Chapter: 38
*****

Leon tossed his phone halfway across the room and it nearly hit the walls had Hawk not caught it in time. He roared in frustration and dropped into his bed, eyes clouded with unshed tears. His heart constricted painfully in his chest as he curled into himself, his head hazy with memories from the past.

How old were they then?

Fifteen?

Sixteen?

It was the coming of age for Alphas all over the world. A ceremony held for Alphas to bring their successors into the Circle. It was held deep into the hearts of the Mountain of Sakia. The Circle was an ancient structure that only Alphas could enter, only Alphas could use the magic within. And when an Alpha successor is of age, they are brought into the Circle to receive their Alpha Markings. It was at this time Leon first met the Lycan. He was nervous, standing amongst unfamiliar faces, facing his chosen Stone Guardian. When they arrived, they each got a pull toward a particular Stone structure. He was facing his destiny and he was afraid. Leon remembered being so nervous and uncomfortable. He was probably overwhelmed with everything around him, and everything he needed to learn to take over the Pride. So many people stared at him, the pressure, the unknowns. All of those things seemed to bother him even more because he was used to being treated normally, but after this night, everything would change. Much would be expected of him, and much could go wrong. He wasn't ready for that. For any of it.

When the Seer approached him, the light radiating off his Stone began to flicker with his quivering consciousness. Irritated, the Seer blared down at him with a frown.

"Is the burden too heavy for you to bear?" He asked with a voice soft as silk yet penetrating, forcing Leon to bow his head, shame filling his mind. "Then remove yourself from here and return to your father. I am sure he will not hesitate to take another in your place." The Seer stated coldly, and Leon shuddered in both fear and embarrassment.

He was the only Alpha with a shaking mind.

He felt ashamed of himself.

How great his father's disappointment would be when he learns of this.

At that age, he preferred only two things; One, his own company, and two, Dare.

And because of that, he did not bother to look around the Circle at the other young Alphas to see how they were all doing. Consumed by his fear of the unknown, he did not notice when Rafa began to cause his own light to Flicker, nor did he notice when the other Alphas caused their lights to flicker as well, and it was only when he heard the Seer's impatient and angered tone did he look up to find chaos where once was tranquillity. No one Alpha's light was steady, and only when he turned to his right, and found Rafa smiling and nodding to him that he felt a wave of calmness wash over him.

"What is going on here?!" The Seer charged angrily and they stayed silent, looking down at their feet instead. The Stones held cracks of light in them, like lightning patterns traced into them. "No one will speak?" The Seer gave up and sent them all away.

The Ceremony was canceled that night and they were all sent back to their Quarters to await punishment, while the Seer stomped off in search of their Parents.

For one, Leon felt relieved since the situation has given him a second chance to prepare, and gather his strength for the job before him. He knew it was the Lycan beside him who saved the day and stopped him from messing up his future, but he had forgotten to say thank you after they were sent away, and now he was walking alone back to the dormitory.

"You Okay?" Leon jumped back when he felt a hand clasp around his shoulders. He turned sharply and found Conri smiling down at him. "I'm Conri, my Half is Rafa," He introduced and Leon bit his bottom lip, not sure what to say to the Alpha of Alphas. They may be of the same age yet the difference between them was clear as day. Rafa was born a leader, his guise and aura making him the most dangerous of them all. One look at him and even the strongest, and oldest would submit. He was a man made for power, a true Alpha of all Alphas. Not to mention, his charms. His charisma made others follow him without question or complaint. His beauty was breathtaking. Despite his youth, long black flowing hair, and colorful orbs. He stood straight, proud, aloof, arrogant... Birthed by Three Great Alphas and a Demigod, Leon didn't know if he envied him or admired him. At that age Leon was a tad shy and awkward, his demeanor and mannerisms making him difficult to read. The only one who had no problems understanding him was Dare. Well, so he thought until he met the Lycan that night.

The two stood in silence as Leon tried to formulate an answer that wouldn't offend the Alpha. Conri didn't seem to mind waiting patiently for him to speak. He was patient and kind, always willing to listen to Leon's problems and help him however he could. Leon was grateful for that. "My name is Leon," He finally offered and Conri nodded, dragging him away.

They got into a bit of mischief that night, they stayed awake late into the night learning about each other. When Conri brought up the topic of the Alpha Marking he felt uneasy, and the Lycan noticed how frightened he looked then sat up in bed, and jumped down, he dragged him out from his, pulling him out of the door and into the cold night air. They dropped into the grassy bed, stretching on the wetness of the grass, and stared up into the starry sky.

"You're scared aren't you?" Rafa asked him, his voice low.

"I don't know if I can handle this responsibility," He replied honestly.

"Well, I think that's a valid reason not to be excited about it," He shrugged. "But you can do it, trust me, it gets easier when you begin to accept it, you'll see."

"Thank you," Leon replied, but still looked apprehensive.

Rafa sat up and took the Lion's thumb, he bit softly into his thumb drawing blood and smiled when Leon hissed but didn't pull away. Rafa bit his bottom lip and allowed his blood to drip onto the wound he created on the Lion's thumb, and watched as his blood disappeared into the wound, and sealed it shut. "There, my strength will guard you tomorrow night and many nights after this..." He assured him with a smile, and Leon stared at him in complete shock at the true meaning of what he had done. He has heard stories of Lycan's fondness for picking a Soulmate, but he never imagined he would be made one. The action nearly reduced him to tears but he fought against it. "... If you need me, just pinch on that thumb and I will be there for you." He finished and Leon took a while before he found his voice to reply.

"T-Thank you," He stuttered shyly and Conri nodded and smiled, falling back into the field.

"Ahhhh, don't you just love the stars at night?" He asked with an exhale and Leon smiled, flopping down beside him.

"I do, it's always so calming to look at," He replied.

"Couldn't agree more," Conri said. "In River Bay, I have one place I go to see the stars this clearly,"

"River Bay?" Leon asked. "You're only sixteen and you're leading a Pack?" He couldn't suppress his excitement and fear.

"Alpha of Alphas," Conri shrugged and chuckled when he caught his bulging eyes and gaping mouth.

"Have you found your Mate?"

Frowning Conri shook his head. "No,"

"But, you're sixteen, I thought Lycan's found their Mates at sixteen?"

Conri sighed. "I'll be seventeen in a month and I have not found my Mate yet," He told him.

Leon's frown deepened. "I'm sure you will," He told him. "As Werelions, we do not find ours until later, maybe in our twenties or so," He added.

"You're a Pride, you can pick a Mate even if you don't find your Fated, and even after, you are allowed to Pair with many others," Conri said. "Are you going to wait until you find that one?" He asked.

"Yes, I will... But should I not, I think I have my eyes set on someone," He muttered the last bit.

"Oh yeah, who?"

"Dare,"

"Yes, the one who hates me," Conri said, shaking his head.

Leon chuckled. "Your father killed his father,"

"Isn't he older than you and me?" He asked, meeting the WereLion's gaze.

"Only by two years," Leon replied nonchalantly and Conri chuckled. "He is so cute and so small, it's like I'm older," He said with a smile. "And he wants to kill you," He added and Conri nodded.

"I know."

After the Marking Ceremony, it would take another four years before they ran into each other again during a hunting night, and that night Conri had told him he was going after a scent. Conri's life has never been the same after that night, and he never mentioned that night to him.

Because he had said he could not remember that night or what had happened. But, he finally remembered it and yet nothing made sense to Leon even after he told him what had happened on the night they reunited. It was the first night he found the Weretiger caught in a hunter's trap. He saved and Mated with him that night and left his Claim. His Betas woke him up the next morning and he woke up blank, without a glimpse of the night before.

As far as Leon is concerned, Conri's life has become a big pile of a mess ever since.

*********

"Pride?" Hawk sat beside him on the bed and tapped his shoulder slightly.

Leon looked up from the floor to meet his gaze and forced a smile. "Is something happening to the Alpha of Alphas?" He asked.

"Yes, a lot is going wrong and I feel so powerless against it all." He replied.

"Is Dare not working together with someone to bring down the Alpha?" Anton asked.

Sighing, Leon replied. "Yes, I've heard,"

"Do you know who?" Anton asked.

"No,"
"Have you asked?"
"He wouldn't tell me," Leon told him.

"You must find out who this mysterious person is, find out what he knows, it's the only way you can begin to help your Soulmate." Hawk urged.

Leon smiled at the thought. A Soulmate. He shook his head. The reckless Lycan, mixing his blood with his that night. He knew what bond he created and Leon would not forget just how much of a help he has been to his life and Leadership ever since. "You're right," He told his Lines.

"Did he accept you?" Anton asked, speaking of his confession to the Rogue.

"No, and he didn't Reject me either," He told them.

"What a tease," Hawk scoffed with a frown.

"Hey!" Leon warned, "Watch your mouth,"

"What?" He asked, with a raised brow. "A simple Yes or No couldn't have hurt him, you know." He pushed and Leon sighed.

"His heart is with Rafa, until he lets go, he will not accept me," Leon said sadly.

"Aren't you a little jealous of the Alpha of Alphas?" Hawk asked.

"You have asked me this a million times and a million times I have answered you... I am not. It is neither his fault nor his place to tell a Rogue whom he should give his heart to, and he does not want him that way,"

Hawk frowned. "He does not want him that way yet he embraced him,"

"He told me Dare provoked it," Leon defused.

"And you believed him?" Hawk asked. "Of course you did, he's made you his Soulmate and you let him!"

Grunting annoyingly, Anton yelled. "Enough, Hawk!" He snapped and Hawk glared at him. "You keep pushing this when you clearly know what a Soulmate means... in case you have forgotten let me refresh your memories. Neither Leon nor Rafa can lie to each other, they can not keep a secret from each other, they have been bonded to trust each other above any other and will die first before they can betray one another, which means, they know when the other tells the truth and when they fake a lie, so he had no reason to doubt his words." Anton smacked him across the head and Hawk groaned with a frown.

"I know, I just like to mess with him, it's almost always so bleak with him recently, a little argument could break the ice sometimes... jeez, doesn't anyone around here know how to take a joke anymore!" He grumbled going over to pour them a drink.

"Your sense of humor is the weirdest thing ever!" Anton said with a shake of his head. Turning to their Pride he asked. "What will you do now?"

"Go back to Deivl and find out who Dare works with. How much he knows, and how far he has gone with his plans." He replied, getting on his feet.

"Good idea," Hawk called from the bar. "Oh, and don't get him pregnant," He warned and Leon scoffed.

"I am not an animal," He said and Hawk gave him a raised brow.

"Umm, aren't we all..." He said with a shrug and Anton threw a boot at him.

"And he's not fully an Omega yet, maybe by his next Heat," Leon replied while changing into something decent.

"Yeah, Yeah..." Hawk called downing a glass.

"What if he succeeds?" Anton asked worriedly.

"In killing the Alpha?" Hawk asked and he nodded.

"It would take a lot for any to defeat the Alpha of Alphas," Leon replied pushing his feet into his boots. "The Witch has this much leverage only because she held something against him."

"What thing?" Hawk asked.

"I will tell you, when I have found out what, even he doesn't know it yet." He replied, turning toward the door.

"And Dare? Aren't you worried Rafa would kill him?"

"He would have done so that night rather than call me to come get him. If he truly wanted him dead, he would not have beaten him to a plop, he would have slit his throat or ripped his head clean from his shoulders, he is the Lycan after all, and killing an enemy is never a problem... He only needed to teach him a lesson, and I'm certain his lesson was well received." He replied with a smirk and shut the door behind him.

While Leon changed, he wondered what it was Dare had done, and would do to get his revenge on the Alpha. How much has he done already? And most importantly how he had managed to get the Alpha weak each time they fought. But, mostly what he would have to do to make him talk. He often shuts him out, and won't give away what he didn't intend to give away.

He will have to get through to him somehow.

For the sake of Rafa.