PERFIDY | Taekook

Eodun

Jeongguk mounts his horse, his chest heaving with fury. He watches his injured pack members with newfound savagery and urgency for revenge. "If you don't find that rogue, don't even consider returning!" The alpha thunders.

He hears the roars of his soldiers, hurrying to comply with their king's orders, each group heading in a different direction. Jeongguk's hands tighten around the reins before nudging Eodun, his horse, to move forward. "Go!" Jeongguk commands, and the animal is quick to comply. 

Eodun lets out a loud neigh before galloping into the forest. Jeongguk’s jaw clenches as his eyes search around the area around him, following the very faint scent that is still trailing behind the rogue who fled. Faint cinnamon fills the alpha's nostrils as he moves further into the forest. Sun blazes from between the tree branches, shining against Eodun's black coat, giving it a silky shine. 

The alpha tugs at Eodun's reins when the scent in the air starts to change. The horse gradually slows down and instead, starts walking slowly.

Jeongguk's eyes stay focused on his left side, where he sees the river. Jeongguk moves in that direction, following the muddy scent that now takes over the air and notices a dark object discarded by the side of the river. 

The alpha stops at a distance and freezes in place when he hears shuffling. Jeongguk stays hidden in between the trees and sees how a figure emerges from behind the bushes. The person is covered in mud, and his face covered by a piece of cloth. 

Jeongguk only sees the person's dark brown hair that falls to his shoulders and the black attire he's wearing. The alpha silently watches the man take a falchion out of its scabbard. Jeongguk burns with fury when he watches the bloodied weapon. The man kneels by the river, washing the blood of Jeongguk's pack members off his sword. 

Enraged, Jeongguk nudges Eodun's sides with his calves. Eodun lets out another loud neigh, running towards the target. The man jumps. He turns his head and with wide eyes, watches the alpha running towards him with a hand on the hilt of his sword.

The rogue scrambles to his feet and immediately starts running off into the forest. Jeongguk curses under his breath, his eyes trained on the rogue while pulling on his rein, redirecting the horse. 

"Go!" Jeongguk commands the horse, the words coming out from between his gritted teeth as Eodun picks up speed, nearing the rogue with every step. 

The rogue tries his best to run faster, but Jeongguk knows that no way could he outrun Eodun. He'd eventually get caught. The alpha is proven right when he stumbles on a large rock in his way and falls down. 

Jeongguk gets off his horse in a minute, a sadistic smile taking over his face. He takes his own sword out, pointing it at the rogue, "caught you." 

The rogue’s chest heaves as he tries to catch his breath, unable to breathe regularly due to running. His sharp eyes are the only thing the alpha before him can see. Jeongguk notices how these eyes stare at him with indifference, no hint of fear in them. He is looking at him like he is a trap that he is trying to figure out how to get out of, and it infuriates Jeongguk endlessly. 

“Twenty five days,” Jeongguk grits out, taking slow threatening steps forward, his pointed sword still aimed close to the rogue’s throat as he tries to push his body back on his elbows and hands. “You’ve been a nuisance for twenty-five five days. Crops. Goods. Jewellery. Every single day, I get a report of how you are stealing from my pack. Today, you have crossed a dangerous line,” The alpha sneers, his eyes burning with fire. “You hurt my pack members. My soldiers.  Eight of my damn soldiers and three civilians! You git!” 

Jeongguk can’t really see the rogue’s expressions, his whole face covered with a black piece of cloth. Annoyed, the alpha tips the pointed end of his sword forward, hooking the piece of cloth onto it. The rogue stays frozen, his eyes unwavering from the alpha before him, challenging. It only sparks Jeongguk’s curiosity further, wanting to see who dares look at him with such arrogance and not succumb to fear when at the mercy of his sword. Jeongguk tightens his grip on his sword and yanks it to the opposite side. A soft gasp escapes the rogue’s lips when the cloth tears apart, getting ripped off of his face. The rest of what is left of it falls off of his head, and Jeongguk’s bestial smirk grows into a devilish, cruel grin when he finally sees that spark of fear flashing in the culprit’s eyes.