- KIM JONGIN -

 The smoke is dark and it sent alarm straight to my brain, making me jerk upright, tilting my body so I am facing it completely. In one swift sniff, I already knew where it's coming. The wood, the rust, and the oldness reverberates from the dark pooling of gas swimming through the sky.

"It's the house!" Chanyeol screamed in my mind, gritting his teeth as another growl erupted from his cut throat. Dark red blood oozed from his cuts and he limped as he walked towards me, staring between Baekhyun and the smoke. "Jongin, we need to do something!" he hissed but I ignored him. We both know this is hopeless.

"Ah!" There's a sharp pang of pain when Baekhyun's knees hit the ground, gripping on his right shoulder that's starting to bleed a kind of blood that is too dark to be perfectly normal. Outright, I smelled the tinge of poison and lust seep out of Baekhyun's body. In one swift motion, Chanyeol is already in human form, running towards his mate and wrapping his arms around him. He looks bad himself, bleeding and bruised but there's no denying the graveness of the situation.

The bush around us moved and I looked to see Yifan's wolf form escaping back to the forest. "Yifan!" I growled and tried to follow him but another scream from Baekhyun's direction made me stop on my tracks.

Chanyeol gritted his teeth. "He bit him," his voice is shaking from anger and fear. "He fcking tried to imprint. Damn it!" he tried to stop the blood from flowing but his hands did little.

Baekhyun's wound smells like burned meat. This happens when a werewolf try to steal someone else's mate. Yifan tried to 'inject' Baekhyun with his fluid though someone already owns him. This is what happens when a werewolf break the rules.

"Here," Chanyeol murmured as he reached for Baekhyun's shirt that's lying on the ground. He carefully dressed him with it and tries not to bump on his wound. "We'll try to fix that, Baek, I promise."

"It hurts." Baekhyun whimpered, leaning on Chanyeol's shoulder as he closes his eyes as if he's in deep pain. The other wrapped a protective arm around him and he met my eyes, begging me to say something. The wind blew and it carries smoke with it. If I concentrate more, I could hear werewolves cheering, shouting as they won a battle we didn't want to make.

Everyone left. And they left us with nothing but ourselves.

"I know someone who could help," I murmured and I don't know when that particular thought hit my mind. When Chanyeol frowned at me, reading my face, I know what I have in my mind is crazy. The beyond insane type of craziness. I cleared my throat as I stooped down, offering my back to them. "We have to try."

We were not a bit surprised when Kyungsoo's grandmother stepped out with three pairs of clothes on both arms. She's glaring at us, watching us from head to toe, but there's more than just the hateful eyes she tries to throw on us. His Grandmother became worried when she saw Baekhyun's wound and the black kind of blood sipping out of his cut. In an instant, she already knew what the problem is.

The house is how I remembered it, small but cozy. When I sent Kyungsoo here, I could already smell different kinds of potions and plants that are filling most of the house's space. She let us dress on the living room and Baekhyun sat on the couch with Chanyeol never leaving his side.

"You shouldn't let yourself be alone with a pervert." The old woman muttered, her voice edgy and raspy but not rude. She spared Baekhyun another glance as she prepared something on her wooden kitchen table. Something of color purple bubbled on the cauldron situated at the middle of the cottage. Books are everywhere and the walls are covered with a thin layer of dust. The carpet under my feet feels soft but dirty under my bare soles. But all in all, the old cottage feels so close to home. It's a comfortable place.

Baekhyun looks at the ground, biting his lower lip, "I didn't know he's been following me." he whispered. "I wasn't able to catch his scent."

"Might be keeping a safe distance, then." the woman answered, shaking her head. "Did you see the smoke? It's almost fading now." she gestured to the windows and I know we're both thinking about the same fire, the same destruction. I didn't follow her gaze as I sat on the floor, crossing my tired legs under me.

I watched her do her job. "They burned our house down."

"They did?" she raised a brow and she seems a bit surprised. "Why? That was an antique. I remembered my son describing it for me. What a waste." she very slowly shook her head.

"They hate the new Alpha." I whispered, telling her the truth. "They also hate the rules."

Kyungsoo's grandmother squeezed some herbs into the bright blue liquid she made. "Werewolves could be impulsive and stupid. No wonder they could do something that crazy." then she threw me a long glance. "Are you the Alpha?"

I nodded though I could feel a certain wave of shame and guilt wash through my entire being. I did this. I took us into this kind of situation. I am the reason for all of these. I suddenly don't want to look at Baekhyun or Chanyeol and see the regret fill their eyes; their regret about following me and listening to what I've got to say.

But what surprised me is when the old woman smiled. It's a small, thin smile that doesn't reach her eyes but it's so genuine it warmed my heart in a way I didn't know possible. Very comforting.

"It's unfair, isn't it?" she whispered. "Just because you're the Alpha you've got to take care of aggressive, childish creatures. You need a break, too. You're not a god." she chuckled and it's a natural, kind sound.

"They look up to me." I whispered.

"Yes." she pursed her lips. "But that doesn't mean you have to be perfect."

Looking away, I caught a glimpse of the fading smoke. "They expected me to."

"And look where it got you." she said and her voice is laced with pain. "You have a life, too. And you have to live it. You don't deserve to... to die." she adds and part of me knew she's talking about something else. The way her eyes stares at the distance made me realize and remember the pain she suffered when our very own pack years back killed her adopted son. The only son she had and ever will.

I swallowed, finally trying to meet her chocolate eyes. "I'm sorry about... about your son."

In an instant, her features stiffened. "That's a long time ago," she murmurs, mixing the bright blue liquid until it slowly turned to a green color. Magical but not unbelievable.

"I know. But no one tried to apologize." I said. "I am sorry, ma'am. He didn't deserve it."

"I have my grandson, Kyungsoo," she whispered, a smile forming on her thin lips. "I am happy now."

Kyungsoo's grandmother made Baekhyun drink the potion she made. She said it will make him bleed more but it only means letting all the unwanted liquid out of his body. Baekhyun did not even hesitate, but the moment he finished the thing, he passed out, sighing heavily before dropping on the couch.

"You two better rest now," the old woman said, referring to me and Chanyeol. "You need to get your strength back soon. I'll take care of your friend."

I stood up from my spot, wiping my hands on the pants she gave me. I could tell the clothes were owned by Kyungsoo's father before for they fit Chanyeol perfectly, one size larger than mine. "How about Chanyeol's wounds?" I asked though I'm a little ashamed to be asking her for more. "Don't you think they're bad enough?"

She glanced at Chanyeol for a second. "Beta," she murmurs. "He'll heal faster, I'm certain."

That made me sigh and I nodded, looking at Chanyeol. For sure, his wounds are already clotting, signaling a fast healing process.

The old woman walked up to her cauldron, continuing a work she probably started hours back. Chanyeol sat beside Baekhyun's couch, holding his mate's hand and resting his head on it to sleep. Well me, I decided to watch outside in case Yifan's pack wants to attack. I opened the cottage door and stepped outside, welcomed by the cold afternoon breeze.

I sat by the bridge and that's when I caught Kyungsoo's scent.

And oh, he's wearing that red riding hood again.

* * * * *

Good nightttttt. :)))