CHAPTER 7

“… it’s Choi Siwon…”

Choi Siwon!

The name rang with warning signals and the mere presence of these two words left a bitter taste behind but that didn’t make Hyukjae’s steps to falter or his shoulders to slump down because gone were the days when Lee Hyukjae would feel intimidated by anyone… least of all Choi Siwon.

Hyukjae did pause for a second, with his hand latched on the doorknob, wondering what Kim Jaejoong- the supposedly leader of Guardian’s who were here to ensure safety of Zeta- was up to by bringing Siwon to meet Hyukjae? What could be the motives behind it? Would Jaejoong even introduce Hyukjae as the Zeta, in front of the Noble, or this meeting was for entirely a different reason? With a dry chuckle, Hyukjae realized he won’t find answers to any of these questions unless he faces what lay behind the thick wooden door.

Hyukjae started to open the door and the loud angry voice of Kyuhyun hit him, making him to stop right there and listen to what the second-in-command Guardian was shouting about.

“… this is absurd. How can you tell him about the Zeta?” Kyuhyun’s fury was transparent in his tone, Hyukjae noted.

“I know what I am doing, Kyuhyun.” Jaejoong voice was low but bone chilling. The warning was visible in it.

“You are supposed to mate the Zeta!” Kyuhyun screeched, like he was accusing Jaejoong for running away from his responsibilities. Hyukjae jolted up at these words, blinking his eyes in confusion. What does Kyuhyun mean? Supposed to mate the Zeta?

“That’s just the law the King has passed to ensure that Zeta’s powers are not a threat to him, and you know that Kyuhyun,” Jaejoong reminded the other. “It is thought that only Kappa and Lambdas are usually Guardians and even if they mate with the Zeta, none of their status would raise to be even equal to an Alpha let alone holding powers greater than Alpha himself.”

“I don’t see your point,” Kyuhyun bluntly let out. “Our whole purpose is to protect the Zeta-”

“The point is…” Another voice join the argument of two Guardians and Hyukjae felt a slight shiver running down his spine because he recognized that slightly husky yet cocky voice… it was same even after five years, the hint of arrogance was still there and so was disgust Siwon always showed while talking to someone he believed to be lower than his great Noble status. “The current Golden Alpha is thriving on the throne that was never their's to begin with… and I want my rightful throne back.”

“You mean…” Kyuhyun left his sentence hanging but Hyukjae heard loud and clear what the Guardian was about to say and he understood Siwon’s intentions as well. The youngest Noble wanted to mate him, Hyukjae! To get powers greater than the current Silver Alpha… to become a Silver Alpha as well! Just like Siwon always wanted, even as a child.

Things were happening just like Saeun had narrated the story of last Zeta; power hungry wolves using one antics or another to get their filthy hands on the Zeta. The history might repeat itself yet again. Zeta’s own dreams and feelings would be crushed in the brutal war between the wolves trying to use the Zeta in accordance with their betterment.

“Hyukjae?” Jaehyun’s loud voice broke the deafening silence that has taken over Hyukjae’s mind as well as surrounding. Hyukjae turned around to see an anxious looking Jaehyun gazing at him, silently asking Hyukjae why he was still standing outside the room.

The ajar door, through which Hyukjae was eavesdropping on Siwon and two Guardians, was ripped opened and Kyuhyun’s surprise face loomed in the Zeta’s line of vision.

“Hyukjae? What are you doing here?” Kyuhyun asked, voice lower than necessary, it was not like the others inside wouldn’t know about Hyukjae’s presence by now… Jaehyun’s loud scream would have been easy to pick for their sensitive ears. His notion was proved right when he heard a low mutter of ‘Hyuk… Jae…?’ coming from none other than Siwon, who still had not seen the Zeta but maybe the name has struck some particular memory for him.

“Jaejoong called for me,” Hyukjae replied dryly.

Kyuhyun quickly shook his head and mouthed a simple ‘Leave, Hyukjae’ but the damage was already done and Hyukjae was done hiding. He was powerful, he was stronger… he was the damn Zeta, for crying out loud! He was done running. Hyukjae pushed pass Kyuhyun to enter the room, his strides confident.

It was somewhat comforting to see Siwon’s large eyes widening slightly, his smiling face changing to a shock-stricken one when Hyukjae came to stand before him and Jaejoong. But it irked Hyukjae when Siwon masked his expression in a mere second and a sense of familiarity started to cloud around Siwon's whole aura.

“Lee Hyukjae? Is that really you?” Siwon asked, a pleasant smile gracing his lips, an expressions Hyukjae never got to see in his whole ten years of being classmate with the guy. “What a pleasant surprise! So does this means… you are the Zeta?”

“You two know each other?” Kyuhyun wondered out loud, his aura of hostility evaporating to be replaced by relaxation.

“Of course, we were classmates in Wolveemo,” Siwon announced with a chuckle.

“You too?” Jaejoong chimed in. “Myungsoo and Hyukjae are classmates as well… I am sure you would know him too.”

“Kim Myungsoo?” Siwon let out another chuckle and that all sounded so fake to Hyukjae’s ear. Hyukjae felt like backing away when Siwon started to walk toward him, but for some reason Hyukjae found himself grounded. “Look at you Hyukjae, you have grown so well… then of course, you have got all the beauty of the Zeta now, right?”

“Beauty?” Hyukjae scoffed loudly. “Last I checked, you used to call me the ugliest Werewolf to walk the surface of Wolvotaria.”

A ringing silence left in the awake of the Zeta’s spat out words. Jaejoong seemed tense, Kyuhyun looked lost but Siwon stood like a statue, eyeing Hyukjae comprehensively.

“Come on Hyukjae, you can’t possibly take a stupid teenager’s words to heart,” Siwon shook his head while a tight lipped smile sits on his thin lips. “And if I am being honest with you… I never thought you were ugly, Hyukjae… I just… I just…” Siwon rubbed his nap awkwardly while a chuckle of embarrassment left his lips, making Hyukjae to frown at his weird behavior. “I actually used to like you a lot…”

Siwon’s confession left Hyukjae baffled for second but soon the Zeta was able to see the bluff the pathetic Noble was trying to play at him. The Noble had a way with words… he always had… but Hyukjae had spent enough time with him to know when he was lying and when not.

“Very well then, I believe you two are better acquaintances than I would have imagined and might not need any introduction but I will still do the general,” Jaejoong chipped in excitedly. His half visible face was practically beaming… but for some reason that look scared Hyukjae. “Siwon meet our precious Zeta, Lee Hyukjae, and Hyukjae, this is the youngest Generation Noble, Choi Siwon, your future mate.”

The Zeta stiffened. He had a hitch of what horrible fate was coming his way but hearing Jaejoong outright say those words was pure torture for him. He felt like a burden being tossed here and there, which one mate of his would lade on another.

Hyukjae jolted in surprise once he felt Siwon’s presence far nearer than comfortable. He had half a mind to growl in warning before stepping away from Siwon’s reaching hand but he restrained himself with great effort. The Zeta’s body fell in great agony once Siwon’s cold fingertip grazed the edge of the mark, which was exposed ever so slightly. The mark burned and sting… but soon Hyukjae realized he was not the only one who experienced the sting because Siwon snatched his hand away with a hiss… and this was the first time Hyukjae felt thankful to be marked by the unknown Silver Alpha.

“That filth had already marked him,” Siwon hissed in disgust, making a teeniest smile to appear on Hyukjae’s face because finally he got to see that exact same Siwon from five years ago.

“You said you know how to get rid of this mark,” Jaejoong jumped in, sharply looking at Siwon.

“I never said I know, but rather I know someone who could know about it,” Siwon shrugged nonchalantly, disregarding Jaejoong’s murderous eyes. It was clear to Kyuhyun as well as Hyukjae that Jaejoong had been deceived by the youngest Noble.

“Who?” The Guardian leader insisted to know.

“Why would I tell you?” Siwon barked out a laugh. “I can take Hyukjae to meet him, myself.”

“Hyukjae won’t go anywhere,” A serious and deep voice announced and in a blink Hyukjae found Sehun and Kyuhyun coming to stand between him and Siwon and very soon that small circle of protection was joined by Jaejoong, Myungsoo and Jaehyun. Apparently, the rest had been eavesdropping outside the room as well. “He is our responsibility… we protect the Zeta.”

Siwon observed the five guys standing like a stone wall in front of the Zeta before he directed a small smile at Hyukjae. “But this is Hyukjae’s decision to make. Do you want me to take you to this person, Hyukjae?”

“I can go on my own,” Hyukjae answers in a heartbeat, taking Siwon by surprise.

“Fine,” Siwon murmurs sourly before directing his attention back on Jaejoong. “I was talking about Vinz, the only living Elder.”

Hyukjae saw Sehun and Kyuhyun sharing a baffle look but it was Jaehyun’s honest curiosity that voiced out the thing that was swirling through the Guardian’s mind.

“But no one knows where Vinz lives…” Jaehyun said slowly, eyes watching Siwon’s face carefully.

“I do,” Siwon assured. “He lived in the wildness of southern forest, last I heard… in the deepest and darkest pit of Viogreoxath Forest.”

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