Wolf's Den ✓

Chapter Eleven

It was silent. Nothing was heard except the flipping of a book and the quiet footsteps of King Ji-Hoo. He was pacing around their chambers, his hands clasped together at his back as he slowly walked. The floor creaked beneath his feet, his head pounding with thoughts of his son, Jeongguk- if he was alright, or if he was doing fine. The thought of his other son made his head hurt more. He missed him, truly, memories of him flashing through his eyes, making his heart pound with sadness. Every night in bed, he tossed and turned, nightmares of Junghyun keeping him awake, making him worry- if he was doing fine by his own, and if the nightmares were actually true.

All these thoughts were cut off by a pair of hands tugging his hair, accompanied by the words- "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, I am," King Ji-Hoo blubbled, raising his shoulders as he slowly held his wife's soft hands.

"No," pondered Queen Jae-Hwa. "Are you thinking of Jeongguk again?"

"No, it's not that- it's not him," faltered the King as he looked deeply at the bewitching, brown eyes of his beloved wife. "I was- thinking of Junghyun.."

"Oh, my love, please," Queen Jae-Hwa murmured as she pulled King Ji-Hoo's hand and softly pushed him to sit on a chair. "I know how you feel, but please, calm yourself."

Queen Jae-Hwa understood that her husband was quite abstruse- constant thoughts about their lost son being talked about ad nauseam. She could not blame him though, seeing that they were the reason why he left after all.

"Yeah, yeah, I just," King Ji-Hoo's sighed. "I just yearn to know how he is- if he's alright, if he's starving, if he has a place to stay. Those damn, filthy humans took three of my loved ones! I will kill them, I will ki-"

Before King Ji-Hoo finished expressing himself, the door of their chambers suddenly opened, revealing a wolf. They were surprised, not because they were interrupted, but because their son, Jeongguk, was here.

"Oh, dear," Queen Jae-Hwa uttered as she grabbed a cloth lying on their bed and rushed to her son. "What on earth are you doing here, darling?"

She kneeled down and placed the cloth around the wolf, its soft and smooth texture hugging the beast's body. Queen Jae-Hwa immediately stood up, allowing her son to transform back.

"You shouldn't be here," condemned King Ji-Hoo. "Won't the humans be suspicious of you? You should be careful, Jeongguk. Those humans are smart creatures, they can ha-"

"I'm fine," Jeongguk growled as he held the cloth tightly as he curled in it. "I have to tell you something."

"And what's that?" asked Queen Jae-Hwa as she walked out of the room and talked to a servant.

"Please get Jeongguk's clothes from his room," whispered the Queen as she thanked the servant and closed the door.

"Yes, Jeongguk?" questioned King Ji-Hoo.

"Father, mother, I-I," doubted Jeongguk. "Junghyun hyung is alive."

King Ji-Hoo and Queen Jae-Hwa gasped, appalled with what the lad said.

"Darling, I know you're hurt and all that, but don't say such nonsense," blurted his mother as she opened the chamber doors to get the clothes she requested from the servant. "You're tired, Jeongguk. Wear these and I'll escort you to your room-"

"But it's true! He stays with the humans! He acts as if he's one of them!" Jeongguk appealed, looking at his parent's eyes with such poignancy that made them doubt themselves. "I saw him! It's tr-"