#vampire junmyeon

[marshmallow-phd]

Genre: Regency Gothic AU

Pairing: EXO x Reader

Summary: A stormy night brought you to the manor in the middle of the woods. Nine strange men occupied its halls. They won't let you leave. A dangerous secret haunts this estate. Learning it might either be your saving grace or it could lead to the last breath you ever take.

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5

**

Lightning lit up the thin curtains covering the two small windows on either side of the carriage. Thunder rumbled and you felt it deep within your chest. Tugging your silk cloak closer, you closed your eyes and prayed that the driver would get you through the storm. There was no one to comfort you, to reassure you that a little rain and noisy sky wouldn't delay your journey.

Your father had insisted you take your sister or even a friend, but the two day’s journey didn’t  seem consequential enough to need a companion. Besides, what would they have done once you arrived? Your elderly aunt had only asked for you. From what you could decipher from her letter, she needed you to be a companion as she traveled to the southernmost coastal town. Apparently, it was now the ultimate fashion to travel to for the summer. Just the idea of rolling waves made your stomach churn. But what was worse was who else would be there–

The carriage jolted to the right. You spread out your arms, only barely catching yourself from falling to the floor. No sane person would have endured such dangerous weather. This storm had come from nowhere. Skies blue and cloudless as you had ever seen bid you farewell in the late morning. Most of the day's journey had been uneventful. Then the joyful light faded. Thunder shook the walls of the carriage. Rain pounded on the roof. When would you reach the inn? Bile rose up in your throat, burning the sensitive tissue as the carriage continued to rock violently. The horses neighed over the sounds of the storm. 

The carriage shifted hard to the left. And kept falling. You slammed into the door, nearly opening it with the force. You didn't know what was happening. The floor was now the wall and the wall the floor. A downward momentum made it impossible to stand. Screams ripped at your throat.

Then it stopped. 

The rain continued to pour and the thunder roared on but the carriage was still. Your legs wobbled as you slowly stood. With your palms, you pushed open the door. The thin wooden panel clapped against the outside of the carriage. Immediately you were pounded by the storm. Large drops pelted your face, obscuring your vision. It was dark. You could tell that much. And there were trees. In every direction. 

You climbed out of the carriage, calling for the driver. Your feet slipped in the mud, but you managed to keep your balance–for now. The mud was thick and sticky as you trudged to the front of the carriage.

 No. No, no, no. Both of the horses were gone. And so was the driver. Somehow, the carriage had fallen down a hill or ravine. With a storm this terrible, you needed to get to higher ground or risk possibly being carried away–or drowning. Clawing and digging your hands and feet into the soaked dirt, you climbed the hard incline back to the road. 

Once you could make out the road, you called for the driver again. No answer. He was nowhere to be found. You needed to find shelter. The storm gave no promise of letting up. You wouldn't survive the night in this forest, even if you went back into the carriage. The only choice was to find sanctuary. You stared in the direction you believed you came from. Nothing but trees and darkness. You turned to the other choice. All the same–wait. 

There was something... when lightning brightened up the sky. Your heart began banging in your ears. Spires, towers. Not trees. It was some distance away, but it was shelter nonetheless. 

With near tears in your eyes, you picked up your skirts–your fingers numb from the cold–and hurried towards the castle that could be your saving grace. 

*****

The manor was calm tonight. Odd, considering the amount of bodies roaming around these haunted halls. Only the beautiful storm outside and Chanyeol's sorrowful melody from the piano broke the silence. Jongin had draped himself over one of the arm chairs as he inspected the wine mixture within his goblet. The taste was… adequate. The cellar would need replenishing soon.

In the corner, a rather lax game of cards covered the small, round table. Minseok smirked at his winning hand. The faded wooden chips with bits of white painted around the edges were piling up in front of Yixing, who leaned back carelessly, sure of his next win. Little did either of them know that the youngest among them had a little... trick his sleeve. As the quickest, Sehun had perfected sleight of hand long ago. None had caught him yet.

A fire roared, coaling the usually gray and brown room in flickering orange. With how close he stood near the fireplace, Kyungsoo's silhouette was visible through his loose shirt. He leaned his palms on the mantel and let the warmth of the flames engulf him. Warmth was all they could feel after all these years. It could be an addiction so strong it was tempting to throw himself into the fire. 

Junmyeon joined him at the fireplace, leaning his shoulders against the brick. The bite of the edge hardly registered in his mind. Pain of that measure... it was only a ghost that had nearly crossed over. 

“Such strong thoughts for a night like this.”

Kyungsoo didn’t look from the fire, but raised a questioning eyebrow in response. 

Junmyeon shrugged a single shoulder. “I can’t read minds, but it's obvious you're turning something over more times than a praying rock.”

“It's the same thoughts,” Kyungsoo murmured in his strange, monotone voice. “Always the same thoughts.”

“One day you will have to let it go,” Junmyeon sighed. “This is our existence now. And forever will be.”

“Acceptance of the present doesn’t erase the past.”

“But it does make the present more enjoyable.” The red liquid sloshed against the rim of the goblet as Jongin draped an arm over Kyungsoo’s shoulders. He wore a mischievous smile. A clear indicator of his true intention. 

Junmyeon shook his head. “We’re not going out tonight. There’s nothing out and about in this storm.” Hunting in these conditions would wield no trophies. Tomorrow would be a better night. 

“Jun’s no fun tonight,” Jongdae teased as he and Baekhyun emerged from the hallway. 

“If you want to go out in this mess,” Junmyeon waved towards the front door. “Be my guest. Just don’t you dare get mud on the rug–”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Help! Please! Help!”

Nine pairs of eyes snapped to the echoing sound. None moved. 

Bang! Bang! 

BANG!

One of the double doors burst open and a figure fell to the floor, landing on its knees and palms. It looked up. A flash of lightning illuminated the face.

The face of a beautiful young girl. 

*****

Your knees vibrated when they hit the wooden floor. Water fell from your loose hair that clung to your cheeks. The chances of  the door opening when you pushed on the handle had been low–yet the barrier that kept you victim to the storm fell open and you crashed downward with it. 

Greeting you in this strange hall were several men, their jaws hanging open in a mirror of your own surprise. More men appeared from a side parlor, curious as to who dared intrude on their evening. One, two, three–you counted nine total. Nine men. This was not ideal–a bit terrifying, really–but you didn't have a choice. The storm raged outside.

"P-please," you stammered past chattering teeth "The st-storm overturn-overturned the carriage.” 

The men stayed silent as they exchanged unreadable glances. One raised a questionable brow. 

"Jongdae, go run a bath," ordered the man closest to you. One of the shorter residents nodded and disappeared into the darkness that led into the rest of the manor. 

That's what this place was. A grand old manor, not a castle. Isolated. When you'd first run through the rusted iron gate, you'd feared it abandoned. A long dormant instinct whispered that you might have been better off if it had been. 

The first man approached, each motion slow, deliberate, and hauntingly graceful. He crouched down in front of you and captured your frightened stare. The fear in you began to melt away. He was… beautiful. Obsidian fell over his forehead in gentle waves. His tunic was of a fashion your grandfather would have worn. There was something strange about this man–all of these men. Something... different. 

"Let's get you warmed up." He held his hand out and you were up on your feet before you even realized your fingers were resting on his. "Don't worry," he murmured. "You're safe here. My name is Junmyeon." 

You nodded, somehow believing him, but unsure if you should. Through your violent chattering, you managed to stammer out your name in response. 

Bang! 

You jumped at the sudden noise. One of the other men had somehow appeared behind you to shut the door you'd fallen through. 

"Thank you, Yixing," the man beside you said. The one named Yixing nodded and then shifted his eyes to you. “Come.” A hand pressed into the space between your shoulder blades and guided you down the hall, leaving a trail of mud in your wake.

The man led you down several halls until you reached an unoccupied bedroom. Red blankets draped the oversized bed. Matching curtains hung limply from the canopy. All of the wood was a dark sort, rich in color but not quite welcoming like other, brighter woods. 

Jongdae emerged from another door on the other side of the bedroom. Steam rolled out after him as if it were following him for its next set of orders. “Anything else?” he asked drily. 

“No, thank you.”

Jongdae strolled the from the room without a glance either of you and closed the door behind him. Your breath hitched in your throat. The two of you were… alone. It wasn’t appropriate. It was…

You looked to the man still with you, fear causing your heart to pound painful against your chest. You tugged your cloak closer to you, but it was soaked from the rain. Shivers violently raced down your arms and spine. The man didn’t seem to notice as he walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. He pulled out a long white cloth. 

“These should suffice for tonight.” He held up the cloth for you to see. A nightgown. An old one by the cut of it, though thankfully it hadn’t been devoured by moths or mice. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.”

You nodded. “Thank you.” 

He visibly suppressed a laugh at your small voice and waved you into the adjoining bathroom. Taking the nightgown, you tried your best to avoid his gaze. You scurried inside and shut the door. 

*****

Junmyeon smirked at your mousy state. It was understandable why you were so frightened. The women of this period were warned of being alone with a man. And now you were alone with nine. 

Nine very dangerous men. 

The proper action for him to take was to leave your room now that you were safe inside the bathroom, but his feet didn’t move. Somehow, the storm had stranded you in their forest. What had happened to the driver, he wondered. Surely a gentlewoman such as yourself was not controlling the carriage. And yet, you were all alone. Circumstances were… ideal.

A small hiss echoed in the bathroom. It stretched out, along with the sound of sloshing water. Junmyeon frowned. 

Hm.

He stood there for a few minutes more, listening to you sigh as your skin grew used to the scalding water. The sound of soap scraping against skin reached his ears, followed by more sloshing water. Soon, you would be getting out of the tub. Time to leave. 

He emerged from the bedroom, careful to close the door as quietly as possible. Everyone had gathered out in the hallway since they were too curious about their visitor to go about their night. Junmyeon found Jongdae blending in with the cluster. He glared at him as he hissed, "The water was too hot." 

Jongdae merely shrugged. Why would he care about water possibly being too hot? It would never hurt him. 

On the opposite end of the group, Yixing cleared his throat. "What are we going to do with her?"

Junmyeon glanced at the door behind him. There was only one best option, for all their sakes. "Tomorrow morning, we will send her on her way." 

The eruption was instant. 

“Enough!”

In an instant, the hissing ceased. 

Baekhyun huffed and folded his arms against his chest, collapsing against the wall. Jongin scoffed. "Such a waste." 

“A waste that will keep this household from tearing itself apart,” Junmyeoun countered. It was an outcome none of them wanted. No one wanted to cause a fight, but resisting was difficult. The temptation was great. The quicker you left, the better off they would all be. 

"Do you really think it’ll end so well?" Minseok’s mocking comment hung in the air. Silent agreements rippled through the air. 

Junmyeon looked to Kyungsoo, whose answer was to look away. "No one touches her," he ordered. They all would try, he knew. But their strength would only get them so far. He stared down a few of them especially, so they knew he meant it.

Sehun pushed off the wall with a roll of his eyes. "Just get her out of here so I can get some peace." 

Junmyeon started to call after him but was interrupted by a soft thud from the room behind him. Confused, he opened the door to find you lying on the floor.

[myyeol61]

Can I get a ‘fuck yeah’ for the comeback visuals we are getting !!

[the-casual-cheesecake]

SO we agree that the long necklace with the gem is his gift from Myeon right? Like, there's Something about it, right?

Usually, necklaces with gems like this are shorter, this is interesting, it makes it sort of fragile. And you'd think Myeon would wanna gift his pet with a collar but this is harder to take care of, also Myeon can grab it and tug Baek closer, and if Baek is being a brat and wouldn't move then it could break, and it would be his fault...

[colesawicn]

if the concept is not sexy vampires…. then sexy PIRATE vampires..

[baemye0n]

cream soda ver.

[marvelous-llama]

EXO recs

most of the mentioned works is 18+ NSFW, MINORS DNI

tumblr is based on reblogs not likes, so please reblog and comment under works you like. Show love to the authors and appreciate their hard work

<<next chapters

pls don´t hesitate to hmu, if any of mentioned links doesn´t work or you have suggestions for more fics... thank you so much for all the love and comments

OT9

Exordia Academy by @kpopfanfictrash

Welcome to the Exodus Mall by @yehet-me-up

12 days of lust by @kwanisms

Gaurdian angel series by @marshmallow-phd (Kyungsoo, Sehun, Baekhyun, Jongin, Chanyeol, Junmeon)

Vampire series by @marshmallow-phd (Tao, Chanyeol, Yixing, Luhan, Minseok, Jongin, Kyungsoo, Baekhyun)

Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa collab by @myeoning-call

meant to be by @galactichen

Kim Minseok

Kim Junmyeon

Zhang Yixing

Byun Baekhyun

Kim Jongdae

Park Chanyeol

Do Kyungsoo

Kim Jongin

Oh Sehun

[mint-yooxgi]

Kinktober 2024 Mini Masterlist

Note: All of these drabbles are under the premise that all parties involved are consenting to the actions held within them, and are part of established relationships.

To be posted in order starting October 1st:

Day 1

Yandere!Dragon!Mingi + Somnophilia

Day 2

Yandere!Alien!Junmyeon + Oral Fixation

Day 3

Yandere!Trickster!Seokmin + Predator/Prey & Asphyxiation

Day 4

Yandere!Siren!Wooyoung + Size & Orgasm Denial

Day 5

Yandere!Moon God!Soobin + Somnophilia & Praise

Day 6

Angel!San + Body Worship & Possession

Day 7

Yandere!Fae King!Seonghwa + Queen & Praise

Day 8

Yandere!Vampire!Jinki + Blood & Oral Fixation

Day 9

Yandere!Hybrid!Hongjoong + Predator/Prey & Marking

Day 10

Tiger Hybrid!Soonyoung + JOI & Masturbation

Day 11

Heretic!Yunho + Thigh Riding & Sensory Depravation

Day 12

Yandere!Demon!Kun + Oral Fixation

Day 13

Demigod!Jongho + Praise & Possession

Day 14

Yandere!Kitsune!Yuta + Bondage & Overstimulation

Day 15

Yandere!Siren!Yeosang + Predator/Prey & Body Worship

Day 16

Vampire!San - Cockwarming & Blood

Day 17

Yandere!Bodyguard!Choi Minho + Biting & Oral Fixation

Day 18

Naga!Seonghwa + Asphyxiation & Predator/Prey

Day 19

Yandere!Fallen Angel!Yunho + Possession & Size

Day 20

Yandere!Siren!Hongjoong + Biting & Oral Fixation

Day 21

Yandere!Fae!Taemin + Overstimulation & Somnophilia

Day 22

Incubus!Wooyoung + Mommy & Cockwarming

Day 23

Vampire!Jongho + Predator/Prey & Marking

Day 24

Yandere!Eros!Jongin + Possession & Body Worship

Day 25

Yandere!Dragon!Mingyu + Size & Overstimulation

Day 26

Tiefling!Yunho + Predator/Prey

Day 27

Bunny Hybrid!Soobin + Mommy & Breeding

Day 28

Trickster!Hongjoong + Body Worship & Somnophilia

Day 29

Demon!Seungcheol + Knife & Asphyxiation

Day 30

Yandere!Fallen Angel!Seonghwa + Somnophilia & Body Worship

Day 31

Yandere!Balrog!Mingi + Queen & Marking

[jongbross]

• masterlist

☆ (personal fave) | ♤ (fluff) | ♡ (mature) | ♧ (angst)

exo ot9 🪐

▪︎ exo hard hours ♡ (link to everything that has been tagged as ehh) ▪︎ exo headcanons ☆ (link to every exo headcanon i may have shared on this blog) ▪︎ exo reacting to you fangirling over 4th gen group ♤ ▪︎ exo love language ♤ ▪︎ exo + couple matching items ♤ ▪︎ exo making you cry ♧ ▪︎ exo kinktober 2023 ♡ ▪︎ mafia!exo reuniting with you ♤♧ ▪︎ exo reacting to a negative pregnancy test ♧ ▪︎ exo reacting to reader being turned on in public ♡ ▪︎ exo reacting to shy reader meeting their parents ♤ ▪︎ exo reacting to reader being close to their mom/sisters ♤ ▪︎ how exo members would like to receive love ♤ ▪︎ what exo would like to hear from their partners ♤ ▪︎ exo as boyfriends ♤

kim minseok 🐱

▪︎ do not touch ♤♡ (dancer!kim minseok x reader) - 100 celebration

kim junmyeon 🐰

▪︎ notifications ☆♤ (kim junmyeon x reader) ▪︎ mirage of flower ♧ (kim junmyeon x reader) - 100 celebration ▪︎ lotto ♡ (mafia!kim junmyeon x f!reader) ▪︎ our leader is now a dad ♤ (kim junmyeon headcanons) ▪︎ new beginnings ♤♧ (kim junmyeon x reader)

zhang yixing 🐏

▪︎ break my heart ♧ (zhang yixing x reader) - 100 celebration ▪︎ oh, you're so funny... ♤ (zhang yixing x reader)

byun baekhyun 🍓

▪︎ sweet lies ♧ (byun baekhyun x reader) ▪︎ all i got ♤ (bodyguard!byun baekhyun x pregnant!reader) ▪︎ red flag ♤ (byun baekhyun x f!reader) ▪︎ beautiful, beautiful dream ♧♤ (byun baekhyun x reader) ▪︎ say you love me ♡♧ (byun baekhyun x reader) - 100 celebration ▪︎ my first kiss was a little like this... ♤ (byun baekhyun x reader) ▪︎ get you alone ☆♡ (sub!byun baekhyun x reader) ▪︎ so i devout myself ♧ (byun baekhyun x reader) ▪︎ the ballad ☆♤ (byun baekhyun x reader) ▪︎ you make me glow ♤♧ (byun baekhyun x reader) ▪︎ [21:03pm] ♧ (byun baekhyun x reader)

kim jongdae 🦖

▪︎ breaking up with chen ♧ (kim jongdae x reader) ▪︎ i don't even mind ☆♤ (kim jongdae x reader) - 100 celebration

park chanyeol 🍒

▪︎ reckless behaviour ☆♡ (park chanyeol x reader) ▪︎ mad? ☆♡ (park chanyeol x f!reader) ▪︎ chanyeol + breeding kink ♡ (park chanyeol x reader) ▪︎ lilith ♤♧ (demon!park chanyeol x reader) - 100 celebration ▪︎ hey, she's mine! ☆♤ (park chanyeol x reader) ▪︎ good enough ♧♤ (park chanyeol x reader) ▪︎ a damn good feeling ♡ (sub!park chanyeol x reader) ▪︎ the ruler ♤ (park chanyeol x reader) ▪︎ just one more minute ♤ (park chanyeol x reader)

do kyungsoo 🐧

▪︎ fine. ♤ (do kyungsoo x reader) ▪︎ first anniversary ♤ (do kyungsoo x reader) ▪︎ the ring ☆♧ (do kyungsoo x reader) - 100 celebration ▪︎ family dinner ♤ (kim jongin x f!reader x do kyungsoo) ▪︎ bickering, fighting, loving ♤ (do kyungsoo x reader) ▪︎ the store is closed ♤ (do kyungsoo x reader) ▪︎ [untitled] ♡ (do kyungsoo x reader) ▪︎ birthday boy ♤ (do kyungsoo x reader)

kim jongin 🐻

▪︎ dating kim jongin would include... ☆♤ (kim jongin x reader) ▪︎ don't even think about other things ♡ (kim jongin x f!reader) ▪︎ hold me close ☆♤ (kim jongin x f!reader) ▪︎ bite me ♤ (kim jongin x vampire!reader) - 100 celebration ▪︎ family dinner ♤ (kim jongin x f!reader x do kyungsoo) ▪︎ an open letter to jongin... (my personal feelings towards kim jongin) ▪︎ i got you, boo ♤ (kim jongin x reader) ▪︎ really? ♤ (kim jongin x reader) ▪︎ picture perfect ♤ (kim jongin x f!reader) ▪︎ do you love me? ♤ (kim jongin x reader) ▪︎ baby fever ♤ (kim jongin x reader) ▪︎ that was an order ♡ (kim jongin x reader)

oh sehun 🐥

▪︎ you got me so crazy ♡♧ (oh sehun x f!reader) ▪︎ btbt ♡ (oh sehun x reader) - 100 celebration ▪︎ comeback ♤ (oh sehun x idol!reader) ▪︎ the one with the first big fight ♤ (oh sehun x reader) ▪︎ lustful eyes ♡ (oh sehun x reader) ▪︎ falling asleep on sehun's chest ☆♤ (oh sehun x reader)

[papermatisse]

† An Anthology of the thoughts which keep me up at night.

† My contribution to October (and possibly November lol). There's only one that is pure fluff; everything else is horror.

Contents

I. Stranger || Byun Baekhyun; body snatcher

II. Into the Woods || Yoon Hyunsuk; fae

III. Don't Look Back || Kim Junmyeon; automatonophobia

IV. Solace || Bae Jinyoung; scopophobia

V. Perchance to Dream || Lee Sangyeon; somniphobia

VI. Deadend || Yoon Jeonghan; persistent predator

VII. A Rigid Dichotomy || Kim Yonghee; mind control

VIII. Whispers in the Dark || Kim Sunwoo; possession

IX. Enter Bedlam || Oh Sehun; Eldritch

X. Security Blanket || Choi Seungcheol; demon

XI. Beckoning || Joshua Hong; siren

XII. Rainy Day || Ji Changmin; astraphobia

XIII. The Somnambulist || Park Chanyeol; somnambulophobia

XIV. Portrait of a Man || Lee Juyeon; Gothic

XV. Lore || Kwon Soonyoung; vampire

© papermatisse, 2023. please do not repost, copy, or translate any of my works here on tumblr or any other other platform

[starlightkun]

Hi one of my fav writers, I was reading Baby Fangs and I was trying to remember which people showed up where and I swore you had something explaining what creature each person was but I cant find it😭😭

Is it possible for you to give a little recap on who is what creature ??

so here's a really quick recap of the basics:

there's 14 kinds of things including humans: basilisk, dragon, dryad, fairy, gryphon, human, phoenix, siren, sphinx, unicorn, vampire, werewolf, witch, wyvern*

* as is revealed in renjun's fic, wyverns are actually extinct, so there's technically 13 things, but they're mentioned, so i counted them

here's all the neos + sungtaro (minus wish):

witch!taeil human!johnny unicorn!taeyong siren!yuta vampire!kun witch!doyoung siren!ten vampire!jaehyun phoenix!sicheng fairy!jungwoo basilisk!mark dragon!dejun gryphon!kunhang human!renjun werewolf!jeno dryad!donghyuck dryad!jaemin witch!yangyang siren!shotaro werewolf!sungchan fairy!chenle dragon!jisung

i have a more in-depth explanation of why i made members specific creatures here & here

and also here's our bonus squad of the exos that were mentioned in baby fangs (not all made appearances but i did have them assigned):

sphinx!minseok phoenix!junmyeon basilisk!yixing siren!baekhyun witch!jongdae werewolf!chanyeol gryphon!kyungsoo basilisk!jongin witch!sehun

[spacequokka]

Page 187

Pairing: vamp!Chanyeol x Reader Genre: Vampire AU, Angst Rating: 16+ Summary: There’s something different about the newest fledgling you’ve been assigned to. Word Count: 0.5k Warnings: biting and blood drinking

“I didn’t ask for this.”

“Well, that’s good, because it’s probably the only thing that would’ve made this worse.”

He didn’t laugh or even smile. You sat across from him, observing his movements. He cowered in the corner, avoiding the sliver of light from the hallway. It was sad to find him like that—small, frail, wasting away. All because he refused to accept what he’d become and give in to the urges.

“Look. You don’t have to take much if you’re uncomfortable with doing it. But I need you to at least try so I can get you down to the Center. From there, we can discuss your options after the doctor checks you out.” You pushed up your sleeve and showed him your wrist, free of any jewelry. “If you’re too weak or too hungry, we won’t get far.”

Chanyeol’s eyes flashed red like glittering rubies before he shook his head and hid his face. “No. I’ll hurt you. And I don’t want that. I don’t want any of this.”

You didn’t know what to say. You’d helped plenty of people through the transition and coping with their new way of life, but this was the first time you genuinely felt remorse for someone. You wished with every fiber of your being for a better way to help the guy you barely knew. “You won’t hurt me.” He looked up, doubt in his glossy eyes. “I’ve experienced it all, okay? Short of tearing off my arm, there isn’t much pain I feel anymore. It’s what made me a great candidate for the Fledgling Mentorship program! So, please, will you try? A tiny sip?”

His gaze flickered between your face and wrist before he slowly uncurled his long body and crawled closer. “Are you sure I won’t hurt you?”

You nodded. “A hundred percent sure. I’ll even walk you through it.” You got to your knees and moved to a better position. “Here. Bite towards the center and once you break the skin, you suck the blood.”

His thin fingers went around your wrist with a weak grip. You couldn’t see how he was able to keep himself upright. He collapsed in your arms, and you cradled him as he brought your wrist to his mouth. He inhaled and shuddered. “You smell good…like home,” he whispered before his lips brushed your skin. His bite was weaker than you’d thought it’d be, no different from that of a teething baby. You knew the moment blood hit his tongue because he stiffened, went slack, then his grip steadily grew stronger until he was holding your arm in place. Each pull from his lips seemingly came from the top of your head and the tips of your toes, making you curl around him as if he were literally drinking you dry. But the odd thing was that where with others you’d quickly stop them because of discomfort, it never crossed your mind. The feeling was amazing, like a warm silk caressing you from the inside out.

Right when your eyes began to flutter, and you felt faint, he pulled away. “Are you—”

Not sure what he said, but as you fell over, all you could think about was that Junmyeon was going to chew your ass out for this.

[marshmallow-phd]

A Manor of Shadow and Blood

Genre: Regency Gothic AU

Pairing: EXO x Reader

Summary: A stormy night brought you to the manor in the middle of the woods. Nine strange men occupied its halls. They won’t let you leave. A dangerous secret haunts this estate. Learning it might either be your saving grace or it could lead to the last breath you ever take.

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5

**

The grand hall was lit as bright as midday. Every surface was polished to perfection, reflecting the candlelight at a greater force. Brilliant brass and gold surrounded you as you made your way through the dancing couples, their movements in perfect sync. Wrapped in each other's arms, they spin around without a care for your wandering presence. 

While all who surrounded you were decorated in blacks and whites, your own dress was the color of freshly spilled blood. The heavy skirts that hug from your waist made it difficult to navigate the ballroom. Their fullness was of an older fashion, one that maybe your grandmother would have worn in her youth. The dropped shoulders left you exposed, your skin chilled despite the amount of bodies in here. 

You kept navigating the dance floor, on the look out for something, though you didn’t know what. Then you felt the familiar burn of eyes boring into your back, which sent a shiver down your spine. You whirled around to find the source, the dress brushing at your feet with the sudden motion. Through the crowd, you spotted Baekhyun leaning against the wall. With a single finger, he beckoned you over. And you obeyed. 

Breaking through the sea of dancers, you took in his elegant suit, the hems lined with gold thread that shimmered against black velvet. 

"You shouldn't dance alone," he purred. Arms crossed over his chest, he smirked at you with a grin even the devil wouldn't wear.

"I have no partner," you retorted. He held out a lazy hard. Hardly the romantic gesture. "No, thank you." 

"How about me?" asked a sweet voice in your ear. 

You turned your head to find Junmyeon at your back. He laid a soft hand on your hip to keep you from escaping out of propriety. When you didn’t shove him away, the hand slyly moved to your stomach, pulling your bare shoulder blades into his chest. With the fingers of his left hand, he tilted your chin towards him. 

"Am I a suitable partner?" 

No answer passed your lips. You could think of nothing to say. The thought of him twirling you around the dance floor was not… unpleasant. 

Junmyeon neither needed nor cared for a reply. He dipped his head to your shoulder and pressed a kiss to the skin. A small gasp passed your lips. And then he pressed another. More and more as he climbed up the curve of your neck. Heat rose from every inch of you as you sighed into the affectionate touches. You relaxed into his touch, welcoming each new contact of his lips. 

"It's rude not to share, Junmyeon.”

Your attention snapped back to Baekhyun, who you had forgotten was there. He pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer to you so he stood in front of the minor. 

No, not a mirror. There was no reflection. 

Except… there was. The mirror reflected the floor, the ceiling, the candlelight. You. 

But not Baekhyun. Not Junmyeon. And not the dancers still spinning behind you. 

Fingers snaked through your hair and pulled your head back, your vulnerable neck exposed. From the gallery above, Kyungsoo watched as elongated fangs flashed behind Junmyeon’s lips and plunged into your neck. 

*****

You woke with a start, the blanket flying off of you as you sat up in a fury. Sweet drenched every pore of your skin. Your day old dress clung to your skin in a way that felt suffocating. Each breath was a struggle for your lungs. 

Vampires. The nightmarish tale that had kept you up as a child until you were convinced they weren't real turned out to be true. But how could they be real? 

Creatures of the night. Blood drinkers. Horror stories meant to keep children from wandering about after dark. 

Curling your legs to your chest and encasing them in your arms, you tried to think of a way out. To escape. With what strength you possessed, you slid off the bed and walked over to the window. The sun, so bright and full of life, was just beginning its descent towards the horizon. Night–their domain–was hours away. If the legends were true, then they would all be asleep at this moment. Any risk that was to be taken had to be taken now. 

After changing into a sturdier dress, you retrieved your still mud-covered boots and, keeping them in one hand, you carefully pushed away the pathetic barrier and snuck out of the room. 

Each step was taken with unmatched caution. You tested every board with your foot before fully committing. Any squeak of a floor or stumble down a stair could alert them to your escape. But by the grace of a miracle, you made it to the front door. Fingers trembling, you pulled on the boots and tied up the laces before opening the door only wide enough for you to slink through. 

The next breath taken outside was like the first breath of life. But there was no time to take it in. 

Gathering your skirts in your grip, you took off into the trees. The dirt was dry and sturdy under your feet. Branches and leaves crunched with the weight of your boots. A lady’s delicacy was out of the question as you ran without abandon. You didn't know what direction you were running. But vampires needed blood to survive and they weren’t drinking yours. And Jongdae had brought those buns from a bakery, not their own kitchen. You doubted any of them knew how to cook. That meant a village or town had to be nearby. Junmyeon had lied about the isolation of the manor. If you just kept going, you could find freedom. 

However, your stamina was running out. This was never your preferred activity. Your lungs and throat burned in an unfamiliar way. The sun still shined above. A short respite could be spared. 

You leaned against a tree trunk for support. In your boots your feet pulsed. Only now did you realize that you had run away without food or water. Not knowing where the kitchen was located, you didn't have time to waste on it. You could survive, you told yourself. Just a little farther. The town couldn’t be too far. Unless you were headed in the wrong direction. 

A rustling rippled through the silent forest. You snapped to attention, trying to find the source. 

“The wind,” you gasped between ragged breaths. “It had to be the wind.” 

A low, rumbling growl said it wasn't wind. 

In the distance, large silhouettes emerged. Wolves. Nearly a dozen of them. 

You ran as fast as your crying legs could take you. With their superior nature built for the hunt, the wolves caught up to you within seconds. Their growls and howls grew louder and more threatening behind you. Running from the manor had been easy. Running from the wolves was to be your end. 

Powerful paws slammed into your back. You were thrown to the ground, rolling across the ground as a scream ripped at your throat. The momentum stopped you on your stomach. Hair covered your face, but you could still see your death through the strands. 

Wolves of gray and black gathered in a half moon circle. They had their prey in perfect position. The middle wolf pounced. All you had time to do was throw up your arms to protect your face. Claws raked across your forearm. Another scream echoed through the merciless trees. The wolf landed on the other side of you with pride. Now you were surrounded. A second wolf leapt. 

A blur appeared in front of you and collided with the wolf midair. The two bodies tumbled across the forest floor. A human and the wolf. 

Not a human. 

Chanyeol. The wolf trapped within his grasp, Chanyeol tightened his grip–

Crack. 

The wolf fell limply to the ground, its tongue hanging from its jaw. 

The others appeared seconds later. Not understanding what they were up against, the wolves let you go to attack the newest threat. 

"Are you alright?" Junmyeon knelt down in front of you. His hands were outstretched as if you were the wild animal on the verge of attack. Behind him, snarls and whimpers told of the fight–and who was winning. Despite not answering him, he caught sight of your bleeding arm. "We need to get back to the manor." 

He didn't ask permission before picking you up into his arms and sprinting through the forest. Everything blurred past you, your loose hair whipping at your face. He burst through the manor doors and didn't stop until he was able to set you down in the largest chair. Once you were safe, he fell to his knees, only his palms keeping him upright. The others soon stumbled in behind him, heaving and collapsing onto the floor. Only then did you notice the smoke floating up from each of their backs. Patches of burnt, red skin sizzled on their knuckles and faces. Anything that had been exposed to the sun. 

"Baekhyun," Junmyeon gasped. 

"I already have it." Kyungsoo came into the parlor with bottles stacked in his arms. He quickly passed them around, waiting until the others were quenching their thirst before pulling the cork out of his own bottle and chugging the contents. 

With his bottle empty, Junmyeon tossed it to the side and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Red smears stained the ivory fabric. You shrank back in the chair as he turned towards you. 

"What hell were you thinking!" He growled. "I warned you about the wolves!" 

"Junmyeon, she's shaken up enough," Jongdae defended. Before your eyes, his burnt skin healed to be like new.

"She could have been killed!" 

Your head was pounding. He was… concerned about your life? The legends said that the sun was a vampire's deadliest enemy. It was why they thrived in the darkness. But they had all risked a final death to come after you. 

"Did you hear me scream?" you whispered. You could barely feel your own lips moving. All heads tuned to you. 

Yixing was the one to answer. "Yes. We all heard you." 

"Why were you out there?" Sehun asked aggressively.

You sucked in a sharp breath. There was no escaping the truth now. You stared at Jongdae. "I figured it out.” 

Baekhyun laughed. "At least we don't have to walk around delicately anymore." 

"When exactly did you do so?" Minseok mocked.

"Then you should remember what I said to you before was true. Harm would not come to you within these walls." Junmyeon crouched down next to the chair. His eyes... there was something behind the darkness that tugged at your still wildly beating heart. "I know you were running away. And if you're desperate to get away enough to get yourself killed, then the choice can be yours. We can send you on your way with every provision. Or," he cleared his throat, "you stay here. With us." 

A choice? He was giving you a choice?

Your gaze drifted over the faces that stared back at you. Even Kyungsoo refused to look away while he waited. There was almost a plea in his expression, a subtle beg. But was it to stay? Or for you to run as far away as possible? 

Junmeyon took your attention away when he picked up your wounded arm with delicate fingers. His pleading was much more clear. 

To leave would be the better choice. The more sane choice. But what would happen afterwards? You could claim being lost in the woods. With evidence of the carriage and the missing driver, what else could they believe? After a few days on bed rest, you would be back by your aunt's side, following her every whim. Including indulging her on a "perfectly adequate" suitor because you had no other option, no other path. That suitor who would then become your future. But you didn't want it. You refused to give in to it. 

Already within these few days, you were… changed in a way. They might not be human, but these men would forever be burned into your memory. Who could move you with music the way Chanyeol had? What silent strength could match the aura of Junmyeon? You had been promised that none of them would harm you. The chance for something extraordinary was right in front of you. The kind of chance you had only read about. It just had to be taken.

"I think… I think I want to stay."

*****

The moon became an ever changing friend. You hardly saw the sun anymore. Like the men you had given yourself over to, you lived under the stars. It was oddly beautiful. This time was often forgotten about by you and many others. The night was only a background to your time within your dreams. But now it was your entire world. 

Every evening, you awoke to the dying orange light of the day. Breakfast always waited for you outside the door. It was the rule that no one broke; none could enter your room without explicit permission from you. Those walls remained your safe haven when things grew too overwhelming. 

Despite your decision to stay, discovering that other creatures walked the earth required a step away once in a while. Especially now, with you aware of their true nature, the men were refusing to hold back. 

Dropping from the roof, running around with spectacular speed, and lifting objects that ten men couldn't hold. It was remarkable. Except for the diet and inability to walk in the sun, the… condition seemed more like a blessing.

"You're rather thoughtful this evening,” Jongdae commented. He walked beside you like he did every twilight. 

After you finished your breakfast, you met Jongae at the front doors to go on a walk around the manor grounds. Often others would join you as well. Junmyeon was the most frequent, though Yixing, Changed, and Jongin made many appearances over the past week and a half. Boundaries were constantly tested, but one word from you and they retreated.

"I guess you could say I am thoughtful tonight," you finally sighed. You hadn’t realized that you were being so obviously quiet. Funny, since you would have thought Jongdae would enjoy the silence. You typically had many questions or comments of your own to make. 

"Should I go steal a penny from Sehun?" 

You laughed. "I'd like to think my thoughts are worth more than a single penny.”

"They must be if you've become so skilled in deflecting from them." He crossed over to block your path. Gaze narrowed, he studied your carefully guarded expression. "What are you thinking about so hard? Regretting your decision to stay already?" 

"No," you insisted. "Not at all."

He raised an eyebrow that simply asked, "Then what?" 

"Do you always stay here?" you countered. "At the manor, I mean." 

"We travel," Jongdae answered with a nod. "Not too often. It’s a bit difficult, you see."

"But we like traveling north.” Minseok dropped from who-knew-where, landing with barely bent knees and hands folded behind his back. "In the winter, the night lasts longer. Junmyeon has a small hunting lodge up there. 

A hunting lodge? "Then why do you stay here?" 

Minsoek shrugged. "This manor is bigger." 

"Having nine of us in one household can be a bit volatile,” Jongdae added. He stepped aside to continue the stroll. "We need the room to separate so we don't level a building." 

Your foot caught on an invisible lump in the grass. "You could destroy a building while fighting?" 

Minseok snickered as he caught your stumble and helped steady your stance. His hand lingered at your waist until your sharpened glare made him remove it. "We haven’t crumbled a wall in a few years."

You scoffed at the casual tone. "What sort of fight caused that?" 

"I can't remember." Minseok leaned forward slightly to look at Jongdae for help. But he didn't seem to recall either. 

"Who knows what started it between Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.”

Your mouth dropped open in shock. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol had fought over something to the point of destroying a wall to crumble? It didn't feel plausible. Neither seemed like the hot-headed sort. You wanted to know the igniting incident so desperately. 

Both Jongdae and Minseok suddenly whipped their heads towards the front of the manor. 

"What is it?" you asked when neither offered an explanation. 

"Junmyeon's calling for us." Jongdae scooped you up into his arms without warning. At your confused expression, he explained, "We're not leaving you alone out here." Remember your last adventure in the woods lingered in the silence.

The short lived wind whipped at your hair that you still wore loose to cover your neck. As soon as he stopped running, you wiggled out of his arms to be back on your feet. Everyone else was already gathered just outside the door. Several eyed you and Jongdae with suspicious and annoyed glares. You took a step away from him for some separation. 

Clearing his throat, Junmyeon called everyone to attention. "We have to go hunting–real hunting. Now, normally, we all go together, but now that we have our guest," he nodded towards you, "some will have to stay behind with her until the first party… comes back." 

"If you all need to go,” you couldn't quite speak the word feed, "then I'll be alright. For a few hours, at least." You weren't sure how long this excursion would take.

Junmyeon's features softened. "No. We'll go in groups. Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, Minseok and I will go first. We shouldn't be gone long." He reached out and patted the top of your head before disappearing into the trees. Kyungsoo gave no goodbye as he followed suit. The last two playfully shoved each other while taking off. 

"Come." Yixing took hold of your hand and started pulling you inside. "I want to show you something."

"But–" You had wanted to ask Jongdae a question, but the traitor was already gone, off somewhere to do something he would never tell you about. So, you let Yixing take you into the manor and up the main staircase at the end of the hallway. At least he let you stay on your own feet instead of insisting on going at his speed. 

Going down an unfamiliar hallway, you were reminded how big this place was and how much you still had to explore. The men occupied most of your time, vying for your attention and pulling you this way and that so you didn’t have much time on your own. It was odd and overwhelming at times. 

During your seasons in town, you were hardly a well-sought after prize. There were prettier girls with grander dowries. You had accepted that fact. Now you were the center of a courting dance to which you knew none of the steps and possessed endless partners. 

Yixing paused in front of a door that looked identical to all the others. He kept his fingers tight around yours as he slowly turned the knob with his free hand. The door swung open. 

The gasp inhaled through your parted lips wasn't enough to convey your awe. 

Maps of all the places you'd heard of and dozens more you hadn't covered the walls like homemade wallpaper. Slipping out of Yixing's grip, you walked further into the study, spinning slowly around to take it all in. The maps were varying degrees of tan, some as light as his skin, others as dark as animal leather. 

Instead of bookshelves, doorless cabinets waist high lined three of the walls. Their squared shelves were stuffed full of parchment and ink and quills. A lone sketcher's desk sat in the middle, an unfinished drawing laying against the tilted surface. 

"What is this place?"

"It's my personal study," Yixing answered as he laid a hand on the edge of the desk. "Kyungsoo gave it to me after I had accidentally taken over one of the parlors." 

Your awe increased ten-fold. Your initial assumption was that he was a collector, not the original artist. "You drew all of these?" 

He nodded almost... shyly. "I did. I was a cartographer. Before." 

"Before?" You understood what he meant, but you didn't know how to ask for the story. 

Turning his eyes to the parchment, he pinched it between his fingers. "I didn't just love traveling. I loved capturing it on paper. I wanted to make these places into art, but not like every other painting. I wanted them to be perfect. Exact replicas as if you were staying at them from God’s point of view. And I wanted to be the best. I couldn't be, though. I wasn’t good enough." 

You moved closer to him, entranced in the story. "What happened?"

A rueful smile tightened at his lips. "I was given a chance to become perfect. What I didn't know was that I traded everyone knowing my maps for the talent to make it happen." Sorrow rolled from him like the tide warning of an oncoming storm. 

Feeling the pull to comfort him, you reached out and covered his fidgeting hand with your own steady fingers.

"People will be able to know your work some day," you whispered. "I’m sure of it." 

Perhaps you had been a bit too forward, a bit too open. 

Yixing moved gracefully forward to eliminate most of the space between you. A smooth thumb that once must have been calloused when it was human caressed the edge of your jaw. His flickering eyes made intentions obvious. 

Clearing your throat, you stepped out of the touch. "Why isn't this one finished?" You pointed to the drawing on the desk. It was an aerial view of the manor, with the top half of the parchment containing the beginning edges of the garden hedges. Disappointed, Yixing sighed and went along with your distraction. 

"I'm still working out the maze. It is intricate. Much more than I was prepared for." 

"Goodness." You were thankful that you hadn't wandered in there yet, especially on your own.

"Yixing.” 

Both of you turned towards the door to find Sehun standing under the frame. 

"Yes, Sehun?" Yixing said through somewhat gritted teeth. The young vampire wasn't phased. 

"I need to speak with you." 

"Fine." None of you moved. 

Sehun looked at you with a pointed glare.

You received the hint loud and clear. "I'll leave you, then.” 

With more relief than you cared to admit, you scurried out of the room and down the hallway. 

Around the corner, you pressed your back against the wall and forced yourself to take deep breaths that filled your lungs to capacity. Panic had been the response at Yixing's closeness. You didn't mean for that to be the response. You didn't want to be closed off to any of them. But you couldn't help it. Maybe it was merely the closeness of the situation. 

Giving yourself a small amount of grace, you pushed off the wall and made your way downstairs. So used to your time being absorbed by the men that you weren't sure what to do with yourself. Two of the ones that remained behind were currently occupied. As for the three others, they could have been anywhere. 

You wandered around the main floor with a fleeting hope that one would come to find you. Then you saw them. A row of grand doors evenly spaced along the north wall called you forward.

The grand ballroom took your breath away. Not so dissimilar to the one in your dream, though this one’s lack of warmth and light left you heartbroken. Memories of dancing figures and lively music haunted these walls. In the corner, you could imagine a small orchestra strumming their instruments in delight. 

You walked to the center where dozens of pairs used to twirl and bow and embrace each other in time with the melody. Ghostly laughter echoed in your ears. What had once been  bright and golden and full of life was dull, dark, and covered in cobwebs that swayed in the breeze of unknown origin. 

Glancing around, you confirmed that you were truly alone before closing your eyes, lifting your arms, and began a soft hum. 

You danced with an invisible partner in the fashion that your grandfather had taught you as a small child. It was more intimate than the choreographed dances currently popularized. You had always imagined your first ball like this, instead of the disappointment you really experienced. You had pictured a boy you didn’t know catching your eye. As the music was struck up, he laid a hand on your waist.

Just like now. 

Hm. Your imagination was running wild, even pretending the weight of a palm was there on your lower back. And now in your lifted left hand. 

No. That wasn’t your imagination. 

Your eyes snapped open. 

Jongin had taken the place of your imagined partner. He smiled down at you with a feline smirk as his hands tightened around you, refusing to let you slip away. There was no choice in leaving this musicless dance. You had stopped humming but he continued to whirl you around the marble floor. He controlled the dance, in charge of every step. He led with an expertise he shouldn’t have possessed–if he were a man of this age. 

In one final move, he slipped his arm fully around your waist, pulling you so close that no room remained between you. Without breaking the spin, he lifted you from the floor as if you were no more than a kitten and whirled you around like the heroine from your favorite novel.

When the spin came to a close, he set you back on your feet, but didn’t let go. Your lungs heaved from the exercise–and from the way your bodies pressed together. Each rise of your chest brought you even closer to Jongin. He kept your gaze like a stablehand trying to calm a wild horse. His right hand slipped from your fingers, softly tracing the delicate inside of your arm. The touch left behind a fire you couldn’t explain. A cold, simmering fire.

He cupped your jaw as his eyes drifted down to your lips. This was a different reaction to Yixing’s wandering gaze. Not panic, but something similar. 

Jongin held you in place as he leaned down, his lips pressing gently into the corner of yours. The thin breath in your lungs hitched. He lifted his lips only to find a new patch of skin. The delicate skin covering your pulse. Every muscle in your body froze. He kissed the skin softly. Surely, he could feel the race of your blood. 

“Whenever you need a partner,” he said in a hush against your neck, “just whisper my name.”

And then, he was gone. 

You stared off at the empty path left behind Jongin. The sheer hubris.

His name lingered on your lips, wondering if he would really come back like he said. But you kept the whisper inside and left the ballroom just the same. 

[yoonia]

Blood Moon Rising | 30

‘As beings from ancient times, the Vampire Clan has undergone numerous changes to thrive in the Modern Age after surviving the Ancient Blood War. As a part of the traveller family in his clan, Jimin has parted ways from the coven until the day his Lords warned him of the lurking danger from inside the clan. And all so suddenly, he was pulled out of his solitary, only to have given the responsibility he had never wished to have, along with the threats that come as a part of the deal.

Born as youngest yet having lost so much, you have given your family your loyalty, your protection, and had been given their love and support that had become the only thing that keeps you going. But what happens when the only people you have put your trust in only repay you with betrayal?’

➥ Character | Jimin x reader

➥ Genre | Supernatural!au, Vampire! Jimin, Werewolf!reader, Angst

➥ Ratings & Warning | PG-13; mentions of assault and usage of poison, depiction of a battle.

➥ Word count | 13,3k words

➥ Part of The Shifters Series | World Map & Glossary | Characters Guide | ⤎ Previous Chapter | Next Chapter ⇢

➥ Masterlist

➥ Author’s Note | I’m sorry this took forever, and I’m also sorry that I couldn’t get this chapter any shorter when it’s a bit more detail and conversation heavy, but we’re getting closer to some more action, I promise. A quick reminder, that as we progress with the story with more possible crossovers between stories happening in the future chapters, I will start referring to the other female characters with their OC names each time they make any appearance in the scenes. Feel free to follow and get to know more about these characters through the Characters Guide page linked above. Enjoy!

Jimin has lost count of how many times he had travelled through the Resting Forest.

He had gone through the same trail for many years, decades, and most possibly even during the past century that he spent more time being constantly on the move, exploring the continent and travelling across the vast land rather than staying secluded within the home castle. The trail has become so familiar to him that he no longer questions the reason why he had found himself running through this forest during the frenzy state that he was in when he was fighting to survive from the poison, sending him far towards the East side of the continent.

It had sent him falling right into your path, causing an encounter that seemed to have been destined to happen.

Jimin stops himself from going down memory lane just as he begins thinking about the entire event, unwilling to let his mind wander too far as he silently follows behind Kim Junmyeon, the Alpha of the Blue Moon Pack who is leading him and his Vampire brothers towards the werewolf’s home territory. He looks over his shoulders, immediately meeting Jinhwan and Junhoe’s eyes as they both walk closely behind him. Both of them are wearing the look of exhaustion, looking worse for wear but doing their best to keep their heads up to hide it.

The twin sons of Lord Seunghyun are walking right behind them. Why they have chosen to tag along instead of going ahead with Hanbin who had left earlier is something that Jimin cannot understand. It had seemed like they had decided to stay close to Junhoe, the one who they had looked up to as their protector ever since their young age. The messenger that had come with them, Yeosang, has separated from the group right after the battle had ended to continue with his duty, as the twins had asked him to send out a message to the other Lords’ children to let them know that they have met with Jimin and that the Orphans are gathering in the werewolves’ territory. At the far back, the Siren mage, Hyun, follows silently. His eyes keep flashing between black and silver while he walks, a sign that he is using his spells. Perhaps it is his way of tracing any signs of threat coming along the way, and he is doing so while chatting along with the Enforcer who is walking right beside him in his human form as he had injured his shoulders during the fight.

Behind Jimin and his group of entourage, the rest of the werewolf pack follows, mostly remaining in their werewolf forms to provide security for their Alpha and his special guests. Though the security measures do nothing to stop Jimin from staying alert on their journey. Not only because of the possible threat that may still come, knowing that not all of Jiho’s followers have been put down or apprehended from the previous fight, but also for the fact that the Alpha and his pack seem to be leading him down a secret path that Jimin had never once noticed before when he travelled past this region.

Despite knowing everything about the Resting Forest and the territory surrounding the Blue Moon Pack, there was nothing much that Jimin had known about the aforementioned werewolf pack itself. Nothing else other than its various characteristics which had become the reason why the pack had been chosen as the intermediary of the Peace Treaty. Ever since the end of the Blood War, they have been widely known and proven to be the most proficient mediators in maintaining the Peace Treaty between the Shifters community and the Vampires clan, while their territory has become a neutral ground, as they are strategically situated at the part of the continent which allows them to maintain communication with their alliances with ease.

To the East, the Blue Moon Pack is surrounded by other smaller packs of shifters and small human towns, while they also have direct access to the two largest and strongest packs in the continent—the Supreme Wolf Pack and the Wolf Moon Pack—and their human alliance in the Rivermouth Village. Slightly up to the North, they are merely a coast apart from the restricted area which is the home island of the Fairies, though it had never been confirmed if the pack had ever developed any direct association with the latter, as the Fairies have been mostly known to keep to themselves and remain distant from the other communities in the continent. To the West, the pack is connected directly to more human territories as their closest neighbours, while they have the Vampire clan’s homeland as their farthest neighbour, even if they still have easy access to remain in contact with their representatives within the Vampire clan.

The advantage that their strategic location has offered does come with a price, however, as they are also situated within the proximity of one of the most hazardous parts of the land.

Surrounded by the Resting Mountains which acts like a massive wall of shield to protect them from any possible threat, along with the Resting Forest which acts as the perfect barrier and secured border surrounding the pack’s territory, they are still susceptible to the danger coming from the No Man’s Land down South and the Hunters’ colony on their South West side. The barren land serves as a silent threat, with ruthless rogues and halflings residing within its territory, constantly waiting for the right time to move out in search of new lands to raid. Meanwhile, the Hunters could often be seen lurking around the area, using the excuse of watching over the rogue shifters in order to stop them from coming near the human towns. Yet the shifters community has always known that they are simply lying in wait, anticipating for a chance to strike any unsuspecting pack of shifters before infiltrating their territory to seize control.

With these facts in mind, Jimin wonders if this would be the reason behind the peculiar route that the Alpha is taking him and his brothers upon entering their home territory.

For a long time, there is only one open path that Jimin has known to be the main entrance leading to the Blue Moon Pack’s territory. He knows of its existence and where it is originally located, enough to know to stay clear from it whenever he would travel past this region. Enough to notice that this is not the path that he has in mind. The moment he began to follow the Alpha’s lead, he had expected to see the familiar-looking path that he had been avoiding for many years. Yet, instead of finding himself going around or between the Resting Mountains the way he had expected he would, Alpha Junmyeon has been leading him down below, going through the path beneath the mountains.

“Is it safe to assume that this isn’t your public entrance that would have been the main access meant for your regular guests?” Jimin questions the Alpha after a short period of time walking in silence through the cavern underneath the mountains. His voice bounces against the rocky walls around them, followed by an echo that sounds subtle and smooth. It gives him the slightest hint of how deep this cavern seems to be and how far the journey that they still need to take before reaching the end, but also hints at just how well-maintained this secret path has been.

Right beside him, Alpha Junmyeon responds with a soft chuckle as he nods at the Vampire. “No, this is not our public entrance. Blue Moon Pack has multiple entry points for security measures. Our territory is located in one of the most compromising places in the continent, open to threats and challenges. Both the mountains and the forest have been sufficient enough to hide us from our enemy’s sight, making it hard for those who have never once set foot in our territory to find where we truly are, but we still cannot risk jeopardising our safety during moments like this one.”

Hearing the werewolf’s answer, Jimin simply nods, acknowledging the measures that the werewolf pack has taken to protect themselves from the challenges that they must regularly face. A new sense of admiration grows on Jimin as he silently commends them for being resourceful, proving further that they are truly a worthy ally. He now understands precisely well why you and your family had thought of them with high regard, putting aside the fact that you were once mated with one of the previous Alpha’s sons.

“So that means there are more of these secret passages hidden under the mountains?” Jimin asks, both out of curiosity and also for the sake of not letting his mind goes all the way into wondering about the life you had before he met you. To his relief, everyone around him seems to be preoccupied with the need to focus on getting through the passageway safely to notice the emotional turmoil that suddenly overcomes him.

“Beneath, around, and over. Each one is hidden perfectly with only a few selected pack members and ranked wolves would know how to access, and each one is specially guarded against any possible threat from both inside and outside of our territory,” Alpha Junmyeon explains with a proud smile, before slowly adding, “I don’t think even your mate had any knowledge of all the passages that we have despite having spent quite a long time living with us. She only knew a few of the old ones that the immediate family members of the previous Alphas would use, since she had used them to come and go when she needed to, but there had been a couple of new ones that we had created since the pack has been growing rapidly over the years.”

Jimin gives out a soft chuckle. “Seeing that she didn’t even bother mentioning it in the first place, I’m pretty sure that even if she has figured them all out, she would keep it to herself to protect you and your family. Even from me,” he lightly jokes, smiling wider as Alpha Junmyeon laughs at his comment. Jimin waits until their laughter dies down before uttering slowly, “I guess news travels fast around here,” indicating the fact that the werewolf had somehow found out that Jimin had recently mated with you, a fact that wasn’t supposed to have reached them when neither of you had made it public as it had only happened recently.

Alpha Junmyeon falls silent for a brief moment, giving Jimin nothing but a small smile. “We have a mage who resides with us while acting as our counsellor. A member of the Peacekeepers. She has foreseen your mating while maintaining contact with her mentor, the grand mage, Agatha, who had confirmed her vision to be true,” he later says to Jimin, who is not completely surprised to hear Agatha’s name being mentioned as she had always appeared to be someone who was crucial to the Peacekeepers and their purpose. “Even if we haven’t heard the news from our counsellor, I would’ve still recognised the scent you are carrying and the mating mark that she left on you right the moment we met. I surely hope that my sister—” he stops himself briefly with a chuckle and quickly says, “Oh, forgive me. I mean, my former sister-in-mating. I hope that she is doing well.”

Jimin gives the Alpha a warm smile. “She is surviving and thriving regardless of the circumstances. Due to your relations with each other, I do believe that she will remain to regard herself as your sister-in-mating, as my existence could never erase the history that she had with your brother.” Hearing this, the Alpha nearly stumbles. He quickly turns to Jimin, shocked, quite obviously not expecting to hear the Vampire acknowledging his late brother, your fated mate, without any hint of jealousy. Though his eyes grow soft as Jimin later adds, “She still thinks highly of you as well, and she respects you as both the Alpha and the older brother that she never had growing up. She had even asked me personally to find you if I ever need to when she heard that I was travelling through this area to reach home.”

Jimin turns to the Alpha as they both stop walking for a brief moment, nodding with a smile. “Never would have thought that I would find myself in a circumstance where you would find me first and aid me before I had the chance to reach out. I do wonder, however, how it was possible for you to find us in the first place. Or, more specifically, to know that I would be there in need of help, and to think that you are working side by side with Hanbin, the brother that I thought I had lost.”

Alpha Junmyeon locks his gaze with Jimin for a moment before proceeding with the journey. He has tried to hide it, but Jimin can still catch the glint of tears appearing in the corner of his eyes as he looks away. “I highly appreciate that, knowing that she still thinks of me the same way,” the Alpha says with a soft voice. The moment he turns to look at Jimin once more, there is a bit more warmth in his gaze and his smile as he speaks, “I still think of her as my little sister. I don’t think that it will change anytime soon. Regardless of who she is mated with. And it was an honour of mine to assist you when you were in need. Don’t worry, all of your questions will be answered soon, including why and how your brother had come to be with us.”

Despite his curiosity and the questions lingering inside his head, Jimin simply smiles in return, choosing to be patient about getting his answers. “Thank you, Alpha. For being there for me and my brothers, and for bringing aid to us. And, more importantly, I certainly hope that things wouldn’t change between you and my mate, whatever happens in the future.”

At his comment, Alpha Junmyeon gives a brief nod, before his expression changes. Straightening his back and shoulders, the Alpha puts on a more serious look on his face, acting once again as the host Alpha before he gets too emotional about his sister-in-mating who he hasn’t seen for years. “It won’t take us long before we arrive,” he calmly says as he continues to walk ahead of the group, Jimin quickly following close behind. “These caverns were created as quick passageways, not only to help us sneak in, but also for our emergency escape, so the journey would take much shorter compared to the trip that we normally would have needed if we had gotten through the main entryway. This tunnel specifically was created to lead you straight to the safety chamber within our pack house.”

Jimin reacts with a nod. Then his mind wanders back to the conversation that they shared previously, back to when the Alpha invited him and his brother to his pack for the first time. “Is there where these guests of yours are waiting for us at?”

“Yes, they would be waiting for you there. I’m sure that your brother, Hanbin, had already joined them by now,” Alpha Junmyeon says with a secretive smile, as he continues to make Jimin wonder about who these ’guests’ might have been, as the Alpha had never taken the chance to explain further before they departed towards his home pack. “I’m sure that the safe chamber would be more fitting for this reunion, and for the private meeting that we have prepared for you.”

A wave of distrust spreads through the air around Jimin as his brothers overhear the Alpha’s words. An unsettling feeling rises inside him as well at how vague the Alpha has been about whoever it is waiting for Jimin and his brothers to arrive. But Jimin has no other choice but to trust the Alpha, knowing that Hanbin has done the same by reaching the pack first.

Jimin tries his best to tame his curiosity, not wanting to let it take away his focus as he slowly enters a new and unfamiliar territory. “Can’t wait to meet them,” Jimin simply mutters, as he silently sends his thoughts to his brothers and Hyun, warning them to stay alert and be prepared for whatever is waiting for them at the other end of this tunnel.

Jimin breathes in the fresh night air as he steps out of the long cavern, and he is immediately surrounded by the ripples of force that are a part of the Blue Moon Pack’s signature. It isn’t as powerful or as intimidating as the forces that he had felt in the past when he visited the Supreme Wolf Pack during one of his missions, but it is enough to alert him, to remind him that he has stepped foot into a foreign territory that might not always be so welcoming to Vampires, especially under the circumstances that they are in.

His own powers begin to rise in response, forming a protective barrier around him against the forces that seem to be present to identify him as a new threat. He controls himself, however, until he settles down from his need to fight and the ripples of forces around him start to calm down, settling around him in a more welcoming embrace. He looks around, noticing his brothers doing the same while the two mischievous twins seem completely unaffected. Right behind them, almost looking just as unaffected as Lord Seunghyun’s children, Hyun remains calm as he continues conversing with the Enforcer who had been travelling alongside him.

Jimin doesn’t know much about the siren or his powers, but he could sense that the mage has exceptional control of his powers and magic. His calm and quiet nature might be his way of hiding the true nature of his magic, something that Jimin had witnessed during the fight and back when they were still in the Wiccan community’s hideout. And he is seeing it now here, as the shifter walks past the border without so much of a flinch when the forces around him should be pressuring him from various sides the way they do against the Vampires. To have such a powerful being — someone who is supposed to be a part of a community of shifters that has been living far hidden in their sanctuary for centuries — now working with modern white magic and joining hands with the Peacekeepers, is something that has Jimin wondering and questioning about the boy’s true identity.

Deciding to put his curious mind at ease and focus instead on the events happening in the present, Jimin then turns to the Alpha who is already waiting for him. Together with his entourage in tow, Jimin proceeds to follow him across the open ground which spreads from the mouth of the cavern that they had just walked out from, a gravel-covered pathway marking the way that they are supposed to follow to reach their destination.

As they continue their walk, Jimin silently observes his surroundings. The trees here are much smaller than what he had encountered out there in the forest, but they might be just as capable of giving shelter to everyone walking down this very same pathway. It would have given the Vampires the perfect shield against the sunlight, though it is hard to confirm it now as the day is already turning into nightfall once again.

Above him, the sky appears to be tinted in dark grey, with only a hint of burnt tangerine shining on the horizon as the sun takes its final descent for the night. Jimin cannot believe that an entire day had passed, though the moment he is surrounded by solitude and serenity, it seems as if the long battle that he had just gone through has ended a long period of time ago. He can still feel the aftermath of the battle—the exhaustion, the remnants of the wounds that are still in the process of healing, and the feeling of dread that has been following him since he was forced to fight his own kind. Even his entire senses are still vibrating, as if he could still feel the rumbling of the forest while it was burning in flames.

A massive cedar tree appears before him just as he reaches the end of the open pathway, rising tall from the ground just as Jimin slowly walks closer. It takes him a moment to realise that the tree is growing against the side of a building, with its trunk leaning against the stone walls while its branches are giving the perfect shades to partially hide the pair of wooden doors that Jimin can see peeking through the shadows. As if the tree had come alive at one point and simply decided to rest against the structure, protecting it from any possible intruders with its entire body.

“This building—” Hyun wonders loudly as he steps forward and stands beside Jimin, before he starts voicing the very same question that the Vampire is dying to ask, “Would this be the pack house that you mentioned earlier?”

The Alpha smiles knowingly at the siren mage and answers, “Yes, this is a part of our pack house. Or, if you want me to be precise, you are currently looking at the additional sector of the main house which is placed at the rear end of the entire residential complex. This area is often used to accommodate regular guests or shelter families of Enforcers who are on leave for pack’s duty, which is why this access is provided here to give these guests or the families staying on this side of the house more privacy and the security they need.”

“Ah, I see,” Hyun says, laughing softly. “I was wondering why the Blue Moon Pack would hide its main house so deep into the woods or use such an old building to shelter its members. I half expected to hear that you had simply disguised the house for incomers and unfamiliar guests like us.”

Smiling at Hyun’s curiosity, Alpha Junmyeon shakes his head. “As I have mentioned, this passageway is meant for anyone who needs to mobilise in private while also functioning as an escape route from within the pack. This is the safest route that we could choose for you to enter the pack house without drawing unwanted attention from other pack members, something that I am sure you wanted to avoid,” he explains further while pointing out that he knows that Jimin and his group have been moving in secrecy before reaching this area.

Though it is true that the Alpha knows what Jimin and the others truly need, as gaining attention on their movements and presence in the pack would be the last thing that they need, as it would alert others from outside the pack of what they are trying to do. Having caught in an intense battle earlier had certainly ruined their initial plans, as now a fraction of the rebels had revealed that Jimin did survive the poison. And now Jimin can no longer predict what the rebels would do if they should find out that he had made contact with the Blue Moon Pack, who is supposed to be the neutral party in this entire situation.

Alpha Junmyeon gestures to his Enforcers to open the door for them while he continues to explain, “This door leads straight to the safe chamber in the basement, where our guests are currently staying. For the sake of tonight’s meeting, we have arranged for the basement to be left unused by the pack members. It would give you the privacy that you would need to talk without any intrusions from anyone from the pack. Although, as the Alpha of Blue Moon Pack and the one responsible for the pack’s safety, I would still like to request that I, along with my Beta and Third-in-command, could join this meeting as the mediators and your personal witnesses, as what you are discussing may involve the future of our pack and our treaty.”

Jimin nods, finding no grievance about the Alpha and his ranked wolves being there. “I certainly have no objection to your involvement. This is your home, after all, and we are merely your guests. I would hate to appear as if the Vampires are taking over your territory for the sake of our cause,” he lightly comments before adding, “And also because you seem to know better about whoever it is waiting for me to meet.”

The Alpha laughs while Jimin shows his uncertainty as he thinks about what he might be getting into. “I can assure you that there is no threat waiting for you down there. At least, not from us,” Alpha Junmyeon reassures him as he sees the Vampire’s reaction. “As the one who is providing you space for this audience, I shall instead offer you protection, even if just to make sure that I can send you home safely to my sister-in-mating.”

His statement draws a smile from Jimin. “I’ll hold on to your words then. Lead the way for us, Alpha. Let’s see who our mystery guest is and get this over with,” Jimin says, gesturing towards the door just as one of the Enforcers moves to open them.

The massive door creaks as it opens and the Enforcer steps aside, allowing the group of Vampires and the lone mage to enter first. The entrance foyer is kept dark, while the air inside feels a bit musty compared to the outside, though it grows better as they continue to walk through the area until they reach a long hallway leading to the stairwell that would take them to the lower ground.

Alpha Junmyeon takes the lead with the previous Enforcer to show them the way down, and only then does Jimin finally realises that the other pack members and Enforcers who had been with them had parted ways, presumably to return to each of their own quarters as they are done with their roles for the night.

Unlike the entrance foyer that they had seen earlier, the stairwell doesn’t seem too dark nor cramped, as the entire way down is lighted with small sconces hanging on the walls around them. Once they all reach the basement, Jimin is surprised to find that the open area below is much more spacious than he had previously thought it would be. Though it shouldn’t be much of a surprise knowing that it should hold as many pack members as it could if any danger should ever occur in their territory.

There are a few closed doors in every corner of the room which seem to be leading to more personal spaces. Jimin can only guess that they may be bed chambers for guests or pack members who would need some privacy during their stay here.

Much to his surprise, however, even if the basement area is located deep underground, the air around him feels a lot less musty or damp the way it did when he first entered the building. The cool air seems to flow around him more fluidly, suggesting that there is better ventilation on this level compared to the upper ground.

They continue walking, reaching the far edge of the basement that leads to a long hallway where another set of doors appears right at its end. Alpha Junmyeon turns to Jimin and his brothers, calmly stating, “Here we are,” before he knocks on the door gently to announce his arrival.

The door opens right away, with Hanbin appearing on the other side with a bright smile, already expecting to see his brothers coming. “Ah, you’re finally here. We’ve been anxiously waiting for you.”

Before Jimin could question him more about his comment, Hanbin steps aside and ushers Jimin and the rest of the group to enter the room. Walking past the threshold, Jimin takes his time to look around him and asses his surroundings. Unlike the bare-looking open area of the basement where they had landed from the stairs, this room feels a lot warmer and way more comfortable to settle in.

Instead of a bed chamber, the group finds themselves entering what seems to be a seating lounge. The walls around them are painted in dark grey and navy blue tone of colours. While looking slightly dark, it gives a lot more life into the room compared to the barren space outside, where all Jimin could see was the pale stone walls and bare cemented floors. A plush carpet covers the floor, while a few leather-covered loveseats are placed in various corners of the room, giving it a homey atmosphere that helps calm the unsettling feeling inside Jimin’s chest a little. The sound of the cracking flame from the fireplace draws everyone’s attention, as it sparks together with a subtle flow of a familiar force that sends a deep longing into Jimin’s heart.

As he turns toward the fireplace, two young werewolves step closer, greeting their Alpha first with a respectful bow before turning to Jimin and his group. “Lord Jimin, let me introduce you to my second, Beta Chanyeol,” the Alpha says as the taller one bows towards Jimin, before gesturing to the one standing beside him who is wearing a bright smile on his face. “And this is my Third-in-command, Minseok. I have handed them both the responsibility of accompanying our guests and watching over the pack on my leave, and with your permission, they will act as witnesses for tonight’s meeting.”

Jimin greets them in return, and allows the werewolves to chat with the rest of his group while he turns away, intending to study his surroundings more closely. He notices Hanbin walking closer just then, with his two other brothers walking alongside him. His throat feels constricted as he sees Yunhyeong, looking as if he had just come out of the infirmary, with one of his arms hanging on a sling, though his smile is still as bright as it always has been. Jimin recalls Jinhwan’s story about the attack, how Yunhyeong had taken the hardest blow during the ambush before disappearing in the portal during their dramatic escape. Together with them is Donghyuk, who had left Jinhwan in the hands of the Wiccans in order to find their missing brothers. Since he is here with them, it has appeared that his mission had been a success.

Seeing his brothers all back together gives Jimin a sense of relief. He is overcome with glee to see them all standing there, even if their appearances are filled with fresh scars and wounds.

“So—” he says as they all come to surround him, each one of the brothers holding back as much as they could from getting too emotional that neither of them makes a move for a hug. “Were you the special guests that the Alpha has been talking about?”

Hanbin grins at his brother and shakes his head. “I wish I could say that we were the ones getting all the royal treatment. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Someone else is here to see you. And I bet you’ll be happy to see him too,” he says, as he steps aside, allowing Jimin to get a clear view of the rest of the room.

He turns around to look at the center of the room as Hanbin gestures him to, and sees a round table with a few armchairs that have been strategically placed around it, signifying that this place has normally been used for secret meetings or private dialogues which needs to be done away from the other pack members.

But it is not the round table itself which makes Jimin halt and catches his full attention. It is the male Vampire who is sitting right at the head of the table, silently watching him with a smirk while leaning back in his high-back armchair, as if he has been waiting patiently for Jimin to notice his presence.

In his shock, Jimin’s mind wanders back to a recent event in the past, taking him back to the final moments that he shared with his mentor. Lord Xander’s voice echoes inside his head as he sees the older Vampire flashing through his thoughts, as he is taken back to the moment when the healer Lord was handing him a pair of necklaces before bidding his goodbyes,

“If neither of us could recover in time, or if Death comes to us in our sleep, please make sure to give these to our children. To Laila’s daughter and my son.”

‘My son.'

Jimin blinks away the image from his head, almost unable to believe just what he is seeing. For a moment, he had almost thought that he was seeing Lord Xander sitting there, smiling the same way he would have whenever they would meet. But he quickly snaps out of it, just as the past memory fades away from his thoughts, helping him to realise that the Vampire before him looks a lot younger than his mentor, despite looking almost identical, and with much shorter hair.

Before Jimin can react, the twins beat him to it as they walk around him and rush towards the round table together to greet the familiar face waiting for them.

“Jiwon. Should’ve known that it would be you waiting for us here,” Yongguk comments with a deep chuckle as he slides closer to the Vampire, while the other twin curiously tilts his head. “How did you get here? Why are you hiding in a werewolf pack? Have you been here all this time?”

Jiwon softly chuckles at his cousins, keeping his eyes on Jimin when he gives them an answer, ”It’s quite a long story, actually, and it has something to do with the reason why Hanbin and Yunhyeong had ended up here too.”

Surprised, Jimin immediately turns to glance at his brothers, both of them shrugging their shoulders as if telling him that the Vampire’s words are true.

“Why don’t you take your seats and join me?” Jiwon calls out to the Orphans who are still standing a few feet away from the round table, while the twins had swiftly taken the empty seats right beside him, as if they all belong there. “I bet you boys are tired from the long journey and might be a bit confused. We need some catching up to do anyway. I’m not wrong, am I—Lord Jimin?”

Back at Wolf Moon Pack…

There is something magical about the sunset in the Wolf Moon Pack.

The air cools down the moment the sun begins to descend, while the vibrant colours in the sky seem to blend together like a watercolour painting—iridescent, dazzling, enchanting—as if the space around the pack is coming alive at nightfall. You look up to admire the dark shade spreading in the sky that appears almost purple, while the stars begin to pop out, revealing their beautiful glow one sparkle at a time. As the faint shade of the descending sun fades beneath the foliage across the hill before you, the moonlight above is quick to grab your attention. Its radiating light draws you in, but it is the shade faintly appearing on its edges that has you taking a long, deep breath.

The indistinct shade of red.

Its presence serves as a reminder that time is running out. Ever since it had been determined that the events which had been happening for the past few years—the rebellion rising within the Vampires clan and the coup which occurred in your home pack—have a silver lining, that someone—or perhaps, quite undoubtedly, an entire group of them—is intending to give rise to the Blood War, bringing back the nightmare that had haunted the entire continent for centuries, it has marked the rise of the blood moon as your time limit.

There seems to be a clear reason why that specific night has always been chosen for the rise of chaos and why it was possible for the Dark Alliance to unite their powers to take over the continent. And now that it is evident just how close it is already to the night of the blood moon rising, you cannot help but feel as if you are being pushed into a corner, with limited options to choose on how to stop the war from happening.

But will it be possible for any of us to stop it at all?

“It’s a marvellous view from here, isn’t it?”

You turn away from the window just as Mage Kim enters the room. Her arrival snaps you out of your daze, plummeting you back into reality where you are standing in her quaint kitchen, with bright lights illuminating the room in contrast to the dusky sunset out in the woods.

The pretty mage moves with a gentle flow around the counter, carrying a basket full of fresh vegetables in one hand and an old spell book in the other, which she then places on top of the marble top counter with such ease and grace before turning to you once again to speak, “I always enjoy watching the sunset from that very same window myself after a long busy day of work, though it seems to me that it’s not giving you the same calming effect as it does to me.”

Puzzled by her words, you tilt your head, trying to understand what she is trying to say. Seeing this, Mage Kim giggles a little before tilting her chin towards your hands. “Seeing the way you are clutching that mug so tightly, I can only guess that your mind is not as calm as it looks.”

Raising your eyebrows, you follow her gaze and look down at your hands. Sure enough, you find that not only you are clutching the mug in your hand just as tightly as the way she described it, but your claws have also come out, making their appearance and almost digging into the sides of the mug. Hairline cracks are beginning to materialize on what was supposed to be a flawless-looking mug before the tip of your claws made contact with it.

With a gasp, you quickly retract your claws and loosen up your grip on the mug, before gently placing it on top of the kitchen counter.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin your mug,” you start to apologise, while the mage only waves her hand at you and laughs.

“Oh, don’t worry about that old thing. I’ve had that mug for as long as I can remember, so it’s due time for it to crack anyway. I’ve gained plenty of new ones since I moved here so I won’t miss it too much,” she calmly says to you with a smile.

“Still—” you murmur, still unable to look away from the damage that you have done. For any mortal eyes, those tiny cracks may not be visible. But it is quite different when you are looking at it with your eyes. “I guess I got lost and carried away with my thoughts there for a moment. But I did enjoy the tea you made. I promise.”

Mage Kim grins at you as she takes the abused mug out of your sight. “That’s a relief. At least I know that I didn’t really leave you completely idle,” she says, as she continues to unpack the vegetables that she had carried with her while chatting.

“I’m sorry for stepping out while we were having a chat. Yvonne is one of the pack’s elders who had just lost her mate last summer. They’ve been together for 70 years, so it was really hard for her to adjust to living on her own with her kids all spread in different packs. I’ve been helping her deal with her grief, and she would often stop by like this to say hello and chat, and sometimes vent when she has some troubles at home,” she says, not even pausing as she puts some of the fresh goods away and setting aside a couple of them to use later, while you can only watch her closely, admiring how every single thing that she does seems to captivate you.

Even the way she moves enchants you. Sometimes she would appear as if she is gliding above the ground when she walks, while sometimes her moves remind you of flowing water. There is also a familiar sense radiating from her, reminding you of something that you had encountered before even though it is hard for you to point a finger at what it truly was.

“These are all from her, by the way,” she continues to say, waving at the vegetables that she had set up on the counter. “She always leaves a whole basket of fresh produce whenever she comes to visit, as a token of gratitude each time I would spare my time to see her, mostly everything that she had grown and harvested herself from her little garden.”

“That’s so thoughtful of her,” you muse softly, drawing another smile from the mage. “I’m guessing that happens often? Do the other pack members give you offerings like this whenever you help them?”

Mage Kim shrugs as she turns to wash the goods in her sink, refusing your help when you offer, simply telling you to take a seat instead, to which you comply easily just to get out of her way. “I never asked them to, but they always come to drop things in exchange for our help. My mate and I simply try to help out as much as we can for the pack since they have been so welcoming of us since the day we arrived. I figured it was a fair trade, we give and take, and help each other the best we can for the good of the pack.”

For the good of the pack.

It was the same teaching that your father had imprinted in you ever since you were just a pup, growing up under his and your mother’s care. The same teaching that has been passed on within the pack through each generation, shared among the pack members for many years to form a tight bond under your father’s lead. It pains you to think that the very same pack has now been split apart, all because of the coup that began from your sister’s treason.

Pain twists inside your chest when you think about your pack’s fate, and you turn to look at your surroundings just to distract yourself from your own thoughts. It was late in the afternoon when you came to pay the mage a visit, done under Taehyung’s mother’s advice. It wasn’t much of a surprise to find that both the mage and her beta mate had chosen to live in a quiet and secluded area away from the heart of the pack, but it was still a pleasant surprise when you finally found the quaint cottage that they have both been living in. Located on the top of the hill, the cottage has the perfect view of its surroundings—the serene forest, the green hills, and even the riverbed which leads to a nearby waterfall—while it remains a walking distance towards the packhouse, allowing the Beta to travel back and forth so easily each day when he is needed for his duty.

“This is quite a nice place to live, far from the hectic life you would normally find at the heart of the pack. How did you manage to find this cottage?” you find yourself asking the mage when she returns to your side, and you can faintly feel her pride radiating from within her.

“We didn’t. My mate, Seokjin, built this cottage with his own two hands, right after the Alpha gave us this piece of land to work with. We had requested a place where we could find some peace and quiet, to have something different than our daily life, which is almost never peaceful,” the mage answers as she pours some more tea into two different mugs, replacing the one that you had almost ruined and the one that she had left behind in the sink on her rush to see the pack member that had come earlier.

The mage continues her story while sipping on her tea. Her eyes glow fondly as she appears to reminisce about her past. “My mate, Seokjin, wanted to create a place that resembles our old home. Years ago, he and I met during the winter when I was a trainee witch. I was staying in an old cottage that used to belong to one of the mentors in the coven that I was raised in when he came at my door.”

She stops with a giggle, before continuing to tell her story, how she found a sleeping bear on her porch one day, then about the days she spent with that bear before he finally revealed himself in his human form. Mage Kim then tells you a bit more about Beta Seokjin’s past, the history that you had once heard partially from your father but never in full form. You have known before that the beta had once gone feral after losing his home pack and his family during the Rogue War, but you had never heard the story of how he managed to find his way to join the Wolf Moon Pack with his mate until now, as Mage Kim tells you almost in detail of the events that had led them both to this place.

“That old cabin held so many good memories, but what we shared while living there for that short period of time was so precious for both of us that the moment we were given a chance to build something new and create new memories, Seokjin insisted to recreate that same cabin here. Which, as you can see, turned out to be this pretty little cottage that we call home.”

As you look around you, a sight that comes to mind is not an old cabin that would have resembled this one, but another that had been buried deep in your memories. Located deep in the Blue Moon pack’s territory, the old cottage that was built by Jongin’s own two hands, was the home that had held a lot of golden memories of your own with your deceased mate. In the past, your chest would have burned with so much pain whenever you are reminded of those old days, when you pictured the life you had then only to be reminded of Jongin’s passing and how much it had hurt you.

Now, however, the longing that you are feeling for those missing days is accompanied by another kind of yearning. You begin to wonder if you would be able to build a new memory with your second chance mate. Would it be possible for you and Jimin to build your own home, away from the tumultuous lives of an Alpha and a Vampire Lord?

Snapping out of it, you turn to focus on Mage Kim’s gentle voice as she continues talking.

“We would still return to that old cottage in the winter, whenever Alpha Namjoon grants us a break during the cold season and gives permission for us to leave the pack for a while. He knows that my mate still finds the need to hibernate, though it hasn’t been quite as demanding as it was before when his beast counterpart was still dominating him, and it’s always been hard to hibernate completely if we remain in this place throughout the winter. My mate can be extremely grouchy when he doesn’t get the long rest that his bear needs,” she adds with a giggle. “Alpha Namjoon also understands how much Seokjin would have to hold back when he is working alongside him, so he does give us some flexibility to travel and get away whenever we need to.”

Knowing the roles that Beta Seokjin and his mate had to take upon joining the pack, and the sacrifices that had no doubt taken place, you understand why Alpha Namjoon would give them so much freedom. But thinking about two Alphas leading the pack together, with Beta Seokjin stepping back to be the second-in-command, has left you wondering about the pack’s dynamic. Especially now that you have found out that the beta is mated to a white witch, someone who would have been seen as the enemy by the pack had it been under normal circumstances.

“Speaking of which—Mage Kim?” you begin to question her when your curiosity grows stronger. “How are you adjusting to living in a pack, and as a shifter’s mate? I’m sorry, I just can’t help but wonder. It’s not often that a shifter and a mage, someone who has the ability to master witchcraft, would cross paths, much less turn out as mates. I’m sure it wasn’t quite easy.”

“Please, call me Aurora,” she says in return, smiling shyly when she sees you raising your brows. “That’s the name that was given to me at birth. I don’t normally use my given name, for personal reasons, which is why I have requested the Alpha to have the pack call me under the name ‘Mage Kim’, as I have taken my mate’s given name as mine and it would make it easier for me to remain anonymous to any outsider.”

You simply nod, trying to understand even if you have yet to know the full story behind her reasons. A million different questions appear in your head, as you are reminded of the first time you heard Taehyung mentioning Mage Kim when you met him, but you keep your curiosity to yourself as Aurora continues with, “But I do feel like it would be better for anyone who I am personally close with to call me by my real name. Of course, I would appreciate it if you would only call me by my given name when we’re alone.”

“Of course, Mage Kim. I mean, Aurora,” you answer her with a smile, which she returns with a grateful nod.

“To answer your question, it did take quite a while for me to get used to living in a pack of shifters. Before meeting my mate, I had never once encountered any shifter, nor had I ever truly learned a thing about them. I’ve learned so much since then, and then a lot more ever since I joined this pack,” she explains with a soft chuckle. “I’m quite grateful that they welcomed me with open arms. I also had my mentor by my side during the first couple of years I began living here, since it was his place that I was taking over when I first arrived, so that was a huge help as well.”

“How about your mate?” you ask her, when you recall the authority of an Alpha radiating from the werebear when you first met him. “I imagine it wouldn’t have been easy for an Alpha to submit under another leader when he came in.”

Shaking her head, Aurora sighs a little. “Oh, it sure wasn’t. Didn’t help the fact that my mate is quite a hot-headed shifter. Even without his Alpha blood running in his veins, he has already been quite stubborn to deal with,” she says while rolling her eyes, though there is still a sense of fondness and admiration as she talks about Beta Seokjin. “He does have a huge respect for Alpha Namjoon, however, since the Alpha is wise and honourable as a leader. I think sometimes my mate would try to start something with the Alpha just for the fun of it, not because he is trying to challenge Alpha Namjoon’s authority.”

Laughing, you imagine the Alpha and Beta going at each other when they are together. Just like how you had seen them arguing in your vision. “I’m going to guess that there’s been a lot of ‘friendly’ banter between the two over the years?”

Aurora shakes her head again while laughing. “It never stops. And I think Alpha Namjoon enjoys it when my mate would challenge him into some kind of an argument or debate or when he tries to turn the Alpha’s own words against him. He always seems more—alive, when he is with Seokjin,” Aurora carefully says, before she looks at you with deep caution in her eyes and adds, “I’m sure you know what the Alpha is currently dealing with.”

Biting your lips, you briefly nod, knowing what she is insinuating. “Yes, I know very well. I was once in his shoes, quite a few years ago.”

Aurora releases a deep sigh. “That is probably why I was sent here by fate, and why my mate was needed here in this pack. At first, we were merely searching for a way to give my mate a sense of order, for him to be a part of a community once again to give him everything that he had once lost. But then we both realised that we were able to give something more to help the Alpha and his pack,” she begins to speak with a soft voice, as if she feels like someone would be able to listen to her words as she talks about Alpha Namjoon and her mate’s personal business. “My healing powers may not be on par with the best mages in the continent, but I do my best to support the Alpha, and help him through his struggles so he could still do his duty and keep the order in the pack. Meanwhile, my mate would have enough authority to give the Alpha his sound voice and support whenever he is needed, or to take his place when the Alpha is absent.”

“The Mating Sickness—” you start to ask, “How far worse has it been since—”

“I’m afraid I cannot say,” Aurora claims while shaking her head slowly, a hint of sadness appearing in her gaze as she thinks about the Alpha. “But as someone who once battled with the same sickness, I’m sure you know what would happen if he keeps on going like this for a longer period of time. He has been going strong for long enough. But even the strongest being in the realm would still have their limitations.” Aurora looks up, staring deeply into your eyes as she adds, “For Alpha Namjoon, he might as well have gone past that limit quite a long time ago.”

A deep concern flows right through you after what Aurora had just told you. As someone who had once experienced the same sickness and knows damn well what the sickness could do to a shifter, you can imagine the struggles that Alpha Namjoon has to face.

You have met Alpha Namjoon a few times and spent time with him during your stay in the Wolf Moon Pack, and never once had you ever caught any signs of him struggling. Deep down, you cannot help but admire his tenacity, while at the same time, you also know that he would have to endure as much pain as the power that he has to use to hide his suffering, and it worries you even more to think that he had been fighting for so long.

“How are you feeling now, by the way? Does your chest still feel tight? Is it easier to breathe?” Aurora suddenly asks you, and for a brief moment, you have no clue what she is talking about that you instantly fall silent, until you finally remember the reason why you came to visit her this afternoon.

Your heartburn.

Ever since early this morning, you have been getting a series of heartburn bothering you. It started with your heartbeat which continued rising so rapidly, followed by the tightness in your chest that caused you to have trouble breathing. You immediately suspected that Jimin may have been the cause when your mating mark started pulsing, though you had no idea if the pain you felt simply came to you because of the distance and for being so far away from your mate, or if something else was causing it. That it had been a sign that your mate was in terrible danger.

After consulting with Taehyung and his mother, they advised you to see Mage Kim to find answers, which became the reason why you are here, sitting in her kitchen while sharing deep thoughts and stories with a few cups of hot tea.

Immediately, you lean back and start to gently rub your chest, right where you had been feeling pain. You quickly realise that the only thing you can feel now is warmth, while the tightness that had been bothering you is long gone. “Oh! That’s interesting. I didn’t notice it while we were chatting, but it does feel better. Are you telling me that all I had to do was drink warm tea?”

Aurora laughs, looking relieved and amused at the same time. “I wish it was that simple. The tea only helped ease your muscles and calm your nerves. I put a few drops of my remedy in your cup of tea and the snacks I gave you earlier, then I added a calming potion into that one,” she says, pointing at the mug you are still holding. “That’s what did the job.”

Surprised, and absolutely amused, you can only shake your head in wonder. “I guess they weren’t kidding when they said that you give the best remedies. I suppose the wonderful chat we had also helped put my mind at ease that I almost forgot what I was supposed to be doing here.”

Aurora looks out the window from over your shoulder just then, and her eyes immediately widen. “We’ve been talking for so long that I didn’t even notice how much time has passed. I haven’t even started making dinner.”

Turning away from her, you follow her gaze to look out the window, noticing how dark it had gotten out there. “Oh, right. It’s already dinnertime. I’m sorry for taking so much of your time,” you say to her, feeling remorseful for getting lost in the moment. But right as you turn to her and before you even begin to take your leave, the mage stops you right away.

“Surely you can stay for a while longer, can’t you? Seokjin isn’t going to return for dinner tonight, as he is still busy attending Alpha Namjoon’s business at the pack house. He’s probably already combing through the buffet dinner by now. Tammy, the pack’s senior cook, makes excellent meat pies, and he would often go mad for it whenever he is eating with the other pack members.”

“Well—I’m not exactly in a rush to go,” you tell her, which is not entirely a lie.

Ever since you came to the pack, you had spent most of your time staying close to your parents. Oftentimes, Taehyung would have to send either his mother or his mate to drag you away, forcing you to join them during mealtime just so you could get a little break from watching over your parents who remain unconscious. You have no doubt that the moment you return to Taehyung’s property, his family would have you joining them again. While you are grateful for their care, it doesn’t stop you from feeling as if you are intruding on their personal space too much, and you feel guilty about it when they have already done so much to help you and your family.

Besides, you also have another purpose to stay with Mage Kim tonight, and you refuse to leave until you have what you needed.

“On that note, I should probably start making dinner,” Aurora says, turning away to pull out a couple of containers from the freezer standing behind her. She sets them all up on the counter, opening them to reveal the frozen meat contained inside, nearly causing you to drool. “How do you like your meat, Alpha? Medium, or well done? Or perhaps, rare? I know that shifters can have different tastes in the way they enjoy their meal.”

“Medium rare, leaning more towards rare, if that’s not too much of a trouble,” you answer her while holding back from licking your lips. Though you can barely restrain your wolf’s hunger when she softly growls inside your head, drawn completely to the sight of the uncooked meat. “It’s the only way it would be fair for me and my wolf. Obviously, she would prefer her meat raw. But when I’m in my human form, I do enjoy a bit of a roast on my meat for a taste.”

“Understandable. That’s actually how my mate would love his dinner too,” Aurora says, nodding. “Of course, the bear inside him would always fight him over it, as the beast prefers the meat all fresh and bloody. But Seokjin could no longer stomach it ever since he started staying in his human form longer. He always says that fresh meat reminds him of the dark days that he spent as a feral.”

Nodding your head absently, you try to recall a little bit more of what you had once heard about Beta Seokjin. You had never once met any shifter who had gone feral for a long time and managed to regain their sanity to be able to return to society and to hold a highly regarded rank the way Beta Seokjin did, so his story had always intrigued you ever since you first heard of him from your father in the past. You had once wondered if he would still lose control even once he had returned to live and function in his human form, or if he had given up the option to shift at all.

A shudder runs through your body as you imagine yourself living without ever getting a chance to shift right back into your wolf form. The feeling of entrapment suddenly overcomes you, as you have always felt so free and alive whenever you are running in your other form.

“But he still hunts regularly while he is running in his beast form, right?” you question the mage as the thought comes into your mind. “I always give my wolf free reign when I need to go out on my regular run, and she always takes the chance to hunt and eat her game all fresh and bloody when she is in control.”

“Oh, obviously,” Aurora answers with a playful scoff. “He still runs in his bear form, though he rarely does it alone. He would do it either when the pack is doing their regular run together, or he would have one or two Enforcers running with him to keep an eye on him. It’s not that he would lose total control when he shifts, it’s just that the bear would take any given chance to take over his body and he would sometimes run free and wild without care. It’s usually during that time when the bear would find a fresh hunt for himself and enjoy his rare, and extremely bloody, meat.”

“Beta Jin would always argue with the bear about it when that happens, I’m guessing?”

She laughs, knowing that her mate would do such a thing just for the sake of it. “Every single time.”

As Aurora prepares for dinner, you can no longer sit down and do nothing, so you give her no choice but to let you help her through it. Soon enough, you are sitting with the kindhearted mage on her dining table, which is small and comfortable enough for two people, though you still find it hard to imagine Beta Seokjin sitting around it in his bear form. Which, according to Aurora, is something that often happens when the Beta is too exhausted to fight against his bear who always wants to show himself in front of his mate.

“He used to do that in our old home, watch over me while I was cooking our meal or when I was messing around with my potions, filling the room with his massive body. I suppose it became a bit of a habit for him that he still can’t let it go once we’re living here, so I’d just let him instead of arguing about it. No matter how stubborn Seokjin can be, his bear is much worse,” Aurora tells you with a soft chuckle. “Seeing him trying to fit into this tiny space is pretty adorable too, especially when he’s sitting with his legs out like a giant teddy bear.”

Seeing that you have only ever met Beta Seokjin while he is being formal and serious in your previous encounters, imagining him being the cute teddy bear that Aurora is describing him draws a smile to your face. “Forgive me, but it is really hard for me to picture the Beta acting in such a way,” you comment with a laugh. “Although, if I have to compare him with Taehyung, then I guess they’re both aren’t so different, after all, if they can truly act differently when they are in their personal space and with their loved ones and just be themselves.”

Right the moment you say this, your mind wanders to Jimin. Finding a mate is always a blessing for a shifter, and you had been given the gift of finding your second chance mate. Despite feeling blessed and grateful, you resent the fact that it had to happen during the circumstances that you are in, where you are unable to enjoy your first moments with your mate the way Aurora and Beta Jin or how Taehyung and his mate, Rhea, could. You barely had enough time to be with each other before you had to part ways, all because you both had to meet on the rise of an incoming war.

Suddenly feeling envious and disturbed after listening to Aurora’s story, you lean back in your seat to try and distract yourself from your own thoughts. That is when your eyes fall onto the old spell book that has been left right on the corner of the dining table. You remember seeing her carrying it with her all the time, and then you saw it again earlier when she came back from tending to a pack member, but you never had any clear view of it until now.

“This book seems pretty old. It looks like it’s falling apart,” you comment as you lean to look closer. For some odd reason, the spell book seems to draw you in, though seeing its dire state, you hold back from reaching out to touch it.

“That’s because that book has been around for ages,” she comments while laughing. “I’m trying my best to keep it as it was. I’ve had the book since I was little. My mother—the woman who raised me—gave it to me. That’s the only thing that was once hers that I still have left.”

“A.C.,” you murmur softly, reading the initials that have been engraved so clearly on its leather cover. The writings around it seem to be fading, yet the initials are still quite easy to read.

“That’s my mother’s initials. She carved it on the cover because she kept losing her books as a child. She told me once how the other kids who grew up with her knew that she was different, and had constantly tried to cause trouble or get her into trouble in the coven. That includes stealing and hiding her book of spells and grimoires right before her rituals,” Aurora explains, looking down at the book cover with a deep longing in her eyes.

“Her name was Agatha. Agatha Carro. That’s where A.C. came from. She was a healer and a clairvoyant, just like me, though the magic and the blood that ran through her had come from black magic, as we were both born and raised in a Dark Coven.”

Agatha. The name rings inside your head, and you are immediately reminded of the Wiccan. Could it be—

“But let’s not go there. I’m pretty sure that my story isn’t what you needed to hear,” she suddenly says, waving you off before your mind could go any further. She leaves her seat to pick up the steaming teapot and begins to refill the empty mugs on the table with fresh tea before returning to her seat. “At least, I know that it’s not the reason why you came to visit tonight and why you had kept me company for hours. I know that you didn’t come here just for an idle chat or to simply cure your heartburn, even if I haven’t heard you complaining about me keeping you here.”

“Nothing about our conversation was idle. If any, it had been quite—enlightening,” you reassure her while picking up your mug of hot tea. You can smell the scent of fresh herbs through its steam, letting you know that she had once again added the same remedy as the one she had given you earlier.

“I was told that you are the one working on the remedy for my parents. I just—I don’t know, I just figured it would only be right if I paid a visit, to say thank you and see how it’s going, or if you have any trouble with it at all,” you finally admit to her. “It was by chance that I was having trouble breathing and experiencing heartburn at the same time, so I had a good reason to ask Taehyung to show me the way to your home.”

Aurora simply smiles at you. “Coincidences often happen for a reason created by Fate. Yes, I have been working on the remedy ever since Beta Taehyung and his mother reached out to me,” she says, gesturing to the sunroom at the back of the cottage that is visible from the dining room. Seeing the altar and the wooden cabinet filled with glass jars containing various herbs standing in its corner, you safely assume that she is using the sunroom as her little workshop where she is making her remedies. “I took a sample of your father’s blood and the antidote that was said to have been given by your mate. Alpha Namjoon said that your mate had also been poisoned and you believed that it might have been the same one that was used to harm your parents.”

Nodding, you tell her everything that Jimin had told you about what the poison had done to his body. “It had similar symptoms to what my mate had said to have happened to him. Taehyung’s mother told me that if it wasn’t for the fact that my parents had the Alpha blood inside them, then they would have—” you stop talking when your throat feels tight. The thought of losing your parents had been haunting you for quite a long time, and you refuse to let it enter your mind again now that you are starting to feel a glimmer of hope. “Did it work? Did you manage to find a way to use that antidote for them? I know that we couldn’t use them directly since the original antidote was created for Vampires.”

Aurora shakes her head. “No, we couldn’t use it. Even if we had, there is no doubt it would only harm your parents more. It seems that the poison that was used on your mate was also slightly different, as we found a hint of wolfsbane added into it through your parents’ blood.”

This new fact makes you frown. “Are you saying that the poison may be the same, but they had deliberately altered it to weaken werewolves?”

“That seems to be the case, yes,” Aurora hums softly as she deeply considers this thought. “Not to worry, though. We are close to finishing the remedy. I’ll spend the whole night working on it and making sure that it will actually work. Just like you said earlier, we’re in the race against time, so I’ll personally make sure that it would be ready before sunrise.”

As the night continues, it turns out that there is no need for you to wait until sunrise comes to have the remedy that you needed. Right after you finish dinner, Aurora simply decides to get right back to work to finish creating the perfect potion that would help heal your parents.

She welcomes you to join her in the sunroom, where the area is filled with her little trinkets, illuminated with nothing but candles, while the scent of herbs and potions keeps flowing in the air around you. You watch her in awe as she gets to work, as she pulls out the samples of blood and altered antidote that she has been working with to create new samples in smaller vials. You even lend a hand when she needs to crush a few different herbs to mix with each sample, until she finally manages to find the perfect mix to eliminate the toxin and the remaining poison from the blood samples. She even uses a hint of her magic to amplify the remedy once she is done, and for once, the sight of the magic practice doesn’t leave a bad taste or an eerie feeling inside you, knowing that the spells she uses—enchanted from the pages within the old spell book—is only done with good intentions.

Hours before midnight arrives, the mage already has a few portions of the remedy that you had needed from her.

“You are truly amazing,” you muse with wonder as you hold the vials filled with the freshly blended remedy that may help heal your parents. “Thank you so much for this.”

True to her humble character, Aurora only waves her hand at you. “Don’t thank me yet. We’ll see if it’ll work to help your parents gain their strength back and for them to finally recover. It’s going to be a rough process of healing after dealing with such a strong poison, and this will only be the beginning of that healing process. I’ll be here to ask for help from the ancestors to lend their strength. Perhaps I can also find more answers by convening a seance to communicate with them directly to ask for their guidance.”

“Ah, that’s right. You told me earlier that aside from being a healer, you are also a clairvoyant,” you say to her, recalling what she had shared and what Taehyung had once told you.

“That is true,” Aurora says, giving you a shy smile. “My mother was a gifted one with that skill, and she had passed on her gift to me.”

Once again, Agatha’s face comes flashing into your thoughts. “I’ve met another clairvoyant, a Wiccan, on my journey here. She showed me a glimpse of the past. She started with the events that happened years ago regarding my sister, long before her rebellion came to rise, to show me what may have triggered her to finally take action to turn the pack against me and our parents,” you carefully tell her, refraining from saying more about seeing Alpha Namjoon and Beta Jin in that same vision. “Then I was also given the chance to see another Vision, left behind by my mate’s mentor and guardian, which we had managed to unlock with the help of the Wiccan. This one took me back long enough to witness the Ancient war, the Blood War, and to see for myself everything that had actually happened during that time.”

Aurora’s eyes grow wide upon hearing this. You haven’t exactly shared this with anyone else but the Alpha, but knowing that she may have the same ability and more knowledge about this gift, you had figured that perhaps you can find some answers from her.

“Have you ever—” you start by asking. “Since my arrival in this pack wasn’t so much of a surprise to you, have you ever envisioned me coming here for help or have you ever seen any signs about the war coming back?”

Aurora looks a bit unsure for a moment before she finally nods. “The spirits spoke to me during one of my seances. They had given me a warning that something is going to happen in the near future. Something so big that would alter the entire lives of everyone living within this realm, and that I would know when the time will come. The messages they sent me had foreseen a part of a distant past that was coming back to the present, that a cycle of events will take place as soon as the pieces that were linked into that past are reconnected,” she says, recalling everything that she had known. “The moment you arrived at the pack, bearing the mark that was given by your mate, I knew that it had begun.”

A sigh slips right through you just as the dreadful feeling that you felt before returns, the unsettling sensation that always takes over when you recall the sight of the Blood War. “The vision had told me something similar. Through the vision that I entered, I was able to understand everything, to know all about the pieces of the past that had caused the war and the possibility of them coming back in the present and reconnecting—”

As you begin to talk about it, the memory of the vision returns to you. They come flashing into your thoughts like a set of moving pictures. The pale Vampires that reeked of blood, the young and mighty Vampires riding the flying dragons, the army of Rogues and Halflings rushing down the mountains before colliding with an army of Werewolves and Lycans in an intense battle, and the deep, bloody red sky above.

“A vision that was left behind by someone who no longer exists in the upper world,” Aurora suddenly murmurs while looking like she is a deep thought. “This Wiccan that you met must have been quite powerful to be able to assist you with one.”

You tilt your head, suddenly feeling curious. “Are you not capable of doing the same?”

Aurora gives you a sad smile. “Not quite yet. I haven’t had that much experience with it to try it with another person, but I have been training myself to create a Vision for myself so I could go back into the past and look into some of the Elders’ memories,” she says as she looks up at you. “Is that what you needed help with? Do you have another vision that you would like to visit?”

You quickly shake your head. “No, not quite. I’m not sure, really. I’m just still quite at a loss, I guess,” you answer her with a defeated sigh. “It’s just—there are so many things that are still bothering me. How much do you know about the Ancient Blood War?”

At the mention of the Blood War, Aurora’s face immediately turns grim, and the unsettling shudder begins to run down your spine even before you hear her answer. “Enough to know that if it should occur once more in the present, the entire realm would succumb to darkness, because the forces that had once stopped the War may no longer exist.”

➥ Special Appearance: Jiwon (Bobby) as Lord Xander’s son

— © 2022 Yoonia, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind, translations, unsanctioned adaptations are not allowed.

[kjmcotton]

✧*ૂ༄Halloween advent calendar🎃

An anthology made of nine Exo short stories to celebrate the spookiest day of the year🦇

23.10 I.Jongin-statue

24.10 II.Baekhyun-cupid*

25.10 III.Minseok-basilyscus

26.10 IV.Jongdae-ghost

27.10 V.Sehun-demon

28.10 VI.Junmyeon-grim reaper*

29.10 VII.Kyungsoo-clown

30.10 VIII.Yixing-vampire

31.10 IX.Chanyeol-ghostface

*Please notice:if there will be any change while the work is in progress I’ll let you know by updating this post,so be sure to check

*Baekhyun has been changed from werewolf to cupid

*Junmyeon has been changed from pirate to grim reaper

[iridescentxstars]

ೃ⁀➷ 𝐊𝐞𝐲: [M] — Mature content/warnings | 🌹 — NSFW | ✨ — Rewritten | ✅ — complete | ❌ — unfinished/discontinued/missing links

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫-𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲. 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞.

This masterlist contains all fics that have been archived for various reasons. This does not mean that they are not good enough to read, you are welcome to read and enjoy them. Some of these have been rewritten and the old stories can be found here.

ೃ⁀➷ Kim Jongin | BangChan | On-Going Series | Completed Series | Drabbles | Misc

ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢-𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

[ ✧.* ] Something New [part one] [part two] — camboy!jongin x reader x camboy!sehun [@x-ratedkpop] 🌹✅ [ ✧.* ][M] A Dangerous Game — vampire!chanyeol x human!jennifer x vampire!minseok 🌹❌ [ ✧.* ] Soulmates [jongin] [chanyeol] — soulmate!idols x soulmate!readers ❌ [ ✧.* ] Love By CPR — doctor!jongin x reader 🌹❌ [ ✧.* ] Living Arrangements — boss!jungkook x reader 🌹❌

ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

[ ✧.* ][M] Rule Breakers — stripper!jongin x parent!ayla [spin off to unwind by @oh-beyond] 🌹✅

ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬

[ ✧.* ] His First Love — idol!jongin x reader [ ✧.* ] Warm Caramel And Honey Blonde — professor!jongin x barista!alice [ ✧.* ] Under The Mistletoe — actor!jongin x reader [ ✧.* ] Catch Me If You Can — detective!jongin x gang!reader [ ✧.* ] If Only — ceo!jongin x reader | ceo!jongin x yoona [side] [ ✧.* ][M] Behind Closed Doors — bodyguard!jongin x ceo!reader x ceo!ravi 🌹 [ ✧.* ][M] Play Pretend — vampire hunter!jongin x vampire!reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Wrong Move — detective!yoongi x detective!shai x criminal!jongin [ ✧.* ] Jealous — idol!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] She's A Fighter — student!jongin x student!reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Gentle — idol!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Aim To Please — idol!jongin x dom!reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Ice, Ice Baby — idol!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ][M] Obsession — yandere!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Confession — devil!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] In The Club — devil!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Game Of Possession — idol!jongin x reader [@x-ratedkpop] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Petty Jealousy — idol!minseok x reader [@x-ratedkpop] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] As The Thunder Rolls In — ambiguous!junmyeon x reader [ @x-ratedkpop] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Mirror — idol!yixing x reader [@x-ratedkpop] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Take Care Of Me — sub!baekhyun x mummy!reader [@x-ratedkpop] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Come On Over — idol!jongin x reader [@x-ratedkpop] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Cruel Queen — mafia!chanyeol x mafia!reader [@x-ratedkpop] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] A Point To Prove — idol!yuto x poc!reader [@x-ratedkpop] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Never Love Again — fuckboy!lucas x reader [due to be rewritten][@danseurehonte]

[ ✧.* ][M] A Life With You — yandere!prince!taemin x reader x prince!jongin [present] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] The Gift That Keeps On Giving — ambiguous!taemin x reader x boyfriend!hakyeon [present] 🌹 [ ✧.* ] You're Hired — ceo!taemin x reader x ceo!jongin 🌹 [ ✧.* ][M] Delusional Fantasy — hades!leo x persephone!reader [ ✧.* ] Warmth — idol!jongin x reader 🌹❌ [ ✧.* ] Long Drive — ambiguous!minseok x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Little Wolf — werewolf!junmyeon & werewolf!reader [ ✧.* ] My Darling, You Are Perfect — idol!yixing x alice [ ✧.* ] Happy Birthday, Yixing — idol!yixing x reader [ ✧.* ] Mutual Agreement — idol!yixing x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ][M] Ritual Gone Wrong — demon!yixing x reader [ ✧.* ] Do You Wanna Build A Snowman? — best friend!baekhyun & anais [present] [ ✧.* ] Fucking Fortnite — brother!baekhyun & reader [ ✧.* ] His Awakening — dragon!jongdae [ ✧.* ] Best Of Both Worlds — idol!jongin x reader x idol!jungkook 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Secret Santa — college!namjoon x reader [present] [ ✧.* ] The Competition — idol!sehun x reader [ ✧.* ] Cookie Time — idol!sehun x reader [present] [ ✧.* ] Late Night Coffee — model!sehun x photographer!alice [ ✧.* ] Sweet Like Chocolate — idol!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] I Promise You — idol!jongin x alice [ ✧.* ] First Date — idol!jongin x reader [ ✧.* ] Crayons — ambiguous!jongin x reader [ ✧.* ] Stone Cold — ex!jongin x reader | soulmate!jongin x soulmate!oc [side] [ ✧.* ][M] God Sent An Angel — angel!jongin x reader | baekhyun x reader [side] [ ✧.* ] Tender Love — idol!jongin x alice [ ✧.* ] Study Break — ambiguous!jongin x reader [present] [ ✧.* ] Christmas Crush — friend!jongin x reader [ ✧.* ] Jongin's Christmas Miracle — idol!jongin x ayla [ ✧.* ][M] New Life — boss!jongin x barista!reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Drunk Mind, Sober Heart — best friend!jongin x alice 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Say Yes — fallen angel!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ][M] Jongin The Ripper — killer!jongin x ??? 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Break Me — vampire!jongin x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Consequences — prince!kyungsoo x reader [ ✧.* ] World's Best Dad — best friend!kyungsoo x parent!reader [ ✧.* ] Love Confessions — college!kyungsoo x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Fill Me Up — hybrid!chanyeol x hybrid!reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Naughty Kitty — hybrid!jongdae x reader 🌹 [ ✧.* ] Oh, You Tease — idol!minseok x reader 🌹

[kokobopam]

Restrained by kokobopam

Junmyeon wishes there was something to distract him, but there is too much noise inside his head and this blood tastes like shit

Pairing: Junmyeon/Baekhyun

Word count: 4,115

Tags: vampire/human relationship, power struggle, bad eating habits