36: Fear

                                    

                                          
A/N: sorry for the late update, i had a really hard time writing this chapter but hopefully you'll enjoy it <3
                          
Alec looked around, passing his eyes quickly through his surroundings. His worried eyes scanned around the pack, noticing everyone too busy in their daily life routine to acknowledge him. Sighing in relief rather fast, Alec knocked on the brown wood door. Impatiently, shifting his balance from one feet to another, he waited. The sound of the door creaking open caught his attention and his eyes met with the owner of the small cottage like house. 
                          
"Alec?" Jinsang's voice was rough and dry, Alec had probably woken him up. It was 6 in the morning after all. "Is everything okay?" 
                          
"Can I come in? I need to talk to you" 
                          
Jinsang gave the young boy a confused look as he stepped aside so that Alec could enter. It was a small but cozy house, all sorts of papers and books were spread across the room. It was the first time Alec was inside the old man's cabin, for some reason, he never had the opportunity to be there.  
                          
"I'm going to grab some tea, do you want anything?" 
                          
Alec swayed his head negatively; all that he wanted was to get the answers he needed. Jinsang sent one more curious glance at him before going to grab a cup of tea for himself. During that time, Alec was sat down on the couch, his hands on his head. Jinsang's footsteps echoed around the room and Alec finally raised his head to look at his old friend. 
                          
"What's this all about?"  
                          
The old man asked, not wasting any time, and going straight to the subject which Alec was thankful for. Pushing a big red leathered book aside, Jinsang put down his tea on the table. He sat down next to Alec who grew nervous and impatient by the second. 
                          
"This was a very impulsive decision of mine and I... I honestly don't know if this is worth trying." Alec started by saying and Jinsang listened to him very carefully. "There's something going on with my father. It has been going on ever since my mom died. I ignored it at first, masked it and excused it as it being his way of grieving. But, lately.... things are changing... and I can't help but get curious. Not only because I feel like I deserve to know but also because it's putting the people I care about at risk" 
                          
Alec's words stopped flowing, a silence followed them. He was struggling to build the sentences, to explain himself clearly while also debating with himself if speaking to the old man had been a good decision. 
                          
"My father made a deal with..." The name was stuck in his throat like an unwanted sourness that he, hopelessly, tried to wash away from his tongue. "Well, Ul-" 
                          
"I know" 
                          
Jinsang interrupted Alec before he could say his name. He, too, couldn't bear to hear his name for he, too, had been struck by his rage, many years ago. 
                          
"My father cancelled the deal. Someone came and threatened him, I went to his office and saw that He had been the one to propose the deal, not my father. Which makes zero sense because all this time my father had been feeding me and Hani this bullsh*t about how important it was to grow closer to him and how it was for the safety of the pack." Alec's tone kept on getting louder and louder, reflecting the rage that carried his heart. "And I-I keep on thinking what could have possibly made him say "yes" to that contract. What could he possibly gain from meddling with someone so cruel and vicious? We both know, Jinsang, that there's only one thing that would make my father go desperate and make him do stupid things. And that's my mother" 
                          
Jinsang's eyes widened, he froze in time, briefly. Alec had caught it, that slight fleeting change in his usual calm demeanor. He was sure that hearing the mention of his mother had sparked something in the old man. They had been close while she was alive, relying their secrets to each other. That's why Alec had gone to him with his questions. No one knew his mother better than Jinsang, if she was hiding something then he'd be the one to know it.