Wei Ying had a tough time transforming. His blood boiled while his bones cracked and snapped until he found himself unable to breathe. When his canines tore themselves past his gums, he couldn't help but scream through the discomfort.

Wei Ying knew it would be painful, but having Lan Zhan beside him doing the same, felt a tad bit more comforting. And in the end, it was all worth it after he stood beside a white wolf with a pair of matching lilac eyes such as himself.

Wei Ying's wolf - blacker than night - stood as tall as Lan Zhan's towering, snow-covered own. Like Yin and Yang, they fit perfectly together. Wei Ying thought so when he nuzzled his nose against the white wolf's silk-fur, savoring the sweet scent of sandalwood.

When the white wolf whined, revealing its unmarked neck. Wei Ying knew what Lan Zhan wanted. Lan Zhan wanted them to be marked. Lan Zhan needed Wei Ying to bite him, he craved it, and Wei Ying craved it too. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan were made for each other, so it was the right thing to do. All Wei Ying had to do was lean forth and bite down. It wasn't so hard. Then why couldn't he do it?

Well, despite finding himself loving Lan Zhan more as the days went by, Wei Ying couldn't help but wonder from time to time; What would happen once he graduates from college?

Before Lan Zhan came along, Wei Ying had plans and none of them involved having to be in a relationship. He intended on furthering his studies after college to become a doctor. He planned on moving into the city and travel until his heart's content. But since Lan Zhan liked the quiet life, he might not share the same aspirations as Wei Ying.

Wanting to remind Lan Zhan what they came here for, playfully Wei Ying licked the white wolf on the nose before dashing off. And as expected, when he turned back, Lan Zhan was right behind his tail.

Into the darkness, like wild savage beasts, the pair ran barefoot - or in this case - paws - through the woods. Wei Ying loved it. He loved the way the wind sang to him, and he loved the way his paws melted against the forest dirt from swaying past trees and dodging unwanted boulders.

Never had the feeling of being connected to nature felt so real. Wei Ying now understood what it meant to be a werewolf. It wasn't the strength, or the speed, nor the ability to hear beyond human comprehension. No, it was something much more meaningful. A rooted relationship to the earth he never knew he longed for.

Soon, Wei Ying found himself building a fire from within until it reached directly to his core, forcing a loud howl out of his mouth. And when Lan Zhan joined him, and they howled toward the star shattered night as one, Wei Ying felt free, alive, and - reborn.

----------

When the night got darker, they returned to where their clothes lay shattered on the forest floors and transformed back into their respectable forms.

"How do you feel?" Lan Zhan questioned, slipping on his leather jacket.

Although Lan Zhan said nothing out of the ordinary, Wei Ying could tell the older man wasn't too pleased by what happened earlier. Lan Zhan must've expected Wei Ying to bite him, cause the look of rejection was clear in Lan Zhan's eyes, which made Wei Ying harness a pang of enormous guilt.

"Honestly," Wei Ying shrugged, "A lot better than I thought I would. Hey Lan Zhan, do you think I could beat them now?"

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan sighed in disbelief, "Turning one time and running around the woods doesn't qualify you to be invincible -" Ouch, Wei Ying felt hurt, like having someone tore through his chest and rip his heart out. "- You'll need more training - physical training. This was just to help you in understanding your strength."

"Whatever," Wei Ying shrugged his shoulders. He didn't think Lan Zhan could be so cold and straightforward toward him.

Lan Zhan seemed to have sensed his discomfort though because when he placed a hand upon Wei Ying's shoulder and asked, "Wei Ying, is there something wrong?" His stoic voice melted instantly.

Wei Ying tsked. "Nah, it's nothing," he smiled. An obvious fake smile that made Lan Zhan's nose scrunched up.

"Wei Ying, talk to me and tell me what's wrong," Lan Zhan calmly lashed out in frustration.

Wei Ying sighed. Having been running for the past hour, he left drained. "Lan Zhan, I don't wanna talk about it," Wei Ying said. His voice was tired, and he just wanted to go home.

Pouting, "Wei Ying, please," Lan Zhan pleaded.

With fake tears clouding Lan Zhan's eyes. It proved to be a common - yet efficient tactic Lan Zhan used to get whatever information he wanted from Wei Ying. It made Wei Ying whined in frustration from the growing guilt.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying cooed, wrapping his arms around the older man. "Please don't cry." Lan Zhan buried his face between the crock of Wei Ying's neck and sucked a little reddish mark while Wei Ying patted his head in sympathy.

When done, "Why won't you mark me?" Lan Zhan pouted, inhaling Wei Ying's scent gland.

Wei Ying closed his eyes and exhaled. "Fine. It's because," he said, "After becoming a doctor there are things I've been meaning to do - places I want to visit, and I don't know if you would want to go along with me."

"I've been around long enough. I've seen enough. Now it's your turn. I'll follow you anywhere, Wei Ying," Lan Zhan vowed, "Everywhere."

"You mean that?" Wei Ying asked, full of optimism. Lan Zhan nodded, still declining to withdraw his face from Wei Ying's neck. "Lan Zhan, I love you." Wei Ying hugged him tighter.

"I love you too," Lan Zhan replied in a muffled voice.

"Lan Zhan, look at me," Wei Ying said.

Lan Zhan complied. Staring into each other's eyes, Wei Ying kissed away the fake tears and said, "I do want to mark you, but it needs to be special. My birthday's next week. You can wait until my birthday, can't you?"

Immediately Lan Zhan's mood lifted. "I'll wait," Lan Zhan was keen to say. Kissing Wei Ying's temple, "My Wei Ying," he cooed. Then he kissed Wei Ying's nose. "I love you," then his lips. Wei Ying giggled.

After the air cleared between the two, Wei Ying did a bit more explaining about his future plans - something he came to realize he should've been doing from the start, considering how eagerly and understandingly Lan Zhan listened. In the end, Lan Zhan agreed to everything. Lan Zhan warmed his heart so greatly, Wei Ying seemed certain that if he wanted the moon, Lan Zhan would give it to him. From that moment onward, he promised himself, there's not a thing in the world he would keep from Lan Zhan.

----------

As they were heading back to the car, Wei Ying plucked his cellphone out of his pocket and looked at the time. It was 8:45 pm. He wanted to call Jiang Cheng, his brother was probably worried - not that Wei Ying could ever get Jiang Cheng to admit that. However, like earlier, there was no signal.

So intrigued at getting a proper signal, Wei Ying yelped when Lan Zhan suddenly gripped his wrist. "Do you hear that?" Lan Zhan questioned, standing on alert while shoving Wei Ying behind him.

Wei Ying heard nothing, not that he'd been concentrating. However, when Lan Zhan sniffed the air, Wei Ying unintentionally did the same, and that's when he caught the scent of lavender roaming through the woods. It felt familiar, like he'd smelt it before, but at that moment when fear crept in, Wei Ying didn't ponder too long on that thought.

"Someone's out there," Wei Ying whispered, and Lan Zhan nodded in agreement. "Do you think it's someone from the Shaung's pack?"

"I don't know, I made sure no one was following us," Lan Zhan whispered back. "Come on, let's hurry and get back to the car."

However, before they could take another step from behind the dense trees, Xiao Xingcheng stepped out. Canines exposed, claws bared, and dressed in bright white from head to toe, he made no indication he intended on hiding from the two men.

"Well hello there, Lan Zhan," Xiao Xingcheng said. His angelic voice echoed between them, and that's when it hit Wei Ying. He and Lan Zhan had seen this man before, at the cos-play convention. Only then, he had on a blindfold.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying leaned near Lan Zhan's ear, "That's the guy from the cos-play convention. He's not Xue Yang, could he be Song Lan?"

"I know," Lan Zhan replied, retracting his claws. "I don't think he is. From what my brother told me, I think this one's Xiao Xingcheng. Wei Ying, when he attacks, you run, understood?"

"I can't do that," Wei Ying protested.

Lan Zhan, "Wei Ying -"

Before Lan Zhan could get another word out, unexpectedly, Xiao Xingcheng made his move. Sweeping past the darkness like silent wind, he went straight for Lan Zhan, tackling the older man to the ground. The dirt crumbled from their impact, and together they fought with both teeth and claws.

The two men grunted and growled as they slammed against trees and fell face-forth in the dirt. Wei Ying watched in horror as Xiao Xingcheng's fist pounded against Lan Zhan's face until he turned unrecognizable. However, when Lan Zhan finally revealed his purple eyes, a newfound strength seemed to have appeared.

Lan Zhan kicked Xiao Xingcheng off of him and into a nearby tree. The adrenaline from witnessing Lan Zhan fighting made Wei Ying's eyes flashed in purple, and soon he joined the conflict.

Together they cornered Xiao Xingcheng. Wei Ying noticed fright flashed past the angelic alpha's face. And for the first time, Wei Ying observed a killer embedded within Lan Zhan as he stalked toward a retreating - limping Xiao Xingcheng. Face covered in blood and teeth laid bare, Lan Zhan looked like those monsters Wei Ying often heard about in his nighttime supernatural programs.

Lan Zhan growled animalistic, "Wei Ying, hold him," he instructed, eyes pierced on Xiao Xingcheng.

When Xiao Xingcheng attempted to escape, Wei Ying quickly grabbed him and twisted his arms behind his back. Although Xiao Xingcheng struggled, Wei Ying barely budged. However, Xiao Xingcheng fought harder, snapping his teeth and trashing his feet.

Neither Wei Ying nor Xiao Xingcheng saw Lan Zhan coming up full force until Xiao Xingcheng let loose a deafening scream that sent all the nesting birds flapping away into the dead of the night.

Lan Zhan clawed Xiao Xingcheng in the eyes and blinded him on sight. Blood splattered into Wei Ying's mouth, forcing him to let go of Xiao Xingcheng's arms, where the older man dropped to his knees. Hands covering his face, Xiao Xingcheng screamed.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said, "Look away."

"Lan Zhan, you don't need to do this," Wei Ying replied, wiping the blood off his face.

"I have to," Lan Zhan said, "They tried to kill my brother - and he came here with the intent to kill you. He's not leaving here alive. Look away, Wei Ying."

Wei Ying did not turn away, and Lan Zhan nodded in understanding. So, when Lan Zhan's hand snaked its way around Xiao Xingcheng's neck, Wei Ying didn't flinch while his soulmate tore the older alpha's throat pipe away from his neck, sending splatters of blood pouring everywhere like earlier rainfall.

When Xiao Xingcheng's lifeless body fell face-first into the blood-soaked dirt, only then did the psychotic look upon Lan Zhan's face disappear. For a moment, the forest stood in silence except for Lan Zhan's racing heartbeat. A heartbeat that rang through Wei Ying's ears until he could hear nothing else.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said, "Let's go home."

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