"We need an explanation, and even if you can't give us an explanation, Kyungsoo deserves the explanation!"

"No, I, it's alright-"

"Stop saying that!" Baekhyun snaps, his hands clenched into fists, hurt written on his face as Chanyeol stands stonily at his side in the living room, the twelve forming an arc around her, "You're mates for creator sake can't you trust him? Isn't there friendship between us?!" There's sharp pin drop silence before the mermaid raises her head, eyes shining eerily in the dark.

"You want an explanation? Kyungsoo's not my mate."

It's a er punch, a low intense blow as Kyungsoo in a shallow breath, as he stares at her, his mate, his other half, stares as his world crumbled and she destroys him without a backward glance.

"How dare you say that. How dare you." Jongdae whispers shakily, glaring at the mermaid who finally snaps, patience and emotions pulled to taut and finally getting the release they need.

"I didn't have a choice, I didn't choose this! I wasn't supposed to stay, mermaids don't stay!" Her nails sink into the sofa as she glares at Jongdae, her eyes filling with tears.

"What do you mean? Stop taking in riddles." Yixing says coldly, his eyes glinting furiously.

"My fiancé," Fiancé? Kyungsoo swallowed, his body shaking as the mermaid raises her head, "And all the other mermen are unable to have children. The reason is because in order to rebuild our race merwomen mated with the other creations, and a spell later removed the other elements of the creations, leaving only water and hence giving us a merchild." Kyungsoo felt his heart drop a thousand feet off a cliff.

"You slept with me," his voice tinged with disbelief, "in order to sire a child?"

"Kyungsoo." Minseok pulled him back, shaking his head silently as the mermaid continued, taking in a shaky breath.

"I was at birth engaged to the Prince of the merpeople, and my duty is to hence ensure a child to continue his line. However, mermaids can only possibly be pregnant if they undergo in the water." The swimming pool.

Kyungsoo buried his head into his hands, his breathing coming out in shallow gasps, his entire body shaking as he tried so desperately to remain calm. To remain alive.

"My job was to sire a child and get back into the water," the mermaid choked, eyes fluttering, "But it never worked out."

"Never, never worked out?" Kyungsoo finally loses it there and then, his heart aching, splintering to pieces as he stares at her in disbelief and finally released the onslaught of emotions, the dam breaking free as he rises from the couch, towering over her as he snarls.

"I fell for you, right into your Web of lies. No, even better, I fell for you like a fool believing you loved me, but all this while you were using me to sire a child. Strange isn't it?" Kyungsoo let's out a bitter laugh, " I thought we came clean to each other. That we finally understood, no more pretences, no more stalling for time, but just to love. And what were you planning to do if you had my child, raise it up under a different father? What about me? My emotions? My feelings, my opinion? What about my love for you?! Did it mean nothing?" Kyungsoo gives a sharp hiss, "But no I forgot, you do not love me. You do not love or care for the wolves. You were running back to your under water prince, to your fiancé whom you-"

"Never loved." The mermaid whispered, and Kyungsoo stopped mid rant, his words coming to a halt as he looked down at his mate, shocked to the core. The mermaid stands up and grabbing the front of Kyungsoo's shirt she shakes him, her eyes filled with pain.

"Don't you understand? I'm in love with you! You, you're the one I can't live without! I'm the prince's fiancé and I've been missing for three months! Everytime, I told myself one more day, one more week, and look where we are now?" She takes in a shuddering breath, eyes pools of sorrow, "The mercouncil would not just give up searching on me like the other merwomen that stayed with the men they loved. I am the prince's fiance!"

"You-" Kyungsoo choked.

"I left because they would send armies searching for you! Armies of merpeople hungry for the blood of traitors and wolves! Do you not see? It would have been a death sentence for you immediately, but if I went back, I, I could buy us more time," she gasped softly, tears running down her face as she let out a sob, "Buy you more time..."

"Oh creator..." Luhan gasped in horror, body shaking as the mermaid buries herself into Kyungsoo's chest, "She did it all for us."

"Don't you ever, ever do that again!" Kyungsoo wraps his arms around her, eyes glowing with rekindled light as he growls fiercely into her ear, "Do you know what it would do to me without you? If you didn't love me back, if I never saw you again, touched you again, heard you again," Kyungsoo buried his face into the crook of her neck, tears welling up in his eyes and finally spilling, "Don't, ever, ever leave me."

"AWWW!" Both kids squealed at the same time, causing Luhan to sigh.

"Yes yes very touching I'm sure but that is definitely NOT the end...."

"Right, so the plan-"

"There is no plan; she's not going anywhere." Kyungsoo snaps at Kris, baring his teeth as he lets out a threatening growl, one arm wrapped around his mate who's settled on his lap. Kris sighs, running a hand through his hair as he shoots Junmyeon a hopeless expression. For the past three days Kyungsoo had basically been inseparable from his mate. He refused to move an inch without her in sight and in his arms, the thought of her leaving without a word etched deeply, scarring him. The mermaid stirs in his arms and she looks up at Kyungsoo, her fingers curling into the front of his shirt as she speaks, voice gentle.

"Kris is right. There must be a plan."

"Which does not involve you leaving." Kyungsoo replies stubbornly, earning a sigh from all eleven other brothers of his, Minseok burying his face into his palms as he groaned. They had been going round in circles repeatedly; and everytime, Kyungsoo would remain steadfast in refusal.

"Kyungsoo..." The mermaid sighs, raising a hand and tilting his chin to look at her, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course-"

"Then trust me that I'll come back." The mermaid whispers, his cheek, her smile slightly sad, "You are my everything. Without you there is no point existing; if you die I would kill myself to be with you. But I want to live with you, see your smile day by day forever. Immortality Kyungsoo, it's lonely alone. What would happen to me without you?"

"You won't be without me; I'll win every battle. I will fight for my right to you; I don't care." Kyungsoo murmurs, running his hand through her hair.

"But what about innocent children? What then if the merpeople decides now is the time for revenge? How many werewolf children would die for our mistakes Kyungsoo? " She whispers and Kyungsoo stiffens as he looks away, the word of children immediately countering his werewolf instinct. Loyalty, loyalty to the race and to his mate. Kyungsoo bit his lip.

"If that happens what then? Will you die? Will they die? If you survive would you count? Count the number of deaths, the bodies that pile up." The mermaid pauses, looking at Kyungsoo before pressing her lips to his cheek, "Let me go, and I will be back, I promise."

"But..."

"Kyungsoo, let me go, please." She whispers, looking up at him, begging as the other members of his pack wait, watch as Kyungsoo closes his eyes, breathing in and out heavily before he finally opens them, air whistling through his lips as he sighs.

"Okay."

"Hush." Luhan checks the clock, shaking his head as he looks at the two bouncing children.

"What time did your parents say they're coming back?"

"DON'T CARE!" Both children shouts and Luhan sighs in obligation as he continues the story.

"So..."

"I'll basically report to the mercouncil and you know, pop by, no I haven't been kidnapped ecetra. I'll stay for a week or two probably so as not to arouse any suspicion, before I ask for permission to return to land to sire another child as an excuse."

"And what if they don't accept it?" Kyungsoo asks, biting his lip as he stares at his mate, "What if they refuse to let you onto land?"

There's pin drop silence as Kyungsoo's fear is addressed by the pack. That was the problem. Saving his race but what at cost? The cost of his mate? The thought sends a lump rising in Kyungsoo's throat as he looks away, shoulders tense as he stares down at the table, hand holding onto the edge.

"I, they can't hold me down for long I mean..." The mermaid bites her lip as Kyungsoo fixes her with a serious stare, "Even if they do," she reluctantly speaks, looking down, "At most they could only hold me for a year."

"A year?" Kyungsoo's voice rises in disbelief as he stares at her in horror, his voice breaking as he looked at his lover, "A year without you by my side? An eternity of me waiting for a year in turn for three months? A-" Kyungsoo broke off, closing his eyes as he swallows, Adam apple bobbing as he fights the sinking sense of fear and panic.

"I would trade an eternity for a second at your side." Comes the unexpected reply as the mermaid looks up from where she has been sitting on the couch in the library. Her eyes are filled with tears as she looks up at Kyungsoo, bottom lip trembling, causing Kyungsoo to jerk in shock. He isn't the only one hurting, he thinks to himself as he numbly reaches forward to cup her fact, thumb brushing away the tear tracks being made, soothing her, even as he himself splintered to pieces.

"A year in exchange to prevent a genocide; massacre. If that's the case isn't three months enough?" She whispers, her hand reaching out to grab his wrist, lips brushing against his soft skin.

"It will never be enough." Kyungsoo whispers, looking at her, pain eminent in his eyes as he trembles, his heart already aching from the premonition of what was to come, "But for now," he her cheek, "it will do."

"Kyungsoo..."

"We will do something about this." Kris' voice echoes around the room and the couple immediately looks up at the alpha, "To trade a year for the rest of your existence for three months is too cruel, uncalled for. If the werewolf council knew of this, they would be mortified."

"Indeed," Junmyeon seconds Kris's statement, voice firm, "None of the councils would stand for this preposterous situation. If we can get the Phoenix council and faerie council on our side, we'll have nothing to worry about. This is the twenty first century. A genocide and massacre is completely uncalled for."

"We just need you to buy us time, " Luhan speaks up as Kyungsoo bites his lip, a look of doubt across his face, "Just enough time for us to make the negotiations and get you out such that you aren't stuck in between. Just once, not for eternity."

"Do you..." Kyungsoo clears his throat, looking pointedly away from his mate, "You didn't consummate your marriage did you?"

You don't love him right?

The underlying question goes unspoken as Kyungsoo looks at the floor, the rest of the pack seeing right through his meaning. She, seeing right through his question. Because he didn't care if she slept with her fiancé, if her first hadn't been with him. What mattered was that every memory she thinks of, every memory she revisits, everything she needs and wants will always be him. Always loving Kyungsoo, needing Kyungsoo, wanting him, that was what mattered. What mattered was that her heart belonged to him, and Kyungsoo's hand twitches as he waits for a reply, fear making his heart ache.

"No." The mermaid smiles, her eyes glittering under the fluorescent lights as she kisses the palm of his hand feverishly, pressing his hand to her cheek, her words soft, "No I didn't."

No. It was always, and will be, just you.

"I want the part where we come in!" The little girl whines and Luhan's eyes widens as he sees her brother shoot her an annoyed look. Red alert red alert, Luhan thinks in alarm, sirens ringing in his head. Tantrum incoming, incoming missile launched.

"Alright, lets just continue with the story," Luhan cuts across hastily, "We'll reach that part soon!" Or not Luhan thinks drily as the little girl obediently keeps quiet, much to the relief of her older brother.

"I'll miss you." Kyungsoo whispers, biting his lip as his arms encircle around his mate's waist, as he pulls her close, his eyes briefly closing as hw imprints her warmth and this moment into his mind, "I don't want to let you do." He swallows, allowing himself to feel how she curls against him, memorise how it felt to be by her side, his heart aching as he buries his face into her shoulder, tasting her scent.

"Just think of all the rainbow cloud candies I can bring back." The mermaid murmurs and Kyungsoo can't help the chuckle that escapes his lips at her statement.

"You might want to bring more than four pieces next time." Kyungsoo whispers huskily, nosing her temple as he tilts his head to look at his beautiful mate, his other half. Pressed so intimately and closely, legs entwined together underneath the sheets, Kyungs oo shivers as the mermaid looks up at him through her lashes. She knows. She can see it, right through his acting Kyungsoo thinks as he fakes a smile. She can see through all his pretences; know that for all the humoured words and jokes, he was afraid, afraid to let her go because he had no idea if he could ever have her back.

"Believe in me. I won't leave you." She whispers, snuggling closer, burying her face into the crook of his neck as her lips press against his temple briefly, "Both of us," her hand slides down his chest and Kyungsoo shudders as he feels her palm splay over his hip, as she slides closer, her lips ghosting his ear, "are meant to be Kyungsoo."

But still that doesn't calm him, or ease the ache, Kyungsoo thinks as he pulls her close, such that she's lying on his chest. He runs his fingers through her hair, savouring every moments, every breath, every thing about her. Her scent, her body, her curves, he memorised them all, his heart aching from the after effect of love making. Because even as he touches her and holds her, he knows it's a premonition of what is to come. That every second, the clock ticks closer to the inevitable, and Kyungsoo has to beat down the sense of loneliness and abandonment that crashes over his soul as a sharp rap on the door cuts through their silent world. Junmyeon's voice goes in through the door, and Kyungsoo's heart twists as he wishes that he couldn't hear those words from his brother.

"It's time."

"Are you sure you don't know what time your parents-"

"LUHAN GEEEE!" At the sharp whine from both impatient kids, Luhan not so subtly drops the subject so as to avoid a full out burst of tantrum. Luhan laments to himself as to why he has to baby sit as he continues the story.

​HELLO yes author-nim is horrible haha I know, but I hope you enjoy this TADA the hohoho this story is going to end soon (but also not so soon if you get what I mean) So please comment subscribe and upvote okay lovelies?? I'm really exhausted but I figured you guys needed an update ^^ Saranghae <3