Jiah's POV
I tried to be fine, but it was difficult. I know that I hurt him, yet it was me hurting the more! Why do I feel this way? I shifted my gaze to Yangmu; he didn't look my way.
"Sungmin's hurt me so much," I said to myself, forcing my tears to stay back, I could change my fated mate, can't I? I looked again at Yangmu; he was fast asleep. I wiped my tears as I tried to feel better.
"Where are you going?" Yangmu, whom I just saw sleeping, asked me. I looked back at him.
"Oh, you are awake. I was about to leave for Hayan's territory. Now that you are awake, I think we should go together," I replied.
"Hayan? Don't be deceived. Hayan plans to scatter your clan and take over the future from you all!" When he said this, something pricked me. How did he know so much about the future? For goodness' sake, he had been caged in that spell for over 5 years, according to him, and yet he knows so much?
"How come you know so much?" I asked innocently.
"I do not know so much. I saw it!"
"When?… where?"
"In my visions!" Visions? I think there's a mistake somewhere. Only Yula sees these things. How come a half-witch now sees these things too? He isn't destined to see these things, I told myself. But I do not think he has any power to mind-link any of us. That is also weird.
"What is it you are thinking? How weird I am?" he asked with wide eyes.
"No, not that. What did you say about Hayan again?"
"Hayan is a deceiver! Don't you ever believe anything she tells you."
"But she was the one who said we have to find our clan member. And…"
"Well, you can go to her and be deceived again and again since you do not believe me," he said and went back to sleep. I think I need to find Yula… anyhow, I just need to find her. I tried to mind-link, but I couldn't because she wasn't close. One beautiful thing about Yula was that she was so good at mind-linking any member of the clan, even if that person was far away.
Kangdae's POV
I was at the forsaken old house where Nara tied Yula up. The house was empty; I did not see Nara and Yula. I looked around, but there was no one in the building. Then I sighted her coming in through the back door.
"I just thought to surprise you a little," she said, but I didn't see any surprise.
"I know we had a deal, but Sungmin must give me the diamond stone first before I would let Yula go. And don't worry Yula is in good shape; no scratch!"
"But Nara, this is unfair. We already sealed this deal. Why are you trying to change it now? It is too late to change the deal," I said.
"No, it is not. Take, call your son," she ordered me as she handed over her phone to me.
"I can use mine; it is in my car. I will just go get it."
"Don't you dare! What do you all take me for? A fool?"
I collected the phone carefully. I know how Nara can be at times. She was sometimes unpredictable. She had already dialed Sungmin's number. She saved his number as 'my lover boy'. It rang two times, but he did not pick it up.
"Let me get my phone. I am sure if I call him with my phone, he will pick up," I said, but she refused and threatened me about playing tricks on her. She soon tied me and Yula to an iron pillar. I pleaded with her to let me go; she didn't listen. Yula kept looking at me; she couldn't believe the founder of the Yoo Company was tied to an iron pillar just behind her.
Without a hint of warning, Nara's phone sprang in a loud voice; it was Sungmin calling. He must have called my phone severally before agreeing to return her call. She stretched the phone to me.
"Hello, son," I called as I listened without saying a word. I did not want Nara to have a hint of what he was saying over the phone. "I am here with Nara and she is insisting on having…" I said, trailing off, but Nara interrupted.
"The diamond stone!" she snapped and I repeated after her.
"What was the agreement both of you had?" Sungmin asked angrily.
"Yes," I replied, feeling scared of Nara. Then she grabbed the phone from me and ended the call. She tricked me. She never wanted us to reach an agreement; she only wanted to detain the both of us and hand us over to Guyong. Yula, who was tied behind me, has been quiet. Nara must have given her a sleeping pill because she has been asleep for too long.
"If he doesn't get here before tomorrow's dawn, both of you will be lying dead meat!" Nara spat on our faces.
These people have done too much. I wish I could kill them with my bare hands, especially that asshole called Guyong. That bastard took my wife and has been sex-slaving her for what seems like a century now. Tears soon gathered in my eyes; I couldn't help but let them drop.
"Oh! Poor old man, why are you crying? Don't worry, I am not going to feed your flesh to the vultures if your son hands over the diamond stone to me," she said, caressing my face.
I was shocked to see Sungmin. He was ready to give in to her. As if she had been waiting for his arrival because she woke up as soon as he arrived.
"Sungmin! Sungmin," she called, pouring tears from her eyes.
"Nara, why are you doing this? You are not made for this."
"I am doing this for our love. For the bond that we share. For our future family. What else do you think would make me do this? I just want us to be happy together, right, Dad?" she asked, looking at me.
"I do not think you know what you are doing," Sungmin said and handed the diamond stone over to Nara. His face didn't look bright at all. That diamond stone must have cost a lot, and it also meant a lot to my son. I wished he didn't hand it over to her.
"Sungmin, what have you done?" Yula asked in tears.
But it was too late, I think; Nara had already dropped the key on the ground and darted out with so much agility. Sungmin rushed to pick up the key and opened the heavy padlocks that were used to lock the chains tied around us. We hurried into my car and drove off.
Yula's POV
I averted my gaze; he was now standing behind me. I needed explanations from him on why he left me to die in the hands of his so-called ex-fiancée.
"I owe everyone an apology. Believe me, I didn't leave. I only took some time off just to clear my head, and while I was away, a lot went wrong!"
"You never loved me as a sister, as a friend, and as a pack member!" I yelled from the so much pain that sat in my chest, making it too heavy for breath.
"Please allow me to take you to Hayan. You have so many cuts and injuries all over. Nara's claws can be poisonous," he said, and I agreed. We raced out in a flash to Hayan's territory.
"I smell deceit!" she said as soon as we landed our feet in front of her.
"Where is Jiah?" she asked curiously.
"We do not know about her, Hayan," I replied quickly before Sungmin said something unrelated.
"Who is the boy in your pack?" she asked, and my eyes widened at Sungmin.
"What is she talking about? What boy?" I mind-linked Sungmin.
"I don't know. She says he is part of us!" he replied in the mind-link.
"I don't know, Hayan. I think he is a member of our clan," Sungmin responded, feeling unsure.
Jiah's POV
Yangmu and I had plotted ways to get the diamond stone from Sungmin. Yangmu is gifted in opening one's understanding to certain things that are happening around. Apart from being a witch, this is also one of his gifts. I do not know how many gifts he has, and whenever I try to ask him, he tells me he doesn't know.
Yangmu is only a child, and I do not expect him to know so much about himself. According to him, he has been locked up in that spell since he was just a kid, so he didn't get the chance to discover himself, but I promise to help him discover himself. I feel he is also a shy person; he doesn't say too much in the presence of three or more people. He gets shy. I love his personality, and I am happy to have a witch among us — a young witch at that.
"They are coming," Yangmu said, as I perceived the scent of Yula and Sungmin.
"Oh yeah! You are right. We will be complete now," I said, feeling excited, but Yangmu seems not to be. Perhaps because he wasn't used to anyone except me.
"Don't be sad, you would love them," I said with a soft hug.