[JIMINIE]
"It's been six months since you came for Hello. There have been no reports of attacks or even intelligence to suggest that the Lycan sf Helia are coming for us, the last living werewolf pack," Luna Jieun mused as she watched her son go through the training reports.
The werewolves of Kiyoto had spent the past six months training like their lives depended on it. Every kid who was fourteen was deemed strong enough to start basic combat training in readiness for when the Helia Lycans would come for them.
They had trained well and more than they needed to. The older wolves had made sure to help the younger ones with needs. Those who were too old to be in battle were turned to take care of the wounded in battle.
First-aid and pack bonds had been the greatest lessons the Kiyoto wolves had been training for. Everyone had a role to play in the protection of the pack and it was a little too much.
But even then, they couldn't defy their alpha's orders, seeing as they were the only remaining werewolf pack in the realm.
Strangely enough, when the other wolves who had been living in the human lands learned of the way Kiyoto was gearing up, most of them came back to join Kiyoko in the battle for their home and peace.
It was absurd and had been unexpected by Alpha Jiminie, but no one said anything. Of course, they were only let in once they deemed those wolves important to their community.
"King Agust is a vengeful king. He takes what he wants and does whatever he feels like doing with however he sees fit like the rest of the world won't ever matter. You and I already know that. And you know he is a great strategist.
"Just because there haven't been any Lycan sightings around our borders doesn't mean they aren't there. The Helia freaks have magic and can hide themselves with them. We don't have magic, which means we have to be ready at all costs.
"We have to prepare ourselves for the inevitable no matter how hard it gets for us. We have no other option," Jiminie reminded his mother who was still reeling from the fact that her son had gone to hell and come back unharmed.
Granted, a part of her already knew the devil of Kiyoto would never harm her son, but she also knew that regardless of what happened along the way, they couldn't throw caution to the wind because of the little peace they had been shown.
The Lycans had been ruining their lives for the past thousands of years and it was only fair that they train harder. Besides, now that they had Jiminie back, they would be out there fighting like they had truly been trained for.
"Is that all there is to your overly intense training?" Jiminie's beta, Lee Tang asked the questions everyone in the office wanted to ask but couldn't for fear that the alpha would growl at them in warning.
It wasn't something they would blame Jiminie for because they had seen how much their alpha had changed. It was like Jiminie had gone to hell and come back with a heart of stone and ice.
He never talked about his kid or even his nightmares anymore. Some said that he had turned off his humanity, which was not possible with wolves. Yet at the same time, it was a possibility because Jiminie was slowly changing into a Lycan.
He bore the mark of the Lycan king and was entitled to half of what Helia claimed. He could decide to go stake his claim and King Agust wouldn't fight him for shit.
He would be able to take on whatever he needed and the world would just smile and nod like the bastards they had been made into.
"I am the pack alpha, brother. Of course, I have to be ready for everything. Just because I lost my child without even knowing I was expecting doesn't mean I have to spend my entire life wallowing.
"I'm not the first one to lose a child and unfortunate as it may sound, we all already know I'm not the last either. Life has to go on and the war has to be fought.
"Our people must survive no matter what happens and if the Lycans are a risk to our survival, we must always be ready for them regardless of how calm the environment is right now," Jiminie said and Lee Tang sighed.
His friend had truly changed. Jiminie had grown colder and more focused on work. He had changed from the man who could spend time with his pack mates, enjoying the tranquility that came with being in Kiyoto, to this version of him.
Needless to say, he had grown more handsome too. His physique was as attractive as all the beauty standards in the realm could consider perfection to be.
If he had been with Agust still, Jiminie could have heard just how pretty he was from his devil of a mate. The devil who loved him yet broke his heart like he was a pawn on the chess board.
"You need to take a break too, Jiminie. You need to hold back for a moment, we will keep training if that is what is needed for us, but you ended up overworking yourself. When was the last time you had a proper meal?
"When was the last time you even looked at yourself in the mirror to see how much you changed? When was the last time you took time to be yourself and not focus on the anger that keeps you going?" Lee Tang asked and Jiminie just chuckled.
He knew his best friend was worried for him, but Lee Tang didn't have a reason to worry, right? Life was not as easy for everyone and that was a truth they had figured out bit by bit.
It didn't matter that the world was always going to spite them for most of the things they did while in power, because at the end of the day, the only thing that mattered was for them to be happy. But was Jiminie happy like this?
"Ask me again after we defeat the Lycans and claim what is ours alright?" Jiminie responded earnestly to Lee Tang, his voice chilled and devoid of any and all emotions. It is like this was a different person.
Perhaps Jiminie was turkey different.
He had gone through all sorts of things and emotions that he had decided to not feel anymore. There were days when he wished to go back to the guest and rest in the mad king's arms, while on others, he wanted to challenge the Helia king into leaving the wolves alone.
It was too much for Jiminie, but he wanted to complain. He knew what he was getting into, and he knew that there was nothing he could do about the mark that was on his chest. A mark that ached so beautifully on every full moon.
Poor Jiminie.
"Mimi—" his mother tried, but the alpha wasn't having any of it.
"I'll go get some air. Meanwhile, you all know what we talked about. Keep training, we'll be fine eventually," Jiminie said dismissively as he walked out, ignoring the ache in his heart at the thought of Agust.
Was his Ming Xiao Zhu doing okay?