“King, that is Seonjang,” Steel says. "The Werewolf that has been causing trouble."

Seonjang? I’ve never heard them mention that name in my presence. “How could he be a Werewolf, he doesn’t have a chain?” But, that was the last thing on our minds as the man– or Werewolf, just declared war on the leaders of this country.

Yet, his words brought no alarm. “Don’t be ridiculous. War? Against all of us?” another King shouted.

“Sure.” Seonjang casually shrugs his shoulders. “A new world order– whatever you want to call it.”

New world order?

Those were the same words left by the Werewolves we long captured before they passed. 

…He controlled them. And it is only now that I understand the significance of this individual. I looked down at Jongup– everything makes sense –the way Jongup had reacted to the sight of him. This was the man that made him like this.

Yet again, his words were of no cause for dread it seems. 

My father moves to his feet and leans over the railing. “You’re Seonjang," he announces so the other royals would be aware.

The statement spurred sudden attention from the named Werewolf as a small smirk made its way upon his lips. “You know of me?”

This time, the name incited some worried looks. 

I held my gaze upon the Werewolf at the center of the arena.

“Someone remove him immediately,” another royal orders. Just as the words left his lips, his Knights leaned forward to mention something to him.

“It’s best if we don’t make any hasty movements, King,” Bronze advises my father. “We are still surrounded.”

“That wouldn’t be good for anyone," Seonjang agrees.

Our eyes move upward. There, upon the edges of the top of the coliseum, are countless Lone Werewolves lying in waiting for an order. They didn’t have any chains around their necks either.

“If you all are underestimating our power, you’re very mistaken,” Seonjang continues. “You would be no match for us– you idiots have taken out almost your entire force just from this moronic event today.” He looked around. “How many can actually still fight?”

Silence fills the arena– everyone knew how correct Seonjang’s statement was. Maybe that’s why he chose to come today.

“Well, I guess you all can relax a bit.” He clears his throat. “I don’t intend to do anything today. I only came with a message... I’ll give you two weeks to make a decision since I know your little brains need a bit of time.”

My father looked elsewhere, noticing something off to the side. “King Wonwoo, please calm down.”

Ignoring my father’s words–, “Put him down,” King Wonwoo ordered his Knight and following the direct command, the Knight hustled down into the arena while Seonjang motioned his own forces. The Lone Werewolves rush in and jump into the crowds of spectators. The chaos soon overtakes the environment as my father’s Knights immediately move in to cover my father and I. Jongup remained still, directly in front of the railings. 

I reached out and placed my hand on his shoulder. “You are no longer a part of his pack. You are our companion now.”

“Why would you attack the people?” a King shouted.

“How can you lead if there are no people to rule over?” Seonjang casually says while avoiding King Wonwoo’s Knight’s attacks. 

“Protect the citizens,” my father orders his Knights.

“What about you, King?” Steel questions.

“Sterling is here with us,” my father answers. “Now, go.”

Separating in different directions, the Knights went off to fulfill their orders. Almost immediately, Daehyun appeared beside me. He was in no shape to fight but I knew his circumstances weren't going to hinder him.

“Where’s Yongguk?” I questioned before Daehyun pointed down into the arena.

Following the direction of his finger, I found Yongguk targeting Seonjang as he charged forward. Yet, something stood out to me. That expression on Seonjang’s face. He was smiling at the sight of Yongguk.

A scream soon distracts me and I look away. “Daehyun, I know how you feel about humans but–,“

“Don’t say it,” he states while keeping his eyes peeled at the surroundings.

“There are people who need you more than I right now.”

My answer prompts a look of unhappiness from the Knight. “If you get hurt while I’m gone–,"

“I have Jongup.” 

He inhales a breath before leaning down. “Hey, beast.” Jongup blinks back from his trance. “You focus, do you understand?”

He nods his head once and it satisfies Daehyun, who immediately rushes off to help the civilians. 

My father and I looked toward the exits but only see crowds of people pushing against one another to get out. “Father, what should we do?”

He looked around. “Sterling.”

Jongup, still new to the name, doesn’t react the first time. “Jongup.” With his attention of me, my father continued.

“Can you break down that wall? Make it larger so people could get through.” 

Understanding what he needed to do, he shifted and quickly got to work. He launches himself upon the stoned wall and begins digging through the thick barrier. Both my father and I move forward.

“Everyone, please calm down!” my father shouted but the civilians were so lost in their state of panic that they couldn’t hear such sensible words.

From above, we hear a loud crash that sends stones falling to the ground. I placed my hand above my head to shield myself from the rain of pebbles before looking upward. A Knight and a Lone Werewolf had tossed one another into the side of the coliseum. My eyes catch sight of the large jagged piece of the stoned wall becoming loose.

“Everyone, get away from here!” I shouted. “We can’t stand here!” My worries get lost in the chaos and I get shoved backwards as the people swarm around the entrance, focused on their useless effort on escaping. 

“Haewon.” My father held onto me.

We both looked up and the thing we feared most happened. The stone detaches and I push myself up off the ground–, 

And I saw it happened. I saw my father run forward– toward it, not away. And I could have kept a grip on him but my hand only managed to skim the sleeve covering his arm. The civilian standing directly below it is pushed aside while the immense boulder pounded into the ground and a cloud of dust flies through the air obscuring my view. 

“Father!” I run through without a hint of direction as fear rose up my throat. “Father!”

When I was met with no answer, my eyes begin to blur. I stopped in front of the stone and a loud sob fell from my lips when my eyes reached the bottom. The sight rendered me stiff and every breath that wanted to leave my lips felt stuck. The air that that was supposed to keep me alive was the very thing choking me. 

I placed my hands on the stone and with all my strength, I tried to shove it off my poor father’s body. “Father, you’re okay. I’ll just–," I found it hard to even speak as the sight only made dread eat away at me. The man from before moved to his feet without realizing what had happened. His state of mind was too focused on finding a route out of the disordered coliseum. “Sir, please help me.” I found him through my tears. Expecting him to aid me save the one person that protected his life, I found myself disillusioned. 

“Get off of me.” His harsh shove sends me to the ground.

Watching him rush away caused my mind to draw a blank as the sounds around me grew distant. My pants were the only things I can hear. I looked to the side to find my father still crushed underneath the boulder–,

“Yongguk!” a scream that I never heard before in my life left through my lips. 

Was it desperation?

Was it terror?

“Yongguk!” 

“Princess.” He appeared before me with an unrecognizable look. What did I look like for him to have that kind of frightened expression?

My mouth move but could produce no sound at first. I point over with shaking hands. “Save him. Save him now.”

Without any hesitation, Yongguk scrambles over and removes the stone in one movement and I push myself up on my feet once more and run over. I drop to my knees where a pool of crimson surrounds his body. 

Slowly, my father’s eyes opened into slits and he looked up at me.

“Haewon.”

Hearing his voice should have brought relief but why did tears only fall? Did I understand the impending doom?

“You’re okay,” I softly said.

“Hero’s here, Princess,” Yongguk hurriedly said.

“Father, you’re okay.” I reached down and grasped his hand as gently as I could in fear of hurting him further. “Just a small injury.” Did I say that lie more to comfort him or myself?

The expression on his face told me how much he didn’t believe my words.

“Hero will treat it, and it’ll be fine,” I continued.

“King.” Hero appears and kneels down beside my father’s mangled body. His eyes scan the injuries that are slowly draining my father.

“One moment, Hero," my father said.

“No, let him take care of you.” I hurriedly looked toward Hero.

“Haewon, listen to me–," a stream of blood spilled from the corner of his lips.

“No, not now.” I quickly stopped him. “Tell me later.”

“I should tell you now.” 

“Why can’t you tell me later?” Another sob slipped from my lips.

“Princess, please let the King finish," Yongguk gently said from behind me but that only reinforced the thought that the end was nearing and I couldn’t have that.

It couldn’t end like this.

“Haewon, you’ll be okay–,” he takes another gasp of breath. “You are so… lucky to have so many people beside you.” 

“Please, father.” I dropped my head and held his hand tightly. Not allowing him to slip away from me. 

“You’ll be okay,” he repeated once more.

And I waited. I don’t know for how long but I waited for more words to follow. Maybe the chaos in the background was too loud or maybe my thoughts were.

Or was it my crying?

All I remember was holding his head against my chest but this overwhelming pain kept me from thinking about anything else. 

Woobin’s father noticed our devastating situation and shouted, “Seonjang! You have killed the one man that would have been on your side!”

Seonjang’s expression doesn’t change by the news. “You all did. I wasn’t going to fight– you all did that.” He looked over at me. “But, at least his daughter is still alive.”

Yongguk knelt down before me. “