That night seemed to be the longest night that the last pack of werewolves could have endured. The pools of cerise to dark red blood decorating the forest floors became the last imprints of some of the once strong monsters of the night, with their dead and castrated bodies lying lifeless on the cold ground.

This must come to an end now; the other wolves were being chased down by the deadly rippling silver bullets coming from Sehun’s piston, and somewhere deep down into the woods, the long anticipated battle between the two alphas, Kris and Kai, could have been just concluded with the latter losing it all: his pride, his life, and his love.

With Kris’ yellow amber eyes staring at his pale face, probably running out of blood from Sehun’s silver bullet and his opponent’s bite, Kai shifted his drooping gaze into Lu Han’s unconscious face. The blind student lying under the rogue wolf’s vigorous stature was all unaware of this, as Kai takes this last image of his beloved, wondering if Death’s tossing a coin whether to take his life first or Lu Han’s. Kai was fully aware that the two of them seem to be standing on the brink of life and death, that the balance that they had on stage while they were dancing was now vanishing, and in any moment they may fall down the abyss of nothingness.

Kai surely had a lot of regret as he stares at Lu Han’s blankness. What if at the first time they met, he had confessed his admiration to the blind prodigy right away, regardless if Lu Han would be crept out or not? What if he had taken a lot of time while they were practicing just to hold his soft hands and smell his alluring scent, guiding Lu Han’s waist as he regains his balance from several falls? What if he had not taken Lu Han at the abandoned museum where he had tasted his blood and discovered that he’s the legendary Deer of the Dawn which then lead to his own demise? What if he had just kissed his tender lips a little longer, savoured the sweet moment, and whispered a little more endearing words to his ear while they swayed to an unheard music under the moonlight? What if he had just been more aware of Lu Han’s movements and hugged him a little tighter as he slept sound and safe in his arms? What if he had just been too careful to dodge the silver bullets, and a little faster and stronger to protect Lu Han from Kris? What if he could just take this last moment to tell how much he loved Lu Han and how much sorry he is for he failed him?

These questions brought tears to Kai’s eyes, the clear liquid almost blurring his sight. If he could only turn back time, he would do everything to help and save Lu Han, his everything.

But it’s too late, for Kris turned his back on him and howled at the full moon as if recognizing his victorious Hunt and claim for immortality. Just like how his jaws unbolted that night at the rooftop, his sharp dagger-like canines once again pierced the blind student’s light skin drawing blood on its wake, but this time on his victim’s neck rather than his recovering hand.

“No!” was all Kai could muster to shout with his weakening throat, his fist clenching the air in front of him as he was lying on the ground, unable to move and do anything with his now useless body, as if trying to reach and salvage Lu Han from the anchors of Death and break its chains by halting Kris’ deadly bite with one quick snap.

Upon having Lu Han’s blood touch his palate, engorging his tongue with the taste of the fluid, and making its way through his yearning throat, Kris bit deeper intending to tear down the blind student’s neck and finally devour his heart, the only thing that would make him immortal. As he gashed on the flesh and veins on Lu Han’s neck, Kris had felt a surge of powerful energy course through his entirety, which made him piece more on his unconscious victim. And just like the first time that he had tasted the Deer’s blood that one night when he’s supposed to slay the blind student at the rooftop, all of the vitality became too much for Kris’ body in just a few moments, but unlike that time, he’s more than willing to endure the progressing verve of vigour all for his immortality. The rogue wolf had his jaws locked on the Deer’s neck even if his whole body seems to be burning by unseen surges of electricity, and this flow of drive may have him dead in just a snap but Kris had no intentions of stopping his claim of power and authority that only Lu Han’s heart could give him.

As Kris was struggling with his own shaking body but still keeping his grasping bite on his victim’s neck, he was suddenly baffled by hearing a loud cry from Lu Han, the loudest cry a victim of him could muster. Kai, on the other hand, had a small string of hope that Lu Han could survive this slay he was experiencing but that was crumpled into void as he realized that there is less to zero chances of the blind student to stand for himself from a monster as savage as Kris.

What happened next surprised both the wolves watching the besieged Deer of the Dawn.

Lu Han’s once blind eyes stared back at the full moon as if he was shouting for the glory of its shade, its once brownish irises resembling purity and innocence were now replaced with a flaming red flush tinting hell and blood in its very core. The eyes which once saw nothing can now grasp everything under the power of the moonshine.

With one quick swoosh of the nuzzled head of a monster biting upon his neck like it depends its life on it, Lu Han was able to push Kris almost as hard as to how Kai was also pushed a few moments ago by this same monster. Kris was perplexed as to how the blind student’s fragile-looking thin arms could exert strength like that, that he almost hit his back hard against an aging tree if not only for his agility to stand back up and regain his composure. Kris’ body ironically feels weak and powerful at the same time after the charge of drive given by Lu Han’s blood, his mongrel torso heaving heavily as he tried to comprehend what had just happened.

On the other side of the forest area, Lu Han was also heaving heavily, and it is not from the almost-dying scenario that had brought him to this secluded expanse in the forest where a lot of horrible things he failed to see had happened. Rather, he’s breathing just like how a predator is getting equipped to pounce on its prey. The tables have clearly turned as the real monster inside the Deer of the Dawn had been unleashed by the rogue wolf’s afflicting bite, its lycanthropic venom now curving though Lu Han’s every arteries and veins, making its way to his heart and brain that he had lost all sense of reality and illusion. His once meek and guiltless mind was now altered as to that of an atrocious monster ready to pounce on anything coming on its way, and in this case, Lu Han slowly became the predator and Kris was nothing but his poor prey.

As Lu Han’s now seeing eyes blazed like flames on circling bonfire, his once angelic voice growled and howled as he looked appraisingly up at the full moon as if embracing all of the power that it has to offer. In front of Kris and Kai’s very own eyes, Lu Han had transformed himself into a deadly werewolf, an evil creature of the night just like what they really are. The once small figure of the blind student was slowly replaced by a robust form standing on all fours, with the once delicate hands playing the piano now supplanted by clawed paws and the once beatific face that could launch a thousand ships was now reeking of horrific terror brought by the pincer-like canines. If not for the blood stains brought by the deep cuts and lacerations on his flesh, Lu Han’s wolf form would be white as snow, a first for Kai and Kris’ sights, contrasting with the pitch blackness of the night yet reflecting the magnificent pallor of the moon with every strand of its soft fur.

The disbelief can be clearly seen in Kai’s face and Kris’ yellow amber eyes. For all they thought throughout the years that the Deer of the Dawn would rise with its magnificent branch-like antlers and docile brown-plumaged advent, as told in the Legend of the Hunt, but neither of them had expected that Lu Han would transform due to affliction into this vicious white wolf upon Kris’ deadly bite.

“Lu Han?”

But the blind student turned white wolf could not recognize Kai’s asking voice, for his rubicund predator eyes were only set on his victim: Kris.

Lu Han’s size is comparable to that of Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, and Kris knew his wolf form was a lot bigger than this approaching opponent running towards his direction like a lightning in a vast storm. Even if that seems to be the case, he thought it would be better not to underestimate this newly born monster’s abilities after he remembered himself flying over with one quick push from the blind student upon his awakening. He readied himself in attack position, and within a matter of seconds, the rogue wolf and the white wolf had engaged in a noxious brawl of a predator against another who sees their opponent nothing more than a puny prey.

Kris was right. Despite Lu Han’s smaller physique, he’s obviously strong and fast like a monster who have been doing all of this for generations, which in fact surprised the rogue wolf for this new colossus just transformed before his very own eyes.

Like two puppies playing around, the two rolled several times down the ground, sometimes Kris towering Lu Han, and sometimes the latter on the steeple of the other. The only difference is that instead of joyous purrs, nothing but growls and howls of vengeance mix with the evening cicadas of the woods can be heard, piercing the once beautiful quietness of the midnight. Both of them try to harm the other using their bodily weapons, claws clashing against talons, canines biting against fangs. Kris was perplexed that Lu Han’s newfound knack of battle can still match his, even better than Kai or any other wolf he had encountered, but this will not make his motives to kill him falter.

Lu Han’s neck must’ve hurt, but Kris was surprised that his new enemy seems to be too fine to address the pain brought by his bite. The blood was still staining the almost perfect whiteness of Lu Han’s fur, and through time of their battle Kris had noticed that the crimson splotch tends to become bigger by the moment, signalling the wound to be still fresh and aching. The rogue wolf aimed for that same spot after he found Lu Han’s guard caught off.

With one successful tough bite, Kris’ canines had once again reached and lacerated Lu Han’s flesh which sent the white wolf howling in pain. The rogue wolf’s jaws locked his fangs deeper into the old and some new cut wounds, that this time Kris is more than willing to finally break his neck and have Lu Han’s wolf head neutered from its joints. However, the carnal instincts of a beast had Lu Han scratch Kris’ face, making its claws draw a few deep slashing lines along the crevice of his opponent’s left eye which had him free of the teeth clutching on his meat.

Kris’ vision is now partially soaked in the redness of his own blood, the smell of it reeking through his nostrils, and Lu Han’s entirety seemed to be a white daisy in the middle of a red rose garden, too beautiful that he should pick it and crumple it down the ground. With one agile tackle, Kris used all of his might which successfully sent Lu Han flying across the perimeter of this forest area which served as their battlefield.

Kris had expected Lu Han to lie still due to the impact of his fall, but he was once again stunned by the white wolf’s regaining for he immediately stood up on all fours, ready to attack once again.

As Lu Han was hurtling towards Kris, the rogue wolf had an evil ploy planned which will do him the greatest favour of all. Instead of running head-to-head with his opponent, he ran for Kai’s human body lying weakly on the ground. With that one significant bite of him on Kai’s left shoulder which had the other alpha crying in agony, he had swerved his head which sent the limp body towards Lu Han’s direction like how a piece of meat is sent down a cage holding the beasts in the city zoo. Within a matter of seconds, Kai and Lu Han had themselves rolling down the sloping ground due to the impact of the collision.

The white wolf once again stood up, his mongrel body now hovering over Kai’s almost unconscious body which had suffered a lot of injuries since the start of his brawl with Kris.

Kris had it all planned ever since Lu Han started transforming into a white wolf. Since he was too absorbed in gaining a lot of the power and eventual immortality from Lu Han’s blood and heart, he had lost control that he was already delivering a bite of affliction which eventually turned the Deer of the Dawn to a monster like them. This may have had him surprised and worried that he himself made it a lot harder to slay Lu Han, but an evil mind like Kris’ always comes up with the most malevolent tactics. He knew too well that a newly transformed werewolf will lose all of its sense of morality, and will have his uncontrollable instincts tell him to do nothing but hunt and kill. If he had found the chance, he’ll have Kai who’s too weak to fight and resist be the main attention to Lu Han’s beastliness, and once the white wolf becomes too busy with his new victim, he’ll grab the chance to devour him and gobble on his heart. It’s all in favour of Kris, and his plan is going as accordingly.

Now that Kris was out of the picture, Lu Han’s focus was fully diverted to the man lying beneath him. The beast controlling Lu Han made him unaware that this poor victim under him was Kai. Before the gruesome was set to occur, Kai regained his packed consciousness and stared at the blazing scarlet eyes of this monster and slowly searched for that innocent and pure Lu Han that he began to know. Despite the low and deep heaving growls of the white wolf above him, Kai had no fear and still stared at those devilish eyes, knowing that somewhere deep inside this beastliness, the love of his life is lying within just waiting to be rescued.

Just as soon as the white wolf bared its canines, ready to tear every flesh in Kai’s weak body which will then have Kris’ plan succeed, Kai called upon his name and tried to revive the untainted soul blocked by the venom brought about by this monstrosity.

“Lu Han… It’s Kai…” he whispered, but was only answered by another low bellow from the monster.

The white wolf seems to be unhearing all of these, its canines still ready to pounce on the fresh meat. The saliva dropping onto Kai’s forehead was a sign that the monster sees him only as nourishment and nothing more.

Kai knew Lu Han better than this, and he had known that Lu Han escalates though his words that it only made him more confident that he can make the white wolf listen to him.

Without any fear, Kai once spoke to the monster above him.

“Lu Han, I know you’re in there. You have to listen to me. This is not the real you.”

The white wolf growled once again, seems to be perplexed as to why his victim was talking to him, but Lu Han could not comprehend whatever he was saying for he’s summoned by this beast threatening his love.

Kai had heard the softness in that low growl, and he knows his words are working, that his verses makes its way towards the cages hiding the real Lu Han inside that hideous beast glaring its teeth ready to pounce on his very face at any moment.

He continued, “This is not the blind student that I remembered walking towards the stage and later on amazed everyone with his unbelievable mad piano skills…”

Kai noticed that the once staring set of red eyes boring a hole through his soul a few moments ago had dilated, and he’s not even sure if he saw its real brown irises beneath that bloodshot colour.

“This is not that reluctant blind student that once again astonished everyone while he danced ballet on the stage for the very first time, almost perfecting that impossible fish dive despite the foot injury…”

“This is not that blind student I took in the abandoned museum, all scared and serene at the same time, but seems to be calmed by the embracing quietness and silence…”

“This is not that blind student I danced with under the moonlight, to whom I confessed my love for…”

With those few words which seemed to be the lyrics finally heard by that alone blind student imprisoned inside the monster, the white wolf stopped growling. Its eyes were still staring at Kai’s pale face but it seems to be questioning himself, as if grasping every bit of memory down the lane and regaining his humanity.

“This is not the real you. This is not the Lu Han that I promised not to let him fall…”

Despite the eerie satiation of a monster hovering him, Kai smiled as he finally noticed that his words reached Lu Han’s pure soul as indicated by that crimson blood shade being unclouded by the real brown colour of Lu Han’s eyes.

“This is not the Lu Han that I love…”

The next drop of liquid on Kai’s face was not a globule of saliva from the foul mouth of a monstrous white wolf baring its canines, but rather teardrops from Lu Han’s brown eyes, his real eyes for the scorching crimson tint was now all gone from his spectacles.

Kai…

After gaining his humanity back, Lu Han was very stunned after realizing his startling transformation into a werewolf, and he still has this robust body as opposed to his petite one, white fur, deadly canines and sharp claws but now he got all his senses back including his sight.

Lu Han was crying upon realizing what happened after he ran into the midnight out of their tent, seeing a few of his friends dead shot lying lifeless on the ground, bathing in their own blood and ness. He knew he was the one to blame for their deaths, although he could not comprehend who did this to them, and who did this to him. The white wolf was also crying upon realizing what he intended to do to Kai who was lying beneath him.

I almost killed Kai.

Kai sensed all of Lu Han’s repentance and remorse, and he just knew what to say to calm him.

“This is not your fault, Lu Han. I know this is not the world you longed to see, not these horrible gore and blood. Do you see me? I’ll show you how beautiful the world really is outside this forest, after all of these is done, okay?”

Kai was still speaking to him about the marvels of the real world that he thought all along he’ll never see, but Lu Han was too preoccupied to take in the first beauty that this world that they’re living in could offer: Kai himself.

If not for his clawed paws, how badly Lu Han wants to caress and cup Kai’s face in his soft hands, his fingers gently tracing Kai’s forehead from his hairline down to the strong appeal of the bridge of his nose. He’s amazed by how his eyebrows were shaped perfectly, matched with his long thick eyelashes covering those eyes, oh those eyes which stared at him even at the moments when he failed to notice. Kai’s skin may seem so pale now, but Lu Han was not disappointed to see a hint of the tan that he always imagined how his complexion would look, bronzed like the ocean during the sunset. And his lips, if not only for this hideous nuzzle, Lu Han would kiss those plump lips tenderly, deeply, just like the other night in the daisy beds like he remembered. Despite the horrific depictions surrounding them, Lu Han was thankful for this moment he thought was impossible, finally came into life. He could stare at Kai’s grandness forever.

But forever was something that Kris thinks is only for himself, and not for anyone else, not for Lu Han and Kai above all. Upon realizing that Lu Han finally came back to his senses, Kris howled through the night and started running towards the white wolf. It was such a pity that his plan didn’t work out as planned, but he will take it to his hands to take all measures just for his immortality.

Upon realizing the rogue wolf’s momentum, Lu Han immediately turned his back from Kai and prepared for the worst. He may not want to hurt anyone, including this rampaging beast coming his way, but the tables have clearly turned because it was now Lu Han who’ll protect Kai.

Lu Han then ran towards the approaching Kris, and the two of them resembled the light and dark forthcoming at once during a total eclipse. Kai could not only watch, but he hopes that Lu Han’s injury would not distract him like what his did to him, and hoped for the best.

Neither of the three expected the two gunshots coming, one piercing through Kris’ skull and the other making its way through Lu Han’s chest. The silver bullets halted time, and once again all of the growling and howling stopped that only the night crickets can be heard in the woods.

Kai’s eyes almost bulged out of its sockets, and he intended to shout for Lu Han’s name but nothing but arid air came out.

Lu Han’s gone.

“Where’s Lu Han?!” a too familiar raging voice hollered at Kai from a distance.

Kai struggled to twist his head the other direction, but his eyes were fixed at the two werewolves now transforming back to its dead human forms. This has Sehun also fixed at the roots upon seeing Kris’ vasectomized head and Lu Han’s open blank eyes as they were lying on their now growing pool of blood.

“I… I killed… I killed him… I was supposed to save him… but I killed him.” Sehun whispered to himself as he realized what he has done to Lu Han. This made his knees feel weaker at the moment and he just fell kneeling on the forest ground, even his grip at the piston he’s holding was lightened.

Sehun ran his other hand to his hair and felt tears welling up in his eyes, just like how Kai’s eyes did.

While Sehun was blaming himself upon Lu Han’s death as his tongue was supposedly tied by itself, his fingers clutching onto his hair like it will take all the guilt away, Kai mustered all of his remaining energy to crawl towards Lu Han’s body. As much as his every bones and limbs were shouting for the pain they’re enduring, Kai still scuttled against the rough rocky part of the forest just to reach Lu Han’s body and claim its remaining warmth as life slowly sweeps out of his body.

Kai gathered all of his strength to sit up and gently carried Lu Han’s head to rest on his lap. His hands full of scratches mixed with the dirt from the ground and his own drying blood, cupped Lu Han’s now cold face and his slender fingers started to stray away the hair sticking to Lu Han’s forehead just like he always used to.

“Kai…” Lu Han coughed through the blood boiling in his throat, the taste almost touching its way up to his tongue that he almost vomited on his own fluid.

Kai just hushed him soothingly, as the screwing in his heart seemed to be tighter as he looked at Lu Han dying, as if it will ease Lu Han’s nightmarish agony to a sweet dream.

“This is it… I’m finally dying…” Lu Han smiled through coughs as if he was always ready to leave this Earth, and that made Kai cry even more.

Upon feeling Kai’s tears touch his face, Lu Han’s cold weak fingers reached for his lover’s cheeks and wiped the liquid away. “Don’t cry. I don’t want to remember a last image of you crying.”

Lu Han smiled as a few tears slid through the side of his face as his eyes crinkled. Kai smiled back despite the swelling in his own chest.

“That’s it. Show me your smile…promise me…” Lu Han coughed once again, now wincing through the pain brought by the bullets resting in his chest, “…Promise me that you’ll always be happy, even if I’m not by your side, okay?”

Kai nodded, still a bittersweet smile on his lips, although he knows that it will be close to impossible for him to find happiness without Lu Han in his life, for he is his only happiness. He felt Lu Han grew colder which made him hug him even tighter. Lu Han reached for his hand and held him just like the first time.

Lu Han was staring at Kai’s eyes, still amazed by its beauty, “Thank you for everything, Kai…Thank you for loving someone like me. I’ll forever be grateful.”

With that, Kai planted a kiss on Lu Han’s bleeding lips, not bothered by the smell of fresh blood on the other’s tender lips.

It was now Kai’s turn to stare at Lu Han’s eyes, for the last time, “I’ll always love you, Lu Han. Always.”

Kai kissed his forehead which made Lu Han close his eyes – eyes that will never open again.

Lu Han’s touch onto Kai’s hand seemed to be weaker and weaker until only coldness was only offered by the once radiant skin. Kai hugged Lu Han’s cold dead body even tighter as he was shaking his head, a few drops of his tears seem to be showering Lu Han’s face and reviving it back to life.

The silence of death taking Lu Han’s soul was interrupted by the clicking of a piston’s barrel.

Kai felt another sort of coldness touch the back of his head, and the circular hole boring through his hair confirmed that it was Sehun’s gun directed to shoot through his skull just like how the silver bullet killed Kris in an instant.

In between sniffs and tears, Sehun mustered all of his might to speak.

“I should’ve saved Lu Han from all of you. He shouldn’t have been dead!”

Kai kept still, for he himself had told the same phrases before, but miserably failed.

“Go on. Shoot me.” Kai said blankly as if all of his emotions also left his living body as Lu Han’s spirit left this world.

Sehun clicked his tongue just like the way he used to, as if mocking Kai, but he was just shaking his head.

“I only have one bullet left…” he informed.

Kai closed his eyes, prepared for his skull to be cracked just like how Kris’ was castrated.

“But I won’t use it for you. I’ll let you live a life without Lu Han by your side. That’s much more miserable torture, isn’t it?”

With one quick movement, Sehun opened his mouth and swallowed the tip of the piston’s barrel. He pulled the trigger, and the last sound of gunshot for the night was heard, followed by Sehun’s dead body meeting the forest ground.

With the night almost ending as the first ray of sunshine seeps through the mixing hues of indigo and auburn in the dawn sky, Kai hugged Lu Han’s body as tears keep flowing out of his eyes.

Now it was just him, the lone wolf.

A/N: I really had the urge to click that "Mark Story Complete" button after writing this last chpater, since I always intended this fanfic to have a very tragic ending. But I really want to let what you guys think of the ending because all of you, my ever supportive and kind and lovely subscribers, are the main reason why I kept on pursuing this story despite my very busy college schedule, and all of the issues regarding EXO which really had me very depressed for a specific period of time. You guys inspired someone like me, an aspiring writer working on his first fan fiction hoping for it to at least be a success, as much as this work of mine inspired all of you one way or another. I want to thank every single one of you for understanding and waiting through the very long hiatus, and especially to the ones who have been reading and subscribing to this fic since the very beginning. I know it's impossible for me to thank each of you personally, but I really appreciate all of your endearing words of support for me and my fic. An alternate ending is on the works, so please do upvote my story for me to be more inspired to finish the epilogue/alternate ending to this story for readers who are not a fan of tragedy. Again, thank you guys! Saranghae~ XOXO