Jinki set the tray in a corner, not even bothering to see what the cook, a wiry man named Zhoumi who had a flare for spicy entrees, had come up with tonight. Pacing, Jinki finally grabbed an armchair and rotated it before taking a seat, his eyes locked on the screen Minho was changing behind. He felt impatient.

Eventually, Minho came from behind the screen, humming as he towel dried his hair. He was tall and rugged, his long frame blotting out the candle light from the corner, casting a shadow across the room. He was shirtless save for a liquid filled phial on a thin chain around his neck and the gold and burgundy robe covering his shoulders. A pair of cotton pants were perched on his hips, a hint of dark hair peeking just above the hem. Jinki stared, his gaze riveted to Minho, his chest hurting like he couldn’t breathe, as if he needed Minho like he was his next breath, his heart racing so hard he was sure Minho could hear it

Suddenly, Minho looked up from between the folds of his towel. “Jinki…your heart…” Minho said quietly, his hand coming to his chest. “I can feel your heart. Are you…are you okay?

Jinki fought the grin threatening to take over his face. So he was imprinting on Minho.

“You’re gorgeous, Minho.”

Minho pulled the towel from his head and it fell across his shoulder. “Say that again,” he said and something in his tone lit a fire low in his belly.

Jinki stood and prowled across the large room until he was standing in front of Minho.

“You are gorgeous.”

He reached across them space between them, maybe some kind of symbolism as to how the space between them had shrank and slid his hand behind Minho’s neck, his thumb rubbing the nape of his neck. “You’re so gorgeous.”

A grin hung low on Minho’s lips as he took a small step forward. “You’re not so bad yourself,” he breathed.

Jinki’s gazed dipped to his Minho’s lips before shooting up to his eyes, as if he were asking for permission, as if he were making a decision. Minho made the decision for him, closing the space between them, his hands landing on either side of Jinki’s face to pull him in for a kiss.

Jinki stood stock still, shock riveting him to the floor in realization that Minho had kissed him, first and again, but his inaction made Minho pout. “Again, this is not the reaction I look for when I do this,” Minho murmured against Jinki’s lips.

“I’m surprised you’re looking for a reaction at all,” Jinki droned coolly, a brow inching towards his hairline.

Minho gaped. “Are you kidding me?” he whispered furiously, his lip hitching. “What? Is it going to take a map with a gigantic arrow pointing towards my for you to–“

Jinki grinned before he pressed forward, his hands sinking into Minho’s hair, his full lips crashing against Minho’s round ones as he crowded him against the wall behind him, their movements knocking the screen over. The screen clattered to the floor but it was an afterthought because most of his attention was too focused on his tongue in Minho’s mouth, the taste of berries, maybe wine, heavy in his mouth. Minho whined as Jinki’s hands drifted from his hair, down his body to grip his hips, bruising as he pressed him harder up against the wall. He fought with his robe, yanking it off, until his arms were bare and free.

Jinki tried to smother Minho with himself, tried to cover every inch of Minho’s body with his, using the wall as leverage so that Minho could not escape the assault on his body. Jinki found the strength, although it was so very hard, to break this kiss, smiling faintly at Minho’s kiss swollen lips and dazed look dripping with arousal to concentrate his attention to the expanse of Minho’s long neck, curling his tongue over his pulse, his breath moist and hot.

Onew was howling in the in the back of his head in excitement, driving Jinki’s desire to new levels. He wanted to claim him, he wanted to claim him so bad at this very moment, throw Minho across the bed and make him his. But…but he wasn’t going to do that. He was going to be patient and do this right. It wasn’t going to stop him from enjoying him a little tonight.

“Say it,” Jinki demanded hotly against his neck. He felt Minho’s head shift as if he were trying to look at him. “Say it,” he repeated biting down lightly on his jugular. “Say it and I’ll give you everything that is mine to give. I just need to hear it.”

Minho tensed for a moment and Jinki thought he was going to deny him but Minho’s arms, lined with powerful corded muscles, drew him in close, wrapping around his shoulders and pulling him impossibly closer. Minho muzzled the top of his head, a low soothing hum vibrating across Jinki’s skull. Minho, patiently and softly pulled Jinki from the home he’d made in the warm crook of his neck to look at him.

The answer shone in his eyes but his words…

“I want you, Jinki.”

Jinki wanted to scream, wanted to run from the room and knock on every door and let them know, let them hear the words too, so they would understand that what he and Minho had was strange and unique, infuriating at best but real. It was real and if he wanted he could reach out and touch it. Instead, he did what his body was yearning to do.

He slid a knee between Minho’s legs, solid and heated, as he slid the robe from Minho’s shoulders, exposing his chest to Jinki’s hungry gaze. And then his hands were everywhere, touching every hard plane of warm skin he could get his hands on. Minho encouraged him verbally and physically, whispering hunger and desire against his skin, his hands clenching his shoulders, his breath coming out in harsh pants.

Jinki realized then how little clothing was between them–both of them shirtless at this point and the pants they wore were thin and light. Jinki could feel the muscles clenching in Minho’s thighs, his knees shaking, his thick and heavy against Jinki’s leg. Feeling that, feeling Minho’s reaction to him, set him off.

Jinki thought he couldn’t press himself any closer but he tried, his fingers fumbling with the tie that kept Minho’s pants up on his hips. He paused when Minho’s hand clamped down on his wrist.

He looked up from his wrist to Minho, slightly confused, his thought process truncated by the heady lust clouding his mind. Jinki took a step back. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

A corner of Minho’s mouth curled and he reacted as if he were expecting Jinki’s actions. The hand still clenching Jinki’s shoulder tightened and he pulled sharply on Jinki’s wrist, pivoting until it was Jinki’s back flush against the wall.

Jinki blinked as he registered their changed position. “You tricky–“

Minho looked him up and down, practically devouring Jinki with obvious longing. “Promise me you’re going to be a good boy.”

Jinki blinked and tilted his head. He didn’t have time for this! He had needs, damn it! The need to touch Minho, kiss him, love on him. He reached for Minho again but he smacked his hands away with a growl.

“Promise me.”

Jinki resisted the urge to pout but couldn’t help the slumping of his shoulders, his hands coming to his side.

Minho leered. “I’ll take that as a yes. Rules. Don’t move unless I say so. Keep your hands to yourself.”

Jinki inhaled slowly and nodded just as slowly.

The smile on Minho’s face turned wolfish and he approached, not like the menacing proud prowl that Jinki was known for, but a slow sensual gait, one that studied Jinki, gathered every facet of him with his eyes. When Minho’s eyes locked on his, Jinki saw the hunger and matched it. His hands raised, again, searching but Minho raised a disapproving brow.

“Remember the rules, Jinki. Try closing your eyes, that should help you, hm?”

Jinki rolled his eyes but conceded, his lids lowering over his brown eyes.

“Good,” he heard Minho’s whisper before he felt him, his hands roving over his chest, down his sides, so agonizingly slow that Jinki clenched his teeth. A slight vibration buzzed around his waist as Minho pulled on the string of his pants. A sharp tug and a cool breeze swept across his legs as his pants pooled around his ankles.

“You look really good like this, Jinki.”

Jinki grinned, proud.

One of Minho’s hands returned to Jinki’s body resting just above his hip, before a light but wet kiss was placed right below his ear. That kiss was followed by one to his neck, a nip to his Adam’s apple before he tongued along Jinki’s collarbone. Jinki inhaled and concentrated on the feeling as Minho kissed down his chest but after a rude kiss followed by a wet sounding plop to his –which pulled a growl from him–the room grew silent. His eyes moved back and forth behind his lids, wondering what Minho was doing when he felt a warm hand on his . Jinki swallowed hard as Minho have him an almost shy caress, taking him at the base and him to the tip. Jinki fought against his urge to place his hand on Minho’s shoulder.

These damned rules!

Minho worked him in his fist, his painfully erect, changing the speed and grip when Jinki’s breath would catch or a whine would slip past his lips. Jinki’s head banged against the wall behind him, the heat pooling at the bottom of his belly making his knees weak. He could stay like this, Minho touching him, him feeling wanted by the one he wanted. He was so aroused he thought he would faint.

Yet…it was nothing compared to what he felt when taken into Minho’s wet mouth. Jinki’s answering growl felt like it shook the room. Minho placed his hands on either side of Jinki’s hips and swallowed Jinki whole in one slow movement, relaxing his throat until the tip of Jinki’s bumped the back of it. Jinki forgot everything, where he was, the rules,especially the rules and his hands dived back into Minho’s hair, his grip tight as he tried to fight for some semblance of control. Minho growled his disagreement, the vibrations racing up his and Jinki’s legs almost gave. But he didn’t, forcing himself to last through this ride.

Minho pulled back, just as slow, his tongue sweeping the underside of Jinki’s before twirling his tongue around the tip. One of his hands drifted from his hips to between his legs to cup his balls and that made Jinki whine with pure need. The sound must have been the fuel Minho needed because he set a pace that was designed to drive Jinki crazy. And it did, it drove him to the edge, his feet toying with the precipice, the emptiness of ecstasy below him.

Jinki’s eyes popped opened, the fingers of an gripping him and he looked down, the sight of Minho’s head, bobbing back and forth around his taking him by surprise. As if on instinct, Minho looked up, their eyes locked, brown on brown, and Jinki’s vision darkened, then exploded, his tipping him off the edge and into nothingness. He gasped Minho’s name as Minho swallowed his seed, hard on the head one final time, white hot pleasure coursing through him.

Jinki slid to the floor, watching Minho watch him. Eventually he caught his breath but he never tore his gaze away.

“Come here,” he said, raggedly, his voice raw. Minho crawled over to him and into his arms. “That was…that was amazing.”

Minho smiled against chest. “It was a thank you.”

Jinki grunted his confusion.

“For your patience. For not giving up on me.”

Jinki kissed his temple. “Nothing to thank me for. I never ever plan on giving up on you. No matter what.”

Jinki twisted until he could reach into the pockets of his pants, withdrawing the ring. He placed it in Minho’s hand. “Make a proper wolf out of me,” he said with a hint of amusement.

Minho kissed Jinki’s chest before wrestling himself out of his arms, plucking the ring out of his palm. Silently, he slid the ring onto Jinki’s thick finger, grinning like a bobcat as he did.

He settled back into his arms. “It might be too late to ask this but…what does this say?”

Jinki contemplated his question as he glanced at the rings. “The words on the box these rings came in say evidag su kærlighedu. Olde Toleran for “Eternal Love. It’s campy and silly but it was important to my mother’s people. They believe in reincarnated love. Cycles and cycles of it, eternally. Her mating to Yoon was forced practically but she was faithful to the wishes of her clan. It was funny; because she mated with Yoon she actually met her‘evidag yang’. That means eternal soul mate. Xiah. They are still together…to this day.”

Minho’s brow pinched. “But…but I thought Xiah died. They said you…you killed him to ascend to Alpha.”

Jinki grimaced. “Years after my mother ran away, Yoon led a revolt against Durkhai after a mage bounty hunter picked up Xiah’s scent in the woods where my mother had escaped through. He couldn’t prove it, especially since the use of mage bounty hunters are forbidden in Durkhai but he led his revolt nonetheless, stating his right to be Alpha. A revolt that failed. After Xiah dealt with Yoon and his exile, he came up with a plan to be with my mother…and do it in a way that didn’t lead Yoon to her. So…we faked his death. But trust, he is still very alive and from his letters, they are happy.” Jinki sighed loudly and touched the ring. “I’ve had these rings with me since I was a child. I gather they are from my people before Durkhai; I don’t know how I know the words but I do. The rings say “ama’il etandula ama’il etudala”. It means “I am yours. You are mine.”

“Both are very beautiful and I’m honored to wear it.”

Jinki let the silence settle between them. He lowered his nose into Minho’s hair and inhaled his scent, savoring it. He loved the way Minho smelled because it calmed him. It calmed him and it centered him and he just loved it. He wanted to smell it forever. “Can I ask you a question, Minho,” he said his nose still against the crown of Minho’s head.

Minho nodded, pushing himself back further into Jinki’s arms.

“Are you mine?” he whispered softly.

Minho slowly extracted himself from Jinki, spun in place until he was looking him deeply in his eyes. Flakes of gold seem to radiate in his eyes and Jinki inhaled, holding his breath, waiting for Minho’s answer. Minho’s gaze drifted from his face, to his chest, to his hand. He reached for it and brought it to his lips, brushing a soft kiss across his knuckles.

“I am yours.”




“Would you be upset if I had them tear down this infuriating wall between our bedrooms?”

Jinki opened one eye slowly, squinting as the first pale rays of the dawn cascaded through the window and into Minho’s room. Minho was looking up at him from the comfort of Jinki’s shoulder. In his mouth a stalk of celery, probably from their dinner last night. His stomach protested against Jinki skipping dinner last night but the feeling of Minho’s heaviness on him, the feel of his chest moving against his, the feel of his errant silken strands on his shoulder…the feeling of their hearts almost beating in sync eclipsed the rumbling.

He realized last night, after their bedroom antics, that they were almost completely imprinted on each other. That every time they were close, the beating of their hearts would almost match…it was uncanny. He’d never imprinted on anyone, never been this close to someone. The one off was so minute that to him, it felt like the steady beating of drums to a song, a dance they could both fall into, live in.

Everything changed last night. Everything.

His musing were interrupted when Minho moved to sitting, staring down at him. He took the stalk from his mouth and pointed it at him. “Can I take your silence as a yes?”

“You want to tear down the wall?” Jinki snorted. “Last time I brought that up you said,” Jinki made a show of trying to remember. “Ah, you said, ‘we live near each other, not with. It’s better that way.”

Minho raised a brow, stuck the stalk back in his mouth and turned away from Jinki until his feet hit the floor. “Leave the wall up then. That way when you piss me off, which I predict will be often…I’ll have somewhere to go” Minho said over his shoulder as he stood and reached for his robe.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Jinki growled as he reached for Minho’s waist, pulling him back down to the bed. Minho’s screech as he was yanked back into Jinki’s arms melted into laughter as he hit the mattress. Jinki took advantage of that, moving to straddle Minho, locking him between his knees before bending forward, his long black hair falling over his shoulders.

“Are you saying you wouldn’t mind living with me?” Jinki said softly as he lowered his head towards his favorite spot on Minho, the tan expanse of his neck. He laid open mouth kisses up the warm skin until he reached his ear, using his chin to keep Minho’s shoulder from shutting him out. “Is that it?”

Minho curled his hand his hands into Jinki’s hair, humming delightfully as Jinki stretched out and pressed against him, their bodies fitting together like two puzzle pieces. “It wouldn’t be so bad,” Minho murmured. “We’re keeping my bed, though. Your bed is too big and pointy and,” he gasped as Jinki rolled his hips down, “intimidating.”

“My bed is y,” Jinki said hotly in his ear. “You are y.” Jinki gripped Minho’s thigh and hiked it a little higher before rolling his hips down against his again, enjoying Minho’s eyes fluttering with every grind. “That’s the perfect combination for .”

“You’re infuriating, Lee Jinki,” Minho hissed.

“Ooh! I like that. Say it again–“

A hard knocked on the door paused the downward press of Jinki’s hips. Rolling his eyes, he firmly attached his mouth to Minho’s collarbone, deciding it was more worthy of his attention than anything else. Another knock followed it with a loud, “Lord Minho?” filtering through the door.

“He’s busy!” Jinki yelled at the door.

“Oh! Lord Jinki!” the voice said through the door. “I–I didn’t know! I went to your room but you weren’t there and–“

“Yes, because both Lord,” Jinki said with the word Lord dripping with annoyance–he hated their very long list of titles–Minho and I are busy. Together! Go away!” He eyed Minho like he was prey cornered on a hunt. “Where were we? Oh, you were just about to say–“

Another knock and Jinki’s eyes slid shut, beyond annoyed and his head dropped to Minho’s chest…his very well defined chest, Jinki added. The chest he was hoping to get more acquainted with if people would just stop knocking on his ing door.

“What?” he growled. “What do you people want? It’s barely first light outside!”

“Jinki, I’m sure you two are having fun and whatnot but open the damn door! This is serious!” Jinki gnashed his teeth. That was Jonghyun’s voice that time.

He cursed. He began to crawl of the bed but paused to brush a kiss across Minho’s lips. “We will finish this later,” Jinki said with promise. Sliding off the bed he marched to Minho’s heavy wooden door and snatched it open. “What is so goddamn important that you have to bother us this early?” he damn near yelled at Jonghyun.

Jonghyun rolled his eyes then shoved a wrinkled scroll into Jinki’s hand. He glanced over Jinki’s shoulder at Minho. “We need both of you. Something has happened.”

Jinki’s brow furrowed as he uncurled the scroll in his hand. He began to read it, his eyes rapidly scanning over the words. Anger welled up around his throat and he reread it just to be sure. When he decided he had enough, he crushed it in his hands. He turned to Minho, who was now walking towards them, his robe on and tied off. “We are needed.”

Minho frowned, his eyes drifting to the scroll, to Jonghyun, the guard, and then to Jinki. Jinki saw him inhale and an aura of leadership and intelligence descended over him as he stood taller and raised his head. “What happened?”

Jinki huffed through his nose. “Someone is holding our recon team for ransom.”




The tension in the Beam Room was thick and heavy in the air.

Jinki and Minho sat at two high backed chairs at the far end of the long heavy table. In the middle was a map of all of Prae and any surrounding territories under their control. Behind them, a roaring fireplace kept the room warm against the cooler air, but Jinki barely felt it. What he did feel was his hand trembling in anger…in fear.

Before them was everyone in The Fortress that both he and Minho trusted. To his immediate right was Jonghyun and Nichkhun, to Minho’s left, Yifan, making up the entirety of their Bone Pack. Nichkhun’s First, Victoria and Tiffany and Kibum filled the rest of the left side of the table while on Nichkhun’s right was Kyung, their Captain of Guard and his two silver Lieutenants, Pyo and Jaehyo. Taemin was present as well but he took a seat by the fire, his face red with worry and anger.

Jinki mused over the situation. He knew Yixing, Chanyeol, Sehun and Taeyeon were trained and capable but he’d sent his own sister into harm’s way. If any of them were hurt he would be angered, but if his sister was hurt because of him…

“Kyung, read the letter again,” Minho commanded solemnly at Jinki’s side. Jinki reached for Minho’s hand under the table and felt Minho twine their fingers together, both drawing strength from each other.

Kyung pushed his chair back, stood and withdrew the crumpled piece of paper from a pocket within his jerkin, unfolding it until he could read it.

We, by way of obligation and contract, have intercepted Zhang Yixing, First of Dinfire, Park Chanyeol, First of Wheph, Oh Sehun, First of Mott Argan and Lee Taeyeon, Mageis of Durkhai, before they could trespass on the lands owned and ruled upon by the Blue Crescents. As such and by request, we have removed these transgressors from Blue Crescent lands and are holding them at an undisclosed location. We will reveal this location and release these prisoners to the custody of Prae under the condition that twenty diamond dragons be exchanged for their persons. Send back the white hawk by high noon tomorrow with your answer to continue further negotiations. If this condition is not met by morrow’s sunfall, we will have no choice but to execute these prisoners.

Ogg, son of Ogg

Kyung placed the letter down. “ We were unable to track the family name ‘Ogg’ down to any specific region. It is a quite popular name. However this letter was placed with the petitions sectioned off for your Lordships’s review, leaving me to believe this was done by someone who has either infiltrated The Fortress, which is impossible, or this was delivered by someone already here.”

Jinki tapped his fingers across the table, annoyed. “Who has access to leave petitions?”

Kyung frowned. “Practically everyone. It is the common way for everyone from commoners to highborn to have access to place a petition. They are supposed to go through a selection process as we cannot hope to answer each and every petition day in and day out. Once collected they are transported here to the Dongbang Library and are normally delivered to the High Steward to shift through and select priority, however, your Lordships have yet to select someone for the position, so the High Eunuchs has been taking on that task lately. The Eunuchs quarters are open to anyone who has gained access to The Fortress.”

“We can solve that now,” Jinki said, his voice deep with authority. “Kim Kibum of Wheph.”

Kibum’s head shot up. Jinki looked at Minho, asking for his council without words, his brow raised. Minho looked from Kibum back to Jinki, the understanding dawning on his face. His mouth curled up in one corner and he nodded.

“We are offering you the position of the High Steward of Prae. Do you accept?”

Kibum’s eyes widen to the size of saucers. “Excuse me?” He shook his head disbelievingly. “You can’t be serious! I–I’m just a smart mouth Omega. You–you can’t possibly!–“

Jinki held his hand up to stop Kibum’s rambling. “You have been by the AlphaBeta’s side your entire childhood. You served, unnamed, as his closest advisors when he held his position of Alpha of Wheph. Wheph is known for its intelligence, its council, its ability to think fast on its feet. You are more than qualified.”

“Take the job, Kibum,” Minho whispered.

Kibum closed his mouth, stood tall before bowing deeply. “I–I accept.”

“Wonderful. Going forward, all petitions will be submitted and accounted for by Alphas of each clan or leaders of each settlement or whatever council they set up before being handed over to our new High Steward. Hopefully that will prevent ransom letters magically popping in from wherever the this came from,” Jinki grumbled.

“So we have no leads as to how to narrow this down?” Tiffany asked.

“Not quite,” Kyung said, as he the paper. “This paper is very high quality and is only used in official Prae practices so it rules out of the common servants, low level eunuchs, cook staff of the sort. We’re looking for someone who has access and who was also well off enough to purchase it.”

A thought struck Jinki and to be honest it didn’t surprise him. Jinki leaned forward and steepled his fingers under his chin. “And you say the High Eunuch had access to the petitions?”

Kyung’s eyes narrowed before widening. “Do you think–“

“Have one of your men keep an eye at him. Covertly, of course.”

Kyung nodded. “At once, my lord.” He motioned towards Pyo and Jaehyo who immediately took off.

“We do have a bigger issue,” Minho said, his fingers drumming against the hard wood. “Their ransom is ultimately an impossible feat. One diamond dragon is extremely rare and hard to come across. They want twenty.”

“We could always bluff. They would never think Prae to bluff with such high profile hostages at stake. It’ll get us a location,” Kyung suggested.

“Aye, but that does put the hostages at stake if the campaign fails,” Nichkhun stated. “We have no way of knowing what kind of forces they have behind this. We have no choice but to get our hands on the money or forfeit their lives.”

Jonghyun groaned. “Yes, but how?”

“No one in Prae holds that kind of money…”Minho looked thoughtful ”…except…” Minho glanced at Yifan. “Except Old Se’hai.”

Minho stood and called forth a guard. “Please hurry to Huang Zitao quarters and let him know his presence is needed.”

Yifan looked at the back of the retreating guard with worry. “Do you think that is wise? To involve them? Our alliance with them is thin at best.”

Minho leveled Yifan with a confident stare. “With Edison, yes but it is no secret that Tao’s loyalties lie with Prae. Your betrothal guaranteed that.” Yifan didn’t look eased by Minho’s words but he didn’t offer up any other objection.

They waited in silence. Yifan took to pacing up and down the Beam Room, worrying his thumb in his mouth until the guard returned with Zitao.

The tall young man approached both Jinki and Minho and bowed deeply. He righted himself up with a smile, his white attire complementing his flawless tanned skin. “I came as soon I heard you requested of me. I am more than honored to be at your service.”

Minho smiled tightly. “Good, because we are going to need it. I apologize for the lack of formalities in our meeting for the first time, however there is something Prae needs from you and your clan.”

Zitao smiled easily, far easier than Minho. “Whatever it is, I’m more than happy to consider it.”

Minho’s smile was grateful. “Let him see the letter.”

Before Kyung could stand, Yifan was on him. “No…let me. If anyone should tell him, it should be me.”

Tao’s smile slipped a little. “Yifan…,” he chuckled nervously. “Tell me what?”

“It’s Sehun.”

Tao’s smile vanished.

“He’s been captured.”

Tao looked confused and rightly so. “By who?”

“We…aren’t sure yet.”

“But…but you told me he went hunting,” Tao stated, his brow pinched. “You told me that he would be back soon. He’s been captured?” Tao laughed. “That doesn’t make any sense!” His laughed pitched hysterical and drew the attention of everyone in the room. “How do you get kidnapped hunting? I know he’s stupid but he’s not that stupid.”

Yifan grimaced. “That’s more or the less of it. He…he was a part of a reconnaissance team sent to scout out Blue Crescents lands. They were caught and…their captors are demanding twenty diamond dragons, that’s why your presence was requested.”

Tao took a step closer to him. “They want twenty diamond dragons or they’ll do what?”

Yifan sighed. “Or they’ll…they’ll be executed.”

Tao was silent, his height seeming to shrink as he ingested the situation. Then with a sharp growl he lunged forward, knocking Yifan back onto the ground. “You told me he was hunting! Hunting, Yifan! Not walking into some goddamned death trap!” he screamed. “The Blue Crescents are animals and you sent him there? To die?”

Punches rained down on Yifan and Yifan raised his arms to cover his face. He didn’t say anything during Tao’s attack, his face more remorseful and annoyed than angry. Kyung, Nichkhun and Jonghyun rushed to pull Zitao from the Bone Pact Captain only managing to get in between them by locking Zitao’s arms behind his back.

Zitao wrestled out of their grip and turned to Jinki and Minho. “I will pay it. I’ll pay it to the very last dragon.” He dropped to his knees and clutched the hem of Minho’s shirt. “You have to get him back. I let him down, I keep letting him down but I can’t let him down again, not now. I can’t…I can’t lose him.”

Minho stood, leaned forward and helped the Old Se’haian heir to his feet. “Pull yourself together. You are an acting ambassador to your clan–you cannot lose your wits while under pressure. Sehun is counting on you. You’re not the only one here with someone important in their hands. Someone very close to me is with them as well. Jinki’s sister, Jonghyun’s First. Trust me, we will get him back, all of them back. I promise,” he squeezed the young man’s shoulder in comfort before indicating he should take a seat, which he did, but slowly, shooting Yifan a glare before he sat down.

“Kyung, have the messengers prepare the hawk for tomorrow’s first light. However, in the message you compose calling for our agreement to their terms, indicate they have to produce a messenger to this place to collect. With that messenger we will travel to Old Se’hai to acquire the money. Request someone high born– this should prevent them from trying to back out on their promise,” Minho finished, searching for Jinki’s council.

Despite the uneasy feeling in the bottom of his stomach at the possibility of owing Old Se’hai that large amount of money, he had to smile. Minho’s council and intelligence would do Prae damned good. They would have the four back and have them back soon.

“In the meantime, prepare six riders, one to every clan and settlement in Prae. Have them ask of this Ogg. Tell them we leave tomorrow at dawn,” Jinki commanded as he stood. Minho trailed behind him as they exited the room.

Minho caught up with him easily, his brow cocked high in disbelief. “I’m sorry. What did you mean ‘we’?”

“Your plan to procure the money was brilliant, Minho, however, they’ve virtually given us a clue. One I overlooked even though it was screaming in my face. The hawk, Minho. Someone has to follow that hawk.”

“And you think that you should be the one to do it? What if that leads you directly into Blue Crescent lands? Prae has no jurisdiction there. You are not their Alpha.” Minho shook his head hard, his lips pressed together in a thin lin. “Send someone else.”

Jinki continued his stride back to their Suite but looked up and glared at his mate. “I’m going and that’s final.”

Minho came to a stop in the middle of the path and crossed his arms. Jinki groaned and rolled to a stop as well, turning to look at him. “Over my dead body,” Minho declared before leveling a glare at him and storming off down the path.





Hours later Jinki could tell Minho was upset with him. But it wasn’t because he’d been unkind or demanding or treated Minho with some sort of ignorance. No. Minho was mad because he cared. And as much as Minho’s pacing up and down Jinki’s room irritated him, knowing that Minho wanted him safe was heartwarming.

But still annoying.

“For the love of the Gods, stop,” he bit out.

Minho rounded on him, his aura visibly bristled. “Stop what?” he growled. “Trying to save your idiot life from this death mission? No. I won’t stop. But thanks for asking.”

Jinki sighed. “This isn’t a death mission, Minho. I’m just trailing a stupid hawk.”

“Yes! Right into Blue Crescent lands! Where-they-will-kill-you. So yes, this is a death mission!” Minho continued his pacing. “Victoria and Tiffany are the best hunters, right? I know we can’t spare them but isn’t there an apprentice, an…an understudy–“

“This isn’t a play.”

Minho continued, undeterred by Jinki’s quip. “–of some sort who can take on this foolish mission?”

Jinki stood in the path of Minho’s pacing, causing him to stutter step and try to about face but Jinki grabbed him by his arms. “Even if there was someone, I can’t let them go. It’s mysister, Minho,” he said quietly, “I sent her out there. Me, her brother. I have to go.”

“I know,” Minho replied miserably, his defiant angry posture deflating.

Minho’s eyes fell shut and he covered Jinki’s hand with his own. “It’s just…I wasted so much time being stupid and now you’re about to get yourself killed and die a horrible death and be dead for all of eternity and perish–“

Jinki chuckled and grabbed both of Minho’s hands, pulling him to sit on the bed. “I’m notgoing to die. I’m not.”

“I know,” Minho pressed. “I mean I don’t know, I just…I expected our first test as leaders to be different. I didn’t expect it to be this. ”
Jinki flicked Minho’s nose. “At least it’s not boring.”

Minho smacked him across his arm.

Jinki grabbed the offended appendage, trying to fight the smile threatening to take over his face. “Look. This is going to work out. Everything is going to be okay. Me and you? We’ve got this. That’s why they chose us. Us, Minho, because we are the right people to be their leaders. Taeyeon is tough, all of them are tough or we wouldn’t have sent them out there in the first place. We’ll have them home and safe. And,” he said smoothly, “Once we have them home, we are going to relax and,” Jinki leaned forward and kissed him, “prepare for our mating.”

“Promise?”

“Pinky promise,” Jinki stated against Minho’s mouth.

Minho pulled his head back and laughed at an obviously private joke. “Remind me to tell you about pinky promises when you get back.”

“Not if but when right?” Jinki asked.

“Right. When.”

Jinki brushed his lips across Minho’s and leaned in for more because he was becoming fastly addicted to them when someone knocked on his door.

“For the love of–WHO IS IT?” he snarled.

“Your new High Steward, my Lord. Open up, it’s urgent.”

Jinki raised his head to the heavens before standing up and making his way to his door. He yanked it open to indeed find his new High Steward. He’d given Kibum a pin to signify his High Stewardship–a crystal incrusted quill–and he wasn’t surprised to see Kibum wearing it already. What he didn’t expect was the anxious look on the Omega’s face.

“Kibum…what’s the problem?”

Kibum stepped in and started pacing, just as Minho had done moments before. “See, it’s not a problem. It’s good news, great news even. It just doesn’t make any sense. I–just don’t understand it.”

“And that is?”

Kibum slowed to a stop. “The hostages.”

Jinki raised a brow. “Yes?” he said slowly, running out of patience.

“They are back.”





The moment Jinki reached The Great Hall, he scanned through the crowd in search of his sister’s blond hair. Yet he failed to spot it. Who he did spot was Chanyeol. He looked worse for wear. There were dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t slept once in the days he’d been missing. His face was gaunt as if he had been starved, but a few days of rest and plenty of food could fix that. Minho approached him and drew him into a hug, which the Beta accepted with a sob.

Yifan sought out Yixing and wrapped himself around him as if his life depended on it. Sehun had a black eye that was swollen and looked painful to the touch. There was a ring of bruises around his neck as if someone had tried to strangle him. Zitao was wrapped around Sehun knees, sobbing, while Sehun quietly ran a hand over his dark hair. They looked terrible but they were alive and that is what mattered.

Still his inability to spot his sister worried him half blind. As he continued to search, frantically, he spotted Taemin. His brother was standing in the center of the Great Hall, his face stormy as he gazed out of the giant stained glass window, a sigal of Prae–a blazing sun with an eye at the center–at its center. He ran over him, grabbed his shoulder, knocking him out of his trance.

“Where…where’s Taeyeon,” Jinki asked worriedly.

Startled, Taemin looked at him, a mix of confusion and melancholy on his face. “Jinki?”

He shook him once and the look in Taemin’s eyes cleared up. “Where is she, Taemin? Where is your sister?”

Taemin dropped his head and rubbed his mouth harshly with his trembling hand. “She’s–she’s–“

“She’s alive,” came from a voice, his mild lilting voice carrying over the madness. “She’s resting in the back. She’s been through… a lot.”

The voice rang familiar and Jinki whipped around, his eyes wide. Why in the Gods’ name is he here?

Jinki spun around to face the owner of the voice and once he did, he felt the blood drain out of his face.

The man walked up to him and clapped him on the shoulder and Jinki didn’t know whether to flinch or get angry or start demanding answers. “Hello, Jinki.”

Taemin walked to his side. “He’s the one who bartered for their lives. He’s the reason they are home.”

Jinki continue to glare at the man before him in disbelief.

“Why? Why would you do that,” Zitao asked from somewhere behind them.

“Because…” Jinki said, his voice the only sound in the Great Hall. “He’s Taeyeon’s brother.”