[Uploaded a chapter last night, go back if you haven't read it yet!]

Silence.

Silence filled the room as Mason finished telling Areum and the pack every last grim detail of the prophecy and how it broke.

"Because Ara and Mark are a second human-wolf couple…"

"It was supposed to be wolf royalty that takes down the panther prince, but one wolf wasn't strong enough when two human-wolf couples emerged. The ability to defeat the panthers was divided between both Mark and Jackson. Two halves of a whole. The only way to for the wolf to be strong enough would be if the other wolf died and gave his ability up."  Mason stated.

"Why can't I just take his place?!" Mark boomed, "He's the ing prince! He should be the one that stays alive."

Mason looked at Mark sadly, "At this point, it doesn't matter if the wolf is royalty or not. As long as one of dies and the other lives. One has to die and the other will be strong enough. So even if you aren't the prince, you'd still be strong enough to take them. Jackson made his decision already."

Mark laughed dryly, "And he's so awful that he makes that decision on his own, without consulting us."

Areum was the only one left standing at this point as the other boys fell to their knees in shock, holding their heads.

It was like the world had tilted.

Jinyoung leaned his head against his knees, closing his eyes, "He's such a selfish . I can't believe he didn't tell us."

"So…so he's just going to die?" Mark whispered as his eyes glazed over. "He's going to die because of me?"

"No." Jaebum said darkly, "He's going to die because of the panthers. The ironic thing is that he's willing going to give his life for the panthers."

Youngjae lifted his head, his eyes bloodshot and looked at Areum who was swaying on her feet, her face completely void of emotion.

"There has to be a way around it, right?" Yugyeom mumbled from the corner of the room.

Mason sighed, "That's why he left to Japan, he's trying to find another loophole, but I don't think he's found anything. It's not an easy task by any means."

"Don't you care?" Youngjae snapped angrily while glaring at Areum.

The girl blinked heavily before turning her head to stare at him. BamBam frowned and closed his eyes, "Youngjae, leave her alone."

"We're all losing our minds and she's just standing there like nothing happened. Are you really even his mate?" He spat out in fury.

Jaebum's eye twitched, "Youngjae you better watch your mouth. We're all on edge, don't make it worse."

"Worse? She doesn't even look like she cares." He said while keeping his eyes unwavering with hers.

"Mino…he can control people's mind?" She asked softly, ignoring Youngjae.

Mason took a deep breath, "As the prince, yes, he can. We're afraid that once his powers come out th--"

Areum felt her blood freeze in her veins and her heart stop.

"Oh God." She whispered as images of Yoomi's dilated pupils, strange behaviour and hurting head flashed through her mind.

"He already knows. He already know about his power. He used it on some kids today at school." She covered as her body began to tremble.

Jaebum shot up, "Is that we smelled a panther on you?"

Areum nodded her head, "He used it to get Yoomi and those other girls to turn on me so that he could come to the rescue. He did it on purpose."

"That's so ed up." BamBam groaned.

Mason let his brows furrow, "This isn't good.  The more aware he is of his powers, the more dangerous and powerful he can become. He's already using it on other species. It's clear that we're running out of time."  

"We need to find a way to distract Mino from getting better with his powers. There must be a limitation to his powers." Areum said while twisting her fingers.

Youngjae scoffed."Are you hearing yourself talk?! Your mate is going to die and all you can care about is the mothering mind control?!"

She glared at Youngjae, her whole body trembling with rage, "He has 2 more weeks. I trust him. He'll find a way out of this.  He won't give up and neither should we. Why? Do you want to start planning his funeral now?"

"Get your head out of your . If there was really a loophole, don't you think Mason would've already found it?" He said with a humourless laugh.

"Enough!" Jinyoung yelled.

Areum's eyes flickered to the ground as unease filled her stomach. This was all getting far too draining and tiresome.

For a long time she was dealing with more than she needed to and she made one too many sacrifices that she didn't want to make.

She wasn't sure how long she could keep that up.

"I'm done."

Mark tensed before gaping at her, "What are you talking about?"

She shook her head, "Ever since day one, I've been swept up in all this bull that I never asked for. I have been in danger, kidnapped, stalked, harassed and every other form of hell that you can think of. But this is the last ing straw."

Mason looked at her, bewildered, "What are you saying?"

She stormed to the door and glanced at the pack over her shoulder.

"I'm saying that I'm finally done. With everything."

-----

Jackson jolted from his nap when something forced him awake.

His parents had left for the day and they weren't coming back until the morning but he could feel it. He could feel a presence.

He stared intensely at the front door, trying to figure his sudden spike in emotion out when he was hit with a familiar scent.

No. No. No. No. No.

Suddenly a loud banging echoed through the house as someone slammed their fist furiously against the door.  

He leaped over the coffee table, almost body slamming into the door before flinging it open.

No.

"I hate you."

Jackson stared at Areum who was standing at his door, sweating with her hair sticking to her cheeks and neck.  Her clothes were wrinkled and messy and her face looked tired and worn out.

But all he could comprehend was the fact that she was here, with him, in the same country.  

"What are you doing here?" He blurted out.

Areum scoffed as her eye twitched. "Am I not supposed to be here?"

"No. You're not." He barked angrily as his nails dug into the door.

Areum rolled her jaw, "Why? Are you worried that your stupid lies finally caught up to you? Are you worried that you can't keep your secrets anymore?"

"I thought I told the boys to keep you in Korea in your house. What the hell are you doing here?" He snapped.

She laughed. "And here I thought that you might actually be happy to see me."

"I'm not happy. I'm furious. Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be running around? I told you that I have things I need to take care of. I can't entertain you when I have work to do."

Areum snapped and shoved his chest with so much force that he stumbled back a few steps. "Stop talking to me like I'm some kind of burden. You brought that on yourself."

Jackson glared at her and brushed her hand off of him, "I have important things I need to do. Call the airport and buy another ticket and go back to Korea. I can't deal with you right now."

Areum wanted to slap him.

She wanted to pull her hand back and strike him across the face for how much of a jerk he was being.

"You can't deal with me? Honestly Jackson, I can't deal with you or your bull right now, either." She hissed back, her eyes narrowing.

"I get it, okay? You don't like listening to other people or having them tell you what to do, but the panthers are still out there so you can't go prancing around unprotected." Jackson lowered his voice, an intimidation tactic that wasn't working on Areum.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" She asked with an incredulous laugh.

Jackson quirked a brow, "Tell you what?"

"Tell me what Mason sent you here to do."

Jackson's eyes flashed a quick emotion before they hardened, "It's not important. I just need to deal with some district issues. I thought the guys told you this already."

Areum  inspected his eyes, "I thought we passed the point where we lied to each other."

"I'm not lying." He growled.

Areum sighed, "Mason already told me."

Jackson froze as his eyes flickered to hers, "He…he what?"

"He told us everything. The prophecy, Mark and Ara, Mino's powers and…and your sacrifice. He told us it all." Her voice softened with every word.

"Areu--"

"What were you going to do, huh? If you didn't come up with any answers would you just give yourself up without letting any of us know? Would yo