A/N: I kind of changed my name to disguise the fact that I am the same bad person who left all of my readers hanging for so long (O_O) *yikes*... I hope I was successful in fooling you all >_< But I promise I would try to be a better person and end 'The Zeta' as soon as possible and rest of my on-going/hanging stories... sorry for being so late T_T... but maybe you guys should read a couple of previous chapters to get the hang of it... maybe? Anyways, I hope you enjoy...

CHAPTER 15

It was eerily silent.

Hyukjae, Myungsoo and Jaehyun could feel the goosebumps spreading across their whole body the moment they entered the dark and noiseless Forest. They were perfectly able to hear the coo and crows of birds a minute ago, but the very second they crossed an invisible barrier the sense of suffocation and pressure engulfed them. It was almost like a very heavy blanket had fallen over them, muting and stilling their surroundings.

“It’s a bit spooky,” Jaehyun whispered, unnaturally reaching forward to grip Hyukjae’s arm in a strong hold. The Zeta was startled for a second before Jaehyun’s pale face and wandering eyes made him hold the young Omicron’s hand in his and give a squeeze of comfort.

“How do we know if we are going in the right direction?” Myungsoo asked in a small voice just when Hyukjae reached out to keep him beside him as well. Sticking together seemed like a better option at that moment.

“Vinz said that the Solar Sanctuary is located at Equinox through which River Wush originates,” Hyukjae answered, keeping his voice low. After the trauma of Viogreoxath Forest’s brutal wolf-spirits, every step they took in the Forest compelled them to be ready to welcome some unwanted guests… naturally creating a sense of fear to descend upon them. “I guess we walk beside the river?”

“Then we should have entered directly beside the river,” Myungsoo commented. “The magic around the Forest has dull our senses. How are we supposed to find the River now?”

“Let’s just look around,” Jaehyun suggested, visibly gulping. “Hopefully we would find it before something else finds us… maybe?”

“We would be fine,” Hyukjae chanted more for himself than others beside him, because for some weird reason he felt like they were being watched. Maybe it was the dim light playing tricks but Hyukjae swore he saw two almond shape blue orbs staring at them from behind a bush. As soon as the eyes had shone, they were gone the next second. “We would be fine… we would be fine…”

They tread through the thick forest for ten minutes or so before Hyukjae felt a thin wave of drowsiness vibrate through him. He stifled a yawn as his eyes grew heavy. Unexpectedly, Jaehyun’s head fell on his shoulder while the younger mumbled something groggily.

“I feel tired,” Myungsoo voiced out Hyukjae’s thoughts afore the Kappa leaned against a thick tree. Brusquely, Hyukjae’s own body felt like it couldn’t take more than a couple of paces.

“Let’s take a minor rest stop here,” Hyukjae concluded as he lowered down Jaehyun’s half asleep body on a small patch of green. Series of yawns slip past Hyukjae’s own plump lips before he sat down beside a tree trunk. Leaning his head back, Hyukjae only remembered seeing two pair of bluish eyes before slumber lured him away.

O-o-o-o-O

“Where are they?” Jaejoong roared with his eyes shining a dull blood red, the half visible face of his looking far too ugly than anyone has ever seen. Jaejoong paced the small circular room like an angry bull, while Kyuhyun, Jericho and Heskel watched him guardedly. “Where could they have vanished?”

“I don’t know,” Kyuhyun slurred with eyes blank and vacant. “Ara does as she wishes.”

Jaejoong turned swiftly and flashed toward the Kappa. He fisted Kyuhyun’s collar to make the guy look at him and stared deeply in the Kappa’s eyes before mumbling, “You have been compelled.” The leader’s eyes broaden at the recognition. “Who compelled you, Kyuhyun?”

“I don’t know,” Kyuhyun muttered in the same blank voice as before.

“Get out!” Jaejoong screamed while panting loudly, his red eyes sweeping at his three silent audiences. “I said to get lost from here!”

Frowning in annoyance and feeling thoroughly disrespected, Jericho and Heskel took hold of frozen Kyuhyun and left the Mansion, leaving behind the seething werewolf.

“Who?” Jaejoong demanded out loud as he turned to look at a long mirror in a corner, noticing the twitching muscles on his half visible face. Slowly, with measured steps, he stumbled to get closer to the shining surface. Jaejoong stared at his face for a moment before pulling away the dark curtain of his hairs that was hiding the hideousness behind it. He stared at the three long and deep gushes on his right cheek, his nimble fingers reaching to caress the ruined skin. “Someone out smarted me, huh? Who could that be? Go Ara? No… she would have done it before if she could. Maybe, Hyukjae? No, the boy is too naïve… who is behind all this? Who?”

“Whoever it is,” A voice drawled out from behind, making panic to run through Jaejoong’s figure and making him drop the black drape of his hairs before turning around to face the intruder. “Let’s join hands and kill them together, huh?”

“What would be the catch thing time, Siwon?” Jaejoong sneered. “You never do anything for free.”

“True,” The Alpha’s laugh didn’t quite reach his eyes. “But business with you is always risky, Jae.”

“Where is the fun without a little risk?” The Guardian mocked the youngest Noble.

Siwon stood surveying the tall secretive man before uttering, “I still want the Zeta but…”

“But?” Jaejoong urged, his face going pale.

“I have one curiosity that just won’t go away like a bad itch,” Siwon carefully choose his words while slowly treading his steps toward the leader of Guardians. He stops a couple of steps away, tilting his head to glance at the man before him. “You are not an Omicron, are you? If not… then what are you, Kim Jaejoong?”

“Why the sudden curiosity, Siwon?” Jaejoong asked delicately, his half visible lips lifted in a small taunting smile. “What made you think I am not an Omicron?”

“Your weak wolf howling deep in you, was the give away,” Siwon answered with a nonchalant shrug. “But it isn’t as weak as one would reckon… so tell me, what are you?”

“I am a blood thirsty Theta,” Jaejoong confessed in a whisper. “Son of a Sigma and Omega… mocked my whole life for having such weak heritage line. People told me I would be nothing but a filthy Omega myself. They said my pretty face was the only thing people would attract hungry and wolves toward me. The day my father was killed for unknowingly ‘disrespecting’ an Alpha and my mother died by being heartbroken… but rather than consoling, do you know what other werewolves said to me? They joked how I should sell myself for pleasure, because apparently I was only good enough for that. But the joke was on them when my inner wolf became strong enough to be a Theta.”

“So you thought you would mate a Zeta and climb in power?” Siwon mocked.

“No,” Jaejoong denied. “I was young and ambitious. I willingly entered myself for being a Guardian. It was long after when I started to realize that if I mate the Zeta, I could be far more powerful than anyone ever suspected. No one knew that I was a Theta… and I made sure it remains like that.”

“Hmm,” Siwon’s smile widened a bit. “So… are you still power hungry? Do you still want the Zeta for yourself?”

“I tried marking the Zeta five years ago,” Jaejoong said, enjoying the startled expressions on Siwon’s long face. “The plan backfired… the Zeta rejected me when the Silver Alpha entered the picture. Once rejected, I would never be able to mark him again.”

“Then where does that make us stand, Jaejoong?” Siwon asked raising a delicate brow.

“As allies of course,” The Theta assured while extending a hand to seal the deal. “We shall get the Zeta back… as well as your rightful thrown. Lee Donghae needs to learn to mind his own business.”

“That’s precisely what I want,” Siwon said, the wide smile stretching his thin lips.

O-o-o-o-O

Everything was chaos… the whole castle was in uproar. The news of impending war had spread like wild fire, uprooting the peace of Golden Alpha’s palace. Donghae stood, gazing at the vast stretched land in front of the Golden Palace… if Minhyuk’s instincts were correct- which they always are- then the inevitable war would be taking place on these very land in less than forty eight hours. But it’s not the fight in itself that worried Donghae.

While the Silver Alpha focused on the dim reflection he could see of himself in the tall window glass, Donghae yet again notice the obvious flicker of his silver irises. He need not have Ara confirming his worst fear because he knew Hyukjae has entered the Immortal Forest… Donghae had lost his last chance to hold on to his mate. Being Vinz’s apprentice Donghae knew the depth of magic that run’s in the very core of Wolvotaria… thus he had reasons to fear.

Suddenly the entrance of chamber opened and in came Kai, his strides strong and determined as he came to stand in the medium of the room, earning attention from Donghae, Minhyuk, Ara and Sehun- the current occupant of Donghae’s study area. Donghae turned around from the window, suppressing a heavy sigh, before his eyes locked with Kai’s serious ones.

“Yuta and Flare had not returned just yet,” Kai informed solemnly to the Silver Alpha. “Our defense is ready for any kind of attack. The General Delta has already dispatched two groups to create a frontier line in order to hold them at a certain distance from the Castle. Golden Alpha had been informed of new happening, of course. He was d