"(Y/N), would you marry me?"
There's a solidness to Bang Chan's voice. A certainty to his voice. A certainty to his stance and gaze as I stare at him in shock.
"What?" I ask in shock.
"It's the only thing that could make us stronger. The one thing that could bring us to our peak." he tells me.
"Bang Chan...that's a big step."
"It is."
A beat of silence passes between us both. He stares down at me sharply in the dark.
"And what happens if I say no? Do you plan on forcing me to marry you if I refuse? Like Hyunjin? Like my father?"
He meets my gaze head on.
"What do you think?" he asks with a smile.
"I think you're better than Hyunjin."
"Thank you. I'm glad you think so."
Gently, he takes my hand in his. I feel the callouses, the years of work on them, but I also feel the warmth, the safety.
"(Y/N), I would never force you into something like that. Never."
His conviction almost unsteadies me.
"That said...would marrying me really be that terrible?"
He says it teasingly, but there's an uncertainty behind his words, a vulnerability. Unable to stop myself, I reach up, tracing my fingers along his perfectly sculped face. The feeling lingers in the air that whatever I say to Bang Chan here and now, he'll take to heart.
"(Y/N)?"
"Bang Chan, I could see myself marrying you."
He stares at me in muted shock.
"You could?" he begins to smile.
"Yes. You're kind, a good leader, a good friend. You're just...good, Bang Chan."
His eyes glint with affection, his mouth parted in awe.
"Is that hard to believe?"
"It's not that."
His smile is infectious, and I can't help but return it.
"It just feels too good to be true." he says, unable to stop smiling.
"Bang Chan...is that another pickup line?" I ask jokingly.
"When have I ever used a pickup line?"
His eyes widen playfully, and I can't help but smile.
"(Y/N)..."
My heart races at his words, at his smoldering gaze, at the bond thrumming between us.
"Would you be my wife? My mate in body and soul? Be mine forever?"
Breathless, I nod.
"Yes!"
I shout with tears of joy and happiness.
"Then..."
He steps forward, cupping my chin and leaning my face up to meet his expression.
"Would you like me to show you what you could look forward to?"
He kisses me then, his lips meeting mine as his hands move to my waist. My pulse pounds in my ears, my breath quickening as he sweeps me off my feet. Moaning, I snake my arms around his neck, pulling him close until we are chest to chest. He smirks into the kiss, pulling me impossibly close, drawing into his warmth, his scent.
"(Y/N)..."
His teeth score my lower lip, drawing it in as his tongue moves out to drag along the edge. I feel his tongue swirl against my own, merging with mine to give way to something incredible. I can feel promises of things to come, a future with Bang Chan by my side. And somehow, despite the fact that I feel like it should, none of it scares me. Maybe...maybe I'm meant for this life after all. He pulls back finally, still wearing that sinful grin.
"Whatever you decide, it's all going to work out. You'll see."
Bang Chan reaches for me, tilting my chin up to face him.
"Just being around you makes me stronger."
"Seems like your plan is really coming together, then."
He shakes his head.
"I needed you to make us strong enough to defend ourselves against Taecyeon but..."
His expression softens, his eyes reflecting the light of the moon above.
"But the rest of this...was never planned. I never thought we would...that we would be–"
Before he can finish his thought, a familiar voice slices through the night.
"Bang Chan! We need you back at camp. Now."
Yeonwoo yells.
"What is it?"
"It's O.de. When he got injured during Hyunjin's attack, JYP treated him and..."
Yeonwoo shakes, her face shadowed in grief.
"Whatever he did, O.de's not getting better. He's getting worse." She begins to cry.
"Oh, God...we need to move. Now." I say in fear.
Bang Chan nods.
"If what you're saying is true, there's no time to lose."
The three of us waste no time in racing back to the safehouse where Bang Chan's pack has set up camp. I find O.de, clutching his wounds on a bed, surrounded by other pack members. Bang Chan and I rush to his side.
"What's everyone looking all grim for?"
O.de tries to flash his tell-tale confident smile, but he winces from the pain, barely able to get his words out.
"I'll tell you one thing...worst doctor's visit I've ever had."
O.de tries to joke.
"O.de..." Bang Chan whines.
"I know. You don't have to say it."
He gives us both a weak smile.
"I can tell, I'm done for. Nothing you survive could hurt this bad. Just...trying to keep spirits light, you know? Right now this pack doesn't have to morale for another funeral."
"O.de...we'll help you thought this." I say.
He shakes his head weakly.
"Never thought I'd be the one saying this, but you shouldn't pay attention to me. Focus your efforts on Taecyeon's next attack. Because he will find us again." O.de tells us.
"We'll build up our defenses when I'm sure we've done everything we can for you." Bang Chan takes his hand.
"That's what you've always done, isn't it? Put aside your own pain to try to lighten the mood for others. I know you've never thought much of yourself O.de, but you've always been the heart of this pack."
"Bang Chan..."
"I don't know how we're going to keep things going without you."
"You'll find a way. If anyone can, it's you."
O.de winces, clutching his wounds.
"I really believe Yeonwoo and I were going to make it, you know? Always thought I'd be a good dad."
Bang Chan bows his head. The rest of the pack inches forward, grief plain on their face.
"O.de..."
Yeonwoo lets out a whispered cry.
"This can't be real. It just can't."
I.N cries as Han and Lee Know hold him tight. O.de turns to me then.
"(Y/N)..."
As he stares at me, tears sting my eyes. The rest of the pack's eyes are on me, but I can only stare at O.de.
"Promise me...promise me you'll take Taecyeon down."
He reaches for me, his hand trembling.
"I've given you a hard time, and I know I have. Maybe it's selfish of me, but..."
He winces at his wounds and my throat closes. I know he's on his deathbed.
"Bang Chan chose you. We chose you. Promise you'll protect them, (Y/N). Promise me you'll take Taecyeon down."
I reach out, taking O.de's hand gingerly in my own.
"O.de, I swear. I'll protect them. And I swear I'll defeat Taecyeon."
I make that promise to O.de knowing I will keep it, just like I did with I.N.
"You do?"
"I do."
I squeeze his hand and he smiles softly.
"We'll bring an end to Taecyeon, Hyunjin, JYP, all of them. We'll keep Yeonwoo safe. We'll keep the whole pack safe."
He nods, turning to glance at Yeonwoo, one of the many faces in the crowd around. He lowers his voice, just enough so she can't hear.
"I don't think she needs anyone to look after her on the battlefield. But losing people...she's never been good at that." O.de smiles in pain.
"None of us are. And it's time it came to an end." Bang Chan added.
"You can rest easy, O.de."
O.de winces once more, then smiles up at me.
"Bang Chan chose a worthy mate for his pack."
He closes his eyes, using the last of his strength to let out one final sentence.
"(Y/N), I'm...proud...to call you...our second Alpha."
And just like that, O.de is gone. I turn back to the rest of the pack, grief and rage tearing through me. It's a sentiment echoed in the expressions of the rest of the pack, each one of them hurting, each one of them ready for blood.
"Everyone...we need a good plan. We may not be able to outsmart, Taecyeon, but we can outthink him."
I encourage.
"What kind of plan is going to stop that whole pack?"
Lee Know asks.
"O.de is dead! I'm tired of waiting around."
Yeonwoo shouts. Bang Chan takes my hand then, whispering under his breath.
"They're all looking at you, (Y/N)."
"Me? But I'm not their leader. I'm not an Alpha." I whisper back.
"Are you sure?" he questions.
"Bang Chan, you're their leader."
"I am. But you've earned their respect. You're my mate. My second. My partner." He reassures me.
"Our second Alpha!"
I.N pushes through the crowd, his round eyes full of hope as he stares up at me.
"It's just like O.de said. You're our second Alpha, (Y/N). You're our leader, too. Right, everyone?"
The pack is stock-still and silent, staring at me with unreadable expressions. I wilt at their silence, an unexpected ball of disappointment dropping into my stomach. But then…
"Right. You're a leader. Our leader."
Lee Know steps forward. Han joins him. Then Felix steps forward, his smile assured and confident.
"If anyone is worthy of that title, (Y/N), it's you." Felix cheers.
"Yes." Changbin joins in.
"Our second Alpha!"
Yeonwoo steps forward, her grief-stricken eyes firm and glistening for me. I hear the pack echo her words 'Our second Alpha'.
"It's what O.de wanted." she smiles.
And finally, Bang Chan squeezes my hand in his, warm, reassuring, steady.
"Our second Alpha."
His eyes shine with pride as he stares down at me, and my heart lifts at his words.
"Everyone...I won't let you down."
The pack quiets down, waiting for me to tell them what to do.
"What next, (Y/N)?"
I look to Bang Chan, then at the pack. They are all beaten down, mournful, in need of hope. I face the crowd head on, taking a deep breath.
"There's a way we can win this. A way we can put a stop to all of this bloodshed without losing any more of our own."
A hush falls over the crowd, all of them expectantly awaiting my next few words.
"We'll never win in a straight war. You all know that. But that doesn't mean we can't beat them. Taecyeon rules through fear. Not cooperation. His pack is with him because they're afraid."
I can see them all chewing over my words, waiting for the reveal I've built.
"If we take out Taecyeon, we don't need to worry about the rest of his pack. Bang Chan can step in and take over."
"But...but how can we beat Taecyeon?" Lee Know asks curiously.
"Bang Chan and I are going to sneak in and take him out. Together. A full force they'd see coming a mile away, but just the two of us should be able to creep past their guards. We'll take him down. Take over. And you will be safe from here on out!"
I thrust a strong fist into the air and the pack roars with revived hope and approval. Bang Chan nods slowly.
"It's a risky plan, but if we can take out Taecyeon...these years of fighting, all the deaths...it could all come to an end."
Bang Chan takes my hand and leads me briskly away from the pack and into a small side room.
"Listen, before you try to talk me out of this, or say you should go by yourself instead–"
"I'm not going to do that." He says cutting me.
"Y-you're not?"
"No."
Bang Chan presses his forehead to mine, a look like a storm in his eyes.
"We're going to do this together. And in order to do it, we need to be disguised."
That's when I noticed the old clothing strewn around the room, draped over musty furniture.
"What are we disguising ourselves as?" I ask.
"Servants. The lowest class of wolves in Taecyeon's pack."
Bang Chan picks up a few pieces of clothing, batting away dust and cobwebs before pulling them on.
"In these, he won't give us a second look. Wolves this low are invisible to someone like him."
I pull my tattered vest tight around me. Bang Chan nods.
"Almost perfect." he said looking around.
"Almost perfect?"
"You are Taecyeon's daughter, after all. We can't risk him recognizing you."
Bang Chan steps in close, threading a lock of my hair through his fingers. The closeness, the breath that passes between us, reminds me of the closeness I shared just hours ago.
"We should change your hair, (Y/N)." he said, messing with my hair.
"My hair?"
"It won't be permanent. Just a disguise to help mask you from your father."
I nod and walk to a grimy window, where I can just make out a reflection. He's right. I can't look like myself. I do what I need to, to work my hair into a style and color that won't make me look like me. When I turn back to Bang Chan, he traces the length of my long braid.
"I barely recognize you." he says in awe.
"That's the idea."
"You did great. Just one final touch."
Bang Chan fishes a small bottle from a pack of supplies. It looks like a perfume bottle.
"Pheromone perfume. To mask your scent."
"Smart."
A soft smile reaches Bang Chan's lips. I close my eyes, and he sprays. A trickle of light mist falls over my body, and in an instant my vision blurs. My familiar, almost unnoticeable scent falls away, and in its place is a sticky sweet odor.
"Yuck." I say with a disgusted face.
"Sorry. We both have to smell like hard working, under-washed wolves."
I'm about to respond when I.N runs up to the two of us, flanked by Lee Know and Han.
"Whoa...Alpha Bang Chan? (Y/N)? I almost didn't recognize you. Are you...really leaving?"
Bang Chan bends down to I.N's level, ruffling his hair.
"We won't be gone long, little man."
"But...but you're going to fight Taecyeon, right? What if you can't beat him?"
"Well...we're strong enough to take him."
"Really?"
"Yes. We can take him."
Lee know leans down, picking up I.N with a paternal hug.
"It's going to be okay. Bang Chan can beat anyone."
"With my true mate by my side? Without a doubt."
"Yeah. Without a doubt."
Bang Chan and I finish our preparations and our goodbyes before finally heading out as the sun rises. It's a long trek through the mountains, but Bang Chan and I move fast. By the next morning, we've arrived at the outskirts of Taecyeon's camp.
"Looks like they've got a guard positioned out front."
Sure enough, a large, serious wolf patrols the exterior.
"If we get past him, we should be able to blend in with the other servants and find Taecyeon." he says.
"Then we should find a way to sneak past the guard." I suggest.
"Sure, there might be a less guarded section of the camp."
It takes a bit of scouting, but finally we're able to find the perfect section.
"Looks like this spot goes unguarded when that wolf rounds the corner."
The two of us wait patiently, primed until the perfect moment when the guard rounds the corner on his patrol shift. Then, the two of us bolt into the camp, slipping neatly in a shaded corner.
"Perfect! Now let's get a move on before the guard comes back."
As the two of us make our way through Taecyeon's encampment, I sneak a victorious smile with Bang Chan. He returns it. The squalor in the camp melts away as we make our way into the grand entry hall of Taecyeon's mansion. He's got all of this, and he doesn't share any of it with his pack.
"Taecyeon should be just through–"
"What are you two doing here?" I spin on my heels to find JYP descending the stairs, heading straight for us.
"I'll ask again. What are you doing in here? Surely Taecyeon has something for his servants to do."
Seems like our disguises are working.
"You see, sir...we're polishing the floor." I quickly lie.
"Really? Looks to me like you're just standing on it."
He glares with one eyebrow raised.
"We'll get it done the way it needs to get done."
"Quite the mouth on you, isn't there?"
JYP reaches down, grabbing my chin in his hand and tilting my face up to look him in the eye. Bang Chan lashes out lightning fast, grabbing JYP by the wrist.
"Don't touch her." Bang Chan growled.
"That grip...those eyes...you're..."
Bang Chan grabs the doctor, pulling him backwards into the dining room with a violent jerk. I follow, slamming the door behind me as the two of us face JYP dead on.
"So, you two have snuck past Taecyeon's guard and disguised your scent. Clever. Of course, it won't save you when I turn you in."
Bang Chan moves his hand to the doctor's neck, tightening his grip as he bares his teeth.
"I'll break your neck if you try."
Even through Bang Chan's iron chokehold, the doctor smiles.
"You're going to kill me, Bang Chan? After everything we've been through?"
JYP's eyes land on me.
"Taecyeon wanted you dead, right up to the point he realized the power that could be gained from marrying you to Hyunjin."
JYP stares at me.
"He's right. If Taecyeon wanted you safe, he wouldn't have tried to assassinate you while you still trusted him. This guy has to have another reason for spiriting you away." Bang Chan adds.
"Not to mention the fact that you wiped my memories. Why the hell did you do that, JYP?" I asked curiously.
JYP snickers. Bang Chan slams him to the ground with a resounding thwack.
"Talk! No more lies."
"I...I..."
Before I can blink, JYP pulls a secret knife from his back pocket and presses it to Bang Chan's neck.
"Bang Chan!"
JYP grins as he backs Bang Chan off of him.
"You see, everyone knew that whoever mated with Alpha's daughter would gain considerable power. If I separated her from the pack, removed her memories, eventually I could take her for myself."
"You sick fuck!"
Bang Chan forgets the knife in his rage and lunges for JYP. They grapple on the ground. Bang Chan comes out on top, but JYP's knife is pointed at Bang Chan's chest, just an inch away from stabbing through. This man stole so much from me. Wanted to mate me himself. And now, he's trying to take Bang Chan away, too. With a flash of my wolf eyes, I gain vengeful strength and take hold of the knife, turning its sharp edge toward JYP. Bang Chan clasps his hands over mine, and we both drive the knife down toward JYP's chest.
"Wait...please..." he begs.
"Please? You took away everything I had, wiped all my memories and for what? So you could treat me like your little puppet?"
I bare my teeth at him with rage.
"I..."
"But that wasn't enough, was it? You had to sell us all out to Taecyeon, too."
Bang Chan and I press the knife harder over his chest. He writhes beneath us.
"Wait, I..."
"This is for O.de."
And then, with a final jerk, Bang Chan and I stab JYP. His body falls to the ground as Bang Chan rises to his feet, pulling me up with him.
"Feels good to finally put that monster down." he says, still looking down at JYP.
"Yeah. It does."
Suddenly, we hear footsteps approaching. The two of us move quickly, hiding JYP's body. There's no time to leave the room before the doors fly open. Bang Chan and I bow our heads like submissive servants...just as Taecyeon and Hyunjin walk inside.
"Would you like to explain what it was you were thinking?" Taecyeon asked Hyunjin angrily.
"When?"
"When you attacked Bang Chan's so-called pack without my permission." he glared.
"Come on, I was just having some fun."
Slowly, Bang Chan and I try to back out of the room, but Taecyeon's eyes sear into mine in an instant.
"And where the hell do you think you're going?"
He stares at me dead on, gesturing to the space between him and Hyunjin.
"Come here."
"Yes, sir."
If I try to fight him, our whole plan will be blown. Better do what he tells me.
He gives me a devilish smile.
"That's a good girl."
I can feel his Alpha powers wrapping around me like a fist, forcing me to walk where he wishes. Once I'm between Taecyeon and Hyunjin, Taecyeon holds out a rough hand, gripping me firmly by the cheeks.
"Do you know why I keep servants Hyunjin? Servants like this one?"
Bang Chan tenses. I hold my breath.
"To do the...chores?" Hyunjin replies unsure.
"And to remind everyone that this is the farthest they can fall. To keep them in line. There is a difference between bending wolves to your will, and utterly destroying them."
Taecyeon shoves me down to my knees to illustrate his point. I keep my eyes downcast.
He doesn't recognize me. Thank God.
"What's your point?"
Taecyeon slaps Hyunjin hard across the face. Bang Chan and I both flinch.
"My point is we only kill enough of Bang Chan's pack to break my daughter's spirit. And pull her in. Stop toying with (Y/N). Just bend her to your will. Like I've done with this girl here."
Hyunjin cradles the wound on his face but give Taecyeon a bitter nod.
"Understood." He answers.
"Good."
He gives Bang Chan and I a lazy wave of his hand, releasing me. I stand, keeping my head down.
"Now, what are you waiting for?"
"What do you mean?"
I take a few steps toward the door when suddenly Taecyeon begins to laugh.
"Bend (Y/N) to your will. She's standing right there."
My heart plummets. I turn slowly to find Taecyeon's deadly gaze locked on mine.
"No..." Bang Chan says fearfully.
"You didn't really think it would be that easy to slip past me, did you, (Y/N)?"