Connection - Golden Lycans Sequel 3/3 [in progress]

Different Directions

***Austin***

"There she is!" I exclaim as Ophelia comes through the door with Serena behind her. She looks beautiful, but to me she always did, and my heart is bursting with pride as I go hug my daughter.

"You look so beautiful, Ophelia."

She laughs and looks at me fondly.

"Thanks, dad," she says shyly as she glances at the table where her mother, the triplets, Serena, James, Freya and Ollie are all sat.

"SO! I have reservations we can use in Paris, New York, Dubai-" I start to rattle off, for we really can go anywhere. I had always wanted to give my children the world - except now I can see the sadness in my daughter's eyes; she really doesn't feel like celebrating.

"Uh...I would really just like to stay in and catch up with everyone, if you don't mind?" she asks, looking apologetic. I smile at her and nod.

"Of course. Any excuse to have your old man cook for you, eh?" I joke. I grip her shoulder fondly before she heads over to the table, greeting her uncle James as he stands, towering over her substantially as he hugs her tightly. I go to the fridge and have a good look inside of it; thankfully there are all the ingredients to cook a damn good carbonara at the very least, something Ophelia happens to enjoy wholeheartedly.

I turn around and James is suddenly stood next to me.

"Perhaps I can lend a hand?" he asks, sounding as formal as ever. Just before I can answer, Freya stands up, loudly brandishing a shopping bag at my daughter.

"I have some university essentials for you, my dear niece," she says a little too salaciously.

"Oh god," I mutter. Ella promptly excuses herself from the table and wanders out onto the patio along with Ollie.

"Yes, I think we both know what is probably in that bag, and no father of a daughter needs to see nor hear about it," James jokes quietly next to me as we both hastily turn around to face the fridge.

"Indeed. With that in mind, please grate me this entire block of parmesan," I tell James, handing him a large wedge of the hard Italian cheese and a hand grater.

"Gladly," he replies, grabbing a chopping board to do it on, "So...I hear you had an interesting visitor this morning, in Zurich?"

"Did Ella tell you?" I ask, surprised Ella would've mentioned our secret meeting, even to James.

"No, Austin. It was my idea for Augustus to come to you both," James says casually. I put down the garlic bulb I'd just chopped the ends off of.

"You're the 'family friend'?" I ask in surprise.

"Yes. We keep things fairy quiet, but we fence together. Serena and I attend his Winter Ball every Christmas and he’s come with us a few times to stay in Verbier. He enjoys not having to worry any time he injures me," James replies as he continues to grate the parmesan, "plus...we are both Kings. His state home is not quite on par with mine but it boasts far more antiques."

"Oh yeah, I do forget that little fact about you," I say, half in jest, because I often did. Particularly whenever my brother-in-law was dressed casually and happy to get his hands dirty in my kitchen for family meals, just like he was right now. The rest of the time you could convince me that it was a doppelgänger of his that strode around opening hospitals, knighting people and attending various charity events and hosting spectacular dinners.

"Umm," I say to him, until he glances up at me. I tap on my ear, my little sign for him to listen in on my thoughts. He nods subtly.

["...Have you ever met this natural-born son of his? What is he like? Do I need to be concerned for Ophelia? Ella has them sharing the same apartment!.."]

James arches a brow at me.

"I have met him twice, only recently. He is...quiet. Very socially awkward, but he sounds like he has a good heart and the way he spoke about going to Vale...he actually reminded me a little of Ella," James whispers.

"Really?" I ask out loud, finding that surprising.

"Yes. Will he and Ophelia get along? I am not sure. But I hear she has got two others to talk to at the very least?" James whispers back.

"I feel more protective of her than I did yesterday before she came of age. It's ridiculous. I have four other children, but I think of her far more often than the others," I admit, starting to put heaps of fine milled Italian flour onto the large worktop.

"You have to worry for her the most. She is your first and she is your heir. It is understandable. Particularly with what is happening in the Lycan community lately...of course you will worry. I would worry. I do worry about Ophelia with every news report. But, perhaps you can worry less knowing she will be living with him. Natural-borns are still very strong, and he is not a small guy," James says quietly.

"You're right. It's only getting worse by the week and her safety is of huge importance to me. Maybe I should be thankful?" I reply. He nods and looks down at the worktop.

"I still cannot believe you make your own pasta," he laughs.

"I still can't believe you fly it in from Italy, but each to their own," I joke back.

…

***Austin***

"Did you avoid your sister entirely yesterday?" I ask Joshua, as I lean over him as he lays on the bench press. It's almost seven o'clock in the morning and he's where all the other young Lycan males are; the gym. He sighs loudly and pushes the weight bar back up onto the holder, before sitting up to face me.

"Yes...and no," he says, his expression nonplussed.

"Oh, so generally speaking, the answer is yes?" I ask impassively, earning a typical teenage shrug in response.

Teenagers, Atlas scoffs.

"It's getting more awkward for us both, dad," he replies with a sigh. I utter a loud and echoing growl across the gym. On cue, everyone else in the room abruptly stops what they are doing and leaves. I sit down on the bench next to my son.

"You are the one making it awkward for her, Josh," I explain with a shake of my head, "it was her birthday, and you didn't even see her, let alone wish her well. You avoided dinner-"

"-Rose didn't go either!" he replies defensively.

"Childish rebuttal. Rose isn't my business. You are," I reply with a low growl, "how many times are we going to have this conversation?"

His expression changes rapidly, going from frustration and annoyance, finally to anger as he dares to growl back at me. He stands up and looks down at me, his eyes blazing a little.

"Until you realise how things should be around here!" he retorts angrily.

Oh no he didn't... Atlas sighs.

What is up with him? I reply, staring impassively at my son, who is evidently a bundle of surging testosterone right now. His expression softens a little, and I can tell; he knows he's gone too far.

"So. You think you're ready to be alpha?" I ask him quietly and evenly. He shrugs and looks back at me defiantly.

"I am an alpha. With a WOLF. Don’t get me wrong, dad, I love Ophelia. She's a great person, great sister...but she cannot lead a pack if she's human. She isn't even Fae, she's basically nothing-"

I immediately stand to my feet and tower over him, growling dangerously at his careless comment. He quails a little before I turn abruptly and stride over to the weights. I pick up several of the larger ones, carrying them all to the bench in one go.

"When I was your age, I was able to bench over my body weight and that was before your uncle trained me in my final year. How much are you right now, roughly around eighty kilos?" I ask.

"Seventy-nine," he replies bluntly. I proceed to add some of the circular weights to the ends of the pole before gesturing for him to get back onto the bench. He lays down on it and grabs hold of the bar, pushing hard until he can just manage to lift it. Evidently it is harder than he can manage, and he struggles to get the bar back to the starting position. I use one hand to easily take it away from him, putting it back on the holder. He lays there looking blankly up at me.

"Now. Is brute strength the key to being a good alpha?" I postulate as he then sits up on the bench in defeat. He says nothing and simply stares at the floor.

"It does not. It doesn't make a blind bit of difference, Josh. Even if you did lift that and did do a full rep just then, it wouldn't make any difference; because you already failed as a leader the very moment you quantified your elder sister's worth the way that you did."

I can tell my point stings him, and he nods his head.

"I am a blessed man. So blessed. I have five incredible, beautiful, loving and loyal children. I have my heir, I have a Lycan son and a Lycan daughter. Your mother has three children who can pass on her precious genetics..." I crouch down in front of him now, and look at him a little sadly, "you really disappointed me yesterday. For the first time. I don't want this 'issue' to become a contentious topic in this family nor in the wider pack. Your sister doesn't need it and I don't need to hear about it. But the key thing here is, Josh, if Ophelia one day does decide to waive her right to lead this pack and it does fall to you...YOU need to be better at seeing the value in people. Something for you to think about while you're pointlessly stretching and growing those muscles of yours, instead of growing what truly counts, which is inside here."

I prod him on the forehead with my finger at my final words, and then stand up once again.

"You're turning seventeen in January. You're old enough to govern yourself and make the right decisions. I hope that you will decide to apologise to your sister and make things right," I say with an edge of finality as I stride out of the gym.

...

***Ophelia***

Somebody has blocked the sunlight from getting to me as I lay out peacefully on the lawn.

"Hey, a girl needs her vitamin D," I joke dryly as I lean up slightly and shield my eyes to see who it is.

"You should be getting more than just vitamin D from the sun, my girl," mum says sadly before she gets down on the ground to join me.

"Not this girl, try Fern or Olive," I reply blankly. She says nothing in response, so I lay back down.

"It’s all finalised. You're going to be rooming with three humans in September," she says suddenly. I lean up again and look at her in surprise.

"No way, are you serious?" I ask, probably appearing a little happier than she'd like.

"Seriously. Your father is going to do video sessions with you in the evenings sometimes, but he knows this is what you want and need to focus on for the time being. Your academic interests are entirely my purview, and I would very much like you to succeed. Therefore, I need you happy, and I think you’ll be happiest in an apartment of humans," she says kindly.

"Thank you. I really appreciate this," I tell her, because I secretly hope that one day I can take over from her instead of dad; something I didn't need genetics for, only intelligence and the right experience.

"It was no hardship. I will do whatever I can to make sure you have the best time there," she replies.

"Can you...see anything?" I ask her, taking her hand into mine and looking at her a little too imploringly. She bites her lip for a moment and her eyes dart around quickly before me. She only looked at our auras if we asked her too, after discussions a number of years ago about our privacy.

"Only what I've seen countless other times, Lia," she says with a sad sigh.

"The hallmarks of being Fae...that appear to be entirely dormant. Until such time as something awakens them," I add with my own sigh.

"Ordinarily...it's love, Ophelia. But apparently, not even the love of your family is enough, even though it is for Olive and Fern. I try my hardest to consider your position, always, and I know you don't have a lot of love for yourself. But...how could you? Your own biology appears to be against you and that is a really hard hurdle to overcome. One only you can," mum says, her bright blue eyes wet with some tears.

"Some people just jump hurdles. Do you have any idea what it feels like to be dad's successor? Your daughter? But to actually share none of either of your defining characteristics? I am an aberration."

"I can see and feel how much it hurts you," she admits, "which is why we will always do whatever we can to make you happy. You, and your brother and sisters."

"I know, but...they don't have to worry," I say sadly, drawing my legs into a cross-legged position, "because I've decided. I intend to waive my right to be heir to this pack. Next year, the minute I have turned nineteen, if I am still unblended, I am out. I refuse to waste any more of dad's time, and then Joshua can have his shot alongside Sage. We can then all see which one of them nature deems better for the job, when the time comes."

Mum breathes in sharply at my words, and I can tell she is upset by them, but mostly because of how I know dad will feel about it. Thankfully, she says nothing for a time. She just sits there with me as the warm breeze blows across the garden.

"You know... Amoya is back this afternoon from visiting her family in Jamaica. Did you want to have a chat with her?" mum offers.

"No thank you. I think I'm just going to go for a drive. Get a milkshake. Go down the beach. Human stuff," I shrug.

...

***Ella***

"She plans to waive, Aus," I say quietly as we lay there in the darkness of night in our bedroom.

"That explains your sad mood all day. But...I knew. She hasn't told me but I just...knew. Ironically, it's the right thing to do. The right course of action that a true leader would take. She doesn't crave the power and accolades which being this pack's alpha would bring her. She doesn’t crave what I have, but that is why she is perfect," Austin replies, his voice heavy.

"I know parenting is never easy, and perhaps we were just lucky in the beginning. But their emotions are so complicated. Coming back yesterday after missing everything for six months—Ophelia just seems so diminished. She's losing herself because of this, Aus, and I have no idea how to help her," I say sadly.

"I know. It breaks my heart. It broke my heart earlier to hear Josh say that she was 'nothing'," Austin reveals. I gasp and turn to him.

"Tell me our boy did not say that!"

"He did. He didn't mean it. Or at least, he knew exactly what he'd said straight after; his expression said as much," Austin sighs.

"Things were far more straightforward in the realm," I pout.

"Oh yeah, how did it go? I completely forgot to ask about that. I got so distracted with Ophelia and then by our meeting with Katz…" he says, looking lost for a moment.

"Sen and I got the solar panels set up, so they can store solar power. They now have active WiFi that works through our tree and a way to communicate. They also have a map of every tree I have added to the network and all I have found. I taught one of them, called Marin, how to work it all. She's going to cascade teach. With the time discrepancy, I'm not expecting to hear anything from them for some time. Maybe a couple of weeks. I just wish I'd found out more about Ophelia’s situation. All they could tell me, was that a hybrid like her has NEVER existed. She's new. In fact, there has never been a hybrid faerie before, let alone a Lycan one," I explain.

"Sounds typical for our family these days. Surely, they must've had some sort of insight into what's happening to her? Or lack thereof?" Austin asks.

"A little, but nothing concrete. Potentially it's a catch twenty-two," I state bluntly, explaining further when Austin looks confused for a moment, "as a human she's fully developed, she is a woman. She has a cycle and her body has developed and functions as it should, and she wasn't delayed at all. But, supernaturally speaking, something is stopping one aspect of herself from reaching that critical stage in her development. Either her lack of wolf is preventing her from reaching some unseen level of maturity for her Fae traits to develop, or her lack of emerging Fae characteristics is preventing her Lycan side from realising it's time to blend with her wolf. The fact the triplets have all reached their points...I just don't know. Something has gone wrong somewhere, Aus. I just don't know what," I say with exasperation.

"Fae power is linked to love," Austin mutters. I sigh at this too.

"She is really struggling to even like herself at the moment, Aus. I can't even imagine her opening herself up to someone with the way things are. But, I hope she will be able to focus on herself a lot more once she starts at Vale. Fully immersed in academia, where she is happiest. It's rubbish that the few friends she'd made at Exton have all moved away to be with chosen mates in other packs. She's lonely, and I worry that at some point she is going to break."

...

***Ophelia***

I step back from my father's telescope and adjust a few dials. Leo Major is proving hard to find, right now. I hear my door open and turn around briefly, seeing Joshua enter the room quietly.

"Josh, what can I do for you?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant, but I wish he would just leave me alone.

"Can we....talk?" he asks, sitting down on the edge of my bed. I look up from the telescope and out through the window at the grounds, for a moment.

I didn't want to talk.

"I told mum today that I intend to waive my position as dad's successor. In a years' time. Should nothing have changed," I tell him, not in the mood for a back and forth, when I know that this is what he really wants to discuss.

"Uh...are you serious? You'd do that?" he asks in surprise. I turn around and laugh shortly as I look back at him.

"Are you serious, asking me that?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips, "you've been gunning to be me for years, Josh. I may be wolfless, wingless...hell, I can't even do a f*****g card trick; but I am far from stupid," I tell him, sitting down next to him on the edge of my bed.

"But...yes, I would do that. Because, while I feel like I'm on the outside looking in, I love our pack, I love our family and I love our father very much. I do not wish to disappoint any of them further than I have already. Our father deserves a proper heir. One who isn't going to undo all the hard work he has put in. I can only hope that academically I can achieve enough to take up a prominent position at Gaia or even Vale if the institute does well."

Joshua still says nothing for a minute before taking hold of my hand.

"I never wished you a happy birthday, and for that I am sorry. I am sorry I have treated you the way that I have. That isn't how we were raised," he says truthfully.

"No, that isn't how we were raised. But I don't have my wolf, Josh, so I don't get the same feelings and urges about certain things that you do. I don't get them, but I am at least trying to perceive them and understand them. I know that being an alpha, you have the need to lead. I just…don’t feel that myself," I say a little bitterly.

"I haven't done much to try and think about how you're feeling in all this, I know. I need to do better," he says to my great surprise, "but it isn't personal, Lia..."

He had been doing so well.

I feel tears sting my eyes, because while it's felt pretty personal, I know it is all just an instinct for him. He is still my little brother, even if he is taller than I am, these days. For the longest time he was my best friend, until we just seemed to go in different directions.

"I know. It's for the same reason that I'd waive. We both want the best for the future of this pack and for the proud heritage from which we come from," I reply.

"I'm glad that you understand the way things ought to be," he says.

I roll my eyes at him.

"YES, I understand. But I don't think you really understand. You're only sixteen, Josh. Dad is only forty-five and he's the freaking golden alpha. Do you really think ANY of us are ever going to be in the position to be stronger than he is? Do you? He'd have to decide to step down because a natural power imbalance is never going to occur in this pack. That's how he became alpha, but he isn't going anywhere just yet, Josh. So why not just enjoy your formative years instead of trying to muscle your way in on something that isn't even going to happen for a good long while? It’s one year, so please back off from me and see what happens!" I exclaim with a derisive laugh.

"Heh. You must be on your period..." he mutters before he leaves the room in three strides. I ball my hands into fists at my sides and do my solid best to prevent myself yelling out some profanity in response to his childish comment.

Little brothers can be so annoying at times.

...

"No...no...NO!" I exclaim, backing away at breakfast the next morning as I enter the room to find Amoya sat casually at the dinner table next to my sister Olive.

Amoya sits up straighter as I enter, her gaze fixed on me.

"Rude," Olive mutters with a toss of her platinum blonde hair.

I scowl at her briefly and then look back at Amoya.

"I'm sorry...but...no," I say in a gentler voice, shaking my head.

"Bold of you to assume she's here for you, Lia," Olive laughs, an attitude to her tone. I turn to her and tut, trying to remember if I had an attitude problem at her age or not. Thankfully, Amoya intervenes.

"I am here for Ophelia, dear," she says kindly to Olive.

"Oh. I thought you were waiting for dad," she sniffs, sipping on her orange juice.

"Can you give me a few minutes? Please?" Amoya asks me. Amoya is a bit of a legend around here and was in the process of helping to hone the gift of a younger Seer who she was hoping would replace her when she retired in a year or two. As much as I want to avoid her, I need to respect her at the very least.

"Very well," I relent, nodding toward the patio. Amoya folds open one of the glass doors and she steps out. We walk in silence to a more secluded section of our beautiful garden, and we sit down on a bench together.

"I'm not sure why mum has asked you to do this, she knows that you can't tell me anything useful," I say to her. She chuckles lightly and smiles back at me.

"Correct, I cannot...in a grand way," she replies, taking my hand. She sits back and exhales lightly as her eyes roll back to their whites, leaving me sat there in silence. A minute goes by...and then two minutes....three...I check my watch on my other wrist...five...

...this is quite unusual.

"Amoya...are you...broken?" I ask her, wondering if I needed to alert somebody. But she suddenly takes a sharp breath as her eyes return to normal. She just stares out across the sea, her eyes wide and unblinking.

"You saw...something, then?" I ask tentatively. She frowns and nods, still staring forward.

"I perhaps ought to have suspected..." she mutters before she suddenly gets up.

"That's it? You check out for the longest time, and you can't tell me even a few words?" I exclaim. She looks at me sympathetically and wets her lips.

"It is easier for our eyes to see what is in the shadows when we aren't bathed in light," she says, looking at me with concern. I shake my head at her a little.

"That's an intriguing thing to say, because shadows only exist because of light, Amoya," I reply.

"Yes. But you see, Ophelia, that's exactly the problem," Amoya says before she hurries away back up towards the house, leaving me rather speechless and confused. I eventually go back to the house, finding the kitchen empty. I make myself a caramel macchiato and stand there pondering what Amoya had just said. Presently, my mother comes into the room and looks at me a little expectantly.

"I know you said no, but Amoya insisted," she says apologetically.

"I know," I reassure her, taking another mouthful.

"Did she say anything useful?" she asks.

"She said that it is 'easier for our eyes to see what is in the shadows when we aren't bathed in light', and then said it was 'exactly the problem' when I remarked on how shadows are a byproduct of light. She said she ought to have suspected...whatever she saw," I explain. Mother looks pensive for a moment and then looks a bit worried.

"Anything useful to you?" I ask myself, now. She frowns and opens her mouth briefly before clearly deciding not to say anything.

"Too early to say. However, for now, I have a reading list for you. If you want to get started on the books you'll need to read for the first term," she produces a sheet of paper from the stack of things she is carrying and hands it to me. I give it a read and look up at her oddly.

"Why does it say 'Vamps? Not yet written'?" I ask.

"Oh, yes I need to erase that. Well...I'm hoping to be the one to write it...should I ever manage to study one. Purely for academics, of course. But no one has ever come forward to help. I keep hoping but..."

"Maybe they don't get sick. If they did, they'd probably be more inclined to answer you," I point out. Mum nods and then she taps her nails anxiously for a moment.

"Do you remember being in the hospital?" she asks.

"That time when I was eight?" I ask. She nods.

"You got so sick, and we just couldn't figure out why. Still not entirely sure, now. Auras are very hard to read in children as they're all over the place," she says thoughtfully.

"I don't remember much. Because of the fever, I couldn't tell between what was real and what wasn't, of the things that I saw. I just remember feeling rubbish and then feeling much better, and I was eating hospital food. Not a great memory, that," I admit.

"It was a date I'll never forget. I was terrified. For the first time, I didn't have the answer and while I could deal with that as a doctor, being a mother..."

"Well, I'm healthy now. Broken in some ways...but generally healthy. I am really stoked about September, so I'll get cracking on this," I say brightly, waving the list at her.

"You aren't broken, Lia," she says with a sad sigh.

"I know there is nothing any of us can say to help you with this, but I just hope you know that you are loved and cherished whether you remain the way you are or you don't. Please don't lose yourself, because I'm worried that you are beginning to," she says, her last few words a little choked.

I realise now, just how worried about me she is, and I think that I probably need to reign in on the complaining. Because really...I was probably one of the luckiest eighteen-year-olds in the world and I often took that for granted.

"I don't want to worry you. Truthfully, I AM having a really hard time with this, but I know I need to accept it and move on. I just need some perspective and to foucs on the good things I have. I’ll be okay, mum. I'll adapt, and my birthday will just...fade into the background once again," I announce, draining the rest of my coffee.