The Werewolf Next Door | WangXian

Chapter 24 - Time To Toughen Up

All night long, overcome by the dark, Lan Zhan couldn't sleep. Sitting beside the bed that Wei Ying laid on, thoughts of what happened - and what could've happened to Wei Ying consumed him whole. Lan Zhan condemned himself, for he should've gone to the school to collect Wei Ying when he knew danger was out there, and because of his negligence, Wei Ying had to pay the price. 

Yesterday evening Wei Ying had messaged him, informing Lan Zhan he'll be home late. Lan Zhan didn't mind, after all, it was a common occurrence for Wei Ying to stay back after school. It's not after Jiang Cheng came home - which was fairly late considering he normally stays back to practice on the school tracks, that Lan Zhan began to worry. However, Lan Zhan's worries grew when he tried getting onto Wei Ying, and the phone went straight to voicemail when he realized something was wrong. 

After that phone call, Lan Zhan went out looking for Wei Ying. He didn't expect to find Wei Ying covered in blood and passed out on the ground in a back alleyway with a broken arm. But when he got back home with Wei Ying in his arms, he was mentally prepared for Jiang Cheng's wrath and Xichen scolds.

Lan Zhan continued to blame himself all through the night until morning arrived, and when Wei Ying mumbled sweet nothings in his sleep, Lan Zhan finally gave into a tired smile as he brushed his thumb across Wei Ying's cracked lips.

Despite the beatings Wei Ying had endured, he healed rather well, thanks to his newfound werewolf traits. He no longer looked pale dead, and the mini cuts and ghastly bruises were all gone, except for the broken arm - which Lan Zhan wanted to fix when Wei Ying wakes up.

Leaning in close to Wei Ying's pretty face, "Wei Ying," Lan Zhan whispered. So close, his breath fanned against Wei Ying's fluttering eyelashes. "It's time for you to wake up."

Wei Ying groaned. "Five more minutes," he mumbled out. As Wei Ying attempted to turn over, he settled against the injured arm, causing him to jolt awake, wincing in pain. "Mother -

"Language," Lan Zhan interrupted with knitted brows. 

" - Fucker," Wei Ying continued. Lan Zhan sighed. 

As Wei Ying sat up on the bed, he rubbed his head and watched Lan Zhan with scrunched brows and troubled face. "Lan Zhan, last night Xue Yang attacked me." Lan Zhan's eyes grew wide with worry, when he opened his mouth to say something, Wei Ying already grasped what he was thinking, and before Lan Zhan could say, Wei Ying continued, "He has a message for brother Xichen and brother Mingjue. He wants them to hand themselves over to him, or things will continue to get ugly - real fast.

Lan Zhan figured the attack had something to do with his brother. But he didn't expect Xue Yang would be the one to carry out the attack himself. Although Lan Zhan had never seen the man in person, Xichen had shown pictures of what Xue Yang and the others looked like, so Lan Zhan had a reasonable idea of what Wei Ying had to deal with when defending himself against Xue Yang. 

As Lan Zhan opened his mouth for a second time to speak, the bedroom door was pushed open, and everyone entered. Xichen, Jiang Cheng, and Mingjue. "Did Xue Yang gave any indication that he knows about you and A'Zhan being soulmates?" Xichen was the first to voice in all seriousness.

"Don't worry," Wei Ying said, "He doesn't know about us. Because let's face it, if he did, I would've already been dead. I think he was messing around. You guys should've seen him. He's like a real asshat."

"No, the real asshat is the one sitting next to you," an angry Jiang Cheng roared, pointing an accusing finger toward Lan Zhan. "It's his fault you're this way. You failed to protect Wei Ying and now look at him. He's practically a cabbage."

Wei Ying, "What the hell A'Cheng? I'm not a cabbage."

Lan Zhan clenched his fists and stood up. When Jiang Cheng took a step forth, almost challenging him, Lan Zhan's eyes glowed a bright red in warning. "Back off," Lan Zhan gritted out. "Or I'll make you. Jiang Cheng, I don't care if you are Wei Ying's brother -"