--

15

--

The king sat in Sunggyu’s office, slightly forlorn expression on his face. “I’m sorry this had to happen. I had no idea the barrier could be breached.”

After the king declared wolf lands protected, the witches came out of hiding. Under protection, they began to travel across the land, enchanting all of wolf territory to keep them safe for the vampires. The king was bitter that he couldn’t do the same for the shapeshifters.

“But rest assured, I will do my best to protect your kind.”

Sunggyu slumped in his seat. “It wasn’t any of my kind that was hurt. We took in a shapeshifter barely half a year ago. She wandered into our lands, and we’ve been taking care of her since. She had this metal bit on her arm, and we suspected she’d escaped from some sort of dungeon.”

The king frowned. “And you said this was a little over half a year?”

“Yes.”

The king frowned. “The trading and ownership of shifters has been outlawed for nearly one hundred and fifty years now. I suppose in vampire society, it’s difficult for them to change.” He made a mental note to tell his men to do a more thorough search of the city.

“It will take a few days for the witches to survey the land and search for breaks in the barrier. I apologize for the inconvenience,” the king said, bowing in his seat. Sunggyu nodded.

“Of course.”

--

Howon stared at your frail body in the hospital bed. The doctors did all they could, sewing up your neck wound and repairing other injuries. The vampire really did a number on you, and you required a number of blood transfusions. Lucky for Howon, he was the same blood type as you and spent his days giving blood.

The doctors said it was only a matter of time before you woke up. It’d been almost a week, and you still hadn’t opened your eyes. Howon held your hand, telling you about the vampire king. He would come out at night to help with things around town and learn about the culture.

“You’d like him. I’m sure you would,” Howon said, playing with your fingers. The vampire king had declined visiting the clinic, what with all the blood in the air.

“I am a vampire after all, and things like that are too tempting, even for me. I wish her all the best and a speedy recovery.”

He sighed and sat back in his seat. He was going to spend another night sleeping in the clinic beside you.

--

“There was a break in the barrier, a very slight one. One that someone could probably squeeze through, if they were very determined. It’s been fixed and the rest of the general barrier reinforced.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The king shook his head wearily.

“I’m not majestic in any way. Not yet. Not until I change this vampire mindset. It’s hard when the people directly under you are resistant to change because it doesn’t benefit them directly.”

“Ah, having troubles with The Council?” Seungho asked. He wasn’t surprised. Those vampires were practically collecting dust with how old they were.

“Of course. You’d think that after I killed half of them, they’d be more inclined to listen to me.”

Howon sat in this mandatory meeting, almost sulking. The doctors said you would be waking up soon, and he wanted to be the first one you saw.

“I wish I could’ve done for the shapeshifters that I’ve done for you. I promised one I would,” he said, staring off into the distance. He sighed and said your name quietly. Howon perked up, staring at the king. “I wish you could come back to me.”

In the clinic, your eyes snapped open, and you sat up in the bed. The doctors looked up, surprised to see you moving already. The predicted that you’d be stuck in the hospital bed for at least another week or so once you woke up.

But when you threw the sheets off and started moving, they tried to stop you.

“Wait! Stop! Your body isn’t stable enough for you to leave yet!” But when he grabbed your arm, you wrenched it out with inhuman strength and walked out of the clinic in nothing but your hospital gown.

Your feet moved mindlessly, obeying an order you couldn’t refuse. You pushed open the door to the cabin and stepped inside making your way towards the talking voices of Sunggyu’s office.

There was a silence as the door opened, and you leaned unsteadily against the doorframe. All eyes were on you for a moment before Howon flew to you as you started to fall.

“That’s impossible,” the king said, his eyes going wide as he stood up. Howon shook you gently, saying your name. Everyone around the room except the king gave him a curious look. His lips were moving, but no sound was coming out. “You know her name?”

“What are you doing out of the clinic? You’re not even supposed to be awake, let alone moving!” he nearly yelled at you. Your eyelids flickered feverishly as you spoke.

“M-Master Soohyun. You’re alive,” you whispered, before your eyes closed again.

--

When you came to again, you were in