Bren Foster as Alpha Darric Grey

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"Are you going to ignore the fact that we're mates?" Cole whispers.

"Yes, I am. You know what they say, 'ignorance is bliss'. Besides, this is not the time or place. We just witnessed the Sun god in action and I for one, need a mental break."

"I think we all do. I hope my Alpha is okay!"

"Here we go again; Alpha this, Alpha that." Esme whispers with her hands on her hips looks up to the sky, and yells, "seriously, a fur coat for a bane. You all are just having a fun time at my expense, right?"

"Who are you talking to? Moon goddess?"

"No, that one is all yours. Sun god."

"A bane?"

"It's what we witches call a mate."

"Now what?"

"Simple! You stay away from me."

"No problem. I never wanted a witch for a mate."

"Then we agree, we stay away from each other. Bye fur coat." She waves as she sashays her round bouncy butt down the hall. Goddess help me, a witch? I am dead meat.

I am awake but I don't want to wake up. I don't want to open my eyes. I don't want to remember killing my brother. Julian was like a brother to me. I thought we shared everything. How didn't I see how much hatred he had for me, for us? When did the hatred start? When we were five and we became blood brothers searching for the Sun god in the basement? At six and seven when we had joint birthday parties? At eight when we enrolled in boarding school? At age ten when his father died, and he moved in with us? At seventeen when we graduated together? At eighteen when I left for Clan leadership school? When did his deep-seated hatred for me start? My brain is reworking all our times together to pinpoint exactly where I might have missed the beginning of his hatred and greed. And I still have no answer.

I finally get up from between my mates. They look exhausted. I must have slept for a couple of days straight. I did feel them around me, but my mind and body just were not ready to wake up. I could feel when either one left or when both were in bed with me.

I walk to the bathroom and take a shower. I look in the mirror and I see the mark he left on the right side of my face. I should have known better. In my blind rage, I forgot that only the Sun god punishes higher ups and leaders. The mark he left on my face is red, intricate curves with small circles in them. I run my fingers all over it, wincing as I remember the pain from his lashes across my face. It looks like a bird's wing. My permanent reminder that I killed my brother. An awful punishment to live with.

I turn away from the mirror in disgust and walk out the bathroom just as a knock sounds on the door and Jeffery walks in with a tray of filtered blood for me, coffee for my mates. Just what I need.

"The ruling council will be here in a couple of hours, my Lord." He places the tray on the table and turns to leave. "Lord Tobias is back for the meeting."

"Thank you, Jeffery. For keeping my mates safe. We both know the Sun god is not a respecter of persons. If they had come near me during my punishment, I fear what would have happened to them. I know I have been a bit angry with you since you took them for 'cleansing' but thank you for keeping them safe. And if it ever happens again and I pray it doesn't, keep Georgiana out."

"I can't promise that my Lord. My lady is the only one that can help you. After all, I still must protect you too."

"Thank you, Jeffery, for all that you do."

"At your service, my lord." He walks out, closes the door softly.

"Why are you thanking him? He kept us from you. I couldn't help you, Rafe." Cal sits up in bed frowning.

I glance back at the bed and see that my mates are awake. Cal sits up frowning, Darric lays on the bed just watching me without blinking. Kinda disconcerting, really. I look away from him.

"If you had come in to help me, I don't know what the Sun god would've done to you. When he punishes and he doesn't do that often, whoever is in the area can get hurt. Jeffery knows that. I can't risk hurting either one of you like that. Besides Georgiana was there."

"Why was Georgiana allowed to help you? Why not us? We are your mates." Cal asks.

"Babe, when a High Lord kills another, only their blood relative can absorb some of the punishment. I guess I lucked out that Georgiana was around, though I wish she didn't have to go through that."

"I'm glad she did. That was horrible and I thought the Sun god would be a better diety. I'm seriously rethinking renouncing the Moon goddess and invoking the Sun god," Cal mutters.

"I'm sorry you did what?" Darric finally takes his eyes off me and fixes his gaze at Cal.

"I'll tell you all about it later. First, the ruling council, on their way, right?" Cal dashes into the bathroom. I wonder what that's all about.

"I'll keep saying it till I am proven wrong; you vampires and your rules are full of shit. Now Rafe are you going to tell me what Julian whispered to you before he died that made you cry?" Darric leans against the bed frame, arms crossed and fix his gaze back on me, unflinching.

"After we meet the ruling council, and update them, okay?" Again, I cannot look him in his eyes.

"I need to leave after the meeting anyway and relieve Ronan. I'm sure he's ready to take a break from the responsibilities I keep forcing on the poor guy. Cole and the other warriors are still here, and we'll leave together."

Darric looks at me pointedly for a few more seconds, nods and walks into the bathroom too.

How can I tell you that your brother, your blood is the werewolf leader? I can't let you do what I just did or go through what I'm going through. No one should have to. There has to be another way. There just has to be.

I walk out of our suite and run into Georgiana.

"Have you been waiting for me all this time?"

"No, Raphael. I told Jeffery to let me know when you come back to the land of the living. How are you? And no, not about the punishment but about Julian." She reaches up and palms the right side of my face gently.

"Raphael is it now?" I try to joke my way out of her concern, holding her hand and wiping the tears from her eyes with my other hand.

"I didn't know he hated us that much. And you were justified in your actions. Don't ever let anyone tell you differently. Mourn for him if you must but let him go once you're done mourning him, hear me?"

"I hear you but you wouldn't have killed him, Georgie."

"Yes, I would. In a heartbeat. He was not the Julian I thought I knew and that saddens me. I called the parents; they arrived yesterday. They buried the Julian they remembered immediately. Father will see you soon, but mother has sequestered herself in their suite. She's taking it hard and blames herself."

"Why? It's not her fault, Georgiana."

"I know that you know that but she's finding it hard to believe that her 'son' betrayed her other son. Anyway, did you tell Darric?" She whispers as we walk towards the office.

"No, not yet, the ruling council first. I don't want him to do what I just did. Or to feel the guilt, self-doubt, and anger that I feel now. I think I may have a solution, but I need your help. You know about werewolf culture, right?"

"The council members are here my Lord," Jeffery interrupts us. "They are in your office."

"I'll be there in a minute. Have Darric meet us in my office."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Jeffery?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Georgiana, this is what I need your help with..."

I lay on my bed after my mates have gone down to meet the ruling council. I am worried how Darric will receive the news that I renounced the Moon goddess and invoked the Sun god. I hope he won't take it as a slap in his face or that I am turning my back on werewolf ways. That's not it. I need him to understand that even though his relationship with the Moon goddess was a favorable one mine wasn't and I just got tired of her indifference to Omega pains and struggles.

Esme badges into my room and plops herself on my bed. Esme had stayed behind after everyone left. I hadn't been able to see my other friends while keeping an eye on Rafe. I have spoken to them and I hope to see them again soon. I thank the Sun god for good supportive friends. But my 'bestest' friend seems to be in a gloomy mood.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

"Esme, you met your bane. Who is he?"

"How did you know that I met my bane?"

"You just said it. How I have enough on my mind, how can you tell me yadda yadda yadda..."

"Cal, I didn't say that out loud. I was thinking it in my mind," Esme looks at me oddly.

"Come on you just said it." She shakes her head. "You didn't? Then how did I hear you? Not another power? Why do these things start when I'm with you? Why now?"

"Hey, don't blame me. Blame your goddess! Her indifference started this whole trading of goddess and god mess. You probably had these latent powers all this time but just never used them. Honestly, you're kinda slow that way." Esme smirks.

"Slow?" I narrow my gaze at Esme. She's trying to dodge the subject of her bane.

"Trying to change the subject are you now? Who is your bane? And let the record show that this 'slow' person can find out by a simple process of elimination. All I have to do is rule out the non-wolves and interrogate every wolf that was here. You wouldn't want me to do that, now would you? Imagine how embarrassing it'll be for both of you, so spill it, who is he?"

"Cole your Beta," she whispers.

"HAAAAA!!!!!!!" I scream.

Georgiana runs into the room, fangs out, posed for a fight.

"Cal are you okay what's wrong?"

"I'm fine, sorry about that. Esme found her bane!"

"She did, who is it?" Georgiana's all giddy.

"Cole."

"That hot looking boy, Cole? Oh, my Sun-god, he's gorgeous and buffed to boot. Esme you lucky girl. I'll do him in a heartbeat if I wasn't head over heels in love with my Raul."

"Georgiana!"

"You would do him in a heartbeat too if you weren't crazy about your mates. So, when are you two going to mate?"

"Never."

"Never? And why not? And don't tell me because he's a werewolf? I thought you were better than that Esme." I tell her disappointed.

"It's not because he's a werewolf. You know me better than that Cal. Because he's my bane, a bane! All the years we've been friends, when have I ever wanted a bane? Any bane? Whether he's a werewolf, witch, vampire, werecat, human, whatever. I have never wanted one, okay!"

"Well you have one now and he's a good man, Esme. All the times that we omegas were being mistreated, he looked out for us as much as he could under the old pack ways. He never laid a hand on us, he's really a good one."

"I don't care if he's a saint, or the Sun god himself. I DON'T WANT A BANE!"

"Okay but do me a favor, don't reject him. I know rejection has to be accepted for it to be valid. It still hurts to be rejected."

"I wouldn't do that. Besides, we agreed to keep away from each other, so I'm good."

Georgiana and I look at each other, share a smile and realizing somethings Esme missed. One, they talked; two, they agreed to stay away from each other, and three no rejection. A great starting point if you ask me but I am not the one that'll bring that little tidbit to her attention.

"Why do witches call their mates, banes anyway? That's a miserable thing to call your soulmate," I wonder aloud.

"Because witches are inherently loners. What other supernaturals see as a part of them and look forward to and celebrate; witches think as the bane of their existence. A misery, a noose around their necks. Once they meet their soul mate, they wrongly think that their individuality is gone, and they selfishly believe they are now responsible for someone else. Some witches will rather kill their banes than live with them. Witches that accept their banes end up bound and call them mates thereby solidifying their bond not only with the physical mating but in their perception and words," Georgiana concludes her lesson on witches.

"How do you know all this about us," Esme asks Georgiana in amazement?

"Behind this beautiful face of mine, lies a smart brain with a photographic memory. I read or see something once I never forget. What can I say, it is a gift and a curse," she sighs dramatically and falls back on the bed with her hand over her face?

I burst out laughing. "Whatever. Anyway, thank you, Georgiana, for what you did for Rafe. Seeing what you both went through; I don't know if he would have been able to handle it alone."

"That's what families do and they're there for each other. Even though some will betray you," she replies dejectedly.

"I'm sorry about Julian."

"Don't be. I should've listened to Freddy. Ever since she could talk, she always believes that something was off about Julian. I put it off as childish ramblings and jealousy of his relationship with her uncle Rafe."

"So, what's on your agenda today, Cal?"

"Darric is going back to BloodRose. I hope Rafe and I can go with him. But with what happened a few days ago, I don't know if Rafe is up for it."

"He'll go believe me," Georgiana reassures me.

"I hope so."

Not again, I shoot up in bed as another searing pain pierces my heart.

"Esme take me to the den asap, something is very wrong, very wrong with my mates!"

"Now what?" Esme whispers.

I walk into the room, putting my plan to tell Darric that Ronan is the werewolf leader and my solution to the problem on the back burner. Right now, Ronan has no idea Julian is dead, so he has no reason to run or disappear. I just want to make sure Darric doesn't kill his brother.

Original Drago, Elder Thomas, Elder Alexie, and El Dargon are all in my office making that large room feel cramped and oozing with power. Surprisingly, their usual knee-bending bout of power just shakes me. I pay my respect, nevertheless.

"Where's Salim?" I ask Tobias, who is standing by my desk.

"He left with Roman. He's not letting his mate out of his sight. I told him we'll update him."

"He found his mate." Elder Alexie says smiling, from his seat in the corner of the room.

"Yes, sir he did, a liger by the name of Roman Sarris."

All the while Original Drago and El Dargon were fixated on my new face from their seats in the middle of the room.

"A lesson learned Rafe?" Original Drago says nodding at my face.

"A painful one I'm sure," El Dargon joins in.

"And really underserved if you ask me," Darric says as he strolls into my office and stands by me. "What kind of a god punishes the victim for defending themselves against the criminal's actions?" He asks the ruling council defiantly.

"A god who regulates discipline and doesn't approve of vigilantes," Original Drago replies coldly.

"Vigilantes? Julian was a greedy, sick son of..."

"Your Highnesses, we have the updates for you." I interrupt my mate. I don't want him thrashed where he stands by the ruling council for unruliness. One trashing a week in this family is enough.

"Go on," Original Drago says leaning back.

"We located the compound in Nebraska. We destroyed the rogues and nightwalkers. We learned that High Lord Julian Klyne was the one turning the nightwalkers. And you know what happened to him. We have yet to identify the werewolf leader. We'll let you know as soon as we do."

"Really, Lord Klyne. Is that all?" Elder Thomas the werewolf elder asks.

I know they know, after all, they are the ruling council and they can read minds. But I am not going to tell my mate in front of them that his brother is the werewolf leader. No, if I have to go another round with the ruling council this time to protect him, I will.

I look at Elder Thomas straight in his eyes, and reply, "that's all information I have for you now, sir."

"This mate thing is amazing, don't you think? Protective till death even." Elder Thomas tells his associates, smiling.

"Good work. Keep us updated will you? And Rafe, do not make the same mistake twice," EL Dargon says, running his forefinger up and down the right side of his face.

"A promise I cannot make sir," I reply defiantly.

He smiles and they all exit my office in their overly dramatic fashion, vanishing one after the other.

"You know, it won't hurt them to use the door and transportation like humans once in a while," Tobias laughs.

"Maybe if they are humans," Darric replies.

"Well guys, I'm off." Tobias hugs me and shakes Darric's hand. I watch him walk out the door leaving me alone with my mate and the pain I'm about to inflict on him.

"Now are you going to tell me what's bugging you? Why you haven't been able to look me in the eye since you woke up?"

I take a deep breath and blurt it out. "Julian told me who the werewolf is that has been helping him."

"That's great, who is he? We need to find the son of a bitch and destroy his ass," Darric yells.

"Darric, it's Ronan." I move closer to him and reach out to touch his shoulder, but he shrugs me off.

"Ronan? My Ronan?" He looks at me, eyes blinking rapidly, and I return his questioning gaze.

"Yes, your brother Ronan, he's the werewolf leader."

"NO, NO, NOOOOO!" He screams. "That's a lie, Ronan will never do that to me, he wouldn't." He sits on the sofa, his head in the hands, claws elongating, fur sprouting. Not good.

"I'm so sorry Darric. It's the truth. You know I can tell when someone lies, and Julian wasn't lying." I sit beside him, and I see the tears wet the palm of his hands covering his eyes. I hold onto him and he's struggling to get out of my hold. I hold him tighter.

"Darric?" I whisper when he remains deadly quiet.

"I'm going to kill him," he tells me in a quiet and deadly voice.

"I won't let you."

"TRY. AND. STOP. ME. MATE!" he shrugs off my hold, gets up and walks out of my office, bumping Cal on his way out.

"Darric, Darric?" Cal calls to him but he didn't look back, ignoring Cal and walking out of my office on his way to his brother. Not good at all!

"What's wrong with Darric?" Cal sounds frantic. Esme and Georgiana follow closely behind.

"Julian told me who the werewolf leader is before he died."

"And?"

"It's Ronan."

"Ronan Grey? Darric's brother?"

"Yes. He's on his way to quote-unquote, kill him and I can't let him do that."

"No, we can't! Let's go, we need to beat him to the pack," Cal agrees.

"Georgiana, did you get the information I need?"

"Yes, here you go," and hands me a piece of paper.

"We'll be back."

"I'm coming with you," Esme says. "Picture his office, Cal."

"Ready, my Lords?" Jeffery walks in.

"Let's go."

A few minutes later, we land in Darric's office in BloodRose pack. Ronan is behind the desk and looks up at us in fear and shock.

"Cal, you're alive?" He asks.