Chapter: 17
******

The day was warm and muggy as if the sky had been drenched in water. The heat from the asphalt pavement was enough to make one sweat profusely, even with sunglasses on. A group of children played in the playground with a swing set and monkey bars, but the adults were nowhere to be seen, probably hiding away under the shades. Are children immune to harsh weather? The air tasted thick and oppressive like it belonged inside a humid greenhouse rather than outside where the sun shimmered in the cloudless blue sky. Even the birds seemed lazy and reluctant to fly about their usual business. A cool wind blew through the streets and caused the leaves on the trees to rustle as if they were sighing. It wasn't much of an improvement over the hot weather. On his right, stood a busy Coffee shop, and inside the small coffee shop sat men and women, he could see them smiling, laughing, making and taking orders. But, outside the Coffee shop under an umbrella, sat two women at a table by the corner, sipping cups of black coffee and reading the latest issue of 'Witch Weekly.' They both wore glasses that looked a little too big for their faces and were dressed casually in leather jeans and plain white t-shirts. They didn't really appear to be witches at all. The first woman was a tall, willowy brunette with a wide face and light blue eyes, while the other woman was slightly shorter with red hair cut short and styled in a bob.

Despite their appearances, both women radiated an aura of power and authority only visible to the most gifted or powerful among the mortals. Until this day, there has not been any blessed with such power. The first woman's green aura was brighter than the brunette's blue, and her smile gave her an innocent appearance while the latter exuded strength and charisma. If they noticed anyone approaching them, they did not show it, but continued to sip their coffee, and read their magazines in silence, as if nothing could disturb their peaceful moment. But the young Fox approaching them drew much attention to himself with spiky blonde hair and bright green eyes. He wore a gray hoodie and cargo shorts. The hood of his shirt was pulled low so no one would recognize him but still stood out among the crowd of coffee lovers. As soon as he reached their table, he plopped down into a seat across from the brunette. She turned and gave him an exasperated look, but he simply shrugged. After a few moments, she sighed and flipped her magazine shut, and turned it over on the table. The Fox watched as the witch snapped her fingers causing the magazines to vanish and placed her hands atop the table.

"Well, what is it you wanted?" She asked. Her voice sounded bored as though she already knew what it was all about, and just wanted to get the job done so she could go back to enjoying the peace.

The Fox looked around for eavesdroppers but none were around, so he leaned over the table and whispered conspiratorially. "I have a deal you can not resist," He said slyly. The witch's brow twitched in confusion and slight interest. "A good one."

"What kind?" She asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

The Fox smirked. "It's about the whereabouts of your greatest enemy and one who holds great magic and if turned in would earn you a great fortune..." He paused. "...in exchange for something that I so desperately need." He finished in an almost pleading tone.

The witch pondered for a moment before speaking again. "Alright. I'll bite."

Fox leaned back in his chair, satisfied with her response and feeling a wave of excitement wash over him. "I want to get pregnant with Conri's son," He stated bluntly.

The witches' reaction was immediate. Their expressions became shocked, then horrified as they processed what he said. Both witches stared at the Fox for a few seconds. Then they started laughing. It was a loud and obnoxious laughter that echoed off the walls and sent chills up people's spines. The none mortals around ignored their laughter but the mortals turned to give them glances and then immediately returned their gaze to their business as if not wanting to be caught. It took a minute before the laughter stopped and they wiped tears of mirth from their eyes. The brunette spoke. "Conri you say?" She repeated, grinning widely. Fox nodded. The witch continued. "The Lycanthrope. The Alpha Of Alphas, that Conri?" Fox nodded again. The brunette snickered and then chuckled. "You are serious aren't you?" She asked. Fox nodded. "Why?" The brunette asked.

"I am in love with him and I have been ever since that night..." His voice trailed off and he smiled dreamily as if remembering something wonderful.

*******

Years ago, he was just a young Fox, barely eighteen years old stumbling down the rough bushy borders of River Bay, lost and alone. He was the last of his kind, he didn't know his parents and just like all Fox before him, they couldn't tell for sure when they birthed him or by whom. The older Fox lady who raised him claimed she had found him on the day she went flower picking. It was one of her favorite past-times and Willow Will was enriched with flowers of many kinds. A flower bud unfurled for the first time and there he was, the newborn Fox crawled into a ball amidst white petals and waited for something to change but as he waited, the flower wilted and died yet the baby Fox stayed sleeping, and without food, or shelter until the Old lady found him and brought him home. She raised him well. She had thought she was the last of their kind until she found him and she told him this and made him understand that unless he is to have a child of his own, he will fade and return to Calm Ethereal but this isn't why he wanted the Lycan's son. Far from it.

He woke up one evening and didn't find the Old lady, but he did catch her paw prints in the snow and he traced them to the icy river and followed them downstream to an Oak tree where the Old Lady's clothes rested beneath the shade but she was gone. She had faded. Gone back to Uppetora to find her ever-lasting peace in the Calm Ethereal. And He was alone. This realization drove him into a sprint and he ran until he felt faint. He could not return to the little home he shared with the Old Lady now that she was gone. He didn't want to be alone and so he ran and ran. The forest was vast and cold and as he got deeper and deeper into the woods, the shadows of the trees lengthened until they filled the whole space around him. The moon rose above and cast eerie shadows on the trees below, making everything seem darker and more sinister. He stumbled across another tree stump that led him onto a small cliffside overlooking the river. He stared out at the sparkling silver waters and thought for the longest time. He knew he was far from home, probably lost.

And now that he was alone and without food or money he didn't think he would survive a single night here, even with the protection of the forest surrounding him. He could freeze to death by morning. Yet, he was curious and determined, and despite the odds, he went over the edge and fell, plunging underwater. When he resurfaced, he looked for the shore and when he saw it he swam as fast as he could to the bank and waded out into the freezing river. Once there, he pulled himself out of the frigid water and lay there gasping, his body shaking violently as his lungs began to burn with cold. He shivered uncontrollably and his teeth chattered together loudly as he struggled to breathe. After some time passed, he managed to stand upright, and slowly began walking along the riverbank toward the woods where he hoped to find shelter.

In the middle of the night, he heard the howling of wolves nearby. Without thinking, he followed the howling calls. They led him to a clearing and he soon spotted a part, leading into the Town he later learned was called River Bay but he didn't go into the Town even when he spotted the part, and the Betas patrolling the grounds, rather his ears caught another distant sound and he turned and followed it, shifting into a Werewolf, he followed the sound to where it came from. It was a large open meadow surrounded by towering trees and dense underbrush. In the center stood a stone cottage and just outside the door a playfully Coyote ran about freely. Kael's mouth watered and his stomach grumbled loudly, he wanted a bite into that bucky meat and with his tricks, he lured the Coyote to himself and when it came, he wasted no time in biting into its shoulder, sucking the animal dry of its blood, and ripping into its flesh and devouring it. Kael was having the time of his life, enjoying his delicious meal, and hadn't noticed the witch emerging from the cottage's door, her eyes nearly falling off their sockets when they landed on the Werewolf feasting on her precious dog.

She threw a bolt of red light at him and as it was about to hit him, another bigger Wolf jumped in the way, his giant frame shielding the Fox causing the witches spell to strike into the Wolf, but the Fox never forget those eyes which bore into his that night, nor the strength in those paws which held and carried him away to safety, back to the parts he should have taken in the first place and as he sat on the part, he watched the Big Wolf stumbling, and shaking his head as if trying to clear sudden clouds covering his eyes and when the Wolf couldn't bear the pain from the witch's strike anymore, he growled and ran back into the Woods, leaving the Fox in safety until the Betas patrolling the grounds found him and brought him into the Walls of River Bay, taking him as one of their kind and he had lived with them ever since.

******

"So, you fell in love with him that night?" The brunette asked and Kael nodded. "Why would you be in love with one who has a Destined Mate, he can not be yours, no matter how hard you try!"

Kael flinched slightly at her words, knowing full well that she was right. He shook his head. "I don't care. I just want him. At least let me be the first to have his child." His answer seemed to surprise the witch. Her mouth gaped a bit open like she couldn't believe her ears, and then after a moment, she recovered herself and her voice returned.

"Well...okay then," She said with a smile. "You're a great shapeshifter, you can carry a child, and you are also intelligent but as smart as you are and have managed to stay hidden in River Bay, living as a Werewolf when you're in a fact a Fox, I must warn that should you get pregnant do not live under the same roof as the Alpha's Omega because only he can uncover your true form and you will be exposed and your son taken away from you and don't forget, crossing the Lycan is more like sighing a death sentence." She said calmly.

"I understand," He said sadly.

"Good," She replied, and then she smiled.

"But, everyone in River Bay is aware that the Lycan shot and killed his Omega. Why then do I need to worry about a dead Omega?"

"Because he's not truly dead. Take my word for it." She told him.

"I had no idea," He muttered under his breath.

"Not many will come to know this truth, even as Witches and how much we love to pry into the future have not seen it all but the warning still stands, whatever your intentions are, stay away from his Omega."

Nodding, he muttered once again. "Yes,"

"I will give you a potion, drink it and do all you must to bed with the Lycan immediately after consumption, it would be more effective if he happen to be in his Rut Period, he would in no doubt knot in you and you are sure to conceive in less than a week."

"Thank you," The Fox whispered.

"Now, about this deal, let us hear it." The other witch demanded as she pointed a finger at Kael.

"I know of a certain Scarred witch, living under the protection of the Tiger Clan as the Lady of the Clan," Kael disclosed with pride.

"That is impossible!" The Witch exclaimed, astonished. "You must be mistaken."

"I'm afraid that it is true," He smirked confidently.

The two witches were shocked. Their faces contorted into looks of disbelief and disgust. "You wouldn't dare bring lies to us little Fox now would you?" The Witch sneered.

"I wish," Kael muttered. "But I assure you I am telling you the truth. You have my word,"

"Then show us proof," The Witch said, her tone indicating that she wasn't going to accept anything he said.

With a deep breath, he stood up and looked around them. "Can you put up a force shield, I wouldn't want anyone seeing me transform," He implored and the Witches nodded and drew a force shield now while they can see those around them no one can see them. Kael transformed into the Scarred witch and they gasped, hands palming into their mouths and eyes widened with shock.

"How? Where?" The Witch stammered.

Kael transformed back and took his seat, the force shield melted away and he met the Witch's eyes. "Believe me now?" He asked. "I would have shown you a picture of her but in this world and age, even pictures can be photoshopped but I transformed into her because I have seen her and you know I can only shift into Forms I have come across." He finished.

"What is her name?" The Witch asked curiously.

"Mariana," Kael answered.

"No way..." The first witch exclaimed. " We know of one Scarred witch who was meant to have died. The Executional lied, he fooled all of us, and told the Coven that he had killed her and her parents but instead he spared her life, killing only her parents," She said angrily. "How long does he think this secret would last? She's a Scarred Witch, chaos and doom follow wherever she is and now, that doom hovers over all of us after all these years... she is coming to take back what we took from her." Her expression changed suddenly. "And you are right, finding her and delivering her to the Council would earn us great fortune."

"Should we bring this news immediately to the Council?" The second asked but the first shook her head.

"We must capture her first then deliver her,"

"Sounds dangerous for just the two of us. She's grown now and so are her Powers, I'm sure." The second argued.

"You think we can not take her by ourselves, Merit?"

"I do not think, Bell, I know..." She told her. "I can bet my witch's Will that even the Council would not want her returned to the Coven, didn't we read in school that A Scarred Witch can wipe out her entire Coven? And if this is true, then it will take more than you and I to bring her in more so to kill her, there is a reason why they are killed at birth because then they can not exercise their powers."

"You are very right, Merit, we are powerful but not so much to contend with a Scarred Witch."

"What if I tell you, that there is a way we can subdue her, strip her of her Powers long enough to not only deliver her to your Council but to also kill her?" Kael offered.

"There's always a catch with these offers, isn't there," Bell said with a sigh and Kael nodded. "Tell us what you are proposing."

"A collaboration between you and my Master Dare of Deivl," Kael revealed.

"He is a Rogue and a Traitor," Bell stated plainly.

"And my Master, I owe him a life-long worth of Loyalty," Kael added.

"Since when?"

"The day he spared my Old Fox Lady's life and thus saved my life. I swore an Oath of Loyalty and I must serve a full term until I live no more," Kael declared.

"We will find Dare when we have concluded but until then, tell me sly Fox, was it Dare who is in contact with the Scarred witch or you?"

"It is Dare,"

"So he is friends with her?" Merit asked and Kael nodded.

"I would say."

"Ah, the true form of a Traitor..." Merit Scoffed. "Why did he see the need to eliminate his Partner in crime?"

"He simply doesn't trust her as much as she does him."

"And you, who do you trust?" Bell asked.

"I would say Dare since he needs me more than I need him."

"Isn't it foolish to trust a Rogue... More so one who is making you sell out a partner he works with?" Bell asked.

"When you have a lot of Enemies you begin to grow suspicious of the ones you consider friends." With that said Kael rose to his feet and smiled down at the women, with a little bow, he stretched forth his hand and Bell placed the potion into his palm, then he nodded and walked away.

********

This was three days ago and as fate would have it, the Lycan went into his Rut Period and with Kael who is often found lingering within and around the Manor, he saw the Lycan's chaos and immediately took his potions before approaching the Lycan and just as the Witches had assured him, the Lycan did knot inside him and now as he proceeded down to his own abode he could only hope but with no doubt knew he already could be with the Lycan's child. Just a few more days and he will know for certain and take precautions to be very discreet. Carrying an unborn could cause a shift in his magic. No matter how many Forms he shifts into he remains a Fox and Foxes carry their unborn for three months before transferring the Eggs into flower buds until they are matured and the buds unfurled would their young be born and the total month of birth is five months. His case wouldn't be any different. He must find the perfect disguise, the perfect shape to shift into, and to be able to convince the Lycan and all the Pack he truly is with his child and when that is done he will go into hiding until he has had his child then he will return to River Bay with the Alpha's son to lay his calm.

Now, this shouldn't be a problem for a sly eight-tailed Fox.