Of Unexpected Proposals

[PARK]

"I will give all of you a choice," Jiminie began and gasps were heard around the pack. They were at a point where choices weren't exactly a thing for them. The Lycans were coming for them and they wouldn't stop. 

They needed to hear what the alpha wanted to tell them because they trusted him and his judgment. He was the only person who could keep them safe no matter what happened along the way. That was how much they trusted him.

"You can stay in Kiyoto, or you can leave for the human lands like the other wolves. I know that is not exactly what you want to hear, especially coming from me, but I don't want you guys to regret staying with me. 

"The future is uncertain but one certain thing is the war with Lycans. It will get messy and most of the time people will get hurt. I will not blame you for leaving, because your lives matter. 

"If you feel uncomfortable staying here, or have even the slightest doubts, then by all teams, you are free to leave. I will prepare care packages for those who will be leaving for the human lands, so you have things like gold and money to help you relocate. 

"Remember, if you choose to leave, please after this, go to the Luna's office and register your name. No one will be blamed for this. As your alpha, it is my sole responsibility to keep the pack alive and to make sure that home is good for all of you. 

"That is all from me. Everything else will continue as usual and our routines will stay. Good day, and may the goddess protect us all," Jiminie said to his people, before he looked at his best friend, Lee Tang. 

Lee Tang was staring at Jiminie softly. 

He knew that the man wasn't in the right state of mind to be gearing up, but he knew that even when Jiminie wasn't feeling well, Jiminie always prioritized his people. That was worth noting and it made the alpha a good leader.

With Jiminie's speech done, the wolves dispersed while Jiminie stayed at the assembly, almost like he was deep in thought again. He had tried to make it make sense, and knew why Agust, the devil, had gone over and beyond it to greet his father but even to this day he couldn't understand. 

Maybe there was something he didn't know of, maybe there was hope or doom, or something he couldn't control. 

Honestly, he had been thinking about it but none of the answers he got made any sense. So, he figured he would stop thinking about it, but then every woody scent he sniffed reminded him of the bastard that he was mated to. 

"Jiminie… are you sure about this? Most of them might actually leave and the pack will be empty," Lee Tang said, sitting beside Jiminie on the long bench. He wanted to know how his best friend was doing, but even he was worried that Jiminie would push him wavy. 

It was something that Jiminie always did and today he didn't know what to put his friend in that position. Maybe they would be alright, but until then, was it too much to ask for him to know how his best friend was?

"Of course. I am sure. Xiao Xiao won't stop just because he's mated to me. He will keep conquering packs and his next target is clearly this one, seeing as he has cleared the South and North too. 

"Maybe he will go West and come to this side, but whatever it is, he is coming and I have to be ready. I have no leverage on him so I have no way of holding him back regardless," Jiminie said.

Lee Tang stared at his best friend like they were suddenly in another universe. He had never heard Jiminie talk like this and frankly, he wasn't sure if he needed to be worried sock, or if he needed to try and adjust to whatever reality was there for them. 

No matter what it was, this right here was the strangest of things, and he wasn't quite sure how to put it.

"Xiao Xiao?" Lee Tang asked, not sure if they were talking about the same person.

"You're mated? When the fuck did that happen? And what the fuck do you mean?" Lee Tang added his concussion and frustration. Something about knowing his best friend had been mate didn't sit right with him. 

Maybe because he knew Jiminie loved to have everything perfect and in the past few weeks there had been nothing like the Jiminie they had all known. It was like he had changed into someone else and that was terrifying, to say the least.

"What?" Jiminie asked as he looked at his best friend. He had been so out of touch with reality and now he was curious to know what had gotten his best friend agitated. Eventually, it would all be alright, yeah?

"You never told me you were mated… and who's Xiao Xiao? You don't mean… King Ming Xiao Zhu, right?" Lee Tang asked, the horrified look on his face making Jiminie chuckle. 

This right there was unexpectedly everyone's expression and he didn't blame them. Hell, even he wasn't sure if the bond to the psycho Lycan was real or not. It was insane on so many levels but he would be okay, right?

"Unfortunately, yes he is. He's crazy, I know. Does he want to end our race? I already know that. He's an asshole with a lot of issues? I know that more than anyone. Do I like him? Absolutely not. Do I want him dead? I don't think so because if he dies, I die too. 

"Did he mark me? Yup? Did I mark him? I honestly don't remember doing that. There, I already answered all the possible questions you might have had regarding the devilish devil in the realm," Jiminie said with a sigh. 

He really didn't know what he was supposed to do, going forward. The devil would come for him and their mate bond would, eventually demand they be closer. Nothing would make this any better no matter what angle he looked at it from. 

King Agust was terrible for his entire race and yet at the same time, Xiao Xiao was so good for and to him. He wanted to explain and say that the mad King wouldn't come after the Kiyoto pack.

But then that same man had watched as Jiminie left and never once bothered to come for him, not to mention the fact that the man had kidnapped him and forced him into whatever the fuck had happened. 

There was a lot to process and Jiminie knew that not even an entire lifetime was good enough for him to process the chaos. Perhaps there would be an easier way out, eventually… Oh but he could hope.

"Oh, Jiminie… No wonder you have been strange lately. For someone who has been out of it for over two weeks, you seem to be holding up pretty well," Lee Tang said excitedly and Jiminie stared at him with a blank face.

"You can't be serious. I just told you I'm mated and marked by the devil and you're not shocked? What happened to you protecting me? You're supposed to be my bestie!" Jiminie whined accusingly and Lee Tang stared at him.

"Bestie? Dude, you got the great Agust losing his shit over you! Do you know how rare it is for Lycans to make their Erasthais? Those bastards mark their erasthais after a whole fifteen years. 

"Fifteen, and you got the devil obsessed with you in less than five days! I would like the portion you used on him if any. The man kills before asking questions and you get him to fall in love with you, and mark you on the same day? 

"Goddess you must be really something… Come on, give me some more tips… tell me what happened, pretty please," Lee Tang begged excitedly and Jiminie straight up glared at his best friend. 

There were days he was sure his best friend had just one brain cell and right now was one of those times. This man was insane.

"Great. So instead of telling me how to sneak, you're excited for the bastard devil?" Jiminie asked.

"Oh please, bro's already obsessed with you. It's cool… That just means he won't attack Kiyoto again. We shouldn't worry about him coming to kill us here, because Lycans would rather die than cause their Erasthais any pain. 

"No matter what you do, now that he marked you, he will never, ever hurt you. That's a win, Mimi!" Leet Tang cheered.