(Tae)

Stabbing my fork into the meat I munch quietly as everyone including Candor were at the faction less base. It was much more crowded as before but we all still managed to fit in the base alright. My heart turned and butterflies rose as I tried to keep the arguing of Minho and other men out of my head… sadly that wasn’t going to happen at all.

“We should just hand him over to them! He is just going to make the situation worse, they want him we will give him to them!” a faction less guy growled, many agreed backing him up.

“No handing them Tae will do nothing! Once we give him over, who is next? If they called you over you wouldn’t go I know you wouldn’t so stop trying to be a freaking pansy and be a man!” Minho yelled at the man glaring at him with a death satan like glare.

“Look son,” his mother came behind him acting all nice and kind, I almost gagged at the sight. “My men know what they are doing they have seen many bad things. Wouldn’t they know what a better choice is for us all? Hm? One man is nothing compared to an army of say 10,000. Would you risk that many for some kid?” her voice was venomous and it sent chills down my spine hearing those words. She seemed not to like me for some reason and probably is using this opportunity to get rid of me.

Minho slapped her away from him and walked to me hugging me protectively. “You will not make me change my mind. I didn’t come here to just give one of my friends away, if I knew that then I wouldn’t have stayed here or even come for that fact.”

“Tsk he is just a hindrance to us all! There are even better guys, men to be exact. Why save this boy its just too stupid of you!”

“You know my feelings so why do you get in my way of my happiness!?”

“He is just a boy! He is weak! I prefer you with someone with actual masculinity, you won’t be happy with him!”

Minho slams the table and stands up growling, actually growling at his own mother. “You don’t know what I have been through all my life. Me thinking my mother was dead and the fact I was left with my of a father you think you know what my happiness is? You don’t deserve to even tell me what I should do and what I can’t do!” her eyes widened, in seconds she regained her posture and turned around. Speechless she walked a little away from us.

I looked up at Minho and felt happiness whelm up inside of me, it felt nice knowing he was standing up for me but she did have a point. There are better men then me… I know that as well. Should I consider walking into Erudite headquarters and just handing myself in?

‘This is not a negotiation it is a warning. Every two days until one of you delivers Tae to Erudite headquarters, this will happen again’

My ears perked at hearing this. I raised my head and looked around wondering where that had come from or it could have been just my mind playing tricks. It wasn’t as I heard Kyungsoo scream with tears in his eyes. I looked up and there I saw three people close to the edge two stories high.

One was a Candor woman, another a faction less man and lastly it was Jongin. Their eyes were red and it looked like they were being controlled. They stood in a doll like manner and showed no emotion to their faces. They took one step closer to the edge and I panicked my hands covering my face.