Mated to A Rival Alpha-Chapter 218: Please, Don’t Send Me Away

[JUNGWOO]

"I still don’t think that Rania would have allowed him to hurt the warriors like that," Jungwoo defended, not caring that he sounded like a love-struck puppy to his father who was grieving.

The Rania he had known wasn’t as cruel as everyone wanted to put her out to be. She was kind, but Jungwoo seemed to be forgetting that pain could make people change.

He seemed to be forgetting that Rania had been through hell and back and was determined to make everyone who hurt her feel the pinch of it all.

"Tell that to the warriors whose bodies we burnt at the pyre yesterday," the king said, and Jihoon let out a frustrated sigh.

He wanted to defend his best friend even more, but his father was right too. It wasn’t daily that such things happened in the kingdom and the fact that it had happened this time, was scary as hell.

What the fuck were they supposed to make of the situation at hand.

"You need to take your mate and your mother and leave the Palace. Go to the human lands, you will be safe there. The warriors and I will take care of the war that has begun, Jungowo.

"Make sure you protect the people you love and don’t leave them behind," King Seojoon said and for a moment, Jungwoo could have sworn he hadn’t heard his father right.

There was just now way a great king like Seojoon wa hanging the boots and taking the long cowardice road.

Jungwoo had been away from home for so many years, and now that he had been back for just three months, he was already being shipped off elsewhere. Sure, it wasn’t kidnap this time, but damn, that shit hurt like a bitch.

"You don’t mean that," the crown prince said but King Seojoon wasn’t going to negotiate with his son when it came to the matter of his safety.

He wanted to have a clear mind, and the only way to do that was to make sure that his family was safe and unharmed. It was the only way he could deal with all the madness. But was that right in any way?

What would become of the people when they knew that the king had sent their sons to war, while he was hiding his very grown-up son in the human lands?

What was that even supposed to mean to the people of Obre as a whole? Oh, but the king was crazy for this.

This wasn’t right and he knew it, but what other options did he have?

"Unfortunately, I do. I can’t go to war when I know that you and your mother are going to be in danger. You just leave with the women when they leave the castle soon enough,’’ King Seojoon said and for a moment, Jungwoo put himself in his father’s shoes.

He could understand the worry and he knew that there was a chance that they would get to them but that wasn’t supposed to be a problem, right?

He was the heir, and there was no way he would be running the kingdom if at their time of greatest need, he would be abandoning them for safer lands. How were they even supposed to trust him if he was a deserter?

"I’m not leaving. Moonbin and Mother can leave but I’m not leaving. I am the crown prince and the heir to the throne.

"I know right now there are difficult decisions that I have to make too, and I know that there will come a point when I will have to choose between Rani and the kingdom. Let me be here and defend our home father.

"I am not leaving you to fight this alone. I know Rania and if Chang Wook murdered the warriors, then it means that nothing can stop her this time. We will need all the warriors we can get, and sending one of us away isn’t going to be the best solution.

"It isn’t a smart idea, father," Jungwoo said and King Seojoon took a moment to look at his son.

This boy right here was his soul.

Sure, they had lost his twin, but this kid was the only person who was keeping him sane. If he lost his son again, he wasn’t sure what he would do.

He wasn’t sure what the world would look like, but one thing he was certain of, was that the moon wouldn’t be shining on a healthy Obren.

Then again, the conviction in his son’s eyes was obvious as day, and the king knew that it would take a lot of convincing and probably magic to make Jungwoo leave the kingdom.

"Are you sure about that? You do realize that this is a battle that will have so many relationships on your end?" King Seojoon asked caringly like he was trying to make his son see the sense in everything that’s happening right now.

It wasn’t an easy task being where they were aware at the moment and no matter how they chose to look at this, peace was no longer an option.

Blood would flow, and maybe it would be theirs too.

"War isn’t easy, Jungwoo. It takes everything from you. War is cruel, my son, and war is ruthless. Most friends turn out to be enemies, because of the sides they chose to fight for. Others tend to betray their friends and that isn’t something I would wish for you.

"I am a cruel man and betrayal will definitely come easy to me, son. But are you sure you want to pick a side when it is clear you still worry for Kim Rania? I am asking you this as your father and not as your king, because as the king, I have orders for your best friend’s death.

"However, as your father, I worry about the impact this could have on you. There is still time, son. You can still change your mind and join the evacuation plan. You can make it all go away by not joining the battle.

"I won’t judge you and I won’t let anyone judge you for leaving them," Seojoon said and his one just looked at him sadly.

The great king had faltered one too many times in the past few days. His sentences may have been coherent but his pain was obvious.

He was clearly feeling like he had disappointed his people, which he had, but who was to tell the king that while he was wallowing in pity and self-destructing, the warriors of Incayon were getting ready for the grand attack on calindra the following day?

Who was to explain to him that Rania wasn’t just at war with him, but with everyone who had been cruel to her?

Who was to tell him that Rania was going to turn the kingdom he loved so much into a site for mass graves and possible ashes?

Oh, but the king didn’t know what was coming for him.

"I can do this, Father. It doesn’t matter what side I am on when the war begins. We all want a peaceful home, and as it is, Rania hates me. Nothing I do will make her forgive me for what happened to her.

"I left and her life turned upside down. She went through shit I can’t explain and even if I want to pretend that I understand even an ounce of her anger, I wouldn’t be lying. So let me join you.

"Let us reclaim Obren and make it a better home for the wolves," Jungwoo said convincingly to his father.