The full moon emerged from its position behind the dark clouds and apart from the occasional cries from the creatures that lived within it, the forest was silent. Russet eyes watched as the moon’s light briefly illuminated the dark forest before it became hidden in the shadows again as another cloud covered the moon. Despite the darkness the boy caught a flash of brown dart by the castle wall before it disappeared into overgrown shrubs. A hand landed on his shoulder yet he barely moved, he didn’t even have to turn to know who it was.

“You’re never startled!” the other boy complained,

“Don’t you ever let your guard down?”

He turned russet eyes meeting mischievous crimson ones.

“I can’t afford to let my guard down, Baekhyun.” He answered voice void of any emotion. His pale hand reached up and pulled a leaf out of Baekhyun’s unruly hair. He crushed it in his palms until it was nothing more than dust.

“If I do who knows what will happen to you,” he said more to himself than to Baekhyun. Baekhyun frowned eyes no longer sparkling as he noticed his best friend’s unusual behavior.

“Kyung, what’s wrong? I was only gone for an hour... What happened?” Baekhyun’s questions were met with silence,

“Kyungsoo?” Kyungsoo ignored him and turned to look out of the window again.

“A lot can happen in an hour,” he whispered.

“Such as?” Baekhyun prodded feeling uneasy as the dark-haired boy finally turned to face him.

“Such as an engagement,” Kyungsoo answered making him frown.

“Between who?” He asked making Kyungsoo smile, it sent a shiver down his spine. The smile was nothing like the dazzling, warm, heart-shaped smiles the boy was widely known for, this smile was anything but happy.

“Between Wu Yi-“

“Wu Yifan!” Baekhyun cried cutting Kyungsoo off in shock,

“Oh I pity whoever is to be his partner! They’ll probably be treated like a slave,” he started to laugh.

“It’s me, Baek,” Kyungsoo said quietly, Baekhyun stopped laughing smile completely gone. He was quiet for a second.

“What is you, Kyung?” he asked slowly. He watched as Kyungsoo’s head lowered eyes b with tears.

“It’s me,” he repeated,

“Five months from today I will be his as he is to be mine, we will be united,” his voice trembled, Baekhyun felt something slip down his cheek surprising both of them. He wiped the tear away furiously.

“No, I will not allow it!”

“It’s too late, father told me the engagement was arranged even before my birth,” Kyungsoo told him in such a defeated voice it made Baekhyun’s blood boil, the one thing he hated the most was an unhappy Kyungsoo. He tried to repress the anger coursing through his body, his hands were clenched so tightly that his nails drew blood from where they were digging into his palm. Kyungsoo moved forward grabbing his hand.

“Stop it, you’re hurting yourself,” he said trying to uncurl Baekhyun’s fist. It only made Baekhyun angrier that the other boy was still worried about him and not himself, he pushed Kyungsoo away shocking the younger boy who stumbled backwards.

“How could they make you do such a thing?” he seethed as he paced the room, “how could they give you to that monster!”

Kyungsoo sighed suddenly looking very tired, he sat down and watched the brunette pace.

“It's to maintain peace between our two kingdoms,” Baekhyun snorted at Kyungsoo’s rehearsed excuse, “and Yifan is not as bad as you make him out to be.” Baekhyun came to an abrupt stop, eyes flashing dangerously.

“This is the same Creature that almost killed you five years ago! Who’s to say he won’t try again!” He snapped

“He thought I was a Were, Baek. It was a mistake, please keep your voice down,” Kyungsoo pleaded. Baekhyun got down onto his knees in front of Kyungsoo who was still trying to make light of the situation.

“Our union will bring more benefits-“

“Who cares about benefits? What about you? You don’t deserve this, they’re sacrificing your happiness for a promise that might not even be kept!” Kyungsoo wiped away Baekhyun’s angry tears keeping his own at bay.

“It is my duty to protect my people anyway that I can, I am the prince.” He told Baekhyun who glared at him,

“I cannot afford to only think of myself.”

“Then think of me!” Baekhyun yelled voice echoing around the circular room, wolves started to cry from within the forest.

“I am! You were the first person I thought about!” Kyungsoo said getting angry at Baekhyun’s stubbornness,

“I can protect you!” he continued voice shaking, the wolves started to howl and something flickered across Kyungsoo’s face,

“I can protect them” Baekhyun looked as if he wanted to protest again, but Kyungsoo beat him to it.

“Don’t you understand, Baekhyun? Yifan’s Kingdom is the one who produces all the hunters that hunt the Weres and lawbreakers. Not only will I be able to protect you, but I’ll also be able to go to sleep every night knowing they’re fine!” Kyungsoo said pointing towards the forest as he got up, Baekhyun following closely, he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down his face as he pulled Kyungsoo into a hug.

“I just want you to be happy.” he said holding Kyungsoo against him tighter.

“You know nothing will make me happier than knowing you all are safe,” Kyungsoo answered making Baekhyun sigh.

“Sometimes I just wish for you to be selfish Kyung, so you wouldn’t have-“ the sounds of howling drowned out what Baekhyun was about to say, he scowled as Kyungsoo pulled away to look outside.

“They’re becoming impatient,” he said pulling on a dark cloak, “we should go.”

Baekhyun sighed before nodding and following him out.