***

“I’m sorry, come again?!”

“you are what?!”

“what?!”

And dozen times of gasps along with more and more ‘what?!’s rolling out of Yoongi mouth as he listen to Sehun story -well, more like explanation really- of me and my brothers real circumstances and relation with each other. The two of them sitting on the comfy couch at the corner while JongIn and I occupying ourselves with the pile of books and records that scattered around the attic. Considering how I haven't been exposed that much of the Empress plan, I tried to collect as many datas and informations as possible regarding the secret plans that the Empress cooked up under her sleeves while hoping that she didnt realized just how many intel my mother had took with her and hid here. Small chance she didn't suspect anything but one could always hope, right?,

I turn my head slightly to peek at JongIn who opted to crouching down in front of an old wooden chest, surfing through the yellowing papers that lined inside with a slight frowns decorating his face, completely taken with his own research while keeping track to what Sehun put in his story tentatively, dropping one or two comments to the story every now and then as he occasionally glanced back merely to catch Yoongi jaw dropped even more each second passed and let out a hushed snickers every time a quiet gasps left my poor shocked mate mouth. He clearly enjoying this mental torture of confusion he put Yoongi through, I always knew he had this sadistic traits in him but this time it's borderline ridiculous if you ask me,

My hands stopped on its track before crossing them in front of my chest after putting the record of the last conquer of the Reaper Empire with the other books and files that I thought might be useful for the war to comes and planning to take them back with me later. At length, I turn around to lean my hips onto the edge of the table, watching the scene in a total amusements,

Why on earth I considered Yoongi to be the most cold and distance from the rest of my mates again? Because, various uncharacteristic and comical expression flashes through on his usually expressionless face, changing back and forth every five seconds as he tried hard to process everything at once,

“amazing, very expressive… that mate of yours”,

A very amused voice heard and I tilt my head slightly back to look at JongIn and noticed that he too, have decided to paused his activity to watch the other two,

I snorted, “yeah, you successfully made a stone comes alive, congratulation, you must be feel very accomplished right now”,

JongIn lift an eyebrow at my answer and I shrugged, sighing out loud as I turn my eyes back to Sehun and Yoongi “you don't get it, do you? the weight of the truth of your ridiculous prank was so shocking that even that usually passive and lethargic person could even adapt such reactions,” I paused before continuing in a more jaded tone, “if Min Yoongi could even became like that, I don't even want to imagine how the other boys would react to this”,

Hearing the exasperation from my last sentence, JongIn blinked before a set of laughter left his mouth as I glared at him. Yeah, very funny, laugh it off, laugh your sister misery off, will you?

“what are you two laughing about?” Yoongi suddenly in and we simultaneously turn our head towards his and Sehun direction as he stared back at us with a rather annoyed frown between his brows while Sehun sipped his tea casually, eyes gleaming in amusement,

I shake my head slightly, huffing as a small smile grazed my lips, “nothing” I answered and Yoongi lift an eyebrow at me suspiciously but opening his arms for me when I walk towards him and slipped inside his warm embrace anyway, sighing contently as I snuggled into him closer, I felt all the tension that he had ever since we stepped into this mansion earlier have completely vanished and he had actually relaxed now despite being shaken by the sudden revelation that shoved right onto his face,

“you two done?” I asked lightly, looking up at Yoongi while staying still in his hug before turning to Sehun who still wearing his eating grin, his cup lingering on his lips as he staring back at me. I have this sudden temptation to use my shadow and shove the cup onto his face. See if the smug looks could last

Yoongi hummed, pulling my attention and the image of a werewolf drenched in a hot tea instantly vanished from my mind as I glide my eyes back at my mate right when he leaned back onto the couch, closing his eyes before answering, “depends,”, my brows shot up at this and Yoongi opened his eyes to look at me before continuing, “any other secret I should know about?”,

I stared back at him for a second before moved to look at both of my brothers, eyes lingering longer on JongIn as we exchanging glances and I let out a sigh as I turn my eyes back Yoongi expecting ones, “no” I answered shortly and my mate hold his gaze before let out a small smile as he pat my head,

“if that so, yes, we’re d-”,

“are you sure there’s no more secret, JooYeon?”,

I turn to glare at JongIn who merely looking back at me with unreadable expression on his face, we hold the staring contest with each other in complete silent before I decided to break the connection and heaved a sigh, shaking my head as I opened my mouth,

“I don't know what you were talking about” I finally answered my brother before burying my face into the crook of Yoongi’s neck and I felt he moved back a little to look down at me but said nothing regardless,

“I think you know exactly what” JongIn pushed again and I gritted my teeth in annoyance, “no I don-”,

“your shadows, it grew exceptionally stronger” Sehun cut me off and I turn rigid in Yoongi’s arms,

They knew

I blinked and suddenly I could pull the strings together, as of why JongIn decided to lock himself in this attic, searching for some informations that I don't even get why and what also his reluctant of letting we report to the Council as soon as we came back to the realm. Something's definitely wrong

Gulping slowly I keep my face hidden on the crook of Yoongi’s neck as I addressed the problem “what about it? we know that my power still hasn't reached it maximum potential at the first place, you never have any problem with the growth of my inner Reaper before so why start now?”,

I felt JongIn burning stare on the back of my head before a tired sigh reached my ears and I could pictured him running his hands through his luscious brown lock out of frustration. A chuckles almost left my lips,

“whispers” I said finally, pulling back and face my brothers, poker face already masked my emotion as I continued on,

“it whispered to me, urging me to do things that I’ve never been think of before… terrible things”,

At my words, JongIn eyes widened in surprise before he quickly masked his reaction back to indifference as he exchanged glance with Sehun who -in contrary- visibly frowned, all the tension that they hide perfectly but noticeable by me all the same and my own brows furrowed, not liking the -obviously- secret conversation that my two brothers have without me,

“you mean like it have its own consciousness or something?” Yoongi questioned now and I look up to him, deep crease adorning his forehead as he talked,

“crazy, right? It never happened before, both my Reaper and Demon never speak to me, guess they finally felt lonely and wanting to have a chat with me” I half joked with a shrug but even that pathetic attempt to lift the mood was futile as no one seems to bother to smile at the joke,

“it doesn't work like that, even for a Vampire, our inner Demon was just this bundle of power that live inside us, you know that”,

I groaned, pushing Yoongi away from me as I move to sit straight on the couch “just trying to lift the mood here” I said, rolling my eyes as I crossed my arms in front of my chest,

“so what now? You guys telling me that I gone gaga now? That I finally lose my sanity or something? Well, if that’s the case, too bad then as you’re not the first one to suspect that”,

I look around, sending glare towards them, challenging them to answer my question before JongIn finally break the eye contact with me as he sighed, scratching the back of his head and pushed himself off of the edge of the table that he’s been leaned all along and walked toward us,

“that’s not what we meant, not what we hoped for at least” he answered and my glare intensified but that beloved brother of mine just stared back indifferently then reached down to touch the side of my cheek with his finger tips. I noticed Yoongi turn rigid beside me but relaxed rather quickly, his reaction wasn't as bad as before now that he knew that JongIn was my brother,

“still love to beat around the bush, I see” I said coldly and a faint smile formed on my tanned brother,

“you have a royal blood flowing in you from our mother side, that alone makes it a bit more problematic than it seems, considering what kind of dark history the Royal blood of the Reaper had,” JongIn finally said, pausing shortly to take a strand of bloody red hair in between his fingers before continuing,

“and the fact that another royal blood run through your veins from your father side of the family makes the problems rather vague, if not worse”,

I move away from JongIn touch, a low growl forming inside my throat as I did so “I didn't ask for any of this, you know?”,

“seeing how you literally digging our mother files for a while now, did you find what's wrong with me then? What’s happening to me?” I challenged but JongIn just hold my gaze back before closing his eyes and suddenly he looked older now that the mental exhaustion catching up with him, tired. Lost,

“I don't know”,

I lift an eyebrow. So, that’s it? he gave up? It’s not like him to give up halfway like this,

And as if sensing my sceptical looks and read my mind, JongIn shake his head “I’m not saying anything about giving up, in fact I do kinda get some idea about what’s happening… it’s just, I need more evident,”,

“I’ve never hoped to be proven wrong this badly before”.

***

After the heavy conversations that we had in the attic a few hours ago, both my brothers and Yoongi decided to come down to the dining room to get something to eat before we take our leave. Deciding to put a hold on our respective research,JongIn and I agreed almost immediately as I could literally feel my stomach screaming in demand for some solid foods, so here we are, sitting around the round table, chomping on our foods in a rather awkward arrangement, Yoongi silently slurping his soup while my brothers settled for their juicy medium rare steaks,

I observed in silence while chewing my apple-salmon crostini, almost snorted into my plate at the identical mischievous stares my brothers throw towards Yoongi who feigning ignorance of the attention he got from the two wolves. Seriously, these brats

“is there something in my face that bothers you?” the blackette finally asked as he put his spoon down, seemingly losing his patient there and I sighed. You’re not supposedly waltzed right into their trap again, Min Yoongi

JongIn let out his big wolfy grin as he too, put down his fork “nothing” he waved casually and sceptical brow shot up on Yoongi’s forehead suspiciously. Sehun snickered at this, shoving more meat into his mouth as he opted to watch for now,

“what’s with the black hair?” JongIn asked, grin still latched onto his face but a more sincere curiosity flashed through his childlike expression,

“what about it?” Yoongi grumbled as he unconsciously touched his hair and JongIn barked a laugh,

“nothing, it's just I didn't quite adapted with the dark color, I’m used to your meek appearance with the old silver hair, I think, you looked different now that I almost didn't recognized you at first if it's not for that notorious frowns you always sport on” JongIn smirked as he watch Yoongi face grew redder in color by every words that fly out of JongIn’s mouth and I decided to in before it get even worse, balling my napkin before throwing it right to my idiot brother face, the napkin bounced on his exposed forehead before fall onto the floor lifelessly, earning a loud yelp from the wolf and choked laugh from Sehun,

“stop that before I shove this crostini onto your dumb looking face, seriously you looked like an idiot with that grin of yours” I said indifferently before putting another piece of salmon into my mouth,

JongIn grumbled “you won’t dare, you love the dish too much, you won't waste even a tiniest piece of it” he said in between his grumbles and I just shake my head calmly with closed eyes,

“oh, but I will, you know I will, if it means you would stop acting like a jerk, oppa,” I stopped short to open my eyes and look at him almost boredly “and if that ever happens, I’ll make sure you pay double for making me waste such a fine dish, you hear me?”, that earned even more loud bark of laughter from Sehun as he literally clinging onto the chair he seated on to keep him from falling over as he laughed hard and even Yoongi visibly trembling in soundless laugh at JongIn saucer wide eyes,

After recomposed himself back -smacking the back of Sehun head and throwing glare at Yoongi- JongIn pouted as he rest his chin on top of his open palm “it’s a compliment, you know? I meant to say he looked manlier this way”,

“that would do without the taunt, isn't it? seriously, could you just toned down your urge to play someone around a little bit? So childish and here I thought you were the oldest one out of us” I sigh tiredly and JongIn grinned before retort back “nope”, popping the ‘p’ as I just shake my head and massaged the bridge of my nose before focusing my attention back to my foods,

Sehun giggled at the scene as he, finally put down his fork and brought a cup of water towards his lips to wash the foods down into his stomach before turning his attention towards Yoongi, fixing a pair of melted caramel colored eyes at the heir with amused smile on his face,

“say, now that you knew the truth, are you gonna inform the other princes? I personally wished that you wouldn't, letting you know wasn't actually part of the plan and we want the fun to last a little bit longer” he said, exchanging wicked grins with JongIn as they waited for Yoongi response and I half expecting my mate to lash out in disagreement and stand for his brothers but what comes next almost throw me off of my chair,

Yoongi snickered, evilly

“if that’s what you are concerned about, rest assured, I did not even planned to say anything to them in the first place, I wanted to make this as fun as it could be too,” he said, smirking in process before adding “this might as well be my chance to pay those brats back for their tricks”,

And I felt shivers ran through my veins as I watch my brothers and mate for once agreeing in something while the faces of three particular boys popped out inside my mind and I immediately feel worried of their fate. Park Jimin, Kim TaeHyung, Jeon JungKook, run. Run for your lives

Sehun chuckled when he heard Yoongi’s answer “wicked, I like you, but all jokes aside though, you definitely less agitated around us now, relieved that we weren't a threat for your relationship?” he asked and Yoongi pair of black orbs trailed from me to the younger wolf, staring back with his infamous poker face back on his face,

“that doesn't mean I dropped my defenses completely, you are still our natural enemy even if you are JooYeon’s brot