Kieran vs Xiao Jun

"Why quiet, huh?!" Jun snaps.

"I didn't just show up," Kieran says sharply, his voice carrying the bite of authority. "I've been searching for years. Do you have any idea how hard it is to track someone with no leads? No records? I finally found him, and now that I have, I'm not letting him slip away again."

Jun glares at him, his fists clenched at his sides. "You're lying," he says, though the conviction in his voice falters slightly. "If you're really his uncle, where's your proof? Show me something. Anything."

Kieran steps closer, his towering presence forcing Jun to tilt his head up to meet his gaze. "I don't need to prove anything to you," he says, his voice low and dangerous. "But if you really care about Ace, you'll stop fighting me, go back and let me handle this. I'll find him, And I'll inform you , I'll also let him decide what comes next."

Jun's eyes narrow, his stubborn resolve flaring to life. "No. I'm not going anywhere without him. You think I'd just walk away and leave him with someone who dragged him off like that? Who's feeding me stories about being his uncle? Forget it."

Kieran clenches his fists, his wolf bristling at the boy's defiance. But he forces himself to take a step back, knowing that pushing Jun too hard will only make things worse.

"Fine," he says, his tone clipped. "Stay if you want. But if you're staying, you're following my rules. You don't interfere, you don't question my decisions, and you don't step out of line. Understood?"

Jun hesitates, his gaze flickering with suspicion, but he finally nods. "I'll stay. But don't think for a second that I'm just going to sit around and wait."

Kieran ignores that walking away in the hallway and Xiao Jun follows closely, ready for anything.

Kieran's patience is thins fast as Jun continues to trail him through the mansion, his persistence like an itch Kieran can't scratch.

The young man's footsteps are loud, deliberate, and unrelenting.

Kieran needs some alone time , to think , to figure things out , to scold himself for being so blind, but Jun is not giving him that space to do it.

Kieran abruptly stops, spinning around to face Jun. His expression is sharp, his irritation barely concealed.

"This place is massive, you know." Kieran snaps. "Help yourself. Explore. But stop following me like a shadow!"

Jun crosses his arms, his glare unwavering. "I don't trust you. How do I know you won't just disappear the second I stop watching you? I'm not being left out of this."

Before Kieran can fire back, a figure steps into the hallway from the shadows ahead, her quiet, purposeful steps drawing both their attention.

Lila.

Kieran's heart skips a beat, his body tensing involuntarily.

His wolf stirs uneasily as memories of Ace's warnings about her flash through his mind.

She looks different—her face pale, eyes slightly shadowed, and her usually composed demeanor frayed at the edges.

She has stayed all night trying to figure out her dark magics and now she's ready to execute them tonight.

For the first time, Kieran feels like something is truly off about her.

He doesn't speak, doesn't move. He just watches her with intent eyes as she approaches, her gaze shifting between him and Jun.

Jun, however, doesn't miss a beat. "So this is your wife or something ?" he asks with a smirk, gesturing toward Lila. "She looks creepy enough to be the reason Ace ran without even looking back."

Lila's head snaps toward Jun, her expression darkening.

The frustration she's been trying to contain all night boils over. "What did you just say?" she demands, her voice sharp and edged with disbelief.

Jun raises an eyebrow, unfazed by her anger. "I said Ace ran. Packed up, disappeared. Poof. You know—gone, and I can't help but think you are behind that." he says, his tone deliberately flippant.

Lila's eyes narrow, and for a moment, her fury is palpable. "Ran?" she repeats, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "How is that possible!?"

Kieran watches her closely, his wolf on edge.

The way she spits Ace's name, the tension in her shoulders—it's all too familiar, too telling.

Ace's warnings echo louder now, and all Kieran can think is how right Ace might have been about her.

Lila's focus shifts abruptly to Kieran. Her gaze sharpens, "Kieran, we need to find him, we need to find him right now , you know how dangerous he is!"

Jun doesn't flinch. "Dangerous?!"

Kieran turns and walks away without a word, without answering her, his footsteps heavy and deliberate.

He doesn't trust himself to stay in her presence and listen to her any longer.

Jun immediately follows, his pace quick to keep up, leaving Lila standing alone in the hallway, her frustration simmering. "What does she mean , Ace is dangerous?!"

Xiao Jun can't stop asking Kieran who ignore him.

When they reach the main hall, Kieran signals to the guards stationed near the entrance. They move to attention instantly, awaiting his orders.

Before Kieran can speak, the sound of heavy footsteps fills the room. He looks up as two figures stride into view, their presence commanding.

The elders.

The older of the two steps forward, his expression severe. "You're late, Alpha." he says, his tone calm but laced with disapproval. "We've been waiting for you to bring the boy. Or have you forgotten the importance of this?"

Jun looks between Kieran and the elders, his confusion evident. "What boy? What are they talking about? Alpha?!" he asks, his voice sharp.

Kieran doesn't respond, his jaw tightening as the elder's words hang in the air.