sungyeol knew it was no use hiding the truth.

“D-did you find the cure?” Woohyun inquired, a little frown sitting on his forehead.

“No,” Sungyeol shook his head sadly. “We haven’t found the cure… yet.”

“Oh… oooh,” Woohyun nodded his head, looking lost in his thoughts. A silence stretch between them with Sungyeol waiting for some better reply, something that Woohyun noticed after a few moments as he chuckled a little lifelessly. “Maybe you will think I am heartless, not wishing you to find that cure soon enough… and maybe I am a little selfish.” Woohyun mused, looking miserable. “It’s not that I don’t want you to be happy… the only thing I wish for is Myungsoo’s happiness… always have and always will. I am… I am just scared…”

“Scared?” Sungyeol asked back curiously.

“Yeah,” Woohyun nodded looking away as he gulped painfully. “It’s just… you know… once his curse is broken… he… he won’t be… he would be a werewolf… obviously,” Woohyun chuckled to himself but Sungyeol could only look confuse, not being able to understand the other. “He would be a wolf… and seeing how we are… well, werewolves’ natural enemies… will you… will you take him away from us?”

“What…?” Sungyeol breathe in surprise.

“I mean it’s only natural for you to take him back to your Clan,” Woohyun mumbled, looking at his fidgeting hands, his voice lower than a mere whisper. “That would be best for you two, right?”

Sungyeol could only shook his head again and again as he got up and walked to sit on the other side of the bed, in front of Woohyun, before taking those fidgeting hands in his own.

“No,” Sungyeol replied decidedly making Woohyun to look straight in his eyes with his bottom lip trembling slightly. “No, I would never do that… you are his parents, I could never even think about asking him to leave you. If anything, even if he broke through the curse he would still live with you and I would come here as well.”

Woohyun laughed a little as he shook his head at Sungyeol’s childlike declaration, “You don’t understand, Sungyeol… I am the main reason behind Myungsoo’s unhappiness. I am solely to be blamed… I know that. And if Myungsoo wants to leave us in order to gain his true happiness… I would understand; I would never stand in his way.”

“Do you even know how much Myungsoo loves you?” Sungyeol questioned incredulously, not agreeing with Woohyun’s words. “He always talks about you so highly… he sees you as his true parent. His respect and love for you is no joke… I am sure he loves you the most.”

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