In the morning, Wei Ying woke up to Lan Zhan still sleeping in their bed.
It was such a rare sight that Wei Ying sat up and then just stared down at him in amazement. They had talked for a long time, and then had dinner, and finally fallen asleep closer to Wei Ying's preferred bed time than Lan Zhan's. Wei Ying had just assumed that Lan Zhan's internal clock would always wake him at exactly five A.M.
"Is it because you're not an Ice Wolf anymore?" he asked in a loud whisper.
One corner of Lan Zhan's lips turned up slightly, and he immediately responded, "I will always be an Ice Wolf. What's wrong with wanting to cuddle with my husband?"
As soon as he said that, Wei Ying laughed and then reacted by draping his body along Lan Zhan's warm frame. He tucked his face against Lan Zhan's cheek, with their chests and hips pressed together and their legs entangled.
Lan Zhan encircled his arms around Wei Ying's waist and Wei Ying reached over and carefully traced the bridge of Lan Zhan's nose and across one cheekbone with his sharp claws.
Lan Zhan's eyes opened, and Wei Ying smiled.
"Teach me about the claws when you have some time. I want to learn as much as you know about having full control over a new were-form," Lan Zhan said softly.
Wei Ying hummed in agreement and nuzzled the tip of his nose against a firm jaw that smelled delicious.
He remembered the feeling he experienced the first time that Wen Qing pointed out that he had a were-form. It was a trait lost to shifters so long ago that it was almost an archaic term. Lan Zhan didn't seem to have the same trepidation that Wei Ying had felt that first time. He just seemed intrigued by it.
He accepted everything so patiently, without question or hesitation. From their cross species communication, to their were-fangs, to the mark in the palm of Wei Ying's hand that meant that they would never truly be apart ever again. As impossible as it all seemed, he just accepted it as part of the impossibility of Wei Ying even existing as a male asena.
"How are you always so calm?" Wei Ying growled. He tapped a pointed claw against the base of Lan Zhan's throat. "Do you know how dangerous I am? Shifters fear me. I'm so powerful that I'm called a deity and a weapon. That's a shit ton of power to fuck with."
Lan Zhan turned his head so that he could kiss the tip of Wei Ying's nose.
"Mn. So powerful," he agreed. "They tremble in fear when you walk by. And they fall to their knees and hide their faces and call you His Radiant Highness."
"And I sit on my dais and cast judgement on them all. And only when I see fit, do I retreat to my private chambers and order my favorite lover to my bed and command that he satisfy me in a hundred and one ways before nightfall. And once the day turns to night, I shift into my true form and run for miles and miles in the moonlight and howl into the darkness. The most powerful wolf-shifter in existence. The only one of my kind."
Lan Zhan looked at him as he said all of that. Wei Ying seemed simultaneously impressive and vulnerable at the same time. A warrior and a lover. A badass who could take down a group of warriors on his own, and the man who gave his body so willingly to his mate to be touched and stroked while he elicited beautiful, sexy moans, as if he could never get enough of the pleasure.
Lan Zhan loved him so much that he didn't know if his heart was big enough to hold in the extent of his feelings.
"Ruohan built you a palace. He tried to give you an army. When he died, you inherited the largest territory in the country. He did all of that because he knew that you were powerful, and he wanted that power all to himself," Lan Zhan pointed out.
The smile on Wei Ying's face widened into a mischievous grin as he raised his head to look down at his husband's face. All that love and kindness in those golden eyes made his heart flutter and he couldn't resist leaning down to kiss his man.
"He was an idiot," he whispered as one kiss turned into another. "All he had to do was give me you, and I might have even commanded armies for him. Back then, you were everything I loved in this world. And aside from Sizhui, you still are."
"You're my life now," Lan Zhan whispered.
Wei Ying shifted his claws back into fingers so that he could glide his fingertips across Lan Zhan's face before he leaned down again to capture his lips into another round of soft, desperate kisses. He inhaled each time their lips parted, almost like little gasps, at the memories of back then. When he had been so sad that he had regretted even being born, and so hurt that he spent thirteen long years in hiding.
Lan Zhan kissed him and kissed him through all of his thoughts without needing to ask questions, because he had endured the same war too. He knew exactly what Ruohan's pride and greed had done to the warriors who had fought against him.
His hands slid to Wei Ying's clothes and he slowly peeled the layers off of him. And he kissed inch by inch of Wei Ying's skin that he could reach, as Wei Ying tangled his fingers in his hair and held him close, before he also began to work on unfastening Lan Zhan's clothes.
As soon as they were naked together, Wei Ying pressed his knees to either side of Lan Zhan's chest and clutched at his shoulders.
Lan Zhan reached for Wei Ying's hips and held him tight, as he licked the slit of Wei Ying's cock with the tip of his tongue and gently sucked the crown into his mouth. Wei Ying's fingers tightened as he rocked his hips forward so achingly slowly that it tore a low, moan from his throat and he hung his head and squeezed his eyes shut from the ecstasy.
"Lan Zhan. Do you want to know a secret?" he asked, soft and low in a choked whisper. "My true power comes from you. My heart, my soul, my life belongs to you. Without you, I'm incomplete. I love you so much."
Lan Zhan slipped his mouth off Wei Ying's cock and pressed his lips to the top of Wei Ying's groin. Then slowly and teasingly, he kissed a line up to Wei Ying's navel before he dipped his tongue into the crevice and licked up past the center of Wei Ying's stomach.
Wei Ying clutched at him, fingers tangled in Lan Zhan's hair as he writhed and rocked against Lan Zhan's mouth. When he felt Lan Zhan's fingers slide between his ass cheeks to press lube against his hole, he rose higher onto his knees so that he could provide better access.
He moaned and whimpered and keened for it. For more than just fingers. More than just gentle, careful strokes that teased him.
"Come here," Lan Zhan coaxed finally. "Slide down. Lower. Yes. Take me in."
Wei Ying guided the tip of Lan Zhan's cock to its target and slowly lowered onto it. His other hand clutched tightly at Lan Zhan's shoulder and he bit his lip and moaned breathlessly as Lan Zhan's thick length sunk into him.
He rolled his hips and groaned, rising just slightly so that he could push against it to take it deeper into his body.
Lan Zhan's eyes were bright and steady as he caught Wei Ying's gaze, and Wei Ying gasped and moaned again.
It felt so good like this. So good riding Lan Zhan's cock as Wei Ying circled his hips and bounced up and down on the hard shaft. His motions sped up when they got their rhythm in sync and Lan Zhan's fingers squeezed his waist and dug into his sides as he met Wei Ying thrust for thrust.
This, Wei Ying realized, was what he had needed, what he had been searching for all his life. This man, this moment, this safety, this home, this sense of being entirely loved for who he was, and not for what he could do or an honorific that he was born into without a choice.
"I love you. I love you. I love you," Wei Ying chanted before he realized his mouth was even speaking.
And Lan Zhan groaned and tugged Wei Ying down to lie on top of his body as his lips found Wei Ying's lips and he crushed their mouths together.
"Love you. Love you. Love you," Lan Zhan echoed between kisses. "For so long. Didn't think I could have you, for so long. I can't even believe you said yes."
His voice sounded strained and breathless, and it cracked in the middle as he sucked in little gasps of breaths.
"I can't believe you begged," Wei Ying breathed. "Don't you know I would have said yes, even if all you'd done was accidentally drawn a question mark on the ground in front of me. I'm so fucking lost to you."
Lan Zhan laughed so quietly and shook his head. And Wei Ying kissed him again as they moved together, bodies rocking and thrusting and pressed together.
Wei Ying clung to him, and moaned for him, and gave all of himself to him. All to this one warrior who stole his heart in any lifetime, through dimensions, and space, and across eons, no matter which powers they had or the forms they manifested in.
When they were spent, and exhausted, Wei Ying wrapped himself around him and held him close to listen to his heartbeats.
Lan Zhan kissed the top of his head and stroked gentle fingers through his hair as daylight brightened into late morning. Outside they heard the faint sounds of the Ice Wolves pack and all the guests beginning to stir around Cloud Recesses. And as the hours ticked by in their little, private world, they had to finally admit that it was time to face the rest of the world outside of the Jingshi.
"Are you ready?" Lan Zhan asked.
Wei Ying groaned and tucked his face beneath Lan Zhan's chin.
"No. I want sex in the shower, and up against the bathtub. And on the kitchen floor next to the fridge! And in front of the fire in the living room because you have a gorgeous fireplace. And I want you to lick chocolate off my ribs, because I've heard that's sexy. All of that first. Let's become hermits who ignore civilization. We'll build a den of wolf pups and board up all the doors and windows."
"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said patiently, with amusement hinted in his voice.
"Fuck..." Wei Ying groaned again. "I'm not ready to share you with them. Especially now that they know how amazing you are. They'll be so greedy. They won't give you back! You've heard them these past two weeks. The first thing on their agenda is to put you to work on all the pack disputes. And then they want to fight you!"
Wei Ying pressed his nose against Lan Zhan's chest and mumbled, "Fuck that. Let's just stay here instead."
"Tempting. But, I'll run out of food to feed you and I refuse to watch you starve to death in my bed."
"We could live on sex and cigarettes."
"Neither of us smoke."
"Smoking was not what I was thinking when I said that."
"In which case, that was a terrible analogy."
Lan Zhan rose from the bed and tugged his similarly naked husband off it as well. Then lacing their fingers together, he pulled Wei Ying along behind him towards the large bathroom and into the shower.
It didn't take very long for them to get showered, complete their morning routines, and then get dressed. By the time they both stopped moving around each other and finally decided that they were ready, they had to take a moment to admire each other.
They looked good together.
They always did make a striking image either as wolves or warriors, but this time, there was no mistaking that they were a bonded pair. A power couple. Just acknowledging this for the first time with each other, made Wei Ying grin like an idiot.
He held out a hand and Lan Zhan entwined their fingers together.
They reached for the door, pulled it open and looked at the large group that had gathered outside to wait for them to emerge. The first were Lan Zhan's pack. Shadow Wolves. Twelve young warriors, dressed in white and accented black, who lowered to their knees, arms crossed, heads bowed in deference, and twin daggers between their fingers.
They formed a path on either side, to the next group of warriors. Ice Wolves. Dressed in only white. Also on their knees as they bowed their heads. They had each laid their Gusu knives on the ground in front of where they knelt. The white jade of the handles glinted in the morning light.
The rest of the packs; the Storm Wolves, the Stone Wolves, the Gold Wolves, and all the smaller packs, all laid their weapons down and fell to their knees as well, as both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan looked around at them. The Alphas were the only ones who remained standing, though they all stood in a military salute that was directed towards the couple.
"Tiān na…" Wei Ying breathed while his eyes travelled from one perfectly crisp dress uniform to the other. "Somewhere out there is a group of wealthy tailors who keep making bags of money off all of us."
Lan Zhan squeezed his fingers and Wei Ying exhaled softly before he looked around at the crowd.
"Good morning everyone," Lan Zhan said solemnly.
And in perfect coordination the gathered packs all greeted back in a chorus. Voices rising and falling in a tone of deference, and respect.
"Bìxià! Bìxià! Bìxià!"
Wei Ying looked over at Lan Zhan and laughed as the unified voices got louder and louder.
"I guess they've decided on what to call you, Your Majesty," he said.
— — —
The crowd of shifters all followed Lan Zhan and Wei Ying to the Main Hall, where they immediately began a lively round of discussion about what the next necessary steps were in regards to Lan Zhan's new role. Most of it seemed to Wei Ying like the same boring, tedious things that Lan Qiren was so proud to talk about regarding his nephews' pack training. Except of course on a much larger scale when it came to trades, territories, and disputes.
It also helped a lot that Lan Zhan had held various military positions in the Ice Wolves pack, and that he was an Alpha of his own pack. Not every pack leader had to know how to consistently win in battles, but it was clearly beneficial that this Alpha knew how to kick ass by barely breaking a sweat.
Wei Ying stood on the dais with Lan Zhan, Lan Xichen, and Lan Qiren, and a whole lot of shouting officials, and tried not to make a face and groan dramatically.
Two days ago these people were all ready to tie Lan Zhan up to a pole and punish him for daring to put his mouth on the Sena, and now they were evidently past all that and had moved on to total acceptance. Which was what Wei Ying wanted for him, really, but he also immediately missed having Lan Zhan all to himself.
As soon as he saw a way out, Wei Ying raised their entwined fingers and pressed little kisses to Lan Zhan's fingertips. In front of everyone. Because fuck them. He was done hiding any of this.
In the middle of whatever Lan Qiren was saying to him, Lan Zhan immediately turned his full attention to Wei Ying.
"Go," he said quietly. "I'll find you when I can."
Wei Ying stepped into his arms, and wrapped his hands around his waist and leaned their foreheads together. Then Lan Zhan moved his head away to kiss the tip of Wei Ying's nose, before he slid their lips together in a soft, gentle kiss.
The entire hall went completely silent.
Wei Ying ignored all the people that were watching them and focussed only on the man in front of him. He searched Lan Zhan for any sign of discomfort from them being so public, but Lan Zhan met his inquiry with only the tiniest hint of amusement in the corners of his eyes. He stroked one of Wei Ying's cheeks, and in response, Wei Ying kissed the pad of his thumb.
"Were we blind?" Jiang Cheng asked, breaking the silence with a pained groan. "I feel like we were fucking blind this whole time."
So many voices erupted into laughter at those words that it made Wei Ying immediately start laughing too. Lan Zhan pulled him close and tightened his arms around him while Wei Ying nuzzled against his cheek and then kissed his jaw.
"Don't let them overwhelm you," Wei Ying murmured. "You know they've been waiting for you for a while. They'll all want to take advantage."
"Yes. I know," Lan Zhan responded with a kiss to the side of Wei Ying's neck, before they eventually let go of each other.
Wei Ying escaped as far away from the Main Hall as he could. Which meant that as usual, his feet led him to the training grounds.
On the field, there were many warriors and some wolves all sparring together. Considering that there was no more need for the daily battles, quite a large number of visitors had still stayed at Cloud Recesses. Wei Ying silently wondered if this would always be the case now. As long as the Sena and his mate remained in the Ice Wolves' territory then Gusu would continue to be the most popular place to visit.
He shifted into his wolf form to join them in their practice.
The awe with having him in their midst had faded over the past few days. They were less inclined to be gracious and more enthusiastic to actually try and beat him in their fights. Which he lived for. He gave them as good as he got and pushed until his opponents were either laughing, begging for mercy, or determined to win next time.
Across the field, Wuxian caught a glimpse of Huaisang and Mingjue sparring together and that stole his full attention so much that he moved closer. When he was near enough to observe and not get in their way, he mentally reached out to their communication channel to listen to them.
"Good! That's good! Don't let me get my teeth anywhere near to your side. Use your claws. Force me to retreat. Yes!" Mingjue encouraged his Beta.
Huaisang was very quiet as he took each critique under advisement and he adjusted his attacks.
"Let me see those — Yes! Good! Once I'm injured — That's good! Now you make your move. Now while I have to — There you go! Okay. I see those snarling teeth. Let's see you put them to good use. Close. Good! Can you — Okay! You almost had me there. Going to try another trick like that, didi? Yes? Show me then!"
Wei Ying saw the moment the Qinghe warriors started to pay attention.
One by one they fell silent and turned to look at the two sparring shifters as Nie Huaisang quickly shifted into his human form. He palmed, then flicked, his balisong and slashed a wicked line of red right across Mingjue's left hip. The wolf's jaw snapped dangerously close to the human wrist and would have opened up the base of Nie Huaisang's closed fist if he didn't twist the butterfly knife just in time.
The sharp teeth caught him on the follow up though. Fast as Nie Huaisang moved, the Alpha was slightly faster so when his hand finally got caught between the strong jaws of the wolf, there was a distinct cracking sound, and Nie Huaisang flinched. He pulled his hand back, limp and bloodied, before healing energy stitched it back together.
The human had to retreat as the wolf advanced. While he kept his eyes locked on to the snarling, growling animal, his body began to morph and twist back into its other form. Soon there were two grey wolves again. They went at each other with loud, ferocious noises as their Etas formed a large circle around them to keep their fight contained, and to wait for the chance to defend their Alpha from his challenger.
Wuxian turned away from them, not wanting to break Huaisang's resolve.
He escaped into the trees and followed the paths of the mountainside, until his nose picked up on a few scents that he hadn't sensed in a very long time. Instead of chasing after those, he sniffed along the ground until he picked up a new scent. This one was very familiar. Cautiously, Wuxian followed it all the way to a line of trees to a clearing that he knew so well that he could paint it in his sleep.
In the middle of his and Lan Zhan's secret meadow a man was crouched on his knees with the fingers of one hand sifting and picking at the flattened grass, and the dirt, and the large dark mahogany stain that marred the ground.
"So this is where it happened," Jin Guangyao said. "With blood and sex. And then everything was lost."
Wuxian stalked closer to him, never taking his eyes off him. Jin Guangyao turned his head to follow the wolf's movements. Gone was any dimpled amusement or pleasantness in his expression. There was only open, honest resentment, and something even more unpleasant, jealousy.
"You let him fuck you in the open on a bed of grass and dirt. Like wild animals. It wasn't enough, me trying to stop him outside the cold pond. You let him put his mark on you. An Alpha who has been scheming in secret, and you let him have you, body and soul."
He brushed his hands off in loud claps, and then brushed any residual dirt off onto the khaki pants of his military uniform. Then he rose to his feet and met Wuxian's gaze again.
"I was supposed to be the next Xiandu. I wanted to rule Nightless City!" he snapped. "Do you know how hard I worked for it? Ever since we were children, Xue Yang and I planned for it. He lied. He kept insisting that he was the Sena, but everyone knows an asena by sight. I made him tell me everything that Wen Ruohan did to him each time I saw him so that I could plan for when I really met you."
He walked over to Wuxian and then crouched in front of the black wolf as he continued, "Years and years of planning! Years of enduring my father's wrath and being ridiculed by my packmates. Years of surviving! And then you fuck an undeserving Alpha in the middle of a meadow, on a mountainside, and give him everything I've ever worked for."
Wei Ying shifted into his human form in the blink of an eye. He looked down at the figure crouched low before him and one corner of his lips turned up into a savage smirk.
"He's my zhījî. Of course I let him fuck me whenever he wants to. Even on the side of a mountain, with only the night sky as our witness. All you Alphas claiming that you were supposed to be my mate. If you were, then you would be! Lan Wangji will become the Xiandu," Wei Ying said.
Jin Guangyao shook his head as he rose to his full height again in front of the Sena.
"I should have taken you in Nightless City, right after I killed my father and stole his pack. I should have dragged you away and put my mark on you and forced you to accept it," he snarled. "If it's sex that changed your mind, I would have given you that. If it was power, I would have provided you with anything that money could buy."
"Then you wouldn't have been any different from Wen Ruohan, and Wei Ying easily rejected him too," Lan Zhan said.
His voice was strong and firm as he walked into sight. Clearly having tracked Wei Ying all the way to their meadow. Wei Ying immediately diverted his attention away from Jin Guangyao to watch his approach. Lan Zhan was so confident and authoritative that it made Wei Ying smile. His white wolf was adjusting well, and Wei Ying was very proud of him.
Wei Ying turned towards his mate, ready to happily greet him. But, in a flash of movement, a searing pain wrapped itself around his throat and stopped his next steps.
Whatever the weapon was, Wei Ying couldn't see it but it was sharp and thin, more like a garrotte than like a blade, and it felt like it was under his flesh. Wei Ying immediately halted, and made a tight fist with one hand, and dug his fingers against the crescent shaped scar on his palm.
Jin Guangyao twisted Wei Ying's body around, and when he took a step back, he forced Wei Ying to step back also.
When he realized what was happening, Lan Zhan's eyes narrowed in rage. But it was too late to do anything, or risk Wei Ying literally being decapitated. His entire body went very still, as if even the air around him froze, and his white leather gloves solidified onto his hands.
"You're dead," Lan Zhan said calmly. "Whether you remove it or not, you're dead. If you somehow manage to escape, I will hunt you. This was your last free moment alive. This was the last thing that you chose to do."
Wei Ying concentrated very hard on the pain that was lacing through his body like a snake. It started at his neck but it seemed to sprout little veins that travelled through the spiritual lines of his body. It was nothing like Nie Huaisang had described. The choking was there. The spiritual lacerations too. But this felt more like an infiltration than a vicious attack.
He considered shifting to his wolf form like Nie Huaisang had mentioned, but also considering that his wolf was his first form, he didn't know if that was the safest option. In the end he just stood there, at Jin Guangyao's mercy, and bid his time.
"Do you recognize it, Hánguāng Jūn? It's a part of your assassination technique. A single deadly cord. Your brother taught it to me before the war, and I used it to kill my father," Jin Guangyao said with a laugh. "Even if you get to me. Can you stand there and watch me kill your precious Sena first?"
Wei Ying lifted his gaze to meet Lan Zhan's eyes. There was only ice there. No simpering emotions, no panic, no tears. Just cold rationality and determination. As if he was just waiting for the chance to rip Jin Guangyao to shreds.
"This was the stupidest thing you could have ever done, Guangyao, and I thought you were smart. What did you think would happen now?" Wei Ying asked hoarsely.
Jin Guangyao laughed mockingly. "I don't want you now that you're mated, but if taking you from him means that I get the biggest pack territory then that's what I want. And he's not strong enough or powerful enough yet to be Xiandu. He hasn't earned that title yet. This way, he never will. And I can have my city."
He hummed thoughtfully to himself. As if the threat of death meant nothing to him anymore, now that he was desperate and had lost everything he worked to have. The hand not controlling his spiritual weapon curled around Wei Ying's waist to hold him tightly. Then he bent his head to the back on Wei Ying's neck and pressed his nose against the bondmark.
"Lan Wangji, even stinking of you, he still smells divine," he said, surprised.
Lan Zhan lost all semblance of calm and control.
It was one thing to just stand there while his mate was being attacked, but Wei Ying knew that having to watch another shifter so close, sniffing at the mating mark and threatening their bond, would have driven any Alpha mad. Lan Zhan wasn't an ordinary Alpha anymore. He was tethered to unimaginable power and the asena was only too willing to allow him full access to everything inside himself.
Wei Ying kept his eyes on his mate as Lan Zhan shifted from his human form to his wolf form so much faster than he had ever managed before.
It only took a second for Jin Guangyao to raise his head and fully comprehend what was about to happen before Wangji's claws slashed across one of his cheeks and opened it up like a tin can.
He immediately released his hold on Wei Ying's neck and stumbled backwards.
Lan Zhan was already back into his human form by then and he stabbed a karambit knife into Jin Guangyao's stomach like he was trying to punch a path all the way through to the other man's spine. Jin Guangyao coughed up a spray of blood and bent over to hold the wound while he took another step backwards.
His eyes remained on Lan Zhan who advanced on him with spiritual energy this time. Lan Zhan slammed an open palm into his chest and sent Jin Guangyao flying with enough force to the other end of the meadow. He landed in a crumpled pile on the ground, simultaneously wheezing and coughing, and not even trying to get up.
Lan Zhan moved towards him again, in a blur of white and misty fog this time.
Wei Ying saw claws and fangs and eyes that were no longer even golden. Cold, and sparkling like ice crystals. His white wolf was completely transformed.
If he could have helped him, Wei Ying would have. While Jin Guangyao had removed his spiritual weapon though, it hadn't erased the damage. So, Wei Ying stood very still in the middle of the meadow while his mate tried to murder his attacker. And he closed his eyes and concentrated on the spider webs that spread through his meridians like black ink.
"Let me do it," he heard a distinctly feminine voice say. "You're going to need to stop your mate soon. The Gold Wolf isn't fighting back and you know that means he was being antagonistic on purpose."
Wei Ying coughed and choked on his next breath as he felt a stream of healing energy rush through his body in a powerful wave. It left him feeling a little unbalanced from its intensity, but otherwise, definitely much better. The crawling, burning sensation in his veins had subsided and he could finally breathe freely again.
As soon as he felt better he turned around and pulled the Luna of the Blood Wolves pack into his arms.
She went a little reluctantly, but once he had her wrapped into a tight hold, she gave in and hugged him back. She smelled like jasmine leaves, just like he remembered. There was nothing warrior-like about her scent, even after all this time. It made him smile softly.
"Qing-jie, were you planning on standing there and just watching me die?" he asked.
Wen Qing sighed against his shoulder and patted his back almost gingerly.
"You weren't going to die," she said. "But Jin Guangyao still could. Tell Bìxià to stop before there's nothing left to show the Lanling pack. Guangyao obviously wants to accuse him of being unfit to become Xiandu. Dead or alive, you don't want the Lanling Alpha to win that argument."
They both turned to look at the other end of the meadow where Lan Zhan had Jin Guangyao in a chokehold, looking less like a recognizable person and more like a heavenly being.
"Who's going to believe that?" Wei Ying asked proudly. "Look at him. He's Hánguāng Jūn. He was always supposed to rule by my side."
Wen Qing sighed and gave him a look.
"If Jin Guangyao dies to Lan Wangji then the Gold Wolves pack and their territory will transfer to him. How would that look to the smaller packs for the Sena and the Xiandu to own two of the five biggest territories, while also having full access to Gusu and Yunmeng?"
She was still as clever and poised as he remembered from the last time he saw her ten years ago. Still dressed entirely in bright red, even as far as her over-the-knee boots, her long coat, and the lipstick she wore. She was as striking as the day he first saw her on a street in Qinghe. And, he couldn't argue with her reasoning now.
Wei Ying sighed right back at her. But then he raised his hand to his mouth and whispered into his palm.
"I know you want to kill him, Lan Zhan. Normally I'd support that decision, but if you do that then you'll just be playing into what he wants. Don't give him the satisfaction of death. Come over here. I want to kiss you instead," he coaxed.
Lan Zhan released Jin Guangyao's unconscious body from his claws like a bag of potatoes and turned to walk towards Wei Ying instead. He shifted out of his were-form back into his human form as effortlessly as if he had years of practice. Then as soon as he was close enough, he pulled Wei Ying into his arms.
His entire body seemed to turn into a pillar of healing energy and he surrounded Wei Ying with the force of it. Until there wasn't even a trace of Jin Guangyao's attack left, and Wei Ying was again feeling much better than ever before.
"He touched you, Wei Ying," Lan Zhan growled, low and upset. "He threatened your life. For that, I should have ripped off his arms and ended him with no bones left unbroken."
Wei Ying held him very tightly and he nuzzled into the side of his neck.
"All he had to do was wait a few more days for the Alphas' battle against you," Wei Ying huffed. "It was his fucking idea to even challenge you."
"He didn't have a few days. If Huaisang wins his challenge against Mingjue today then he will be the new Alpha of Qinghe. As soon as that happens, Zixuan will immediately challenge Guangyao, and he will lose his pack to his brother. The coward decided to make one final play for Nightless City in the event that he loses Lanling," Lan Zhan pointed out.
Wei Ying shook his head in disgust, and then said in exasperation, "Lan Zhan! This is why I hate pack politics!"
Lan Zhan's fingers found the back of Wei Ying's neck to stroke across the bondmark. He seemed to take those few seconds to regain his calm demeanour, before he pulled slightly out of Wei Ying's hold and stroked a thumb along Wei Ying's cheekbone.
Wei Ying leaned into him and slid their lips together. The kiss immediately turned slow, and deep, and passionate as Lan Zhan held Wei Ying steady and explored every inch of his mouth. Sucking and licking and making tiny little sounds in his throat as he reassured himself that his husband was alright.
Wei Ying's life was the one that was threatened, but it was only done as an attack on Lan Zhan as a way to refute him being worthy of being the Sena's mate. Which Wei Ying resented. He had hoped that Lan Zhan could rule by just being the Xiandu in name only. Obviously he was wrong about that.
I'm sorry Lan Zhan, Wei Ying silently apologized as he kissed his husband back with as much love and passion as he was receiving. There's something I haven't told you yet about our bond.
By the time they could bear to pull away from each other, Wei Ying looked around and quickly realized that Wen Qing was no longer standing with them. Instead, she had moved to one side of the meadow near the closest line of trees. On either side of her were large red wolves. The last two members of their pack.
Wei Ying took a step towards her, but one of Lan Zhan's arms wrapped around his waist and the other arm stretched across his chest. He was pulled sharply backwards until he collided against the firm body of his very protective mate. Lan Zhan made a sound in his chest like a low, rumbling growl. It made Wei Ying smile really hard.
They watched as the two red wolves shifted into their human forms. All three Blood Wolves then immediately sank into a deep bow as they faced their rulers and they murmured their greetings with reverence.
"Bìxià!" they said in unison. "Tiānzî!"
And Wei Ying pried himself out of Lan Zhan's tight grasp with a loud laugh, waving his hands to get them to stop. Then he hurried over to hug the two men in a tight embrace, like they were his long-lost brothers.
— — —
The trip back to Cloud Recesses was a little slow, considering that they had to take the Lanling Alpha with them. Luckily for him, Wen Qing was a trained Theta and she refused to deny treatment to a shifter, despite who he was or the crimes he had committed.
Once they arrived at the Ice Wolves' infirmary with him, Jin Guangyao was conscious again, being ungrateful, and making threats. Wen Qing and Wen Ning both stayed anyway to consult with the team of Iotas and the Theta, while Lan Zhan went to give an account to the Lanling pack.
"Tiānzî, can I have a quick meeting with you in private before I greet the Gusu Alpha?"
At Wen Zhuliu's quiet request, Wei Ying turned to look at him.
They were standing in the Main Hall, waiting for Lan Xichen to finish whatever quiet argument he and his uncle were having off to one side, so that he could acknowledge the Blood Wolves' presence in his territory. Most of the visiting shifters were still watching the Qinghe Beta's ongoing battle with the Alpha of the Stone Wolves, since Mingjue was not conceding and giving his pack easily over to Huaisang.
"We can talk," Wei Ying responded solemnly. "Come with me. I know somewhere with a lot of bunnies."
Wei Ying led him in near silence to the place where all the rabbits lived. There were a few brave ones hopping around but Wei Ying decided against picking one up, in case he risked giving it a heart attack.
He sat down on the thick grass, hoping that with being so informal, the Blood Wolf would be forced to sit with him. When Wen Zhuliu immediately began to prostrate himself before him though, Wei Ying bit back a frustrated groan.
"Zhuliu, just ask," he said quietly.
Wen Zhuliu, the Zeta of the Blood Wolves. Even after Wen Qing had accepted the title of being Luna, he had still remained her Zeta. Wei Ying had severed contact with everyone except Lan Zhan over the years that he had lived as a non-shifter, and he had expected on some level that once the Blood Wolves had all disbanded, Zhuliu would have gone his own way too. Instead he had stayed loyal to Wen Qing, and with Wen Ning also standing with her, the three of them had kept their pack alive.
"A long time ago we became friends and lived through something horrifying that not many other wolves could have endured," Wei Ying said. "Because of that, you and Wen Ning will never have to kneel to me. Just ask what you want. I'll try to be fair when I respond this time."
Wen Zhuliu rose to his knees and knelt in front of the Sena anyway. He was silent for a moment, as if he wanted to give weight to his request. It made Wei Ying's chest hurt with anticipation and fear.
"Kill me," Wen Zhuliu requested softly. "I've never wanted to be like this, and I'd rather die than live with this monster in me. I've asked you before, and I'm asking you again. Tiānzî, this is my request."
How could someone hate their wolf form, Wei Ying wondered. It was like hating a kidney or a leg. Like hating one side of the body. A shifter had two forms, and someone was either a shifter or a non-shifter. At five years old when a child shifted for the first time, their wolf would have always been there, and depending on how strong their cores were, the wolf either lived through the shift or it didn't.
To listen to this warrior's request made Wei Ying both incredibly sad and unimaginably angry. Sad for the shifter who felt so uncomfortable in his own skin, and angry at the tyrant who hurt him.
Wei Ying looked down at his hands and fiddled with a blade of grass. He had never felt like a ruler until now, making this decision on whether or not to grant such a horrific request.
"Lan Zhan is my zhiji. My true mate. The other half of my soul. With our soulbond, he is now extremely powerful," the Sena said quietly. "Lan Zhan can save you. The Xiandu has the power to heal."
Wen Zhuliu kept his eyes on Wei Ying, even as he shook his head and said, "I know Bìxià is powerful. And he will become a legendary Xiandu. But I'm making my request to you, Tiānzî. Because, the Sena has the power to destroy."
Horror was Wei Ying's signature move. Darkness was an ocean that lived inside of him. It was another thing that he kept secret, and only two other shifters alive knew about it. That same darkness had been injected into them too. The darkness that made this warrior hate his wolf form.
"Come closer then. I might as well see how bad it's been for you," Wei Ying said with a small sigh.
His black spiritual gloves shimmered into sight as he reached for Wen Zhuiliu's temples with a warm red glow at his fingertips. He pressed his fingers there and closed his eyes, and concentrated.
The Sena walked through the expanse of Wen Zhuliu's consciousness until he found the center of his core.
The essence of a wolf and a human were bound together. Two halves of one whole. Two forms. One docile and calm like it was supposed to be. The other snarling and rabid and pulling at the ties that bound it.
The wolf that fed on other wolves.
The Sena reached for it and it immediately cowered and tried to turn away from its master. Darkness seeped out of it like black smoke, and as it moved the waves of dark energy obscured its features, making it sometimes seem less like an animal and more like a demon.
He gently stroked it soothingly with his fingers, and it immediately calmed. Once it was no longer in a rage, the Sena sighed, and then reached for the ties between the two forms, and began the unravelling.
"One year," Wei Ying said as he opened his eyes and moved his hands away. "I could make it shorter but, to be honest, I'm upset at even being asked to do this to you. I want you to change your mind."
Wen Zhuliu sucked in a deep breath and he nodded in acceptance.
"Thank you, Wuxian," he said softly.
Wei Ying groaned unhappily and immediately responded, "I don't want your thanks. It didn't have to end like this. Xue Yang. You. Soon it's going to be Wen Ning. I already don't know how to deal with that. And, what if —"
A white wolf interrupted their meeting with quiet footsteps and a soft snort. White with hints of red fur. Inquisitive eyes. A young warrior's heart.
Wei Ying looked at the wolf form of his son, and Sizhui stopped and looked back at him before turning his attention to the Blood Wolf. Wen Zhuliu and Sizhui stared silently at each other for a moment before recognition blossomed between them. Then Wen Zhuliu rose from his knees and walked over to the wolf.
"Hello Wen Yuan," Wen Zhuliu said. "It has been a very long time since I've seen you. I'm happy that you're doing so well."
Sizhui raised his muzzle towards Wen Zhuliu, and the Blood Wolf crouched low to get even closer.
"There's something I've always wanted to tell you," Wen Zhuliu said to him.
He wrapped his arms around the young wolf's neck then turned to whisper quietly into Sizhui's ear. Whatever he said was so soft that Wei Ying looked away and ignored the two of them, determined not to listen. Even before the Blood Zeta was finished speaking, the Shadow Beta nudged his cheek and then licked the older warrior's nose.
With a small smile, Wen Zhuliu rose to his full height, took a step back, and bowed to the wolf.
"Tàizǐ Diànxià," he said solemnly. "You are as impressive as your fathers, and just as honorable. I wish you only happiness and success in this lifetime."
Wei Ying took that as his cue to interrupt.
He quickly got to his feet, walked over to Wen Zhuliu, and pulled him out of the bow. Then the two of them embraced tightly again. Wei Ying patted Wen Zhuliu's back, and wished that they had met when they were children, before Wen Ruohan could destroy so much of each of their lives. But, three decades later, they were grown men who had no way of going back to fix the past.
"Change your mind Zhuliu," Wei Ying repeated softly. "Learn to forgive yourself, and leave your mistakes behind."
Wen Zhuliu exhaled against Wei Ying's shoulder, before he responded quietly, "My past is too heinous to be forgiven, Wuxian. But, thank you. Meeting you was the highlight of my existence."
He slipped out of Wei Ying's grasp and walked away, leaving the two other occupants alone to look at each other in silence.
After a few seconds passed, Wei Ying shifted into his wolf form and unceremoniously plopped himself down to lie on the ground. Muzzle tucked onto his outstretched paws, he huffed out a breath, and then gently licked the side of one sharp claw.
"What's wrong with you?" Lan Sizhui asked, as he lowered onto his stomach and nudged his father with his muzzle.
"Nothing's wrong. Nothing at all. Ever." Wei Ying sniffed the top of his head. "Why do you think something's wrong?"
There was no way to sniff out darkness, and rationally, he knew that Sizhui was in perfect balance. But, after seeing Zhuliu's wolf spirit, it was hard as a parent not to silently panic.
Sizhui didn't respond. Instead, he shuffled closer and curled his body in front of the black wolf. Then he wedged his muzzle under Wuxian's muzzle until he could rest his chin on his father's paws instead. Wuxian raised his head to give him space, and he nudged his face with the tip of his nose and sniffed at him again.
"White for the Gusu wolves, red for the Qishan wolves. You're so grown up now. Is there even any of me in you?" Wei Ying asked.
"God, you're melodramatic," Lan Sizhui groaned. "No matter how grown up I am, Ba, I promise that I'll always be your child."
He rolled over onto his back so that Wei Ying could see his chest. His fur was predominantly white there, but just on the left side, obvious only to curious eyes, was a patch of deep black fur. As if Wuxian had pressed a paw to his son's chest and left his pawprint there.
"I'm your heart!" Wei Ying exclaimed gleefully.
Sizhui rolled back over onto his stomach, and tucked his nose against one of his front legs.
"I never should have shown you," he sighed.
Wuxian poked his son with his muzzle.
"Oh come on! As soon as you fall in love I'll be gone. I'll be scrubbed away like dirty laundry. Let me enjoy this moment while I can!"
"You know that's not how it works," Lan Sizhui responded grumpily. "Fur markings are just random expressions of a wolf's pedigree and spiritual essence. Placement doesn't mean anything."
Wei Ying licked the top of his head and said, "Uh huh."
Lan Sizhui was silent for just a second too long before he quietly communicated again. His tone in their shared connection was all kinds of shy and embarrassed.
"Jingyi says that it's probably my ears that are going to be black, actually."
"Oh Jingyi did, did he?" Wei Ying teased. "Is he vying for my spot? Trying to make your chest all fluffy and white for him."
Sizhui ducked his head, and shuffled one paw into the dirt. He went completely silent.
Wuxian looked at him. Then he tilted his head to one side and stared some more at his son. When Sizhui ducked down to hide his face between his paws, Wuxian leaned over and lowered his chin to rest on the top of Sizhui's head.
"Careful, little boy," Wei Ying said quietly. "Your Baba's heart is too weak for a conversation like this when neither of us are ready yet."
Lan Sizhui huffed into the grass. "Who's having a conversation like this? I'm just lying here enjoying the fresh air."
Wuxian nuzzled behind one pointed ear.
"Okay, but when the time comes, I'll try to listen," he said. "Just don't do anything that will make Lan Zhan have a heart attack. He's a big softie. He won't accept you being with anyone who doesn't love you as overwhelmingly and intensely, as he loves me."
"You're soulmates though!" Lan Sizhui protested.
"Yes. We are," Wei Ying said calmly. "Now you know what you're aiming for. If Jingyi, or Rulan, or anyone else wants you, they better be prepared to fight to have you. Mating is easy. Bonding requires more effort. They could be the kindest Alpha, or the most loud-mouthed, opinionated warrior, all that matters to me is that you love the absolute fuck out of them. Just like I love Lan Zhan."
Lan Sizhui groaned in exasperation again. He kept his face hidden but he didn't say anything else. So Wuxian began to slowly lick behind his ear, and across the top of his head, and over his forehead, before Sizhui finally reacted.
"Baba!" he shouted, annoyed. He batted at his father's muzzle to get the black wolf to leave him alone. "Stop! Do you want me to get teased to death?"
Wei Ying laughed and dodged the swiping paw.
"There was dirt! White fur shows everything. I don't even know how you're supposed to stay clean all the time. I'm helping you!" he said.
— — —
Wei Ying found Wen Qing again, just outside of the Main Hall.
Wen Ning and Wen Zhuliu were in a group conversation with Lan Zhan, Lan Qiren, and Lan Xichen. Instead of inserting himself there, he walked over to the Luna and stood beside her. The two of them silently observed the others from a short distance away.
"You gave him your blessing then?" she asked very quietly.
"I don't think that what he wanted from me could have been called a blessing," Wei Ying said.
Wen Qing shrugged. "That's how he sees his request. I've never been able to change his mind. There was nothing that I could do to make it better for him, and I tried, Wuxian. I even delayed our arrival here as long as possible to give both of you more time."
Wei Ying turned his full attention to her and he just looked at her for a moment. She was just like he remembered, but they were all much older now. Thirteen years had passed since the war, and there were things that he no longer knew about her and her two warriors.
"Once he leaves the pack there really won't be any Blood Wolves anymore. You won't be a Luna and feel obligated to take care of them. The three of you will be lone wolves who will need to find your own paths," he said.
"I never wanted to be a Luna," she pointed out. "I was always prepared to have my pack dissolved, and to walk away. I'm not worried about that."
"Hmm. So, you do worry. But now you're not sure who to worry about more."
She sighed softly in response and looked away.
"I want to go with Zhuliu," she admitted quietly. "I don't know what that makes me, or what that means for the two of us. But I know that I don't want my friend to be alone in the end. And maybe it's bitterness for keeping them both alive all these years to just watch it end like this. I just know that I want to go with him."
"'Friend?'" he asked her.
She stared at him with an expression that was both guarded and fierce as she said, "For now. Yes."
Wei Ying nodded in acceptance.
"Will you take care of Wen Ning for me?" she asked. "All he ever wanted was to be a turnip farmer when he was little, and he's such a long way off from that right now. He loves being a warrior. But, he just completed his doctorate in ecology, and I want him to have a patch of land where he can experiment. He was always depressed that Nightless City is only made up of concrete and asphalt."
"Make sure that Wen Ning gets to dig around in the dirt and sniff at plants. Anything else, Qing-jie?" he teased.
She laughed. So much less serious and uptight instantly, Wei Ying realized. Wen Ning could always make his sister soften, as soon as she spoke about him.
"Yes, Your Radiant Highness. One more thing," she said with a smirk. "Hanguang Jun requested that as the Luna of Nightless City, the Blood Wolves participate in the battle to crown the Xiandu. Since I'm not a warrior, I'd prefer for Wen Ning to take my place. He's too shy to ask, but he never gets to use his full spiritual powers in his wolf form. He has strategies he would like to use against His Majesty."
Wei Ying groaned dramatically and covered his face with one palm.
"Of course," he said as he shot her a look. "You only want me to let Qionglin and all his spiritual powers loose on my unsuspecting husband. Easy, no? I want Lan Zhan to win this battle. I'm not trying to stack the odds against him, lady."
She laughed again and then patted him on the shoulder as she said, "You know that you don't have anything to worry about. You would never let that man get too hurt by anyone. Not even my didi. Everyone already knows that Lan Wangji is our Xiandu whether he wins this battle or not. Sena, you've already declared it, just by accepting his mark."
Her touching him had drawn the attention of the group of shifters who seemed to have just wrapped up their discussion in time to watch the two of them. As Wei Ying looked over at them, all he cared about was Lan Zhan. All he saw was Lan Zhan.
Wen Ning and Wen Zhuliu bowed to each of the Ice Wolves, and then bowed lower to Lan Zhan, before they both strode towards Wei Ying and Wen Qing.
"We'll all have to cover our eyes if you keep looking at each other like that, Wei-gonzi," Wen Ning pointed out as soon as he was close enough to be heard. "Should we just leave?"
Wei Ying smiled as he kept his gaze focussed on Lan Zhan. He wanted to blow Lan Zhan a kiss. Actually, he wanted to walk right into Lan Zhan's arms, and be lifted off his feet, and carried to a private place away from scrutinizing eyes so that he could kiss his mate all over and hold on tightly to him.
Lan Zhan gave an enquiring tilt of his head, as if he could read Wei Ying's mind.
Wei Ying chuckled and shook his head, but he still really, very badly wanted to kiss him, and he almost couldn't wait for the next time that he would be able to. He knew he had to behave appropriately though. Lan Xichen was almost laughing too as he stared at his younger brother, but Lan Qiren looked like he'd swallowed a very sour lemon as he glared disapprovingly at Wei Ying.
"Wei-gonzi, maybe you should have taken more than a day to celebrate your bonding. There's a reason why newly mated pairs are allowed some time away from the pack," Wen Ning snickered.
"A week. A year. Fifty years." Wei Ying tore his gaze away from his husband to focus on the reddened face of his friend. "You're all just going to have to get used to seeing us be like this."
He grabbed on tightly to one of Wen Ning's arms with an inappropriate lack of manners and decorum. Not caring in the slightest.
"But enough about me and the man I'm never going to stop being in love with," he said very loudly. "Wen Ning, I need to talk to you!"
He waved at Wen Qing and Wen Zhuliu and then turned and mock-saluted both Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen too. Then he told Lan Zhan goodbye by pressing his lips in a seductive, lingering kiss to the scar on his palm, before he was marching away, dragging an amused Wen Ning in tow.
As soon as they were far away from any curious looks, Wei Ying dropped his hold on Wen Ning's arm.
His expression instantly changed from playful to serious, and he crossed his arms behind his back as he stood facing the other shifter. He had dragged them in the direction of the training grounds where the fight for the Stone Wolves pack was still in progress, but he stopped just past the line of trees at the entrance to the mountain forest. He needed privacy, but he also didn't want Wen Ning to feel trapped.
"Wen Qing asked if you could take her place in the fight circle of Alphas and Lunas against Lan Zhan. It's all the same to me. I'm not the one who's going to fight you. Still, is there anything that I need to know, Qionglin? Should I be cautious about letting you shift with a group of innocent bystanders nearby?" Wei Ying asked with a deep frown.
"You want to know if my wolf form is still an untamed, savage beast that I barely have control over?" Wen Ning met Wei Ying's gaze steadily. "I'm still savage in that form, but I can control it. I'm bloodthirsty and dangerous, but so is every other shifter in a battle. You won't need to worry, Wei-gonzi. I saw Hanguang Jun fight Jin Guangyao earlier. We'll be lucky if he doesn't rip us apart for you."
"Show me," Wei Ying demanded.
Wen Ning took a step towards him, and Wei Ying reached out to him with glowing red fingertips of spiritual energy. He pressed his hands to Wen Ning's temples.
Wen Ning's consciousness was a vast space of cracked, blackened earth, and streams of lava. The air was obscured with dark smoke. At the centre, enclosed within a large circle of poles, his two forms were bound together by thick, heavy chains that ran from each pole and wrapped around them. They were both calm. Somehow, despite Wen Ning's earlier years, he was in perfect balance.
The Sena reached out to Qionglin and the wolf spirit turned towards its master. Similar to Zhuliu, black smoke poured from its features making it seem demonic at times. Unlike Zhuliu though, it wasn't frightening, and it didn't seem to be full of rage.
"How?" Wei Ying asked, equally confused and impressed, as he stepped away from Wen Ning.
Wen Ning smiled and shrugged. "My sister. She's a very good Theta and she knows a lot about core formation and spiritual balance. Every morning I have a routine of exercises and breathing techniques to follow, which she came up with. Zhuliu has his own too. It kept us from becoming like Chengmei. Xue Yang was evil, but if he had my sister nearby, he could have at least lived a more peaceful life."
"Maybe," Wei Ying said, as he tried not to think about the slow unravelling that he had started within Zhuliu's core.
"Speaking of bonds…"
"Which we weren't," Wei Ying muttered.
"Does Bìxià know?" Wen Ning prodded cautiously. "That your soulbond is incomplete. You're bound to him, in body and in spirit. But, Sena, he's not bound to you at all. Your bond only goes one way."
Wei Ying stared at him in silence for a very long time, before the other man hastily bowed his head to look at the ground instead. Only when he realized that Wen Ning couldn't see, did Wei Ying briefly squeeze his eyes shut and tried to stop the cold shiver that was running through his body.
"It's that obvious, huh?" he asked quietly.
Wen Ning's head snapped up and he raised his shackled fists.
"No, no! Only to me. Bindings are my specialty. Of course I can sense the bond between mates. My powers have to work around pair-bonds in order to keep the wolf weakened and chained. And I can sense your soulbond. It's truly mind blowing. Since I can sense it, then I can find the weakness in it."
"Weakness," Wei Ying breathed.
"Wei-gonzi…" Wen Ning took a cautious step backwards as if he needed the distance for whatever he was about to say next. "Wei-gonzi, if anything happens to you, he will lose you forever. He's not bound to you. He won't ever find you again in any lifetime. You're an asena who is bonded, so if he dies you'd choose to go with him, but if you die, he'll live on and miss you for eternity!"
"You want me to ask Lan Zhan to tether his life to me. For human emotions, he's supposed to decide to pledge his existence to me. What if he wants to live, or to fall in love again?" Wei Ying choked out.
Wen Ning sucked in a sharp breath of evident disbelief as his wild gaze searched Wei Ying's face for something that Wei Ying was probably not hiding.
"So you're not even going to let him have the conversation?" Wen Ning asked. "You won't even let him decide for himself if he wants to keep you?"
"I want Lan Zhan to always be happy. Even without me, I want him to find happiness," Wei Ying said.
Wen Ning shook his head at him. "Wei-gonzi, I've only spent a few minutes with Lan Wangji, and anyone who glances at him can already tell. That man will never be happy being alive in a world where you're dead."
Wei Ying looked away from Wen Ning and thought of Lan Zhan.
The idea of the roles being reversed, where he would have to live on without his soulmate, was enough to make his chest hurt and his breath catch painfully in his throat. He couldn't do it. He had no plans of dropping dead any time soon, but still, with a soulbond that was only tethered in one direction, anything unexpected could happen and then it would be too late.
He didn't know how to not be selfish when it came to wanting to be with Lan Zhan. Maybe, he should have considered that Lan Zhan felt the same way about him too.
"I wasn't really just not going to tell Lan Zhan, and not let him know how the soulbond works. I was eventually planning to put it all out in the open and give him the choice to decide his destiny himself, whether it's with me or without me in his next life. I just needed to think some more about what I would be asking," Wei Ying grumbled.
Luckily for him, Wen Ning was too polite to call him on his bullshit, like Jiang Cheng or Nie Huaisang would have. Instead, Wen Ning's face lit up into a happy grin that made his eyes crinkle at the corners.
"Good!" he said enthusiastically. "The two of you should talk. Communication is an extremely important aspect in every successful relationship, Wei-gonzi."
Wei Ying glared at him, and then reached over to shove him hard in the shoulder.
"Lan Zhan and I talk about things!" he protested. "We're still new at this. We'll get better once we've had some time to adjust to being in each other's lives."
He would have said more. He would have pointed out that so far their mistake was in loving each other so intensely that they were afraid of doing anything to lose their person. If there was one very obvious thing about the soulbond between the Sena and the Xiandu, it was that there was an unmistakable emphasis on constant communication between them.
He would have said all that, but before he had a chance to, from the training field there was finally a loud shout of victory and celebrations. The cacophony marked the end of the fight between the warriors of the Stone Wolves pack.
Wei Ying looked towards the field, but maddeningly, there was nothing to see from his angle. The only clue of who had won the fight was the loud chants of Huaisang's name that seemed to reverate off every grass and tree.
"Qinghe has a new Alpha," Wei Ying said with quiet admiration. "Huaisang finally did it. He's going to be the one fighting against Lan Zhan."