The Werewolf Next Door | WangXian

Chapter 10 - Lan Zhan's Sad

There facing Lan Zhan covered in sweat, stood Nie Mingjue. Lan Zhan didn't know much about Nie Mingjue, but whatever little Xichen had told him, Lan Zhan came to the conclusion that the two are lovers, and they've been lovers for quite a while.

However, Lan Zhan's concerns lie inside Nie Mingjue's arms. There an unconscious Xichen lay, lifeless, a nasty gash spread across Lan Xichen's chest underneath the shredded clothes that still clung onto him. His face told a different story - it looked unrecognizable. If Lan Zhan's not a werewolf, he probably wouldn't even recognize his own brother. On the left side of Xichen's face were sliced open by a werewolf's claw, ugly and unpleasant to watch.

Before Lan Zhan could register what was happening, Nie Mingjue already pushed past him, heading inside without so much of a peep. Lan Zhan followed.

Lan Xichen was rushed to the nearest room - a guest room beside the one where Jiang Cheng slept.

Lan Xichen looked bad, possibly near death. Lan Zhan panicked, he didn't want to seem weak in front of Mingjue, but his trembling hands and haggard breath gave him away. When his older brother was placed on the bed, Lan Zhan rushed by his side, and only then did Lan Zhan finally find his voice.

"What happened?" Lan Zhan touched at his older brother's face, removing the blood-soaked hair that's been sticking to Lan Xichen's forehead. "Who did this?"

Nie Mingjue sighed. 

Nie Mingjue didn't want to come here, but he had no other choice. Xichen wouldn't be too pleased once he woke up - when he wakes up. Nie Mingjue was well aware of that. He had put Lan Zhan at risk. Xichen would be furious, but it was a risk Mingjue was willing to take. After all, his Xichen came first. 

"We were attacked," Nie Mingjue eventually said, "your brother, he didn't want you to know. It wasn't supposed to happen this way."

Lan Zhan removed his hand, "know what?" Lan Zhan sounded relaxed, a little too calm, but the white knuckles from his balled fist, and chip from gritting his teeth too much, said otherwise.

Nie Mingjue walked up, putting a hand against his lover's bloody forehead, "for the past few months, we were at war with another pack," Nie Mingjue said, "an alpha pack." Lan Zhan gasped, Nie Mingjue continued, "I supposed you've heard of them by now, the Shuang (frost) pack. Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and that bastard Xue Yang. They attacked us three months ago while we were home with the others. They deemed us a threat, afraid our pack would turn stronger than them, they killed Jin Guangyao, took -" Recalling those painful memories, a tear fell, Nie Mingjue quickly wiped it, "took his head clean off, he was sleeping, he didn't even know. Those bastards will pay. Xichen and I have been tracking them ever since then, we lost them, I called him back when I got news of their whereabouts, but they beat us to it. They were waiting -" 

Nie Mingjue's voice cracked, so he said no more. With a sharp exhale, the veins on his hand bulged, a dark liquid flowed, and a hiss fell from Nie Mingjue's lips. The older male watched as the tension on Lan Xichen's face eased, then he smiled - a small smile, but it was a smile nonetheless. Nie Mingjue glanced toward Lan Zhan, but Lan Zhan's sadden face never left his brother's own.

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When morning reached, Jiang Cheng had awakened Wei Ying. A pillow smacking against his older brother's head was all it took for Wei Ying to jolt alert with a startle. "Jiang Cheng!" Wei Ying complained, rubbing at his forehead, "why did you do that for?"

Jiang Cheng tsked, turning his back on his annoying brother, "It's late, get up, I'm going to school, and since you're suspended, expect notes. I'll message them to you on lunch break, and they better be written in your book when I get back."