CHAPTER 12

Kyuhyun steps in his bedroom, eyes fixed on the cuff link he had been trying to fasten on his right sleeve, but continuously failing.

“Ara, can you help me fasten my cuff link?” Kyuhyun huffed, voice lacing with annoyance due to his incessant unsuccessful attempts at the small task. Kyuhyun looks up just as his mate swirl around to face him, standing before a floor length mirror. The Kappa couldn’t help but gap dumbly as his eyes took in the beauty wrapped in figure-hugging blood-red evening gown. Ara’s face framed the freshly blown dry hairs as soft curls fell on either sides of her face, her eyes drowning in a y smoky eye make-up and her plush lips painted an attractive red. Kyuhyun gulped painfully.

“Always whining like a baby,” Ara teased playfully as she gracefully glided toward her stunned mate and started working on the said cuff-link. “There! It wasn’t as difficult as you claim- UFF”

Kyuhyun moved with speed of lightening, securing his arm around Ara’s slim waist and claiming her plush and inviting lips in less than a heartbeat. He moved his lips rather aggressively; stealing his mate’s every tiny breath and on the red lips, drawing a flow of moans out of Ara. The aggressiveness tone down after a few seconds and even if their breath was being shortened neither of them cared and kept devouring each other at the fullest. They were left panting when finally the kiss was broken off.

“You better kiss me as much as you want, right now and don’t dare playing this kind of stunt at the party,” Ara warned between the pants, cheeks flushed and eyes glazed.

“Yeah? And why not?” Kyuhyun inquired landing a quick peck at the corner of Ara’s slightly smudged lips.

Ara stepped away from her mate and gaze into the mirror, confirming her worst fear, “You ruined my lipstick that is why. Don’t you dare smudge my lipstick in the party, if you don’t wish to suffer the wrath of my disappointment.”

“And if I do?” Kyuhyun pushed, walking to stand behind his better half and looping his arms around her waist while his chin rested on her shoulder as Ara desperately tried to perfect her ruined lipstick. “What are you gonna do?”

“Do you really wish to learn what kind of punishment I would have instore for you, Cho Kyuhyun?” Ara asked, glaring eyes staring at him through the mirror. Kyuhyun just chuckled, not wanting to respond but Ara’s smug expression were quite a tattletale that she got just the answer she was looking for. Then after a moment, when Ara seemed satisfied with her glowing red lips, she said, “I still don’t see why Jaejoong seems hell bent on taking all the Guardians to Siwon’s party when Hyukjae isn’t going. Who is gonna protect the Zeta?”

“Sehun has all the trainees on high alert,” Kyuhyun said but his face showed the anxiety he felt with the current situation. Kyuhyun trusted Jaejoong, he always had, from the moment he had joined the Guardians, only Jaejoong has been the one to welcome him in the circle and guide him kindly… but he also knew how much his mate despises the leader of Guardians so he always took caution in talking about Jaejoong in front of Ara and vice versa. “Jaejoong asked them to guard every side of Mansion in pairs and said we won’t be staying at Siwon’s for that long.”

“Hmm,” Ara hum-ed, staring at her mate with amusement dancing in her eyes but Kyuhyun was too afraid to ask what was going through that pretty little mind of her. “Well, I think I should go and meet Hyukjae one last time because who knows when we might get to see each other again.”

“Can you please not joke about things like that?” Kyuhyun demanded in displeasure and only received a peel of laughter in reply as Ara slipped out of their room. The poor Kappa could merely glare at the slightly agape door, the level of his tension sky-rocketing because even if it hurts his pride, but Kyuhyun will admit; Ara always has a point.

Zeta was responsibility of all Guardians but the fact that Kyuhyun and Sehun went to personally get Zeta from the planet Earth kind of started to spread on Kyuhyun’s conscious. Now, he thinks he should be blamed if anything was to happen to Hyukjae. Kyuhyun doesn’t even know how he would face Saeun or Hyukjae’s family if they failed to protect him. Kyuhyun doesn’t even desire to think about such scenarios but Ara’s parting words has left a lasting image on his already exhausted mind.

“May be Ara is right,” Kyuhyun mumbled to himself. “Maybe I shouldn’t trust Jaejoong as much…”

O-o-o-o-O

Bright Golden eyes moved from one corner of the eye to the other, while the owner stood still, as they surveyed a dark figure roaming the grounds of the Royal Castle, looking quite restless. The eyes held no emotion, but the tiny smile that reached the owners lips, after some time, seemed a bit pained rather than bitter.

“Everything is a little bit too quite lately, Jiwque,” The owner of Golden eyes spoke, finally breaking the silence of the room. The old man turned around at slow pace, dozily gazing at his most trusted worker. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“It’s the calm before the storm, my King,” Jiwque mumbled obediently, eyes fixed on the dinner he was about to serve to his master. “The Prince and his friends has been acting quite sneaky now-a-days.”

“Has he bought you as well, Jiwque?” The King muttered, his voice lacing with sadness.

The servant’s hand froze; he slowly raised his head to stare at the King, “Pardon?”

“You used to keep me up-to-date about everything however now you have started talking in riddles, just like the Prince,” The King elaborated his point and watch with satisfaction when Jiwque looked down in guilt. “You know I don’t have much time left. And you are also aware that I am not the bad guy here… I have my best interest for the Prince, in this matter.”

“I stand by my words as I did five years ago, my Sovereign,” Suddenly the servant bowed and said in a toneless voice. “Killing the Zeta won’t solve any of your problems.”

“Was it- ?” The King choked, reconsidering his decision to finally voice the question he had been meaning to ask Jiwque for a long time now, but always backing out knowing the answer would only hurt him. On the other hand, maybe the time has come, things need to be clearer and be out in open. “Was it you, who told Donghae about my decision to had the Zeta killed? You were there the night I ordered my trusted Grey Canines to go after the Zeta, were you not? Did you sell me out?”

Jiwque stood still, silently watching the King, as the elder Alpha lowered himself in a chair after feeling exhausted. A few moments passed, the servant kept contemplating what to say next.

“You always trusted my decisions, my Liege,” The servant started, voice low and solemnly. “I hope you will trust me this time as well…”

“You are still hung up on that prophecy,” The King gasped softly as he realized the depth of his trusted companion’s words. “The prophecy about the Zeta becoming the King? You cannot be serious.”

“Your father wished to become the Golden Alpha, so, he could end the Noble’s reign and restore the freedom to all kind of Werewolves in Wolvotaria,” Jiwque whispered, eyes low and filled with sorrow. “The Nobles had ranked Omegas and Sigmas as lower class to get their dirty work done by them. Your Father had a different vision for Wolvotaria’s future but I am sorry to say, Sire,” Jiwque looked up, staring dead on in the Golden Alpha’s eyes. “Your father failed to do so and so has you. The Prince is unaware of any kind of Prophecy yet he likes the Zeta for who he is… I think this should clear everything for us… I am hopeful, this is the Zeta the prophecy regarded to.”

“But then again, a Zeta has never been the King of Wolvotaria since… since forever,” The King argued back. “The prophecy cannot happen.”

“Nevertheless, the mate of a King is also a King,” Jiwque answered, lips tilted in a soft smile as the King sat there dumbfounded, finally recognizing the double meaning behind the prophecy’s verses. With a quick bow, the servant was out of the room, leaving the Golden Alpha to his deep thoughts.

O-o-o-o-O

It hasn’t been 20 minute since they stepped in the spacious and handsomely decorated ball room, yet Sehun couldn’t help but fidget nervously. Every nerve of his body seemed to be alert and tense; something was not right.