Morpheus slithered his hands up my neck and locked his palms on my jaw, the intimate action smothered me in warmth at his hold and I drew in one last conscious breath of air. My pupils dilated as they stared into his, watching me with a heated gaze, while I was grasping at something, yet nothing.

My vision blurred, as his cleared.

The tan of my skin lit up against the natural sunlight shining through the large openings of the many windows. The searing beams of the sun were hitting the desk without a shadow to be found, and the heat was strong enough to light the papers on fire. Ah, if only.

An uncomfortable itch had formed on my collarbone at the sight of the four terribly familiar walls, caging me in as if I was one of the bloody rogues rotting in the dungeons, and I let out a dissatisfied grunt. The main office was where I really longed to be, but unfortunately, I was trapped in the one hidden away at the very top of the pack house. A secret to all, except two.

A private office was not a complimented decision among members of any pack.

To gain his attention, something that was becoming harder to obtain as time went on, I faked a simple cough. Shaking my head once I finished reading the written words, the idea could not be comprehended in my mind at all. He must be playing a cruel trick. Even now, he should still have his wits. I asked, almost hesitating, "Father, do you honestly believe that the rest of the Alphas will think this is the truth?"

Leaning back into the seat, the letter easily slipped through my fingers as I loosened my grip, absolutely digusted with the contents. A sick ache dug at my stomach. And, I looked up towards him with a questioning, judgemental glint. How could he? Why?

My father, a man of great stature, respected by all and feared by most. He was indeed powerful, but the wolf scratching at the back of my head promised, 'You are more'. His shoulders rolled as he straightened his posture, threatened by my eyes on his form, for his back was the weakest piece of him. "They must. This is the only way."

"You are lying to them." The details of the letters, most sealed and ready to be sent, were wrapped in a web of deceit. There was no need to spread such blasphemy.

"Do not call me a liar," he growled his words as he turned, glaring over his shoulder with his teeth bared. At me.

Age was changing him, I thought, completely. Each passing day, he would grow even more defensive than the last. Part of me knew what was leading him astray, shifting his demeanor and his feelings for me. I was not a son that was made with his mate. And, fate had played him as though he was but a fool.

A common error that was made by my own mother, and, of course, the lady of love herself. Goddess Živa, and the very woman who raised me, Goddess Dalnim.

"That is the beauty of it," my mother would claim, "the chase. To not know who they have been paired with. The surprise. The fate of mates is even a mystery to me, and that first meeting, that instant click, is riveting."

Her words went in one ear, and out the other. I did not want to wait. I wanted to know. And, I had begged them many times to tell me who I was meant for, Živa would ignore me, and Mother's answer was always the same.

"Patience is a virtue."

"Remember who you are speaking to." The reminder was enough to shut his lips before he was to hiss out another insulting word. Anger bubbled in my chest. "And, what you have committed."

Our conversations were nothing of importance anymore. I loathed every single minute spent with him. This was not the way for many of our kind, as we were loving beings, even most rogues. We mate for life. We raise our offspring until they are old and we are dead. However, no wolf has ever lasted that long without their mate, and my father was the oldest living.

An accomplishment, yes. But, the hatred that followed was enough to kill a man, and I was not necessarily fond of it.

"Oh, my son," he cursed under his near silent breath, sighing at his realization. "My only child. My only blood left."

It is not his fault. It is only natural for beasts to grow insane without their other half. That is the only outcome of being mateless.

"You are my most trusted. I would give you my life and not regret such a decision-" he had twisted completely around in front of me, and the matching eyes we shared bore into mine, "-and, I am praying that you will not disappoint me in the future years when I am no longer alive and well."

"I am afraid you are making a mistake, Father." The mere idea of going against what is right for our kind had made the hair on my arms stick up. And, I began to plead with him desperately, "You do not have to go through with this madness. There are other ways to be rid of them. I will help. I will ask Mother. Please, if you speak the truth, then we can conquer. I know we can."

"No. I am not fit for such a thing-"

I shot up from my seat, the chair flinging behind me as I interrupted, "Father, listen to me-"

"No," my father snarled, cutting me off with a single command. His chest heaved as he tried to calm himself, to settle the feral being inside of him.

This is the beginning, I told myself sadly, his speech is the next to go.

"You will be sure not to raise your voice at me. Now, respect and heed my words as I am not only your father but your Alpha, as well." And, with one last spit of anger, I slammed both my hands down on the desk. The reverberating sound of a successful crunch from the wood filled my ears, and the sight of a fresh crack splitting the top layer into two made me grin. An evil smirk had formed on my lips, and I dared to watch as his face fell.

"Morpheus, you are still a young boy. Most of my life was led by nothing but darkness and questions until the Moon Goddess herself blessed me with a child. You have grown to be stronger than I could have ever imagined, and I am afraid to admit that I do not possess such strength as you. That knowledge has been known since the day you first entered through that entrance-" he lifted his arm and his hand trembled in front of my very own eyes, "-I can still feel the power that came with you, and how it claimed the entirety of this here pack."

This is the most he has spoken in months.

"Father-" he continued to stare into, what it seemed like, my soul, and I was forced to peer at the resemblance of myself, "-if I was a traitor, I would wear your head as a crown and spread the word of your tyranny."

There was no reply needed. I had stated my peace, well, my threat. And, the urge to leave his presence was greater than anything. My pace towards the door was fast, and I did not stop. Somehow, throughout our disagreement, Father had made his way in front of it and had blocked the only exit from my path. My shoulder dug into his as I passed him, and that side of him was knocked slightly backwards, surprised.

My last words to him that day were, "You are lucky that I put you above all others, and that I still carry a loyal connection to you. Because, if you were another, I would strangle you with my bare hands."

My fists clenched at my sides.

The walk back to my room was quiet, with just my footsteps echoing. The door to my bedroom nearly broke from its hinges as I closed it behind me with a bang, and I fell back onto my place of rest.

Finally, peace and qu-

"Bad day, my little Morphie?"

"I wish you would leave me alone." My hands ran down my face, and he only laughed in response. "The same way as the rest of them do."

He swore as he waved his hand, dismissing me. The black of his hair shined with a shake of his head. "Come on. Spit it out. What has gotten you so riled up?"

"Do you not have a job to do?" I spat.

"Ah, well, if you must know," he chatted, "I have finished my duties for the hour. Mortals are asleep. Mortals are dreaming. Mortals do not need me all the time. Everyone who I could possibly be with in this moment of time has been dealt with." And, with a long sigh, he said, "Besides, I am still not used to my life without a small version of you following me around."

He rested his chin on his fist and his elbow on the knee of his crossed leg, sitting on a chair that he had dragged closer to my bed. Urging me forward, he blinked very slowly, waiting for the words to come spewing from my mouth as though I was a fountain, or really, maybe a worshiper. Oh, the amount of messages I have been asked to give. Quietly, I confided, "Deception."

"A scandal, is it?"

"Yes. One of the worst I have ever witnessed."

"Give me your hand. Oh, the son I never had, always so dramatic. There will never be anything worse than what she did." Yes, the one behind this very problem. My hand dangled in the air as I stuck it out, and his own hand reached over my body, and grabbed mine. "Now, focus, just as I taught you."

I concentrated, and dug into the depths of my memory. Soon, it all played out as though I was reliving it. Letters appeared, sentences formed, and even the rough feel of the paper came through.

'To those it may concern-' a sour taste was left in my mouth from the first line, and I continued reading bitterly, '-the issue has been dealt with. I had made it my sole responsibility to take care of the bloodsucker problem. They had began to raid, kill, and take those from human and werewolf territory for their own. There is no need to worry anymore, and the Moon Goddess herself, Dalnim, has came to me in her form to assure those who are frightened that they have been defeated. Their kind no longer lingers.'

Signed, 'Alpha King of the Ventus Pack'.

Disgusting. To use my mother's name in his cowardly written letters. He will learn his lesson once she finds out.

"Oh, you are right." My head had started to turn into static at the sudden escape of memory. Morpheus, the very man I was named after because of having a similar ability, plucked me straight from it and guided me back to the present with his smooth voice, "That will not end well."

A ringing noise pained my head.

Morpheus' flashed before me, and I gulped in more air as my body felt as though I had just finished running after miles. With a careful touch, he pulled me in closer to his face until his breath fanned the tip of my small nose. "Emery, my mate, it appears someone is calling you on that small machine."

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