Never Again

VII

"Cale-ah... we need to take Rok-Hyung back to the dark continent."

Alarmed, the child vigorously shook his head, "if... you take him... take me with you..."

They know they can't... Deruth still had the last say in this matter.

"I waited for Hyung... but he didn't come... Hyung just came... can't he stay? If not, I'll stay with him!"

**

It was a selfish request that Lee Soo Hyuk couldn't refuse. The child looked so desperate.

"if... if Hyung's not here... I'll be left alone again."

Lee Soo Hyuk gritted his teeth, trying to stop being emotional from the child's outburst. Cale must've waited for Kim Rok Soo even though he broke his promises.

"no one wants me here... everyone wants me away!"

Everyone can see how the child holds onto Lee Soo Hyuk's sleeve.

"Hyung's the only one who said sorry to me... Hyung's the only one who never broke his promise..."

Those heartfelt tears made Lee Soo Hyuk's decisions waver.

"I don't want to be alone in that room again!!!"

*BANG!*

The guest room's doors opened. A disheveled Kim Rok Soo came out. His eyes were half black and gold, meaning – this rut would stop. Choi Jung Soo must have fed him with medicine.

Cale stood up and run to Kim Rok Soo. The older man took him in his arm and looked around.

"Hyung-nim." His gaze pointed towards Lee Soo Hyuk.

"I know..." Lee Soo Hyuk let out a sigh and watched how Kim Rok Soo took the child in. Cale was crying so hard now. It'll be hard to tear them apart now.

"Count Henituse..."

Too good he prepared some betrothal letter beforehand. The count looked at it and said, "he is a child."

"We know... but knowing that the county cannot protect him anymore, the Dark Continent won't turn its gaze away now... never..." His voice didn't sound like some older man.

"but this is..."

"but you're going to send him to the palace?" Lee Soo Hyuk had his ways to know everything.

Deruth couldn't reply.

"the alpha he'll be with is around his age."

"but his fated one is with him, right now, and the person who protected him..." Lee Soo Hyuk pointed it out. "We will take the child... back to our land..."

That finality left no retort for Deruth. He just stared at the betrothal letter and trembled.

"you married your fated one now... doing so, you ignored that child..." Lee Soo Hyuk continued, "he's not happy, living like this in this place... this is not a home for him..."

Deruth breathes and lets out a sigh.

"I understand..."

The people of the County were shocked and stunned by this development. They were hoping for some queen coming from the duchy but it seems that the Dark Continent has set themselves to go into war for a child.

"thank you for understand, Lord Henituse."

Lee Soo Hyuk finally turned and gave the order, "prepare to return to the Dukedom!"

"yes, Hyung-nim!"

**

A day after, the people from the dark continent and Cale would leave the county. Deruth understood that he didn't have the right to speak for his son. He just chose to prepare all sorts of things for him. The thing's he couldn't give him. The attention he couldn't spare him. He gave them all even when Cale is not looking at him.