Fated To Be His...

43. I won't let you...

Hands came to support Zhan's body and Zhan shakily stood up, his knees still trembling with fear. Zhan found himself hugged fiercely, Lei's arms like bands of steel around him but Zhan drew no comfort from the elder's embrace, standing stiffly. "I am so sorry, A-Zhan", said the lion shifter, and a soft touch wiped the wetness from Zhan's cheeks, making Zhan aware of the tears that still ran down his cheeks. Yibo had left him. Yibo had left him again. A-fucking-gain. White, hot anger burned in Zhan and the Omega snarled unconsciously causing Lei to jump in his arms. Without thought, Zhan stepped out of the embrace and began stalking away from the group. "Where are you going, A-Zhan?"  "A-Zhan!!" "Xiao Zhan!!!" A hand came to Zhan's shoulder and Zhan twisted around lightning fast, slamming Wu Jing flat on his back, growling down at him. The Alpha stared wide-eyed at Xiao Zhan before he snapped out of his shock standing up. "Don't go after him", Wu Jing deadpanned and Zhan glowered at the man his voice dropping a few octaves as he spoke, "How do you plan to stop me, Alpha?" The last word was a clear insult and Wu Jing growled at Zhan, asserting his dominance over the Omega only for Zhan to glare at him fiercely.

Wu Jing took in Zhan's form, the image of Zhan submitting so beautifully still fresh in his head and it irritated Wu Jing a hell lot more than he cared to admit. He had always known Xiao Zhan wasn't going to be his and had kept his distance refusing to turn into another Zhuo Yichen but never had he been so tempted. He wanted Xiao Zhan even when it was clear that the Omega belonged to another. A motherfucking feral another. "Think hard, Xiao Zhan. No matter how close you and Yibo are, going after him is a death wish. He was a hairbreadth away from snapping your neck right now. He is too angry. Give him time to calm down, don't be impulsive."  "Give him time?", Zhan echoed with a snarl and Wu Jing became cautious at the anger he saw in Zhan's eyes. The dark, almond eyes warned Wu Jing to back away but Wu Jing was a stubborn man. He grabbed Zhan's shoulders stopping the man before he could leave. "We saw what he did, Xiao Zhan. That man needs some time to get himself under control or he will kill you this time. He will."

Jing grunted when Zhan pushed him away hard, barely catching himself from falling and his eyes rose to Zhan again to see the Omega's eyes narrowing and flashing wolf. "The last time I gave him time he vanished for five years. FIVE YEARS!!! He was suffering alone all this time and you want me to put him through that misery again? I gave up on him once and my Yibo barely came back to me whole!" Wu Jing couldn't stop his features from softening and his pitying look only strengthened Zhan's resolve. "I have lost him once. I won't lose him again. You people can do whatever the hell you want. Warn me...threaten me...hurt me but you can't stop me."  "A-Zhan", begged Wang Lei and Zhan turned to the people he had known and loved all his life, his heart breaking at the concern and terror in their eyes. "Yibo didn't deserve this. He should've been happy. He should've been laughing. He should have been by my side. We were supposed to protect him, Lei. I was supposed to protect him but I let him down. I am equally responsible for what Yibo is going through right now. If only I had been strong enough...been brave enough, he wouldn't have been hurt. Wouldn't have been all alone all these years."  His words brought tears to many eyes and Zhan's eyes landed on Wu Jing, shining with desolation.

"Don't ask me to be a coward again. Don't make me lose him again. I...I won't survive it this time."  The Wu Alpha's eyes widened a fraction in disbelief before they flashed a bright amber and without a word the man stalked away, growling. Zhan saw Lei's shoulders shaking with the force of his sobs, Zhuocheng staring at him with pleading eyes, his father staring at him as if it was going to be the last time he ever saw Zhan and his mother's face was carefully blank although Zhan could sense the dark fear that was settled in her gut. "I was barely two. Defenseless when he found me that night. If Yibo hadn't saved me, hadn't brought me here, I wouldn't have survived. If he had also left me to my fate, had turned his back on me...you wouldn't have seen your A-Ying again, and I would have never been Xiao Zhan. I am standing here, breathing here only because of him." Zhan let out a deep breath and wiped his tears away, leveling his family with a hard stare. "I don't care what you people think. Call him feral, out of control, or insane but I know that beneath all that anger and hate, my Yibo is lonely and afraid. I told you guys before if I have to choose...I'll choose him. I won't give up on my mate. Wang Yibo is mine. Feral or not...suffering or not. He is all mine. There's not a goddamn thing in this world that can change that. Not even Wang Yibo himself."