Jungkook entered into his father's room and his eyes fell on his sister sitting at the edge of the bed, holding hands with their father and her mate standing beside her. Even if Jungkook was far, he could see the tears in her eyes, she was hurt. Ofcourse, who wouldn't be if they were in her place?

Jungkook found it hard to go near her, his own self felt like falling apart looking at them but this wasn't a time of breakdown but to be strong. He clenched his fists when he felt a hand caressing his back softly.

He looked at his side to see Luna, she was assuring him that it was going to be fine. He breathed out, finally taking a step further near them. He knelt down in front of Ji-hyun, placing his hands on her lap.

"Ji-hyun . . ." he called softly and Ji-hyun whipped her neck to the other side, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

"You're mad, aren't you?" he asked and she stayed silent. Jungkook sighed, "Ji-hyun-ah, I'm sorry . . . please, try to understand," he took a deep breath and then continued.

"I know I didn't tell you about father and his health, I kept you unaware of his condition but everybody felt like an enemy disguised as a friend and it was hard to believe anyone,"

"That situation asked me to behave as a King rather than a brother or a son and I didn't have any option. I couldn't risk more about father, that's why I kept it a secret . . . I had to," he leaned to find her eyes but she closed them instead.

"Ji-hyun-ah," he called softly and she inhaled deeply finally opening her mouth to speak.

"He's my father too, brother, and I deserved to know if he wasn't fine," a tear came rolling down her cheeks.

"No matter what happens, I'd never think of hurting him ever . . . not even in my dreams and you know that," she sobbed and Min-ho placed his hand over her shoulder.

The relationship between a father and a daughter is mysteriously awesome and precious. For a daughter, nothing is more heartbreaking than seeing her father in pain, it shatters them inside.

"You . . . you will find the cure, right?" she asked wiping her tears. Finally, her eyes met the ones that belonged to her elder brother making him pause for a moment.

"Promise me you will, brother!" her voice raised a bit.

"I-I will . . . I will," he confidently said even if he actually had no idea about what he'll do. He stood up to give her a warm hug, he rubbed her back, trying to calm her trembling figure down and she hugged him back crying on his chest.

She reminsced her childhood when he scolded her whenever she got hurt, how he ran here and there annoyed by her continuous demands but never declined any of them, doesn't matter how small or big they were. She wanted him to do it once again, she wanted him to bring their father back.

"It's o-okay, I'll bring him b-back," he found his own voice cracking up.

✤

"Is everyone ready, hyung?" Jungkook asked Jin while he walking toward the Rose chamber to check everything himself once last time.

"Yes, Mr. Chou and some guards will stay with the females and the rest of us will leave for the Rougeward. They're all waiting for you to come so we can depart," Jin answered opening the door for him.

Jungkook nodded and went inside to see his family scattered around in the room. Y/N came running toward him as soon as he entered. Being away from him for just a short period of time felt like decades to her, their togetherness mattered a lot for her after all the sufferings she went through.

"Jungkook, can I talk to you?" she held his hands, "Please, just for five minutes!" she pleaded desperately.

"Okay," he nodded and she quickly dragged him out of the chamber to another random room and closed the door.

Jungkook stood there watching her actions. She came back and removed her bracelet made of a thin gold chain and adorned with blue diamond from her hand. She wrapped it around Jungkook's wrist hurriedly struggling with her trembling hands.

"Y/N," he called but she focused on the bracelet and once she was done she looked up at him with teary eyes. She wanted to be with him but unfortunately, she couldn't and this was the only way she could feel like they're connected even if they're far.

"Keep it with yourself, Jungkook. This is a sapphire bracelet, the stone of wisdom and serenity," she smiled sadly touching the stone lightly with her thumb, "It will help you calm your mind, and provide the mental clarity required to surmount obstacles," she added.

"I wanted to be with you but I know I can't and I couldn't think of anything better than this," she took a deep breath, "Please, be fine and come back just as you're right now, I wouldn't bear a single scratch on your handsome face," she chuckled sadly, looking down when a tear managed to escape the cage of her eyes.

Jungkook cupped her small face in his big palms to look into her eyes once again, "Who am I?" he asked.

"The Almighty Blood Moon King," she answered proudly.

"Do you have faith in me?"

"More than anyone,"

"Then I'll come back, without even a single scratch on my handsome face, okay?" Y/N nodded looking deep into his eyes, desperation took over her as she attached her lips with his and gave him a small kiss.

This was a kiss to show her faith in him, the place he held in her life, to assure him and give him the strength that he will go through it and come back like refined gold. Jungkook kissed her back with the same love, assuring her that he won't break her trust and come back, promising her to be with him forever.

They pulled away resting their foreheads on each other's.

"I love you," she softly said breathing in his scent.

"I love you too," he replied, pulling away and placing a kiss on her forehead.

✤

MIDNIGHT MARK

Felix was standing in front of the mirror looking at his pale figure lost in deep thoughts, he was there looking at his reflection. However, his mind was roaming around several terrible thoughts.

He had no idea of his life after this war or maybe he wasn't even going to come back alive. He will never be able to see his friends, his people, or maybe even if he came back there nothing going to be left behind.

The mirror's gold frame shined in the little light coming through the curtains. Suddenly he felt so tired, he wanted to sleep forever and never wake up. But he couldn't even sleep, Hyunjin's death still haunted him, how he lost him, he wanted to blame the werewolves the famous blood moon king but he knew they did nothing wrong.

He was suffering and they were not the ones to blame. He wanted to run away, far away from everyone but he knew Luther will never let him be in peace. He couldn't afford to lose Melin too. There were so many things he wanted to think about but knew there was nothing he could do.

He sighed blinking his eyes to hold back the tears threatening to fall. The door opened slowly but he kept staring at the mirror into his own eyes. He didn't even bother turning around. He could hear those soft steps coming towards him but he didn't even move a limb.

Soon a figure was standing in between him and the mirror. The image of his dead eyes turned into someone's teary ones; Melin. He swallowed feeling helpless once again.

"Felix," she whispered slowly cupping his face in hers with nesh.

"What are you doing here?" he asked looking into her deep teary eyes.

"I'm gonna sound selfish but . . . I know if you left with them you won't come back," she swallowed blinking a few times to hold the tears but failing miserably, "Can we . . . leave? All of this? Just you and me?"

"He'll find us, he'll kill us, there's no way out of here . . . you said it yourself," he turned away, feeling defeated.

"I know but . . . but I can't afford to lose you," hot tears soaked wet her cold pale skin, "We can run, I'm willing to do it if it's you, Let's leave . . . p-please, " her voice cracked and she slid down to the floor bursting into a silent pool of misery.

"He won't lead us to freedom but death, he's willing to sacrifice the whole clan just for power. His greed is gonna swallow us as well," she sobbed looking up at Felix's back.

"We were never a family to him, Felix, and until he's the ruler, all we'll get is war!" she got up with slow steps and approached him, clutching the back of his sleeve.

"I cannot lose you, because if I ever did, I'll lose my best friend, my soulmate, my smile, my laugh," she turned him around clutching her palms on the fabric of his shirt near his collarbones, "My everything . . ." she bit her lip looking up at him with begging eyes.

"He'll find us . . . he'll k-kill us-" he pressed his own hands on her balled fists and she clutched even tighter.

"It's better to try than regret, it's death anyway, at least we'll have each other for only us even if it's just for a moment," she raised her hand palming his cheek, "I love you . . . let's go please,"

Felix grabbed her lips within his as approval, as if that was exactly, precisely, and perfectly what he was waiting for. He parted resting his forehead on hers, his arms snaked up on her back pulling her even more close than she already was.

"Let's just be with each other until we can, we will figure out the rest later," her hands tightened around him.

"Let's leave," he nodded slowly, agreeing.

✤

ROUGEWARD

The sunlit sky dulled in a moment, the sun disappeared behind the heavy grey of clouds and thunder rumbled over their head. The next moment the whole field opposite of them was filled with blood-sucking demons, showing their fangs.

They graced their fangs with the tip of their tongues hungry to devour their enemies, years of hatred their crimson eyes glowing with mischief. But no one attacked, they hissed to make even a tinge of fear appear on the righteous wolves but instead, it made them crack their necks impatiently.

"Where is he?" Jungkook's was demanding filled with mockery, "Such a coward!" he was not being arrogant instead he wants to get inside his skin, he wanted him to come out of his hole.

"And he was talking about me fearing him," laughter growled out from the packs of wolves in a mocking tone.

"The game has just begun kid," a deep voice rumbled and in a flash, a man was standing right in front of Jungkook. He had an amused smirk on his face, the upwards tugged lips making his high cheekbones look prominent.

Jungkook eyed him with the same amusement in his eyes. The man's features were screaming authority and Jungkook knew he needed to see that fear in his eyes. He wanted him on the floor beneath his shoes tormented, begging with his eyes to spare him. Even the thought of it made him eager to see it.

"So eager?" the Vampire Lord teased gracing his fangs on his lower lip.

"Eager to see you right here," the Blood Moon King eyed his feet crushing the snow beneath him brutally. Luther let out an audible scoff.

"Save your people first (the blood moon king)," Luther deadpanned with a mocking puppy face but then his lips tugged up into a satisfied mischievous smirk.

The vampires hissed behind him while the werewolves growled, their skin turned and bones cracked. They let out a howl together before lunging towards the blood-sucking demons. But Luther vanished from there as well leaving Jungkook alone with others, the elite vamps surrounded him laughing in unison.

"Nice to meet you?" the blond haired vampire, Bangchan mocked and then winked at him.

"Meet you but it's not so nice meeting you," Jungkook maniacally laughed at his attempt of looking intimidating. His laugh triggered them when he was more than calm around them and Changbin's eyes flickered with rage.

"Your mother should have swallowed you! But don't worry we'll fulfill her wish soon," the blond haired vampire's younger brother; Changbin joined. Jungkook poked the inside of his cheeks feeling his blood starting to boil in his veins when they mentioned his mother, his eyes turned crimson and he stretched his neck.

"God wasted such a good asshole when he put teeth in your mouth," Jungkook sneered at him. Changbin's eyes fumed and Jungkook smirked in amusement before saying, "Oops, I mean those filthy fangs," he mocked a scoff.

"If you ran like your mouth does, you should've been in such a good shape!!" rage took the best of him and he hissed attacking at his neck. Jungkook dogged and grabbed his wrist, pinning him down.

"Good shape?" he chuckled and then without saying anything, tore his neck apart. It happened in such a way that even the vamps with such good speed were unable to act.

Bangchan stood there with his mouth agape. He watched his brother laying down lifeless on the ground, blood gushing out of his neck, tainting the ground red beneath their feet.

"My brother . . ." a slow whisper left his lips but before sadness could take over him, his eyes fell on Jungkook turning in his wolf form.

His eyes glowed crimson and the thought of revenge took over him. All of them lunged over the almighty blood moon king together, and the dreadful fight of centuries-built hate began.

✤

Thunder growled above them and with time the sky turned darker and darker as if the darkness was engulfing them slowly. Yoongi growled clutching over a vampire's neck, his claws dug dip in his throat. But there was a thing that felt off even in that winning situation.

"I'll kill you!" the man struggled in the vampire's grip pushing him backward, with every step they neared the edge. The vampire pushed him even more harshly and Yoongi stumbled back on his feet realising he was no more in his wolf form. The coal-haired vamp hissed running towards him with his bleeding neck.

"What's going o-on?" he jerked back in a second trying to dodge the attack and his right leg slipped. Before Yoongi could even react he saw the vampire digging his fangs to tear apart Yibo's right arm.

Yibo ripped the vampire off himself and slammed his head on the ground. Yoongi's hand slipped over the rock, he was balancing himself on and Yibo lunged forward.

"Hyunggg!!" he screamed, holding Yoongi with his bleeding right hand.

"I never saw that hit coming," he replied struggling to hold on his hand.

"Just hang on please, I'll pull you up!" blood kept running down his hand and Yoongi's hand threatened to slip from his hold.

"Yibo, let go . . . your hand will get crippled this way!"

"Never hyung, we came together and will get out of this together . . . arghhh!" the heavy weight on his left hand made him grunt in pain as soon as he completed his sentence.

He yelped in pain feeling his tissues tearing apart when he finally got Yoongi up the cliff again. His clothes were dampened with blood and his hand ached as if every bone of him was falling apart.

"Yibo you need to be at a safe place and get treated, you can't fight with this hand," Yoongi's eyes lingered around looking for anything he could help his brother with, even if his heart knew there was nothing to help him ease the pain right there.

"I'm okay . . . ahh, I just don't know what's happening. It feels like my powers are getting drained!" he yelped once again when Yoongi pressed the fabric of a piece of cloth on his bleeding wound.

"I can feel it too, I'm unable to feel the force inside me," Yoongi began, "I suddenly changed into my normal form without my consent, even my wolf isn't answering to me," the concern in his voice turned deeper when he saw others on the ground.

The werewolves turned into their human form and vampires took advantage of it. They tore their necks open, draining them out of blood whenever they caught one.

It was a horrific scene, the blood puddles on the ground kept increasing. No matter how bravely they fought without anything to defend them, they were more than vulnerable for them.

"What's happening? Vamps can't be so powerful!"

✤

Yeonjun hissed looking at the vampire's body lying lifeless beside Yibo and Yoongi, his blood boiled in an instant. He jumped down from the tree rushing to them in a second.

But before he could reach them he clashed into someone's hard-built chest. He looked up to meet Minho's crimson eyes glaring down at him. He dragged Yeonjun away from the filthy fight toward a corner near the trees and bushes.

He pushed him harshly making his body collide with the rough bark of the tree behind him. Yeonjun winced slightly feeling his back crumbling but the burning fury in his crimson eyes was overtaking any kind of pain.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Minho?!" Yeonjun growled, glaring at the man in anger.

"I'm the one who's supposed to ask you that Yeonjun! What the fuck do you think you are doing huh?!" Minho said pointing his finger at him and pressing on the word You.

"Why do you hate your own people so much? Your own community! Don't forget you're a half-werewolf too!" he huffed out in rage, poking harshly into the younger's chest and pushing him backward with every single word he spoke.

"They betrayed me, they betrayed my family, killed my mother," Yeonjun tried yelling but his voice came out defeated instead.

"Half-truth is dangerous than millions of lies, brother,"

✤

"Watch out!!" Jin screamed pushing the man by his side. The vampire grunted and Jin snapped his neck in pieces. His reflex was good enough to save someone and kill a threat.

But his human form was a threat to him himself. In that condition no matter how good his skills were he won't last long. Fighting against vampires like this was nothing but a suicide mission.

"You okay?" he kneeled beside the person looking at his bleeding knee. The direct hit on the floor caused atleast less bloodshed that the vampire could have. The man looked up to meet his concerned eyes and Jin held his hand out for him to hold.

"The situation isn't in our favor, we need to shift you somewhere safe, Prince Taehyung!"

"No, I'm okay but what's happening?" Taehyung clutched the older's hand tight to help himself get up.

"I don't kno-" Jin's voice died at the back of his throat and Taehyung's grip tightened around his hand. The world felt like falling down and their hands were the only support they had. Taehyung looked deep into his eyes and something absorbed him inside.

Jin's eyebrows knitted when he felt so many voices together ringing inside his head. Taehyung hissed trying to close his ear from his free hand. But in a sudden, their eyes fluttered shut and they were standing on clouds, even after trying multiple times their eyes were glued down and feet felt like floating above the air.

"It's miraculous, Helena, isn't it?" a soft whisper came from behind them.

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the game has begun (: y'all can expect quick updates from now on✨💜