I got  a degree homies. Umph.

Enjoy!

Kyungsoo sits with a deep pout on his lips. His legs are crossed. His arms are crossed. His head hangs low as he glares at the ground. The induk is cross.

“I will not repeat myself.” the wolf growls, “Answer me.”

The new mate bites his tongue and doesn’t want to reply.

Rules. The beast was telling Kyungsoo that he had to live by rules. And the caregiver would be more than willing, if they weren’t so ridiculous and insulting.

You are never to leave this cave.

You are never to leave this piece of land right here, not unless I say so.

You will eat every ounce of meat I bring you.

You will always do as I tell you.

“No.” the induk refuses and stubbornly glares up at the man towering over him. The wolf sighs loudly and curls his hands around hair, motioning how he might wish to crush his mate’s head in.

Blue eyes jump into view, hot breath ghosts over his face and Kyungsoo leans away.

“If you do not comply with my rules, I will kill you.” Rakasa Serigala threatens.

And Kyungsoo challenges that threat. Maybe it's the prajurit blood within him that is not afraid, maybe it is the courage he’s gained from his and this beast’s first interaction, whatever it is, the caregiver scoffs at the threat.

“Do it then.” he challenges. He puffs out his smaller chest.

“You are my mate. You will follow my rules.” the beast retorts.

Frustration is a giant wave crashing into Kyungsoo’s mind at full force.

“Exactly!” he yells, the wolf jumps just the slightest bit, “I am your mate. I am not a pet or a prisoner! I am your mate, your equal, your partner for life! I will not be treated this way!”

He’s not ready for the words. He’s still holding onto hope. He is still trying to convince himself that the wolf is just protective, that he’s not as savage and mean as the stories tell.

A large hand shoves him down onto his back, a large form hovers over him, and large canines let out a nasty snarl in front of him.

“You will never be my equal. You are my mate. I provide you with shelter and food. You provide me with offspring. That is the extent to our agreement. Nothing more and nothing less. Either stay here and follow my rules, or go back to the village that abandoned you.”

When the induk makes a move to turn away, to ignore these commands, a very threatening growl rips from the wolf’s teeth. His eyes become neon blue and his ears begin to point and turn white at the edges. It’s frightening, that image. His words, his threatening eyes, it seems to all hit Kyungsoo at once. A large boulder onto his head to knock some sense into him.

He was in the cave of a monster.

Tears merge from his eyes, his lower lip quivers and he deeply wishes he had an enormous amount of strength to fight. Instead he quietly nods his head.

And Rakasa Serigala pushes off of the induk. He exits the cave in a rush, and leaves a broken mate behind.

Kyungsoo is shaking. So many emotions race through his veins and cause tremors through his gut and through his fists. The wolf had stabbed a giant hole right into the center of his hope. Gutted it and left it drained and dead.

He had so strongly hoped for a better life.

The wolf had been so gentle, so caring before. Why had the induk allowed himself to believe in that? This animal, this beast thing didn’t understand what being mates meant, he only saw Kyungsoo as a fertile garden to plant his seed. He had forgotten that the wolf was a monster, a wild thing that ate Kyungsoo’s kind.

For a hot angry second Kyungsoo wants to scream that he will leave. He’ll leave and go back to his people. They will take him back, they will-

Failure. Abandoned. Suci kado.

Kyungsoo does scream. At the top of his lungs he lets out the longest, loudest scream he can muster. His anger boils, his frustration reaches an all-time peak, and his misery…

It’s suffocating. It lodges itself into his throat and makes it hard to breath. Why had life given him this hand? Why did fate treat him so cruelly? It seemed every time he thought his future held something great, something better, reality hit him hard and cold.

His throat is sore and his cheeks are burning. Each time his fists pound into the cave floor pain snaps through his skin. It hurts. His skin is breaking on his knuckles and his jaw is sore from gritting his teeth. But it feels good to let out this anger, this pain. Pain for pain. It seems like an equal trade.
 

Later when the world has darkened, when the quiet is deafening, Kyungsoo finally stops. His hands are bloodied and throbbing. The warm blood coats his fingers.

“What have you done?” comes the angry whisper. Kyungsoo cannot see the wolf in the darkness. He can only make out two eyes shining against the moonlight that flows in from the left tunnel. The induk turns his back on the voice and scoots till his feet hit a rough wall.

There is rustling behind him. Whispered curses and grunts.

Awhile later Kyungsoo takes notice that his back is significantly warmer. He’d been deep in his thoughts, images of plunging a rock into his own skull and setting the forest on fire had been running through his mind at top speed. But the overwhelming warmth at his back finally gets his attention. He slowly turns his neck and glances behind himself.

The beast has made a small fire. It’s surrounded by pebbles to keep it contained, a bunch of twigs lying on top of thicker branches. Yellow and orange tongues of fire the air. And the wolf is sitting beside it. His blue eyes reflect the flames. He’s glaring at Kyungsoo.

“Come here.” the wolf orders.

Kyungsoo stands from his spot.

He sees the way the wolf takes in his wounds, the blood dripping off of his fingers. He almost thinks the wolf looks worried.

Kyungsoo walks past the beast and instead crouches next to the lake. The water is cold and stings over his fresh wounds. When he has sufficiently cleaned his hands he settles next to the fire as well, on the opposite side of the wolf.

A dead animal, rabbit, is shoved into his face. It’s been skinned and is stabbed onto a long stick.

“Eat.” the wolf grunts.

Kyungsoo pushes the carcass away.

The stick is thrown into his lap, “Eat or don’t. I don’t care.”

The induk pouts with the dead animal in his lap for a while. He stares at it defiantly. Slurps and tearing of meat is heard from the other side. The wolf scarfs down three rabbits before walking further into the patch of stone and curling up to sleep.

Kyungsoo waits until he’s sure the animal is sleeping, till he spots the slow and rhythmic rise of the man’s chest.  A light snore rings out and the induk finally starts to cook the raw meat he was given.

He can’t ignore his stomach as it growls and begs. He doesn’t wait for the meat to be completely cooked and shoves it into his mouth quickly, chewing and savoring the fat and taste of food in his mouth. He swallows it all and sighs.

When he lays down to sleep, he does so as far away from the beast as possible. The corner he is huddles in is cold and narrow. But it suits him just fine. He’d rather shiver and die of the harsh cold than be anywhere near that animal. Kyungsoo wipes stray tears that escape. He sniffles and bites his tongue.

He has nowhere to go.

He cannot go back to his village.

He does not want to stay here.

“I’ll run away.” he promises himself. With his throbbing knuckles and his gentle tears, Kyungsoo closes his eyes and tries his best to sleep.

Ketua Mayoung was born a leader. She’s swift and just, beautiful and graceful, she’s wise and kind. There is no better leader for the moon tribe. Everyone understood that from a young age she was going to rise in rank.

By her 12th birthday she was leading prayer sessions for suci kado, healing the leaders of the trades and was able to conjure spells to enhance the prajurit clans.

When she turned 16 it was no surprise that each clan swore their loyalty to her as the heir to the throne. She had grown into her beauty, she was delivering children and it was because of her that the Kimdukun clan was able to rise into power. Mayoung, at the age of 17 was assigned as the new lead healer.

Candra Suku put their faith in Mayoung. After the old Ketua had died, there was no doubt or uprising or even questioning when the lead families voted her as their new leader.

No one could forget how angelic she looked on the coronation. White eagle feathers crowned her head with long chains of moonstone and pearls dangling down the side of her face. Pearl dust shimmered over her eyes, gold flecks sprinkled on her lips. The white leopard fur had been wrapped tightly around her bodice and fanned out into thin strips of silver chains and beads.

Many male and female induks offered themselves to her through the time she had reigned. And although many were young and strong, wise, handsome and beautiful, she had not taken a mate. For she believed in the independence of a leader, that she did not need a mate by her side to make decisions. It would be pleasant to have someone by her side, but Mayoung was strict in her ways.

It comes as no surprise when a young male induk bows before her early that morning. The sun had just risen, bright white light shining down on their village and illuminating the green of the trees around them. Happy voices passed by as the candra suku went about their days. But here in Ketua’s large hut, filled with tapestries, moonstones galore, and statues in her image, kneels a young male induk. He’s tall for his age, thin but gaining muscle, handsome and innocent looking.

“Sehun of the Ohinduk clan, what is so important that you have asked for a private meeting with me?” she smiles upon him.

She has seen this young caregiver before. He’s always been babied by the other hunters and warriors. Mostly because he was so handsome, and they had all been attempting to court him.

“I have come before you Ketua with a very humble request.” his voice is soft, but she knows he is rather bratty. Someone in her family has been very fond of him, made her watch the young caregiver and even dared to ask her to arrange their marriage. But she was not one to play favorites for her clan. If her young cousin wanted to claim Sehun, they would have to do so on their own.

“Ask and you shall receive and answer.” Ketua encourages. Sehun his lips, eyes flickering from her face to the ground where he kneels.

“Many pencari and prajurits wish to...to claim me Ketua. And I have been told for quite some time that it would be a great honor to have one of them look over me, especially those of the Parkpencari and Leeprajurit clans.” the young induk explains.

“Yes Sehun, you are quite handsome and young. Of course many would wish for you to be their mate.” Ketua compliments.

“But I don’t wish to be with any of them.” Sehun sighs and looks stressed as he frowns, “I do not wish for them because they are all so...dominating. I do not wish to be dominated, reigned over like I am lesser than.”

Ketua nods, she can empathize with this point of view. Because she was a woman all of the male induks assumed she wanted one of them, and not only her own clan but many of the hunters and warriors believed she needed a strong male by her side to reign over her. Nonsense.

“I wish Ketua, with all my heart, to find someone who will treat me with respect, who will cherish me as I will them.” Sehun has a dreamy look in his eyes, far away and in a distant land of love and appreciation. It’s charming.

“Which is why I must ask,” the induk raises his head to look into the eyes of his leader, he musters all the courage within himself, “Please Ketua, mate with me. Please be the rightful one who will treat me the way I want to be treated.”

Mayoung can’t help the gentle laugh that rings from her lips. Sehun’s face falls and he already looks defeated. His chief had just laughed in his face at the proposal.

“Do not misunderstand young one, I do not laugh because I wish to mock you.” She quickly comforts, reaching forward to usher him closer. The caregiver stands and makes his way over, head hung low and crimson blush on his ears. He’s embarrassed now.

Her long nails trail along the side of his neck.

It’s tempting, to say the least. Sehun is so young, so handsome, so tempting. He would be a good lover no doubt, one with energy and vigor to please his mate.

“You are quite appeasing to the eye. And I have no worries that you would be loyal to me and love me till your last breath. But I shall not mate with you. I am far too old for you, the mate you need is someone of your age, someone who will live long with you.” her words seem to clean the few wounds her laughter had left behind. But the induk still looks unsatisfied.

Mayoung clicks her tongue. A young cousin comes to mind. He would be absolutely thrilled if the chief set them up. And she’s almost certain this cousin would treat Sehun with the respect and adoration the induk is searching for.

She won’t play favorites with her clan. But it wouldn’t hurt to just...push them in the right direction.

It’s rare but not unheard of for the chief to offer her personal help to a moon tribe member in need.

“But what I can do for you,” she adds and smiles as Sehun’s face as it lights up, “is help you find the right mate. You can stay by my side, in my hut if you wish. I shall offer you protection from the hungry hunters and warriors, and make sure that only a mate worthy of you can have you.”

Mayoung was going to put Sehun right in the line of sight for her cousin. He visited her often to talk and learn medicine. Surely they would see each other so often that...well no magic spell would be needed to help them notice one another.

Sehun drops to his knees and bows till his forehead touches the ground.

“Thank you Ketua, you are gracious and just.”

Mayoung ruffles the young man’s hair with affection. She tells the induk to go and pack his things, to tell his parents he will be staying with her until a suitable mate is found.

Before he leaves though, she stops him and asks if he can do her just one favor.

“Of course Ketua, ask anything of me.”

Mayoung’s face darkens for a moment. Her eyes become a little cold, a little hard, and the smile disappears from her face completely.

“Bring me Chanyeol of the Parkpencari clan. I need to speak with him. Immediately.”

Sehun swallows. He’s never seen the chief look light that. So...angry.

He bows his head and quietly exits her hut, heart thumping and goosebumps rising on his skin.

Oooooh is Chanyeol in trouble? And omg Yifan why you such a meanie?

Guess we'll find out later~

Don't forget to check out the playlist I posted the link to in previous chapters! Subscribe, comment and upvote if you feel like it. And this time for real I will do better in answering comments or questions! (sorry I was so busy with finals and graduating haha)

Hope you enjoyed!

Much love doves,

Porter