Clan X

Forty-Three

His Scent

I stood there, pressed against Hyungwon with my face hidden away. I hadn't exactly known what had happened but the tense situation between Mark and Wonho was frightening. Hyungwon's words repeated in my head from days ago. 'No one's going to hurt you. I won't allow it.' even the images of him ready to protect me against Jooheon were fresh in my mind.

    Now I had new words imprinted in my mind. Rip their fangs out himself? I didn't understand anything at that moment, just that I wasn't going to leave Hyungwon's side. I wasn't going to go anywhere, the fear of them fighting was eating at me. I didn't want anyone fighting, I didn't want to be the cause of it, and I didn't want to be alone.

"Can you all just shut up? Maybe we need to let her talk. All we've been doing is neglecting how she feels!" my eyes wondering over to I.M as he stood.

"How would you know how she feels? You're the reason she's staying here" Wonho growled out.

"Staying here? I don't think so. Jackson go get her things" Mark ordered as he eyed Wonho.

"Don't touch her things" Jooheon said as he stepped up.

    My eyes wandered to each of them as they eyed each other. The tension was heavy in the room, I knew I had to say something because if I didn't they'd tear each others throats out. I nudged Hyungwon as I stepped away from him slightly. His hand catching my own as I stepped away.

"No one is touching her things. You guys need to settle down" JB said as he stood between the two figures.

"I.M is right. You guys don't even care how I feel about this" I said, gaining their attention as I took my hand away from Hyungwon.

"Allie don't get involved" Wonho sighed as he straightened his stance out.

"It's about me. I'll get involved, you don't own me." I snapped back.

"Oh? Really now...who do you belong to huh? Who's clan? Ours" Wonho spat back as he took his eyes off Mark.

"I don't belong to you. You and I both know it hasn't even been decided who I belong to. I may belong to this clan but until I have a ring on my fucking finger...I'm free to make my own choices" I growled out as I stepped to meet him.

"Don't test me princess. I could take you into my room right now and claim you if I wanted" he whispered as he leaned near my ear.

"Touch me and I'm 100% sure that everyone in this room will stop you." I whispered back as I slightly pushed him away.

"Floors all yours...princess" Wonho mumbled as he stepped back.

"Like I was saying. This is about me and none of you care about my opinion in this. I have no clue what the fuck is even happening. All I know is you're all pissing me off" I said as I glared at Wonho.

"Allie...you're not sta-"

"I'll stay where I want to stay. Like I told Wonho...You don't own me. Plus after last night and well a few moments ago...I'm upset with you" I said as I glanced at Mark.

"Upset with me? What did I even do??" Mark asked as he stared at me.

"For starters...you got upset with me over something Jace said...secondly I mean this is news to me about you being...ugh being what you are" I motioned as I sighed out.

"What I am? So what was I supposed to do, tell you in the middle of our date that I was inhuman? That I'm a fucking vampire" Mark scoffed out as he eyed me.

"He was the guy you were on a date with?!" Minhyuk questioned, butting his way into the conversation.

"Yes! Yes okay! He was the guy I went on a date with! I explained this to I.M last night. I was there with Shae and only there to meet her boyfriend! It was basically supervising" I yelled as I turned to look at him.

"Supervision my ass. He kissed you, he held you, and you fucking let him do all of that even though you knew you were ours" Jooheon said as he sat back on the sofa.

"My god, is it a crime to go on a date? Is it a fucking crime for me to want normal!? I'm still in college! It was my first fucking date okay!! He only kissed my check, you act like I slept with him!" I snapped.

"Normal. She wants normal. Normal" Kihyun scoffed.

"I didn't ask to be apart of this life okay! I asked for time. I asked to think it over! You try having all this stress on you" I mumbled, my voice cracking as my eyes filled with tears.

"How did they even know you were on a date?" Mark asked, gaining my attention.

    I froze. My tears threatening to spill as I looked at him. I didn't tell him they threatened me, I didn't tell him they were the group catcalling me, and I didn't tell him I.M went to my dorm to make sure the date ended. I was at a loss for words.

"We saw her at the park." Hyungwon said as he eyed us.

"Did you know they were there?" Mark asked, his brows raised awaiting my answer.

"She didn't know until we stopped her near the restrooms" Hyungwon answered again.

"I'm asking her"

"They stopped me at the bathroom. Nothing more. They wanted to ask me who I was there with and when I would be able to talk with them again." I said, my voice barely even a whisper.

"Are they the reason you came back ready to cry?" Mark questioned.

"...no" I lied.

"Stop questioning her. She explained everything to me last night. She just wanted to experience a normal date, she didn't know we would be there. She wanted time to know what it would be like to go on dates. We stressed her out, with everything that went on here...I'm surprised she wants to be around us" I.M said as he stood up.

    Shedding a few tears, I hung my head before turning and taking a few steps to I.M. His arms quickly wrapping themselves around me. That scent of woods and sea was no longer intoxicating, it was calming and reassuring. Letting me know he had my back on this.

"Babying her like that isn't going to help us get the answers we want" Kihyun sighed.

"Pressuring, threatening, and bothering her isn't going to help either" he said, his deep voice reverberating through the room.

"How would you know?" Kihyun shot back.

"Because he was the only one willing to listen to me last night after I went home. He wanted to make sure I made it safely." I said as I glanced towards him.

"Listen to you?" Mark questioned.

"Unlike someone...he didn't storm away after hearing something he didn't like. Unlike others, he didn't threaten me to get answers or to remind me who I belonged to." glancing at each of them, their guilt slowly surfaced.

"Well isn't this just fucking great...it's like her little Hyungwon and Minhyuk fascination. Look here princess you agreed to give us a shot and you sure aren't doing that when you're on dates with others" Wonho growled out.

"You should have thought of that before I walked through that door this morning. You want a chance...don't go and invite other females here" I shot back.

"I have just as best a chance as the rest of you" Mark interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Kihyun questioned.

"Autumn. Apple cider and an old book." Jackson sighed out as he got to his feet.

"What about it??" Shownu asked.

"That shirt she's wearing, it belongs to Mark...she described his scent." JB said turning to face Shownu.

~~~