Fatal Miscalculations •Jaeyong•

Chapter 4

It was a slow evening. Jaehyun was idle on the bed, staring out the window at the dark night sky as the book lay open on his lap, unattended for minutes now. He let out another deep sigh and leaned his head against the headboard. He wondered what sort of adventures awaited the mundane world on a night like this. His hands itched, his heart longed to transform and feel the moistness of the loam on his paws, the calmness of the wind in his fur, and the tranquillity of the forest in his body as he coursed through it.

 But he also wanted to know what life was beyond this invisible cage around him. What would a normal boy his age be doing at this hour, in the cold night. What would free people do. What would being able to follow their own dreams feel like. How beautiful life must be when it was liberated and wasn’t constrained.

He would never know. He had a responsibility to the Pride, to his family, to his mother. This was the life he had been living since the day he was born. While the servants’ children ran around, giggling and tumbling, Jaehyun looked at them from the window of his study while his tutor educated him. He had no friends. He never did. His mother had made sure of that. Alec was his only companion since he was young. His was the closest thing Jaehyun had to a father.

The manor was always full of people, it was always loud. Jaehyun wanted to taste the quiet, yet exciting world out there. He wanted to be more than just a Pantherinae. He wanted to explore the human part of him.

There was a quiet knock on the door and he snapped out of his thoughts, looking to his mother, who entered the room with a gentle smile on her pretty face. Jaehyun shifted on the bed and quickly hardened his expression. He always liked to be on his guard whenever he was around people. Especially people who had high expectations for him.

“Mother,” he said monotonously as she perched on the bed and ran a hand through Jaehyun’s hair.

“What are you reading, darling?”

Jaehyun shrugged and set the book aside. “The Glass Castle.”

“Hmm.” She took his hand. “One of the servants tells me that you brought a Pantherinae to your bed yesterday.”

“It’s not what you think,” Jaehyun sighed. “He was a boy uncle had his eyes on. I was just trying to make his hackles rise.”

“And I believe you’ve succeeded. He was throwing a temper tantrum during supper,” she laughed. “Oh, you must meet with Sara tomorrow.”

Jaehyun sighed. Another day, another meeting with an important member of the Pride so that he could get more supporters. “Is she here?”

“Yes,” his mother said. She was wearing his calculative face. Which meant she had something in mind that needed execution. Jaehyun tensed up, but didn’t show it. “We were talking and she suggested something.”

Ah, there it is, Jaehyun thought.

“Honey,” his mother said. “She… said something about you gaining more allies and supporters.”

“Do we need more, mother? I mean, more than half the Pride is rooting for us.”

“But your uncle’s bastard has a chance, too,” she said, frowning. “He is looking to returning to Raisel very soon.”

Jaehyun stiffened. “Is he now?”

“Yes. Your uncle said so. And I worry that the Pride might be deem him worthier than you. He already has an heir and he is older than you, more experienced.”

“It isn’t my fault I was born years younger than him,” Jaehyun grumbled.

“No, it isn’t,” she kissed his temple. “I won’t… ask you of this if this weren’t completely necessary.”