"I simply want to have a harmless conversation with the people who want me gone and you seem to be their representative."

I had never heard Lucian speak so adult-like ever since we had met. I was expecting him to continuously be infantile, obstinate, and perfunctory but this occurrence only showed that when he was serious about something, he can be more than just a gorgeous blonde.

My instincts caught the movement of fire and I used my body as shield and absorbed the blaze aimed at Lucian.

"Caleb," Lucian called out monotonously. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Bastards!" Crowley snapped and charged at the caster of the fire.

I turned to look at him and he was staring blankly at me. "This is nothing to me," I replied with a smile.

Lucian shut his eyes and my body tensed when Lettice finally charged ahead with a sneer on her face. Lucian placed his hand on my chest and I stared at him with confusion.

Will he really handle this on his own?

"Let her," he simply told me.

"No," Fenris and I responded.

Never.

What was he asking from me?

Was he telling me to just look while these people hurt him for no reason?

I caught Lettice's fist and blocked her incoming kick. Ziru shot at anyone who made a move at Lucian but he was careful at not aiming at their vital points. When lightning shot out and extended towards our destination, I quickly embraced Lucian and let the electricity sink into my skin.

Lettice continuously landed punch after punch on my body which had lesser impact due to her own injuries, but the thought of Lucian telling me to allow her to do what she wanted to him infuriated me to no end.

He had all this power yet he won't use it to protect himself.

"I told you to let her," Lucian murmured. "Just let her."

I ground my teeth and embraced him even more. "That's one thing I won't ever obey from you."

"But you are getting hurt because of me," he reasoned.

"That's okay," I assured him. "I take every punch because you're important to me."

I won't ever let this woman lay another finger on him.

Lucian returned my embrace and he leaned his head against my chest before water slammed Lettice out of the way and engulfed her into a watery sphere. He pulled away from me and looked up at the drowning Lettice. The leaves threatening above us pierced through the sphere containing the woman and dark red blood began to swirl in the clear water.

Lettice's restlessness became severe agitation and my blood ran cold with what power Lucian can release in a whim. Everyone stood horrified at the view and every attempt made to stop what was occurring was only thwarted by Lucian.

When fire was sent towards our way, Lucian extinguished it with water and efforts as such were smoked. Ravaging zephyrs tried to lacerate us but they were instantly tamed into a breeze. Electrical currents which were firm in their direction were effortlessly swayed to shoot at the skies. Once the earth tried to betray us, the cracks daring to become a trap agilely had a change of heart and became recalcitrant to the one who first orchestrated it.

The sphere broke down and Lettice dropped to the ground, soaking in her own blood yet she was still alive. Coughs broke through the silent and petrified environment and Lucian challenged them.

"Every single one of you are doing this for a cause that you think is right and agreeable. I will not sway you to think otherwise therefore you may attack me at will. I was not going to fight back and let you have your ways with me however; you involve people who had nothing to do with your ill-will towards me."

Lettice tried to stand up but she could only lift her head up as she retaliated. "You really don't know what you did. That's beyond insulting you little brat!"

Lucian spared her a glance before looking at his own hands. "I don't remember pretending to be a trusted comrade only to be given a chance to stab everyone who ever trusted me behind their backs."

Lettice pathetically snorted and let out a laugh.

"Look at you trying to protect those worthless friends of yours. You don't even deserve a single scrap of companionship, you monster."

I didn't know how much I can still bear and hear a piece of shit like her insult Lucian like that. From the looks of it; Lucian didn't even have the slightest clue of what these people were accusing him of.

A swirl of water slid against Lettice's body and completely healed her. Of course someone from the ancients had healing capabilities and it had to be someone from the opposing party.

"I don't want to fight in an unfair circumstance," Lucian deadpanned.

Why did Lucian have to be fair and righteous now? He had cheating tendencies so why didn't that trait emerge this time?

I heard Fenris whimper inside my mind and honestly, I felt like whining and dragging Lucian out of here already. Lettice was already up on her feet and was dead set on charging against him. Her instant recuperation brought back hope to the rebellion she was part of and the fighting resumed.

I noticed that despite her body fully recovered, she was more focused on physical attacks rather than using her mana like before. I took her on which only irked her even further.

"Once I get your stupid guard dog out of the way you're good as dead!" Lettice snapped.

One thing that really excited me more than anything was being...

"Underestimated," my wolf and I spoke in unison.

My wolf and I were holding back up until now because we didn't want to accidentally harm our mate but with this many people after Lucian, how can we restrain ourselves?

We slammed our fist against Lettice's nose and sent her spiraling away. Our body trembled with excitement and our tail sprouted out from our back. Our hands mutated into claws and our upper body curled forward when our jaw elongated.

Lettice wasn't quick to back down and met us half way on our gallop. She leaped and twirled around with her leg extending and we knocked her leg away with our arm and caught her fist before biting her other leg and tossing her to the side.

"Fenris...fetch," Lucian deadpanned.

More adrenaline pumped through our veins once we heard our mate's order and we managed to catch Lettice's ankle before she could land.

"You dirty mutt!" Lettice snarled before yelling profanities once we dragged her back to Lucian.

"You refer to my guard dog in such a rude way. I require you to be kinder," he responded before grabbing her neck with narrowed eyes. Lucian's hand glowed in a seething bright red orange color which was just as hot as Lettice claimed with her sudden cuss.

"Putain! (Whore!)" she yelled.

The sounds of the manor crumbling caught all our attention and a high-pitched scream reminded us that something was left unattended that needed far more attention than the squabble we were having just a moment ago.

Lucian released Lettice who was laughing hysterically and stared curiously at the beings inside the disintegrating mansion. "They awakened pretty late. How can the scums rise up from the ashes now—"

"Getting rid of you is a start," Lucius cut her off.

Our eyes widened when a metallic lance stretched out from the forest and pierced into Lettice's stomach. Lettice herself was left no other choice but to become speechless while she blurted out blood from her mouth. Lucius came out from the darknes and a cape of electrical currents hailed out from his back and electrocuted everyone except Lucian, Crowley, Ziru and me.

Wait, where did Kox go?

"The situation has worsened— Ikesha, Laeroth, and Garrison are now engaging against number VII," Lucius informed us before glaring at the swirl of dark sand lingering at the disintigrated manor.

A continuous shake on the ground transpired and the lance piercing through Lettice withdrew and became Lucius' normal hand.

"We should go now. Those things are serious business!" Crowley snapped and pointed at the pale creatures sluggishly standing up from the debris.

"They really stink!" Ziru groaned and pinched his nose.

They reeked of dark aura. Their skin was pale as the clouds with lines of dark veins branching underneath the cracking paleness. Their eyes showed pure blackness and they no longer represented the people they were once before.

Small particles appeared from behind them and the decay of which they were known for began to wreck havoc.

"Droog they're the ones who killed pack. We need to get mate out of here before we lose him too!" Fenris panicked.

The five of us scurried out after Lucius hid the cataleptic ancients underground. The forest began to rot and the familiarity of the scent brought back the trauma that Fenris and I had in the past.

"Head east of here and you'll reach the Black Crystal Mountain. There's a village where you can stay. The villagers may look intimidating but they are decent. Look for a drake named Saber and tell him my name."

"Don't tell me you're going to stay here and battle with those things," Crowley scoffed with a worried look on his face.

"Big brother you're not seriously going to head over there? I've seen what they can do and they're really scary!" Ziru exclaimed.

Lucius' expression told everyone that he wasn't playing around but Lucian refused to obey that easily.

"You are not staying here. You are coming with us," Lucian murmured.

Lucius slipped his hand under Lucian's jaw and smiled. "I'll meet you there."

"I can fight with you; you trained me," Lucian replied and grabbed the front of Lucius' shirt.

"I know and you are doing great otouto," Lucius praised. "You were already a fighter even before I got to you and you are getting better each day."

Aramastus sprouted out of nowhere and slightly bowed. "Master, XIII is on his way and he has knights behind him," he announced.

"I see..." Lucius calmly acknowledged before placing his hand on top of Lucian's head. "It's time to go. There's no time," he murmured and leaned his forehead against Lucian's.

Lucian's other hand slowly and shakily grabbed his brother's shirt and he stubbornly swayed his head. "I will not leave; I will stay."

Lucius pursed his lips and hugged him before smiling sadly and planting a kiss on his ear. "You're overly attached this day aren't you? This makes me so happy Lucian."

Lucian became silent and we all understood even if he didn't know how express it properly.

"You're worried about me aren't you? Thank you," Lucius softly spoke and was pleased with this development.

Lucian was more than worried. Lucius must be the only family member he had that didn't require him of being restricted inside a suffocating dungeon they call a 'castle'.

"You told me you'll protect me so I will stay. I refuse to leave," Lucian deadpanned.

An apologetic expression formed on the older male and we can tell that Lucian's sudden show of affection made this parting a thousand times difficult.

"I know...Gomen (Sorry)," Lucius cooed with his voice becoming breathy. He tried to pry Lucian off of him while maintaining a strong composure and he gave me a look of reliance.

"Protect him in my place," he told me.

Lucian kept a strong grasp on Lucius' shirt while I tried to pull him away as gently as I could from his brother.

"I will stay Lucius. I will stay with you," he kept repeating. "I won't leave you. I can fight. I will be useful. I won't become a burden. I won't let myself be taken," he kept persuading.

Once Lucius looked away and peeled Lucian's hands from his shirt, that was when Lucian finally spoke the most painful plead that any loving brother would find heartwarming and at the same time—too heavy to bear.

"Please don't leave me again!" Lucian shouted. A moment of silence rose right after several hearts stung with that plea.

"I am trying. I am doing everything you have told me to do. I did not break any rules, " Lucian told him. "Why are you..." he trailed off before hitting his chest several times with each thump getting stronger.

Though his voice may sound blank, the sincerity in them was filled with sadness that made Lucius turn around in shock but smiled nonetheless.

"Promise me that you won't ever cry when I'm not there to wipe them for you," Lucius stated. "I want to be there for your first tear. You don't know how to cry yet but someday, you'll learn to. So when the time comes, please let me become the one to comfort you."

"I will do that," Lucian swore. "I will wait."

"Very good. Remember that an oath made to someone dear to you is an oath that you should never break," Lucius told him.

Lucian resigned to my hold and slowly backed away. "Then promise me...Promise me that you'll come back. Promise me," Lucian demanded.

Lucius  turned away and I dreaded for his reply. I may be able to shield Lucian from any bombs or magical power but when it came to words that was sharper than any blade, even with my body's defensive and adsorption properties, words will still be able to pierce right through him.

"Aishiteiru (I love you). "

It made my heart ache for my mate especially when I knew the reason why Lucius did not make the promise.

Promises were made to a person you hold dear to but you should not make them if you cannot keep them.

And Lucius must have thought that the situation was too dire for him to make promises he couldn't keep. If he made that promise and couldn't keep it, Lucian might make promises in the future that he couldn't keep as well.

In the end, he was trying to teach Lucian a valuable lesson before they part.

Crowley let a few seconds passed by before hesitantly saying:

"We should go now. I'm sure they'll catch up Lord Lucian."

Don't make false reasurrance now you stupid monkey.

Lucian's body became rigid and once he turned around, I saw a drastic change in him that I didn't like one bit.

It felt like... He closed himself off again.

"Let's depart. We are wasting time."

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A/N: Finally updated. How is everyone?