Always you...

14. Hold me...

"You are quite popular from what I hear these days", said Xize and Zhan glared at the vampire. Yibo and Zhan were in the vampire master's house, enjoying a dinner but the man had to ruin the peaceful atmosphere by mentioning Huang YiFeng. "I also heard that he genuinely likes you. That is what has me perplexed. There's isn't much to like about you, Omega." "You think that way because you are an asshole. There is nothing unlikable about me. Don't you have something better to do than gossip, fang boy?", Zhan retorted and Xize gave him a smug smile. It was weird but Zhan was sure that Wu Xize got a kick out of seeing him all annoyed. Zhan looked over to Yibo and there it was, a faint smile on his mate's perfect face. "You are enjoying this, aren't you?", Zhan glared at his mate with accusing eyes and Yibo shook his head zipping his mouth. He would never admit how adorable his firecracker looked all flustered. There was this look in Zhan's eyes when he was losing a verbal battle and it made Yibo want to bundle his firecracker up and cuddle him all night long. Even after three years, the banter between Zhan and Xize was entertaining and the vampire managed to ruffle Zhan's feathers with just a single look. Yibo could never figure out why Xize loved teasing his mate but usually he just let the two be. They cursed, insulted and mocked one another to their heart's content and Yibo got the first seat to the show. But, today Zhan was more irritable than usual and Yibo looked at Xize, silently telling him to lay it off. Xize and told them both that he wanted to talk about Zhan's parents and their attack which had made Zhan impatient. Xize raised his hands in the air in surrender and Zhan huffed. "I will come to the important matters then. The people who attacked you were cougars and yes, they are linked to your parents' demise, Zhan." "Did you find out who killed my parents?", asked his Omega in a small voice and Yibo rested his hand on Zhan's thigh in support. "I did. I did some digging on Yibo's insistence and I found something." "What?" "Shen Yun. She was a cougar and she was living in a shelter under Yunmeng's protection. She was pregnant and on the run from her Alpha." "Why?", asked Yibo and Xize laid down everything he had found. "Xie Chong married his brother's mate, Shen Yun forcibly. He couldn't stop the two though and Shen Yun got pregnant with Xie Rong's child. As an Alpha that was the ultimate insult to Xie Chong and he tried to kill both Shen Yun and his brother. Xie Rong died but he managed to get Shen Yun out. Zhan's parents found her and gave her shelter. They protected her and made Xie Chong their enemy. The cougars ambushed your family and Xie Chong killed your parents, Zhan." "He killed them because of Shen Yun." Zhan repeated the words swallowing a lump in his throat and Yibo took Zhan's hand in his.  "From what I found, Xie Chong tried to get Shen Yun back. He used all sorts of ways but your parents were good people, Zhan. They protected Shen Yun and her child until their last breath." "Why didn't my uncle find anything all these years?" "Your parents have hidden Shen Yun well. They covered their tracks and made sure no one could find her. My men had to work hard and your uncle doesn't have the resources I do. And the cougars that attacked you that day at the theater were Xie Chong's men. All these years not many knew about you but after getting mated to Yibo, Xie Chong must have found out about you. Cougars are vengeful creatures. They won't stop." The message under the serious tone was clear. Xize was telling them that Xie Chong would come after Zhan again. Yibo had to keep Zhan safe but Yibo had no intention of waiting. He was going to kill Xie Chong first. Zhan gave Xize a nod of thanks and Yibo hated the sad look on his firecracker's face. "Xize, we will take our leave. Thanks for the dinner." "You guys need to be careful. While Xie Chong isn't a match for you the cougars can go to any lengths to get what they want. They don't fight fair", said Xize standing up and the concern in his eyes made Yibo give him a sincere thank you. Wu Xize cared for his firecracker and Yibo had no doubt that Xize's coven would come for help if Zhan was in danger. "Tell Shi Yi we will come by another day", Yibo spoke referring to Xize's partner and Xize nodded. "Tell her we said hi. Bring her to Lan territory whenever you feel like", said Zhan and Yibo led Zhan out of the house. The entire ride back home, Zhan lay his head on his shoulder while Yibo caressed his head. A few tears streamed down his firecracker's face silently and Yibo squeezed Zhan in his arms tighter, silently telling him that he was here.

The same night, Yibo ended his call with Xize and found Zhan sitting with his back to the headboard. There was a faraway look in Zhan's eyes and Yibo's heart ached seeing his firecracker unhappy. He slid into bed covering both of them with the duvet and pulled Zhan into his arms. "Talk to me", he said softly and Zhan snapped out of his daze, his eyes turning to meet Yibo's. "Tell me what's going on in that beautiful head of yours." Zhan looked at him and let out a deep sigh. "I grew up not knowing what happened to my parents. I felt alone. My uncle couldn't give me answers and I tried to find some answers on my own but always hit the dead end. A part of me is at peace today. Knowing that it wasn't just a random attack...Knowing that my parents died protecting someone in need, it gave me closure. Thank you for asking Xize to look into this." Zhan's voice had dropped to a whisper by the end and Yibo could see that Zhan was hurting. No matter how long ago it had happened, his firecracker had lost his parents and a loss like that was a big one. Yibo settled his chin over Zhan's head and kissed his firecracker's head softly. "They were good people, Zhan-Zhan. Shen Yun was a lucky woman to have met your parents. No matter how bad things ended, your parents much be content knowing that Shen Yun is still safe." "I want to find Shen Yun. I want to meet her but before that I want Xie Chong dead, Yibo", Zhan whispered the words and Yibo vowed he would hunt down the monster who had done this to his firecracker. "I will bring him to you." He would find Xie Chong and everyone else who had worked for him and Yibo would let his firecracker avenge his parents. But, for now he had to comfort his firecracker. "What can I do now?", Yibo asked and the arms around his waist got tighter. Zhan was silent for a few seconds before he finally spoke. "Hold me, Yibo. It doesn't hurt so bad when you hold me." And Yibo did. He held his firecracker in his arms that entire night. He pressed soft kisses to his mate's head, caressed his hair and until dawn he kept whispering the same words. "You aren't alone anymore, Zhan-Zhan. You have me and you have Yuan. You have your family and we will always be together."

"I want that boy found, Talu. He is the only one who can confirm this for us. He did see something that day and if I am not wrong, Han Yi has hidden him somewhere. Find him." "I will. But, Han Yi is not capable of doing something like this, Yibo. I admit that your theory makes sense but Han Yi-" "He is the one who sent us on this merry chase, Talu. He was the one who found the house..his wolf came to me that day claiming that Wen Lun had hurt her. Wen Lun was framed by him. I want that boy found. Any way possible. And I don't want Han Yi to find out about this. Am I clear?", Yibo warned and the Alpha agreed. "Okay." Yibo ended the call and stationed his own wolves all over the area to search for the boy. "Hedi!!", he called and the wolf came inside Yibo's office. "Tell Guo Cheng and Fan Xing to trail Han Yi. I want to know everything about him. Everywhere he goes, everyone he meets, don't leave anything", Yibo demanded and Hedi told him he would put the boys to work. "Are you sure Han Yi can do this?" Xuan questioned and Yibo shook his head. "I don't think he killed those Omegas. He is a coward not a monster. He might not be the one behind this but I know that he knows something about what is happening." "Han Yi's wolf was the one who gave us the first information about the killer. He must have told Han Yi more. If it's not Han Yi, it's possible that Han Yi knows who is doing all this. Maybe he is trying to protect the shifter", Zhan reasoned and Yibo agreed with Zhan's words. "He denied us when the Alphas asked him to let us meet with the boy. The traumatized story worked well on all of us." "When did you start doubting him?", Zhan asked. "At the conference when Bai Li suggested that the killer could be someone among us...Han Yi reacted. Like I said, he is a coward. He must have been nervous. I wanted to ask him then but I was distracted by Ji Han's son. Then he refused to let us question the boy. Talu made an offhand comment about Han Yi hiding him and it stuck with me. Then, that episode with Wen Lun happened. The more i thought about it the more it made sense to me. The girl just made it all clear", Yibo explained and everyone's face turned serious. "What if he is behind this?" "Then we do what we do best. We will hunt down Han Yi. By the time the Alphas are done, nothing will be left of him."