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

Social Matters

***Ella***

The sound of my phone vibrating against my nightstand jolts me awake. I sit up as I fumble around for my phone, opening my eyes to see that I am being called by the local hospital.

Not again...

"Hello?" I answer tentatively, knowing this can only point to one thing.

"Ella, Hi, sorry, it's Tim," the man says on the other end, and I can hear the apology in his voice already.

It has just gone three o'clock in the morning, and I am being called by one of the local emergency department consultants.

"S'okay," I reply blearily, wishing I'd spent more time in the sun yesterday, because I am actually tired.

"Uh...we need you to come sign. I'm sorry," he apologises again.

"No no, it's fine, it's the law," I say with a slight yawn, referring to a law that had been passed around fifteen years ago. I was one of only a handle of doctors in the county who could sign the death certificate of a supernatural individual. This was mainly due to the fact some could and had, masked death through a variety of mystical means.

"Also...please bring your husband," Tim adds. I groan, because now that means this wasn't an accidental death. I look over at Austin, who is also awake, and I raise my eyebrows at him.

"Yeah. We will be there shortly," I tell him, and Austin immediately swings his naked form out of bed.

“What happened?" I then ask, putting the phone on loudspeaker and turning on my side lamp.

"Er...huge blood loss from the neck. We actually have the suspect here at the hospital in custody of the police,” Tim reveals. I exchange a look with Austin, as this hasn’t happened before. Usually the perpetrators have fleed the scene.

“Who?” I ask, wondering why this violent Lycan has had a strike of conscience others haven’t yet had.

“The heir to Meon Valley…I think that’s the pack’s name?” Tim replies, evidently unsure. My stomach drops as he says these words, and I see Austin’s expression become pained; because we know who this is.

“Thanks, Tim. We will be there in a few minutes,” I say sadly, ending the call. I drop onto the side of the bed and shake my head in disbelief, because I just didn’t understand what was happening in the world, lately. Something was just…off.

“Meon Valley…f**k sake,” Austin says, growling under his breath before uttering a loud and angry roar which echoes around the four walls of our bedroom. His eyes are blazing green, but this isn’t anger, this is sadness.

“Avery Wincombe…” I say quietly, barely believing it could be him, “Chases’ son.”

…

***Ares***

‘…help me!…’

An unknown voice pierces my subconscious, waking me suddenly.

Dreaming was not something I was used to, but it did happen from time to time when I was anxious. Today was the first day of classes, so there was bound to be some anxiety floating around inside of me. I had already prepared my satchel the night before, so I quickly dress and exit my bedroom.

The others are already awake and eating breakfast, and I quickly check my watch; I had slept in later than my alarm. Evidently I slept through it, which wasn’t like me at all.

Definitely anxious.

“Don’t look so nervous, it’s a going to be a great day!” Lia says to me, smiling warmly as she gestures towards a bowl and spoon that someone has already gotten out for me.

That was nice.

I relax, knowing that even if today doesn’t go well, I’ve now got what I could consider as friends, here where I live.

I prepare my cereal, listening to Madeleine and Ash.

“All I’m saying is, please just look forwards, not around, and just remember why you’re here. Focus on the goal, Mads,” Ash says pointedly, while Maddy smiles at him sweetly.

“Awww. Jealousy is not a good look for you, babe,” she coos, reaching over and touching his face in a way I have never seen before. He gently takes her wrist in his hand and draws her hand away from his face.

“Remember that you’ve got a date with Jason, now, so you don’t need to be trying it on with classmates. Or flatmates,” Ash says, his expression rather serious.

“A girl has to keep her options open,” she replies, her eyes drifting and finding mine while I bring a spoonful of cereal to my mouth, “so this girl has to keep her options firmly open, doesn't she, Ares?”

“Options are good?” I somewhat agree, as I didn’t understand her colloquialism in this context.

“I’m leaving in five minutes if you’d like to walk together,” Lia says from the other side of the breakfast bar, interrupting us.

“Yes please,” I tell her, smiling back at her. She returns it, and I feel myself relax once again. It was going to be fine.

I would have Lia there with me, after all.

…

***Ophelia***

“Sociology of…Lycans!” the Sociology teacher declares happily at the start of our first proper lecture, the display changing at the front of the room to show an old, artist's depiction of a Lycan. I sigh quietly, not too happy that the first species we are covering is one of my own. Ares sits forward in his seat, looking eager, his anxiety from earlier apparently having melted away.

“I would hope that everyone here knows by now, that Lycans are pack animals. Even in their human form they observe and strictly adhere to biologically driven ranks within their packs. Therefore, to have any basic understanding of the sociology of Lycans, we need to know exactly what the hierarchy of a pack looks like…”

I lean back in my seat, my brain disengaging for a while as I knew all about this, and probably better than most given I was an heir to a pack. I watch Ares for a while, finding his keen concentration quite interesting to watch. He was absolutely riveted by the subject matter, but he wasn’t taking any notes down at all.

“…and of course, there are female pack alphas out there. It doesn’t happen in every pack, but it does in the bigger and more powerful packs. A few of them are even hybrid-” the lecturer says, the words piquing my interest back down to the front. A young woman on the front row immediately sticks their hand up, and the lecturer nods at them.

“I heard that the vice chancellor’s daughter is an alpha and she is also hybrid. That she is also Fae as well. Is that true?” the young woman asks. The lecturer briefly glances up at where I am sat, and I feel myself shrink back into my seat.

“Yes, it is biologically possible, but we will not be discussing individuals in our lectures unless they have come to speak to us directly as a guest. Is that clear?” he says pointedly, and the young woman nods awkwardly.

“Now, these female alphas are a force to be reckoned with, both in battle…and in other areas,” the lecturer says, much to the hoots of some of our classmates. I sigh and lean back again, hoping my next lecture was more enjoyable.

…

***Austin***

Tom the security guard drags back the wrought iron gate from behind the door to what is essentially a jail, onsite at the Council headquarters in London.

“Never seen this place this full,” he mutters as I follow him down the white, soulless corridor, his various keys clinking against each other on his belt, “society is going to the dogs!”

I privately agree, but I don’t say a word; because I’m too anxious about seeing this particular person in custody. I just don’t want to believe it.

“You sure you want to go in alone?” Tom asks me. I give him a pointed look and he rolls his eyes at me.

“Yeah, yeah. Your golden ass fears no one. But they’re getting scattier. One might just get the upper hand one day, Aus,” he says, grabbing one of the keys and putting it into the lock.

“I trust this one,” I admit, earning a bizarre look from Tom as he unlocks the door and opens it into the room.

I step through, greeted by the sight of yet another soulless, white room. There is a small bed in the corner, a toilet just casually at the edge of the room, a table and a chair, and a TV. On the bed sits a dashing, well-built young man with bright blonde hair. His eyebrows rise a little in surprise as I step through, Tom pulling the door shut behind me. I grab the chair from the table and position it in the middle of the room, sitting down on it and looking impassively at Avery Wincombe, wondering what had gone wrong.

“It is…unusual in these circumstances, that the authorities are called by the assailant,” I begin calmly, “you didn’t run, you got help for the woman you attacked, and that will be considered.”

The young man’s lip begins to tremble and he shakes his head fervently.

“I don’t…” he says, swallowing hard, “I don’t understand what happened. I…I…I WOULDN’T DO THIS!”

His words echo around the barren room, and inside of me, because I know he wouldn’t.

“I know,” I agree quietly, looking down at the floor briefly, “but…you did, and I need to understand why. You are not the first, Avery, and you won’t be the last by a long shot, not with the way things are heading. I need to understand…”

Avery licks his lips and runs his hand through his sandy blonde hair, seemingly looking for the words.

“It was like…like I was possessed. I mean I saw her and I remembered her from last year's summit. Beautiful...just...everything about her...she's Beta. Her older brother is an heir to a pack not too far from here. Great warrior...and…I…dunno, it was like this insane urge that just took over me and I just needed her. We needed her to be ours. Next thing I knew, I’m covered in blood, and she’s collapsed on the ground, blood pouring from her neck. I’d bitten her. I’d tried to mark her, on the side of the bloody road! I....NONE of this makes sense…”

He stammers, bowing his head as he starts sobbing into his hands, sobs that stir a deeper worry inside of me when I think of Joshua.

“Thank you, Avery. I’m going to be calling your alpha shortly, and I’ll explain what happened,” I say quietly, standing up from the chair.

“Oh god…he’s going to be so angry…what’s going to happen to me?” Avery asks, his expression fraught. He was only nineteen.

“I am afraid, you’ll be taken to Tresco,” I inform him, citing where the closest Lycan prison is located, far off the coast of the UK. His face scrunches up at the mention of this, but he nods, tears splashing onto his lap.

“I understand,” he says, looking utterly remorseful about what he’d done. I am feeling worse and worse about this by the minute.

“Your father raised you better than this,” I can’t help but say, “...and that is why I know something else is going on.”

I felt it to my core; something just wasn’t right with the world lately, but I just didn’t know what.

“You know my father?” Avery asks, looking surprised.

“I held you as a baby, Avery,” I recall with a pang of sadness, “your father and I went to Exton together.”

I go toward the door and Avery calls out.

“Please…Mr Landry, tell me what happened to her,” he pleads. I shut my eyes, wishing he hadn’t asked me this. I turn around and look him dead in the eye.

“She died, Avery. I’m so sorry.”

The pained wail that escapes him is very hard to hear as I knock loudly on the door, Tom opening it for me quickly and shutting it behind me, drowning out most of his pained cries.

“Lord alive, what a mess. Shouldn’t have done it should ya?” Tom says pointedly toward the closed door.

“No he shouldn’t, but actually, Tom…this is the first time that I know for sure that what is happening lately, just isn’t normal.”

...

***Ares***

“That was so interesting, wasn’t it?” I exclaim happily as we exit the lecture hall into some light drizzle.

Lia immediately makes a face and pulls the hood of her hoody over my head; she wasn’t a fan of the rain.

“Er…yeah. Coffee?” she suggests, as we have a short free period now before two hours of biological principles.

“Definitely, and it’s definitely my turn to buy,” I tell her with a pointed look, as she had bought us the last three. As we enter the café, Lia offers to take my satchel and goes over to a table we had sat on a few times, now. I go up to the barista, preparing myself to order.

“Hi there, can I get a mocha and a caramel macchiato, please?” I ask, pulling my phone out of my pocket for payment. The barista narrows his eyes a little at me before he nods in Lia’s direction.

“You always come in with her, don’t you?” he asks, to which I nod, “her mum works here, so she gets whatever coffee and cake she wants for free. Guess that includes the guy she always comes in here with."

The barista winks at me, which is perplexing.

But as the barista turns around to make our drinks, I wonder how come Lia hadn’t mentioned that her mum worked here? It made sense, since she was a doctor. I turn to look at Lia, and just as I consider asking her about her mum, I remember that I don’t really want to answer questions about my father.

Perhaps she didn’t want it to be public knowledge?

I take the drinks and two slices of cake the barista has added, back to the table. Lia is looking at something on her phone and frowning a little.

“Is everything okay, Lia?” I ask, noting the sigh that escapes her as she puts her phone onto the table.

“Yeah, I just need to go to the medical centre in a bit,” she replies.

…

***Ophelia***

“You summoned me?” I say casually as I go through the doorway into the office my mother is currently occupying.

“Yes, just for a quick thing before I head back to my office,” she says briskly. She looks tired, which is highly unusual for a person who sometimes never slept for weeks at a time.

“I’ve not got much time before a two-hour class,” I say pointedly, sitting down on the edge of a seat.

“Umm...we’re putting up cameras around your building. Just so you know. A transparency, thing,” she says awkwardly.

“Cameras? Why?”

“For safety, Lia. Not just yours,” she informs me.

“This is related to what dad mentioned?” I ask curiously.

“Yep. Just a precautionary thing, nothing to worry about,” she says a little stiffly.

“Okay, well, I’ve got nothing to hide,” I joke, fiddling with a string on my hoody.

“First class go well?” she asks.

“Yeah…just…stuff I already know, being a pack heir and all. Lycan hierarchy. But, it gives me a little more brain room to think about the basketball team try-outs-“

“-No, Lia. You can’t,” she suddenly interjects.

“What? Why?” I ask, noting the regret across her face.

“University level team rules…Lia, you know this,” she says with a sigh. My heart sinks. I had forgotten; adult level sports teams couldn’t be mixed.

“Right…I can’t play with supes because people would know I was one, and as weak as I am, I still have some advantage over humans,” I recount with a groan.

“You’re also not a registered human, and it wouldn’t be safe for you to play with other supes, either,” mum points out. I run my hands through my hair and groan once again.

“Great. I’ll just have to play on my own then, or with my roommate.”

I get out of the chair and head towards the door.

“I’m so sorry, Lia. Truly,” she replies, and I head out the door without saying another word.

…

***Ella***

It was only lunchtime, but today had already felt like a full day, and that was largely due to being up since three. I wish I had spent more time in the sun, but some days were just busy.

“I’ll be back later, I have a meeting with who I hope will be a guest lecturer here in a few weeks time,” I tell Christina, before I leave the administration building, heading straight for the nearest portal tree and appearing in the centre of a little village within our pack territory.

I settle down on a comfortable armchair in the local cafe, by a table that was a way away from the others. It was owned by a pack member, and as such, I had use of it any time I wanted. They also happened to do the best scones for miles around.

It isn't too long after I sit down, that a figure approaches my table.

“This is a highly unusual place to conduct a meeting,” the man says, taking a seat opposite me. I look up from my tablet and smile at him.

He was the subject of much discussion amongst some of the younger scientists at Gaia, and I could understand why.

Atticus Katz is a highly attractive man, moreso than his younger counterpart, Amadeus—and infinitely more charming.

He has long, silky, thick wavy black hair, half of which he was well known to pin back at the back of his head with a thin and highly polished throwing dagger. His eyelashes that frame his startling blue eyes, were so dark and so thick, I often wondered if he wore eyeliner.

Maybe he did?

The man was so deeply masculine he could pull it off. He is wearing leather trousers and a crisp white shirt, unbuttoned to the middle, showing his hairy and well-muscled chest. He looked like a walking movie character. Nobody dressed like this, but on him, it just worked, somehow.

"But I'd have met you in a back alley somewhere in the armpit of London. I was very surprised to have a meeting request from you. Not something I'd pass up, though," he adds with a charming smirk.

“I prefer informal meetings, particularly after the day I've already had,” I reply. He smirks as he shifts his legs into a manly yet crossed position and he shuts his eyes for a moment as he breathes in. I had become used to this, so I indulge him for a moment. He utters a quiet, low and throaty type of moan.

“Still smelling as divinely unique as ever,” he says, his eyes opening, now bright red instead of their previous blue. I knew this to be one of two known signs of a vampire’s bloodlust.

“I would like you to come to Vale and lecture about your people,” I say bluntly, cutting to the chase. He smiles slightly and chuckles.

“Father has expected you to ask this,” he says quietly, just as the young cafe assistant comes to take our order.

“A vanilla latte and one of your fresh scones, please,” I say politely. The girl looks to Atticus and he looks up at her with his best smile.

“I already ate,” he says softly, maintaining eye contact with the poor girl while revealing a fang as he visibly runs his tongue under it.

“He will have a slice of your dark chocolate torte,” I say somewhat bluntly, “trust me, you'll love it.”

Atticus makes a light tsk’ing noise as he shakes his head slowly at me. The girl scurries away and he leans towards me across the table.

“Part of me wants a taste, in exchange,” he says, his eyes returning to their normal colour, “but father forbade it, even if you wanted to. Strictly...you are off limits.”

I lean back away from him and fold my arms.

“I didn't want to say it, but…your family owe me,” I say promptly.

“We ALL do, and that is why, Eliana, the answer was already going to be yes,” he says with a smirk. I am rather surprised by this response, but that makes things a lot easier for me.

“Brilliant. Can I pencil you in, in roughly a months’ time?” I ask, opening my calendar. He laughs again and makes an open gesture with his arms.

“A month…six…forty…whenever you’d like me,” he says, fluttering his long lashes at me.

“I’d like to record it. Stream it after,” I add, wondering if he’d be against this. He arches a brow and smiles at me.

“Is it a show that you want, eh? I’ll give you a show, my dear,” he says quietly before he leans forward, “if we do this…you need to agree to let me demonstrate two things.”

I can imagine what one of these things are, and I had to admit, I was very curious about it myself.

"Demonstrate what?" I ask.

"Our powerful gift of persuasion," Atticus says before a handsome smile spreads across his face, "and I am sure you can guess the other."

I scrunch my face up a little.

“You want to feed,” I state, rather than ask. His eyebrow only arches slightly in response.

“’To feed’ sounds so rudimentary. There is so much more to it than you have ever realised, Eliana. But...yes. I will bring a willing volunteer, and I will show you all, exactly just how beautiful the process truly is...”

…

***Austin***

The door opens before I can knock, something that I am used to. It is oddly reassuring, given the last conversation I had with Amoya.

"Austin, do come in," she says airily, out of her usual bright clothes for a change and in a simple cream t-shirt and grey joggers.

I follow her into the usual spot in her kitchen, where she has kindly prepared a coffee for me, and opened her biscuit tin.

"You have had quite a day," she states sadly, lowering herself into a chair opposite me.

"I have. All today has done is make me worry further about my own children, and for two entirely different reasons," I admit.

"What reasons would those be?" she enquires. I take a biscuit from the tin and pause with my hand near the coffee.

"I worry as that Joshua matures, he will become like the other alphas. Heir or not.There are a few female heirs scattered around the neighbouring counties, and he and Calix desire power," I sigh.

"Austin. Joshua is still young, still learning. But he has the best father figure-" Amoya begins.

"-I don't think any of that is enough, in all honesty. Particularly with what I've seen today. What is going on, Amoya? Something is definitely happening out there, something we cannot see, and I need to know my children aren't going to become part of the problem. What can you see?"

She purses her lips and leans back.

"Josh is doing what any young Lycan his age, does. He is going to test you, he is going to cause you some grief like any teenager does to their parents...but...it is getting harder and harder to See anything, in truth."

"What do you mean?" I ask, wondering if Amoya is well in herself.

"Shadow, Aus. Like a silent curtain it is being drawn downwards all around us. Beyond a few weeks time...I cannot See."

"Perhaps you ought to have told me that sooner than now?" I suggest, feeling a little irritated. She shakes her head.

"I was going to tell you, and now I have. When, made no difference," she says with a tilt of her head. I sigh loudly and drum my fingers on the tabletop.

"Ophelia?" I ask. She purses her lips again and loops up at the ceiling.

"I haven't Seen Ophelia since she left for Vale," she admits, "shadow has hidden her from me entirely, now."

"What?" I bark at her, panic going through me at her words, "and let me guess, you were going to tell me, so when didn't matter?"

I feel highly irritated with her, something I had felt before around her numerous times, but not telling me this about my heir...

"It NEVER has mattered, Austin," she says to my surprise, "because shadows have been on the edge, with her, alongside her everyday, for a large portion of her life."

"And you're telling me only now?" I exclaim. She calmly smiles at me.

"Eighteen years for us is a mere blink to those that govern us, Austin. She realised her mistake. It has been...a point, for discussion. She is masterful and She is brilliant. As soon as her decision was made, She knew what would be ahead. She has done what she can to try to fix things, but it is not as straightforward as flicking a switch. She has had to do something most peculiar..."

"You're talking about the mate bonds?" I ask, feeling as lost as I always do whenever I talk to Amoya.

"A species with great capacity for Love...She thought it would be straight forward. But She was wrong, Austin. Even They can get it wrong sometimes. The Lycan capacity for power is great too, but perhaps with balance..." she trails off.

Not this balance malarkey again, Atlas tuts.

"Ophelia," I state once more.

"Ophelia is where she was always meant to be; hidden entirely in shadow. But consider this, Austin, the shadows can be both a good and bad thing. She is hidden from me, but also from Him. The shadows can protect, conceal, quieten, darken...they are multifaceted."

"Him? Are you talking about...I mean we promised we wouldn't say anything about him, but-"

"Him. Above. Below. Like She," Amoya says before pursing her lips.

"She...He...the ones that govern us..." I mutter, piecing together the bits Amoya has given me, "there are other realms. We know this. Are there other governors, too?"

"As a governor, you could be challenged," Amoya says candidly before she pulls away from the table, resolutely picking up her mug to drink her tea.

So our Goddess is one of perhaps many? Atlas muses, I genuinely had no idea.

And MG f**ked up. She knows it. She's done something to try to fix it. Amoya has just likened me to a Governor, too. In my position, my leadership could be challenged. Is She being challenged? By Him...whoever he is? I muse back.

"What peculiar thing has She done?" I now ask Amoya. She just shakes her head a little at me, and I know to not bother with this line of inquiry again.

She hasn't really mentioned much about Ophelia, Atlas points out.

She can't see her. Which troubles me a hefty amount, I admit.

Hidden from Sight, but also from Him, Atlas remarks.

He doesn't sound like a good He, does he? I reply.

If you messed up with your leadership, you could expect someone to seek that opportunity. Messing up doesn't equal bad leadership. But a bad individual would see it as a window, rather than consider that a bad move doesn't necessarily mean you are not fit to lead.... Atlas says.

So, our Goddess made a wrong move and some other...God?...is using that as a way to challenge leadership...of what? Our world?

Perhaps. As usual we cannot truly tell, Atlas replies.

"Is Ophelia safe?" I ask Amoya, bluntly. Amoya puts down her tea and she looks at me with a furrowed brow.

"When I last Saw her, Aus. I wondered that myself. I saw something I did not expect, but...she walked Her path into the shadows, before she disappeared from my Sight entirely. She was always meant to be hidden. THIS was always her path. But, Ophelia is not alone, Austin. Nature will guide her. That is all I can say on the matter. For now, you have social matters you must attend to, Austin. Danger can be closer than you think."

I leave Amoya's cottage a short while later, the sun hanging lower in the sky as this dreadful day begins to draw to an end.

She actually told us a fair amount for a change, am I right? I say to Atlas.

She did indeed, except once again we have more questions than answers, he replies.

But is Ophelia safe?

Only time will tell.