※ Chapter 13 ※

A month after settling in Mingluan, in a breezy afternoon, Sulli and Dama Xiuqin are gathering food on the lakeshore. Dama carefully collects stems of edible hogweed and lays them in her basket as Sulli refills two large water jugs.

"Sulli, I see some feverfew growing near the tree," Dama says as Sulli puts the jug down. Leaving the heavy water jugs on the shore, she heads toward the tree line to gather the herbs Dama points out. But as she leans down to collect them...

"What do we have here?"

She looks up to see an enormous man, as tall as a horse, but thicker, much more muscular. He grimaces, revealing a line of dagger-like incisors. He has monobrow, curved sharp fingernails and lowset ears. His torn outfit is covered in dirt and mud. A grisly snarl rolls out from between his sharp, big teeth, rumbling across the clearing like a prolonged crack of thunder. It doesn't take her long to understand the man isn't really a man. He's something stronger, darker, supernatural.

He circles Sulli as Sulli reaches inside her hanfu for the knife that Antares gave her. Watching his movements, she ducks under

him and slashes with her knife, aiming for the side of his arm. The knife connects, leaving a line of blood as he steps back quickly. He's not overpowered, but he froze in shock because he didn't see this coming. Taking the advantage of the moment, she jumps up and tries to escape into the trees.

"Sulli!"

She turns around to see Dama Xiuqin prone on the lakeshore, scrambling backward, legs and hands beneath her, trying to get out of the creature's grip. He hoists her to shoulder, ignoring the kicks she rains on his back.

"Old, but quiet fleshy. This one looks like a price worth taking," he growls, laughing devilishly. His voice isn't anything like a human. It's like a dark echo through an empty hole down his throat.

Color drops from Sulli's face. The monster bares out his dirty teeth that stinks of blood and flesh, biting into her skin, tearing it apart. She screams in horror as blood drips off of her. Sulli pales. Her feet feels shaky. She has heard alot but she's never seen anything like this before. She may have learned enough to escape someone's grip, but she can't fight that beast and protect Dama. She closes her eyes and starts to recite prayers. She prays for a miracle, her heartbeat increasing..

Yifan's POV »☆●

"Get your fucking hands off my mom!"

I growl dangerously loud as Tao and I burst in from the trees behind Sulli. Her legs sag in relief as she sees us but my blood is fucking boiling in the sight before me. I burn so fucking bad in anger I feel like I might fucking burst.

"Release her, NOW!" I roar as everyone including that fucker flinches.

"He's here! I gotta report!" His eyes go wide. He drops mom down from his shoulder and I see her eyes roll up as she goes limp. Blood trickles through her hair.

He takes off into the trees and Tao starts to follow. As Tao runs after him, the guy transforms into something unworldly. His knees reverse direction and bones shift. His face contorts as long muzzle extends out in front of him. He falls forward onto his hands and feet, that now turned into paws. He lets out a loud howl as the dark fur sprouts from his body.

"Taozhu, stop! Dama needs our help," Sulli warns. With great effort, Tao stops, letting the beast disappear into the trees.

I run to mom's side. My eyes trickle with tears, "Mom? Mom! Wake up mom.." I stroke her face and she groans, but doesn't open her eyes.

I lift her gently, my heart fills with an intolerable heaviness. I'm not letting something happen to her, "Help me get her back to camp. Her safety is more important than going after whatever the fuck that thing was."

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Sehun's POV »☆●

"Gege?"

"Gege!"

I mutter a curse under my breath when I hear someone yelling in a singsong voice over me. I open my eyes to see my sister Rosy smiling brightly at me.

"Has anyone ever told you how embarrassing you sound when you say that word?" I look outside through the window with my eyes still half closed. Even the sun didn't rise yet. I groan turning to her, "And what the fuck do you want at this hour?"

"You forgot? It's your birthday! Twentieth, I may add," she giggles.

"So?" I yawn.

"So? So we've a grand celebration beginning at sunrise which is in an hour, and you're still sleeping!" she crosses her arms.

Shit..

Today is that day.

I ruffle my hair in frustration but not because of the grand celebration, which I do hate but I'm used to it as I've endured nineteen other events like this being the Alpha's son. My frustration is because today I'm supposed find that extra person.

"Get ready and come downstairs," Rosy prompts me and leaves the room.

With a sigh, I roll out of my bed unwillingly and prepare myself for the day. The headache from late night hunts begin to wear off.

As soon as I head downstairs, mom comes running and hugs me like she thought I died in sleep and can't believe I woke up. I didn't sleep that much.

"Happy birthday son! Ready to find your mate?" she smiles. I shake my head. I'm really not. The idea of spending the rest of my life with someone, caring for them and protecting them from danger - that's so embarrassing.

I hope if I happen to find my mate today, it doesn't turn out as bad as I'm imagining. I'm gonna lose my shit if I'm told I've to spend my life with a she-wolf, specially from our pack.

Mom is human so there's a hope my mate will be too. But that's not vastly better either. Mom is extremely embarrassing. I can just hope all humans aren't like that.

I don't really know what humans are like as I haven't seen many. But I don't think I like a female from any species. In childhood, I was a little different. Still allergic of females but Rosy didn't seem as embarrassing as she does now. I used to be close to her. I had a female friend too who was royalty.

"Where's dad?" I look around. He's not here.

Mom's expression dulls, "Your dad won't be at celebration today. He's been busy with-"

"I understand," I stop her. I know the risk our pack is at and dad is trying his best to protect it. The pack safety is more important than this. In fact, I'm mad that I'm not out there helping dad but celebrating my stupid birthday.

The festival begins at sunrise. I step outside where everyone's waiting for me and they all bow as I walk past them.

I stride towards Luhan and Linyi, Amy stands behind Luhan. Luhan smiles and wishes me. Linyi does too. Amy stares at me intensely. She always stares at me, that's nothing new but there's something different now. She looks way more concentrated and way more embarrassing. She smiles and breathes heavily when I reach her.

I stop before her, "Are you constipated?" I ask.

Her brows furrow in confusion. Luhan and Linyi breaks out laughing. She grits her teeth and snarls angrily. Then she comes forward, pulls me down and kisses me. I didn't see that coming.

She pulls back and stares at me again expectantly, "Do you feel mate bond with me now?"

What can I do to get it in her broken skull that I'm not interested in her? Why's she so determined to believe one day I'll magically feel connected to her? She shouldn't have dared to touch me and she kissed me in front of so many people. I can get her killed for this but she's Luhan's sister and he's my only friend in the entire world.

I walk around to greet everyone. Against my will, I get engaged with the celebration and people. Arranging the festival this year was harder because we had to be careful humans don't find out about it. There's a lot of traditions in our birthdays that might be unusual to humans, like curving lines to the symbol in our chest with a hot needle, signifying our loyalty to the pack for another year.

After a long period of socializing, I get exhausted. The whole day passes and celebration ends, but I don't find her. I don't feel her presence or catch her scent.

As the sun goes down, I sigh in relief. Two reasons. One, everyone's leaving. I'll be in peace again. Two, probably I'm mateless. It's not like there's no chance I'll find a mate after my twentieth birthday but I cherish the possibility she might not exist.

I head back towards my house when I see Amy standing at the doorway. "Move," I growl low in warning. I don't wanna create a scene.

She whimpers, "Sehun I'm sorry. I just wanted to be your mate because I-"

I cut her off, "Listen, I'm already sick of this mate burden. If it was you, I would've rather died."

Her eyes fill with tears but I smirk because it worked. She moves away. I go inside my house and change my clothes into something comfortable. I plop on my bed, gripping my hair. The headache is again getting sharp.

Someone clears their throat and I see Rosy standing on my door, again. A cup of tea in her hand.

"Did mom never teach you how to knock doors?" I roll my eyes.

"Ungrateful!" She walks in with a smile, "I noticed you had a headache so I made you some hot tea."

I take the cup from her hands and smile. I badly needed this. I call her tea magic-tea because it always helps with headaches, fever or even dull joint pains. There's at least this one thing she's very good at.

"So.." she sits next to me, "No luck finding her?"

I take a sip of the tea, "Fortunately, nope."

She grins, "She probably ran away in anger seeing what happened back there. Is Amy a good kisser?"

I put the cup down and glare at her, "I'm already in a bad mood. Do you really need to remind..that?"

She smirks playfully, "I won't ever stop bullying you for that."

With great disgust, I groan at her and stand up. I need some time away from people. All people. Completely alone.

I walk out of the house, striding towards the forest. As I reach the middle of the forest, I shift into my wolf form and run deeper inside. I need to release my frustration. The touch of the wind when I run super fast makes my head feel lighter.

As I'm running, I suddenly feel alert and my body tenses in attention.

Something isn't right.

I stop in my tracks and whip my head when I figure out what's wrong. There's a scent of a vampire coming from behind me.

And I was right. I see a vampire standing in front of me with an evil grin on his face.

I jump towards him, baring my teeth and growling at him viciously so he wouldn't think I'm afraid of him. I lunge forward, he takes a hurried step back. But suddenly shoves his hands into my chest with the force of a battering ram, tossing me off. My body hurtles backward, and I land hard on my back, bruising my spine.

A rush of adrenaline shoots through me, spurring me into action. I force myself to jump up, ignoring the ache in my back. I lunge towards him again, but he launches himself on my back, his hard-as-stone body slamming down on my bruised spine. I yelp in agony as my back bows. I'm already tired from running and dizzy from socializing. Now with this broken back, I've no strength to fight back. He wraps his arms and legs around my flank and squeezes, his arms tightening till my ribs start to crack. I feel the bones fracture with a loud crunch.

I accept defeat and lay there, motionless. He rips open his mouth, baring his glistening fangs. He's gonna kill me. I'll die on my birthday.

Suddenly, a girl lunges toward him with a stake in her hand, her face covered in a veil. He races toward her. She simply ducks low forward momentum was enough to drive the stake deep into his chest and pierce his heart. His face contorts as she twists and pushes the stake deeper.

I watch her, mesmerized by her strength. Her eyes are all that I can see as her face is covered. Victory glint is visible in her eyes.

I'm badly in pain. Before I can mindlink dad, I'm consumed by darkness.

The last thing I see is an angel with beautiful eyes standing above me.

To Be Continued »☆●