Three soft knocks on the door brings her back to reality. She gets off her bed and opens the door. Taemin is there in front of her, looking even sicker than ever. “Can I come in?” he asks. She steps away to let him in. He pulls out the chair from under the study table and settles down while she sits on the bed. “What is it?” she asks.

He takes a deep breath and huffs. “I think you must be dying to know the detail about Jonghyun’s relationship with us?” he says.

Her eyebrows rise. “Yes, I am but I was waiting for anyone to tell me. It doesn’t feel right if I ask…”

Taemin bites his bottom lips. “We’re sorry. So… um… how do I begin…?” he scrunches up his face to think. “Okay, it goes like this, while everyone was planning on finding you, I on the other hand, was planning on to find him.”

“Why?” she asks, confused. Why a werewolf would goes to look for a hunter that surely will kill him or her?

“Because I hate it when we kidnapped Healers and then kill them when we didn’t want their service anymore, remember?”

“Oh yeah…”

He stops to think again. “All right… here’s how I met him…”

The huge room was filled for the first time since their last meeting. The Alpha’s call had summoned them all here at the mansion that night. Those who had been living in the mansion got the chance to sit along with the Alpha at the front while the others are either sitting on the benches that had been prepared or standing, facing the Alpha. Taemin was one of the people that lived in the mansion, so he got the chance to sit that what others thought the higher up. He sat the very side of the line, though and to be honest he wasn’t proud. He didn’t like how the other werewolves stared at him like he’s some kind of filth like he didn’t deserve to sit there in the first place considering he was the youngest than the rest of all.

A werewolf he didn’t know who sat at the opposite of him gave him a very nasty look which Taemin replied with even nastier look just to make the werewolf angry. He kind of liked it when some older werewolves got so ticked off because of him.

“Good evening, my brothers and sisters,” the Alpha’s voice broke their who-gave-the-nastiest-look competition while Taemin stares down at his hands, finding them more interesting. The werewolf turned his head to look at the Alpha. Every werewolves in the hall listened intently at the Alpha. There were about 80 of them. “All of you must be wondering on why I summoned you all here, am I right?” they all agreed in unison.

Taemin was wondering too though he practically lives with the Alpha. But the mansion was too big and he rarely saw the Alpha. Besides, he never wished to be in a speaking terms with the Alpha.

“I am delighted to inform to you all that,” he stopped for a while – for the dramatic moment Taemin guessed – and the Alpha continued, “Our brother Lee Jinki has found a healer.”

Taemin twisted his head so fast that he snapped his neck, his eyes wide. The others too were shocked, they were all completely speechless.

“Why are you all so quiet?” the Alpha asked coolly. “Of course, our Jinki hasn’t actually found one but he knows the Healer’s whereabouts. Don’t you, Lee Jinki?”

“Yes,” Taemin hears Jinki said somewhere along the long line of seat.

No, this can’t be… the last Healer was supposed to be that old man Dong Hoon… and he’s dead now. There just can’t be another Healer.

*

Taemin paced up and about in his room. They can’t find another Healer. This is just too impossible. But… what Jinki had told them earlier.

“Last year, there was a man had claimed he saw a girl did something to her injured friend. The scratches on her friend’s face were gone within minutes. He had kidnapped her but she was saved by the police. But don’t worry we’ll get her real soon.” That brought the rest of the pack to joy.

Everyone but him felt joy. He didn’t even feel happy to the slightest. Taemin found out that the Healer is 4 years younger than her and was a kidnapped victim. And now, she was going to be kidnapped again. This is stupid. And he can’t let that happen.

*

He needed a hunter but where would he get one? He stood at the roadside, staring at the building in front him of nothing. Some pedestrian were looking at him like he’s some kid who was running away from home, except he didn’t have any bag to confirm their suspicions.

Taemin sighed. He never came cross with a hunter before so he didn’t know how they smell like. The only thing he knew was that werewolf would always knew if a person was hunter or not when both sides looked at each other’s eyes. That’s romantic. So did that mean he had to look at everyone in the eyes? That would be so damn awkward, he told himself.

He walked mindlessly in the city, it’s getting darker and he didn’t plan on going home just yet. In fact, it’ll take him days to go home. The mansion was at the other side of the country, he didn’t have any idea how he got to Seoul. After what felt like hours, he found himself very far away from the main city, the main people’s attraction. He looked at the alleys and the stranded buildings around him. Every shop was closed or left abandoned except for one pub that seemed to be the only business that’s still going on. Something told him he should get inside, and so he did.

When he crossed the threshold of the door, the slightly noisy pub turned silent. Every head in the pub turned to him. His heart thumped. Did they figured him out or were they all hunters or was it because of his young appearance? He smiled and as if nothing happened they went on back to their business. What’s with them?

He crossed the pub and went straight to the bar. He took a sit next to a man who was drinking a glass of whiskey. The barman came to him to take order and he foolishly ordered a glass of soda. The barman smiled and left, the man who was on his right chuckled. “You don’t come to a pub because you’re too young to and you don’t come to a pub to drink a glass of soda, kid,” the man said. Taemin ignored him. When his drink came he drank it slowly. “I’ve never seen you here before. You’re from another pack?”

The word ‘pack’ made him choked on his soda. He coughed and the man hit him at the back without looking at him. Taemin wiped clean and chin, his head automatically turned to the man. “You’re a werewolf?” he whispers.

The man chuckled again. “Everyone who came here are werewolves, kid.” He twisted his neck and looked at Taemin in the eyes. “But I am not.” That’s when Taemin could tell that the man was a hunter.

He gaped at the hunter. His heart was pacing hard in his chest, he looked back and he caught them having their heads to him but turned away when he looked. He wanted to leave but the man said everyone at the bar was werewolf, this might be his chance.

“So, why are you here?” he asked Taemin with a smile that told Taemin might be deadly.

Taemin’s mind raced. Why was he here? “I – I need your help,” he stuttered.

The man raised his eyebrows. “A werewolf is asking a hunter for a help? What kind of help I could do for you, hm?”

“I – I heard that – hunters are hunting down – that Alpha – Leo,” the pub went silent again when he said ‘Leo’. Even the barman who was wiping clean the glasses stopped. The hunter stared at him like his some kid making a big joke.

Of course every werewolf knew Leo. Leo was savaged and dangerous. He’d kill for no reason and killed his victims mercilessly. The hunters were doing their best to get this Alpha because he was too dangerous for humans. The werewolves were afraid of him because they could also be his victims. He didn’t care, if you stand in his way he’d kill you. Leo wasn’t like any other Alpha. He even controlled the other Alphas because he got powers the other Alpha didn’t have. Every werewolf would want to be in his pack but he chose his own werewolves. Taemin was in the pack only because his parents were in it and his mother was Leo’s cousin.

Jonghyun chuckled and shaking his head in disbelieve. He went back to his whiskey like he didn’t hear what Taemin had just told him. “What do you want to do for me to have him? Call him up and ask him to come to this pub?”

Taemin opened to say something but the man continued, “And what did I get in return if you turned him in? And how are you going to turn him in? Are you from his pack?”

“Yes, I am,” Taemin said confidently. There were mutters here and there. They seemed to find this even more shocking because Leo’s men would never betray him. Jonghyun who was bringing his glass to stopped. He looked back at Taemin. He shook his head and finished his drink. He put down the glass with a loud thud, then he stood up, picked up his things.

“Listen, I don’t know what you’re playing at but I think you should go back to Leo before I kill you. I always wanted to kill Leo’s pack. Don’t come here again. You’re too young and didn’t understand stuff. Do you understand?” he paid for his drink and left the pub.

He trailed his eyes on the rest of the people in pub, who quickly looked away. Taemin frowned at them. Why were they so afraid? He’s nothing but a young werewolf who was so stupid to come here in the first place. He paid for his drink and left the pub. Now he didn’t know where he should go.

He found a cheap motel and decided to stay there for the night. On his route on finding a place to sleep, he decided that he’s not going to give up now. That man is the only hunter he found and he felt like the hunter was the one to be able to help him. It also looked like the hunter was one of the pub’s regular customers so Taemin decided to go back there tomorrow.

He threw himself on the single bed. He’s tired and hungry. The only thing he had consumed was the soda. He should’ve got some food before coming here. He wanted to go out and eat but he’s too tired. So he fell asleep instantly.

*

He woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. He opened his eyes and fished out for his phone from his pocket. He flipped it open and put it on his ear, eyes still drowsy with sleep. “Hello?” he croaked.

“Taemin, where the hell are you?!” the voice of his mother woke him up completely.

He sat up on the bed and took away his phone to see the screen. Mother, it read. He put it back on his ear, “Hey, mother.”

“Don’t ‘hey’ me, young man! Where are you now?” she yelled.

“I’m –“ no one knew he’s gone to Seoul. If he told her, she might freak out but he can’t go home now. “Mother, I have some stuff to settle so I can’t tell you where I am. So goodbye, see you later!” he said quickly and shut the phone off. He took out the battery so she couldn’t call him.

He’s so dead.

He returned to the pub again that night and there he was, sitting at the same place at the bar like he never once left. When Taemin approached him, he groaned. “Didn’t I tell you to stop coming here?”

“I will if you listen to me,” pleaded the younger man.

“I’m not listening to any of your bull. So leave now, while you can.” Instead of Taemin who left, it was the hunter who went out of the bar.

Taemin kept on returning three to four days later, much to the hunter’s displeasure. And every time Taemin came, the hunter would leave first before the werewolf could say a word.

“Kid, don’t you have a home?” the hunter groaned on the fifth day of Taemin’s visit.

“Listen, I know you’re interested about Leo. If not, you wouldn’t be here anymore when you knew I’d come,” Taemin said sarcastically. He thought he had hit the point but the hunter let out a bark of laughter.

He laughed for quite some time then he said, “Kid, this is my spot. I come here every day. And every day, the moment I walked in through the door, I prayed that you wouldn’t come. But God didn’t listen to me yet. So, scram.”

The man slammed a few notes of money and made to leave. Taemin wouldn’t allow him to leave this time so he followed the man. If he said it in the pub, it’ll make things worse. When they’re away from the pub and in the city’s crowd, Taemin jogged to walk alongside the hunter, who groaned yet again. “Why don’t you just leave me alone?”

“Leo’s found a Healer,” Taemin said which made the hunter to stop walking. He turned to face Taemin and actually looked at the younger like he believed the kid this time.

“What do you mean?”

“Apparently, there’s a Healer and he found her. Well, he didn’t actually have her yet with him but…”

“That can’t be. Healers were all killed by your kind,” the hunter exclaimed.

The word ‘your kind’ upset him for some reason like his kind was very filthy. “Well, apparently my kind didn’t kill any of them, yet,” Taemin replied with a tone of sarcasm.

The hunter however didn’t find it amusing, instead he pushed Taemin to the wall and choked him. “I got no time to deal with your jokes, kid. And killing people isn’t something to joke on unless it is funny when it comes to you and your scumbag of a kind. So, tell me, where did he hear about the Healer?”

Taemin explained to him what Jinki and Leo had told them with his neck being choked by the hunter’s arm on the wall. The hunter then let go after Taemin finished. “Why are you telling me all of this?”

Taemin rubbed his aching neck which was recovering slowly. “Because I didn’t want another innocent life to die.” The hunter gave him a look, he didn’t believe what he just listened. “I’m telling you the truth. I swear I’m not like the rest of Leo’s pack. I don’t want them to kill the Healer or anyone else. Please, help me. I just want you to kill Leo and I can handle the rest of the pack. I can try to protect the Healer. She’s just a young girl, sir. Please.”

The hunter studied his face for a while then he sighed heavily. He rubbed his eyes. Before Taemin knew it, the hunter had his hand to Taemin, indicating that he wanted to shake his hand with the younger. Taemin took it and they shook. “I’m Jonghyun by the way.” “Taemin.”

So then, the hunter took Taemin home to start planning on how they’re going to kill Leo.

*

Jonghyun informed him that a quite number of hunters agreed to come for their aid to kill Leo. Who didn’t want, really? And Jonghyun can’t go and attacked Leo on his own. He’ll die before he gets near Leo within ten feet.

“Leo’s getting his back being stabbed by his own dog, eh?” one hunter said to Taemin when the hunters were having a meeting with him. Taemin tried not to lose his control because it made him nothing less than a child. Funny these hunters see him as a child. Sure, he’s still 16 but he’s capable of things they didn’t. Just because they got silver daggers and wolfs bane bullets with them, Taemin could still kill them if he wanted to.

“Ignore them, Taemin. I know you meant well,” Jonghyun told him once the other hunters had left his apartment. Jonghyun had allowed the young werewolf to stay with him. Taemin had some difficulties at first because of the all wolfs bane poisons Jonghyun had installed in his house. Though Jonghyun had removed them, the scent still lingered. “I mean, really. Werewolves aren’t that bad if you be friendly with them. Some can even fall in love with each other.” When Jonghyun said that, Taemin could see the hunter blushed a little or was it because of the amount of alcohol he had drank earlier? Taemin couldn’t tell but he wondered if the man ever fell in love with a werewolf.

*

On the second week of him being in Seoul, Jonghyun told him to go home. He said it might cause suspicions if Taemin was gone for too long. taemin had voiced out that not that Leo cared but Jonghyun explained how his parents cared. He said, if Leo died, the first person they’ll find was Taemin. That made Taemin agreed to go home.

Taemin left when the hunter was off to work. He had put back his phone and there were over 150 missed calls from his parents. He called them back when he was on his way home. His mother was not one to nag but she was upset with him. His cover up on how he attended a mass party in Seoul made them believed him somehow. He’s amazed by his lying skills.

*

When he was home, the most important thing he had missed was the Healer had been moved to a safer place by some hunters. So it was hard for them to track her now that she’s so far away from them. Leo wasn’t that happy about the news and he let out his anger on – to no one’s surprise – Jinki. He was beaten up to pulp like a rag doll. It’s a wonder why Jinki never thought of fighting back. The beta even worshipped the Alpha that he’s willing to eat the Alpha’s sh*ts if he’s being told to.

Taemin had thought of telling Jinki his plans on finishing Leo but Jinki probably wouldn’t be too delighted with the news so he kept shut.

Because Alphas had the ability to read minds, Taemin had done his best to avoid Leo. Not that Leo cared much about him, he probably didn’t even know there’s someone went by the name Lee Taemin in the mansion but still.

*

Jonghyun hadn’t contact with him for three years and Taemin was starting to believe that the man had bailed him out. The pack’s effort on finding the Healer was at nil. Apparently she was protected by some kind of spell by a powerful witch or wizard. And she was moved from a place to another so it’s hard to keep track.

Taemin was dead set on killing the Alpha himself, not only he could save the Healer – maybe – but he could also get the Alpha title. Every werewolf would want to be an Alpha, much more Leo’s title since he got powers others didn’t. He was lost in thoughts that he didn’t realize his mother had entered the room.

“Taemin!” she shouted, bringing him back to reality. He sat up on his bed. “Yes?”

She pulled out her hand to give him something, an envelope. “There’s a letter for you.” He took it and she left his room while mumbling about who could that be so ancient to send letters nowadays under her breath.

He opened it and his heart leapt. ‘Be ready. – J’

It’s happening, it really was.

*

The disappearances of werewolves of their pack had shown that the hunters were on action. Leo had summoned his pack and was scowling at the amount of his pack lessening. “HOW THE HELL DID THEY FIND US HERE?!” He growled at them. No one dared to meet his gleaming red eyes. “IF I FIND THE B--- WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, I’M GOING TO MAKE SURE HE OR SHE TO REGRET IT FOR DOING IT!”

Taemin had learned to shut his mind and tried to think of being afraid of Leo like there rest of the werewolves. Taemin saw at the corner of his eyes that Jinki tried to calm Leo down though to no avail

“We need to get moving, tonight. You kill anyone whoever on your way, do you get me?! Hunters, humans, whoever!” Leo yells. He was furious.

Taemin made sure to inform this to Jonghyun.

*

They were deep in the forest when the attack by the hunters took place. Jonghyun had told him that the hunters would be hiding in the forest so Taemin had to make sure to be careful because they wouldn’t which one was him as the werewolves would obviously be running in their wolf form. Taemin was planning on to run at the very last of the pack but then he realized it’d make him looked suspicious with the sudden attack so he ran along with Leo at the front with his family.

Before, Taemin had shown the hunters how he’d looked like when he’s a wolf but he’s pretty sure that wouldn’t make any difference when they’re in the dark, so he was shot on his front leg.

While the other wolves were on the fights with the hunters, Taemin slipped away from them to hide behind the big trees, no one would notice him. When he turned back to human, he felt stabbing on his bleeding arm. He concentrated hard for it to heal itself but it didn’t work that way. He’s about to give in when Jonghyun came to him and injected some liquid in his arm that sent a rush of warmth. Then he left to go help the others. It happened so fast he didn’t know whether it was real or it was his hallucination. He stood up to keep moving away from the others only to fall again on the dirt.

He was feeling weaker and weaker, his visions turned blurry and spinning. He felt dizzy and his head was throbbing so hard. He lied on his side, through his blurry vision he could make Leo was feets away from him (he could make out the Alpha as easily as he was the biggest wolf than the others), attacking some of the hunters that were cornering him. There were five hunters and with Leo’s attack only one was left. Suddenly another hunter came running towards them and Taemin was sure it was Jonghyun. Leo charged the unknown hunter which resulted sending the hunter feet away from where he had stood and hit a tree. It was Leo and Jonghyun now. Shoot him! Shoot him now! Taemin screamed in his head. But Jonghyun didn’t do anything when the gun was already in his head.

Taemin watched how Leo was charging at Jonghyun now. Jonghyun raised his gun then, ready to shoot but all of sudden another wolf came at them. Instead of getting Jonghyun, the wolf came to Leo. It attacked Leo and threw his away. Taemin recognized the wolf minutes later, it was Jinki.

Why?

Leo, who seemed to realized something gone and attacked Jinki. He was on top of Jinki and about to tear Jinki’s head off when a gunshot was heard. Leo stopped from attacking Jinki, he was shot but he didn’t die just yet. Jinki threw Leo off his body and finished him off.

*

“So, that’s how Jinki becomes an Alpha?” Seulgi asks.

Taemin nods, “Actually, those who saw it happened didn’t want to make Jinki the Alpha but then Jinki had duelled with him and he killed Leo when he was still alive. Besides, Jinki had the Alpha power so they had to agree with it.”

Seulgi digests this for a while. “Why they didn’t want Jinki to be the Alpha?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Seulgi shakes her head at him. “Jinki helped Jonghyun instead of helping Leo. Jinki killed Leo because of Jonghyun, surely they didn’t want betrayer in their pack. But Jinki had shown them his power, they backed away.”

Seulgi srunches her nose. This is too complicated. “And then what happened?”

“The last thing I know, Jonghyun told me he had to run because the werewolves had been chasing him, on Jinki’s order. He said Jinki sent them to kill him. I was assuming that Jinki knew Jonghyun’s plan all along and he needed Jonghyun to get Leo for him so he could kill the former Alpha himself. I mean, they were dating after all, right?” Taemin says with a scowl. The thought of Jonghyun being a runaway makes him angry. He always thought Jinki isn’t one to thirst for power but he’s wrong.

Seulgi thinks for a bit. Then she says, “Taemin, actually, I feel like I’ve seen Jonghyun somewhere. He looked too familiar.”

Taemin’s heart skips. He has been expecting her to say about it. He think she might not remembers him. “You are saying?”

“I’m saying, when I was hospitalized after I was kidnapped, he came to ward every day to check on me.”

Taemin sighs, she does remember. “Seulgi, here’s a thing…”

“Yes?”

“You remember the day I… cried at the park?” Seulgi nods. Taemin’s face turns red but Seulgi ignores it. “Well, earlier, I met him and he… told me everything.” so, he retold the story Jonghyun has told him but he takes out about her being part angel, he feels like she isn’t ready for it yet.

Seulgi stands up and paces around the room. “So, he was the police officer. Oh! I feel sorry for him, now. He was really nice to me.”

“Yeah, he was a really nice man,” Taemin says softly.

---

AN: Sorry I haven't been updating t-t anyway, i'm sorry again i did not proofread this one. i don't know why, IM SORRY! hope you enjoy it!