Divergent

Once Ender leaves, which was going to happen soon if Amelia kept looking at him like that, he sure as hell was going to give her an earful. During his time with Ender, he had noticed how sensitive the latter was and with the way Amelia was throwing questions at him combined with the weird look she was giving, Ender must be feeling uncomfortable.

He hadn't eaten much and he was fidgeting where he sat while his soon-to-be 'mate' stuffed his mouth with food. Kai tsked in annoyance, that man - Max, didn't seem like a good person. The last night when he crashed at Ender's front door, he was stinking and all Kai wanted was to punch right in his face and make sure he never got close to Ender again. But then Ender had held his face and he had been speaking to the other man in such a soft voice, Kai assumed that maybe…maybe Ender liked him back. And although that had hurt, Kai thought it was much better than them both being together.

Because oh, that would be disastrous.

When Ender asked for the washroom, he was pulled out of his reverie and he immediately stood up in hopes of finding Ender alone and maybe apologizing for Amelia's behavior but that clingy guy followed and Kai kept his distance.

Out there in the city, the stark difference between their lives was palpable but here, watching Ender in his part of the world, the wolf-ish part of him began overpowering his conscience. Kai sighed, nope, his decision was made. Staying away was the best for both of them.

"How does your aunt have a TV if there's no power supply in this area?"

He was so lost in thoughts that he almost missed the question Ender asked. Power supply? Goddess! How was he supposed to explain that?

"I uh-" he stuttered, mind running a mile thinking of reasons he could give but Amelia came to his rescue and he took a breath of relief. And before he could say anything more, Max interrupted them, saying he wanted to leave and eventually Ender agreed.

This is it, Kai thought. This will be the end of it all.

He remembered how he used to daydream about meeting his mate. As he grew up and saw the mated wolves in and around their pack, he would make up scenarios in his head all day. He even planned what courting gifts he would give, how he would build a bigger cabin for them, of laying down with his beloved mate in his arms and finally….finally get some peaceful sleep.

Yet here he was, pushing away the dream he'd been praying for. This definitely wasn't the way he 'dreamed' it to be. This right here was a harsh reality he wasn't prepared to face, would never be able to accept or even if he did, their world would never approve of it.

The shards of his broken heart still stabbed him and letting Ender go seemed the most logical thing he could do right now yet there was no denying the natural 'pull' he felt toward the other. It was faint, it lingered there in the background like an unhealed wound, Kai refused to acknowledge it, thinking that if he ignored it, it will fade out, and heal over time But now as he realized Ender - his mate; was truly leaving along with the fact that there might not be another chance for them to meet, the wound throbbed, and made its presence felt.

Kai took a few deep breaths, he can do this, he has to do this. He walked in to retrieve one of the carvings he did. He had initially made it for Lara and had kept it here so he could give it some finishing touches. The situation was different now and besides, he wanted to give Ender something he could keep as a memento.

"Something for you to remember"

He smiled as he watched Ender hold it in his hands.

"It's beautiful Kai, thank you. You made this?"

And Kai had the sudden urge to be close to the other, the carving was supposed to be one of the courting gifts, and Ender had accepted it. The acceptance of the courting gift meant everything and nothing at the same time, contradictory just like their bond.

He gently took the latter's hand in his own, "Don't worry okay? Nothing will happen to you here, I promise." although he indirectly was rejecting the bond, this was one promise he would keep. Even if it meant going out there in the concrete jungle and taking out anything that troubled Ender.

"So this is where we part ways huh?" Ender bit his lips Kai's eyes followed the movement, "You know, I never got to see the Rainbow falls, maybe I'll visit again before leaving"

"Let me know when you come and I'll show you around. There are much better places here than the ones you humans always visit" He slipped. Again. But it won't matter anymore. Ender would leave in a few moments and forget him, like some scenery he saw in the passing which would only become a memory that might even fade out over the years.

"Humans? What are you? Some alien on earth?"

"What if I am?" Kai said, deadly serious now but the latter just brushed it off as a joke. Oh, only if Ender knew what he truly was. He wouldn't be laughing like this, he would probably run away screaming.

As Ender giggled, that wound throbbed again, and the proximity between him and his mate triggered him. Just for a moment, a tiny moment, Kai gave in to that primal need to have his mate close and engulfed Ender in a tight hug. Relief coursed through his veins as he subtly breathed in his mate's scent, and held it in his lungs as if he could keep it from escaping.

"Some paths are meant to be crossed but they are never meant to be. I'm sorry, Ender" He gasped a little when he felt Ender's arms come around his waist, squeezing a little.

"Since when did you start talking in puzzles?"

Kai dared to press his lips on the latter's head, a farewell kiss, before stepping back. "Go, he's waiting for you" and nudged a confused-looking Ender toward the car. "Farewell. My Moon" he whispered as he felt the throbbing again. This time it hurt, like the wound was festering and spreading all over his body.

Once the car was out of sight, Kai staggered, he had to hold on to the railing for support.

"Kai! Are you alright?" A worried Amelia rushed towards him.

It hurt to be away from his mate, now that he knew he had one but it didn't hurt as much as he anticipated. Ender was just a human, their bond, which Kai still struggled to believe as a mating bond; was a weak one. He stumbled down the stairs while Amelia ran after him.

"Where are you going kid?"

"I need to see him off." he grunted, "Make sure he gets out safe"

He ran across the clearing into the nearby thicket. There was a cracking sound as he shifted, the clothes he previously wore, torn to shreds. Kai bolted into the trees, a flash of white in the thick woods. He slowed down only when the car came into view, the proximity soothing the ache he felt mere moments ago. Goddess knows how much pain he might have to endure since he indirectly rejected a bond. He had seen wolves going crazy, had seen some of them give up on life itself when they lost their true mates.

But his case was different, it was one-sided, and since he was bonded to a human, who knows? Maybe the bond was weak and maybe he won't have to endure excruciating pain.

The car was moving slowly thus it became easier for him to follow. When the treeline became thicker, Kai dared to move closer to the road, it was hard to see much due to the windows being up but he saw the way Ender threw the figurine at Max. Was the other guy troubling him? Or maybe it was just him imagining things and they both were just having fun.

When Kai glanced in their direction again, he saw the way Ender had curled up against the window, clutching the little figurine and it made his hackles rise. His eyes were so glued to what was happening inside the car that he completely missed the new scents and sounds until they moved closer.

No, he can't have other wolves anywhere near Ender. His eyes scanned the surroundings while he sniffed the air, trying to decipher the scent. It could be someone from their pack searching for him. Reluctantly, Kai dashed into the woods. He kept running parallel to the road though, refusing to let the car out of sight but he kept a good distance. The scents became stronger and when Kai didn't hear anything back while he attempted to communicate with his pack members through the mental link, his heart filled with dread.

Were these rogues?

He heard the growls then, there were many of them although he couldn't see them yet. Kai changed his direction, if these were rogues, he had to lead them away from his mate. But suddenly a wolf leaped on him, knocking him to the ground. Kai was caught off guard yet he regained his composure quickly and snapped his fangs near the other wolf's throat.

They rolled on the ground and since the ground was sloping downwards, they were rapidly moving closer to the road while Kai desperately struggled to push off the other. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw four more wolves running in their direction.

Rogues aren't supposed to form groups, they are crazed wolves that have to be put down eventually. But these wolves, just like the last ones he had encountered seemed to have a grudge against him, which was completely unfeasible.

Kai tried to get his feet under him but the steep slope made it impossible for them to stop tumbling headlong toward the main road. His back hit the ground and his teeth rattled with the impact, bright lights hit his eyes blinding him for a moment. Kai realized, with growing dread that they were out on the road. The rogue wolf above him became temporarily distracted due to the lights from the car and Kai took it as his chance as he sank his fangs into the other one's flank, making him howl in pain.

He swiftly moved from under him to go and stand in front of the car. He glanced back at Ender and saw the fear in his eyes, it made his blood boil. Kai growled viciously at the wolfs who were closing in.

He didn't know how many rogues there were but he swore he won't let them live to see another sunrise. They were going to be dead meat.