"Kris, can you step outisde with me for a moment?" Heechul nodded his head out the door. "We need to speak in private."

"Yes, sir." Kris said.

Heechul turned to Kangin and Eunhyuk. "You two know the drill." He said as he led Kris outside.

After they left, Lay went over to Baekhyun and patted him on the back, leading him over to lay down on the couch to finally get some rest.  

Kourtney peeked out the window to see them walk a few feet away from the cabin before they began conversing. After a few minutes, she suddenly felt someone stand beside her and looked to see Kangin, who was looking out the window with a serious look on his face.

"You're...Kangin, right? High Councilman Kangin?" 

Kangin gave a stiff nodd, still watching outside. "Yes."

"Is your part of the drill to keep an eye on him?" Kourtney asked, referring to Heechul.

Kangin gave a slight chuckle." Well, I'm actually supposed to be keeping an eye on everyone in the room, but instead I'm keeping an eye on our Head Councilman...for Eunhyuk."

Kourtney rasied an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Kangin pointed his thumb behind him and Kourtney looked to see the young councilman over with N's clan, conversing with April. She was laughing at something he just said, hitting his shoulder playfully and he had a huge smile on his face, completely opposite to how he was acting before. Everyone else in the clan just watched the two converse, smiling as well. 

"There's no way he'd be able to do that around Heechul." Kangin explained. "He did one time and..."he shuddered. "I won't go into detail but it was not pretty."

Kourtney gave a small smile as the two began doing some sort of hand game. Eunhyuk would occasionaly glance over at Kangin, who would nodd to assure him it's still okay. 

"And here I thought everyone in the Council were stiffs and jerks." She chuckled." No offense."

Kangin shrugged. "It's how we come off. Especially if we're with Heechul. We have to put on an act...even when some of us don't belive in...the say things are done. Eunhyuk...he's still so young and he's not the only councilman who is."

"How old is he?"

"He just turned nineteen." 

Kourtney gaped. "Nineteen? How long has he been on the council?"

"Since he was sixteen." Kangin smiled. "He may be young but he is talented...and very strong."

Kourtney was shocked by this new informatoin as she turned to look back outside the window. Kris looked upset by something Heechul was saying.

"Can you hear them?" Kourtney asked the High Councilman.

Kangin shook his head."No, I can't." He cursed as Heechul suddenly began to walk back towards the cabin.

He quickly stepped to the center of the room, giving Eunhyuk a quick look. He quickly went to stand beside Kangin and they went back to their previous position with their hands behind their back. Heechul walked in a few seconds later.

That was too close, Kourtney thought, relieved as she took a deep breath. 

"We're done here. Let's go." Heechul ordered and he turned to leave as Kangin and Eunhyuk followed. Eunhyuk quickly gave April one last smile before he left, which thankfully went unnoticied by Heechul. After they left, Kris steppe back inside, scowling.

"What did he say?" Suho asked, concerned.

"Kai, go get Hana. I need to talk to her. Kourtney, go take her place." Kris ordered before stepping outisde again. 

Kai quickly went upstairs then came back down a few moment later with Hana. Without a word to anyone, she stepped outisde to talk to Kris. Kourtney had passed them on her way up, giving Hana a reassuring smiled before going into the bedroom. Chen was still asleep on his side, though his mouth was now completely closed. 

Thoughts began rushing through her head.

What were Kris an Heechul talking about and why did it upset Kris so much? Was it about Hana? Is that why he only wanted to talk to her? I expected all Council members to be cold and judgemental but Kangin and Eunhyuk seemed really nice. How did Eunhyuk get into the Council at such a young age? 

She got so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize how much time had passed. She heard somone knock and looked to see D.O and Lay standing in the doorway. 

"Lunch is about ready. Are you hungry?" D.O asked.

"I ate a late breakfast so I'm not very hungry. I can watch Chen while you eat."

Kourtney nodded. "Okay." She gave one last glance at Chen before following D.O downstairs.

The others had left, going back to thier territories, leaving Kris's pack at the cabin. All the stuff at the Clearing had also been brought to the cabin. 

During lunch, Kourtney was silent. She foud herself drowning in her thoguhts, not listening to what was going on around her.

"-ney. Kourtney. Hey, Kourtney!" 

Kourtney blinked as she broke out of her thoughts to find everyone staring at her, concern on all their faces.

"Are you okay?" Sara asked. 

Kourtney nodded. "Yeah, just got lost in thought." She bit her lip. "Actually, I've been wanting to ask.."

"Yes?" Sara moved to sit beside her.

"Well, I was wondering if you guys could tell me more about the Council?"

Kris sighed before he nodded. "Alright."

Sara glanced over at her mate. "As Alpha, Kris knows pretty much everything about the Council."

Kris leaned back in his seat. "To start off, I'll explain how member of the Council are chosen."

Kourtney perked up, curious. "I was wondering about that. Kangin told me that Eunhyuk became a member when he was only sixteen."

Kris nodded. "That he did. See, every year a special trial is held...a sort of tournament that goes on for twelve days. Twelve days for twelve members. Those eligable can sign up to particiapte and can chose one council member of their kind to challenge. Only one. During the entire day, the challangers take on the council member. If the council member is defeated, he is replaced."

"Are girls allowed to sign up?"

Kris shook hs head. "No, though I'm not sure why. There are a lot of strong and powerful females out there. It's been a law since...well, since the beginning. But, getting back to the challangers, if more than one defeats the councilman, then they fight to decide who takes the spot."

"So, when Eunhyuk signed up...he won?" Kourtney guessed.

Kris nodded. "He was the only one out of fifteen to defeat the councilman, who's name, by the way, is Kibum. He was twenty at the time, with Eunhyuk being sixteen. He beat Kibum in under three minutes. Pretty impressive, actually." Kris smiled. "You may have noticied, but he's not a bad kid. Most assume he is because he's on the Council."

"Kangin seems nice, too. He said that some Council members aren't...well...jerks."

"And it's true. And ironically, right now...the Council is divided that way like how they're divided by kinds."

Kourtney blinked. "You lost me."

"Remmber how we explained that there are six vampires and six werewolves in the Council?" Kourtney nodded. "Well, similar to that, there are six members who are with Heechul and six who are against him...but just are rarely able to show it. Being able to see Eunhyuk today being friendly with April...that's a rare occurance and still risky."

"Yeah, they almost got caught." Kourtney sighed. "So, why can't they show it?"

"As Council members, they must...I guess to say...they are expected to be examples of how the world should be, according to the laws, which most are ancient."

"Family blood." Kourtney said. "I know that's is a big part of the law."

Kris nodded. "I said earlier that only those eligable can do the tournament. Eligable meaning the Council deems your family blood acceptable to particpate. Going back to the topic before...there is a law that states that if anyone is deemed...filthy by the Council, it is acceptable to be treated as such."

Filthy. Heechul had used that word before.

Kris continued. "As Council members, they are expected to do that treatment whether they like it or not. And for the one's who don't like it, it's more of an act that they have no choice but to put on."

Kourtney scowled. "So life's even unfair in the Council, too? That's messed up."

Kris nodded. "Especially for the younger members."

"So, then, is Heechul the one in charge?"

"Half in charge." Kris corrected. "He's a Head Councilman along with Leeteuk. Heechul's the head of the vampires while Leeteuk's the head of the werewolves. Leeteuk has the power to order and discipline the other werewolf members and the same with Heechul and the vampire members."

"So Heechul can't order around a werewolf member?"

"No, he can...just...how to explain it?" Kris sat forward. "There are some orders he can give them but some he can't that only Leetuk can give."

"Since they're at the top I assume they're the strongest?"

Kris tilted his head to the side. "Well, not exactly. While Council members are decided on strength, rank is not. Age is how the rank is chosen. As the two oldest, they are the Head Councilmen."

Kourtney nodded in understanding. "So, what about High Councilmen? That's what Kangin is, right?"

"High Councilmen are the next highest rank. There are four of them total. The rest are just ranked as Councilmen, like Eunhyuk is."

Kourtney sighed. "Will I have to meet the entire Council one day?"

Kris glanced to the side. "Probably. Which is why, to prepare you, I will now tell you about each of the members."

A/N: Ugh! Stupid work getting the way again!

Anyways...tomorrow's a free day so expect another update!

And as always, thanks to the new subscribers! :)