$ t w e n t y s i x $

Ever since she had found out the truth about Sehun and his family, Darlene had spent most of her time avoiding him. But she still stayed in the house. Sehun couldn't understand why she hadn't left yet. Part of him would have preferred it because it was torture to see her everyday, and not be able to talk to her, or touch her, or even get close to her. The only people in the Pack that she talked to and seemed to be comfortable around were Jiyeon and Miran, and Sehun knew that it was because they technically weren't involved in anything illegal.

They had decent jobs that they went to everyday, even if both of them were being trained to be able to fight and take over in their given positions as beta and warrior of the pack--ranks that had been granted to them because of their boyfriends.

He caught Darlene after breakfast one morning and cornered her in the hallway no matter how much she tried to escape him. "Why do you keep avoiding me?" He asked her, even though he knew the answer. He had grabbed her by the wrist and pinned it to her side as she had tried to push him away in order to make her escape. He had her unable to run--between himself and the wall behind her.

Darlene gulped nervously. "I don't like the kind of person you are, Sehun."

When the words were out, she regretted them instantly because it hadn't been what she meant exactly. She had also seen how he tensed at her words. She had hurt him with what she said.

"Am I a bad guy?" He asked her, eyes full of curiosity.

She quickly gave a shake of her head. "Its not that you're a bad guy. I just don't like the things that you do."

"I can't change who I am, baby." He said with a sigh. He couldn't change who he was because he didn't want to change. He didn't want to leave the Pack--his only family. He didn't think he was doing anything particularly wrong by staying with them. He had killed and injured people before, but only when he thought it was absolutely necessary. There had never been any malicious intent in his mind.

If God was as benevolent as people claimed, Sehun thought that He would understand that.

"Anyway, if you don't like what I do...why are you still here?" The words were unaccusing. In them was only curiosity. 

"Miran." She admitted. "I was ready to leave that night I found out about you. But she told me that you were not bad people, even despite what you do. So I thought you did deserve a chance to prove that. But...I just didn't know how to approach you."

Bless Miran, he thought to himself.

-

"Duizhang, what's the deal with that jewelry businessman who married that Russian girl?" Tao asked Yifan one day out of curiosity, referring to Fu Jian and his wife Iva. He knew that Jian had married her for the money, and that he didn't love her. But he was just letting her waste away in a big mansion where she was a prisoner. 

The only two who knew the details of the plan for the time being were Jian and Yifan.

He heaved a sigh, guessing what had happened between his friend and the foreign girl. "You fell in love with her, didn't you?"

Tao went nervous in an instant, but he tried to deny his feelings at all cost. "No, duizhang. I just feel bad for her, that's all. She never gets to go out and she looks like she's given up on life." The description reminded them of when Hani had been forced to live in China with Yifan. She wasn't allowed to go out, and because of that she preferred to stay in her room all day and didn't want to see anyone other than her cousin Hyuna.

The leader of the Coven accepted the excuse for the time being, even though he sensed it was a lie. "Well, don't get attached to her. Her husband is willing to pay us good money to stage a kidnapping--and then we have to kill her. I'm just waiting on him to let us know when he wants it done."

Tao didn't think he's be able to do it. He doubted he'd be able to pull the trigger on Iva Fu.

-

Kyungsoo and Jagi had been walking along the Jackals' territory when Jagi asked the question. "Soo, do you know where we're going?" She knew how to get to The Nightingale club, but they wanted to go somewhere else--the house where the Pack was staying in currently.

He nodded his head. "I think I remember where Onew hyung and his pack lived."

The two had been stopped by someone who had jumped out at them from the edge of an alley. His gun was aimed at them and the two instantly raised their hands up in the air. The person holding the gun recognized them in a second, putting his gun away. "Satan? Jagi?" He asked with a hint of hesitance. But once he was sure it was them, he smiled wide at them and rushed towards them to pull them in for a hug. "We tried calling the Coyotes to offer them some money for you two, but Jagi's brother informed us that you were on your way. We missed you so fucking much."

Kyungsoo joked, "So much that you did nothing for months, huh?"

"We were all injured and recovering." Chanyeol defended himself, sticking his tongue out at his friend playfully.

"How's everyone?" Kyungsoo wondered, knowing that they had all been injured when they were captured. Some of them had been injured worse than others. Chanyeol had gotten out mostly unscathed. He had been one of the lucky ones. A bullet had barely grazed his arm. The pain had been enough to make him pass out, but there had been no serious damage.

"They're okay." Chanyeol assured him. 

"And alpha?" The younger of the two boys wondered.

He had no idea that they had changed leaders again. Chanyeol asked for clarification, though he knew that he was most likely talking about Baekhyun since he had been the last alpha that Kyungsoo knew of. "Which one?" 

"Fucks sake." Kyungsoo said, eyes widened in surprise. "Don't tell me we have another fucking alpha. Who is it this time? I swear if its Kai or Sehun--"

"Its Suho hyung. A lot of things have changed since you last saw us. Hani noona is back with us, and we no longer have bad blood with the Coven. We're all brothers again." Chanyeol said. He added a question jokingly. "But hey, what's wrong with the maknaes? Isn't Kai your best friend? You wouldn't want him to be our alpha?"

Kyunsoo gave a nod of his head, but then explained his outrage. "They're great, I love those boys. But they're very young. I think an alpha has to be someone with more experience. That's why I never wanted to be there when Suho hyung gave me the position and that's why I surrendered it so easily to Light."

"I have to agree." Chanyeol said with a nod, placing a hand on Kyungsoo's shoulder. He lowered his head slightly to get a better look when he saw a deep red line around his neck, about an inch thick. "What happened to you there? Are you okay?" He tried to touch the tender skin, but Kyungsoo winced in pain and slapped his hand away out of quick instinct.

With a nonchalant shrug, he replied, "Its nothing. Plus, everything below the neck works fine." 

He meant that he was okay physically. He had been more affected mentally by the torture, the slavery, and the shock collar. The only thing that had kept his sanity afloat during that time was Jagi. 

He then looked to Jagi and noticed the bruises on her face. There weren't many, since most had been on the rest of her body. He asked another question. "What happened to Jagi?"

"She fought her alpha for our freedom." Kyungsoo explained.

"Really?" Chanyeol asked, quickly impressed. "Badass."

"I lost." Jagi shrugged.

"Still." Chanyeol pointed out. "Most girls would back out of fighting a guy."

"Even if I lost," She said, "I'd do it all over again for Soo."

Chanyeol took their bags and led them towards a car that was parked nearby. The three got into the car and Chanyeol took them to the house where the Pack was living with Onew and the Jackals. They had reunited with their brothers from the Coven, and now they were getting to reunite with their brother who they had lost so many months back.

-

an update for today, in celebration of exo's fourth album. guys it was so lit, myy heart was pounding when i woke up and the first thing i did was to go on youtube to check for the music video.

it was posted like at 3 in the morning in my time. so i slept through it.

but omg. it was the best thing ever. my favorite song is definitely "forever". i love the vocals. also, im still salty about yixing not being included in the comeback. but i understand this was not exo's fault, so i will support them.

exo are perfect kings. anyway, thank you for reading.

-clary