Mated to A Rival Alpha-Chapter 138: Well, I’ll Be Damned

[JIHOON]

"Are you even sure you’re in the right mind to attend the festival? It’s just a week away and you have done more damage back home than you ever did. I’m just saying that staying here next to Incayon, when your rival isn’t even here doesn’t make any sense to me.

"Actually, nothing you’ve done in the past two weeks have made any sense. I’m trying to understand you, I really am, but I can’t even understand what you mean when you’re cooped up in whatever state you’re in.

"Why are we even here, hiding in the Incayon woods like a bunch of misfits when we left our home burning?" Daehyun let out frustratedly as he looked at his best friend.

He was trying his very best to understand Jihoon, but they had been in these goddamn woods for a whole week, watching alpha Dalrae and her wolves finalize the preparations for the festivals.

They looked like stalkers in the woods, who weren’t even sure of what they wanted.

Honestly, between the mosquito bites, and Jihoon’s angry murmurs about hating mates in the night, and the long cold nights, Daehyun was done being patient with his friend.

If Jihoon wanted to attack Incayon, he needed to spell it out, because there was no point in them being out here, when their people needed them and they were not even available for them.

"Tone it down, they’ll hear us," Jihoon said boredly, and Daehyun let out a disbelieving scoff.

He hadn’t gone through all that shit for his brother to shut him down like this was just another stakeout for them. Whatever was happening here he didn’t want any part of it, if his brother wasn’t going to give him a hint of what it was they were doing here.

"Then let them. If Dalrae finding out we’re here is the only way to tell me what the fuck we have been doing here for a whole week, then gods be damaged, let them find us out.

"I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with you, but Rania isn’t here, and you can’t hurt Dalrae because Incayon will burn down Calindra, which by the way, is already burning thanks to you. So you either have a good explanation or I’m leaving and going back home.

"I may be your best friend, but I’m also Calindra’s beta. One of us has to step up while you wallow in your endless self-pitying basketcase moments," Daehyun said.

Dalrae wasn’t going to be kind to them, but Daehyun was willing to take that over whatever this was they were having out here.

"You can’t be serious," Jihoon said, like that was supposed to make Daehyun feel any better.

"You are the one who can’t be serious. You do realize you left everyone worried sick for you at home? Do you even understand the magnitude of your outburst and the effect it had on everyone including your parents?" Daehyun bit back angrily.

"You can go home if you miss it so much," Jihoon said and Daehyun just looked at his best friend like he didn’t even recognize him anymore.

However, he was done walking the narrow road with Jihoon. He was going to go back home, not because he missed them, but because he was worried that Yanna would try shit with the Calindra wolves.

Daehyun didn’t want to go home to a people broken by a Luna they thought was dead and right now, he was going to try his best to protect Calindra from Yanna.

"Y’know what? This is the best thing you have said to me since I started getting bit by mosquitoes because I cared about your ass.

"Have fun stalking Incayon and while at it, why don’t you ask them to adopt you, no?" Daehyun said before getting up, to leave for Calindra. He was done babying his best friend.

Maybe Jihoon needed to figure this shit on his own, and Daehyun could have understood that, if the man talked anything other than being a wall that only glared and got angry all the damn fucking time.

"I’ll see you home, or at the festival, or wherever. Goodbye," Daehyun said and Jihoon sighed, when he saw that Daehyun was dead serious about leaving.

"Wait—" Jihoon said but it all fell on deaf ears.

"I’m here because I—" Jihoon started before sighing. This wasn’t how he was supposed to let this out to his best friend, but he couldn’t have Daehyun angry with him too, when he needed Daehyun the most this time.

"I love her, okay!" Jihoon said and Daehyun stopped in his tracks. He had never heard Jihoon say he loved anyone other than his parents. Hell, he never even admitted to loving Yanna and now he was confessing to loving someone?

"I’m sorry, WHAT? You love who now?" Daehyun asked, turning so swiftly to see Jihoon’s shoulders fall defeatedly.

"Come on now, you can’t just drop a bombshell like that and stay silent," Daehyun said as he walked back to where Jihoon was.

He didn’t care that this was potential gossip for his brother but what mattered the most was that Jihoon was in love with someone, a female for Incayon.

"Hold up. Do... Do you by any chance love Dalrae?" Daehyun asked, carefully, like he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear a yes to his question.

A part of him was freaking out about this and for someone who was already on his way to Calindra, he sure was trying to calm his heartbeats and try to think clearly, but goodness, he couldn’t think straight.

"I love her, man," Jihoon said and this time, Daehyun was sure he hadn’t heard him wrong the first time.

"Well, I’ll be damned. Who knew you would fall in love with the psycho’s only best friend?" Daehyun said as he sat back down with Jihoon who seemed to be staring into the distance like he was missing someone who wasn’t even there.

"Wait... That lost look in your eyes, you mean... The psycho?" Daehyun said, even though his words came off like he was asking a careful question.

"The same psycho you worked tirelessly to send off of Obren? That same psycho?" Daehyun asked, given that Jihoon wasn’t saying anything. He had gone silent again, leaving his best friend to play with guesses.

Surely his brother didn’t mean Rania, right?

"Or maybe I got it all wrong, yeah? Because surely you couldn’t mean the girl you’ve hated your whole life. The same woman you have been planning on ruining since the day you first saw each other—

"—And the woman who made a promise to be the one to kill you, no?" Daehyun said, as he racked his brain for a sign that could have hinted at the exact point when Jihoon had fallen in love with Kim Rania.

He had been Jihoon’s best friend for literal decades, and even he was willing to bet on his life that he had never once seen the man look at Kim Rania with eyes of love. Whatever game this was, it had to be a long one, because what the fuck?

"It’s always been her from the first day in that mating hall. It’s always been, Rani. Mate bond or not."

"Well, I’ll be damned."