[CONTENTID1]CHAPTER FOURTEEN[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]CONFESSIONS [/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]One for three.

Since he was not allowed to confess, his son reverted to speaking in code. "One for three" or rather "One four three" meant "I love you" in English. And he got her to say it, if only for him to hear her say those words to him.

Tae Hyun tamped down his urge to throw his son a sly look. He wouldn't dare interrupt or deny him this moment. It was already cruel of him to forbid his son to openly show his heart. Still, he couldn’t allow him to act on his feelings either until the documents had been processed for the dissolution of her adoption, or it would put them on shaky ground with the law.

His heart constricted as he was reminded of what he was set to do. And it broke his heart every time he would think of the day he tells her the truth. But it must be done.

It had taken several sleepless nights for him to fully accept the idea of his son and daughter being mates. But as their father, he would stand by them and support them all the way.

"That was hardly a bite," Jong In complained but Soo Jin shifted to her left, deeply focused on the wall behind his desk.

He almost laughed at how she reminded him of his wife. He had been watching them in silence, feigning interest on his food. His son still had a lot to learn when it comes to women, especially his mate. Perhaps another father-son talk should follow soon.

But it is clear to him now that his son is a very good mate to Soo Jin. Jong In's reaction was more than what he expected when he purposefully vocalized Soo Jin's loss of appetite. His clever "One for three" scheme had her eating the food he had chosen for her. It is inherent for male werewolves to care for their mates and his son ranked high in that regard.

Sometimes or most of the time, male werewolves are over-bearing but their mates always know how to handle them. Ignoring him rather than starting another pointless discussion put Jong In in his place. Soo Jin had proven once again why she was chosen as his mate. No one could ever tame Jong In and his wolf or ever come close to understanding how Jong In is wired other than Soo Jin.

The fates were never wrong. And before him, was another perfect match.

"Quit it Jong In. I mean it!" She swatted his hand away and glared.

"Oh you don't mean it really..." Jong In grinned, and it matched the light in his eyes at that moment.

Warmth filled Tae Hyun’s chest. Oh, he was no stranger to his smiles but the happiness reflected on his son’s face is different and far more radiant. He couldn’t stop the pull in his own lips.

"Stop it! I am not talking to you for the rest of the day!”

"Oh come on, that's not fair!"

Her brother had not been so insufferable and her emotions had not been in such a tangle that she didn't know what to do with herself. Breakfast had never been this stressful.  The right side of her face and neck heated under his watchful stare. And her scalp prickled. But she focused on her food, with all the discipline she could muster, and forced herself not to look his way. She was determined to ignore him for the rest of the day.

His phone rang and she felt some relief that his attention shifted. If only the latter could be said about her.

He should have left the room if he didn't want me to hear his end of the conversation.

"Now? Okay... I'll just finish breakfast and...” He lifted his gaze and caught her staring. He grinned and she looked down on her plate, silently berating herself.  There goes her threat. That’s why her brother never takes her seriously. She could never stay mad at him for long and he knew that – even took advantage of that.

“Yes… yes. See you later."

He ended the call shortly after and she could hear the smile in his voice. "I have to go back to uni for this semester's registration."

She nodded, although a bit unsure why he was telling her and not their father.

"Finish your breakfast and-"

Holding up a hand, she interrupted him and said, "I can manage. You should finish yours."

He regarded her a tad bit longer than necessary that she couldn’t stop herself from jabbing the rice with her chopsticks. She was not a child to be looked after.

"I'll return as soon as possible. Call me if you need anything. I'll ask Yoochun to-"

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "Just eat."

Breakfast was soon over and she started piling the empty plates back into the cart. Jong In reached for one, but she stopped him. "Someone's waiting for you. You should go now. I'll take care of this."

"Taemin... yes. But he's always late, anyway." He tossed her one of his cheeky smiles and evaded her hand that reached for the plate he was holding.

She sighed and let him do as he pleased. There was no stopping him anyway.

The coffee table was cleared and the cart was stacked with plates, bowls, glasses and utensils, despite her brother teasing her every chance he got.

Jong In reached for the cart handle and pushed it outside the room before she could take a step towards it leaving her with their father.

He had been quiet the entire time, deep in thought. No doubt he was rehashing the early morning incident. It was another close call with the enemy. She hoped he wouldn’t take all the blame. Jong In was like him in that regard.

"Dad, I'll be going ahead," Jong In called from outside the room. "Soo Jin..."

She tilted her head to the side and saw him waiting. "Take care," she said and waved.

He parted his lips, as if about to tell her something, then shook his head. "Yeah, you too. See you." He lifted a hand and left.

The door closed behind him and she was left standing between the coffee table and the huge mahogany desk. Behind it, her brooding father sat. She put a foot forward while her heart thudded in her chest.

"Dad,” she started, hesitating. He rested his gaze on her and she swallowed the dryness that formed in . “Do you still... have time?" 

It’s not that she was afraid of talking to him. It’s just that she felt ill prepared in starting this conversation about Jong In. She’s not in the habit of tattling about her siblings.

A smile appeared on his face and he beckoned her to come closer. "Sure, anything for my princess."

"Dad," she whined and took a step back. But some of the tension on her chest eased off.

"Okay, okay,” he soothed and patted the arm of his leather chair. “You are my princess. There is nothing wrong with your father calling you princess. So, what is it that's bothering you?"

"Don't be too hard on him," she blurted and then shied away from her father’s probing gaze.

"Ahh, Jong In. Why would you think that?"

She lowered her eyes and studied the lines in the palm of her right hand. “He can be a bit too much at times but he's going through some… changes. I... He won't tell me anything. But perhaps he would go to you, if you were a bit more..."

"More?" he prodded.

"More understanding?" She lifted her gaze and saw a wrinkle form on his forehead. She immediately clarified, "Not that you aren't already. But you have to give him more than the usual. He's... He's troubled or confused." Her hands lifted and fell and her gaze shifted to the family pictures lining up the wall. She scanned each one until her eyes settled on her brother’s portrait. "I don't know what. He's not okay."

Slowly, she turned her head to see her father's reaction. He was smiling – a real, beaming smile that took up most of his face.

"Wha- Dad... I'm seriously worried about him!" She got on her feet and folded her arms.

"I know."

"And that makes you happy?" Her head canted to the side.

He nodded and she caught a glint of mischief in his eyes - a trait that was passed on to his sons. Whatever he was thinking or planning, she wasn’t sure she was going to like it. But like her brother, her father is full of surprises and there’s no use of coaxing him to share his secret.

She sat back on the wooden arm of his chair and wrapped her arms around his shoulder. "I always think of you. I hope you know that. I missed you and mom. Everyone. It's nice to be back."

He hugged her back. “We missed you too. I missed you.”

“You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself either, Dad,” she mumbled in his chest. “You are the Alpha but we’re your pack. We help each other.”

 He drew in a shaky breath, and she waited. But instead of continuing their conversation, he asked, “Were you scared?”

“Yes.” His hold tightened. She patted his back before she pulled away from his arms to continue what she was about to say. She needed to feel the solid floor underneath her feet. She knew she would have to tell her father about that night – was expecting it. The memories were still fresh that she didn’t have to dig deep but it was difficult nonetheless. However, looking at her father’s eyes, she found her strength and the words just flowed. “At first, I was really terrified, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t move… as they beat him. I even told my captor that I’ll go with him if they leave Jong In alone."

His sharp intake of breath gave her pause. Flecks of amber appeared in his eyes and veins protruded along his neck and arms as he tilted his head to the ceiling. She got to her feet to call for help, when his eyes cleared and looked directly at her.

"Go ahead.” His voice was rough and strained.

She nodded and rubbed circles on his back, until his breathing returned to normal. This was harder on him than she thought. "I was desperate, I couldn’t stand to see them hurting him. I’d do anything they ask. And then I heard a loud crash. Jong In slammed two werewolves into a tree. He gave me the courage I needed. I remembered my defense training with Yoochun oppa. I followed his instructions as if he were coaching me… until I… I… pushed the werewolf...."

Her father's calloused fingers brushed her cheeks gently. “Shh…” Tears had started flowing without her noticing.

“You had to do it to survive, for Jong In… don’t blame yourself for what happened to him.” His voice was deep and reassuring, just like his love.  And it seems like taking the blame runs in their family.

She wiped her cheeks and met her father's unflinching gaze. “And then Kim Jaejoong appeared. I am just a pawn for him. A means to an end. He told me so… whatever that means."

His hands opened and clenched. A deep shade of red colored his face while his amber eyes flashed. But she remained seated and held his left hand – large and strong, yet gentle.

"About Kim Jaejoong... did you…” He breathed in deeply. “Notice anything strange about him?"

"I know you find it hard to believe me. The Elders-"

"I don't care what those bunch of old men think." He laughed, but it sounded more like a growl. "Was there anything odd about him that night?"

"That's a tricky question. He’s odd. He's always so careful with his words and every gesture seems rehearsed. But the way he looks at me creeps me out." She shuddered, feeling the heat of his gaze on her.

"Shh... I got you." It was her father's turn to rub her back and she let him pull her into his chest. His familiar scent washed over her and his warmth made her feel safe. Memories of her tucked against his side as they read a book flashed before her eyes. "He won't come near you ever again." He planted a kiss on top of her head.

"I just know it's him and not some doppelganger. To me, he felt the same. The difference is that he was no longer hiding his true nature," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the fabric of his shirt.

"Shh... that's enough. It's okay. I believe you."

The strong and steady beat of his heart anchored hers. The fear that gripped it a while ago, loosened its claws and soon enough, she was no longer scared.

After a few moments of silence, she pulled away, her nose scrunching. "I can't believe I kissed him."

"I’ll make him pay for that,” he growled and slammed the table with his fist. She wondered how many beatings the table can take before it finally breaks under the force of her father’s fist. “If Jong In does not beat me to it,” he added thoughtfully.

His brother went ballistic at the caves when she recounted what happened to her. She caught the words “first”, “bastard” and “kill” in his incoherent tirade.

“That's not a kiss,” her father added with such indignation, bringing her thoughts back to the present.  “Your brothers would agree with me on that. Let's not talk about it or I won't be responsible for what I accidentally project to the pack."

"Dad!" She slapped him in the chest and that only made his chest rumble in laughter.

"But something was definitely not right with him,” she said thoughtfully. “I am no match for a werewolf but I was able to give him a hard time. Managed to escape twice too."

"That's my girl."

She felt her back straighten at the pride in his voice. "I expected that he would transform into a wolf and-"

"-he didn't?"

"No. Maybe he didn't need to because I'm human. Maybe he did, I just didn't notice...” She shrugged, mirroring the confusion etched on his face. “... like how he just vanished in front of me when the EXO pack arrived."

"The EXO pack's trackers reported that they saw him but didn't catch his scent. He had no scent, in fact."

"Really?” Her brows shot up. “How about my dress?"

"I’m going to pound him.” He demonstrated what he was planning to do on the table. “What else did he do to you?” His eyes blazed once again.

“Dad, nothing happened.” she soothed, rubbing his hand. It wasn’t entirely true but he didn’t have to know the details. He opened his mouth in protest but she countered him. “The dress?”

His eyes narrowed. “Nothing there as well, except for that potion."

Another sigh escaped her lips. "I wore it because I thought it was a gift from you and mom."

"It was. Your mother had it tailored for you- even the sandals.”

Her eyes widened as a smile curved his lips. "Oh daddy. I really loved it!” She hugged him. “Such a shame though-“

“Don’t worry. There’s more where that came from.”

She released him from her hold and tapped her chin. “Hmmm… but now that I have graduated… I think it’s time for me to find work.”

“What for?” His brows shot up to his hairline, at the same time his tone rose.

“I’m going to send in some applications starting tomorrow,” she continued, as if she didn’t hear him.

“You can’t go anywhere until we have eliminated the threat against your life.” His tone offered no rebuke. “You are safer here… at home.”

“We’ve talked about this before daddy,” she soothed. “Sooner or later, I would have to live on my own. I am not leaving the compound, just maybe stay in one of the apartment units.”

“You don’t have to,” he groused. “Stay here.”

“I need some independence now that I have graduated. Besides, aren’t you happy, that I won’t be depending on you for money?”

He huffed and refused to hold her gaze.

“Come on, daddy.” She curled her hand around his and squeezed. She leaned closer so that they would be face to face but he turned his`head to look outside the window.

“At least until we get to the bottom of this; until we catch the culprits,” he said after a while. His tone told her that they still haven’t reached an agreement. Good thing she anticipated this.

“Hmmm… I’ll ask Changmin oppa if he has-“

“Ah, yes. You can definitely work at the greenhouse.”

She hid a grin. Soo Jin, one. Daddy, zero.

‘Why do we have to do this?’

‘You know why,’ he groused. The last thing he ever wanted was to be apart from her. Getting a diploma didn’t rank high in Kai’s list of priorities and Jong In was starting to have the same list. Back then, he knew how important it was to finish his studies but now, everything falls to insignificance in her presence. If not for his father who would beat his if he quit and his desire to impress her with a degree, he wouldn’t even show up. ‘Don’t even ask. Let’s just get this done and over with.’

‘The sooner, the better. Where’s that lazy anyway?’

The answer to Kai’s question arrived in an entourage of giggling and squealing girls. He stood in the middle of all the attention and thrived in it. Gone was the awkward teary-eyed boy he first met and was replaced with this dark haired, ladies’ man in designer clothes.

“Jong In!” Taemin acknowledged him with a raised hand. All eyes turned to him, their inviting smiles inviting another headache. Even before he recognized his mate, he never got interested in any of them but they were persistent.

Kai chuffed and buried his head between his paws. ‘Do we really, really have to?’

Sadly, he shared the same sentiment.

“I haven’t seen you since the semester ended.”

Taemin’s comment drew a frown on his forehead. He knew where he was.

“I’d say you found yourself a girl.”

Jong In stiffened.

“You sly dog.” Taemin slapped him on the back and Kai growled in protest.

‘I’m not a dog! How dare he call us that?!’

It was too late for him to realize that his reaction didn’t go unnoticed. He was being silly. Of course, no one knew about Soo Jin being his mate. 

“Where are you hiding her, huh? When am I going to meet her?”

Kai bristled but Jong In kept silent, no matter how annoying Taemin and the girls were. He couldn’t deny her but he wouldn’t reveal it just yet.

Taemin was undeterred. “Oh come on! You act like we’re not friends! I won’t steal her away from you.”

‘The nerve of this human! No one steals from us!’

“Quit it. You knew I was home this entire time.” He didn’t wait to hear Taemin’s reply and he didn’t respond to any of his calls.  

‘Let’s get the hell out of here,’ Kai grumbled and he couldn’t agree more.

Enrolment went smoothly for Jong In. But Kai still complained why they had to wait for Taemin when they could’ve done it by themselves. Jong In didn’t argue. He was more focused on reaching home as soon as possible. It has only been three hours but he missed her already. Besides, there was something he wanted to see.

Kai quieted and settled in a comfortable position as they both recalled what happened earlier.

The image of her glaring at him and the sound of her disgruntled voice made him grin. He didn’t dare hope but there was something there.

‘Are you certain? I didn’t scent jealousy in her,’ Kai noted.

‘Because she wasn’t jealous.’

Kai canted his head. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘Exactly. She was confused. I sensed her confusion and her annoyance. She didn’t like me with another female and that confused her. And that means, she might be feeling the pull now.’

‘I desperately want to believe you.’

‘You’ll see.’

He knew he was smiling like an idiot but he couldn’t stop it even if he tried. H