Chapter 6

When I opened my eyes once more, I noticed I was on a bed and that I was in an unknown room. The sun was still up and giving the room some light for me to look around. The room was pretty plain; a bed, desk in the corner, and a dresser next to a closet. Nothing covered the walls and it seemed so lonely being in this room.

A couple minutes later, I finally managed to stand on my feet and it hurt so much. My jaw was clenched shut to prevent myself from crying out and I made slow yet shaky steps towards the door. Once I made it to the door, I had to lean against it to regain my breath.

After the short break, I opened the door and walked out into the empty hallway. I tried to stay as quiet as possible, still confused on where I am, but I didn’t feel scared. Someone was walking up the stairs and paused when they noticed me leaning against the wall. The person quickly turned around and ran down the stairs while shouting, “He’s awake!”

More footsteps were heard and the first person to greet me was Chanyeol as he quickly caught me before I fell. I let out a yelp when he tightened his grip on me and then I was picked up. I looked away from him to see Byeol standing on the top step with worried look on her face and Junmyeon and Jongdae were standing behind her on lower steps.

All I could feel is confusion because why am I here and why am I in so much pain? More questions filled my mind as I was carried down the stairs with my friends leading us. We entered a living room and I recognized Kris, Han, Minseok, and the two boys from earlier, but I didn’t know the boy reading the book or the one standing by the window with a sad look on his face.

Carefully, I was sat on the couch…or supposed to be. Chanyeol say on the couch and shifted me slightly so I was on his lap and I could only look at him with a blush.  Someone cleared their throat and I turned to look at Minseok who had a serious expression on his face. I felt uneasy by this and he ran a hand through his head with a sigh as he relaxed.

“Sometimes people don’t wake up and I’m glad you did,” he said and I was starting to hate being confused. “You’re confused, it’s okay. That’s why all of us are here…”

“If you being wolves are the reason why I’m in so much pain, then I don’t want your help,” I cut him off and he stared at me.

“Baek, we…”

“No, I want nothing to do with this. I stated that when you guys first popped up in my life. I’ll deal with Jongdae and Byeol, but no one else. I don’t know what Junmyeon hyung has to do with this, but if I’m anymore confused, I’ll just ask him. I am not like any of you,” it was silent and then the boy reading the book stood up while closing his book.

“We can’t control him and his stench is bothering me. If he doesn’t want us to help him, then let him leave. He’s nothing but a nuisance,” the boy said before leaving with the boy that drove the car followed him.

“I’ll heal him and then he can be on his way. Soo is right though. We can’t control Byun,” the boy standing by the window said and then looked at me. “You broke a few ribs, your arm, and your ankle. How you managed to walk is beyond me, but I’ll fix everything and you can be on your way.”

“Chanyeol, take him back to your room,” Minseok commanded.

“Hyung, he needs…”

“Don’t argue with me,” Minseok snapped making Chanyeol tense up.

“Don’t worry Yeol, it’ll happen again and he’ll be back,” the boy from the stairs said.

Chanyeol stood up with me still in his arms and proceeded to carry me back up the stairs. Surprisingly I was brought back to the room I woke up in and he put me down on the bed. Once he stepped back, the boy from earlier took his place by the bed and placed a hand on my ankle. I felt a pop and then a warm sensation before he started bending and moving my ankle around to show it was fine. He did the same with my arm and when he moved to my ribs, he paused slightly.

“This is going to be more painful than your arm and ankle,” he warned before touching my side.

He wasn’t lying and I groaned in pain and hissed slightly from his touch. He removed his hand before placing it on the other side and repeating the process.

When he leaned back, he looked at me with a serious face and it seemed like he was hesitating from saying something. He looked away from me and moved to leave, but I stopped him by grabbing his wrist. He tensed up immediately, but didn’t move to remove my grip or to look back at me.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Yixing,” he said and I tightened my grip when he went to leave.

“You know Xing misses your bossy attitude,” Kris said and Junmyeon tensed up. “Are you and Junmyeon hyung mates?” I asked and I even confused myself at that question. What the hell am I talking about? What is a ing mate?

Yixing looked at me shocked before he snatched his arm away from me and then ran out the room. It was silent and I silently cursed myself for asking that question. I felt the bed dip and then Chanyeol was sitting next to me, but he was looking at the wall.

“Their relationship is a bit rocky due to a lot of misunderstandings,” Chanyeol said quietly.

“I see,” I said as I looked down at my lap. “Can you tell him I said thank you and I’m sorry for bringing that up. I just…” I trailed off.

“Confused on why you asked about mates?” Chanyeol asked me and I hummed. “I can’t tell you the answer without you getting mad. So for now, just ignore it. I’ll tell him that you’re sorry and that you said thank you.”

“Chanyeol, can you at least tell me if this happened because of the conversation in the classroom?” I asked and he kept silent. When I didn’t receive an answer, I looked up at him to see that he was still staring at the wall. “Chan…”

“Yes,” he said before getting up and leaving the room.

Jongdae, Byeol, and Junmyeon were quick to enter the room after he left and all three had worried looks on their faces. Byeol instantly hugged me while whispering apologizes, but I could only stare at Junmyeon. He seemed worried, but he also seemed sad.

“Is it because of your mate?” I asked and then I was even more confused.

The three looked at me confused and Junmyeon shifted uncomfortably. “What are you talking about?” he asked and I frowned.

“I don’t know either. I asked Yixing if he was your mate and he quickly left, but I don’t even know what a mate is,” I sighed at the end. “I’m so confused, but something in me is telling me that everything is okay.”

“Let’s get you home and we can talk more about this there. At this point, we’re more unwelcomed than originally planned,” Jongdae said changing the subject.

Byeol helped me off the bed before the four of us quietly left the room. When we reached the front door, I stopped walking because I felt like I shouldn’t…no couldn’t leave. Byeol turned to me with a sad smile before pulling me out of the house and it hurt. Something was telling to go back, that I need to be there. I tried to ignore the pain and continued walking with the others up to Junmyeon’s car.

I sat in the back with Byeol and then listen to the three talk about something that happened at school, but I barely paid attention. My attention was focused on the house we were leaving and I could have sworn I saw Chanyeol standing in front of one of the windows. I felt something clawing at my mind to tell me to go back and I let out a whimper as I held my head in pain.

“Baek…” Byeol’s concerned voice made me force a smile at her. “Baek I know when you’re in pain, so stop looking at me with that smile,” she snapped and I dropped my smile. “We want to tell you, but you told us not to. You’ve accepted everything about us, but you refuse to accept yourself!” she yelled at me and I looked at her shocked. “We try, we honestly do, but you’re making it so hard for us. I know it’s weird to hear this, but you honestly should’ve listened to Minseok-oppa. He was going to explain things we couldn’t. You can’t keep living in this fantasy that you’re normal.”

“Byeol, stop,” Jongdae said and she released a frustrated sigh.

“Everything will be fine Baek, just trust us,” Junmyeon said, but I didn’t feel any better.

I turned my attention to look out the window and silently walked back into my shell.

Everything is going to be okay.

You keep saying that, but look at what is happening. I woke up in pain and now my friends are yelling at me.

Everyone understands that you’re just confused.

Just stop talking to me. I don’t want to hear anyone’s voice, including yours.

The voice was gone and then I sighed to myself as I rested my head against the window. The rest of the ride was silent as everyone was thinking about different things. We arrived at Junmyeon’s house and I was quick to get out of the car before walking quickly to my house.

I paused when I reached the door and turned my head to see a familiar car next to mine. My eyes widened as I quickly unlocked the door and entered the house to see my parents sitting on the couch. My father smiled up at me while my mother looked at me with a blank expression. When my father opened, his mouth, my mother placed a hand on his arm, silencing him.

“Baek, we have to talk and tell your friends they can sit in here as well,” she said. In only a couple of moments, everyone was seated in the living room and I was tensed as I waited for my mother to talk. “What I tell you, does not get to Sehun. He hasn’t matured yet and I rather not have his mother freak out,” she said and her tone left no room for arguments. “Now you must have realized by now, if not then I’m greatly disappointed. Your two male friends here, they are wolves. This girl is what you call your talent’s energy. She, in a sense, does not exist. If anything, she is just an illusion that can have a will of her own.”

The way my mother talked was so emotionless and I could only look at her with wide eyes. She sighed and looked at my father who nodded his head. When she turned back to look at me, her eyes flashed a silver before there were multiple versions of her standing in the room.

“You inherited more than my eyes and smile,” she said calmly. “Baek, I am a wolf and so is my sister. You and Sehun are half wolves and judging by the color of your eyes, you had your first shift today.”

I couldn’t say anything because no…she’s lying. This is all just a dream. My parents aren’t back. They’re still on a business trip. I must’ve not waken up and I’m still at Chanyeol’s house. Yes that’s what’s happening.

“Baek stop,” Byeol said and I looked at her. “Stop trying to lie to yourself.”

“No, I’m normal. I go to school, come home, do my homework, hangout in the woods, sometimes I go to my part-time jobs to pay the bills, and the only thing that is strange about me is my pet Chen. Junmyeon hyung is my only friend at school and the only other person that talks to me is my nosy neighbor. I’m not a wolf and neither is Sehun,” I said and then I stood up to look at my parents. “You guys aren’t here. You haven’t been here in two years for that stupid project so don’t you dare come back now and tell me lies!” it’s that feeling once more, but it’s stronger. “I’m not a wolf! I’m normal! I’m…” something told me to run and I did.

I ran out the house and straight into the woods, my only safe place. I was easily dodging branches, roots, bushes, and rocks as I continued running. A familiar tree was in front of me and I was quick to climb it before jumping to a nearby tree. I moved from tree to tree before I climbed up a large tree and then sitting on one of the branched.

My breathing was uneven as I felt tears run down my face. I let them fall as I focused my attention on the heat that was burning me from the inside out. I was panicking as I started scratching at my arms and neck to try and relieve this heat. I shifted and felt the branch dip down slightly before breaking entirely. My body was free falling and in mid-air, I felt arms around me stopping me.

Even though I was shocked, I couldn’t stop my scratching as I looked up at Kris’s expressionless face. I was sat on the ground and then Chanyeol was sitting in front of me with a worried expression. When he tried touching me, I flinched away from him and moved back. He froze and retracted his hand before just staring at me.

A snap was heard and I screamed out in pain before more and more snaps were heard. There was a hand on my head and blackness greeted me for the second time that day. Unlike the first time I was unconscious, this time I saw a chestnut brown wolf with warm honey brown eyes staring at me.

Finally, it’s nice to meet you. I was wondering when we’ll meet.

I just stared at the wolf shocked and I could see that it was amused with how its eyes were shining. Who are you?

What do you want to call me?

What do you mean?

I am the other side of you. So I am you. You can call me by Baekhyun or you can give me a different name as well.

This was too weird. I want to wake up. Even in my dreams, someone is trying to tell me I’m a wolf.

You are a wolf. Well half, but still a wolf.

Wolves are four legged creatures that live in packs and hunt in the wild. I am not a wolf. I am just a regular teenage boy that knows weird people.

I see… the wolf’s eyes became cold and I took a step back scared. Baek do not mistake my gentle tone for kindness. I refuse to be ignored by a weakling like you. Do you honestly think a normal boy would be able to move through these woods as easily as you do? Do you think a normal boy could bring wild creatures towards him like you can? Do you think a normal boy could make an illusion become a living person? I don’t tolerate ignorance boy.

If I wasn’t scared before, I am now. The wolf started growling and stalking towards me as if  were its prey. I tried moving away, but it was as if I was frozen to the spot as I stared at the wolf with terrified eyes.

Please don’t kill me. I begged and it made a noise similar to a scoff.

If you die, I die. Why would I kill myself? when the wolf was directly in front of me, it sat down and released an annoyed huff. We’re staying here until you stop living in denial boy.