Chapter 8

“How long are you staying this time?” Daehyun asked as he sat a cup of tea in front of me. “By the looks of it, it seems like you’re running for a long time.”

“I’m just staying here until my parents leave again,” I explained idly. “You know how they can be when they try to surprise me.”

“Of course. So who is this?” Daehyun asked while gesturing towards Byeol.

“This is Byeol. She is an illusion that has a will of her own,” I explained and Daehyun raised a brow at that. “A lot of things have happened.”

“I can tell. Your eyes are still red, so that must mean you found out about our family secret,” he commented as he sat on the couch in front of me.

“So you already knew as well?” I asked as I crossed my leg. “Tell me, did you know about Chen when I tried bringing him over that one time?”

“Of course I knew,” Daehyun rolled his eyes. “My scent is what was making him act like that in the first place. Now who was those two wolves at my front door?”

“Well if you would just go to school like you’re supposed to…”

“Both of us know I don’t need to,” he quickly added.

“Then you would’ve known that it was Han and the new student Chanyeol.”

Daehyun had a look of surprise on his face before he started laughing. I shook my head as I reached for my cup of tea and drank it slowly as I waited for him to finish.

“You’re memory has improved when it comes to names,” Daehyun commented and I rolled my eyes. “So what did that pack of wolves want from you?”

“I don’t know, but the tall one seems a bit weird to me,” I said and he gestured for me to continue. “He’s very bipolar when it comes to talking with me. One minute he would be threatening me and then the next second it would be like he’s worried about me. I don’t trust him, especially after what he told me about Chen.”

“What happened with Chen?”

“He hurt Chen and then brought him to me unconscious. You know how I am when it comes to people and things close to me.”

Daehyun thought for a moment and then his eyes shifted to the front door. It opened shortly afterwards and the sound of something dropping to the floor cause me turned my head. Taehyung was staring at me with wide eyes and Sehun was standing right behind him with an impatient expression.

“Don’t just stand there,” Sehun said before pushing Taehyung into the room.

“Sehunnie, I thought you were going home,” Daehyun commented, ignoring the fact his younger brother was pushed to the ground.

“Auntie has been crying to me for the past few days about her sleeping beauty of a son,” he said while dropping his school bag on Taehyung and then stepping over him. “I thought if I just came here, I could get a break.”

“Aw, Baekkie made his mom cry,” Daehyun said and I sent him a glare.

“Shut it Dae. It’s not like I asked for any of this to happen,” I snapped and he held up his hands in defense.

“Speaking of you, why don’t you just go home Hyung? Auntie thinks you’re still in a coma after you fell from a tree,” Sehun said as he sat next to me and I looked at him unimpressed.

“You honestly believed that I would fall from a tree and knock myself into a coma? Me, Byun Baekhyun? Falling from a tree?” I asked him and he shrugged.

“Look I don’t particularly care about what really happened. I just want your mom to stop coming to me crying.”

“Why is she going to you though?” I asked and once again he shrugged. “Well whatever the real reason is, she’ll get over it I guess,” I sighed at the end and then turned my attention to Byeol and she flinched slightly. “We’re not leaving until you tell me…”

“Really hyungs? I was pushed down and then used as a doormat, yet none of you are concerned about me? Why? Is it because I’m the youngest? Do I not have feelings? Am i…”

“TAE!” Daehyun, Sehun, and I yelled at the same time to stop his ranting.

He pouted as he shut the front door and then slowly made his way to us before sitting next to Daehyun. The attention went back to me and I cleared my throat before looking at Byeol once more. “Since I was rudely interrupted. Tell us what happened in the last two weeks and tell me more about mates.”

“Oh, did you find yours?” Daehyun asked and I shook my head.

“Well after you had your second shift, you were taken back to Chanyeol’s house. Everyone was surprised except for one of the wolves, but he was saying something weird like he knew it or that he was always right. Anyways, you kind of just laid there on Chanyeol’s bed and it was slightly concerning because you weren’t moving. At times we could barely tell if you were breathing. Chanyeol was the one that freaked out the most because of how unresponsive you were being,” she said and the atmosphere was instantly serious.

“That’s all lovely, but I want to know what was said. Also you were going to explain this mate thing to me,” I told her and she pouted slightly.

“Well then, not much was said. Yixing came to check on you, Kyungsoo was ordered to watch over you, Junmyeon-oppa visited, and Dae argued with Chanyeol every chance they got. I talked with Kyungsoo the most since he was around you more than the others and he seemed a little friendly. He didn’t really seem to care about what was going on…”

“Okay get to something that is useful for us to know,” I said interrupting her again.

“This is so unlike you Baek. What happened to you being so timid, easy going…”

“Dae do I really need to answer that question?” I said and he smirked.

“Honestly it sounds like you’re more interested in what happened with Chen and Chanyeol. All of this could’ve been useful information. Maybe Kyungsoo is more of an ally to you,” he pointed out and I scoffed.

“Byeol continue before those two kill each other,” Sehun said and we looked back at her.

“Right, Kyungsoo told me a few things about their pack. It seems like Minseok is the alpha and Junmyeon used to be affiliated with them before he left. Yixing is mated with Junmyeon, but they got into a fight and that’s why Junmyeon left. Kris is mated with Tao, but Kris hangs around Yixing and it doesn’t help the tension between the couple. Kyungsoo is mated to…”

“Who cares,” I commented and received a few glares. “Look I’m not going to be memorizing any of this soon. Tell me who Chanyeol is mated with.”

“Why do you want to know?” Taehyung asked. “You don’t care about the others, but you want to know about him?”

“He just wants to know more about his enemy,” Sehun said and I looked at him. “What?”

“How are you not asking about what is going on?” I asked him and he shrugged.

“I could care less about what is going on. I’m only here to avoid your mom.”

“Back to the topic at hand,” Byeol said gaining the attention. “Chanyeol, Minseok, Han, and Chen are all unmated.” It was silent and we just stared at her, waiting for her to continue with the story, but she only stared back at us. “Did you want me to continue?” she asked and we all groaned.

“That is the point of this whole conversation, for you to tell us what is going on!” I yelled and she pouted.

“Well I answered your question. Like I was saying, Kyungsoo told me about their pack and mates. He told me that none of them are in the pack of their own free will. It was sort of forced onto them and that’s why they’re living in that house together.”

“Then why don’t they just leave?”

“Junmyeon got lucky, that’s how he left. Everyone else will be killed if they tried leaving.”

“, I hate to be their pack elders,” Daehyun commented as he leaned back in his seat. “So what now, why are they so focused on Baekhyun? From what I know about that pack, they have been here longer than Baek has. Why now?”

“Kyungsoo didn’t answer that question thoroughly. He only told me that the night Minseok visited and woke up Baekhyun’s wolf, they knew that he was more important than they thought. They have been researching ways to break free from the pack they’re in and they think Baekhyun can help them,” Byeol explained and I ran a hand through my hair.

“Too much work,” Sehun said and then took my tea. “They should just it up and get along with each other better,” he said before taking a drink.

“Easier said than done for that pack,” Taehyung said. “I would do everything I can to get away from them.”

“What do you two know about that pack?” I asked the brothers and they shared a look before looking back at me. “I already know about the family secret, so you might as well tell me everything.”

“Well since you put it that way…” Daehyun rolled his eyes. “They are a sub-unit of the SM pack. This pack is very controlling and likes to put children in little groups before placing them in different places to expand their territory. You my dear cousin, live on the borderline of unclaimed territory and theirs. Now because of our family, no one wants to interfere with you, so they just avoid you.”

“So why do they take people against their will and why is our family so important?” I asked.

“Our pack is very old, but almost everyone is very strong. That’s most likely why they want you to help them. Even for a half-breed, you’ve shown that you could hold off on your own,” Daehyun answered and then looked at Sehun. “Though if we really want to talk about strong half-breeds, I can’t wait until your first change. You might be even stronger than me and I’m a purebred.”

“Oh, so I’m part this as well?” Sehun asked and actually sounded interested in the conversation. “So is there anything that I can do?”

“If I were you, I would wait until after you shift for the first time. If you do what Baekkie did here, you would actually cause more damage,” Daehyun said and I pouted.

“What did I do wrong?” I asked and he gestured to Byeol.

“You created her before you shifted right? So that means you’re using up more of your energy than necessary to keep her around. I know that you don’t know how you did it,” he quickly added the last part when I went to opened my mouth. “We’ll help you, but it’s going to cost you a price for our help.”

“Why are we family again?” I asked annoyed and he only smiled at me.

“Just think of it this way Hyung,” Taehyung started off as he stood up stretching, “We help you and later on you’ll help us. It’s what families do anyways.”

“This is you and your older brother we’re talking about. Our family didn’t put you guys in this house for no reason,” I said and the two looked at me as if I slapped them. “This house was your punishment for double crossing our elders.”

“Yah, we told him that he would have to pay us back once he got what he wanted. He agreed to the terms fully!” Daehyun defended himself and Sehun laughed.

“So you help him get the jewels and then request him to give it to you as payment?” Sehun asked and the brothers nodded as if they did nothing wrong.

“This is why I don’t ask you for favors,” I said and Taehyung pouted while Daehyun rolled his eyes.

“Can we get back to the real topic at hand?” Byeol asked and we looked at her. “You asked about mates and then asked about who Chen and Chanyeol mated with. Well I can tell you that they are both single, but everyone believes that you’re going to pick one of them. That’s why I said you’re hurting more people by being protective of Chen. Chanyeol thinks you want to mate with Chen…and so does the rest of the pack. That’s kind of why Minseok lashed out at Chen and Chanyeol brought him to you injured,” she said and I looked at her confused.

“Chanyeol told me he was the one that attacked Chen,” I said and she sighed.

“Minseok was the one that attacked him because…” she trailed off and then looked at the front door. “We have guest.”

“Smells like that tall guy,” Daehyun commented and I groaned annoyed.

“Why do they always want to interrupt something? Make them leave Tae,” I said and he nodded before walking up to the front door, only to pause as he reached for the handle. “Tae?”

“Hyung, I think it’s best id Dae-hyung handles this. I rather not get involved with that omega outside,” Taehyung said and Daehyun sighed before standing up.

“I see that everyone else is trying to hide their scents from us,” he commented and he walked up to his brother. “Just wait here and I’ll talk with everyone calmly.”

“Calmly my ,” I mumbled and then turned my attention to Sehun as Daehyun exited the house. “What have you been doing for the past two weeks?”

He shrugged and took another drink from my tea. “Going to school, coming back, listening to Auntie cry about you, eat, sleep, and then repeat. I ran into Taehyung today on the way home for school and told him to bring me here. As much as I love Auntie, she’s a bit much when she cries.”

“I wonder why she would go crying to you though,” I frowned and then sighed. “Unless my dad left her here so he could work and you’re the only option.”

“That’s probably why then. She doesn’t really talk much about your dad. All she did was cry about how she’s being a terrible mother and how she wish everything was different.”

Another sigh left my mouth and I looked at Sehun with an apologetic expression. He waved it off and ruffled my hair before standing up and taking the cup into the kitchen. It was silent as we waited for Daehyun to come back into the house and Byeol’s and Taehyung’s reaction was starting to bother me. Both of them were fidgeting nervously while staring at the front door.

You would be too if you knew what was going on out there.

Well aren’t I supposed to have heightened senses now?

You would yes, but you gave all that to Byeol when she was created. Don’t worry though, once she is gone, you’ll get everything.

You make it sound like she has to die in order for that to happen.

I didn’t get a reply and my frown deepened as I looked over at Byeol. She looked like she wanted to get up and do something, but was holding back.

”Baek,” a voice said and I tilted my head. ”Come outside.”

“Um, as tempting as that sounds, I’m going to have to decline. I already know who is outside and I rather not get involved,” I said and Taehyung and Byeol snapped their attention to me.

“Who are you talking to?” Taehyung asked and I shrugged.

“I don’t know, but his voice sounds very familiar.”

“Baek please, we’re not trying to hurt you.”

“That sounds like something someone would say when they do want to hurt me.”

“Baekhyun this is not a time for games.”

“I completely agree, but I will not go outside.”

“Your mate is injured.”

“My mate…” I trailed off and then looked at the front door with wide eyes. “My mate’s outside?”

“Yes and your mate is badly injured. We need you to heal your mate!”

I know I wasn’t supposed to do this, the looks I got as I jumped up from my seat and pushed my cousin out the way said it all. I was just acting on…instinct. It was like my body was telling me to protect my mate. I guess that’s what I did because I was standing in front of my cousin and holding my stomach in pain as I took a hit. I fell to my knees as I tried to catch my breath and looked up at my cousin who was just as shocked as everyone else.

“Do not attack my mate,” I said with a slight growl that even surprised myself.

“Baek…” the voice behind me made me tense up and I looked behind me.

“.”