It's truly her. Sehun would recognize his sister anywhere, anytime, even though she'd aged twenty years since the last time he'd seen her. His twin was alive. Sehun's mind repeated like a mantra as he gazed at her still unable to believe whether it was real or just one of his wishful dreams. It was almost too good to be true. But no it was real, if he had lingering doubts, Blink's reaction had made it clear, it was Seung-Wan. She was alive, stood before him, however they seem to be standing on opposite sides. This wasn't what he hoped for. What went wrong? He asked himself over and over again, but couldn't come up with anything solid to help him understand . Since the moment he regained the memories, that had been locked up for thirteen years, Sehun had desperately wished more than life itself to go back in time to undo his mistake, that had plagued him for years. Seeing her before him, his throat clogged, an emotional storm raging in him, that it was hard to pick or fathom what he truly felt. When he focused deep within his heart he could pick them out one after the other. The most prominent was bafflement. He wondered how she survived. Sehun swore she died in the fire, if not why didn't he find her? Even at such tender age, Sehun was quite aware of the destruction his fire was capable of. He had been certain she had perished in it, or at least that was how it appeared. Meeting her now had Sehun questioning everything. Was it all in his brain? However if all he believed wasn't as it seemed, then what really happened that day? It was something he wanted to know at same time dreading to.  Then there was elation at the fact that despite what he thought, by some miracle his sister survived, she got another chance to live, that devastating moment he thought he'd burnt her to death wasn't real.  Right after elation was sadness. Sad as to why she had a reason to hide herself from him, while she had been right next to him. Despite his chaotic mind, he figured she had used Wendy as a disguise and the sob story behind the maid was all a lie, for whatever reason. But the question was why she saw the need to hide her identity. Which brought him to the next chapter of emotions. Anger. Sehun was angry at himself for not knowing she was right beside him since the moment he came to the palace, from the previous timeline to this one, and that raised more questions, he desperately wanted answers to.  A sudden realization dawned on him. Why the mothers had seemed reluctant to speak openly about his sister. They knew she still lived. But why the saw the need to hide it was yet again lost on him. Being descendants of the most powerful witches, made Sehun and his sister exceptional. They had inherited some of those powers, but not enough for Seung-wan to become whatever she had become. He didn't know what or how, but his sister had gained certain abilities she shouldn't have, not by natural means at least.  The power emitting from her was strong and twisted. Sehun doubted anything could harm her, at least not easily. A witch of that calibre? You might as well try to tickle her to death with feathers. Which yet again pushed forward his next emotion. Fear. He was afraid, for what this meant and may lead to. Most disturbing was the dream he'd had of her draining his child of blood – no magic while wearing this particular clothes. It was no ordinary dream but a vision and in it he understood what she was doing and why. At the realization a more bitter taste of fear flooded his mouth and his nostrils flared. She was related to the mastermind or most likely she was the mistress herself. He had known the person was out to get him, their attacks too personal. Of course it was. Though Sehun wasn't sure why she was doing it, but he had a guess, it was the only thing that made sense. And that had something in Sehun breaking loose, something he had walled up for years and years. The sound he made was less sob than pure animalistic agony, and it opened the floodgates. His breathing shattered even as his eyes burned with dry tears. "Oh brother!" She said making a face as if she was on something very sour. "I see you're in shock." Her eyes taunting him. "Seung-Wan" Taking a deep breath, he said the name again, waiting for his heart to leap into his throat. The sky didn't fall, and his heart stayed firmly where it was, thumping along only slightly quicker than normal. "What do you want to do with my grandchild?" Wei Ying asked, cautiously stepping forward. When she tightened her hold on Jae, the fae stopped in tracks. "Please don't hurt him." Seung-Wan eyes scanned Wei Ying and nodded as if something in Wei Ying's face or body told her everything she needed to know about the fae. "I am sorry but I have to hurt him. I want his heart, More accurate the energy in it." The way she spoke was as if she was sad at the fact she had to do what was necessary. Sehun shook his head. "No, no, you cannot– he's your nephew." Even if she wouldn't acknowledge it, it was a fact nonetheless. "Is he?" She glanced at the babe in her arm ,like she was searching to see where or how they're related. "Well good thing you have a choice to make." She tilted her head. "The fun part is yet to begin. Make your choice brother, who is it gonna be?" Adjusting the cloak, she revealed the sight that had been hidden from them. "You wish to save your son correct?" She jerked her head to the bundle in her arms and something clawed at Sehun's chest so painful that he had to place a hand on it. "If so all you gotta do is give me Hyunjin's heart. Though not much but he too has the energy I needed." She glanced at Blink and their mom in a sharp breath as if about to be shot. "You shouldn't have intervened mother,  we wouldn't be here if you've let Hyunjin's heart be delivered to me at that time. Now you your son is gonna have to make a tough choice." She shook her head as if in genuine dejection.  The room was so quiet. The phrase “could hear a pin drop” suddenly made sense to Sehun. Only Zach paced back and forth, in front of the portal. Sehun could guess the cat was deliberating whether to jump in or not. As if stung, Kai suddenly jerked forward, rage in his every move, until Sehun grabbed his arm to stop him. This is what she wanted, to rile them up."You'll not take my child from me." The emperor gritted the words. "Oh!" She smiled almost sweetly but there was nothing sweet in her expression. "You have to be specific brother in law. The one in my arms or the one being taken by my men as we speak?" "No" Kai let out. He was seemingly frozen in place, but his eyes showed his brain furiously working. Sehun shook his head at Kai, hand tightening around Kai's. He hoped his mate understood what he meant without needing to voice it.  "Baek check on Bang Chan." He sent, his heart in his throat and a small sliver of ice formed in his belly. The seconds that it took Baekhyun to get back to him felt like eternity. "She's lying. Hyunjin is safe. With Chan and other guards." Baekhyun told Sehun out loud, glaring at Seung-Wan. Suddenly she let out a bark of laughter, making a rolling motion with her right hand "Oh Hunnie, you actually fell for it?" She asked looking at Sehun as if really waiting for an answer, her eyes flared with mockery. "I wouldn't make such a sloppy move that's bound to fail. I am quite aware as long his mate is with him, no one can lay a hand on Hyunjin, the young hound will sacrifice his life force to keep the prince safe." She pursed her lips again. "Do you know how powerful a person's life force is? Quite powerful I bet, considering the late queen's enable the curse to be lifted for a few years. In other words, Chan can probably destroy me with his." She shivered as if truly in fear. "I wouldn't provoke him like that.  And the spell I used on the hound to make him betray his every instinct only worked once." She smiled broadly showing a mouthful of very white teeth. She was toying with him, she probably didn't really need Hyunjin's heart. She just wanted to play with their minds and divide their focus or probably to turn on each other. "But if you're to offer the heart yourself–" she glanced at Baekhyun, then she began to pace in a short line, changing direction with every point she made. "Your sworn brother/best friend here will be able to stop his beta from doing a thing about it."   The beast growled low in his throat, taking over his vocal chords for a moment and Sehun froze. He swallowed and forced the beast back down.  I am in control. I am a man. I am not a beast. From within, the beast kneaded the interior of his chest, wanting to force its way out. When it couldn't, the beast roared with rage. Sehun felt its desire to rip Seung-Wan flesh and bone into shreds. No. Sehun told the beast, wincing from the way the beast trashed inside. She's family. He reminded. And we do not harm family. But his beast didn't seem to agree with him. No family. She's threat. She's attacking family. His beast told him. Beast must take cub. The beast prowled in his chest back and forth, back and forth. It bared its teeth and growled low in the back of its throat. Bad evil, take cub and want harm cub. Beast no allow. It said in it's mismatched language. This was the first time Sehun was feeling his beast about to lose control to the extreme. It was understandable. A cub and a mate were the most precious to the beast that was mostly than not led my animalistic instincts. It was a wonder how it even held back, but now it couldn't anymore. Sehun wanted his son in his arms too, but he had to thread carefully. No hurt her, beast take cub only. It said almost desperately. Sehun noted how the beast refused to address her as family. Which was saying a lot. The beast was wise, a spirit that had lived much longer before Sehun was born. It knew what the human part of Sehun didn't know. Now that he thought about it, his beast had never actually considered Wendy family, despite Sehun seeing her as one, the beast only went along, but not for once had it tried to protect her. It was like it knew what was hiding under Wendy's skin. And it probably did. Wendy had been in the palace pretending to be on Sehun's side and brought out his brotherly instinct, while she was the one responsible for a lot of bad things.  Foolish human, The beast growled at him, snapping him out of his musings.  Its golden eyes narrowed at him as if he were a fool. Beast must act. No. Sehun didn't let it get the best of him. He was undermining the carefully crafted control he had on the Fenigriff. Stay put. Of course the beast didn't back down, it continued to struggle, kneading Sehun's chest frantically again, to the point Sehun nearly gave in and let it out, but when Kai's hand touched Sehun, it finally settled back. By the time it gave up, Sehun was panting from the exertion. "You don't deserve the Fenigriff. You are weak and never know it's worth." Anger and hatred darkened Seung-Wan's features as she looked him in the eye.  It wasn't the words, or the fact that she was holding a chain– the same one he'd seen her used to drain Jae-in. But the expression was what had Sehun's heart shattered.  Good Lord. This was actually happening. She wasn't the sister he remembered, this was entirely different person. Filled with so much hatred, that he could smell it in waves. And that hatred was solely for him. This was a person that would do anything to see him fall. Sehun's heart was beating sickly in his chest. Any hope for a family reunion with his long lost sister had dissolved. His sister didn't want to be on the same side as Sehun. She was out to torment him. What Inspired so much hatred? Even in his wildest dreams, Sehun couldn’t believe his sister would ever be a source of harm to him. He knew her mind or he thought he did. Even if someone was trying to use her for evil against Sehun, she wouldn’t go along with it. Apparently he was wrong. That look in her eyes had Sehun spun away from her. His heart thundering in his chest. Emotions caused adrenaline to spurt into his veins. He wasn’t sure what he would do if she continued to look to him in that way. That which she gazed him with, was a promise to make Sehun's life a living hell by harming the ones he cared about, while he watched unable to do a damned thing. And when she was done toying with him, she might probably give him death. If Sehun decide to fight her, he might win, but that meant he would ultimately lose her. If he stayed put and let her, he would still have her but lose the people he loved. She was using his weakness against him. "You!" Baekhyun bellowed, releasing the safely of his weapon as he pointed it at her."What the hell are you doing? You think we'll let you have the prince just like that?" Sehun turned around quick. She tut, chain swirling, with every move and Sehun's heart shivered with it."I advise you lower your weapon hound. You might succeed in hurting me, but I promise you I won't go down alone." She wasn't bluffing, Sehun could see it clearly. Reaching out, Sehun placed his hand on Baekhyun's gun, lowering it. They could take their chances, but he wasn't even certain the dragon fire could hurt her. Did he even want to hurt her? Despite where he was standing, the answer was still no. However Sehun would do what he could to keep his loved ones safe. "What have you done with Wendy?" Jimin asked, taking a step forward, then back, he repeated the motion several times before he stood still, hand clenched around his weapon. She regarded the spirit user with a look of sympathy, which Sehun couldn't tell wherever it was genuine or fake."I see you're still hung up on the girl." She shook her head, the chain–locus swirling around her wrist. "Sorry to break the news but there was never a Wendy. It's just a second skin I used at my convenience in the past as well now. I never thought you'll get attached." She clicked her tongue. Rue let out a sound as though in pain. It must be hard for her. She had a thing for the maidservant, and from what Kai told Sehun, Rue had a future planed out with Wendy in it, and now it all went down the drain. For a brief moment, Seung-Wan glanced at the consort with something Sehun couldn't pinpoint but it was gone as soon it flickered across her face. She quickly averted her gaze from Rue as if it pained her to look at the woman. "No you're lying." Minseok said, his fluffy tails swishing behind him, claws scrapping the tip of his gun. Sehun was quite aware, amongst his guardians Minseok and Jimin were the closet to Wendy. They doted on her like they would to a little sister. It must be hard to take in.  Ignoring the Kitsune, her eyes snapped back to Sehun. "Still waiting brother. Which son is it gonna be? The one you carried for ten months or the one you loved just as much? You shouldn't have loved Hyunjin it would have made things easier for you." It was like his heart that been crushed like a new bloom beneath the heel of a boot. This was a tough choice that he hated to make. What would he do? Choose one son and let the other perish? Never, he rather she take his heart instead. To say Sehun was conflicted was an understatement. "Why are you doing this?" His voice cracked as he asked, he scrubbed a hand across his face. There were no tears, but everything was blurry, the hard edges of reality going soft."We're family."he mumbled felling like he was going to fall apart at any moment. When Zach opened the portal and he saw his son, he had been full of optimistic energy one second, but now desperately wishing he could drink himself into oblivion or better yet to wake up and realize all this was just a nightmare. "My sister, my flesh and blood." All the fake expressions were suddenly wiped off her face for one glorious second. She looked younger when she wasn't trying, less cruel and more of the girl he remembered. "Are we really going to have this conversation?" She asked, her eyes going cold, nothing but deep hatred for Sehun. "You know why Sehun." She said and her voice seemed to all the oxygen out of the room as she added ."Family obligation is worse than any other obligation. Because those bonds -though invisible - are like steel. And you broke yours Sehun. Besides you know things don’t work that way in the our family. You’re either with us or against us. There’s nothing in between. Oh have you forgotten how father is?" That was something Sehun couldn't argue with. It was why his mom took them and ran. Because she didn't agree with his ways simply meant she was against him and so were the kids she bore. "But we had been on the same team from the start. Sometimes family forgets the niceties, you know?  They take for granted that you’ll be there. Unconditional love and all that.” Sehun tried to reason. But the sense of despair that ran through him from her gaze right then told a different story. She didn't see him as family, not anymore. "Seung-Wan,” his mom finally spoke, her usually booming voice was just a whisper now. Cracked, dry, and hurt. Sehun glanced at Blink, the emotional pain she was going through was probably more than Sehun fel