"Are you sure that we will be okay alone?" Eunji asks Areum and Seonghwa through their newly-formed three-person mindlink so no one else can invade their conversations or thoughts.

"Dohyon is the eldest, he will be fine to carry on the Park name in Chrysalis. Seonghwa and I aren't as much of a priority to stay due to familial duties like Dohyon would be," Areum answers simply, having thought about this a lot ever since she and Seonghwa discussed leaving.

"Won't they come looking for us...?" Both Areum and Seonghwa can hear the worry in Eunji's voice, and Seonghwa stays quiet.

That's the one thing that neither of them considered too heavily when they planned their escape. Seonghwa's imagination was clouded by the dreamlike thoughts of him immediately going to Eclipse to see and be with San, but now that Eunji has brought up the question he's been trying so hard to not think of, he has to look at the big picture.

His and Areum's parents will surely send people to find the three of them, and of course the Han's will demand their daughter return as well.

The three of them stay quiet for a long time as they each think of the possible outcomes and Seonghwa's chest tightens as his mind goes wild. He knows that the first place they will look will be Eclipse, and Areum and Eunji are probably thinking the same thing right now.

Seonghwa knows that's why they're not saying anything.

They're going to tell him that they're not able to go to Eclipse.

"Seonghwa..."

Seonghwa's mind checks out after he hears his sister echo his name, still running at the same pace as Areum and Eunji, but it's only the muscle memory of running keeping him going. He doesn't want to accept that he's going to have to wait even longer to see San, and he clenches his teeth, whispering apologies to San through his head.

"I'm sorry it's going to take longer than I wanted to, San... I promise you that I'm still coming. I'm coming back to you, San, I promise..." Seonghwa repeats in his head, wishing that his pleads would somehow reach San.

For the next few months, the three of them travel around, making sure not to step foot in any of the various pack grounds. The last thing they need is to get caught when word is being spread about the missing Chrysalis children through all the surrounding packs.

Seonghwa can only hope that San heard about the news, and he knows that he's finally on his way to him.

~

San is abruptly woken up that morning by Yeosang and Wooyoung shaking his shoulders, "San, wake up!"

San sits up and rubs his eyes, looking around to see his other friends by the doorway. He thought they all agreed to sleep in for a while before they went on their hike, so why is everyone here in his room?

"What is going on...?" San mumbles, turning his body to slip out of the bed and put on a light jacket over his pajamas. He's so glad it was chilly last night and he decided to actually wear full pajamas since his friends thought they'd all barge into his room at an ungodly hour.

He didn't expect the words he heard next to leave Yeosang's mouth.

"Alphas from Chrysalis are here, San."

San's eyes widen almost immediately at the mention of Chrysalis, but he doesn't even allow hope to cross his face. He knows it's not Seonghwa, so why are alphas from Chrysalis here...?

San's lips purse into a thin line and he pushes through his friends at the doorway of his room and leaves his home to see a group of three alphas standing at the entrance of Eclipse.

"What brings you here?" San asks, his voice turning formal as he bows and greets the alphas.

The biggest of the three steps forward after bowing in respect, "We've come to see if you know the locations of Park Seonghwa, Park Areum, and Han Eunji."

"And what is the reason for these inquiries?" San asks, trying to hold his composure after the name of his love is spoken into the air.

The alpha crosses his arms and sighs, "The three of them disappeared yesterday morning on the dawn of Park Seonghwa and Han Eunji's mating ceremony. Park Gyungho and Hyejin sent us here first to see if they ended up here."

San nods slowly, taking in everything he's saying. A smile tries to come to his face, but he holds it back, not wanting to show how happy he is that they actually did manage to leave. San knows that means Seonghwa must be on his way to him.

One thing he wonders is why Seonghwa and the girls haven't arrived at Eclipse yet, though. Since these three alphas sent here to look for them arrived, and they're nowhere to be seen. San wants to believe they were just waiting back before coming for fear of exactly what's happening would happen, but the intrusive thoughts wiggle their way to the front of his mind. They tell San that Seonghwa could be hurt, but San instantly shuts down his own thoughts.

There's no way Seonghwa could be hurt because San would know instantly. His entire body would crumble if that were the case.

His internal smile comes back and he focuses back onto the Chrysalis alpha standing in front of him, "I'm sorry, Sir, but no one of those names have stepped foot in Eclipse since the time you said they went missing."

The alpha sighs angrily and turns his head back to the other two alphas that accompanied him, "Come on, we're wasting our time here," he huffs and starts walking away from the entrance of Eclipse.

"Why did Gyungho and Hyejin want us to check here first anyway?"

"Has anyone ever even heard of Eclipse?"

"Not since the last war, everyone thought it was burned down."

"Hush up, and let's get going. Coming here was a joke, it doesn't even look like much of anyone inhabitants it anyhow. Gyungho and Hyejin were wrong."

San smiles openly when he sees the three Chrysalis alphas walking away, faintly hearing their conversation before they shift into their wolves and set off into a sprint in the other direction.

San sees his friends gathered by the outside of his home as he walks back to them, all of them being confused by the smile of pure happiness on San's face.

"What did they want?" Hongjoong asks.

"They looked so pissed when they left," Jongho chuckles under his breath, "What did you say?"

San runs his fingers through his hair and leans against one of the pillars holding up his house, "They were looking for Seonghwa, Areum, and Eunji."

Kyelin tilts her head, "Looking for them?"

San nods, "They're missing."

"And... You're happy about that?" Dongwoo asks in a confused voice.

San nods once again, his eyes filled with hearts as he thinks of his love, "That means Seonghwa is coming... He will be here soon," San's face warms up from the saddened one they all grew used to and he slides his back down the pillar, looking up at the sky, "He's really coming."

All of them look at each other and then back at the lovestruck San, "When do you think they will arrive? Should we stay for a few more days just in case they show up?" Mingi asks.

San ponders that idea for a bit, "I'm not sure when they will arrive, but goddess, I really hope it's soon..."

When San said soon, he didn't expect to have to wait another long year.

End of Chapter Thirty Eight

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Don't worry, the finale chapter is going to be updated right after this one because I didn't feel right making you wait another week after only a 1.3k chapter. I expected it to be longer, but y'all... Horizon is ending and I have no idea how to feel. All I can say is thank you so much, and to everyone that's been here since the beginning, and EVEN BIGGER thank you!

~ nyamgi