- DO KYUNGSOO -

Kim Jongin let go of my hand when we reached a wide tree with its giant roots sticking out of the hard forest ground. The noon is chilly and I threw him a nervous look the moment he stepped back.

"So this is where we part," he said and his voice is too sad I fought the urge to ran back to him.

I glanced back to our house with its roof peeking from behind the thick bushes and the tall Molaves and oaks. The sun is casting its heavy rays on it, making it look like shining through the day.

"I'll see you soon," I muttered and then a terrifying thought occurred to me so I added, "Right?"

The smile Jongin gave me suddenly made my knees weak. "Of course," he breathed and the breeze blew again, making his hair sway and my breath hitch. He's inhumanly beautiful I can't believe he just said he loves me a few hours ago.

A nod was all I could give him.

Kim Jongin returned the gesture, but as he turned on his bare feet, I felt the need to tell him what he needs to hear. Or probably what I wanted to tell him the last time he hugged me.

"Jongin," I called and he stopped in a heartbeat, turning to look at me with his brows raised in question. "I won't run away." I stared into his eyes and something like relief flashed through them. "I won't run away from you. I promise."

It sounded so sure and desperate at the same time. Maybe because I am so sure about what I feel or maybe because I am so sure it is Kim Jongin that I have been waiting for my whole life.

Everything feels so foreign and weird. But good.

"You don't know how happy those words made me feel, Do Kyungsoo."

I smiled despite myself and I never thought watching him leave would bring forth such... pain.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun were right.

There are three people standing outside our house and they're wearing weird clothes made of black and brown leather. Tattoos cover their bare arms and the designs are all the same: claw marks in black ink. They are talking to one another seriously with their heads close and their hands playing with the gun in their belts.

They look like hunters to me, with their thick boots, brown heavy pants and button down shirts. One of them threw his cigarette butt on the ground and he stepped on it annoyingly.

The moment I stepped into the clearing, the three men turned to me, suddenly drawing out silver guns from their backs. I gasped and started backing behind a bush like it would save me from the bullet.

"Oh," One of them muttered upon seeing me, his eyes turning wide for a bit like he's surprised. He has tan skin and undone brown hair. He gestured for the two others to bring down their guns and they both obeyed but first throwing me angry glances.

I returned the glare. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"We don't want trouble," the first one said. He's watching me really close now with his brows furrowed in a tight frown like he can't believe what he's seeing. "We are friends, Do Kyungsoo."

A gasp escaped my lips with the mere mention of my name.

"How did you know my name?" I hissed, stepping closer. "Who are you?" 

The man straightened his spine as he returned the gun to his belt. "I'm Lee Taemin. These are my friends, Minho and Key." Taemin, as he calls himself, is watching me with such weird expression on his face. His small eyes are wide and his lips gaped open. However, his other two companions maintained their composure, serious and glaring. But confused. Confused at the same time. 

"I don't know you," I hissed at them and when I took another step towards their direction, they backed away, making me frown. What is happening? Why are they looking at me like this? 

The Minho guy spat on the ground. "What's this?!" he sneered and the confusion took over his face. He looked around and back at me. "It's..." and then he shivered and shook his head.

'I told you, I'm protecting you.'

My hand flew to my shoulder where Jongin bit me and I unconsciously traced the invisible scar. I looked again at the three men standing a few steps from me and that's when I recognized the fear hiding behind those angry eyes. I see it now.

They're afraid of me. I don't know how or why. But for some reason, they're afraid. 

Their eyes show nothing but fear. 

Except for Taemin. He looks... confused. And surprised. 

"You're the son of Hae Min." Taemin murmured. 

I tensed. "You know my mother." I kept my voice calm. I still don't know who they are but their emotions tell me they're not hear to harm me or anything. "Where is she?" 

Suddenly, the door of our house swung open and Mother came dashing out into the open where she ran towards me immediately. She wrapped her arms around my neck and she started sobbing despite her disability to make out any words. I wrapped my arms around her, too. 

"Mother," I breathed against her hair. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." 

She pulled back and then she held my face in her trembling grasp. Her eyes are red from crying and she didn't change her clothes from yesterday. There's a thin old shawl wrapped around her shoulders and I fixed it around her while I wipe her tears away with my other hand. 

Mother's hand went to the air and it's trembling as she made out a sentence. "What happened, sweetheart? What happened to you?" she let out a sob and I tried not to cry with her. 

"I'm fine now, Mother," I answered, reaching for her hand that's resting on my cheek. "Some bastards tried to pick on me but I'm okay now." Mother's eyes went wide and she tried another sentence but I gently took her hand in mine, stopping her. "I'm fine now and here with you. That's more important, isn't it?" 

Mother stared at my face for too long and the sadness is so evident in her eyes. I might have caused her too much worry and I don't know how I could ever make up to her. Wrinkles are more evident now and her hair is a mess. But she nodded and pulled me for another tight hug. 

And now it pains me that I can't tell her the whole truth. 

When she pulled back again, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "Let's go back inside, Mother." I murmured as I guided her back to the house. "You need the warmth. It's too cold out here." 

Mother gave me a small smile as she nodded. As we walked the stone pavement back to our door, I took notice of the three men watching us. Taemin looks at me the most different and I wonder what he's seeing. Do I look like a werewolf to them now? 

And who are they anyway? 

"Come with us." Mother gestured with her hand and she's talking to the three men now. I opened my mouth to speak but I was stopped by the next sentence she made with her trembling fingers. "He now needs to know. My son needs to know everything." 

"Kyungsoo, you're not human." Taemin murmured and the words hit me like an avalanche. "You're not human. Partly." 

I grabbed my Mother's hand that's resting on my knee as Taemin started telling me the story: That Mother was a Warrior, a clan or group who kills werewolves, and she fell in love with an Alpha. That I am the fruit of that love and that I am half-human half-werewolf. That my father was killed by his own pack and they attacked my Mother, sending her into the world with nothing but me and her muteness. 

"The necklace your Mother is wearing," he continued, gesturing to my Mother's neck. "That's your Father's proposal." 

My brain started buzzing with nausea and tiredness. I closed my eyes and massaged my temples, feeling my mother's hand travel from the small of my back to my hair. 

It's too much. Everything is just too much and I don't think I could take all of them at once. 

Jongin is a werewolf. 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun are werewolves too and Baekhyun nearly killed me. 

And now... I am not human. 

"Kyungsoo, we're here because we need you," Taemin said and this time, his voice is firmer. "We need your help to end this battle once and for all." 

I slowly shook my head. "I can't..." I let out a shaky breath. "I'm not for this." 

"You are!" Taemin exclaimed. "You're meant to end them. You're meant to end their kin." 

"No..." I murmured but it's now barely a whisper. Consciousness is starting to seep out of my body. The mark on my shoulder started to tingle with some kind of warmth. It suddenly feel so hot and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to brush it off. 

"You need to kill them," Taemin continued and his voice is nearer. "We will help you. We will train you if you need it."

The heat on my shoulder is close to pain. It's so close. So very close. 

Kim Jongin. What is happening to me? 

I felt hands reaching my shoulders. "Kyungsoo, you need to kill the werewolves," someone hissed close to my ear. "Every single one of them." 

Jongin. Jongin, please. 

"Kyungsoo," Taemin's voice. "Be one of us." 

I opened my eyes and I'm suddenly gasping for air. The carpet under my feet is shaking, the world is shaking. Everything is blurry and I'm sweating beyond reason. The warmth from the mark on my shoulder I was just feeling a while ago turned to a full-blown paralyzing pain. The sensation made me gasp, my face crumbling in agony. 

Jongin... Please.

"No. Please, don't do it." 

I gasped. I'm hearing it again. I'm hearing him again. 

"Don't, Kyungsoo. You're mine."