Chapter: 30
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The Pack of Deivl was busy with Rogues going about their daily business. Little pups are guarded back from schools by their parents or older siblings. The streets of Deivl were still teeming with the hustle and bustle of people getting ready for dinner and heading home from work. It was a pleasant evening, so far, and every Werewolf he walked passed had a smile on their face. The air surrounds him in crispy warmth, a gentle breeze blowing. He takes great enjoyment in the fresh smell of nature that is present around his Pack. Although his Pack is yet to recover from the Lycan's attack and the many males and female warriors they lost to his attack, they seem to be moving on fine. They have settled down into a relatively easy lifestyle which he was pleased with, but couldn't help to worry knowing that his vengeance has not been taken upon that Lycan.

Still, despite being satisfied with their current life, it seemed like this peaceful existence would not last forever as he knew the Rogues will eventually get restless and threatening should his conditions get out of hand. Leon had made mention of his turning too quickly. His Pheromones as at his last Heat cycle were that of an Omega's, and his next could be much worse. He was greatly troubled but for now, he can enjoy the peace. After all, even the most peaceful place does need an occasional fight, and he can handle that part easily. The only scary situation is his predicament. There is no way he could handle that, and he is self-aware to tell anyone about it.

He doesn't trust a lot of people which shortened the list of Weres to confide in, and in the end, it was Leon alone he trusted enough for such delicate matters. His Pack needed stability after everything that happened. And should he become an Omega Rogue then he must need a stronger Rogue on his side to lead the Pack. Rogues are wild beasts who would fall out of line if not strongly kept under control by a strong leader. He trusts no one else besides Leon, and of course, the Lycan who tossed him into this haze to be that Leader for his Pack should the time for such arise. But, the Lycan would not agree to this, he is just as stubborn and as cunning as his father Leonardo.

How had he even fallen into his charms that night?

Why didn't he resist him?

And all along he knew the consequences. He knew this would happen but he still did it anyway.

Or would he say he didn't know?

He hated his uncle for many years for doing what he did to his father and yet somehow, he had allowed himself to be fooled by his cousin in the same manner his father was.

And now look at what has happened.

His father died at the hands of his brother and now he has been made an Omega by his cousin's embrace.

What retribution is there to seek for such great betrayal? What punishment is right enough?

With a heavy sigh, Dare looked up at the sky, seeing the full moon shining brightly. The stars twinkled softly, their light reflecting off of the water surrounding his Pack. In the distance, the river flowed quietly beside them. The trees swayed gently with the wind, branches creaking in harmony with each other. His mind wandered to his mother, how proud she would have been at how he had led and protected the Pack, and also how disappointed she would be that he had allowed himself to be swayed by the Lycan whose father caused his father's death.

How did it all come down to this?

Slowly the streets grew quiet as Rogues retreated to their homes for an evening with their families and loved ones. Only a few remaining wolves and their mates walked leisurely in the streets. Dare sighed again. His eyes fixed on his destination.

The little brown door was shut when he arrived on the front porch and he tapped on it gently and waited for an answer. With another slight tap and an elderly lady pulled the door apart and ushered him in. Dare stepped into the foyer and gave her a brief bow of respect before heading toward the bedroom. With another quick knock he waited until her weak voice returned then he pushed the door open and walked into the dimly lit room. A faint light from the window illuminated the room and he saw her lying curled up in bed, facing away from him with her back toward the door.

Her breathing was labored and the rise and fall of her chest were unsteady. She was shirtless, only wearing a little piece to protect her honor. She was wrapped in bandages, covering the lower half of her torso and her arm was in a sling. He felt guilty for interrupting her rest and slowly approached the bed, his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped in front of the bed, feeling uneasy, as he watched the rise and fall of her bare back, and she remained oblivious. He reached out and brushed some hair aside from her face, the strands slipping past his fingers easily. Her long dark hair glistened in the moonlight, and her eyes closed. As soon as his hand touched her soft skin, he retracted it immediately as if he had been burned, his palm sweaty. She shifted slightly in her sleep but she didn't wake. Dare let out a sigh and took a step back as she turned over on her side. Her arm fell to the side and she lay on her side wincing from the pain.

It has been several moons since the attack and she is yet to recover, although he knew she would have died if it hadn't been for her great resistance and Scarred strength. The witches that attacked her, she had mentioned they disappeared, but if she was in this bad a state then he knew in no doubt that if they were to be alive then they would be in a much worse state. "Mariana?" He spoke in soft tones. No response. He took another step forward, and she moaned softly as pain spread across her side. "Are you alright? How do you feel?" His concern was obvious in his tone. He reached out with both hands and placed them gingerly on her shoulder. Her body tensed and she turned to face him. He took a sharp breath. Even without the glow of moonlight, he could see that she was pale and thin, her normally plump cheeks hollow and lips red and swollen.

Her once lively hazel eyes were dull and lifeless like glass as they stared back at him blankly. His heart dropped, and his throat tightened. He drew back instinctively and she groaned. Her face was tear-stained, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears, a pained expression contorted her features. "How do you feel today?" He asked once more as he tried to ignore his sudden urge to hold her close in a hug. Again she blinked but made no motion to acknowledge his words. He bit his lower lip and continued hesitantly. "Do you think you can sit up? You can talk later if you need to." She didn't respond. Dare sighed. He reached for her shoulders again this time placing two of his hands firmly on her upper arms. She flinched slightly but otherwise showed no reaction.

He lifted her carefully and sat her upright against the headboard. She leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. Dare stood up and went to the dresser where he grabbed a small bottle of water and a glass. He filled the glass and brought it to her lips. She gulped it eagerly, her thirst obvious. As she lowered the glass from her lips, she took a deep breath of the cool crisp night air. Once she drank her fill, he took the glass away and set it aside. "I am sorry I disturbed you." He whispered as he bent down and hugged her lightly. She was stiff but she finally relaxed into his touch.

"You don't have to apologize," She said softly as she hugged him back tightly.

Dare released his hold around her waist and backed away, taking a seat on the edge of her bed, crossing one leg over the other. "Is it still painful?" She shook her head and smiled reassuringly. Dare relax a bit.

She reached out her hand for the glass and drank the remainder of the water slowly, the liquid running down her chin. She wiped it with the back of her hand, the coldness of the liquid seeping through the bandage. She sighed and Dare watched as she laid back against the pillows. "Thank you," She whispered as she gazed at him with gratefulness, relief washing over her face. Dare nodded. He noticed she had her eyes closed and he wondered what she was thinking.

"I still would have preferred it if you had agreed to be in the Pack's hospital instead," He muttered.

"No, nothing I won't be able to heal from except death that is. But, I am not dead yet. You keep forgetting that I lived in the forest for many years. I was a child when I was cast out and I didn't meet another Soul until I became a woman, I suffered many afflictions then and I conquered them all alone, this I can heal from as well, I just need a little time." She replied calmly. Dare raised an eyebrow and glanced at the bandages that covered her entire arm from just above the elbow to her wrist and the other shoulder.

"How are your injuries faring?" He questioned.

She smiled at him sadly and shook her head. "They are healing," She assured. Dare frowned. Her face suddenly softened. "Don't worry, Dare. They will mend, just as they always do," Dare sighed heavily, knowing she was right. "Do you think he still remembers me as his mother?"

"I have heard that there isn't very much he remembers," Dare started tentatively. "But, I am certain when he begins to remember, he will surely remember you. You're his mother, he loves you."

"He is all I have left in this world, Dare. I can not let him take my son away from me. They took Kade and now they want to take Caleb, I won't let that happen." She clenched her fists and held her breath.

"They are fated pair, Mariana, it is not very easy to break such a bond," Dare told her.

"You are wrong," Mariana said firmly. "If there is anyone who can do it, then that one is me."

"That may be true, but should your son truly be Marked then it could get worse for him should you try to rip them apart," Dare tried to reason with her. "If you do this, his life would be in mortal danger."

Her grip tightened even more. "He is a god and as such can, and will withstand any harm."

"He is also your son, Mariana. Ripping a Marked Bond could send him back to the Calms, and then you will truly be losing a son and a Choiced Mate."

"I would prefer he returns to the Calms than be with that Lycan, at least then I will willingly seek the embrace of death and join my Choiced and Son in the Calm Ethereal."

"You are not being very reasonable, Mariana. I fear for your future as well as his." Dare said, trying to placate her.

"And since when did you become an advocate for Conri? I thought you were on my side and that you hated him as much as I did?" She snapped at him.

"He took something from me, something I may never get back. Yes, I hate him. Yes, I want to see that he is dead but only him. I do not wish to inflict the pain of losing a Mate on your son. He has done nothing wrong, his only sin is being Fated to our common enemy, and even then he should not be punished for this sin. It is the Goddess who made this Pairing."

She scoffed and pulled back, rolling onto her side away from him. "What do you know about destiny? Do you really believe everything that happens is predetermined? Fate is a fool! It plays tricks upon us, it leads us into paths we cannot predict! Did you not see it? That a Scarred Witch who was cast out to live amongst wild beasts of the forest, abandoned and hated by her Coven, was blessed to birth a god! Did it not tell you how much of a fool Fate is?" Her voice raised and she turned over again to face him.

"You speak only with hate, Mariana. This hate has clouded all that you are, and yet you do not see it. That hatred does not come from ignorance or anger towards the Goddess or her whims but rather from your own selfish desires."

"Selfish?" She scoffed, she narrowed her eyes as she glared daggers straight at him. "Why you-" She started raising her fist which was wrapped around the bandage.

"Your magic is weak, Mariana, you can't even hurt a fly at this point, save your energy into recovering first and we can pick up the fight when you are fully healed."

"You mock me?"

"I tell you the truth."

"The truth? What do you know about the truth? I am a Scarred Witch. I pry into the future, I single-handedly ripped the veil of Fate and unrevealed what truth really is. I have seen your past from your future. I know what you have done and I know why you are after the Lycan. There is no truth in this world, Dare, only lies and misdirection!" She shouted, her rage overtaking her rationality and causing her to rise to her feet. "You do not understand the depth of the darkness I have been forced to walk through," She seethed. "How dare you judge my actions!" She challenged, falling back onto the bed out of weakness.

"I do not judge your deeds, I condemn them!" He snapped his gaze hard at her.

"A mother can decide who she wants for her children and I will decide for my son."

"It is not that simple!" Dare yelled. His voice echoed throughout her room, and the sound seemed to ring loudly, bringing a shuddering moan to her lips. "We are Werewolves, not witches. A split in a Marked Bond could kill both Mates. Of course, you would not understand this, but I should have you know that you are endangering your only son's life just so you can rip him from his Fated! What kind of a mother takes pleasure in such an act?"

"A Scarred Witch." She retorted venomously.

"And yet we wonder why they are killed in their infancy. Blinded by their hate and selfishness it does not matter to them who they hurt in the process," He spat in disgust.

"Enough!" Her words were sharp and harsh, cutting Dare off mid-sentence.

"For once in your life listen to me, Mariana. You are making rash decisions. You are risking everything!"

"What are you afraid of, Dare? What is it you truly fear?" She questioned, turning her eyes to stare into his as though to look behind his mask. He stared back at her, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing the fear that lay within his gaze.

"You said you have seen my past from my future, if this is true, then I am certain you know that which I fear. Why then do you ask?" Dare replied evenly, holding her gaze, his eyes challenging hers with an unwavering glare. "Maybe I am becoming like my father, or maybe my fate is aligned with his, but whatever the case may be, it will not erase the fact of what has happened and what is about to happen. But I can at least try to make the most of my present, to deal with the mistakes of the past. It's all I can do." Dare bit his lower lip and glanced at her warily, his gaze softening.

"You speak as if you love him too," Mariana said incredulously.

"I do." Dare admitted. "And it has become my weakness and damnation. Perhaps you are right, Fate is a fool." Mariana looked at him in disbelief, and Dare averted his gaze. He felt a sting of disappointment wash over him as she seemed to realize what he meant by that.

"And the Fox?" She asked, holding his gaze. "Was that the Lycan's son I saw in his arms that day?" She demanded once again but Dare knew he didn't need to reply to that, she already had her answers.

******

Once she had charged at the witches with her spell they sent it back with the Spear, it came crashing into her body and gave her what the humans would call a third-degree burn. The Witches weren't left unharmed but she did not see just how badly hurt they were as they quickly disappeared from her presence, leaving her to bleed out and die on that burning forest floor. She summoned her last strength and created a portal and it led her to the roads, and while she stumbled out of the forests and onto the roads, she noticed the Fox, holding in his arms, a newborn, smiling grandly at the youngling, and she quickly hid behind the trees, watching him disappear to his destination which happened to be hers as well. She knew right then that the child belonged to the Lycan.

******

"Here," He retrieved the bag he had arrived with and handed it over to her. "I combed the forest for it. The old house is in ruins but somehow it survived the flames," He turned toward the door and pulled it open, speaking from the doors he warned one last time. "Be careful what path you choose from here." He shut the door and exited the room, leaving Mariana in her solitude.

She ripped the bag open and pulled out her Mirror. Not a scratch or a smoke blurred the mirror's face, it was untouched and clear. Showing nothing except darkness and emptiness. She smiled at this before placing it carefully on her bedside table. She knew a lot would have gone wrong since she got injured and her magic weakened but no matter. Nothing that can not be fixed. She reached under her pillow and brought out her blade, then very carefully slit her thumb open and pressed the blood against the surface of the mirror.

The image of her son appeared and she saw how warm and comfortable he had become with the Lycan. She knew it. It was bad, she could tell that a lot has happened between them. Perhaps her son has been Marked. She began to chant her spells into the mirror, a dark cloud swirled around her son's head and she didn't stop until he had breathed in all the cloud. "You will have no need to worry about me or my son," She muttered softly and waved her hand across the mirror's surface and the image disappeared just when her son slumped into the bed he sat on.