CHAPTER 4

“Illusion Realm,” Saeun declared, the tone of her voice stating the finality of the under discussion subject.

“No, Lustrous Grotto!” Kyuhyun retorted in the contradiction of Witch's words.

 “How about-?” Hyukjae tried suggesting but his words were cut off by the passionate fighters.

“You stay out of this!” Both Saeun and Kyuhyun growled at the Zeta, effectively shutting him off, before returning to their original dispute.

 “Illusion Realm!” Saeun shouted.

“Lustrous Grotto!” Kyuhyun screamed back.

“Umm… don’t you think you guys should argue without using Hyukjae as the rope in your tug-of-war?” Sungmin’s amused drawled broke through the heated fight going between the strongest Witch of whole Wolvotaria and the second in command Guardian.

Lee Hyukjae, who was sadly the Zeta of 21st Century, couldn’t help but thank the High Forces out there when someone finally took pity on his current state and came to rescue him. It had not been long since Hyukjae, along with his family, Saeun, Sungmin and the two Guardians has crossed the portal to travel from Earth to his home-planet Wolvotaria. The Zeta had a whirlpool of emotion going inside him when he had step his first foot back on the beautiful surface, that he could proudly call his own. His hungry eyes has roamed around the lush green lands to clear bluish-purple sky with a sense of hominess and coziness starting to descend upon him… that was until Kyuhyun and Saeun realized that they both lived in different headquarters and both of them wanted the Zeta to be staying with them. Period.

The worst happened when Saeun had marched toward a still dazed Hyukjae- from all the excitement and adrenaline of running for his life and stumbling down to Wolvotaria, when he least expected to be back so soon- and started to tug at his arm to make him to go with her and Kyuhyun being the stubborn wolf he was had moved forward to latch on Hyukjae’s free arm and started to hauler him toward the opposite direction from the Magic Maniac’s headquarter and urging the Zeta to go to the Guardian’s lair, claiming it would be more safer for him. Soon a tug-of-war has broken down and like Sungmin stated; Hyukjae was being used as the rope between Saeun and Kyuhyun.

“Yeah, you two need to stop before you pull his arms out,” Sehun put forward his thoughts, frowning at Kyuhyun’s weird competitive behavior, the younger Guardian doesn’t remember the elder being as competitive as he was being ever since they have met the Witch, something told him the second in command Guardian must have some history with the Witch.

At Sehun’s words, Kyuhyun finally realized what he was doing and swiftly took away his hands from Hyukjae’s fragile looking arm and muttered a soft apology in embarrassment. But the Witch on the other hand plastered a victorious smile on her face and linked her arm with Hyukjae’s.

“Come Hyuk, you always wanted to see the mysterious and hidden headquarter of Magic Maniac’s, right?” Saeun coaxed the Zeta, subtly moving him toward the direction of the said headquarter.

“Saeun,” Sungmin’s voice suddenly turned grave and serious, all hint of amusement gone… something that Saeun- along with others- was quick to pick upon. As the witch slowly turned to give her undivided attention to her Husband, she mentally braced herself for some bad news. “Let Hyukjae go with the Guardians.”

An ominous silence followed Sungmin’s words, in which the Witch could only blankly stare at her husband. It took her good couple of minutes to realize what Sungmin has suggested.

“What? No way!” Saeun cried out. “Hyukjae had been staying with me because I promised to take care of him; five years ago when I first met him, and I am gonna keep my promise until I die.”

Saeun’s strong declaration left Hyukjae speechless and touched, but he wasn’t an idiot enough to take Saeun’s words seriously and neither was he so weak that he would want Saeun as his personal protector- especially when he knew he had about ten of those so-called personal protectors, as it was.

“Can’t I just go to my old house?” Hyukjae finally asked the thing he had been meaning to ever since Kyuhyun and Saeun started arguing, as he turned to look at his silent parents for some back-up but he was baffled to see them avoiding his eyes.

“So that Grey Canines can come and abduct you?” Kyuhyun asked back with a mocking brow raised in Hyukjae’s direction.

“But-” Hyukjae tried to tell them that his whole powers might not be out and under his control just yet but he was strong enough to fight off a bunch of wolves- granted that none of them are Alpha, because Hyukjae doubt he had enough strength to fight 10 huge Alphas at the same time.

“No buts,” Sungmin said sternly, tossing a look to Hyukjae and Saeun, simultaneously. “The moment Grey Canines had crashed in your house, back on Earth; they would have realized Saeun was living with you.”

“But how…?” Hyukjae asked, slightly confused.

“Trust me, they would know.” Sungmin waved Hyukjae’s query off. “And the first place they would think of searching is our headquarters… of course, there is a major possibility that they would know about Guardians as well but I believe Guardians would be able to protect you…”

Sungmin turned to share a deep look with Kyuhyun, who gave a stiff nod of his head as an affirmative response.

“But in order to confuse them, Hyukjae’s family is gonna stay with us,” Saeun continued with her husband’s words, her head down in dejection. She had grown so attached with the Zeta’s family that it felt like a torture to even think about living without Hyukjae beside her. “But of course, the last decision is yours to make Hyukjae.”

Hyukjae glance from his parent’s worried face to his sister’s frowny one to Saeun’s hopeful one… he could easily understand the emotions they were feeling.

“And beside,” Sungmin muttered in nothing more than a whisper as he leaned toward the Zeta. “Guardians are the best choice to help you conquer your powers, Hyukjae… they would know how to train you.”

Suddenly Hyukjae’s mind jolted up at Sungmin’s words, a great determination taking charge of his mind.

“I wanna go with the Guardians,” Hyukjae announced, voice steady and strong.

O-o-o-o-O

Donghae took a deep breath, in order to keep his emotions in control, before giving a sharp nod to the two Betas standing beside a humongous door, made out of pure copper with enticing designs carved with pure gold in it. The door opened to reveal a carpeted room, with shelf and shelves of books, journals, records, files and paperwork filled to the brim adoring the walls, an old oak table placed at one side of the room with a chair made out of same material as the fireplace under a mantle was roaring with fire.

A figure stood facing the burning fire, slightly crouched down to swirl the dry wood that the fire was taking far too long to eat up.

“You called Father?” asked Donghae, voice low and respectful. He was more than conscious of the fact that he was not only addressing his father but also the King of Wolvotaria, the most respected Werewolf on the surface of Wolvotaria at that moment.

The figure didn’t look startled or anything, as he slowly turned to face Donghae, his Golden rim eyes flashing in the low glow of the burning fire.

“What are you up to these days, my Prince?” The Golden Alpha asked his voice void of any emotions.

“Practicing. Just like you wished, Father.”

“Funny,” The Golden Alpha let out a dry chuckle. “I have been hearing otherwise from your trainers.”

The Silver Alpha kept mum, his Silver flashing eyes boring into the Golden ones of the King without any fear, as he waited to hear what his father wished to say… and let his anger out.

“Do not let the silver in your eye die,” The Golden Alpha advised, voice grave and serious. “The Moons has chose