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“Alpha…”
Chan tensed ever so subtly, his outward appearance doing nothing to betray him save for the slight tightening of his jaw. However, when he turned to face Changbin, his dark eyes flashed golden with controlled anger. He didn’t need to speak; his expression said enough.
You know better. You know better than to address me like that in this place. You know certainly better enough that right now is not the time to talk about it.
Of course, Changbin knew better. He was Chan’s right hand, the front man, courageous and bold, unwavering loyalty to the pack. But that didn’t stop him from being hard-headed and persistent to a fault.
“Hyung, tonight.” Changbin looked at him with equally dark eyes, although there was an air of caution about them.
After all, no one dared to risk angering the alpha.
“… Any word from Father?” Chan looked away graciously, his eyes moving to rest upon his Young Master across the field.
Master Felix was laughing, naïve and bright, at Master Chenle’s antics. And Chan’s golden eyes softened back into their normal shade of deep brown.
“Not yet.” Seungmin came beside him, quietly observing Felix with his melancholy expression.
“I’ll check in the afternoon. But whether they’re ready or not, it doesn’t matter… Tonight!” Changbin joined on Chan’s other side, boring his eyes into the alpha with fervor.
Chan had often been told he was too soft on his pack at times, allowing their questioning, opinions, and even defiance at times. But in his experience, greatness came from grace, and respect was earned through patience. The few times that truly mattered, he held his ground with decisions of finality that everyone obeyed. The rest of the time, he valued his pack members’ voices when it came to the pack.
“We don’t move until we have the confirmation.” Chan’s voice was stern.
This time was a time that truly mattered – one of the most essential moments in his life as well as the life of the pack. He was not going to make any rash decisions based upon the emotional volatility and restlessness of his pack.
“Hyung, it HAS to be tonight!”
Because it was the most essential moments in life, Changbin was pushing harder, swallowing back his fear to pressure the alpha.
“Tonight’s our best shot! Practically every single vamp in the Northern territory will be there!” The shorter wolf hissed.
“The full-moon also makes it ideal.” Seungmin agreed, his voice also low. “Hyung, it has to be today.”
If Changbin was the front of his right hand, Seungmin was the back – both equally important and part of the same role, assisting Chan with whatever he needed. The two brothers were different sides of the same coin, moving in unified synch in whatever they did. They were the members of his pack that Chan trusted the most. However, unlike his elder brother, Seungmin was more reserved in his opinions, proving his loyalty through obedience and complete submission. For Seungmin to speak up was unexpected, almost remarkable. But that was only to prove how crucial this moment was for the pack, for all of them. And how desperate they all were.
“Rushing into this is unwise. Recklessness is just as bad as stupidity.” Chan spoke sharply, keeping his gaze on Felix stubbornly.
“We’ve been careful for months! Recklessness-“
“Recklessness invites chaos. And chaos, adversity. Adversity, torment. And for us, torment is worse than death.” He abruptly cut Changbin off, turning away from Felix to walk into the opposite end of the garden.
“…We’re all dead anyways.” Changbin’s whisper caused Chan to freeze.
The alpha stopped, his blood running cold through his veins as if a vampire had gripped his arms. He slowly turned back to face the younger wolves. Seungmin’s face had twisted into a slight grimace, but it was Changbin’s expression that restored the heat in Chan’s blood. Changbin’s lips were curled into a sneer while his dark eyes were full of an emotion stronger than hatred or displeasure.
Grief.
It took all of Chan’s power to keep his expression neutral, to not distort his face or lunge for the younger. Had they been alone, Chan would have knocked him to the ground. And then after that, knocked some sense into the younger wolf, encouraged him, comforted him, reminded him… that this wasn’t the end. They weren’t going to die like this. Their lives wouldn’t amount to only this. However, they were not alone and they couldn’t afford to risk attracting extra attention at the moment so Chan turned away again, his eyes following the sound of a particularly bright giggle to land on the youngest member of the pack instead.
Yuna was with her human and vampire friends, laughing and chattering away, making her look like the youthful girl she actually. For once, she appeared so human and normal that he couldn’t help but smile. Chan and the others had done their best to limit her knowledge of the Pack’s matters. The less she knew, the safer she’d be.
Changbin seemed to have caught eye of where he was looking at, because he produced a new idea, one that Chan absolutely abhorred.
“Let’s use her, Hyung!” Changbin urged. “She can be our bait. She doesn’t know anything! Plus she’s half-human. If something goes wrong, they’ll let her off easy.”
It took all of Chan’s self-control not to strike the younger wolf to the ground, silent fury rising within him.
“So you’re telling me to give a suicide mission to the YOUNGEST member of the pack?” Chan’s eyes glowed golden once more, causing the other wolves to stir uncomfortably.
“I-I didn’t mean that-“
“Yuna is not to be involved! NONE of the younger members are to be involved! ‘Lest something happens to us. Am I clear?” His growl caused both wolves to avert their eyes and take a step back.
Chan was told that his growl was one of the most terrifying forms of discipline. Unlike other alphas, his discipline consisted of open rebukes and growls rather than beatings or maulings. However, that didn’t mean that his discipline was soft – his growl alone attracted attention of everyone, a display of sheer authority.
His growl was loud enough that it caught the attention of a few other wolves, some from his pack and others not. He stood up straighter, pasting a charming smile on his face as he bowed respectfully to the attendants around him. His pack members returned his bow uneasily while non-pack attendants narrowed their eyes in suspicion. Nevertheless, he kept his head high and turned to face the wolf brothers with a forced smile.
Seungmin slightly bowed his head in a show of submission and Changbin reluctantly followed suit. He stared them down, a smile on his lips while his eyes were hardened as they squirmed underneath his watchful gaze. Once he deemed appropriate, he turned away, choosing to look back to Master Felix across the way.
Felix was staring at him in confusion, but Chan was quick to give him a smile, which the younger vampire returned. Seeing those sparkling green eyes, wide with innocence and so trusting of him, produced slight discomfort in his stomach that he could never voice out loud.
“… Find out from Father.” Chan murmured, his voice as low as a whisper so that only the two wolves behind him could hear his words. “See if they’re ready.” He turned away from the Young Master to face them.
Changbin immediately stiffened, straightening up. He nodded his head to show he understood and Chan could see that the spark had returned to his eyes. With one last curt nod of his head, Chan turned his attention back to Felix, who as he anticipated, had already begun making his way towards him. Chan met him halfway, in the middle of the garden.
“Master.” Chan bowed his head to greet the vampire.
“Hyung…” Felix looked at him in naïve innocence. “Did something happen?”
“Your collar is crooked.” Chan reached out his hands to fix the vampire’s shirt, smiling evasively.
As always, Felix never noticed Chan’s smooth refusal to answer his questions.
“Oh, darn… It was probably Chenle!” Felix pouted, causing Chan to chuckle as he straightened out the rest of the vampire’s appearance.
The slight discomfort returned, but again, it was only slight discomfort.
Never mind that he had been taking care of the Young Master since they were both children; He disregarded that Master Felix practically relied on him for everything; He forgot the fondness that he felt about the Young Master.
Because nothing, absolutely nothing, could derail the operation, could convince Chan of another way. Because Chan was the alpha. And as the alpha, nothing was allowed more importance than the pack. Not even his innocent Young Master.
Chan listened patiently as his Young Master launched into exciting chatter about what he learned in the morning lessons as well as new tricks and tips his peers had shared with him. He kept the evasive smile on his face until the bell signaled the end of the lunch period.
“I’ll see you after.” Felix cheerful bid him good-bye.
“I’ll pick you up from your classroom.” Chan nodded.
“I know!” Felix giggled. “You always do!”
And like that, slight discomfort wasn’t slight anymore. Chan clenched his jaw, although the smile remained on his lips. He watched as the young vampire rushed into the building with his friends, cheerful laughter echoing from his lips as they chatted about meaningless things. It was only when he caught eyes with a vampire who stared at him with an odd expression, did he realize he had been staring far too long. After leveling a bow towards Master Hyunjin, who raised an eyebrow at him, Chan turned away and began making his way to the fields. As he walked, he felt an inexplicable rawness in his throat as he did his best to clamp down any unnecessary emotions.
Young Master...
I may not be here tomorrow.