A few weeks later, their next stop popped over the horizon.

The Aurora Coast Town was as beautiful as its name implied, filled with flowers in full bloom all year long and, at night, its skies were filled with stars and aurora borealis alike. As enchanting as the entire town was, however, the people living in it were the complete opposite – they welcomed foreigners because they lived off the tourism, but they barely tolerated different people. 

As such, Felix definitely stood out like a sore thumb, hence why he once again had to hide himself under the cloak and the bandana. While the numerous civilians they crossed paths with spared him suspicious or wary glances, no one commented on it – they'd rather not see him at all, if he was different enough to warrant hiding.

Aurora was most assuredly safer than Clover Cove, however, and so the crew decided to split up. Since Hongjoong and Seonghwa expressed their desire to spent some alone time on the Twilight, the rest of the crew quickly agreed on spending the night on the island so as to give them some privacy. 

They found an inn not too long after. They hadn't made port in Aurora many times in the past before, but they were still familiar enough with the place to know the best inn around, and so the entire crew – minus the Captain and the First Mate – were quick to find proper settlements for the night.

The locals weren't outright hostile, because it'd be bad for business, but there was still a noticeable tension when food and drinks were brought to their table. While the innkeeper and the servers made small talk with the other clients, they kept it coldly professional and detached with the crew. 

Since they were still polite with it, though, everyone just took it in stride. Felix found it a bit annoying to still be hiding, but he'd rather not cause a commotion – plus, since they were still deep in Dominion territory, it'd be too risky to reveal himself. Who knew if there were more wanted posters around?

"How are we splitting rooms for the night?" asked Mingi as he engulfed more food, obviously enjoying a meal he hadn't had to cook, for once.

"We can just choose random numbers, like usual," suggested Jongho with a shrug.

"Alright, let's do it!" San cheered, just a tad bit inebriated. He then leaned over to Felix with a shit-eating grin, speaking lowly so only he could hear him. "It's really simple, okay? When we've counted down to zero, you need to make the number 'two' with your fingers, alright?"

"Alright...?"

He should have known better than to trust San.

"Three, two, one – go!"

San, Yunho, and Jongho showed one finger, meaning they were to share a room. Mingi and Yeosang put three fingers, so they also shared a room. And then Wooyoung and Felix both showed two, meaning they would also be sharing a room – all according to San's plan, of course. Upon realizing this, the freckled boy threw a subtle glare at the Master Gunner, who only winked at him before bursting into laughs.

Rolling his eyes, Felix then offered a small smile to Wooyoung, who instantly grinned back, and he found himself relaxing a bit. It's not like they weren't used to sharing a bed, so how different could this be?

.

The evening was well underway, and everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves. Felix had had a bit of rum too, but mostly enjoyed himself by watching everyone else grow more jovial and louder by the minute. It wasn't to say he wasn't a bit drunk himself, but it definitely wasn't as obvious as San, Wooyoung, and Mingi. 

However, just as Jongho was about to call for another round, a random drunkard staggered from the bar in direction of his table and, while walking past them, he slipped and fell face-first on the floor, just near their group. Loud laughter soon filled the entire place but, true to his kind nature, Felix didn't hesitate in going to help the man.

Unfortunately, not all good deeds went unpunished.

"Don't- don't touch me, you lil'- lil' freak!"

The drunkard had accidentally ripped Felix's hood off when the younger tried to pull him back to his feet. Frankly, Felix didn't know what hurt more – how the man literally spat the insult in his face, or how he roughly slapped his hand away, the silver ring he was wearing immediately searing Felix's skin and making him pull back with a hiss of pain.

Immediately, tension rose, all of the pirates jumping to their feet at once.

"What the fuck did you just say!?" snapped Wooyoung, glaring daggers at the drunkard.

"I don't want no rabies or other sick stuff!" slurred the drunkard, harshly waving his hand in Felix's face. "Who da hell knows where's this beast been to, huh? I ain't taking no chances. Keep ya mutt on a leash if you're gonna take it for a walk! He—"

'THUNK'

Without warning, a bottle of rum slammed right into his forehead. There was a moment of silence before the man's eyes rolled back in his skull and he collapsed, the faintest trickle of blood now adorning his bruising forehead. Then, all eyes shifted to the one who'd thrown the bottle—

"Jongho?" gawked San. "The hell, man?"

"What? You can't say you weren't pissed off too," huffed the boatswain, and Felix only then noticed the redness of his cheeks. "Bastard doesn't get to talk like that 'bout Felix."

"No, no, you're right on that – but did you have to waste a perfectly good bottle? Now the rum's wasted and gone," pouted San, leaning heavily on the younger. "Why is the rum goooooone?"

"Err, everyone?" called out Yunho, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead.

That brought their attention back to their current situation, and they only now noticed the rising animosity in the other patrons. They also noticed how the waitresses had mysteriously disappeared, seemingly wanting no part in the mess about to follow.

"Right," drawled Yeosang. "I believe we might have overstayed our welcome."

Mingi cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Alright. Now that's a party!"

Felix's eyes went wide as, without further ado, Mingi reared his fist back and punched the nearest man right in the face. At once, all hell broke loose and, for a brief instant, he completely froze, unsure of what to do. But then Wooyoung shoved a bottle in his hands and offered him a mischievous smile—

"Come on, Lix! Give 'em hell!"

—and, once again, he found himself unable to deny the pirate anything. So, with a mighty cry, Felix promptly threw himself into the fray, and there was no hiding the toothy, delighted grin that split his lips as he started whacking heads left and right.

.

Good news: they won the bar fight.

Less good news: they got kicked out.

"That was amazing! I've never been in a bar fight before!"

Still, they were all too drunk and too high on adrenaline to really care all that much, and Felix bouncing all over the place with endless energy was definitely a sight to behold. They rarely saw him this openly excited about anything, and it was even more amusing to know that this was because of a simple bar fight, of all things. 

As such, it was in high spirits that the seven of them trudged their way back to the beach, where they intended to crash for the night. The air was pleasantly warm, and they knew better than to return to the ship and interrupt one of their Captain and First-Mate's rare opportunities of privacy.

They were all laughing still as they finally found a nice spot to spend the night, patches of fresh grass slowly meshing into sand and, just a few meters away, gentle waves rushing up and down the shore. They all kind of dropped in a heap of bodies, but Felix kept on walking for a bit, still too full of barely-spent energy. 

Eventually, he also sat down and let out a shaky breath. He could still feel the rush of the fight coursing under his skin, but he was starting to crash, the general exhaustion and the alcohol still buzzing in his bloodstream quickly making him drowsy. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he let his gaze wander on the ocean ahead of them.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Wooyoung sat down next to him, swaying a bit in place and reeking of beer and rum, but the previous fight had sobered him up. "With the moon reflecting on the waves like that... Feels like it's filled with diamonds and wonders, huh?"

"It really does," murmured Felix. "I never knew it was like this. Back home, we can't see the ocean unless we cross endless forests, rivers, and mountains first."

"Well, you're here now, aren't you? Here, let me show you something even better."

Curious, Felix didn't resist when Wooyoung gripped his shoulders and gently pushed him down, the two of them soon laying on their backs – and that's when the full sight of the nightly sky hit Felix. His breath was stolen away by the thousands of little dots shimmering in the dark veil of the night, a mesmerizing spectacle that could definitely be on par with the aurora borealis' that often filled Fang Vale's skies.

"The sea calls to me," murmured Wooyoung. "But sometimes, I can't help but wonder what kind of adventures lays in the sky, too."

Felix grabbed the pirate's hand, gently squeezing it. "One day, if you find a way to venture up to the stars... will you take me with you?"

Wooyoung smiled, pulling him closer so they could cuddle together. "I'll find a way to take you beyond the moon if you ask it of me."

Felix knew Wooyoung didn't mean any of it, that the alcohol was merely making him clingy and a bit emotional. Still, he allowed himself to indulge in the fantasy, melting in Wooyoung's arms and dreaming of the handsome pirate stealing him away to worlds beyond their wildest imagination.

.

Returning to the sea after two other days on shore was a slightly bittersweet experience, and Felix watched the Aurora Coast Town slowly vanish in the distance, painfully aware that it was surely the last time it would ever come within his sight. With their second stop out of the way, only one was left.

Felix's final one, actually.

Haven's Port, which they were supposed to reach in about a month-and-a-half or so, would be where Felix and the crew of the Twilight finally split ways. Felix would begin his journey back home on his own, and the pirates would double-back and start heading for their own home, the Twilight Lagoon as they dubbed it.

I want to go with them. And damn if that thought didn't make him feel absolutely terrible. I want to stay with them. I want to stay with—

"Felix! If you keep on hiding up there, I'm gonna start believing you're part bird rather than part wolf!"

Wooyoung swung his legs over and landed inside the crow's nest with practice ease, grinning as he sat down next to the wolfman. Instinctively, the freckled boy leaned against him, and the pirate happily wrapped an arm around him to pull him closer.

This felt right. Wooyoung was right.

But what about my family? What about my brother, my home, my people? What about—

"What's got you frowning so deeply?"

Felix swallowed thickly. "It just... hit me, that our paths will part soon. I knew the day would come eventually, but I never expected to..."

"To grow attached like this?" completed Wooyoung with a small, slightly bittersweet smile. "Yeah, well, that makes two of us. Or nine, really – everyone else really likes having you on board. It's gonna be hard, to not have you around anymore."

Ask me, silently begged Felix, his hold tightening a bit on Wooyoung's arm, though he didn't dare meet the older's eyes. Ask me to stay and I will. Please, just ask me.

Wooyoung squeezed his hand, letting out a shaky breath. "Felix—"

'THUNK'

They both stiffened at once as, without warning, the boat lurched forward... then grew completely immobilized altogether. No wind, no current – looking down, they found the water strangely dark, and completely unmoving. A shiver ran down Felix's spine, his hackles rising in warning.

"There's something in the water," he whispered.

Wooyoung gulped. "Another kraken?"

"No, I- I'd recognize it. This is something different."

They stayed completely still for a bit, holding their breaths as they waited. And then, Felix heard it – the song. It was faint, at first, but it quickly grew louder, with an undertone of powerful magic coursing through carried by every note. Felix's head grew a little fuzzy at first, but he quickly shook it off, more confused than anything else. Next to him, Wooyoung... relaxed. Even more confused, Felix looked back at him, and was quite startled to find the pirate with dull eyes lost into space, his expression lax and completely unresponsive.

"Wooyoung?" he called worriedly, but the man didn't react at all. "Woo!"

He reminded Felix of how people would act when under his allure and, without thinking, he cradled Wooyoung's face so their eyes could meet. He activated his allure, his power instinctively reaching out until it latched onto his target's muddled mind. Wooyoung inhaled sharply, the light returning to his eyes as he finally snapped out of it.

"Felix—"

"Wooyoung, are you okay? What was that?"

"Sirens," whispered the pirate, his eyes going wide with horror. "Shit, we must've stumbled into a pod's route or something, we're not used to these waters – we have to warn the others right away!"

Felix felt a tug in his chest as Wooyoung began climbing down the ropes at once, and he gulped as he belatedly realized the implications of what had just happened. He knew about sirens, heard tales of those monstruous sea leeches who drowned unfortunate sailors for sport and used their rotting bodies to lay their eggs – nasty creatures, really. 

He also knew that they possessed a magic similar to that of the wolfmen – a special allure capable of luring any prey, except for those whose mind was magically protected. With their song of the deep, they could entrance any who heard it and make them lose all control of themselves.

But Felix's allure shouldn't have been able to break Wooyoung out of his trance, it just didn't work like that. He'd acted on pure instincts alone but, thinking over it now, the reality of the deepness of the bond they shared hit him like a ton of bricks. He wouldn't have been able to snap Wooyoung out of it unless they were—

"Felix, come on! We need to get out of here!"

This terrifying revelation could wait. Shaking his head, Felix quickly began climbing down. As he did so, however, he noticed the door leading inside the ship swinging open, and Mingi and San stumbled out, hazy-eyed and completely under the sirens' thrall.

"Woo!" he called out, panicking as he watched the two sailors stumble toward the rail.

"I got them! Go to the door and get ready to push anyone else back inside!"

When Felix reached the deck, Wooyoung was already rounding up their friends – literally, using a rope to forcibly drag them away from the railing. Rushing to the door, Felix managed to get there just in time to shove Yunho and Yeosang back inside. He then helped Wooyoung push the other two inside as well, and they then blocked the door with heavy barrels.

"What- what do we do now?" asked Felix, panicking a bit.

"We need to leave this place at once," urged Wooyoung. "Sirens are deadly, but they're also pretty stupid. They follow distinct travel routes, and they never stray – meaning if we can leave this one, they won't follow us."

"But how? The ship isn't moving at all!"

"That's because those leeches have attached themselves to the hull and are blocking off the currents entirely. If we can just shake enough of them off, we'll be able to regain some speed. I have an idea, but I'll need to fetch something from the Captain's cabin first – in the meantime, you need to tie up all of the sails!"

"All of them? But how are we supposed to catch the wind then!?"

"Just trust me on this, Lix! Please, if we don't get out of here soon, the sirens are going to sink the Twilight!"

Felix nodded stiffly at that. "I trust you."

Wooyoung offered him a smile at that, then went to the window leading to the galley and promptly broke it so he could make his way inside without having to force his way through the rest of the crew. As soon as he was gone, Felix immediately got to work. Rigging sails wasn't exactly a one-man job, but he was a wolfman – he could handle it.

Felix worked as fast and as efficiently as he could manage. He focused on tying everything up tightly enough so it wouldn't unfurl on its own and, though the sails did rip a bit here and there in the process, he figured it was the least of their problems at the moment. By the time he managed to tie up the last sail, Wooyoung was already on deck fiddling with a bunch of small barrels.

Cannon powder, from the smell of it.

"Good job, Lix," praised Wooyoung as Felix finally joined him back on the deck. "We don't have much time left – I can hear the ship beginning to crack."

"What are we doing?"

"We're going to drop those barrels on each side of the ship. It's a special powder meant to work underwater – once it becomes soaked, it detonates. It won't be enough to damage the ship itself, I've balanced it out, but it will be enough to scare most sirens away. And then, we're going to use this." Wooyoung patted the strange, cylindrical glass container right next to him. It appeared empty, though. "It's a cyclone-in-a-bottle. Rare magical artifact. If we open this underwater, it'll give the ship enough propulsion to get us miles away from here in under a minute."

Felix frowned. "But for it to work, we need to get it underwater. Won't we just get dragged under by the sirens then?"

"I'll just have to be careful," shrugged Wooyoung, rising to his feet. "I'll handle it. In the meantime, you'll have to take the helm and make sure we don't accidentally collide with anything that could actually sink us—"

"No," cut Felix, narrowing his eyes. "I'm better suited to fight off the sirens, and I'll be able to keep a better grip on the ship thanks to my claws. Plus, I don't know how to steer a ship, but you do."

"That's..."

A loud, worrying creaking noise echoed, reminding them that they didn't have much time left. Cursing under his breath, Wooyoung nodded in agreement.

"Okay. Okay, we'll do it like that. We'll need to act fast, though. But be careful, okay? If it gets too dangerous, then climb back up right away."

"I'll be careful."

"Good. Now let's get to it!"

They both grabbed three detonating barrels each and rushed to opposite sides of the ship. Then, one after the other, they dropped the barrels all along the length of the ship and, by the time they dropped their third ones, the first exploded – then the second, then the last.

Awful screeching quickly replaced the sirens' song, and Felix knew it was now or never.

"Felix, be careful – I mean it," urged Wooyoung, grabbing his arm as Felix promptly tied a rope around his waist.

Felix couldn't help but smile a bit, leaning up to kiss the older on the cheek. "Hold on tight."

And then, gripping tightly the glass cylinder, he jumped over the railing. Going through a partial shifting so he could use his claws to slow his fall, Felix still quickly reached the dark water and, without hesitation, he plunged the cylinder underneath it. 

Almost immediately, claws dug into his arm in an attempt to drag him under, but he held on tightly to the ship and, tightening his hold on the cylinder, he broke it open. He felt the glass cut through his palm, his blood immediately drawing more sirens to him.

Ghastly hands began grabbing him from all sides, pulling at his legs and his waist and his hair, but Felix kept his hold on the ship and the cylinder beneath the water. He could feel the power building up, strong currents quickly forming as the magic of the item pulled them together.

Then, the ship began moving. Slow, at first – then fast. And faster. And faster.

Next thing he knew, the wind was whipping his bruising body as the Twilight abruptly took off, the water around him almost razor-sharp because of their incredible speed. His arm was numbed by the cold and the strength of it, pain exploding in his back every time his body harshly collided with the hull, but he stubbornly held on.

Eventually, the propulsion magic started weakening until, at last, it dispersed altogether. The sirens' song had completely faded by now, the water returning to a clearer shade as the distinct sense of danger vanished entirely. Still, Felix was too exhausted to pull himself back up, at this point.

"Felix! Hold on, I've got you!"

Thankfully, he knew he could count on Wooyoung. In a matter of seconds, the master rigger managed to pull him back onto the deck using the rope he'd tied around his waist earlier. Felix collapsed onto the deck, soaking wet and sore all over, and Wooyoung promptly cradled him against his chest, shaking with relief.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he choked out.

"I'm fine," grinned Felix, feeling a bit woozy, for some reason. "See? A bit battered up, but nothing Yeosang can't fix—"

"Actually, while I'm deeply confused as to what the hell just happened, I'm afraid I can't exactly regrow fingers, Felix."

It took Wooyoung and Felix a moment to realize that Yeosang, along with the rest of the crew, had finally managed to make their way back onto the deck. They were no longer under the lure of the sirens, thankfully enough, and they all appeared unharmed, if a bit bruised up from tumbling about like drunkards for the last half-hour.

And then, what their doctor said properly sunk in and, as one, they both looked down to Felix's right hand, the one he'd used to plunge the artefact under water... and which was now missing its ring finger, cut neatly just under the bottom phalange. Also, it was bleeding all over the place, which certainly explained Felix's woozy state.

"... Well fuck."

"Felix!"

He passed out before he could even panic about it.

.

"That was reckless, but I suppose there was no helping it. Thankfully, you only lost a part of your finger in the process, and not your entire hand. How do you feel?"

"Bit dizzy, still. Exhausted."

"That's to be expected. Spend the night in here – it'll be much easier to monitor the healing process," concluded Yeosang with a small sigh. "The greatest risk right now is gangrene but, if we keep a close eye on it, then there shouldn't be any trouble."

"I understand. Thank you."

Yeosang spared him a small smile at that, gently patting his head. "If anything, I should be the one thanking you. It's only thanks to you and Wooyoung that we made it out of this one."

Felix lowered his eyes at that. "But you guys... you guys wouldn't even have crossed paths with those sirens had it not been for me—"

The doctor mercilessly flicked his forehead, making Felix draw back with a pained yelp.

"None of that self-blaming bullshit," deadpanned Yeosang. "We're pirates. We go where the sea calls us. And, this time around, it's calling for us to help you home. So, you're not to blame for anything that happened, happens, and will happen in the future. We knew what we were getting ourselves into, alright? We wouldn't have become pirates if we weren't ready for the worst this life has to offer."

Felix nodded stiffly, and Yeosang patted his head one last time before taking his leave for the night. Now left alone in the medical bay, Felix looked down at his heavily bandaged hand. Losing a part of himself in such a way was... strange. He would undoubtedly have incredibly stories to share once he returned home, and he couldn't help but feel a little proud of this injury.

However, his mood quickly sobered up as he thought back to what had happened with Wooyoung earlier. The only reason he'd managed to break the older out of the daze he'd been plunged into by the sirens' song was because... because the two of them were True Mates. And really, he should have realized a whole lot earlier.

According to the legend, souls were originally created in pairs, meant to balance each other out. However, unlike Gods, mortals could die – souls left the mortal place irregularly, for all sorts of reasons. One half of a pair died before the first and, through an eternal cycle of rebirth, those pairs eventually became nearly impossible to bring together again.

True Mates were hard to come by. While only wolfmen had retained the ability to sense their other half, souls were constantly reborn all over the continent. Plus, time worked in strange ways – one half could be an infant while the other could be on their deathbed. Some stories even said that, at one point, one half of a pair birthed their other half!

True Mates weren't meant to be romantically involved. They were merely meant to complete each other, a long-lost gift from the Gods. As such, in the rare event that True Mates found their way to each other again, they didn't always end up marrying each other. Sometimes, they would create a pack with their other significant others. Other times, they'd simply become neighbors, or business partners, or even rivals!

And Felix, somehow, had been blessed with finding his True Mate despite the time and space originally separating them. He hadn't realized at first because a wolfman would usually feel the instant connection between their two souls, and he didn't remember that – until he recalled Wooyoung mentioning his allure the second time they met.

It wasn't my allure he was talking about, only now realized Felix, feeling almost sick to the stomach. He felt the connection like I did.

Felix had wrongly assumed they shared a close, special bond because Wooyoung saved him – but, in reality, it was because they'd been True Mates all along. And, while absolutely ecstatic, Felix was absolutely mind-numbingly terrified, because he didn't know what to do next.

Felix had to return to Fang Vale, no matter what. If he told Wooyoung about this whole affair, about them being True Mates, then it would put Wooyoung in a tight spot and force him to choose between Felix and his family. It would be cruel, to impose this choice on him, and Felix didn't want to hurt him like that. 

Plus, who was to say Wooyoung would even accept it? Humans didn't grow being told the same stories wolfmen did, he might not be able to understand or tolerate the fact that they were meant to be together in one way or the other – he was as free-spirited as they could get, and Felix feared he would see their bond as an unwanted shackle.

Or I could just... not say anything...

It would hurt. Being away from him would leave Felix feeling like he'd lost a piece of himself, and he would spend the rest of his life longing for someone he couldn't have. On the other hand, however, Wooyoung wouldn't have to suffer from it. He'd miss Felix, surely, but he'd eventually go on other adventures that would make him forget all about the wolfman he saved, and he'd be much better off for it.

In the end, the choice was quite obvious, really.

"Lixie!" As if on cue, Wooyoung barged into the med bay carrying a plate of warm food. "Mingi made your favorite! Come on, I'll help you eat – you need to let your hand rest for a while, after all."

"Right."

Felix wouldn't say anything. He was going to enjoy the time he had left with the crew, count himself lucky that he even got to find his True Mate, and then return home like he'd sworn he would all those months ago, back when he was first taken.

.

Felix spent his remaining time on the Twilight learning as much as he could. Though his experience at sea wouldn't be of much help once he returned to the land for good, he didn't want to have any regrets. So, he threw himself into the work given, eagerly asking for more every time he finished. 

He also made a point of spending as much time as he could with all the members of the crew. Though his heart ached a little more every day that passed, he didn't want to leave withering friendships behind. He wanted to nurture his bonds with them, cherish them properly, and leave with his heart at peace.

So, he learned how to read and draw maps from Yunho. He learned how to man the helm from Hongjoong. He learned how to evaluate the value of various items from Seonghwa. He learned how to make healing salves with the simplest ingredients from Yeosang. He learned how to cook all sorts of seafood dishes from Mingi. He began learning the basics of the mandolin from Jongho. He learned how to properly shoot a gun from San.

And Wooyoung... He made a point of learning every single knot the master rigger taught him. Wooyoung had endless stories for every single one of them, and he committed every single one of them to memory. And, when night fell, the two often laid in the hammock out on the deck to stargaze, and they would spend hours trying to spot constellations or playfully invent their own.

It was, without a doubt, the best month of Felix's life.

"This is your last night on the ship, then."

"So it is."

The crow's nest was Felix's favorite place on the Twilight, after Wooyoung's comfy bed. He would dearly miss it, without a doubt – there was no place quite this high back in Fang Vale. He heaved out a small sigh as Wooyoung sat down next to him, mindlessly placing his hand over Felix's and intertwining their fingers together.

"... you don't have to go, Lix."

Felix let out a small laugh. "We've come all this way, Woo. It'd be a shame to let the journey go to waste."

"No journey ever is a waste," assured firmly Wooyoung, his grip tightening a bit on Felix's hand. "Even less so if it granted me a happiness I didn't even know existed."

Gulping, Felix looked up to meet his eyes. "Wooyoung..."

"Stay with us," pleaded Wooyoung. "You're already a part of this crew, Felix – the Twilight is as much your home as it is mine. We could go on even more adventures together, see things no one else has ever seen before, be—" He swallowed thickly, then let out a shuddering sigh. "—be together."

"Woo..." Felix gently stroked the man's cheek, the older immediately leaning into his touch. "Had you asked me earlier... I'd probably have agreed in a heartbeat. But this last month at sea with all of you has made me realize that as happy as you all make me, as much as I'd love to stay..."

"You can't," completed Wooyoung, a tad brokenly.

"My family must be worried sick about me," whispered the wolfman. "I have a brother, a pack, a home I've been ripped away from without the chance to say goodbye. It would be cruel of me to leave them to suffer at the hands of ignorance while I go gallivanting on all sorts of wondrous adventures. They've been hurting for long enough – I at least owe them to come back and bring them peace, at last."

Wooyoung nodded in understanding, though a small tear still escaped him. Felix smiled softly, gently wiping it away. After a few seconds of silence, Wooyoung pulled away, gripping tightly Felix's hand, still. There was a new fire in his eyes, and Felix immediately felt drawn in by it.

"Then return to us," he then said, almost breathlessly. "A year from tomorrow, come back to Haven's Port. We'll wait for you for a week. And then... then, I'll ask you to come with us again. To come with me."

Felix's breath caught in his throat. He didn't want Wooyoung to wait for him, he didn't want to hold him back when he had the entire world without his reach, but... but Wooyoung was stubborn, and obviously determined to keep his word. Touched, Felix was the one who let slip a tear, this time around.

"Alright," he whispered. "A year from tomorrow, I'll be there. I can't promise what kind of answer I'll give to you, but I can promise to at least see you again."

Wooyoung smiled at that. "I'll hold you to your word, then."

Feeling strangely content, Felix quickly shuffled closer so he could lay against Wooyoung's chest, the older happily wrapping his arm around him to pull him closer. They spent the following hour or so simply sitting there in a comfortable silence, enjoying the view of the sun setting over the horizon.

However, Wooyoung wasn't the only one who wanted to bid his goodbyes.

"Yah, lovebirds! Get down from there so we can start this party!!!"

Felix startled a bit at Mingi's unexpected call. "Party?"

Wooyoung grinned at that. "What, you didn't think we'd see you off without proper festivities, did you?"

Felix couldn't help but laugh at that. His last night on the ship would undoubtedly be one to remember.

.

Thanks to the proximity between Haven's Port and the frontier separating Fang Vale's territory from the Ethers Late Dominion's, the people living there were actually much more open-minded. They saw various folks with all sorts of outstanding features from all over the world walk their streets so, really, a lone wolfman didn't stand out much.

They'd made port a few hours after sunrise. Hongjoong didn't want to stick around for longer than necessary since they had a long journey back to the Twilight Lagoon, but he'd still agreed to wait until late afternoon to leave. They'd use that time to fill up on extra supplies so as to avoid having to step foot in Aurora again, and Wooyoung and Yunho would go with Felix to help him find a ride back to Fang Vale.

(Numerous merchants often left Haven's Port to go and sell their goods to the various wolfmen settlements in Fang Vale, though they never made it very deep into the territory since humans and other outsiders weren't really welcomed there. However, it would help bring Felix much closer to home much faster.)

Seonghwa and Hongjoong had also insisted on giving Felix a good amount of money – his hard-earned pay for all the work he'd done aboard. Felix had tried to refuse it but, ultimately, he realized that it wasn't his pride that would feed him and put a roof over his head, so he gratefully accepted it.

"Hello, sir! Would you know of anyone who'll soon be off for Fang Vale?"

(They'd stopped by a few shops so far, mostly so Felix could get supplies of his own along with warmer clothes suited for the weather that would grow much colder the further inland he went. Now that he had everything, though, it was time to find him a ride. Yunho had suggested simply buying a horse, but Felix had refused – now only would it be humiliating for someone of his kind, but horses also weren't overtly fond of wolfmen, since they were predators.)

The man Wooyoung had just called out to quirked a brow. "Fang Vale? 'fraid you're not gonna find much rides to there, lad. Haven't you heard? The Dominion's set up a blockade – all routes leading inland are controlled and no one can go in unless they've got special permission from the Great General himself."

"What? Seriously?" gawked Wooyoung.

"I wasn't aware the conflict between Fang Vale and the Dominion had grown this bad," frowned Yunho. "Is this a siege, then?"

"Ah, no, not even the Great General would be stupid enough to provoke an entire country of wolfmen," snorted the merchant, shaking his head. "They ain't close enough to the borders to create any real issue – heard they're just looking for someone. A high-level criminal that escaped before trial or somethin' like that."

"Well, that's certainly troublesome..."

Felix gulped, instinctively clenching his fist over the balled-up, tattered wanted poster still in the pocket where he'd shoved it all those months ago. He'd never once dared to take it out, but he didn't doubt his picture and name would still be easily recognizable despite the sorry state of the paper.

"It- it's okay," then said Felix, offering his friends a smile he hoped didn't betray his nervousness. "I know my way through the wilderness – it might take me a little longer, but I don't need a paved route to make it back home."

Wooyoung frowned. "Are you sure? Maybe you could put in a request for that special permission or whatever – I mean, they can't keep you from going home, right?"

"That won't be necessary, really. Plus, you've all done more than enough for – I'll figure it out from here."

"Still—"

"Well, well, well – ain't it our lucky day, fellas?"

In his haste to distract Wooyoung and Yunho, Felix had failed to notice the danger until it became too close to evade. They all stiffened upon hearing the all-too-familiar voice, turning around to find none other than Jinhwan and six of his goons now gathered a few meters away, blocking off one end of the street – and, glancing behind them, they found even more of his men blocking the other way.

They were trapped.

"What the fuck do you want, Jinhwan!?" snapped Wooyoung, gritting his teeth. "Have you grown desperate enough to get your revenge that you'll cross the seas themselves to get to us?"

Jinhwan let out a sharp laugh. "Don't think so highly of yourself – your little crew is nothing more than an annoying thorn in my side. No, I'm not here for you—" He suddenly pointed his dagger toward Felix, his grin widening a bit. "—I'm here for him."

"You'll have wasted more money trying to get to him than you'll gain selling him," warned Yunho, obviously trying to win some time.

"Ah! Depends who I'm selling him to, boy – and turns out I have some pretty rich buyers who're hellbent on getting their hands on him." Dread filled Felix's guts as Jinhwan suddenly pulled out... a familiar wanted poster. "Yongbok, wanted alive by the Ethers Late Dominion for a bounty that could have me and all of my men set for life – so really, the journey was actually quite worth the trouble, I daresay."

Neither Wooyoung nor Yunho could make much sense of what had just been revealed. The merchant they'd been talking with before had promptly closed shop to hide, and Felix... Felix just stood there, frozen, as pale as a sheet.

"Felix?" whispered Wooyoung. "You- you have a bounty?"

"I didn't do anything wrong!" snapped Felix, shaking his head in panic.

"You have the entire Dominion looking for you!!!"

"That's not—"

Just because Felix could feel danger didn't mean he could always pinpoint it in time. His hackles rose, a shiver ran down his spine, his body moved on its own – but he was too late to stop the arrow from piercing right through Wooyoung's shoulder. The pirate collapsed with a pained cry, and Felix only reached his side mere seconds later.

"Wooyoung!!!"

"Get them, boys! Kill the pirates, but we need the wolfman alive!"

Just as the goons began rushing toward them, a small container was thrown in the street and exploded on impact, immediately releasing a thick fog that quickly spread through the entire street, effectively blinding everyone. Felix carefully picked up Wooyoung, panic settling in as he realized he couldn't rely on his sense of smell to guide him out of danger.

Then Yunho was next to him, pushing him forward. "Go, go, go! Back to the ship!"

He could hear Mingi's voice not far from them, somehow managed to make out Yeosang's scent too as they rushed past him as he battled one of the slavers – in a matter of seconds, Yunho successfully guided them out of harms' way and out of the fog and, mere seconds later, their unexpected saviors also joined them.

"It won't distract them for long," warned Yeosang. "Let's go!"

"Right!"

Felix gritted his teeth as he began running back to the ship with the others. He'd tried to keep the crew out of it, but it would seem like his secrets had come to bite him in the ass, after all. He had to force down his tears as the Twilight finally came within sight, painfully aware that the trust and bonds he'd spent the last few months building were now deeply shaken, if not destroyed entirely.

Still, what mattered right now was to get away and treat Wooyoung. So, leaving the pity-party for later, Felix rushed back onboard alongside the others and immediately carried Wooyoung to the medbay, Yeosang hot on his heels. Wooyoung was already passed out at that point, the arrow still sticking out of his shoulder – but what really worried Felix was the strange smell mixing with the scent of his blood.

"There was something on the tip," he realized with a sharp gasp. "Yeosang—"

"Poison," cut the doctor, gritting his teeth as, without warning, he harshly pulled out the arrow and immediately pressed a soaked cloth against the wound. "It's spreading fast. Give me the first salve on the shelf, the one in the green bottle – it'll slow down its effects until I can figure out just what the hell he's been poisoned with."

Felix promptly did as told. He and Yeosang then began working in tandem to clean the wound while the doctor tried his best to extract as much of the poison as possible. The wolfman knew the ship had left port at some point, but he was too worried about Wooyoung to care about anything else right now.

'KNOCK' 'KNOCK'

"Felix? Captain wants to speak with you on deck."

"But Woo—"

"I've got him," cut Yeosang, focusing on the sample he'd taken. "Go."

Felix gulped, sparing one last glance for Wooyoung's worriedly pale figure before leaving the medbay with San. The master gunner was uncharacteristically silent, though Felix couldn't say if it was because he was worried about his friend, or because he was angry at Felix for keeping this sort of secret.

Because, seeing Hongjoong's face and everyone else's as they stepped outside on the deck, there was no doubt in Felix's mind that Yunho had told them everything.

"Felix," greeted curtly the Captain – the coldest he'd ever been toward Felix, which made him gulp. "Care to tell me what the fuck happened back there?"

"That's—"

"No, better yet: how about you tell me for how long you've known the fucking Dominion had a bounty on your head?" With a harsh movement, he threw the balled-up wanted poster at Felix's feet – the one that had been in his coat's pocket this whole time. "A pretty damn long while, judging by the state of that thing. When did you get it?"

"... Clover Cove," whispered Felix, lowering his eyes.

"And you didn't see fit to tell us. Why?"

"I didn't- I didn't think they were going to put a bounty. When I- when I found it, I got scared," admitted the wolfman. "I never meant for any of you to get tangled up in this mess. I'm sorry."

"And didn't it cross your mind that we might have modified some plans had we known you are a wanted man?" snapped the Captain, now visibly pissed. "We've been traveling near the Dominion's territory this whole time, never knowing we had a fucking ticking bomb aboard! And now Wooyoung's injured and word of you being on this ship's gotten out – so tell me, what the hell am I supposed to do now?" Hongjoong wildly gestured at the rest of the crew surrounding them. "I warned you, Felix! I told you this crew is my family, that this ship is my home, and I warned you that if you were to endanger any of it in any way whatsoever—"

"Joong, calm down," urged quietly Seonghwa.

The Captain cursed loudly but didn't add anything. He rubbed his face a few times, obviously trying to figure out just what to do now. Keeping Felix onboard with them would undoubtedly lead to more trouble and, though he spat on the Dominion's claim over the sea, it still wasn't the kind of enemy he was fond of making.

Eventually, he turned to face Felix again.

"Why are they after you?" he finally asked, a tad calmer.

Felix shook his head. "I- I don't know."

"Bullshit—"

"I don't know!!!" insisted Felix, tears brimming his eyes. "I didn't even know the Dominion was behind my kidnapping until weeks after I was taken! And the mercenaries didn't—they didn't tell me anything! They just said they'd been paid quite handsomely for their services and that- that they didn't know anything beyond the fact that they had to deliver me to the Conquerors' Capital as quickly as possible."

"Then what? Do you truly have no idea whatsoever?" insisted gently Seonghwa.

Felix hesitated a bit. "That's... I mean, there's been conflict between the Dominion and Fang Vale for almost a decade, now. Discussions of a treaty failed months ago, we refused to cede them any territory whatsoever. Maybe- maybe they intend to use me as a hostage...?"

San let out a small noise. "Ah? No offense or anything, but what kind of leverage could a simple wolfman like you possibly hold against your King?"

"Actually, he is the furthest thing from a normal wolfman."

It took them all a moment to realize that it wasn't any of them who'd just spoken up and, at once, they all instinctively drew their weapons and pointed them toward the unknown man now sitting comfortably on the railing of the ship.

"Who the hell are you!?" barked Mingi.

"I wouldn't do anything reckless if I were you," warned the unknown man with a small shrug. "There's more of us."

"What are you—"

With a snap of his fingers, the air behind him abruptly rippled and, like a heat mirage fading away, a thin veil of magic vanished, revealing the gigantic Dominion galleon that had somehow thrown anchor right next to them without their notice. In a matter of seconds, soldiers neatly dressed in dark sets of leather armor descended on the Twilight and promptly surrounded all of them. They were clearly outnumbered and, this time around, they wouldn't be able to escape as easily.

The unknown man who'd spoken before jumped to his feet, his richly decorated coat fluttering a bit behind him as he gingerly walked up to Felix. The wolfman watched him approach, visibly tensed... and then the man bowed deeply.

"Your Highness," he greeted before gracefully straightening up. "I am Lee Juyeon, the Crowned General's sorcerer. I have been sent to retrieve you."

Felix bared his teeth, a faint growl escaping him. "You mean stop me from returning to the home you've schemed to take me away from?"

"I'm only doing my job, Your Highness – and it'll be much easier for everyone involved if you do as I say and don't try to fight your way out of this. I've heard of the power of the Royal Pack, but I sincerely doubt your friends could last half-as-long as you can."

"Do not hurt them!" warned Felix, clenching his fists.

"Then don't give me a reason to," replied plainly the sorcerer. He then pulled a small glass vial from his pocket, handing it over to Felix. "Here, as a proof of good will: this is the antidote to the poison your friend has been dealt with. If he doesn't drink it in the next hour or so, he'll die."

Felix promptly snatched it away, though he hesitated. "How can I tell that you're not lying?"

"I am willing to swear a magical oath, Your Highness – all of your friends' lives in exchange for your complete and utter submission for the duration of our time together. Does that sound fair to you?"

Juyeon extended his hand to Felix, and the wolfman could feel the tendrils of magic forming along. If he took his hand and sealed the oath, then the two of them would be bound to it – derogating to the agreement would lead to extreme pain, possibly even death. He was basically asking for Felix's life in exchange of theirs, and Felix...

"Felix, don't—!"

Ignoring San's warning shout, Felix grabbed Juyeon's hand. "I agree to your terms and swear my absolute submission to your rules until we reach the Conquerors' Capital."

A thrill of magic coursed through his veins, making him shiver, and he felt the magical oath shackling his heart – if he opposed or disobeyed now, he would become paralyzed by a pain like none other and, if he kept on fighting it, then he would die. Likewise, Juyeon had to keep the pirates alive and, if a single one of them died, then he would also forfeit his life. Satisfied, Felix ignored the crew's protests and attempts to reach him, promptly rushing inside to return to the medbay. Yeosang was still by Wooyoung's side, a frown marring his features.

"Felix, what's happening out there? I heard—"

"Not the time, here's the antidote. He needs to drink it now!"

Yeosang nodded stiffly, promptly helping him prop Wooyoung up. Felix uncorked the vial but, against all expectations, a pill fell out. Understanding they wouldn't be able to make Wooyoung swallow it the normal way while he was unconscious, Felix didn't hesitate before putting the pill in his mouth and pressing it against Wooyoung's. 

He parted the pirate's lips and immediately pushed the pill inside, using his tongue to push it as far as it could go until it eventually melted just enough for it to slid down Wooyoung's throat. Felix pulled away, a tad breathless, and he was relieved to find the pirate's complexion already regaining some vigor.

Yeosang appeared unperturbed by what had just happened and, after a few seconds of checking Wooyoung's pulse, he nodded again.

"His heartbeat is back to normal. The antidote is working."

Felix internally thanked the Moon Goddess for granting him the opportunity to save his True Mate. Unfortunately, he knew he wouldn't be able to see him wake again. So, he gently pressed another kiss to Wooyoung's forehead before carefully laying him down again and tucking him in. Once certain he was comfortable enough, Felix glanced down at his bracelet, which gleamed as it caught the light of the candle nearby. The black bead representing the debt he owed to Wooyoung and the crew was gone – the Debt had been repaid, then.

Fighting back his tears, Felix pulled off his bracelet and carefully clasped it around Wooyoung's wrist before finally rising to his feet again.

"Felix? What's going on?" asked softly Yeosang.

"I have to go," whispered the wolfman, wiping his tears. "Please tell him... Please tell I would have said yes, okay? He'll- he'll understand."

"Felix—"

Shaking his head, the freckled boy rushed out of the medbay at once and, had it not been for his patient, Yeosang would have surely chased after him. As it was, though, Felix quickly made it back outside, where he found the crew and the soldiers exactly as he left them. He inhaled deeply, steeling his resolve. Juyeon had kept his end of the bargain – it was now his turn.

"Wooyoung will be fine," he announced, looking over at Hongjoong. "Captain... I'm sorry, for dragging you into this. But... thank you. May your kindness not go unpaid."

Hongjoong nodded stiffly, painfully aware that nothing they did or said now could undo the deal Felix had made. Not wanting to linger any longer, Felix walked back to Juyeon. The sorcerer merely lifted his hands, in which he was holding... a pair of silver handcuffs.

"I already swore submission," gritted out Felix. "What need do you have to shackle me?"

"A mere precaution, I assure you. Once you have settled in your cabin, then we will take them off, I promise. However, I'd rather avoid the risk of you attempting anything... unwise, let's say."

Felix had considered accidentally "tripping" while climbing abord the galleon, figuring he could maybe escape once in the water, but he'd quickly forgotten that idea – even if he made it out, Juyeon risked harming the pirates, and he couldn't risk that. However, the sorcerer didn't appear to trust him at all, and Felix could only obey.

A pained hiss escaped him when the handcuffs clasped into place, immediately searing his wrists and filling his limbs with lead. A wave of weakness washed over him, but he still managed to stay on his feet – after months of being exposed to silver, he'd grown capable of tolerating this feeble an amount, at the very least. 

Juyeon then bowed a bit, gesturing for him to walk the plank over to the Dominion galleon, and it was with his head held high that Felix crossed over to the other ship, with the sorcerer and the soldiers hot on his heels. The moment he made it to the other deck, though, two soldiers roughly grabbed his arms.

Before he could try and shake them off, Juyeon snapped his fingers again, and a resounding 'CRACK' immediately followed. Felix froze, his eyes going wide as he quickly looked over the Twilight. The ship appeared unharmed, but something was definitely wrong – the sorcerer must have done something.

"The act of pirating is punishable by death according to the laws of the Ethers Late Dominion. In addition to your vile, criminal activities and your sheer disregard of the country you serve, you also aided a wanted fugitive escape for months, forcing us to waste resources, money, and manpower on a wild goose chase," claimed Juyeon, staring down at the pirates gathered a few feet below – the galleon was at least twice the Twilight's size, after all, so the upper deck was much higher. "In accordance with the magical oath I've sworn, your lives have been spared. However, for all of your crimes, you are still condemned to drift away in this sea you've foolishly claimed yours 'til your ship and your entire crew sinks to the bottom of it."

"What!? No!" Felix immediately began struggling against the soldiers. "Stop! This wasn't the deal!!! You swore not to kill them!!!"

"I'm not. They'll drown by themselves. Now let's go!"

"No!!!"

Felix managed to rip himself from the soldiers. However, the moment he made a move to jump over the railing and return to the Twilight, an intense, burning pain spreading throughout his entire spine immediately made him collapse on the deck. His body spasmed a few times, choked-out whines of pain escaping him as he failed to breathe properly, and Juyeon crouched beside him with a sigh.

"The Crowned General needs you alive and well, Your Highness. Don't try anything this foolish again – it simply won't end well for you." Felix couldn't answer even if he tried, almost entirely paralyzed by pain, and Juyeon rose back to his feet. "Take him to his cabin. Take off his handcuffs once he's inside, but don't forget to lock the door."

"Yes, sir!"

Felix couldn't even fight as he was carried inside the ship, tears leaving searing trails down his cheeks as he realized that his selfishness had just doomed Wooyoung and all the others.

.

"Damn it!"

The Dominion galleon had disappeared a little over five hours ago, now, taking Felix with them. As soon as they were gone, they'd immediately split up to check on Wooyoung, fill in Yeosang about what happened, and check on the damage the sorcerer had dealt to the Twilight.

As Hongjoong feared, he'd snapped their keel, along with their helm. Not only would they be unable to take the ship anywhere, it was now slowly, but surely breaking in half under its own weight. The keel was the spine of the ship, what held it all together – you could replace anything on the ship, but the keel? If it was broken, then not even the greatest shipwright could save the ship. 

They were going to sink, and they were way too far from the shore to try and attempt to reach it by swimming – they'd die from hypothermia or get eaten by sharks before they made it to the shore. As such, all they could do now was... wait. Though they were all trying to come up with a way to make it out of this one alive, they were all too troubled by everything that had come into light earlier.

Felix was not only a wanted man, but also a Prince. A wolfman of the Royal Pack, someone who's actual name was "Yongbok". This whole time, Felix had lied about everything and, ultimately, his secrets would mark the end of the Twilight Pirates. And yet, while they were all quite pissed by this unfortunate turn of event...

"We need to go after them! We need to save Felix!" exclaimed Wooyoung.

They were worried. Because though Felix had lied about many things, he'd never tried to hide who he truly was – a kind soul, someone eager to help, a man they'd all come to consider a friend, a brother, or even something more. And now he was gone, taken to the Great General of the Ethers Late Dominion himself to apparently act as a hostage and a tool to pressure his brother into giving up Fang Vale.

Felix was going to get hurt, and they couldn't do anything about it.

"We can't just stand around and do nothing!"

"Wooyoung, we can't do anything!" finally snapped San. "Trust me, I'd love nothing more than to give chase and kick their mighty asses – but our ship is dying and we're going to meet the same fate if we can't figure out how to get to shore first!"

Wooyoung scowled, averting his eyes. He knew San was right, he knew they couldn't possibly go after them and rescue Felix from their clutches when their own ship was threatening to sink with every passing minute. And yet, he couldn't help but feel much more worried about the wolfman.

He was in such a poor state when I first found him... Who knows what kind of hell they'll put him through to get what they want?

Mingi snorted bitterly. "We're gonna need a fricking miracle to make it out of this one."

"What, you mean like the ship that's coming in our direction, over there?" deadpanned Jongho, a brass spyglass held to his eye.

"Yeah, exactly like that—holy shit!"

There was a ship coming their way. A small caravel, not bearing any flag whatsoever – but it was moving fast, and directly toward them. Hope immediately surging in their chests, the crew began waving and shouting in their direction in hopes to attract their attention. And, soon enough, the ship was within reach.

Metal hooks attached to ropes hooked onto the railing of the Twilight, bringing the ships close enough so they wouldn't drift away from each other. Next thing the crew knew, six figures leapt onto their deck, and two things immediately stood out: their wolf ears, and their matching tails.

Wolfmen.

"He was here," barked one of them, rather buff with dark hair and a sharp chin. He sniffed the air again. "Not too long ago, definitely him."

"Are you talking about Felix?" gasped Wooyoung.

It appeared to be the wrong thing to say, however. The air immediately grew tense, and the nearest wolfman practically pounced on him, gripping his throat as he snarled in the pirate's face.

"How do you know this name!?"

"He- he told me!"

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying!"

"Hyunjin!" barked a more authoritative voice. A seventh figure suddenly joined them on the deck of the Twilight. "Release him. He's not lying. He couldn't possibly have known his name unless Felix willingly gave it away."

With a huff, the wolfman named Hyunjin released Wooyoung, who immediately stumbled back a bit. After another moment of silence, Hongjoong finally stepped forward, coming to stand between the newcomers and his crew. Though they appeared to know Felix, and though they were probably their only chance at getting out of this alive, he still didn't trust them.

"Who are you?" he asked stiffly. "And how do you know Felix?"

One of the men barked out a laugh. "We should be the ones asking that."

"Jisung," warned the apparent leader before coming to face the Captain. "I am Chan, the present King of Fang Vale. Felix is my little brother."

Alright, so now they had a legitimate King onboard – just great, really.

"I am Hongjoong, the Captain of this ship. We've been traveling with Felix for the last few months, trying to take him home as fast as we could manage," he replied.

"Then where is he now?" asked urgently Hyunjin.

"Gone. The Dominion caught up to us and took him back."

Numerous colorful curses echoed all around and, frankly, Hongjoong could only agree with the sentiment. He could only imagine how terrible they felt. If they'd been tracking down Felix for a while, only to finally find him... only a few hours too late. Before he could offer an apology, however, one of the wolfmen suddenly narrowed his eyes at Wooyoung.

In a flash, the dark-haired wolfman moved, and he was suddenly gripping Wooyoung's arm, lifting it up and sniffing at his wrist.

"Minho, what are you doing?" frowned Chan.

"This is Felix's bracelet."

"What?"

"It- it was there when I woke up!" exclaimed Wooyoung, gulping a bit upon the intense looks the wolfmen gave him.

"He took it off and gave it to him before the Dominion took him away," supplied Yeosang.

"Nonsense!" barked Hyunjin, obviously angry.

"Only Felix could have taken it off," reasoned Minho.

"Why would he give it to a human!?"

"Because they're True Mates."

For a brief instant, it felt as if the entire world came to a stop as the youngest-looking wolfman spoke up. Wooyoung felt a shiver run down his spine when he met the icy eyes of the youngster. Though he didn't understand what he'd just said, something resonated within him at the mention of "True Mates".

"Jeongin, are you sure?" softly asked Chan.

The wolfman nodded, smiling a bit. "Felix's scent is mixed in with his. There's no mistaking it."

Another moment of silence. Apparently, the sudden revelation was a lot to take in for the wolfmen, though the pirates had no clue of what was going on. Before any of them could work up the courage to ask, however, a dreadful creaking noise echoed from deep within the ship, quickly bringing them back to the current situation.

"Okay, I understand we're all pretty confused by everything right now, but how about we all grab our stuff, move on to your ship, and then talk this out?" suggested nervously Mingi. "From the noise of it, I'm not giving us much more than an hour before the Twilight breaks down from the inside. We need to get moving."

"The dominion snapped our keel and broke our helm before leaving us to die," summarized Yunho for the wolfmen.

The one near him, with soft brown hair, quirked a brow. "For helping Felix?"

"Yes."

"Grab whatever you can and move it to our ship," instructed Chan, not needing to hear more. "We'll help. After that, we can discuss this matter further."

"Thank you."

"You've apparently helped my brother a lot," simply replied the King, offering the Captain the shadow of a smile. "It's truly the least we can do in return. Now, let's move!"

.

They managed to salvage most of their personal belongings and loot, though they unfortunately had to leave the heavier stuff behind, like the carpets and most of the gold. The wolfmen's caravel wasn't big enough to fit everything and everyone, so they simply grabbed what was important before jumping ship and unhooking the Maestro from the Twilight.

Still, the pirates desired to offer their trusty ship a proper goodbye. The Twilight had gone through hell, but it still carried them to port every single time. Losing their home in such a way truly wasn't easy, and all of them shed a few tears as they set the ship aflame and watched it sink to the abyss, finally taken by the sea that had been carrying it. 

Once it was completely gone and the crew was done saying goodbye, they all headed inside to settle in the galley. It was a bit cramped, but none of them cared much for it at the moment, focusing on the biggest issue at hand.

"How have you come across Felix?" asked Chan.

"We found him a few months ago. We took down a mercenary ship expecting a major loot, and Wooyoung ended up finding him in the cargo hold," explained Hongjoong, gesturing to his master rigger.

"He was bound, gagged, and blinded, in a cage and shackles made entirely of silver," recalled Wooyoung, wincing a bit at the memory. "He was... in a very poor state. A bit delirious when I got him out, I think, because he told me his name but didn't remember doing it the second time we spoke."

"So he didn't give it to you voluntarily," concluded Hyunjin, almost triumphantly.

"Hyunjin," warned quietly Chan.

"We agreed to take him to the junction between Fang Vale and the Dominion territory, figuring it'd be the fastest way for him to get back," then jumped in Yunho. "He helped us greatly through the journey, and we were happy to aid him. However, he never told us anything about being involved with the Dominion. Or even about being a member of the Royal Pack, really."

"We were attacked in Haven's Port and forced to flee, and that's when the truth began coming out – but before we knew it, a Dominion galleon was right on us," sighed Hongjoong, rubbing his temples. "They greatly outnumbered us, Wooyoung was gravely hurt... Felix made a magical oath, swearing his life in exchange for ours."

"But that bastard of a sorcerer acted like a snake and left us to die, rather than killing us directly," spat Mingi. "And, a few hours later, you guys showed up."

"What's the deal with Felix's name, anyway?" then asked San, curious. "And why is the Dominion so intent on having him?"

It was Seungmin who spoke up, after receiving permission from Chan. "Wolfmen are given two names at birth – one by their mother, and one by the Moon Goddess. The one given by the mother is the one everyone knows, while the one given by the Goddess is only known to the members of our pack or people we trust deeply and consider family."

"So Yongbok is the name given to him by his mother," understood Yeosang. "Which is why it was the name written on the wanted poster. And Felix is the name given to him by the Moon Goddess, then?"

"Exactly. It might seem strange to you, but those names are precious to us – sacred. They also hold a certain power, in a way. So, for Felix to give you his name is a really big deal and I can assure that, even while delirious, he wouldn't have given it by mistake. It simply meant that he trusted you from the start, as strange as it may seem."

Hyunjin scoffed at Seungmin's explanation, crossing his arms over his chest. Wooyoung didn't know what his deal was, but it was starting to get annoying. Still, they had bigger issues at hand right now.

"And the Dominion?" insisted carefully Seonghwa.

"They came to us almost a year ago, now, under the guise of signing a peace treaty – but really, it was merely an attempt to coerce us under their reign," answered Minho. "Once they realized Chan wouldn't budge and give them what they wanted, the Crowned General stuck around a bit longer and tried to..."

"He tried to court Felix," completed bluntly Jisung. "Read up on our traditions, did everything according to our rules – the whole shebang, really. But Felix wasn't impressed nor interested and, when the Crowned General tried to give him his first courting gift, Felix rejected him."

"Which was when Chan officially deemed they'd overstayed their welcome and asked them to leave Fang Vale at once, and not return unless they got their heads out of their asses," added Changbin, a tad gleefully.

"They left without much issue after that. A few weeks later, however, Felix went missing – and we've been trying our best to track him down ever since," concluded sadly Jeongin.

"So what, the Crowned General took Felix to forcibly marry him?" summarized Jongho, obviously weirded out by the whole situation. "What's that supposed to do? Political marriages only work when the two parties involved agree, right?"

Hyunjin scoffed again, louder this time. "You really don't know anything, do you? Felix isn't just your average wolfman, or even your average royal – he's an omega."

"What of it?" replied plainly Hongjoong.

"Has Felix told you anything regarding our ways of ruling?" replied Minho before Hyunjin could snap again.

"He told us that only direct descendants of the Goddess were fit to lead the wolfmen, but that because of wars and conflicts, the bloodline slowly dwindled until only the Royal Pack was left," recalled Yeosang.

"Right. Because of that, the throne has been passed from parent to child for many generations, now – a prince or princess presents as an alpha, marries an omega, the pair have a legitimate heir, and the line is preserved," explained Minho. "Chan being the oldest and presenting first as an alpha, he naturally inherited the throne, and I became his equal once we mated."

"Normally, if there's a second royal child, they'll present as a beta, and sometimes as an alpha too," continued Jeongin. "But Felix... Felix presented as an omega. The first blue-blooded omega in over five centuries, now."

"Normally, status alone would immediately deem him the actual ruler, but Felix was never interested in politics or ruling our people, so he happily agreed to let Chan continue to be King," added Jisung, smiling a bit at the memory. "But just because he denied his rightful claim to the throne doesn't change the blessing he was given by the Moon Goddess. By presenting as an omega... he gained the ability to create a brand-new, pure bloodline."

"What do you mean, exactly?" frowned Seonghwa.

"Basically, whoever Felix mates with will automatically gained direct ascendency from the Moon Goddess. They'll become royalty not only by status, but literally by blood – meaning they'll earn the right to challenge Chan for the throne if they so wish. And any child they may have will also become a legitimate heir for the throne, too."

"Felix is the chance for your people to slowly recreate that pure, divine bloodline," understood Yunho, his eyes widening a bit. "If he, too, births an omega, or one of his descendants is an omega, then they'll also gain the ability to create a new bloodline—"

"If Felix mates with the Crowned General, then he'll become a descendant of the Moon Goddess and a legitimate contender for the throne. He'll have the right to challenge Chan and, should he win, somehow—" Seungmin gulped, sparing his King a glance, "—then the Dominion will completely take over our lands and assimilate us like all the others."

"All of that happens if he only marries Felix?" gawked Wooyoung.

"No, mating is much more than that," huffed Hyunjin. "It's an intimate process that binds wolves for their entire lives, linking their very souls. And it must be consensual – you can't force someone to mate with you."

"Then how is he going to make Felix do it?" gulped Wooyoung, mindlessly gripping the bracelet around his wrist.

At that, Hyunjin's animosity faltered a bit. "That... I don't- I don't know."

"Well, it doesn't matter," suddenly announced Hongjoon, rising to his feet. "Frankly, I don't care at all for your politics. What I do care about is that one of us has been taken – which means the only option left is to take him back, by any means necessary. Am I right to assume you'll help us in this endeavor?"

For the first time since they met, Chan offered him a wide, genuine grin, showing off his fangs and sharp teeth, bloodlust barely even hidden.

"It would seem Felix has found good friends, but I daresay you're the ones who'll be helping us. Felix is ours to take back. He's pack, after all."

"And he's crew, so I think we've got equal sway in this," replied Hongjoong, unfaltering.

After a few seconds of stare-down, Chan barked out a laugh and reached out to slap the Captain on the back a few times, the atmosphere finally growing just a bit lighter.

"Good friends indeed! We'll get along wonderfully, I just know it."

As everyone began busying themselves with clearing out the place, beginning to prepare food, and starting to plan Felix's rescue, Wooyoung hesitantly made his way over to Jeongin, who watched him approach with a knowing smile.

"Can I help you with something?"

Wooyoung gulped, glancing down at the bracelet Felix had given him before meeting Jeongin's eyes again. "Can you... can you please tell me more about True Mates?"

Felix told Yeosang to tell him that he would have said yes.

Felix would have stayed with them – with him – had he had a choice.

He didn't tell Wooyoung everything for a reason. Wooyoung knew he'd have been torn between following Felix back to Fang Vale or sticking with his crew, and Felix was simply too kind-hearted and selfless to put him in that sort of position. But Wooyoung was done being clueless and he was done being kept in the dark.

It was his turn to make a difficult decision but, deep down, he already knew that he was going to choose Felix, no matter the price the pay.

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Alright everyone, the storyline is finally picking up and almost everything has been revealed! Please please please let me know what you think, reviews always make me super happy!

Also, a little something to notice:

--> Truer Sea = Treasure

--> Ethers Late = The Stealer

Good job if anyone noticed earlier xD

PS. I won't be posting a chapter next Friday since I'll be on vacation and won't have access to the internet. Next chapter will thus be out Friday 18!