To Wield Such Prowess || ZHANYI/YIZHAN FF

17

A/N: I just want to remind everyone that this book features immortal and supernatural creatures that can prey on humans and other supernatural creatures for food and sustenance if they want.

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Xiao Zhan feels the magic of the border spell through his fingertips, sighing softly. "Have you tried?"

"I have," Yibo confirms.

Xiao Zhan looks down momentarily before turning to Yibo. "Did it hurt you?"

Yibo nods. "It causes burns if I force myself. If not, it just repels me."

Xiao Zhan surveys Yibo's territory, his brows furrowing in concern. "I thought it was your lair, your protection. It's called a lion's den," he says, looking at the expanse of Yibo's territory. "It was actually a cage. A big, vast cage," he adds, looking at Yibo sympathetically.

"It had to be done," Yibo replies, swallowing hard as he avoids Xiao Zhan's gaze. "Don't pity me."

"It had to be done?" Xiao Zhan echoes, puzzled. "Was that what you thought?"

Yibo meets Xiao Zhan's gaze. "What do you think, Zhan-ge?"

"If people were looking for you as the Lost Prince of Beijing, couldn't they have cast the spell only against outsiders? Why does it have to include not letting you out?" Xiao Zhan's frown deepens as he gazes at Yibo. "Yibo, are your parents forcing you to do zilch alpha duties?"

Yibo breathes. "N-No, that's—"

"When you said that your heart hurts when there's an omega in heat near the territory," Xiao Zhan interrupts, "That is also because of the border spell, isn't it?"

Yibo's eyes waver, and he averts his gaze.

"So it is," Xiao Zhan says, sighing in frustration, anger simmering under his lungs from the thought that the one he cares for has been wronged. "Why did your parents do that to you?"

"They didn't force me to do it," Yibo insists, his voice rising as he meets Xiao Zhan's gaze. "You're mistaken. I wanted to do it."

Xiao Zhan twitches his brows. "Don't you lie to me just to make me not pity you, Yibo—"

"I am not lying," Yibo insists, voice pushed from his throat. "I truly wanted to. I wanted to still be able to help omegas. I had the ability, ge, and I didn't want to waste it."

"This doesn't make sense," Xiao Zhan says, raising his eyebrows at Yibo. "Don't you see? Why does it have to include not letting you out, restricting you from shifting to your wolf form, protracting claws and fangs, and even regenerating from silver wounds? If it is to do what you are capable of for omegas, then why?"

"It had to be done," Yibo repeats, frowning. "It's the best way. I have to be kept in one place, for everyone's sake, until I can control myself, Zhan-ge."

Xiao Zhan looks at Yibo in confusion. "What?" he breathes.

His mind races as he recalls speaking about the way Yibo was acting when he was in rut.

Then it dawns on him.

Had he been mistaken all along? He had believed Yibo to be exemplary, a responsible alpha who maintained control even in the mind-hazing rut.

Did Yibo deceive him?

"Until you can control yourself? Why? Otherwise, you would be forcing yourself on omegas? Is that it?" Xiao Zhan questions, growing increasingly wary of the person in front of him with each passing second.

Yibo snaps his gaze to Xiao Zhan. "No, it's not," Yibo exclaims. "Please don't insinuate such a thing. I would never harm omegas like that."

"Then what?" Xiao Zhan presses. "Do you hurt alphas then, instead?"