A.N. warning: hahaha no not really a warning, but you might want to take a deep breath before reading ^_~

 

CHAPTER FOUR

 

Everything about Yixing became clear when the healer told him about Suho, the wolf he met when he was younger, his mate. Luhan knew about wolves mating humans from time to time. When he was young, albeit the fact that he was raised by his foster parents, Luhan didn’t stop learning what he can about wolves. He read books about them, he remembered getting free ones from the merchant who told him no one buys books about wolves anymore. So Luhan collected these things in his room, read them everynight beside the lamp.

After all, they were the only ones left that were soulfully connected to him.

 

“Suho…is a wolf, and you are his mate…” Luhan muttered, taking the information in. “So…so that was why the people here treat you like their deity, that was why Wei didn’t want you to leave the village.”

“Having me meant having the wolf protect me, and that includes this village. They only treated me like this when I came back from the spring the next day…my brown hair became like this, my chocolate eyes turned green…and this mark, Suho’s imprint mark…is the proof that I am his mate.

They only wanted me because I have a wolf behind my back, they really didn’t want me at all, they just want the security I could provide, and my ability to heal any sickness and wound…that’s just all.”

 

Luhan couldn’t explain how he felt so sorry for Yixing. The only thing he could do right that time was squeeze his hands, whisper that everything would be okay. “If you really wish to come with me… with us… you are welcome to join our …little quest. I…I am on my way to the capital, to know more about wolves, maybe I would hear something about Salvatori, and how Eldama stands in this…in this war…”

“The capital? Luhan it’s dangerous out there. Even when Eldama still hasn’t pledged allegiance to the Salvatori, soldiers from Zambria were roaming there. You know that Zambria is the leading kingdom of this crusade and once they knew that Halkovians weren’t extinct they will come and take your head.”

“I know that Yixing but I want justice!”

“Going to the capital isn’t only about finding about wolves, right? This is about you getting information about the murderers of your kin…” Yixing told him and he couldn’t argue, not when the healer was telling the truth.

 

 

“Luhan…this is dangerous…”

“I know that…” Luhan sighed, running a hand on his head. “I know if they knew about me, I would be dead the second they caught me. But I am done hiding, I trained myself so one day I could show them no mercy just like how they did to my kin… I saw…my mother die in front of me…Yixing… I saw them take her head off…and I don’t even know why!”

Luhan had stood up while he ranted, leaving Yixing no choice but to stand as well to hug the other.

“Alright…alright I will go with you…”

“Yixing—“

“I haven’t seen Suho for a while, it worries me…” the healer said, “And we know that the Salvatori isn’t only targeting Halkovians, in fact, they were just second to the list.”

Luhan nodded, knowing where Yixing was coming from. “Their target was the wolves. And if I would let myself be stuck here, who knows if Suho was taken already…or worse…”

“Like you said, it would be dangerous…”

“I am willing to face the real world outside the boundary of this village…”

 

 

Luhan smiled at him, but only for a while did they felt at peace because some of the villager’s guard suddenly went inside, Wei following them.

“Seize the Halkovian!”

“Wait—What?”

The guards went to take Luhan who struggled from their grasp. “He is charge for attempting to kidnap our healer.” Wei declared and the commotion caused Chen to wake up. He saw Luhan being dragged away at the same time an unfamiliar man screamed,

“Wei, stop this or I swear I wouldn’t hesitate to hurt you.”

“This is for your own good Yixing. I won’t let him kidnap you.” The old man said. Chen was confused, Luhan kidnapping this man?

“I already told you that I am going with them. Kidnapping meant forced, but I am willing to leave this forsaken village you’re caging me in for your own benefit. I should’ve left a long time ago, but I was blinded by the fact that I would only see my mate in that spring near this place. I should’ve known that he could follow me wherever I go.”

“You’re not leaving Yixing and that’s final! We have to execute that Halkovian before the Nazaeles or Zambrians passed by to trade. If he’s seen with us, they’d suspect we’re siding with them and the wolves.”

“Keeping me meant siding with the wolves. But you always hid me everytime they come to our village. You just want to kill him for your own pleasure!”

 

 

 

Luhan stood in front of the raging bonfire, his arms tied behind him and all the people’s scrutinizing gaze were on him. He was a threat to them, someone that they needed to kill or else they’d be killed.

The guards where still holding his arm with vice grip when Yixing and Wei went out from the cottage where they took him. Chen looked he could murder someone while following the healer, who wasn’t in better situation.

“Release that man at once!” Yixing ordered the guards but Wei shook his head, “We will take his head for attempting to kidnap our healer.”

The guards didn’t know whom to obey, thus irritating Chen once more.

“It doesn’t look like this man was forced to be taken. In fact, I heard him saying he wanted to come with us!” Chen roared. Luhan hasn’t seen him this angry before.

 

There were murmurs from the crowd, but Luhan doesn’t know if it was in favour of him or not. Yixing glowered when he saw his new friend being taken closer to the bonfire, with one of the guards holding an axe to behead him.

It was the first time he ever felt this angry. He just made a friend, one that could understand him to top it all, and now they are taking him away without solid grounds. Yixing wanted to hurt someone, he wanted to scream but he remained static on his feet, hesitating.

Luhan could see it, he could see that Yixing only wanted one thing…to be free. And he couldn’t die right now, he couldn’t die without giving Halkovians the justice they deserved. Not when Chen is depending on him, not tonight… He will not die tonight.

 

That’s all it took for him to flip around and round house kicked the two guards even with his arms tied. Chen snatched a sword and cut off the bindings on Luhan’s wrist. He gave him his bow and arrow, the one he took out of the cottage when he left it.

Luhan didn’t kill anybody, he just disarmed them.

Yixing was beyond astonished from what was happening, and the next he saw was Luhan punching Wei on the face muttering a simple bastard, but it broke him to a soft laughter while tears threatened to fall from his eyes.

No one has ever fought for him like that… aside from Suho.

 

 

 

 

Luhan panted as they reached Dia, the horse was waiting patiently when Yixing laughed from behind. “Right now, it seems like you really did take me by force…Luhan.”

The silver haired man chuckled, taking his hands from gripping Yixing’s forearm, “Did I?”

Yixing shook his head, “No you didn’t.”

“Good! Because you’re stuck with us. By the way, you haven’t met Chen yet right?”

Yixing turned to the man behind them smiling so friendly at him, “When I get bitten by spiders next time, would I get to have free treatment again Yixing?”

“Why of course, Chen, it’s free of charge for you two.”

 

 

 

They left before the guards could follow them. Luhan let Chen and Yixing take Dia while he leaped from tree branches to another, one thing that both of his new friends didn’t know. They come across a clearing one day, three days after they left Yixing’s village. It was a perfect place to camp for the night. Yixing helped Chen gather some woods while Luhan settled their things and tied the stallion to a nearby tree.

Ever since their talk in the cottage Luhan had been thinking if going to the capital was what he should really do by now. It felt like it was still early for him to.

 

Chen was fast asleep when the darkness bit, leaving him and Yixing in front of their bonfire.

“What are you thinking of, Luhan?”

The said man looked up from staring at the embers, “nothing… I was…I was just thinking, if going to the capital wasn’t a wise thing to do for now, even when the kingdom of Eldama has yet to come with decision, I wonder what should I be doing and where should I go…?”

Yixing sighed and scooted closer to him, sharing the blanket that he uses to shield the chill of the wind.

“Ah, it’s okay, I’m not that cold…”

 

The other looked at him, and Luhan was starting to remember the time Yixing started doing that ogling thing on him. “Yixing, if you want to tell something, just spit it out. Your stare has been creeping me out lately, you think I don’t notice that?”

Chuckling, the other shook his head, “You know our conversation that night isn’t done yet right?”

Humming, Luhan took a wood and threw it on the fire, “is there anything else I should know from your little love story?”

“Luhan, it wasn’t just about my story…” the healer whined, “It’s about the wolves I am trying to say…”

“What about them?” Luhan turned to him.

Yixing sighed, embracing his shins closer to his chest, “What do you think about Suho?”

Luhan made a face, “Yixing, I haven’t met him yet, I can’t say anything to someone I haven’t even seen in person yet.”

“You’re right, but…” the healer turned to him, “have you met wolves in your way to our village…?”

“Yes…?”

“Have you seen any mist around them?” Yixing asked.

“Actually,” Luhan started, “I couldn’t imagine a wolf with a mist surrounding them, let alone a four feet tall one, I met wolves, none of them had green eyes, nor taller than three feet. I met an alpha once in the Triad Pass, but he’s not taller than three feet, and he’s the largest I’ve encountered yet… all of them…doesn’t have the mist you’re talking about.”

Yixing hummed, “So… you don’t believe me? Do you think I am lying?”

Luhan shook his head, “Surprisingly, I believe you…I don’t normally believe some things I haven’t seen yet for myself, yet here I am, believing that there’s a wolf like that…”

 

A soft laughter from Yixing made him frown, “What’s funny?”

“Luhan…maybe it’s because… you have seen one before…don’t you think?”

“What makes you think so?”

“Like what I told you,” Yixing became so serious all of a sudden, “Your eyes are unique, just like mine.”

“You told me your eyes used to be chocolate, but after Suho claimed you as his mate, it turned green just like his. Halkovians had light hair and eyes, so it’s natural for me to have silver hair and gray eyes.”

Yixing reached out and touched his face, his cheeks just below his eyes, “Who said anything about gray eyes Luhan?”

 

 

He ran to the nearby river immediately. Whatever Yixing was talking about scares him. It scares him because he’s not an idiot not to get the hint of what Yixing was saying. And it was only for him to find out.

Thanks to the moon, the river was illuminated and he had no worries of not seeing his own reflection. He tentatively walked closer to the water, aware that Yixing followed him.

He has gray eyes, he knows it because his mother, his real mother told him that he got his eyes from her, for his real father had light amber eyes. And whenever he looks at his mother, her gray eyes glistens in the moonlight.

 

But right now, he was trembling the moment he saw his reflection.

“Luhan…my eyes didn’t just changed color when Suho bit me, my hair didn’t just change too…” Yixing said from behind. “I thought you knew… but I was wrong… I offered for you to take a bath with me, to see if you have the mark but… I didn’t find it in you…but your eyes…Luhan they’re not eyes of human, they’re the reflection of the wolf’s that imprinted on you…”

Yixing was right…

Because he doesn’t have gray eyes…

Not anymore…

Right now, he’s staring back at a pair of cerulean orbs.

Gasping, he stumbled back, panting. Yixing sat beside him, tapping his thighs once, “And you know what I think?”

“W-What…?”

“If a wolf has silver eyes, but the reflection of yours is cerulean blue, then the wolf that imprinted on you must be like Suho… a large wolf surrounded by miasma… a wolf that no one else had seen before…”

 

 

 

 

The following days, it was obvious that Luhan wasn’t himself. He kept on spacing out, whenever Chen was telling some jokes, he wasn’t laughing with them, he’d just be shocked to hear you scream his name near his ears.

While Chen was getting worried, Yixing was guilty of having him confused right now. If he didn’t say such things back then, that night, Luhan wouldn’t be like this.

While Chen was busy fishing out some lunch by the river once again, Yixing took the chance to have a private conversation between them.

“Luhan?” the said man was sitting on a boulder, chin prepped on his bent knee, “Luhan…” he called again, but Luhan kept staring at the running water. He reached out and tapped his shoulder, jolting the silver haired man from his trance.

“Oh, hey Yixing…”

“I…I won’t ask if you’re alright, because I know you’re not…” he frowned, sitting beside the elder.

“I’m…I’m fine, please don’t worry about me…”

“No… no you’re not. I shouldn’t have told you that—I’m sorry—“

“Yixing, please…” Luhan held his hand, smiling, “It’s fine…besides, if it wasn’t for you, I’d still be naïve of the possibilities…”

Yixing watched Luhan purse his lips before continuing, “I’m sorry I’m so…not myself the past few days…I was just thinking…”

“About…what I told you?”

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t it…” Luhan chuckled, “But there’s more to it than that…” he sighed, “But you need to stop wallowing in guilt. Why don’t we take a bath to freshen up ourselves? Chen would be able to prepare the lunch while we’re at it…”

Smiling, Yixing took the offer and they got off of the boulder.

 

After he got rid of his excess garments, Yixing looked up to see if Luhan was done. Only to be surprised by another revelation.

When he first met Luhan, he didn’t see him fully in the spring, he didn’t see any marks from him although he was sure that Luhan is also an imprint. Now he knew why—

Because he had only seen his front.

Who says marks can’t be located behind? Just like the blue butterfly on Luhan’s tail bone… So alive and mystical, glistening even under the shade of the forest trees.

“Let’s go Yixing!”

“Luhan wait…”

“Hm?” The elder turned around, confused. Suddenly, the healer went behind him. He knew that face, he knew that look…and he prepared himself as he asked, “What’s wrong Yixing?”

With a sigh, Yixing looked once more at the mark…

“Are you sure…you haven’t been claimed by a wolf Luhan? Because…Because this mark tells me that you have…”

“What—What mark?”

Yixing placed a palm over the mark, “This imprint mark…” he looked at him, “You never knew … you never knew because it was on your back…”

Luhan touched the place where Yixing just touched before running to the river, taking a glimpse of his tailbone through the water by peeking on his back.

And even in blur, he could see the intricate royal blue lines, making the outline of a butterfly wing.

 

“How—How can this happen without me knowing?” he asked, shaking his head, fearing of when and how did he became a wolf’s mate. He doesn’t remember meeting any wolves similar to what Yixing describes but then—

But then there’s a part of him who doesn’t remember anything at all right?

His five years old self.

 

 

 

 

 

“Straighten your back—don’t close your one eye Luhan or you won’t hit the target well.”

“Left arm steady! Pull the drawstring with the arrow”

“Hit the water 100 times…”

“Run 10 laps around this clearing…”

 

There’s so many scenes, too many places, but the caress of the wind against his cheeks was gentle and caring. There’s a man…but he can’t see his face—he’s dressed in white, he’s always on a tree, bare footed, with only pants and loose shirt…That man gives him apples…lots of it…

That man pats his head most of the time, “You’re a good boy Luhan, I’m so proud of you.”

“If I get to hit the target will you let me ride on your back again?”

“Is that what you want?”

“Yes!”

Who is that faceless man?

 

“Luhan—“

Who are you?

“Luhan I am so sorry—“

Why are you leaving—please don’t leave me! Please you’re the only one I have left, don’t leave!

“I love you Luhan—but you’re not safe with me…I have to leave you…I’m sorry…”

No—No please don’t leave—

“Don’t leave me! Sehun!”

Luhan jolted awake, panting and sweating… Sehun…? Who is Sehun?

 

 

 

 

a.n. sorry if i'm updating this more than CDII. but i need to drain this in my head first or else the idea will evaporate XD hahaha i'll update CDII soon because i don't want to update just for the sake of updating. i don't want my trilogy to be rushed :)) i hope you understand