CHAPTER 11

Hyukjae found himself wandering through the spiral staircase leading toward the ground floor, half a mind to run a lap around the Mansion to get his burdening feels lessen up a little. He felt suffocated, trapped inside this fancy looking jail. Where his wishes and thoughts were unheeded and ignored.

Was it really so hard to let him go meet his parents, sister and Saeun? Hyukjae speculated to himself for the nth time, mentally sneering at Jaejoong’s thoughtful face before he, very cruelly, disregarded Hyukjae’s wish to make a quick trip to Magic Maniac’s headquarter. It was well over a month now and Hyukjae was busting to share his burdens with someone… especially after that night. With each passing day, Hyukjae has started growing wary of almost all the Guardians and the only one he felt comfortable with was busy with Lord only knows what, now-a-days.

Heaving a deep sigh, Hyukjae turned a corner and came to skidding stop after colliding with a sturdy broad chest. Stumbling back a couple of steps, he glanced up to find one face he desperately wished to ignore right then.

“Hyukjae?” Siwon muttered in voice huskier than his normal tone. “What a coincidence, I was just about to go and look for you.”

“Why?” Hyukjae questioned in a dry tone, not caring to hide his annoyed expression.

“Jaejoong said you don’t want to come to my Birthday dinner-”

“Yeah I don’t,” Hyukjae cut him off coolly, chocolate brown eye staring straight in Siwon’s own dark brown orbs. “Siwon, let’s just stop with this pretend game… I know you don’t wanna mate me because you used to like me, or so you say. I remember your ambition was always to be the Silver Alpha and then to be promoted as Golden Alpha… and I am just a mere tool in this game of yours.”

“This is not a game, Hyukjae,” Siwon snapped suddenly, eyes glowing red for a second. “I know you hold soft spot for that whimsy pansy Silver Alpha… you always had… but that doesn’t-”

“What do you mean?” Hyukjae all but shouts in bafflement. “I have never even seen the Silver Alpha let alone hold any kind of fondness for him.”

“Hyukjae…” Siwon wheeze out, shaking his head in disappointment. “That’s not the point… the thing is, I truly feel something deeper and more meaningful for you. I am not lying and neither would lying to you would do me any good… being mate is a lifetime thing.”

“I don’t want to mate with you, Siwon,” Hyukjae’s deadpanned words left Siwon baffled for a moment.

“J-just give me a chance, Hyukjae,” Siwon pleads softly, eyes earnest. “Come to my party, hang out with me… get to know me better… maybe you would like what you see.”

Hyukjae looked up; staring at Siwon… he could see all he wanted to see. The slight fear of rejection from the Zeta, danced in Siwon’s eyes, the little quiver on his thin lips indicated the nervousness Siwon felt at not being able to acquire the so-called greater powers, being a mate of Zeta would ensure him. Hyukjae had always found the high and mighty prince of Wolveemo as annoying and arrogant werewolf but now he just felt disappointed… nothing has changed in these five years… Siwon was still as self-centered as before.

“You would come to my birthday dinner, right?” Siwon asked sweetly, hand reaching to cup Hyukjae’s cheek in a tender and soft gesture, thumb grazing at his cheek bone. “Please say you will come.”

Hyukjae fought the urge to roll his eyes and plain out reject the other’s offer, but he already felt tired and knew Siwon won’t let him go until he gets the answer he desires.

“Fine, I shall think about it,” Hyukjae muttered dejectedly, taking a step back to get Siwon’s warm hand off his face. “I actually already have a lot on my plate at the moment… I need all the time I can get to pull myself together, so excuse me.”

At a rapid speed, Hyukjae spun around and left the young Noble staring at his retreating back. Turning a couple of corners Hyukjae stumbled inside the lush kitchen area and found Ara standing against a counter, gazing absentmindedly through an open window.

“I have been searching all over for you,” Hyukjae started, jolting the Omicron out of her deep thoughts. “It’s like you have become invisible.”

“Well I am cousin with one of the greatest Witch in Wolvotaria, at the moment,” Ara joked back. “I know my fair share of charms as well.”

“Then please teach me one of those invisibility charms so I can use it when Siwon comes around.”

“Siwon is here? Again?” Ara questions incredulously, pulling out a juice pack from refrigerator.

“When is he not?” Hyukjae snorts.

“I see, you are still not going to his party, huh?” Ara asked, reaching for a glass of orange juice to pass it to Hyukjae.

“Thanks,” The Zeta mumbles, accepting the citric juice. “And yeah, I am hell bend on not acting like a puppet to please Jaejoong or Siwon.”

“Hmm,” Ara eyed the Zeta as he gulps down the juice, a thoughtful look on her face. “You have changed a lot even since you came back from Viogreoxath Forest… I wonder why…?”

Hyukjae chokes a little, coughing wildly to clean his air pipe as he whipped around to check if anyone was within hearing distance.

“I have been meaning to talk-”

“Have you heard the phrase ‘Walls have ears’?” Ara cuts off Hyukjae with a meaningful look.

“But I really need to-” Hyukjae starts again, desperately, but is cut off once again when Ara grips his arm around the forearm.

“We have a lot to talk about,” Ara whispers, steering Hyukjae toward the underground circular room.

O-o-o-o-O

“Are you even listening to what I am rambling about?” An angry voice demanded, snapping Donghae out of the bubble of his thoughts. The Silver Alpha raises his head arrogantly, giving a side peek to the angry Werewolf.

“Not exactly,” Donghae admits shamelessly, tilting his head as he pretends to pick at his cuticles.

“The Nobles has found the Zeta!” The Golden Alpha roars before a fit of coughs gripped him in its deadly clutch.

“The Healer advised you to shout a little less,” Donghae reminded his panting father, face void of any concern. “And, I have found the Zeta as well.”

“Then why is he still alive?” The Golden Alpha wheezed in a demanding tone.

“Because I want him alive,” The other replied nonchalantly, enjoying the vein popping in his so-called father’s forehead.

“I noticed the flicker of your eyes,” The older werewolf said, after a moment of silence, making Donghae to swirl his face toward the Dull Golden eyes. “You will lose everything with this arrogant attitude of yours. If the cat keeps playing with the mouse rather than eating him… then there may come a time when the mouse would scurry away to his bill.”

Donghae keeps his tongue in check, Silver eyes boring into Golden ones.

“If this is all, then I would like to take my leave,” Donghae muttered and dashed out of the room without even hearing what his father has to say. He breathed deeply, once out in the fresh air… chest heaving with pant up frustration. Making up his mind, Donghae hurried along the corridor.

“What’s the update?” The Silver Alpha demanded after entering the room filled with his trusted Grey Canines.

“Good news,” Kai flashed a smirk, which faltered seeing the pale face of his half-brother.

“Good news is exactly something that I need right now,” Donghae sighs, palming his face as he step further inside the room and found ten pair of eyes showing concern for him. “What is it?”

“The Zeta refuses to go on Siwon’s party,” Taeyong declared gleefully which only increased tenfold when he noticed Donghae’s eyes shining in anticipation.

“I think it’s time…” Minhyuk mumbled. Donghae’s eyes wandered to clash with his and a nod of understanding was shared between the two friends.

O-o-o-o-O

Donghae tread toward his chamber, leaving behind the Grey Canines to plan their strategies for upcoming mission, on their own. Kai’s mind was no joke, Donghae knew he would come up with a fool proof plan… there was a reason why Kai was chosen as the leader of Grey Canine, nevertheless.

The Silver Alpha flumped down on the silk drapes of his soft bed, eyes staring in space as his mind kept drifting toward a certain chocolate orb, lean boy Donghae had grown fond of more than necessary.

Flashback:

“Look at you,” A tall and arrogant boy spat, sneering at Donghae as his eyes travelled all over Donghae’s small, but sturdy, built. “You are nothing but waste of space… your father must be blind to think you could preserve your ‘Silver Alpha’ label for a stretch.”

Donghae stood wordless, giving his bully a glower full of loathed.

“A pup acting like the big bad wolf, huh?” The elevated lad ridiculed with his smirk ceasing as he raised a fist to punch Donghae’s teeth in.

“Hey! Siwon, what the hell are you doing?” A shaken voice necessitated, making Siwon to turn aroun