“Seems your has killed one of your own.” Xun commented.

Taejoon snarled, but took the information in. He took one of the vials sitting on the table, a moon shard placed inside. He could feel his wolf respond to the stone and shivered with delight from the power. He wasn’t stupid enough to succumb to the shard’s temptation.

So Kris and his so called allies wanted a war? A sick grin turned up the corners of his mouth. The er was too stupid to realize that the war had started long ago.

I woke up before anyone else, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. Kris was huddled close to me, his head resting on my back. I appreciated the touch, but it also felt restricting. Carefully, I got up, eyeing Kris for any signs of waking up. Luckily, he only shifted in his sleep. I needed . . . to breath, some space.

When I got a good distance between me and the army, I took off. I didn’t know where I was running and I didn’t care. Everything felt so wrong. Emotions roiled inside me, making my stomach sick and my mind race. After a while I stopped, absently realizing I was a pretty long distance from the packs. I began pacing back and forth, trying to sort through my feelings and thoughts.

“Taejoon . . .”

An image of the dead Were from before flashed in my mind and suddenly all I could see was Taejoon, limp and lifeless, oozing blood. And the image had me shaking. I had told Kris I could kill him, but I was now wondering if I could. Despite everything he had done, I was still attached to him.

I was going crazy. I was faced with two impossible choices at this point: kill Teajoon—because, despite Kris repeatedly telling me I didn’t have to do it, I felt I had to be the one to kill him—or run away. And when I mean run away, I meant from everything. Anger at me, at everything, well up inside me and I let loose a howling scream that rang through the forest. More than likely the packs all heard me miles away and probably woke everyone up. I didn’t care, I—

I was immediately on alert as the wind shifted and my nose caught the scent. Taejoon’s pack. Slowly they skulked out of the woods, teeth bared. They stopped a short distance from me, and though they outnumbered me four to one, I wasn’t afraid. I was angry and I could take them all. But then they spoke to me.

“Come . . . with.”

“Never!”

Growling filled the air. “Come. Or . . . pack die.”

What were they talking about? Suddenly the one talking to me hurled an image my way and I was knocked breathless from it. Minji, Junsu, Sumi, all terrified and battered. The anger that coursed through me was incredible and I actually felt it feed the wolf, making me grow that much bigger.

The others became nervous, but they didn’t move. Again, the phrase, “Come. Or . . . pack die.” was repeated. They wanted me to come and in exchange they wouldn’t kill my pack, my family. But how had Taejoon gotten ahold of them? How?

“Now!”

The actual thought of them harming those three physically hurt me. I tried of thinking of any way out, a way to kill them and—

“Try anything . . . kill.”

I bared my teeth and I was left with no choice but begrudgingly complying to their demands. They surrounded me, likely to conceal as much of my scent as possible. I snapped when they got too close and they skittered away, but came right back. They were terrified of me, but even more so of their master, of Taejoon.

Why was he so obsessed with me? I couldn’t think of a single reason why. But as we continued on our path, I started thinking. I was going to Taejoon, I would know exactly where he was and I would be close to him, very close. It was the perfect chance to talk to him, to figure him out . . . though saving him from himself was becoming a very faded dream by now. It was looking more and more like I would have to kill him, especially now that he had Sumi and her pups.

So I worked on steeling my resolve. After all, if I did try and kill Taejoon, I more than likely wouldn’t survive. Realizing this and not wanting my own pack, Kris and everyone else, to rush in and get injured and possibly die to on my behalf, I blocked all of them out. I knew that the moment they realized I was gone, they would panic, they would search for me and realize I had been taken. But Sergii and Connor and Suho would keep Kris and the others under control. They would make them see reason, that there was strength in numbers. They knew where they were going. They just had to pick up the pace.

There’s a slim chance that they’ll make it in time. With that worry out of my mind, I turned my attention to my approaching problem. Taejoon . . . this ends now.

The stench that surrounded Taejoon’s den made me sick and my nose burn with it. And in the layers of smells, I also caught wind of those damnable shards. Wolves snarled at each other, snapping and scuffling—if it could be called that. Some of the yelps I heard and wounds I saw weren’t from the ordinary tiff over rank. The wolves that were escorting me nipped at my feet as I slowed a little in disgust over what I saw. I whirled and bared my teeth, snarling and hackles raised. I was an Alpha and being treated like a misbehaving pup made my Alpha blood boil. The ones who offended my instincts quickly whimpered and scuttled back.

I was suddenly aware of the quiet and looked around to see almost every eye on me, but no one was snarling, no one was trying to defend their comrades. They just gave me blank looks. The wrongness that had seeped into my bones was that much more pronounced and my instincts told me to flee. I just didn’t understand how Taejoon had done any of this, how he knew about any of this.

“Just as fierce as ever.”

I turned and felt my heart clench as Taejoon walked towards me, the pack parting and steering clear of him. The pack did not love him, did not respect him—they feared him, but the fear was not a natural fear, it was something else.

And though I felt the fear seep into me from the pack, I refused to show it or let it deter me. I shifted into my human form and glared at Taejoon. He smiled and, I couldn’t believe it, it was a genuine smile, like he was happy to see me, like I was a long lost friend and not a current enemy. I had so much to say, so much to ask and understand, but all I could choke out was, “Why?

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

The war that was going on in my head was fierce. He was so close. I could kill him. But I wanted to understand. I had to understand. “This isn’t you, Taejoon. Why are you doing this? How could you do all this?” I gestured to the pack, the wrongness that no one could ignore. And then I remembered how they had forced me to come. “Where are Sumi and her pups? They better be okay.”

“They’re fine.” And then his smile turned sly. “They should be safe and sound at home. Probably having dinner and worrying about their little loved ones.”

His words didn’t make sense. “No. No, they’re here! Your subordinate showed me a memory of them!” And that’s the way it worked. The mind was a tricky thing. Images could be distorted by bias or perception, but they were always true if sent through a mental link. Always. If they weren’t, it was easily detected, which I had learned quickly while under Suho’s tutorage. And that image, that memory, had been true.

“I’ve unearthed some long forgotten, and forbidden, skills. They’ve come in handy more than a few times so far.” I felt my wolf press against my skin in indignation at having been tricked. And I felt the burn of humiliation at having been so foolish. I was so angry and humiliated I was speechless for a minute.

“I don’t understand. I don’t understand! Why are you doing this!? Why are you going to such lengths to get at me!?”

He stared at me. “Do you really not know?”

“Know? Know what!?”

“Who you house inside you, what demon you were cursed with.”

“I don’t—I was cursed with a lupine demon just like—”

“No. That’s not what I mean. Your demon, your specific demon, is a powerful one. Her name is Imara.”

“What does this have to do with any—how do you even know this?”

He smiled wide. “I have my ways.”

“The same ways you found all this forbidden knowledge?”

“Maybe. But back to the matter. You’re powerful and because you have this power, you’re able to sync with your wolf, become one with it.”

I scowled. None of my questions had been answered, none that mattered. “Why does that matter?”

“It means we belong together. I house her counterpart. Imshael.”

“That means nothing! Nothing at all! Why am I here!?” I demanded.

In an explosion I hadn’t seen coming, he shouted, “Because you’re mine! Everything you are is mine! Your mind, your body, your power! We can stand together! Together we are powerful, together we can rule over all this.”

“I don’t want to rule all of this! Not like this! Not ever! Taejoon, what happened to you!? This isn’t you. Look at what you’re doing! This isn’t right! You know that, I know you know that, so—”

“Right? Right?! And who is it that said what is right and wrong?” His face was contorted into something twisted and something about him made my wolf shiver with fear. He smelled . . . dark. Menacing. He took a threatening step forward and the other wolves were backpedaling away from him. “Who, Hyorim!? Those who have conquered and rule over us. Well I’m tired of playing by their rules, tired of being weak. It was being weak that allowed us to be attacked and turned into monsters. And I won’t allow anyone to hurt me ever again!”

And suddenly I saw him. Saw what had twisted him into who he was. He was me. He was scared of being weak, of being overpowered and being helpless again. Unlike me, he had no one to turn to, to coax him from his rage and fear. I could see it, see that he stewed and let everything fester and turn him into what he was. And I could also see that the Taejoon I was so desperate to see in him was in fact nowhere, was gone. He was . . . gone. Eaten away by his fear.

And, finally, I steeled myself for what I had to do. I realized I was outnumbered, that when I attacked, I was going to die. For a moment, I thought of Kris. I’m so sorry.

“You’re afraid.” I whispered.

He stiffened, but relaxed. “I was, once. But no more. I refuse to be afraid anymore. And you should too.”

Twisted, he was so twisted.

“I’m not afraid anymore. I haven’t been for a while.” I proclaimed. I took one step forward and I watched as his guard tensed. I let my wolf press against my skin as I readied myself. “You’re still afraid and it’s killed you, killed the you that I used to love. I thought you were still there, but you’re not. You’re a monster.”

Something in his expression changed and he looked . . . disappointed? Hurt? I wasn’t sure.

“I thought you would see, I thought out of all people, you would understand. And I think, in time, you will see. Take her to the outer ward.”

As soon as his men started for me, I shifted. I lunged forward and I watched as Taejoon’s expression showed surprise and then rage as his Alpha realized he was being challenged. And he shifted incredibly fast. He moved just enough so I missed his jugular and instead clamped onto his scruff. Snarling he whirled on me and attacked, his teeth barely missed my leg as I leapt back. I yelped as I felt one of his wolves clamp onto my haunch and in a rage, I broke free and killed him. Another came at me and I knew I didn’t have the time to deal with him or anyone else until I killed Taejoon. I leaped over him and lunged at Taejoon. I tackled him and we were a ball of fur, claws, and snapping teeth as we struggled with each other. I don’t remember how, exactly, but I winded him and stood over him, teeth bared. 

But I had no opportunity to tear out his jugular. Next thing I knew, I was floating in the air. I snarled and thrashed, unnerved with no ground beneath my feet. The invisible force holding me made me turn and I saw a new person and he smelled nothing like the rest. He wasn’t a Were. But I knew his underlying scent—it was the same as Ai Li’s. He was a witch.

“So you’re the causing all the trouble. You know, things would have gone a lot smoother had you just submitted to your demon.”

I snapped my teeth at him, struggling to break his hold. But I knew little to nothing about how to combat a witch. But I refused to accept defeat. Not now, not when I was so close. This one was odd looking and gave off an odd vibe. His face was covered by a hood and cowl that shadowed just about all of his face. But he was tall and he smelled ancient, reminiscent to Jaejoong, and darkness, the same darkness that had consumed Taejoon.

And then I realized. It was his fault. Taejoon couldn’t have fostered such a surreal and unnatural darkness in him. He had to have had help. I struggled harder, but then I felt something tear into my leg and I howled in pain and fury. And then I wasn’t a wolf anymore and I knew what had happened—Wolf’s Bane.

Taejoon went and stood beside the witch. “I didn’t need your help!” He snapped.

The man bowed his head in acquiescence, “I’m sorry, my Lord. She has had an uncanny amount of good luck and I didn’t want everything you’re working for to be ended by luck.” He was acting submissive, like Taejoon was in charge, but I could see, I saw him. He was the shadow king, pulling the strings. And I bet that he was the one supplying all that knowledge to Taejoon.

“He’s manipulating you!” I shouted.

Taejoon and the witch turned their attention on me.

“He follows my orders. He’s nothing without me.” Taejoon snarled. “Take her to the ward.” He turned and walked away.

“Taejoon!” I screamed at his back. “Taejoon! Listen to me! Taejoon!” But he was so far gone, he didn’t hear me. I glared as I watched the witch approach me. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”

He spread his arms out, pulling down his cowl so his mouth was exposed. He was smiling and his teeth were unnaturally sharp. “You may try. Many have and so far, none have succeeded. Though I must say you’re rather perceptive. You caught on to the connection rather quickly.”

“Who are you!?”

“Why, Imara hasn’t told you? Or is she so far gone into her human sympathies that she’s hidden that from you?”

“Answer the ing question!”

“I don’t have a name. But that boy thinks I am named Xun. And I find it rather laughable. You see, in my tongue, that means Lingering Darkness. I rather like it. I may even decide to keep this name.” He pulled the cowl back over his mouth. “As it stands, you’re in the way of a plan I have been crafting for a while now. You’re distracting the boy from what I need him to do. And that just won’t do.”

“Then why don’t you just kill me?” I snapped.

He paused. “You may yet prove useful. But enough talk. I find I rather detest your voice. So. Go to sleep.”

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Holy crap, I'm back. I feel awful how I left so many of your hanging :(
Life has handed me a few curve balls that I didn't handle so well, so sorry for the year (?) long hiatus. 

I decided I wanted to finish this, one way or another. I'm still not happy with how it's turning out, but I figured I owed it to the people who actualy LIKE this story to have a COMPLETE story. I cranked this chapter out and, honestly, I think it lol.

BUT. As usual. I would LOVE feedback (critiques especially). Tell me if something is confusing or doesn't make sense or seems out of place/out of nowhere or if it isn't believable or if I had bad grammar or WHATEVER.