Always you...

2. Give me this, Zhan-Zhan..

"I am going to be an Uncle!!!", Zhan yelled at the top of his lungs and the others laughed seeing his excitement. "Oh God! Yubin-ge, how could you do this to me? You got her pregnant!! What will I do now?", Jiyang wailed theatrically and Yubin gave the Omega his signature scowl making the others chuckle. The Omega laughed too but hissed when Haoxuan nipped his lips. "Am I an Uncle too?", came Yuan's sweet question and Yibo smiled seeing the look of love on everyone's faces. The boy was too adorable for his own good. "My pumpkin is going to have a best friend", Zhan said with a smile and Yuan clapped, doing a little dance in Rong's arms. Zhan was visibly shaking with excitement and he hugged Yubin tight which in Yibo's eyes was totally unnecessary but he chose to stay quiet. "God! I am so happy." Zhan said with tears in his eyes and Yibo pulled Zhan into his arms. "Then why are you crying?" "Doofus, These are happy tears", Zhan said smiling but Yibo still didn't like it. He wiped his mate's tears, scowling and Zhan kissed his palm before he left Yibo's arms and hugged A-Qing, smiling from ear to ear. "Thanks, Zhuo Xuan", Yibo heard Zhan whisper in the Omega's ear and the woman smiled, her own tears rolling down her cheeks. Everyone hugged and congratulated the couple as they rambled on about how A-Qing was only going to rest, how they were going to make sure she ate well and He Di said he would be A-Qing's guard from now on. Yibo shook Yubin's hand congratulating him and the Alpha smiled, his face reflecting joy and pride like never before. "We are having a party", Wang An announced and hoots and hollers echoed in Lan territory.

Yibo was standing in the corner seeing his pack members dance and sing to the news of the new addition to the pack. There were all sorts of discussions ranging from the child's name to who would hold him the first time and Yibo shook his head at the obvious chaos around him. He glanced again in the direction of the kitchen where Yubin, A-Qing and Zhan had disappeared minutes ago and Yibo wanted to go to check what was happening but Zhan had asked him to give them a few minutes. Yibo sensed his mate's happiness through their bond and a smile came on his lips as Zhan came into view. Zhan made his way to Yibo and Yibo joined their foreheads asking Zhan what was the discussion about. "I don't want Yubin to be tied to me anymore. I asked him to go through the blood ritual and be free from being my protector", Zhan explained and Yibo's eyes flickered at the words. Yubin had gone through a blood ritual and had tied his life to Zhan by becoming his protector when Zhan was only three years old. The bond enabled Yubin to sense if Zhan was in danger and when Zhang Wei had kidnapped Zhan, the protector had suffered a great deal. Yibo hadn't liked the situation at first because protecting Zhan was his responsibility but over the years, Yibo had realized how important and sacred the bond was. "He is going to have a family of his own. It's not right for me to still keep him tied to me", Zhan explained. "How did Yubin take it?", Yibo asked and Zhan shrugged. "He got angry at first. He has been with me for so long he said it doesn't feel right to do it. Do you think what I did is wrong?", Zhan asked him and Yibo waited a moment before responding. "No." "Exactly. Aunt Luo might get angry and I might be breaking an age old tradition but it will be worth it. I can break hundreds of these if the well being of my loved ones depends on it. So tell me, am I awesome or am I awwwwesommme." Zhan said with a bright smile and a small smile came into Yibo's face as well. "My Zhan-Zhan is awesome", Yibo agreed and Zhan laughed.

"This is sooner than I expected but I am not surprised you came to me with the request", Jian Min smiled at his nephew and Zhan shrugged. "It's just time, Uncle." "Well, I will have to agree with that. I am really happy for you, Yubin", Jian Min pulled the man in for a hug and Yubin thanked him. "When can you guys begin? I have never seen anything like this before", came Wang Rong's impatient voice and Zhuocheng rolled his eyes. "You Lan pack members are acting if you are going to witness a magic show." No one said a word to defend themselves because the statement wasn't exactly wrong. Yibo could feel everyone's excitement and he turned away seeing their faces. "Well, you can witness the bond's breaking tonight and when Mi-er gets her protector you can see how that is done", Zhan suggested and everyone's faces lit up. "Where is your daughter anyway, Zhuocheng? Usually she is all over Zhan", Xuan asked and the others laughed at the ugly face Cheng made. Yeah, the Jiang Alpha didn't like how the young girl smiled at her favourite uncle. "I heard him tell my two year old that her father is a lunatic!!", Cheng hissed and Yibo saw the devilish smirk that came on his mate's face. "I am preparing her for the future. I don't want to lie to her. She should know what's coming for her." "Then why don't you tell her what a piece of shit her favorite uncle is? She should be prepared for that too." "You are just bitter because she smiled at me before she smiled at you, Cheng", Zhan teased and the Alpha of the Jiang pack took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Let's just get this done and throw him out of here. I don't want him around my daughter", Cheng spat venomously and Zhan laughed. "Fine. Let her and A-Yuan play. He will pass on my message to her." The man walked away with that and Yibo followed his mate with a smile on his face. His mate really was great at pissing off the Jiang Alpha.

Everyone walked to the big clearing in Jiang territory and Yibo eyed the raised platform in the centre. There was a small space filled with water on it and on closer look everyone realized there was a purple lotus in the water. "What's that?", Xuan asked and Jian Min looked at the curious faces of the group behind him, deciding he would help sate their curiosity. "We call this area the Lotus chamber. This practice was started by our ancestors and a member from the pack, voluntarily stepped up to take part in it. They did it to show their loyalty and it has been going on in Yunmeng Jiang since ages. Our people believed that in order to expect protection from the Alpha, you had to give it to him in return as well. So, the people of the pack protected the Alpha's family and the Alpha in return protected them." "Sounds like a fair deal", someone said from the crowd and Jian Min smiled. "Alphas are father or mother figures in the pack. They have a lot of duties and often their own family needs to be sacrificed for the greater good. Vowing to protect their family was a way of thanking them for their efforts." "You said they did it voluntarily, what if someone wants to leave the arrangement midway?", He Di asked with a frown and similar frowns came onto other faces as well. "That purple lotus isn't a simple lotus. It has been bound by a spell by our elders and if there is someone who isn't completely committed to the ritual, the lotus glows white instead of purple." Surprised gasps left the Lan wolves and Zhuocheng and Zhan laughed at the faces they made.
"It's time", Jing Tong alerted and Jian Min walked over to the platform, Yubin and Zhan following him. "Keep your right hand in the air above the water palm facing each other's. Breaking the link is simple but it will take a lot of energy from you Yubin. Don't be alarmed", the former Alpha instructed in a gentle tone and Yubin nodded. Both men did what the Alpha had asked them to do and a chorus of "Whoa" and "Damn" left the Lan wolves as they saw the buzzing golden thread between Zhan and Yubin's palm. The thread was bright golden, shimmering as if alive and slowly it began to lose its glow as Jian Min said a few unfamiliar words. The thread kept losing its color and when it had reduced to a pale yellow it snapped making Yubin collapse on the platform. Zhan rushed to his friend's side and was taking him down the stairs when Jian Min stopped him. "Stay here, Zhan. Cheng and Li Teng will take Yubin to rest." As soon as the words were said the two men came forth and led an unconscious Yubin off the raised area and Zhan turned to his uncle with a raised brow. "You can come forward now, Yibo." Yibo heard the words and stepped onto the platform with long strides, his lips curled in a faint smile while Zhan stared at him in confusion.

"Raise your right hand, Yibo." Yibo raised his hand and Zhan's eyes turned cold when he realised what was happening. "Are you out of your mind,Wang Yibo?", Zhan asked him in a harsh tone and started to leave the place but Yibo caught his wrist effectively stopping him. "I want to do this, Zhan-Zhan", he said softly hoping Zhan felt his sincerity. Yibo had wanted to tie himself to Zhan a long while ago. He had always felt jealous of the bond Yubin had with Zhan. As crazy as it sounded, Yibo believed that the right to live and die with Zhan was his. Solely his. When Yibo had called Luo Jian Min last night making his request, the man had warned Yibo that Zhan wouldn't like it. "You already know I will die without you. That has never been a secret. This is just a way of making-" "Did you think I will like this, Wang Yibo?", Zhan growled and Yibo felt Zhan's anger as if it was his own. "Tying you to myself this way, did you really think I would be happy?" The dark eyes lost their anger and his mate crossed the distance between them and cupped Yibo's cheeks, gazing deep into his eyes. "Stop being stupid, Yibo. I know you love me. I know you always will. You don't have to prove anything to me, baby." "I don't want to prove anything, Zhan", Yibo began pulling Zhan closer to him and breathing in his mate's faint but very enticing sweet scent. "This was never about that. Your family has always had a protector and I want to do this as a way of keeping that tradition and as a way of doing what's my right as your Alpha. Protecting you is my privilege, Xiao Zhan. Just mine. A world without you will be of no use to me anyway. Bond or no bond, I will die if you leave me. This will change nothing." Yibo placed a soft kiss over Zhan's head and Zhan's eyes misted over. "You can't do this, Yibo. Think of A-Yuan. What do you think will happen if he loses both of us. Even if something happens to me-" A snarl left Yibo's lips and anger bubbled in him at the words but Zhan still continued saying, "Even if something goes wrong at least he will have you. Don't take that away from him. I know you love me and trust me, I love you more than I have ever loved you before because of this stupidity of yours but don't do it. Please, don't." Zhan pulled Yibo close to himself, kissing the claiming bite on Yibo's shoulder softly whispering a soft "please" but Yibo had already decided and that wasn't going to change. "Give me this, Zhan-Zhan. Let me be the one who lives and dies for you."