- PARK CHANYEOL -

"I'll be waiting at the hall." came Jongin's whisper.

I walked down the stairs, nodding. "We'll be there in a few." 

The old mansion is quiet now and I could hear the training going on outside at the clearing. This what we do everyday, training the new werewolves how to fight and how to hunt. Some of them are exiles and we teach them the rules and regulations of our own pack. They will follow. They need to follow or else they'll be executed.

In our pack, we strictly follow the rules. We stick to them as long as we can.

But now they're changing. The rules are changing.

I caught my mate, Baekhyun, teaching a fifteen year old girl how to handle a dagger. We don't really need weapons but it's better that we know how to use them just in case. I put my hands in my pockets as I approached them.

"You stab them right on the chest," Baekhyun is saying as he threw me a fast glance. He grabbed the dagger hidden at the inside of his boots. "Like this." He clutched the handle tightly and when I'm within reach, he grabbed my wrist, turning me a sharp one hundred and eighty. He pressed his chest on my back and playfully 'stabbed' my chest with the dagger's handle.

I chuckled and he let me go. "Smooth." I muttered, making Baekhyun smirk.

The young girl clapped her hands before bowing her head at me as a greeting. I smiled at her and gestured for her to leave us for a while. Baekhyun placed his dagger in a pocket on his hip then he looked at me with a frown.

"What is it?" he asked in a quiet voice. "You're frowning."

"I am?" I smirked at him. "You were so good, you made me nervous."

Baekhyun scoffed as he shook his head in amusement. "You're not telling me then?" he raised one of his brows in question and I could feel my frown returning.

I heaved a sigh. "Jongin's calling for a gathering." I finally said. "I came to call you up."

With that, Baekhyun pursed his lips and nodded slowly. He stared at my face for a while as if he's reading my reaction and the weight of the reason for the sudden meet up. "Is it serious?" he asked in a very low voice as if he's afraid someone might hear us.

"Quite." I admitted and Baekhyun's breath hitched. "I'm pretty sure the pack would be... surprised." I used a lighter word for 'disappointed', 'enraged', 'displeased'. I know what will be the outcome of the Alpha's decision but I will never be in the place to disagree. Also because I know that what he told me is somewhat right in many aspects.

Baekhyun took a step forward and he slowly placed his right hand on my arm. "Care telling me about it?" he asked and concern is very much evident on his pretty face. When I looked away, his hand traveled to my face, caressing my cheek ever so gently. "Hey. Is everything alright?" he murmured.

"Jongin wants to change." I breathed as I slowly looked into his golden eyes. "He wants to change some things." 

His hand froze on my cheek and before I knew it, I could already feel him in my head, reading my thoughts and feelings. As my mate, we have a certain connection with each other. Baekhyun could enter my mind and I could enter his. He could see my memories, feel my emotions, know everything I am hiding. I could do the same to him.

With a gasp, Baekhyun pulled back from me, his eyes wide and unbelieving. "Chanyeol..." he breathed as he slowly shook his head. "T-that's impossible. The pack would be mad about this!"

I gently grabbed his arm and pulled him to somewhere far from the others. "I know, Baek. I know." I murmured, leaning into him until I could feel his ear against my lips. "But Baekhyun, Jongin's right. He has a point. We're not monsters."

"Chanyeol, we are who we are right now." Baekhyun hissed and fear is evident in his eyes. "No one would agree to this, you know that."

I looked into Baekhyun's eyes. "Do you disagree?" I whispered. "Do you not agree with him?"

Baekhyun looked away immediately. "My opinion is of no significance to this pack, Chanyeol." 

"But it means everything to me, Baek." I said firmly. "It is as important as you are." He needs to hear this. He needs to know that I would always stand for him and I would always fight for him no matter what will happen.

His golden eyes turned softer as he stared back at me. "You know what will happen if no one's supporting us." he choked, grabbing my arm for support. "Jongin could be exiled and banished from this pack. He could be killed, Chanyeol."

I shook my head though I know he's right. "Baekhyun..."

"And if we support him, they could do the same to us." he breathed and something dark crossed his face until I could feel that he's about to cry. I held his face in my hands and started murmuring assuring words to his ear. "Chanyeol... I can't take that. I can't lose you."

"Baek, everything will be alright." I whispered as I leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I will be here. I will protect you."

Baekhyun slowly looked up at me, his eyes watery. "And Jongin?" he asked. "Who would protect him? Who would protect our friend?"

I pulled him for an embrace and he didn't resist a bit. "We'll get through this." I whispered against his hair. "I promise you, we will."

"We can't take advantage of human meat." Jongin said in a voice I didn't recognize. It's authoritative, firm, unfaltering. "We won't eat them if we don't have to."

I already expected the first one to react and I am right. It's Kris.

"Bullsht!" he cursed, rising from his chair and slamming his fist on the table. We're in the hall at the center of the mansion and it's where we conduct the gatherings. The ones present during gatherings are the Alpha, Beta, Omega, their mates, head apprentices, and chosen representatives.

Sehun, Chanyeol's apprentice, also rose from his chair. "Will you shut up for a while?" he hissed at Kris. "I am sure Jongin has his reasons for the new rule."

"And that'll be another bullsht, child." he sneered.

Sehun gritted his teeth together. "And he's Alpha, Kris Wu." he snapped. "Your word isn't as important as his."

Kris made a move towards Sehun. "What did you say, you fcking---"

"Children," Baekhyun hissed beside me, glaring at the two. "Where's the manners? You both think you're impressing anyone in here?" he gave Sehun a look and he stared at Kris long enough to send him back on his seat. Baekhyun could do that to him. Only Baekhyun could do that.

Sometimes it makes me jealous. It makes me uneasy that Kris still loves Baekhyun and nothing changed that. One word from Baekhyun and he'll obey, he'll bow his head and step back. He loves Baekhyun that much and I consider him a threat.

I put a protective arm around Baekhyun's shoulders and I saw Kris looked away in annoyance. "Please continue, Jongin." I said. "We like to hear your reasons."

Jongin repeated the same words he told me, the same words that made me agree. I caught Sehun nodding his head in thoughtfulness and some apprentices are doing the same. But Kris and his group are looking away, disgusted with his words. I am not surprised. Kris will do everything to disagree with Jongin. He'll do everything to put him on a bad light.

"I don't want us hiding from humans because they fear us." Jongin continued, his voice lowering. "We must learn to live with them. We're on the same world and we can't escape."

Kris clucked his tongue thrice. "So you want us to be saints." he laughed bitterly. "Thanks but no thanks, Kim Jongin."

Jongin slowly rose from his chair, leaning on the table on both arms. "This is my word, my rule," he said firmly. "I am not asking for anyone's opinion."

"So we're not in democracy now?" Kris hissed, glaring at him.

"This rule is not something up for votation." Jongin answered. "It is implemented from this very moment."

Everyone started murmuring to each other and I decided to tune them out. Kris slowly shook his head as he continued to give Jongin a deadly glare. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration and suddenly, his gaze turned to mine.

"And what does the Beta has to say about this?" he hissed, staring daggers at me.

I cleared my throat and straightened my spine. "I am a member of this pack." I said firmly. "I abide with the laws." 

Kris returned his angry eyes at Jongin. "I know why you're doing this." he sneered. "It's for that mortal, right? You want him to accept who you are?!"

I expected Jongin to disagree but he didn't. He lowered his eyes, his jaw clenched.

"I'll tell you what," Kris said between gritted teeth. "He will never understand who we are. He will kill you in the end, Kim Jongin. He will destroy our kin. And I will never let that happen."

With that, Kris let out a low growl of anger. He slammed his hands on the table before spitting on the floor and walking away. Many of the persons in the room followed him and we didn't stop them. They could always do what they want.

Baekhyun gave out a long sigh beside me and I reached down to squeeze his hand. He met my eyes and he gave a small, sad smile.

"This will be hard." Sehun murmured as he buried his face on his hands.

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