TO MEND HEARTS | minchan

•3•

"where were you?" chan's mother asks, she sounds and smells on edge.

chan pauses, looking at her with furrowed brows. he glances around, seeing his sister's frown.

"is something wrong?" chan asks, concerned.

"apparently some pack declared war on us," hanna says, the end of her sentence wavering.

"what?" chan is on alert, "where's dad?"

"where else? he was looking for you to attend the meeting with him but we couldn't find you," his mother huffs, more angry than worried. "you know we're not safe enough to disappear for who knows how many hours doing who knows what. start understanding that you have more responsibilities, chan. omega or not, you are to take over once your father steps down."

chan is silent, nodding.

"so where were you?"

chan swallows, "the river..."

"the river!?" she looks mortified, "chan, of all places!?"

"what's wrong with the river?" chan huffs, "it's a safe ground, everyone knows that-"

"not everyone and not anymore," his mother growls, "the pack that declared war on us are the ones that want to take that river and our territory."

"what?"

"our land is pretty small compared to the ones of other packs," his father's voice comes in, startling chan and the other two. "we announced that the river and lake are no longer safe since the dispute's have not been ceased yesterday, when you ran off who knows where."

chan flushes, embarrassed. he looks down at the basket in his hands, not finding it in him to look at any of his parents. especially his father.

"why were you at the river?" his father questions.

chan swallows, "just felt like it."

"you got fish." his father points out.

chan subconsciously grips the basket, "oh, yeah, uh, it's four.... fish..."

"chan, i know you're tired of all the responsibilities but hannah and luis are still too young to try and step in for you while you run off," his father says, taking the basket from chan, leaving the omega feeling stripped of everything. "sit down, you need to know what you've missed."

chan silently moves to sit at the table, skin crawling with his mother and hannah's eyes on him. he doesn't look his father in the eyes, he can do it to anyone except him.

it's not that his father is a mean, masochist prick who won't allow omegas to look him in the eyes, but the fact chan doesn't feel worthy. he's trying his best, he's not up to standard in his own eyes so...

"this pack has been on a rampage," his father starts, "they've been going around trying to peacefully buy territories but once they're turned down they take it by force. they've done this to four packs already," his father sighs, "only one has successfully won and kept their territory but the other three have sadly submitted. we've been trying to settle things, hoping that with giving the river and lake they could be pleased enough to step down but that was useless. they want to take our land."

chan swallows, feeling horrible for missing out something so vital. they're all in a crisis and he's out there frolicking around with minho.

"you're not seeing anyone, are you?" his father asks, making chan tense up for a second.

"no, who would i be seeing?"

"an alpha, probably?"

chan forces out an eyeroll, "as if, i just wanted to be alone, so i was alone."

his father hums, "you're not to leave pack grounds until we resolve this, there's a possible war at stake and we don't want any of you to get hurt. in the case we do get attacked, we'd like you three to flee."

"what?" chan looks at him, "you want us to abondon the people like that?"

"you three are the children of the heads of a pack, they'll either come for your heads or your status." his father argues, "we've already taken action in asking a nearby pack to take you in. i would like for you and your siblings to pack up just in case. if we see we're not doing well in the war, you three are to leave and that's the end of this."

chan watches his father stand. he has so many things to say, so many things he wants to understand.

"and i'd appreciate if you took your possible last days as the heir responsibly."

and that was that. chan practically rushed to his room, heart hammering at the scanarios his mind creates. he could lose everything soon. but... why is his first concern minho?

  ──      ✿ 

"and where were you?" a growl asks when minho steps into the house that feels like anything but home.

"i was exploring the terrains you wanted to take." minho says cautiously and with the most neutral tone.

felix isn't home, that's first thing minho realizes. his eyes scan the living room and seungmin is there, quiet and "studying".

"i want you to go train with felix and the rest, you know we have a war coming up and i will not stand to fail once more."

minho nods, "yes sir."

"go on, take seungmin with you, maybe he'll learn something."

the beta looks at them, eyes wide and brows furrowed. minho swallows, nodding before gesturing at seungmin to get up. the beta scurries to put his books away, stumbling to get next to minho before they both bow at their father and leave. it's going to be a long night, and while their father enjoys the comfort of his bed, they'll most likely only find solace on the ground.

"why is he mad?" minho asks once they're far from the house.

"i scored low on my exam according to him."

"right," minho eyes the beta, realizing he's keeping his gaze to the ground more than usual. he frowns, "did he hit you?"

seungmin shakes his head and rolls his eyes. "stop pretending to care, i thought we went over this."

"shut up, you know i don't care. i just don't like him giving me tasks, last time he hit you i had to bandage your sorry ass up," minho spits.

seungmin looks away, hands fisting as his sides. minho huffs, heart heavy as he stares ahead. they may not get along, but minho doesn't actually mean all that. it's just... hard to show love.

it's hard to show anything really. he knows they're fine, as fine as they can be.