Wolf King: Chapter 5

Nayeon felt pain all over her body. She could barely open her eyes. And then she felt someone touch her hand.

“What do you need… tell me, Nayeon.”

That voice… that deep male voice…

The Chief…

Why is he speaking so close to her? Did she sleep in his tent?

And then Nayeon remembered everything that happened.

Nayeon turned and saw the Chief beside her, his face looked worried and tired. There were dark marks under his eyes and on his cheeks. He was holding her hand.

“Thank heavens you’r e awake.” Jinyoung said, he kissed her hand.

Why is he being gentle and caring towards her again? Did he forget she’s a thief?

“Do you want to drink?” Jinyoung took a glass of water and helped Nayeon drink. Nayeon wanted to push him away but she did not have the strength to.

“How are you feeling?” asked Jinyoung, he brushed Nayeon’s hair away from her face.

Nayeon did not answer.

“Hey! You’re awake!”

Nayeon saw Jisoo enter the tent.

“Are you all right? You will still feel pain all over… and a bit weak… but you will recover in a few days.” Said Jisoo.

“I…” Nayeon could hear her hoarse voice. “I don’t want to stay here.”

Jisoo’s eyes widened.

“But…” Jisoo looked at Jinyoung.

Jinyoung’s brows narrowed.

“I will stay in the servant’s tent.” Said Nayeon.

“Oh but… the bed here is more comfortable… you can rest better here.” Said Jisoo.

“I’m used to sleeping on hard surface.” Said Nayeon. “Please… take me to the servant’s tent.”

“No.” said Jinyoung. “You will stay here.”

“I don’t think it’s right for me to be here… Chief.” Said Nayeon

“Why not?” asked Jinyoung.

Nayeon took a deep breath.

“You can’t have a thief for a mistress.” Said Nayeon.

Jinyoung’s hands clenched into fists clumping the blanket. Nayeon’s words pierced through his chest.

“The tribe will not approve of me staying here. So please Jisoo… help me. Take me to the Servant’s tent.” Said Nayeon.

Jisoo sighed as she looked at Jinyoung.

“You two should talk.” Said Jisoo.

Jisoo smiled at Nayeon.

“I’ll come back later.”

And then Jisoo left.

Nayeon kept her eyes on the tent entrance.

“You are angry at me.” Said Jinyoung.

“I have no right to be.” Said Nayeon, looking at everywhere else except Jinyoung.

“But you are. You can barely look at me.” Said Jinyoung

“Why will I be angry?” asked Nayeon.

“Because… because I allowed you to be punished.” Said Jinyoung, his voice sounded like it trembled.

Nayeon looked at him then.

“I told you I did not do it.” Said Nayeon. “I did not steal anything. And if you still don’t believe me… then there’s nothing I can do about it. You should not worry if I feel bad that you allowed the punishment. You are the Chief’s tribe. It is only right for you to bestow justice.”

Jinyoung sat closer to Nayeon reaching for her. But Nayeon flinched stopping Jinyoung.

“This is not easy for me, Nayeon. I am the tribe’s Chief… when the evidences points to you… I cannot protect you from punishment.” Said Jinyoung.

Nayeon looked away.

“Do you think I stole the jewelries?” asked Nayeon.

Jinyoung could not answer.

Nayeon closed her eyes trying to stop the tears that will show how much pain his lack of trust in her is breaking her inside and out.

“Then that’s it.” Said Nayeon. “Since you don’t trust me… can you ask someone to help me go to the servant’s tent before I steal something from you?”

“Damn it, Nayeon! Don’t do this to me right now!” Jinyoung shouted. Jinyoung stood up and started phasing around.

“You have no idea how worried sick I was the past two days. You were bleeding profusely… Jisoo was barely able to save you… I… didn’t know what to do… when I saw you hurt… when I saw how much pain you’ve endured…. Your wounds…you had so many wounds.  It killed me inside… I was afraid… so afraid I’d lose you… I had never been afraid of anything… even death is something I welcomed so many times… but losing you… I don’t think I can bear that…”

Nayeon saw tears on Jinyoung’s eyes…

Is he… crying?

That’s… probably only her hopeful wish.

“I just saw you woke up, all right? It’s been two days of agonizing fear… and I just felt relieved … so relieved to see you alive… so please… can you not be this cold to me right now? Can you stop asking me to allow you to leave my bed?” said Jinyoung. “All I want is to hold you… keep you beside me…”

Nayeon’s throat moved.

“I don’t believe you.” said Nayeon. “I don’t know why you would worry over me the past two days. But you definitely did not worry over me when I was being whipped… or when I carried those baskets when every bone in my body was shaking.”

Jinyoung’s jaws clenched, his hands where fisted on his sides.

Nayeon took a deep breath.

“You never once take a peek… to check if I was still alive.” Said Nayeon.

Jinyoung felt the dread… the pain and misery…

Nayeon… his mate… the woman he can’t live without…

He could feel her anger… her hate towards him… and it felt like poison acid on his chest.It was a painfuil slash that spreads throughout his entire being.

No… she can’t hate him… she can’t….

He will not accept that. She’s his mate…

Nayeon’s eyes glistened with tears.

“I thought…” she said, her voice trembling. “I thought we shared something special….I thought you knew me… I thought you trusted me… You were the only one who mattered to me. Even if they all think I’m a thief… if you believed me, that’s  all that matters…But I was wrong. We never shared anything special… you did not know me… you never really did trust me…it was all nothing to you. You wanted me on your bed and I gave it to you. That was all I was for you.”

Tears fell down  Nayeon’s eyes.

Jinyoung shook his head.

“That’s not it… it was special… you are special to me, Nayeon… I…” said Jinyoung.

“You are the tribe’s Chief. You can always get a new Mistress. There are… so many more beautiful woman here. You don’t have to endure a plain slave like me… who betrays your trust and steals.” Said Nayeon.

“No… You…You’re the only one I want.” Said Jinyoung.

Nayeon laughed bitterly as she looked at Jinyoung. He eyes filled with tears. She looked so sad… so defeated…

And then Jinyoung knew it in his heart…

 He failed her…

He failed his mate….

He failed the woman he loves.

-------------

Jackson entered the assembly tent. He saw Jinyoung in one corner. He looked like a ghost, he looked pale and helpless in the dark. He has not seen his friend like this… even when they were younger… Jinyoung  was never helpless.

“Have you eaten anything?” asked Jackson. “Cook told me you have not asked for food since the night Nayeon was punished.”

Jinyoung did not even respond as if he did not hear him.

Jackson sighed.

“You have to feed.” Said Jackson. “Your body is going to get weak. We are going to make the attack three days from now. You have to be strong.”

Jinyoung continued to ignore Jackson.

Jackson sighed.

“Since Nayeon did not finish the punishment… now that she’s awake, should we ask her to continue transferring the baskets?” asked Jackson.

Jinyoung stood up so fast, he grabbed Jackson’s neckline. Jinyoung’s eyes slowly became frightening red.

“Now I got your attention.” Said Jackson, a bit nervous.

Jinyoung growled.

“You can get angry as much as you want, you can hurt me and even kill me… as long as you feed after and get back to being the Wolf Clan’s Chief, it will be worth it.” Said Jackson.

Jinyoung let Jackson go.

“Jinyoung…” said Jackson. “C’mon… tell me what’s going on.”

Jinyoung growled.

“She doesn’t want me! She doesn’t want me around her!” shouted Jinyoung. “She wants to stay in the servant’s tent. But I can’t let her rest there. It’s too cramped there and the bed is too small… So I left my tent. She wants to be alone. But I can’t…I want to be beside her… I want to take care of her… clean her wounds… I want to hold her and see for myself… feel for myself that she is alive. She scared me… when I thought I was going to lose her… I…”

Jackson saw Jinyoung’s hands starting to change. And that’s not good. Jackson has never seen Jinyoung shift fully. And from what the elderly wolves told him, they must never ever… let Jinyoung shift fully. Or there will be destruction.

Jinyoung took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. Hiss deep breaths can be heard loudly. It took him a while before his hands started to get normal gain.

Jackson took calming breaths himself.

“She said she did not do it, Jackson.” said Jinyoung. “And I believe her.”

Jackson’s brows narrowed.

“Are you saying my Mate lied?” asked Jackson, calmly.

“Are you saying mine did?” asked Jinyoung, his voice full of anger.

“There.” Said Jackson. “You’ve finally said it.”

Jinyoung closed his eyes.

“Was it too hard to admit it?” asked Jackson.

Jinyoung put his hands on his waists as he nodded defeated.

“She’s my mate….” Said Jinyoung. “And I allowed her to get hurt.”

Jinyoung sat down.

“I should have protected her.” said Jinyoung.”I should have not let anything happen to her… she should never have been hurt… if only I was able to admit it to everyone earlier… if only I had accepted her being human earlier…”

“If she’s indeed your mate… she will eventually forgive you… and she will learn to love you.” said Jackson.

“She’s not a wolf.” Said Jinyoung. “Unlike us… they don’t know about mates… unlike us… they can live without their mates… she can… she can live without me.”

Jackson sighed.

“Can I just say that I also believe she did not steal the jewelries?” asked Jackson.

Jinyoung’s eyes widened.

“But all the evidences points to Nayeon. I can’t let my mate down.” Said Jackson.

Jinyoung’s jaws clenched.

“If it wasn’t Nayeon then… who would do it? And why would they make it look like it’s Nayeon?” asked Jinyoung.

“Maybe there’s someone who doesn’t want Nayeon around.” Said Jackson.

Jinyoung stood up.

“And I think I know who that is… but it seems there were some others who connived with her. Make sure you talk to them. Get the truth out of them.” Aid Jinyoung. “Once we confirm that they framed Nayeon, I will kill them myself.”

Jackson took a deep breath. He does not doubt that. They will have a terrible death.

“Can you… please feed now?” asked Jackson. “The attack is near.”

But Jinyoung suddenly fell on the floor. Jackson immediately went beside him.

“What’s happening Jinyoung?” asked Jackson, shaking Jinyoung.

“Call Jisoo.” Said Jinyoung, his eyes closed as if he’s in pain.

Jackson nodded and immediately called the healer.

---------------

Jisoo sighed as she stared at her cousin.

“You are too weak to go to battle, cousin.” Said Jisoo. “I think you should stay here and rest.”

“I will fight. I can’t let my men fight there while I just rest here.” Said Jinyoung.

Jisoo bit her lip in frustration.

“Then why did you stop feeding? Why did you not sleep? You know a battle was happening soon! If you really wanted to fight, you should have taken care of yourself!” scolded Jisoo.

Jinyoung chuckled.

“If you were not my cousin, I would have punished you for talking to me like this.” Said Jinyoung.

“I am glad I’m your cousin. But I am also a healer. And that means I am not mincing with words when I say that you are not fit to fight.” Said Jisoo. “You are going to die out there if you push through with this.”

“Maybe that’s better.” Said Jinyoung. “My mate is human… so she’s not going to die after I die…”

Jisoo’s eyes widened.

“Then I was right… She is indeed your mate.” Said Jisoo. “That explains everything.”

Jinyoung sighed.

“It’s just sick…. How I can’t live without her… but she can live without me…” said Jinyoung

Jisoo blinked fast and then Jinyoung noticed a tear falling from Jisoo’s eye.

“What’s the matter?” asked Jinyoung

Jisoo shook her head.

“It’s just… sad… you know… when your mate is not a wolf… they would never understand… they would never need us the way we need them.” Said Jisoo.

“Jisoo… have you… met your mate?” asked Jinyoung.

Jisoo took a deep breath but did not answer.

“ You... have not been feeding yourself well the past days…  does that mean…” Jinyoung said.

“He’s not our kind.” Whispered Jisoo. “And unlike you and Nayeon… you like each other… you love each other. Don’t deny it. One only needs eyes to see.”

Jinyoung touched Jisoo’s hand.

“Cousin.” Said Jisoo. “If you go to that battle… please come back alive.”

Jinyoung sighed.

 “I may not be able to get my mate’s heart.” said Jisoo. “But I want you to get your mate’s. If you come back dead… you