CARNAL DESIRES | | NCT

Chapter 14

Haechan's POV

I always thought the concept of having a soulmate was quite beautiful. Seeing my mother and father interact with an never-ending love was something I dreamed of for my mate and me.
But never once did I think they would be threatening me with a knife before calling me by my name.

"Get the fuck away from me." The words pierced at my heart, but still, I tried to understand him. From what I gathered, the hunter had a mission to complete, yet he seemed to be taking his anger out on me for not doing so. But in my defense, I didn't request his help nor did I ask for his kindness.

This takes me to my next thought. Maybe he too had the urge to protect me regardless of his hunting nature. Maybe the moon goddess had one or two tricks up her sleeve to make our situation bearable.

"But you're bleeding," I replied in a soft voice.

"That's none of your concern," the hunter said as he retracted his knife. I felt my breathing become more relaxed once the dangerous object was nowhere in sight. "And stop following me around," he continued.

"I told you it's not safe in these parts of the forest." He was stubborn, really stubborn. And his attitude was certainly not the best. "Plus...you're injured..."

"Like you're one to talk." The hunter's tone was sharp as he eyed me from top to bottom. Trailing over the bruises on my exposed body as if it was the most disgusting sight. "How you still manage to follow me around looking like that is beyond my understanding."

"My injuries are not as bad as they may look," I said defensively.

"You seem to forget that I do not care. I spared your life once and I guarantee I won't do it again. So, leave me be, imp."

If only it was that simple. If only he was somebody else. Then I would've disappeared the moment my eyes fell open, but unfortunately, yearning for my mate overpowered those logical senses. And leaving him to fend for himself in these parts of the forest was not an option for me. If he died...piece of myself would as well. Even if his hate for me overwrites the love he was meant to have for me.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" I decided to carefully change the topic. He was short-tempered, I knew that much. But I knew nothing else....not even his name. Indeed the moon goddess enjoyed my suffering.

"Someone," he corrected me.

Author's POV

The young prince ears perked up at the hunters response. He silently wondered if the person he was looking for was a hunter like him and that would explain their connection or was the person more to him ? The thought alone made something ugly shift in Haechan's chest. He could feel a possessive growl wanting to enter the air surrounding him and the male ahead of him. And as much as instincts pushed him to claim what was his the boy suppressed his irrational emotions. Cause that's exactly what he was being....irrational.

Haechan knew he had no right to get jealous over the person who the hunter was searching for. He didn't even know the extent of their relationship but his fae nature made him not only think, but fear the worst. Haechan thought to himself that he could already hear his heart breaking in two if he discovered that the person that was destined to love him had given his heart to another. It would be a cruel twist of fate if the young fae was honest with himself. But before his mind could slip further into any more negative thoughts, he heard his mate speak up.

Mark's POV

"The person I'm looking for is my brother." I said as I took a glance at the imp behind me. I don't even know why I shared that with him. He didn't need to know, but yet some part of me felt like he should and it pissed me off. Ever since I stumbled across the fae in the woods my mind had been fucked.

From the moment I found him in those woods I should've ended his existence. I've had countless of opportunities to rid myself of the creature currently trailing me, including now with his guard being down and him being vulnerable. But something in me didn't, no, wouldn't allow me to do it. Like I said, my mind was fucked. Despite this, i still continued to make conversation with the fae as I told him with a scowl, "I was supposed to meet him a day ago but missed are meet up period tending you."

What the fae said next took me by surprise.

"I'm sorry that I'm causing you so much trouble."
I could hear the sadness lace his voice and for some reason my chest ached once again.

I couldn't understand why my body had tensed up at the words or why my chest had constricted painfully as I heard how pitiful the male sounded. I didn't even understand what had prompt and push me to say, "it wasn't your fault..."

As the words left my lips I took the opportunity to look at the fae once more. His eyes meet mine and I briefly noted to myself how vibrant they were. His eyes were the perfect example of how otherworldly he actually was and to some that might be unsettling. But to me I thought they were stunning. He was stunning even with the bruises and cuts covering his skin.

Realizing my train of thoughts and the hint of blush creeping up on the fae's face, I broke our eye contact and increased my paced. I need to get the fuck away from him, I thought to myself furiously. His presence was messing with my head and I should be focused on finding Hendery ...not on how beautiful the imp looked or how with the right angle the sunlight made his eyes glow as if the stars themselves danced behind them.

I cursed at myself once again realizing where my  mind had gone, but before I could increase my pace once again; the imp caught up to me and said "your brother...is he a hunter too ?"

Still reeling with fury from my previous thoughts i said to him, "I don't see how that's any of your business." I watched as the anger took root in the young fae. Good, I said to myself, the sooner he got the message that his presence wasn't needed, much less wanted, the sooner could leave him the fuck alone.

But instead of turning around and storming off like I expected him too. The imp squared his shoulders and huffed out angrily. "Look, I get that your probably concerned about your brother and want to get to him as fast as possible, but you don't have to be an ass-"  but before he could finished his sentence I cut him off as I said, "shut up."

The imp visibly flinched and started to say something else, but I cut him off again and said, "my brother...he isn't here."

"Maybe he left when he didn't see you arrive and planned to come back"

Shaking my head I replied and said, "no, you don't understand...he never was here. My brother never made it to our meet up spot..."