Wolf's Den ✓

Chapter Thirty

"Bring him out," commanded King Ji-hoo, scowling. He stood with so much confidence, morale and determination seeping out of his being. Why, the individuals around him shook in fear whenever he gazed at them.

Loud sounds were soon heard, clamor and noise filling in the rowdy atmosphere. Several metallic clangs followed, shouts of rage, bitterness, and excitement too.

"Argh!" screamed Chi-won, fear overtaking him.

As he struggled, the Weres watching the 'show' all laughed in amusement, happy to witness such crude event.

"Cut his head off!" exclaimed a Were ever-so-confidently, not once thinking before saying such a thing. Nevertheless, this atrocious comment was followed by nods and screams of approval, and laughs of excitement.

"Boil him!" yelled another, numerous shouts following after. "He deserves such notorious death!"

"Oh, such anguish and misery he must be going through right now, poor thing," moaned Chief Lee, raising his glass of wine in honour of his prosperity. He smirked, bringing the glass closer to him as he watched and studied the mayhem.

"Indeed, sir," conceded Chul, laughing softly. "It seems that you win this battle, finally."

"I haven't yet, Chul. There's much more to come — much more disarray and suffering," said the old man, laughing ever-so-bitterly. "But we're much closer to success than these fools are, and I'm sure of it."

"Silence, everyone!" commanded King Ji-hoo, raising his hands as he did so.

The crowd's mess and noise both faltered slowly, bringing nothing but unbearable peace and quiet.

"As promised, your beloved Crowned Prince would be executing this human's punishment as his final task before his coronation," uttered the king, glancing at Jeongguk, who was standing behind him, with confidence and full expectations.

Jeongguk flinched, unsure of what he was about to do. He was tasked to execute such horrendous thing — but despite his unwillingness to do so, he still can't dismiss and object such duty, a burden, given to him.

"Jeongguk," called King Ji-hoo, nodding his head as he looked at his son. "Go on."

As the young man walked closer to the center, where the shaking man was, he felt as if he had his own heart stuck in his throat. He could hardly breathe, and would constantly wince at the tiny prayers and whimpers Chi-won emitted and recited. It was agonizing, and was unbearable. All Jeongguk wanted to do was to run, far from all of this.

As he arrived, his gaze never left Chi-won's desperate and pleading eyes, as if to tell the old man he didn't want to do this.

Jeongguk glanced behind him, noticing a lasso being offered to him. He took it carefully, studying its features and predicting its awful impact on the fearful man.

'I don't want to do this,' thought he, wincing. But he didn't have any choice nor preference to run to, did he?

"I'm sorry, ahjussi," whispered Jeongguk, looking at Chi-won sympathetically as he raised his arm along with the lasso he was gripping tightly. "I really am."

Before the old man can react to Jeongguk's sentiment, he screamed — both in pain and torture. He wailed, sobbing ever-so-hardly.

After so much more of tormenting slashes and whips, Jeongguk's mind gave out, but of course, his strength did not. He looked and studied Chi-won's poor structure — the large wounds caused by the tortuous weapon, and both the fresh and dried blood that seeped out of the old man's body. All these were too distasteful, disturbing, and horrid to look at, of course, and all that Jeongguk wanted to do was to cover them up.

Before Jeongguk could hit Chi-won once again, chaos erupted from the loud crowd, catching everyone's attention.

Jeongguk turned his head immediately, curious as to who was the cause of the sudden uproar.

To his surprise, it was Y/N, who was frantically running towards her father. But to her dismay, unfortunately, she was held back by the soldiers stationed to guard the place.

"Who's that maniac running around ever-so-desperately?" asked the king, glancing at Chief Lee, who was now standing behind him, with so much curiosity.

"She's Seo Chi-won's daughter, I believe," answered the old man, looking at the chaos taking place in front of him. "A true b*tch, might I add."

"Y/N," murmured King Ji-hoo, nodding as multiple memories of the girl from their previous encounters came flooding into his blank mind. "I do remember her."

"STOP!" yelled the girl desperately, fighting the hands trying to grab her back. "PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU!"

"Hold her back," commanded the king, emotionless. "Let her witness her beloved father's punishment."

"NO!"

Jeongguk winced, closing his eyes as he huffed. It was very much unbearable moments ago, and now that she was watching, it suddenly turned both oppressive and suffocating.

But like what was said moments ago, he didn't have any other choice but to do this horrendous act.

"Your Majesty, please?" begged the girl, a weak expression visible on her face. "Your Majesties, please!"

Jeongguk ignored the girl's screams, raising his hand to whip the poor man once again. It was stupid, of course, but he had to do it — for his kind, and for its glory.

But what he despised of all, was that he stayed silent, once again.

Author's Note: Soo, I updated earlier than I usually do because my next two days would be spent for studying :')