Part 3: Chapter 8

When Kai finally felt calm enough to return to Luhan’s apartment, he walked in to find Sohee running her fingers through a sleeping Luhan’s hair.  Kai froze, fully expecting a wave of jealousy to wash through him.  But it never came.  He stood there silently, watching her, contemplating his own feelings. 

Instead of jealousy, he felt calm.  Seeing the two of them together, safe, settled Kai in ways he didn’t really understand. 

Kai quietly cleared his suddenly blocked throat.  “He asleep?”  Kai asked.

Sohee didn’t turn around as she spoke.  “He’s exhausted,” she said.  “He’s been through so much, Kai.  We all have.  You shouldn’t take your anger out on him.”  She turned around and looked at him to punctuate the last. 

“Sohee, he flat out lied to me about knowing anything about the ritual.  He knew who held control of his wolf and he wouldn’t tell me.”  There was anger in Kai’s voice, but he remembered to keep the volume low enough to avoid disturbing Luhan. 

“Did you ever stop to think if it was a ritual that needed to be performed by a person he knew personally?   That it was someone close to him.  That it was someone he cared about and was loyal to?”

Kai rubbed his forehead with a finger and closed his eyes.  “Yeah, I get that now.”

“Look around this apartment Kai.  I see clothes and shoes and a backpack and food.  All necessities.  That picture was the only thing personal he had here.  What does that tell you about how close they are?”

“I get that, Sohee, but if he’s keeping secrets from me, I can’t trust him.”

“Well, you can’t expect him to spill them all at once.  Obviously, he tells you when it’s important.”

Kai ran a hand through his hair and turned in a circle, trying to collect his thoughts. 

“And leaving me here alone with him tells me that you trust him with me,” Sohee added, her voice softer.  “So don’t tell me you don’t trust him.”

Kai turned to her.  He lifted a hand to cover her cheek.  “I do trust him with you,” he admitted.  “Because I know he would give his life to save you, same as I would.  Same as all the other guys.  I don’t know what it is Sohee, I trust him with you, but I’m not sure I trust him where this Kris guy is concerned.   But I’m trying.  I’m trying.”

With one more glance at the still sleeping Luhan, Kai and Sohee silently left the apartment and headed to school. 

Luhan didn’t show up at school that day.  Neither Kai nor So Hee were surprised after seeing how exhausted he had been and Kai wasn’t worried.  In fact, he was glad that Luhan was taking the day to rest.  They had a lot they needed to do and he wanted Luhan fully rested. 

Of course, that left Kai and Kyungsoo to field all the questions the guys had.  Their questions the night before had stemmed more from disbelief then the desire for better understanding.  But after a night on their own to process everything, the questions abounded. 

“So, once I turn 18, the wolf will make me stronger, right?” was Sehun’s main concern.  “Like, even when I’m human, I’ll be stronger, be able to see and hear better, and stuff, right?”

Suho’s thoughts were along the same line as Sehun’s.  However, while Sehun just wanted the new power to label himself stronger, Suho wanted the power to be able to protect.  Too often in his past he hadn’t been able to. 

Chen and Xiumin sat with their heads together with Kyungsoo.  Kai focused on their conversation for a moment but turned away quickly.  It figured that the more academic guys wanted to know the logistics.  He’d have to talk to Kyungsoo later to ask how he’d answered questions related to, “how exactly does the change from human to wolf happen.” 

“Will turning into a wolf help me get more girls?” Baekhyun wanted to know.

“Baek, you don’t need more help getting girls,” Chanyeol countered. 

Baekhyun merely shrugged.  “A guy can never have too many girls.”

Kai listened