$ f o r t y s i x $
Phone calls were made and meetings were scheduled between the Coyotes and the Nightmares. Jin had sent them news that his leader wanted to meet with Shin Wonho, something that came as a surprise to the crime organization based in Fukuoka Japan. They had never had dealings with them before, since they knew that them and and wolves were big rivals in the area. But now that the pack had separated into two groups--the wolves and the coven--they knew that the Coyotes had taken the Coven's side.
Two days later, the Nightmares were in Korea to meet with Kim Namjoon and his pack. Thirteen men sat around the table, though it was the leaders who mostly did the talking.
"Why did you ask to meet with us?" Shin Wonho asked, eyeing the other leader with curiosity.
Most members of both sides listened intently, in case directions were to be given. All except two people. Min Yoongi was distractedly carving the characters of his name into the wooden table with a pocket knife. Lee Seyoung from the Nightmares watched him mesmerized. It was easy for him to get lost in his own thoughts, and even more so when he saw something interesting. The two of them weren't the best at keeping their focus on one thing for too long. Yoongi shot him a glare and the older boy looked away. He quickly found another distraction in Taehyung who was trying to balance a pencil on his index finger.
Their meeting momentarily felt like a detention room full of hooligans.
Namjoon began to explain. "We asked the Coven for help to take over Seoul and eliminate the Pack. They said they would help, but it seems like they're backing out now."
"I wouldn't trust Wu Yifan." Terada Takuya said in a bitter murmur from his seat, for about the millionth time. And yet he still stood by his opinion that Wu Yifan was nothing more than a lying snake. He had nothing against the other members of the Coven. The only one who seemed to annoy him to no end was their leader.
"What do you want us to do about it?" Wonho asked, ignoring his second in command.
He had already heard the rant a dozen times before.
"We want you to be our allies." Namjoon stated simply, as though it were the obvious solution. Through his own plans and calculations it certainly was. "The Coven isn't entirely loyal to this cause. So we're holding out one more week. If they won't give any signs of initiating an attack, we want you to help us take out the pack."
Wonho raised an eyebrow at Namjoon. "You think we can take out the pack?"
He had been keeping tabs of his own on his former allies. From what he knew, they had just gotten a new alpha--Do Kyungsoo--and that made them an easy target because it made them weak. Transitioning into a new era was always difficult. But he also knew that despite everything, they were more united than ever, and that they had brought in their younger division to help them out as they became stable again. With the younger boys, they were double in size. They were twelve men in the pack again, instead of just the six that had been left behind when half their brothers turned against them.
"They're weak right now." Namjoon insisted with a convinced nod of his head, telling Shin Wonho what he already knew.
Though unsure that they could really take the Pack out if it came to a turf war, the Nightmares agreed. Shin Wonho wanted a plan to fall back on, and allies to count on, in case Wu Yifan could betray them again.
-
The Alpha and Beta of the Pack were gathered together at the Alpha's house. He said he had important things to talk about with his second in command. Baekhyun wanted to forget everything. His greed, his desire for the alpha seat. But having his younger friend in front of him still ignited a fire in his heart. He thought that if he could challenge him now, he could surely defeat him and likely be in the alpha position by sun down.
But then his thoughts were filled with Miran. How loving and supporting she was with him, but also with the rest of the pack. The last thing she wanted was to be an alpha. She didn't crave the position like he did.
He wanted to respect her wishes as well.
"Light," Kyungsoo began awkwardly. He felt uncomfortable having to speak so informally towards his hyung. But now he was a higher rank, and had to speak to him that way. He also didn't know how to ask about Baekhyun's situation with Miran. "Have you chosen Miran as your mate? And more importantly...has she chosen you too?" It was the way things worked in their pack. Baekhyun could have chosen Miran as his mate because he loved her. But nothing could be official unless she agreed--unless she had chosen him too.
At that moment, Baekhyun was trying to find any way to be provoked. His hand balled up into a fist and there was clear annoyance in his face as he replied. "Yes, alpha. She has chosen me as well." But there was a thought lodged in his mind. Are you trying to say she wouldn't want to choose me? It wasn't what Kyungsoo meant, but it was the way Baekhyun took it.
Kyungsoo explained, noticing the annoyance on his friend's face. "I'm just trying to confirm, based on the rules of our pack so that I can rank her." He said in a calm and collected deep voice. "I'll have to talk to her too before I can make my final decision on her rank in the pack. Then she'll have to start her training--"
Baekhyun cut him off. "What about Jagi? she hasn't started her alpha training." He pointed out.
"That's different." Now Kyungsoo began to get defensive and it was evident in his tone and words. "Jagi suffered an injury that almost killed her and its only been a few months. She needs more time to recover."
A sigh escaped the beta's lips. He really had nothing against Jagi, or even Kyungsoo. It was the mere position of the alpha that he wanted. "Are you gonna rank Miran as a beta like me?" He wondered, now more calm. It had taken a few moments of breathing and swallowing his pride. Also thinking about Miran helped a great deal. They had talked about it. She didn't want that seat. She wasn't interested in ranks or power because it would tear them apart and bring out the worst in them.
The alpha nodded. "If you feel in your heart that you love her, and that she's your mate, then I won't oppose. I'll announce her rank to the pack tonight, and she can start training with you and your dongsaeng tomorrow. Also, I have another announcement for everyone."
Baekhyun raised an eyebrow at him with curiosity.
Kyungsoo continued. "I heard rumors that the Coyotes want to attack us. They might just be rumors, but I don't want to take any risks."
Baekhyun scoffed. "They took land from us before, they think they can do it again?"
There was a shrug coming as a response from Kyungsoo. Back when Junmyeon was their leader, he's have agreed with Baekhyun. He'd have assured everyone that they would fight until they were nothing more than bloody corpses. But now he wasn't so sure. He was insecure about his insecurities as alpha and the other gangs knew it. It was the whole reason there were so many rumors that the wolves would be attacked in the first place.
"Still," Kyungsoo insisted. "I think it would be better for the pack if we all lived in the same place. So I've been looking into houses, and there's a really good one--in our territory--somewhere in the outskirts by the forest."
-
im feeling pretty inspired with this story again. my inspiration comes and goes in lapses. so i might write another chapter right now. if i don't post it today, i will probably do it over the weekend. so stay tuned for that, everyone.
also, thank you for getting this story to TEN THOUSAND READS. it means the world to me.
i hope you're all having a wonderful day!
-clary
