Chapter: 25
******

The misty forest canopy blocked the afternoon sun, which was now at its lowest point, and cast an eerie light over the trees and the ground, which glittered like polished black obsidian. Shadows stretched long and sinuous as they snaked their way between trees, hiding behind rocks and bushes and even the barest hint of a fallen leaf. It took several minutes for the thick blanket to fade away, leaving a patchwork of color in its wake. The sky above the forest remained a clear azure with a few puffy white clouds floating slowly overhead, but beyond the treetops, the world had become a vast array of shades of grey, from deep cobalt blue to pale grey, to dull brown. This gave everything a strange, hazy sheen, making it appear all the more unreal and dreamlike. In the distance, the tops of small hills poked up through the fog, barely visible against the backdrop of the landscape.

It wasn't until the wind picked up that the leaves started dancing, swaying gracefully back and forth, almost as if they were trying to pull the trees themselves into a dance. A gust swept across the forest floor, carrying with it a faint scent that reminded him of home. The forest was alive with the sounds of nature. Birds sang from the treetops, squirrels raced across branches and dropped acorns down to others below, foxes barked and chased each other in the underbrush nearby, and insects buzzed around, searching for a mate or prey to satisfy their hunger. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. His senses were overwhelmed by the smells and the sounds and the sensations surrounding him. He let them wash over him and then breathed out, opening his eyes again. For a few seconds, he stood there, listening, watching the forest unfold around him. Then he turned to look at the house, which lay hidden in the depths of the forest. He couldn't see the building from where he stood, but he knew it was there just the same, despite how far away the house itself seemed. The sound of twigs snapping underfoot as he moved forward to his previous destination.

The day seemed perfect to welcome a youngling. He couldn't wait to see what his son would look like, he hoped he took most of the Lycan's features, that way it wouldn't be difficult to introduce father and son when the time is right. He smiled to himself as his mind wandered back to the afternoon he got the news he had so desperately waited to hear.

********

Two weeks after the Lycan Mated with him, Kael returned to the Pack's hospital for a check-up. Doctor Davenport was there. The pack doctor always looked like a tired old man with wrinkles on his face. He didn't say much. He was kind enough to look at him worriedly when he saw his pale face and asked him if he felt any nausea, dizziness, fever, fatigue, or anything else unusual.

"Your test results came out," He said, his tone concerned. "I don't know how you will welcome this news, Kael, but you are Carrying," He informed and a smile so wide split the Fox's lips. "Hmmm... I suppose you're taking it better than I thought you would," Davenport commented with a wry grin. "But..." He looked at Kael sympathetically. "It doesn't seem like the best thing to happen to anyone at this point. The Alpha as you know it already has his Mate, he can not take you in and may not accept your child," He shook his head sadly. "So it looks like we have no choice but to terminate it."

Kael fumed in anger and clenched his fist. "How dare you!" He shouted indignantly, turning his angry gaze on the elderly doctor. "My baby is going to be born!" He glared at the Beta with a venomous expression. "And you'll do nothing about it." He sneered.

Doctor Davenport sighed resignedly. "I have no idea what your plans are, but whatever they are, you must stop now before it is too late." He warned, but Kael was walking out of the hospital without saying another word.

"Wait!" Davenport called after him. "What are you going to do?" He ran to catch up with the younger Wolf but he did not turn around and kept on walking. "Don't walk off like that, you could hurt yourself!"

But Kael didn't listen to him. He was steaming inside as he walked to his car, parked in front of the Pack's Hospital. As soon as he opened the door and sat inside his car, he took out his cell phone and dialed someone's number. He waited impatiently until the person answered the phone.

"To what do I owe this sudden call?" Dare's uncaring voice came through the other end.

Kael gritted his teeth. "I ran into a little dilemma and I need to visit the Seer. I seem to have forgotten the way. Could you point me in the right direction, please?" He bit back the urge to shout, but he was close to losing his control. "Please," He added in a calmer manner.

There was silence for a moment. Kael assumed Dare was thinking. After what seemed like forever, Dare responded with a simple question. "Why?" Dare said, sounding curious instead of threatening. "Are you in some kind of trouble?" Dare continued. There was something ominous in his tone. "Because if you are..." Dare trailed off. "Then you need to leave River Bay as soon as possible," Dare said firmly. "No exceptions." He emphasized the last sentence.

Kael sighed. "I am pregnant."

Silence fell upon the line again, and this time Dare sounded thoughtful. "You got what you wanted, now it's time to come home."

Kael felt a knot tightening in his stomach. "I'm not going anywhere yet." He said defiantly. "Having his baby isn't all I wanted, you know this."

Dare snorted derisively. "Yeah? Like you can magically become his Mate and his Fated would vanish from the surface of the earth." He laughed, but Kael heard the underlying undertone of mockery in his voice. "You can't be his Mate, neither Conri nor Rafa would accept you not even as a Choiced Mate, stop with the fantasies and come back home, have your child, and raise him peacefully, at least you'll have a piece of the Lycan with you for the rest of your life, and the WereFox lineage lives on through him!" Dare said in exasperation.

Kael swallowed hard. He knew Dare wasn't lying. But still...

Dare went silent for a couple of seconds. "Just come home." Dare repeated in a softer tone. "Come home and we can talk this out reasonably," Dare suggested.

Kael nodded silently to himself, even though Dare couldn't see him. "Okay." He agreed quietly. "I'll be home but I must see the Seer first, know the fate of my unborn," Dare gave him the address and Kael thanked him.

Once the conversation ended, Kael put the phone aside and looked around uneasily. He pulled the collar of his shirt aside and touched his belly, tracing his finger along his unborn. He leaned his head back against the seat of his car, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Everything seemed different. The air smelled fresh and crisp, unlike the stale smell of the hospital. His whole body began to tingle with anticipation. He tried hard to suppress his excitement, but he couldn't help it. He was elated, happy, and scared all at once. He was afraid of what awaited him at the Seer's house, but he also felt a sense of relief knowing that he would finally get to learn his fate and that of his unborn.

He turned the key in the ignition. The engine sputtered a couple of times, coughed, and spat smoke out its exhaust. Kael cursed under his breath. He hadn't driven a car in ages. Even the smallest sports car he owned was a new one, made with special modifications to accommodate for Werewolf strength but of course, none in the Pack knew his true identity. He drove out of the Pack and was soon on the narrow lane which leads to the Seer's abode. He drove slowly, looking at everything he passed, and wondered why he had never seen such beautiful trees or the wildflowers that covered every inch of the ground. He tried to soak in the sights and sounds. Finally, he reached the familiar clearing of the Seer's cabin and parked his car. He sat there for a while, staring at the house.

It was smaller than the last time he'd seen it and less well-maintained. But the homely appearance did not diminish its beauty. It looked inviting and welcoming, just like the family who resided there. He couldn't contain his eagerness anymore and he jumped out of his car. He headed toward the house and stopped in front of the porch. He hesitated for a second. He could feel his heart beating loudly inside his chest, the blood pumping fast in his veins. He took a deep breath, straightened his spine, and lifted his chin defiantly. He raised his hand and knocked gently on the wooden door. A few seconds later he heard footsteps approaching. The wood squeaked lightly as the door opened. A youngling appeared before him. His hair was short, white, and neatly combed; his blue eyes were shining brightly behind his round glasses. "Hello?" He blinked several times, then stepped back to let Kael enter.

Kael gave him a warm smile. "Hello." He greeted the youngling. "I am Kael Foxley. I am here to see your father, is he in?" He asked politely.

The child smiled at him, showing him two rows of perfect white teeth. "Yes! He knows you have arrived and sent me to welcome you in. Please follow me!" He said cheerfully and led Kael toward the living room where a large brown couch stood. "Father!" He called out. Kael stood there, taking in the furniture around the living room. A large fireplace stood on one side of the room, and there were several paintings on the walls. An old coffee table lay in front of the couch; an antique-looking clock hung on the wall to its left. There were bookshelves placed next to each side of the fireplace. Kael watched the boy walk over to the first bookshelf on the right and pushed a book, causing the entire house to begin to creak ominously and begin to swirl around them. Kael gasped slightly. It felt as if they had been transported to the future. When the noise and swirling stopped, the living room they stood in wasn't the one he had first walked into, everything looked brand new and very modern.

The boy grinned excitedly. "This way," he told Kael happily. Kael followed after the young child and walked behind him as he led him to another room. "Here he is." The boy announced proudly and opened the doors widely revealing what appeared at first as a white empty canvas, but as soon as the boy shut the door, leaving him locked in the room alone, the empty walls began to sprout colors that dazzled his eyes. "Woah..." He muttered as he stared in amazement at the colorful walls. The light was suddenly much brighter.

A huge painting with a detailed picture of an ancient city appeared above his head and in the middle of the painting a group of people surrounded by a glowing circle. Kael gasped when he realized the picture depicted a wedding. It was also the only picture he understood, or that he thought he understood. Then as soon as he had seen that, the walls spun and another picture appeared, this time, it depicted a Werefox in the middle of three Lycan, the Werefox looked terrified and would not look into the eyes of the Lycan, almost in a submissive state. He had only finished looking at the confusing painting when the walls spun again and another painting appeared. This one had a Werewolf that looks like him in his Wolf's form, but this Wolf lay lifeless, and above his lifeless body stood Mariana.

Kael watched confusedly as one painting appeared only to disappear and leave another in its place. Many of which confused him and after what seemed like hours, the walls stilled and the room changed into a small cozy office space with a single table, and two chairs. Sitting on the first chair, is the Seer, with both hands clenched and his chin resting on his knuckles. His face was expressionless and he didn't acknowledge Kael's presence. Kael cleared his throat hesitantly. When the Seer didn't respond he decided to try to make a connection.

"Good day, Seer," He greeted, with a bow.

The Seer's head snapped up. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second in surprise before his features turned impassive once more. "Fox," He
acknowledged curtly.

"I apologize for intruding without notice," Kael said apologetically.

A faint grin curved on the Seer's lips. "Don't apologize, I saw you coming from a mile away, and I have shown you the answers to the questions that brought you here."

Kael cocked his head curiously. "You mean the paintings?"

The Seer nodded curtly. "They are all answers, yes," He replied.

Kael frowned worriedly. "But, I do not understand their meanings." He admitted cautiously.

The Seer snorted derisively. "They are not intended to teach us anything, only to give us a glimpse of the truth." He explained coldly.

Kael gulped nervously. "What truth?" He inquired hesitantly. "What is my fate and that of my unborn." He added carefully.

The Seer sighed tiredly and shook his head. "Your fate is already known, my child. You have also seen it all through the paintings." He said simply.

Kael's face paled visibly and his hand flew to his belly protectively. He looked frightened. "Why do I suddenly have this feeling that something bad would happen?" He asked in a low voice.

The Seer studied him carefully before answering. "Do not concern yourself with what will be, rather focus your energy on now, and what should be done," He paused thoughtfully. "However, since you are concerned about your child I will tell you something you should know. Lycans never reject their children, no matter in what circumstances they are born, rest assured that your son will have a healthy relationship with his father, and will be well taken care of, and loved, not only by him but by all who love the Lycan."

Kael listened to him intently, his face pale and drawn with worry. "And what about me?" He asked anxiously. "What kind of life will I have? What will become of me?"

The Seer rose from his chair and walked towards Kael until they were almost nose to nose. "I don't know, my child, that is something we will discover together," With those words, the Seer disappeared and Kael found himself sitting in his car once again.

Something about the way the Seer dismissed his question bothered him. Something he doesn't quite understand and he wasn't sure how to proceed with his plans. So, he drove home, packed his car in his house in River Bay, and left for the forest where he built a small shelter cabin, and lived while awaiting the birth of his son.

*********

Kael sighed loudly and shook his head clear of the memories from the past. His son was coming today and he was on his way to the tree where he left his unborn in. Getting to the tree, Kael stood there and watched its beauty, the tree seemed so alive. It had branches stretching out from its trunk that formed a bridge to the other trees. Some of the branches reached down, forming small bridges and platforms across the river. Kael gazed in wonder. The sight filled him with happiness. He couldn't wait to meet the child that would change his world forever. Underneath the tree in a beautiful yellow flower is a bud about to open. Kael stared at the bud in awe, he wanted to touch it but hesitated.

He hadn't dared to do that before since he knew that if he had touched the buds, the flowers would die and so would his baby. He watched patiently as the bud opened slowly, releasing its fragrance. He breathed deeply in the sweet fragrance. Closing his eyes for a brief moment and when he opened them again, he saw the little Fox unfurled himself in the bed of the flower, he was so small he could fit three of him in one palm, so fragile, Kael didn't know how to pick him up, so he reached a hand toward the flower and waited for his son to recognize him then climb into his hand. But instead, the fox yelped loudly and ran to hide beneath the petals of the flower.

Kael frowned in confusion. "My child, are you alright?" He asked gently. He bent down and looked under the flower, but he couldn't see him. Frowning slightly he stood up, looked back into the flower, and saw the little black fox staring at him fearfully, trembling. "My child," He spoke gently as he lowered himself to his knees. "Please come out of hiding, I'm your father." The fox stayed silent. "Come now, you should not hide from me." He reached his hand forward once again and this time his fingertip touched the petals. And the second his finger came in contact with the flower, a blue hue spread rapidly across his fingers, spreading across his palms, covering his fingers and hand. The flowers began to wither away and turn into ashes, but Kael remained unaffected, staring at the little bundle of fluff he held in his palms. He laughed lightly at the cute fox and scooped him into his arms. He lifted the fox higher and pressed a kiss against his furry head before placing him gently in his arms. Kael cradled his baby close to him, he felt like he was going to cry. Whatever fate awaited him vanished with the arrival of his son, and his heart became filled.

He rose to his feet and began the long walk out of the forest. There was no point living there anymore, he set his cabin aflame as he walked past it, and he heard his baby chirping in surprise which had him chuckling warmly. The walk was easy and relaxing, the wind welcomed his son and the birds chirped joyfully. "Let me bring you home to Deivl. I will raise you there till it's time to bring you home to your father." He muttered and smiled when the cute little ball of fur in his palm yearned and stretched then curled into a ball and fell asleep. "Come to think of it," He whispered and brought his hand higher to take a closer look at his son. "You look nothing like the Lycan," He murmured thoughtfully. In spite of his curiosity and his desire to hold his son, Kael continued to walk, his steps were light and leisurely. The sun shone brightly, warming his skin, and the breeze carried the scent of flowers. The little fox did resemble the Lycan, with dark hair that fell over his forehead and a mix of colors in his eyes, but otherwise, he looked just like him.

No matter.

"The Seer said you will be loved by your father and that is what matters." He reasoned with himself. "What name shall I call you?" He pondered aloud. "How about... 'Raphael', because you're a little Rafa. That will suit you perfectly," He said fondly with a smile playing on his lips. As if to emphasize his point, Raphael squirmed uncomfortably in Kael's arm and yawned quietly. "There, I see you like the name too," Kael commented and chuckled softly, watching his tiny claws flex, scratching absently against Kael's palm. Kael shook his head in amusement and walked out of the forest and into the Highway. He took his phone out and dialed Dare.

"Kael?" Dare sounded worried.

Kael smiled warmly. "I'm coming home, and I am bringing my son with me."

"I'm an uncle?!"

Kael laughed and ended the call. 'Yes, yes you are an uncle.' He muttered to himself and shook his head.

As the Fox made the turn to his destination a pair of angry gold eyes glared at him from behind trees.