Eight.
Claws of DestinyIf I was right...
That was the phrase that kept playing over and over again in my mind on repeat. The conclusions I could come to if I was right...
Were any of them in the woods that night? Two of them had seen me that night if I was right.
Chanyeol had scared off that vampire kid outside the drugstore that night if I was right.
There was something of a vampire-werewolf skirmish going on in real life if I was right.
Kyungsoo had recognized my doodle as one of his pack-mates if I was right.
And it was all contingent on that one phrase.
Now maybe I’d gotten some of the details wrong here and there, but the meat and bones of it all was that those nine guys Sangmi ate lunch with were werewolves. That, I was more or less 100% sure of. Although, I wasn’t familiar with the last time someone was 100% sure they were more or less right about something--the thought seemed a little backwards, but that was my own, irrefutable truth: I was 100% more or less sure Sangmi was dating a werewolf.
So I did what anyone in my position would have done.
To: Sangmi
From: Yeonhee
Where are you?? Where is my best friend these days?? I miss you :( I’m sorry for my behavior at lunch, I was just jealous you’d gotten new best friends... please come see me... I’ll treat you to coffee or snacks or whatever you want!! Please, I just want to see you and talk <333
Hey, I know what you’re thinking, but it wasn’t a lie! None of it! I genuinely missed my best friend and I was suspicious of the kids at lunch mostly on the basis that they’d stolen Sangmi from me.
And I did, really, truly, want to see her.
To: Yeonhee
From: Sangmi
u didn’t have to beg so much!! I would’ve agreed for less and now u just look pouty :/
lol. when do u wanna meet up? wanna get smoothies from the cafeteria after your morning class?
I replied with a quick yes and a smiley face. Perfect. I was going to get to the bottom of this tomorrow and that was for sure.
***********
“Yeonhee! I got your favorite, black raspberry!” I heard Sangmi cheer from across the room. A couple kids looked back at me, but I was used to that particular reaction to Sangmi’s bright disposition.
“Ahhh, perfect. You didn’t forget. But I said I was buying!” I cried before taking a sip of the smoothie.
Sangmi batted her hand, dismissing the notion. “Oh, it’s nothing. My parents fill up my school account, it’s no big deal. Let’s go sit outside, yeah?” I nodded, following her to the double doors at the end of the big cafeteria room. There was a deck with several metal tables and benches, but we hurried past them to a quiet spot in the shade.
“So what’s up?” she asked when we sat down.
I stared at her for a second, a bit taken aback by her naivety, but quickly swallowed down any retort I had. I glanced up at our surroundings, watching the trees sway in the breeze. A few golden-brown leaves fell to the ground. Winter was definitely soon approaching.
“Well, I wanted to ask you a few things. And I hope, as my best friend, you’ll tell me as much as you can.” I said hesitantly, trying to pick my words carefully.
Sangmi swallowed, visibly nervous. “Okay... you’re kind of freaking me out here.”
I grabbed her arm, trying to give her some comfort. “Really, just. To the best of your ability.”
She nodded, determined.
“Is Chanyeol a werewolf?” I asked, and Sangmi froze.
“What?” she echoed, her voice about an octave higher.
“Sangmi, please. I need to know. Is Chanyeol a werewolf? Are the rest of them, too?” I pushed.
Sangmi hesitated and I watched as she stared at me, her eyes confused and calculating.
“How did you know?” she finally stuttered, eyes blinking as fast as a hummingbird’s wings.
I could feel my shoulders physically relax, my world falling into place again--a little peace restored to my crazed head.
“I’m just too nosey, I guess, and I figured it out. It wasn’t too hard. I’ve... seen... things,” I slowly said. She didn’t need to know what was beyond her grasp, and I shouldn’t worry her with things like seeing a construction crew of, what I would otherwise guess were, tough, masculine guys scared out of their minds by a couple wolves. And a vampire almost killing me. And a wolf coming face to face with me.
“O-oh. Well. He is. They are. Wolves,” she said, staring off into space and fiddling with her straw.
“Are you his mate?” I asked, and Sangmi nodded without looking up.
“I just... I just don’t get how you figured it out. I was... We were so careful. You weren’t supposed
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