Alpha & Omega // Ateez // P.SH

- 3 -

Throughout the day Ellinor felt her body changing. Her Time truly was upon her. With this many alphas in her vicinity it would probably be worse than ever. Even if they couldn't reach her, they affected her body and more, they affected her instincts. It took an enormous amount of energy to fight it, and maybe now there was no reason to fight anymore. She was as safe as she could be in this city. With food in her belly and warm blankets around her body, she let go. What had to come would come.

Yunho came back upstairs and found Hongjoong and Seonghwa talking in the living room. Their loud voices made him want to stay away, but the wolf in him just wanted to comfort his mate. Hongjoong saw the way Yunho looked at him and made a small signal with his hand. Gratefully Yunho found his way to his side, pressing his nose to their mating mark on his Hongjoongs neck.

«Are you sure she's Belari?» the leader asked, it was hard to believe.

«Yes, she said she was born Belari, and that she no longer had a clan or a pack.»

«Couldn't she be lying?» Hongjoong wondered.

«No,» Seonghwa said, shaking his head. «She recognized the clan in me, even though I've left it. That is rare.»

«But you didn't recognize the clan in her?»

«Not until she recognized me, no. But I did feel there was something special about her.»

«Have you met her before?»

«Never. I'm completely certain of it, I would have known that scent, it's very unusual. Like lilac.»

Hongjoong looked at his mate as he nodded. «What are you thinking, love?»

Yunho was startled. He wasn't sure he should tell, but he couldn't lie to his beloved Joong. Yunho looked at Seonghwa.

«Did you introduce yourself when you came to the basement?»

Seonghwa thought about it for a moment, then shook his head.

«The reason I'm asking is... When the two of you were leaving, Hongjoong said your name, and I was looking at her. She went pale, like, completely white as a ghost. She kept it together until you closed the door, but afterwards she seemed quite shaken, really. And she asked me why you, Joong, was the leader of our pack.»

«And not Seonghwa, who clearly has a much higher rank than me?» Hongjoong took a deep breath, sighed and looked at Seonghwa.

«She asked me if she knew me, when I came downstairs earlier. Like she ought to know who I was.» Seonghwa scratched the back of his neck. 

«But you had never met her before?»

«Never. I'm completely sure of this.»

«But she had heard of you,» Hongjoong said. «Is your name known outside your clan?»

Seonghwa squirmed under Hongjoongs eyes. It had never been an issue who you were in this pack. Seonghwa had always pushed his natural authority back, he never felt a need to lead. He was just so happy to have found a pack where you were judged on your actions and behaviors, not your pedigree. Seonghwa had earned his place in the pack.

«I'm the son of the leader of Avande. I would have been their next leader, if it hadn't been for the war I triggered.»

«The war you triggered?» Hongjoong looked at Seonghwa, serious, but not judging. Yunho felt his presence was needed. Joong needed him. His nose touched their mark once again, the mark he had placed on the base of Hongjoongs neck so many years ago.

«The war between Avande and Belari, and all the neighboring clans.» Seonghwa had a hard time looking at his leader. «I was supposed to be part of the solution to the tense relationships between the clans, and in stead, I made it all worse.»

«Why do you say it was your fault?» Yunhos gentle voice reached Seonghwa and calmed his nerves a little.

«I'm not sure it was my fault, but I was the reason.»

«Explain yourself!» Hongjoong said, he was getting impatient with Seonghwas rambling.

«Forgive me, alpha, these are painful memories,» Seonghwa whimpered. He took a deep breath. «There had been quarrels for years, but they came up with a solution. They wanted to join our two clans into one. The heir of Belari was to marry the heir of Avande. It was decided that we would mate as soon as she turned 16.»

«An arranged marriage?»

«It's not uncommon in the higher clans,» Seonghwa said. «And it's been 10 years. Maybe they've changed their ways, as it went so terribly wrong. But I highly doubt it.»

«Why did it go wrong?»

«She fought it, she didn't want to. I was going to be the leader of the clan, she was to be my mate. She was an omega, and their leaders only child, so this was an excellent solution for both clans. Only she didn't want to. I never even met her, but that didn't seem to matter to her.» His voice had a painful tone to it, revealing how personal it had been to him. «They said she was a wild child, that it never would have worked out anyway, but... I was ready to do my duty. I was a few years older than her, but... I didn't know I had that bad a reputation. I guess I did.»

«Or she decided she wanted to mate only with love involved?» Yunho suggested.

«Maybe,» Seonghwa said with a low voice. «Anyway, she ran away from her clan only a few weeks before turning 16. She was banished and lost the link to her entire clan. Avande saw it as an insult. The war started because she didn't want me.»

«Seonghwa, she didn't know what she was missing out on.» Yunho grabbed Seonghwas hand, squeezing it gently.

«Yeah,» Seonghwa said, not really trusting too much in those words. «I guess that thought is why I didn't completely crumble. I was 21, I had known about this plan for so many years that I never even looked at anyone else. I knew what was expected of me. I didn't dare rebell against my father. Not back then. And I guess, in some ways I liked the idea. I never really trusted anyone. I never trusted that anyone could have real feelings for me, or want to be my friends because of who I was, and not only because of my position in the clan.»

«That's why you fit in so well with us,» Hongjoong said. «We are your true friends. No one knows who you were. I guess you left Avande at some point?»

«I did,» Seonghwa said.

«I would like to hear that story at some point, if you'll tell me, but not right now. Though, I have to ask, the woman in our basement, is she an enemy of yours, by clan?»

«Honey,» Yunho interrupted. «I don't think that is the real issue here.»

Hongjoong looked at his mate, and then at Seonghwa. It dawned on him, as it had dawned on them.

«It's probably her. She was to be Seonghwas mate. She is the heir of Belari.»

«We can't be certain,» Seonghwa said, questioning Yunho words.

«No, we can't, but what do you feel if you look within?» Hongjoong looked at his very good friend. He had great trust in Seonghwa, he had never needed to doubt him, and he wasn't about to start now. Seonghwa not telling him about his past was not a problem. The past did not define him. The pack didn't know everything about Hongjoongs past either. Only Yunho knew everything.

«I need to be close to her to be sure,» Seonghwa said.

«Not yet.» Hongjoong put a hand on Seonghwas arm as he was going towards the basement door. Seonghwa couldn't help but let out a tiny growl, but Hongjoong only had to hiss to make Seonghwa obey. «Get out of the house for a little while, you'll see her later.»

«Will you talk to her without me?» The pain in Seonghwas eyes when he looked at Hongjoong was evident.

«Not if you don't want me to.»

«I need to see her face when she finds out who I am.»

Hongjoong agreed with a nod, and Seonghwa grabbed a coat on his way out of the house. Hongjoong was right, he needed the fresh air.