CARNAL DESIRES | | NCT

Chapter 55

Haechan felt himself move along slowly throughout the palace hallways. Something likened to defeat echoed in his chest upon not finding Mark. He knew the male more than likely needed space after everything that transpired but the Fae prince couldn't help but worry about the emotional state of his mate.

After searching for nearly an hour, the Fae prince decided that he would just retire to his room and try his search again later for the male. The young fae was suddenly exhausted; not just physically but mentally as well. The sinking feeling he experienced whenever he recounted Jongae's turmoil and sorrow for the loss of his wife left a sour taste in the Fae Prince mouth.

Haechan didn't want to believe that his kind could've committed such a heinous act but he knew more than anyone just how dangerous Fae can be especially when threatened. Yet, he couldn't help but feel that he was overlooking something vital about Jongdae's story. Still wrapped up in his thoughts, Haechan hadn't even noticed he had entered his room until he was greeted with the lush scent of forest pine and a husky voice saying "how much do you know?"

Haechan instantly felt a wave of calm wash over him at the sound of Mark's voice. Only moments before he had wrestled with his own personal pit of easiness and now that easiness was replaced with a surging heat. A heat that was typically accompanied by the palpable urge of desire, but now wasn't the time to think about that Haechan told himself as he turned to his mate and said "enough to understand your anger."

Mark's gaze bore into Haechan's form as he got up from the fae prince bed and made his away to the male. He honestly didn't know how long he was in Haechan's room waiting for the fae prince to appear. Mark just knew that his anger wouldn't be stifled until he found himself in Haechan's presence. Until he took in the subtle honeysuckle scent that was so irrevocably the fae prince.

And as Mark breathed in the very scent he craved he gently placed his forehead against Haechan's own. For a few tense moments the hunter and the fae just breathed in the presence of one another. Savoring their closeness until Mark whispered lowly "I'm sorry." At that Haechan looked at the male before him only to see warm brown orbs staring back at him and said softly "what are you sorry for? It's not me that's hurting."

"I pushed you away earlier." Mark breathed out. "I was so lost in my anger that I tried to shut you out and physically push you away from me. You were only trying to diffuse the situation and I was too enraged to see that. I am so sorry." Mark said as he placed a kiss on the fae prince head. Haechan could practically feel the desperation in his mate's voice as he wrapped his arms around him.

He then said to the hunter "it's okay, I know you didn't mean anything by it." Haechan could've sworn he felt a shudder of relief go through Mark upon hearing this. After a brief , the fae prince then asked softly "why didn't you tell me about your mother?"

Mark stilled at that and a long time had passed before he said "I didn't know how."

"I understand" was all Haechan could've responded to his mate. Cause in truth, he indeed understood his mate's actions. He understood that all of his rage came from not only his mother's life being cut short but his father's as well. He understood the confusion he faced everyday deciphering what was real and what wasn't when it came to the Fae. He even understood the turmoil he endured taking on a burden that should've never been his to bare.

Yet despite this, a painful truth still remained. Haechan knew that Mark could never truly gained the closure he so desperately needed until he spoke with Jongdae. Because of this, the fae found himself saying to his mate "you need to speak with your father, Mark."

"No" the hunter responded flatly as he pulled from Haechan's embrace. "And why not?" Haechan asked defiantly. Mark ran a frustrated hand through his raven hair as he gritted out "because anything that he says now will be ten years too late and it won't change the fact that he left us."

"Mark-" Haechan started but was cut off by the hunter as he said with his voice slightly raised.
"No Haechan, you don't get it!" Breathing heavily, Mark continued "He left us...Hendery and I just lost our mother and instead of helping us through our grief...he left."

"So do excuse my refusal to wanting to speak with a man who had given up on his own flesh and blood when they needed him the most." Mark croaked as he swallowed thickly. Haechan closed the distance between him and Mark once again at that.

Then as gently as he could, the fae prince placed the hunter's faced between his palms and angled his sorrowful gaze to meet his own as he said "I'm sorry you had to live with this pain for this long." Mark tried to look away from the male before him but Haechan adjusted his focus on him once more and said "you didn't deserve it...Neither of you did."

"But you will never heal until you speak with your Father." Haechan whispered softly. "he had no mercy with us, why should I have mercy with him?" Mark asked as his voice cracked.

Haechan offered his mate a soft smile and said softly "I'm not saying his actions were right. But what would you have done if you were him?"

Haechan watched as Mark's eyebrow furrowed as he contemplated his question seeming already to formulate an answer but Haechan stopped his train of thoughts as he said "and before you say that you would have done different, you should consider the fact that you may have lost a mother but your father lost his other half."

"A piece of your father's soul died the same day as your mother and was that fair to you and your brother? Of course not. But even the strongest person can succumb to a wounded soul." Haechan continued softly.

Mark stared at the fae prince as his words settle into him. Was he being harsh on his father? Could he wholeheartedly admit that he truly wouldn't have reacted the same as his father if the roles were reversed and it was him who had lost Haechan? Something ugly settled in his chest as his skin ran cold at that thought.

Haechan smiled sweetly as he read Mark's train of thought on his face. He then placed a soft kiss on the hunter's cheek and said "just think about it, before you cut him out of your life forever."

Haechan then dropped his hands from Mark's face to interlace their fingers as he said "and for the record, your father came to Paitha looking for both you and Hendery knowing that there might be a chance he would be killed...that doesn't sound like a man who has given up." while walking them over to his empty bed.