This chapter is just...

I don't really like it?

Eh.

- § -

Beta Jongin stands up. "You two stay here. You're not healed yet."

"No!" My mate objects. "I need to be out there! It's my pack!"

"But you're not h-"

"No! I'm going!"

Yixing gestures to me. "How about you help me treat the injured? That way, you won't tire out."

I nod. I wasn't feeling ready for a battle anyways.

We all dash outside, morphing as our feet hit the earth. I watch my mate leap into battle, and I silently wish him well.

Yixing runs to the left side, leaving me to cover the right. I sneak through the trees that surround the front clearing and look around for any injuries.

A heap of pale yellow fur, covered in blood and barely moving, lies close by. I can tell by the scent that it's one of my packmates, but I can't tell who over the musk of battle and the metallic tang of blood.

Either way, I grab them by the scruff and drag them to a more secluded spot. The injured wolf moans in pain. They're not going to live. The familiar flip in my stomach returns.

"Who are you?"

"Baekhyun, listen." I recognize the voice. No.

"Wait."

"No, just listen. We both know I won't make it out of this alive. Just hear me out."

I stand still, tail waving.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we didn't start off on the best of terms. I'm sorry I was so mean to you. I regret that I'll never get to fix that." She sputters, and a thin dribble of blood comes from her parted jaw. "I'm sorry.

"I was jealous. And I know that's no excuse. But that's the truth. I was jealous. I was jealous of your happiness. That you found a mate so quickly. That Alpha liked you so quickly. It took me years to earn his trust. It all seem to disappear as soon as he set his sights on you. He's amazing, and we both know that."

I look over to where my mate is. Chanyeol's crouching low, taking on two wolves on his own.

"But, you would have had a mate of your own."

"No, I wouldn't have. Baekhyun... I'm infertile. I can't take a mate. I can't bear pups. I'll never know what it feels like to be loved." Her eyes flutter.

"I can't bear Alpha pups either. It's not something I'm made to do," I comment wryly.

"But you're his rightful mate. It'll work out in the end." Taeyeon convulses, more red flowing from her wounds. "I don't have much time left." But her eyes aren't scared. They seem almost peaceful. "Tell Alpha that I'm glad to go this way. That I died serving him. That I died protecting you. Tell him that I'm sorry, and that I hope he'll forgive me. I hope you'll forgive me too." Her last words are a whisper.

Her chest stops moving, and her eyes drain of color. She's gone. I touch my nose to her's as a sign of comfort for the first time. And the last time. "I forgive you." The words sound hollow.

A crushing feeling washes over me. I want to cry. I want to sob until I have no tears left.

But I can't. Instead, I carefully pull her body into the woods, covering it with leaves and natural debris.

I give the mound a sorrowful glance and leave it be. We'll sort it out after the battle.

I reach the spot where she passed away, the earth spattered with a dark red. I upturn the dirt and pat it down again, trying to cover the blood up. When it looks almost natural again, I leave it. I turn around, trying to find someone else to help.

Between rushing around, running errands, and patching up wounds, I almost don't realize the battle is almost over. In the now blood-covered clearing is my mate, circling my former alpha.

Chanyeol is covered in blood, and I silently hope that it isn't his. He lets out a deep growl, launching himself at his opponent. They roll around in the dirt for a while until Chanyeol ends up on top. "Run. Run while you can, and I'll spare you," he bellows. The wolf beneath him scrambles out of his grasp, turns tail, and flees.

Chanyeol surveys the surrounding area, his fur still bushed and body tense. I run up to him and lick his face soothingly, not caring about the blood. "It's okay now. It's over," I murmur.

My mate brushes his cheek against mine and turn to his pack. "You can go inside now. Heal up." The rest of the pack go in through the training field entrance, leaving the two of us outside.

My mate rest on ground, letting me groom him the best I can. "I sincerely hope that most of the blood isn't yours."

"It's not," he breaths. "Mmm, that feels good." He waves his tail lazily as I continue to lick his ears. Even in wolf form, they were bigger than normal.

"What? I thought you hated me messing with your ears."

"It's a little different in wolf form, I guess. And hate is a strong word. I could never hate you for anything."

I'm silent for a while.

"We didn't lose anyone, did we?" His question startles me.

"Pardon?" My stomach churns at the thought of telling him.

"Did we lose anyone?" Chanyeol looks up at me.

"Yes. One."

"Who?" Chanyeol's voice shakes.

"Come with me."

I lead him over to the mound, my steps faltering. I don't want to see the body. I make it over anyways, and carefully remove the foliage covering the body. "I'm sorry. When I got to her, there was nothing I could do."

I relay our last conversation to him, burying my head into his scruff. "I forgive her. Do you?"

"Yeah. I'm just... shocked. I don't really know what to say."

"It's okay, you don't have to say anything."

"Baekhyun?" His eyes are pained. "Can you give me some time alone. Please?"

"You need to get healed though." I reluctantly take a few step backwards.

"I'll be okay." His eyes are far away.

"Alright." I nuzzle him one last time before bounding off.

- § -

It's the long awaited battle scene... gone horrible. :l

Like, really horrible. :l

I can't write angst. I just, I don't even know. I can't do it. I don't know if it's because I'm a happy person (though I can be pessimistic if I want) or what.

Welp. I tried. :l It was a feeble attempt, but an attempt nonetheless.

Haha, anyone feel bad for hating Taeyeon now? Yes? No?

I'm going to crawl back into my tiny hole now. And grieve over my nonexistent angst writing skills. :l

See you all on Friday!

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