°✑˖- ⟨ He turned back, his gaze locking onto the piercing red eyes staring into his own shining blue ones, filled with a hint of happiness. He knew, in that moment, that this was the one he had been dreaming about - his other half, his Mate.
But if...
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|| The weight of responsibility ⚜
Coming across the big wooden door, Taehyung stood still, his mind racing with uncertainty. He was hesitating, as if he was standing on the thin surface of ice and one wrong move, the surface of ice will break it any moment.
The door's intricate carvings seemed to whisper tales of royal secrets, while the sunrays streaming through the side windows illuminating the white walls. The silence in the hallway was deafening, making his heart race with anticipation and fear.
"Oh Prince, stop being a scared puppy and go in already, for the goddess's sake!" Ashen, his inner wolf, exclaimed in his mind, making Taehyung flinch.
"Oh goddess, Ashen! You scared me!" He placed a hand on his chest, rubbing it nervously.
"I'm not afraid to go in, it's just... you know, buddy," Taehyung spoke in broken words, his nervousness evident on his face. "Tell this to anyone, okay? I'm you, and you are me, so I know whatever you're thinking." He sighed, his head hung low.
"Taehyung stop! Nothing gonna happen." His wolf reassured with a soft voice.
"I-you know the last time Father called me into the royal Library," the trueblood whispered, his voice barely audible. "He banished me from going to the university after my high school graduation." Taehyung's eyes clouded, remembering the day clearly. "I was so excited to explore the world beyond the castle walls, to learn and grow among others... but Father's words crushed my dreams."
The silence from Ashen was palpable, like the stillness in the hallway. Taehyung knew how the day of the full moon from his past has affected both of him and his inner wolf deeply.
The day when he should be running wild and freely through the depth of the woods and howling loudly under the moonlit but instead, he has to sat inside of his room, gazing longingly at the bright full moon, suppressing his loud howling in his throat and hiding his giant wolf form in the four wall of his room.
A freedom once he had was brutality snatched from his grasp leaving him trapped within the long castle walls for eternity, he's unsure if he'd ever able to regain his freedom like before.
Sighing in dismay, Taehyung raised his both shakey hands and pushed the large wooden door of the library with a loud creak. As he stepped inside, the door closed behind him with a soft thud, enveloping him in the musty scent of old books and the weight of his responsibility.
His eyes caught a glimpse of the library, It was exactly the same as it had beed two years ago, when he first visited.
The dark wooden shelves were still filled with diverse Books, Large windows allowed sunrays to peek in , and the unchanged chandelier hung above his head. The royal interior, carved in old brown structures, and the smell of new and old books lingered in the air.
He Sigh slightly, his eyes roaming everywhere, capturing every detail of the place. As he moved forward, the trueblood noticed his father, Hanwool, sitting in an armchair beside a large window, sunlight illuminating his face as he was engrossed in a book. A dark wooden table stood before him, piled with various books, and a beautiful white cup with a design of golden flowers filled with jasmine tea sat beside the stacks, which he sipped from time to time, savoring the taste of his favorite tea.
As the scent of his son reached Hanwool, he looked away from his book and gazed at Taehyung's dark brown eyes, making him shudder slightly. "Father," Taehyung said, moving forward and bowing slightly. "You called for me?" Hanwool nodded and gestured for him to sit.
As Taehyung sat, he saw his father closing the book he was reading and placing it beside the book piles.
"Taehyung," Hanwool said, "I've been thinking about your future lately." Taehyung's heart raced. "Y-yes, father, what happened? Why did you call me here suddenly?" he asked, internally cursing himself for stuttering. Hanwool hummed at his question, noticing Taehyung's nervousness.
His father hummed at his question, catching every hint of nervousness in taehyung's body posture. " First calm down and don't push your brain too far." Hanwool said, making Taehyung inhale a sharp breath.
"I've been thinking about your future, Taehyung." Hanwool said, his voice measured. "You're a trueblood, and it's time you took on more responsibilities within the pack." Taehyung's heart sank, knowing this was coming but hoping to delay it.
"Father, I'm not sure I'm ready-" Hanwool raised a hand, silencing him. "You were born ready, Taehyung. You're a natural leader, and as a royal trueblood, it's your responsibility."
Taehyung sighed, feeling the weight of his father's words. He knew his father was right, but he longed for the freedom to make his own choices.
"Father, please-" Taehyung tried again, hoping to reason with him. But Hanwool raised his hand, silencing him again.
Taehyung sighed and looked at his lap, his fingers playing with each other, and he noticed his ring shining on his right hand finger, his eyes shone, "Father, what about my mate? The soon to be Luna of this pack?" Taehyung asked, knowing properly that luna's position is very important in a pack, just like the alpha's position. You can't rule over a pack without a luna by your side.
Hanwool looked down, his face held deep thoughts. "I believe," Hanwool said, straightening his back, "I believe you will find your mate before your crowning ceremony."
Taehyung looked at his father in astonishment, okay he didn't not expect that. "The training of becoming a head Alpha is not something everyone can do, Crown Prince."
"So I believe that you will find a perfect mate who can rule and care for our people with love and passion, just like your mother did." Taehyung nodded, understanding the depth of his father's words.
"But remember, Taehyung, if you cannot find your partner in these four years, then you have to marry the Omega son of Raven's clan," Hanwool said, his voice heavy and deep. "But I know you will find your mate in these four years, so don't worry too much." His father reassured him, knowing it's possible that his son will find his mate in these four years, and if not, he will have to marry the Raven's only Omega son.
Taehyung nodded, his eyes shining with happiness, at least he had four years to find his mate and didn't have to marry anyone soon. But one thing Taehyung didn't understand was why his father said four years, and also, how could he find his mate if he was stuck in the castle always?
