As soon as Han Jisung rounded the bend that took him out of sight from the bus stop, he let out a relieved sigh and slumped against the brick wall. Stupid, stupid! He ran a hand down his face and sighed into his palm. He peered around the corner and saw that human – Minho – sitting at the bus stop, staring aimlessly at the sky.
He blew out a quick breath and shook his head. That was stupid, you could've revealed yourself to that human. He peeked back at him, blinking slowly. He would've died otherwise. Something in him recoiled at that. As he studied the human's face, his eyes narrowed slightly; he almost looked... familiar.
He shook his head; that was impossible. He'd hardly ever been in the city before, especially not this one. The bus soon came, and he disappeared from view. As soon as the bus left, Jisung was once again hit with the putrid smell of the city, and he wrinkled his nose.
"I should get back to the pack," he said softly, under his breath as he gripped the backpack strap thrown across his shoulder. He had what he'd been sent to get, and the sooner he brought it back to the pack, the better. He hitched it up higher on his shoulder and disappeared down the side alley.
~#~#~#~#~#~
Nobody intercepted him when he crossed the border between the human lands and the Sun pack's territory. They knew his wolf by scent and sight by now, and it would've been a waste to check him. He carried his backpack delicately in his mouth, careful not to damage its contents.
It had taken him a little longer than usual to reach the packhouse because of what he carried, and now the moon was perched high in the sky, but at least he'd made it quickly enough. When the packhouse came into view, he stopped in a patch of trees and shifted back into his human form.
He opened the backpack and quickly pulled out the clothes he'd stuffed in it earlier, and slipped them on. He ran a hand through his hair before he trudged up the steps and entered his home.
The meeting room was crowded with his pack members, some talking casually between one another, others staring straight ahead with their arms crossed, expressions grim. He couldn't blame them for being anxious; the war was only getting worse, and it wouldn't be long before they couldn't hide anymore.
The other Allied Packs were buying them time to figure out what it was, exactly, that the Vampire King was looking for. They'd come to the general consensus that it was a secret weapon of some sorts, something strong enough to destroy them all.
They didn't have long to get to the bottom of it anymore.
"Jisung!" His head snapped up as his name was called, and he barely had the time to move out of the way when someone came hurtling towards him with supernatural speed. Though, everyone in this room had that speed; in their human forms, they weren't quite as fast as vampires, but still far quicker than any human.
"Felix?" He cocked an eyebrow as his eyes travelled to a strange clump of... something in his hair. "What's that?" He pointed to his own head, and Felix scrambled to remove whatever it was.
"Dammit," he groaned, throwing his head back in exasperation. "Cookie dough." He glared when Jisung opened his mouth. "Don't ask." The two were interrupted by a third wolf joining their ranks.
"Oh, hey, Hyunjin!" Felix chirped, and the black-haired boy returned the greeting as they exchanged high-fives. Hyunjin's eyebrows furrowed and he leaned in closer to Felix. The blonde boy shrank away slightly, but Hyunjin simply grabbed his chin, forcefully turning his head to the side.
"Um, this is kinda awkward, can you like, not?" Felix's words were slurred due to his pursed lips – a direct result of Hyunjin squeezing his cheeks together.
Hyunjin frowned. "You have something in your hair." Felix wrenched his chin out of his friend's grip and massaged it, shooting him a glare. Under his friends' inquiring – and unwavering – gazes, he sighed and caved.
"I was just having a food fight in the kitchen with my roommate," he mumbled, but their sharp wolf ears picked up on it. They both burst out laughing, and a red tint rose on Felix's cheeks. "I was called in so suddenly that I didn't have the chance to wash my hair properly." Another moment passed. "Stop laughing!"
"I still don't know how you can live in the human city." Jisung's nose wrinkled at the mere thought of the city stench. Hyunjin nodded his agreement with a dramatic shudder.
Felix shrugged, face blank. "I think I went nose-blind, not gonna lie." The three wolves snickered when a wave of silence rushed over the gathered pack members. Jisung looked up and clasped his hands behind his back when Alpha Kim Dongwook stepped forward, his face set in stern concentration.
"Jisung," he said, and the boy startled slightly before he bowed his head.
"Yes, Alpha?" All the pack members' eyes were on him now.
"Do you have the book?" He nodded again, and walked forward, handing the backpack to him. The Alpha nodded back at him, a very slight nod, but his eyes shone with pride. When he stepped back again, Alpha Dongwook opened it, reaching inside the bag and pulling out an old, dusty book written in an old language nobody in the room could speak or read.
The Alpha turned it over in his hands, an apprehensive frown tugging at his lips. "Aeyoung, Kyungchul, go to the Westwood Coven and ask for Grand Wizard Moonsoo. Quickly, now." The two wolves nodded with a bow and rushed out the door.
"The rest of you," he turned back to the room, "keep an eye out and an ear peeled. Although it is highly likely the Vampire King was after this book, we cannot know for certain until Great Wizard Moonsoo tells us what is written inside."
He turned to two other wolves and handed them the book. "To the cellar, in the silver safe." They both nodded and ran off. The crowd in the room slowly dispersed, and Jisung waved to his friends before following the Alpha out of the room.
"Well done, boy. I knew you could do it." The Alpha turned to give him a small smile, and Jisung grinned in response.
"Thank you, Alpha." Dongwook waved him off with a shake of his head.
"You know you don't have to call me Alpha." Jisung nodded his acknowledgement. He did know that, but it felt strange not to when everybody else did. He didn't want any special treatment.
The Alpha's home was in the very center of the pack village, and all Jisung was looking forward to was climbing into his bed and sleeping; his eyes were already beginning to droop. When the house – larger than most – came into view, his pace quickened slightly.
Dongwook laughed behind him; it was a deep, rumbling sound, and Jisung imagined his father's laugh would have been like that, too. If he hadn't died. Jisung quickly shook his head, blocking out the memories that accompanied the thought.
"Tired, boy?" the Alpha asked as Jisung slowed his pace again to match his. He nodded, and Dongwook shook his head with a small smile. "You won't have to wait much longer, then." When they walked up the steps leading onto the house's stoop, they paused at the sight of a dark figure standing in front of their door.
"Councillor Park, what a surprise." The councillor looked up at his Alpha and bowed his head.
"I must speak with you about a matter of great importance, Alpha. Though not one for the public to overhear." The Alpha sighed at that, but opened the door and let the two in before walking in himself.
From the look on his face, Jisung was sure he knew what Councillor Park had come to speak of, and Dongwook wasn't too happy about it. "Go sleep, now." Dongwook offered a small smile, and Jisung returned it.
"Goodnight." The Alpha echoed his farewell, and Jisung rushed up the stairs, eager to hop into his bed.
As he jumped onto his comfortable piece of heaven, teeth brushed and clad in his pyjamas, he distinctly heard Councillor Park's voice. If it were not for his enhanced hearing, he probably wouldn't have heard it at all.
"Alpha, it has already been more than a decade since the Luna passed. Do you not think it is time to find another?" he said, his voice hesitant. Dongwook growled at him in warning.
"We mate for life, or have you forgotten, Councillor? Just because she is no longer of this world..." He took a deep breath. "Just because she is no longer of this world, it does not mean that I will find another. She was my Moon, and she will forever be my Moon." His voice was harsh, and even Jisung flinched at the tone.
"But, Alpha– you are not getting any younger, and you need an heir–" Councillor Park's protest was evident. He believed in the traditional way of things, there was no question about it.
"I already have an heir." Dongwook's voice was flat, almost as though he'd repeated this to his councillors, time and time again. Jisung supposed he often had to.
"But he is not of your blood–" Once again Councillor Park was cut off.
"What does it matter if he is not of my blood? He is still my son. He is still a strong, capable warrior and an even stronger leader. Jisung will become Alpha of this pack when I am unable. I will not discuss this any further. It is final." Councillor Park sighed his defeat, murmuring a muffled farewell.
Soon enough the door to the house closed shut behind him. A grin spread over Jisung's face, and he snuggled under his blankets, eyes fluttering shut.
He'd been lucky, when Alpha Dongwook had found him that day in the woods.
A/N: I actually wrote 2/3 of this chapter yesterday, but then my dad was like "wAnNa WaTcH GaMe oF tHroNeS?" And I yeeted away from my laptop XD If anyone spoils a n y t h i n g I'll come for you-- I'm only at the beginning of season two 😂
Also I'm going to my trailer for the weekend (okay, it's more like every weekend), so uh, I'll probably write a lot, so on Monday there'll probably be a spam oop--
Q: In the past people were buried with the items they would need in the afterlife, what would you want buried with you so you could use it in the afterlife?
A: My laptop, duh. This sis ain't goin' nowhere without her stories XD
Lots of love,
~Junnie