Yongguk: 21 years old

“What sent you on a rampage?”

From the ground, the Lone Werewolf stared up at Yongguk while struggling to breathe through the pain. His body has grown sore and no amount of energy would enourage him to push himself back up onto his feet. His eyes shift away from the pair staring down at him and fall on the only two scratch marks he left upon the Knight's cheek.

Yongguk was starting to grow tired of the silence. "Answer the question."

The Lone Werewolf clenched his sharp teeth together and snarled in response. It was anger towards the Knight before him and also at himself - how did he only manage to leave two marks on a Werewolf that didn’t even bother to shift to fight him? 

Well, he never did take the warnings seriously.

The Knight's strength was something that he had heard of but always thought of it as an exaggeration.

“Red.” Another Werewolf sharing the same black athletic suit with Yongguk met up beside him. “Let’s just bring him back for now and we’ll question him there.”

Yongguk didn’t like the idea but nonetheless, followed what the other royal Knight advised. After all, he was a friend and comrade of his father’s, there was no reason for Yongguk to dismiss the suggestion. He nods his head and quickly places the bindings on the Werewolf.

“This should keep your abilities in check while we transport you,” Yongguk mumbles as he work.

Lately, there had been so many Lone Werewolves incidences and it was starting to worry him. Will he be able to keep up with them all?

As the other two Knights went to the front of the heavily armored truck, Yongguk stayed in the back to be seated right across from the Lone Werewolf.

The cuffs start to work their magic and the Lone Werewolf is forced to shift back to his human form. Besides the metal chain around his neck, the man was all bare. Yongguk tosses him a blanket in order to provide the man some coverage for dignity but, it didn’t seem like he appreciated it too much. In silence, Yongguk merely observes the metal chain he had gotten used to seeing. As it was mandatory for all Werewolves to wear - with the exception of Knights - it became a useful tool to differentiate them from actual humans. And once worn, it could never be removed. 

Distracted by the man's heavy breathing aggravated by the pain, Yongguk meets the man's attention once more. “If you had just surrendered, you wouldn’t be in this state.” 

“Shut your trap, you mutt.” The man eyes the unique golden emblem, a rose of the royal Lee family, embroidered onto the upper arm of the Knight's suit. He had noticed how all ‘Knights’ wore that ridiculous suit. Each kingdom with a different color and emblem.

“Oh, is that what you guys call us now?” Yongguk wasn’t the least offended. It honestly didn’t matter to him much. He never really had a short temper so, taunts didn’t work on him. “The names are getting less creative,” he comments before leaning back against the steel truck, his body jolting from time to time due to the bumps on the road.

“You are a traitor to your own kind.”

Yongguk glances back at the man sitting across from him. “Despite what you think, such words would not affect me.” It wasn’t the first time he arrested a Lone Werewolf so it was definitely not his first time hearing that accusation. “And stop talking, your wounds will only be more painful," he casually warns the man.

***

Haewon: 18 years old

I drummed my fingers upon the large wooden desk in front of me. The incessant tapping of my fingers across the polished surface did nothing but irk my teacher. Call me immature but I wanted to keep doing it while waiting on his reaction.

“Princess, can you recite the history between the people of this country and the Werewolves?” He would occasionally push up his glasses that always slipped down the bridge of his nose as he continued my lesson. 

Strange how he said it as if Werewolves weren’t part of this country. “Four hundred years ago, a war took place with Werewolves and humans on opposing sides.”

“And, out of the darkness – “

“And, out of the darkness, a man by the name of Kim Junho rose on the side of the humans,” I exaggeratedly answer. He sends me a subtle look but I only continue, “he claimed there was an artifact that magically granted the ability to control the Werewolves – “ I honestly think it’s just a tall tale but, it’s in the history books, “ – that was the turning point in the war and humans came out victorious.”

My teacher nodded his head, content with the rest of my answer. “Now where is this artifact?” He walked back and forth before the large wooden desk, holding a book in his hands.

“We don’t know if such a thing exists. So, the location is unknown.” Like I said, just a made up tale. My fingers continue to drum, but this time more forcefully and louder. I have been learning about this for the past year. How many more times were he planning on making me recite this?

Due to the nagging boredom, I moved away from the tapping and started playing with the buttons on my cardigan. In that moment, I found nothing more intriguing than the texture of my slacks. 

“Now, please name the treaty and its contents.”

Seeing that there was more to answer, I took a deep breath. “The treaty, ‘Men and Beast Treaty’, provided peace between the two races and because Werewolves lost the war, they agreed to uphold loyalty to the humans.” I’ve never actually said it out loud but the name of the treaty always left a bad taste in my mouth. But regardless, I continued to mindlessly answer – the words automatically spilling out of my mouth after reading and reciting this information so often. 

He flips the page. “Can you tell me the three groups of Werewolves?”

There was more? I prevented myself from rolling my eyes and opted with closing them instead for a moment. “The Family Wolves, whose generations provide protection for a single family. The second are the Independent Wolves who don’t stick to one family, they can choose who to pledge loyalty to. The last would be the Lone Wolves, the ones who do not have a pack or a family they are obliged to protect and tend not to pledge loyalty.”

And like habit, my fingers continue their noisy movements once more and this time, my legs joined in too – shaking underneath the desk.

“What group would the Werewolves that protect the royal family be under?”

I thought of Yongguk as I answered, “they’re under Family Wolves.” Since Yongguk and everyone born in his family were raised to protect the members of the royal family, well ours specifically.

“Good – Princess, please stop with the tapping.”

I guess he reached his limit. “I wanted to show you just how bored I was.” I answered, amused with his reaction. No matter what I do, he will never scold or chide me.

He sighs at my answer and looks down at the watch on his wrist, “why don’t we take a little break?”

I shot up from my chair without a moment of hesitation as my stiff limbs now have a chance to stretch. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Princess, you know break is only half an hour.”

I grinned, “come on, I have been doing really well.” I quickened my pace to the door. “So, that will be okay, right? Of course it is!” I answered my own question and passed through the large door and out the office before he could say no.

I rushed down the hall, passing the numerous large white pillars that lined the hallways, and entered my indoor greenhouse. The second the door opened, the strong scent of roses welcomed me. Everywhere you looked – it was red, red, and more red. I filled a small pail with water at the tap that rose from the ground in the corner and went through the pots, carefully pouring its contents.

“Drink up, I don’t know when I’ll have freedom to do this again," I mumbled to them quietly and mostly, apologetically.

Due to my studies, I have been neglecting my poor roses. I only allowed a few people to enter my scared sanctuary – it was limited to Yongguk and my father. So, if I didn’t have time to water the roses, that meant they wouldn’t have a chance to receive any water until I did.

After making sure I gave every pot of roses its fill, I took a seat on the