IRLAN woke up and saw Lance's frenzied appearance and thought last night must be a dream. 'How can Lance be so happy after what had happened? He can't be that stupid.'

He lost his consciousness after punching Horan last night. Irlan gave him his best shot but it was like the pain rebounded and he got the impact as well as the intensity of it. It hurts.


He lost track of Horan but he knew that the guy must be suffering from the same dilemma.

The question is, what happened and why did he feel his own punch?

Horan was gloating of his magic. He goes on about not humbly boasting about his achievements and all the bad things he had done. It made Irlan itch for the need to show him how to act like a real person and not a jack ass.


And so he threw a fist and hoped it will do the trick.

How come it backfired to him?


'Was that some kind of a spell?'

Then that guy must be more insidious than he's letting on. Maybe he put him in a spell that made Irlan unable to hurt Horan.

If he did something to Horan, it will reflect to him as well.

'What kind of sorcery is this?' Irlan was already burdened because of the fact that Beatrix knew about them all along and that Lesley has been pretending to be innocent about their intention since the very first day.

They must look like some kind of a joke to them. A laughingstock for changing their looks for nothing. Their cover was not important— they were already branded as they came in the pack territory.

'I should do something about this.'

"Good morning!" Lesley's cheer woke Irlan's thoughts. His expression became weary as he saw her walk in with a tray of food. "It's good that you're fine now. Oh, may the fates bless you, Irlan. I didn't know what happened but your complexion now says it must have been tough."

Irlan gave Lance an eye but the man only squinted at him. Only then Irlan realized that he still hasn't shared his findings with the team. Although Lance knew about Horan, he didn't hear about Beatrix' plan.

"Don't worry. The alpha sent some men to secure the territory more since your accident. We don't know who attacked you last night on your way home but we will soon let you know if there's a progress of last night's investigation."

'No need.' Irlan grabbed the cup of milk and thanked her. After checking the milk for any possible poisoning, he drank it with relish.

The milk helped him calm his mind.

"Eat more so you can replenish your strength. We have a lot of activity to do this afternoon. I think you'll like them, Irlan."

"Thank you for helping him, Leyl."

Lesley's eyes shone with malice. "Of course, Lance. He's an obedient kid after all."

HORAN didn't notice anything different. Irlan still looks okay to him. No. It looks like the blood didn't work well this time. 'Shut it...' The realization made him extremely cranky.

'This can't only be happening to me.' Horan discovered something unsightly last night.

He can't hurt Irlan.

He managed to irate him to the point of breaking but the consequences were a lot to take. Irlan can pack a punch. He gave Horan a free taste of his fist and that made him see stars for two full seconds.

'Fine, he's physically strong.' Horan didn't try to avoid the punch because he want to know the guy's strength.

He didn't expect him to be stronger than he expected.

And he didn't expect Irlan to feel the pain of his own assault through him.

When Irlan lost his consciousness, Horan tried to hurt him with various things. And he found out that he, as well, can feel the physical pain that Irlan takes.

He considered picking a boulder to crush Irlan's head but Horan decided against it despite the intense hate that he felt.

'When will this end? Will this affect me in the future?'

It sure does. This will hinder all of his transactions. He can't duel with him. The unnecessary body ache coming from Irlan will burden him as well.

'So how does this connection work?'

He can feel Irlan's pain. There should be a limitation to it. 'Will I still feel it even if it's not me who's hurting him physically?'

This strange thing happened when there's only the two of them last night. This should not involve another person.

'Does this mean, it's fine to kill him? I just have to order another person to do it. It doesn't have to be me.'

Horan's thought that morning was filled with his imagination. He created various scenarios about how to end Irlan's life without the result hurting himself in the process.

'Toying with that mage was fun but he's starting to get into my nerves.'

Beatrix heard about Irlan's attempt to eavesdrop last night. A guard saw him on the roof alone. Horan guessed that was when Lance pretended to fall.

Horan didn't pay any attention to the pack alpha's plan about Irlan. He thought she wouldn't do anything to him at the moment.

Horan was wrong to think that.

It was four in the afternoon when he was taking a peaceful nap that he felt a large stone being dumped on his chest.

He woke up alarmed and confused. He saw no one around him.

Horan was still inside his own room. A bag of warm blood laid on the bedside table.

Pain seared Horan's chest. He gasped for breath as his eyes started to blur. 'What's happening... ?'

'Irlan.' That guy must be hurt. Based on the internal pain that he's experiencing at the moment, he can tell that the guy has been poisoned.

'Our lives are connected now. Why did you have to be so careless? You'll have us both killed!'

Horan made a guess about the reason why did this happened.

He drank Irlan's blood when they first met at the village and he accidentally drew his own on the process and their blood mixed.

According to his mom's words, that signifies the first thing to do when a vampire wants to mate with someone.

The second point is to be together for more than five minutes and help the bond to grow through the presence of each other.

Horan's chest thumped. This time, it has nothing to do with the poison in Irlan's body.

It was his acknowledgement of his own mistake. The mating has successfully started. Irlan is now his vital weakness. 'This sucks.'

"You want to take me with you in the underworld, huh?" Horan grinned amidst the pain. "You wish, idiot."

Looks like he needs his father's help to get him out of this trouble. He doesn't know how to break an accidental mating bond.