Mika smoothed the fabric of his deep purple dashiki with trembling hands as Jonah placed a golden cloak over his shoulders. Mika exhaled as the weight of the heavily beaded cloak fell on his shoulders. Jonah moved before him to tie the strings of the cloak around his neck, blocking his view of himself in the mirror.

As Jonah's slender hands worked to knot the strings together he asked in his heavy accent, "Are you, nervous sir?"

Mika glanced down at Jonah from the short podium. He quickly finished tying the knot and moved out of the way. Mika saw himself for the first time fully dressed in the royal wear of Alpha. Though he wasn't sworn in just yet, that was a couple of hours away.

He stepped down from the podium onto a horrific burgundy and brown carpet. It matched the heavy dark brown drapes that covered the windows. He approached a wooden tiny table in the corner of the dressing room. The table matched stained wooden walls and ceiling. On it was an array of alcoholic beverages sent over by noblemen as gifts to find favour with the emerging Alpha. He needed something to calm his nerves.

He picked up the bottle he'd opened just this morning. The clear bottle of dark alcohol was almost halved at this point. He poured himself a tall glass and quaffed it down in a single swallow. It wasn't enough. He was about to pour himself another glass when there was a gentle knock on the door. Jonah, who busied himself with cleaning up looked at Mika for approval.

Mika nodded and Jonah timidly opened the door. Olafia strolled into the room.

Jonah greeted her politely with a bow. She curtsied daintily before turning her attention to Mika.

Her eyes traced his clean-cut hair down to the point of his alligator skin shoes "Well aren't you dapper."

Mika scoffed at her before pouring himself another glass of the alcoholic beverage.

"Is that any way to be treating your future wife?" she nagged.

Mika turned to her with a half smile, "I'm sorry, did you want a glass?"

"She crossed her arms and turned up her nose. "No. And you shouldn't be drinking on such a day."

"I'll do as I please. I am the future Alpha after all." He bowed before her in fake respect, mocking the title.

Now Olafia scoffed before taking a seat in one of the cushioned floral chairs. "A few weeks ago you didn't want the title, and now you use it to mock me,"

"I guess I'm just seeing the perks of it." Mika slouched into his chair across from Olafia.

"Sir the cloak!" Jonah exclaimed. He rushed over. He pulled Mika out of the seat. A strength you'd never assumed he had for such a skinny frame. He moved the cloak to the side, draping it over the arm of the chair to stop it from being crushed.

Mika chuckled. It was just a piece of cloth but Jonah obsessed over it, ensuring it was wrinkle-free and hung just right over his shoulders.

"Seems Jonah cares more about the title than you do," Olafia alluded.

" Well, he can have it if he wants."

"If only it wasn't passed down through a monarchy"

"We all can't get what we want Olafia." Mika swallowed the remainder of the glass's contents.

Olafia rolled her eyes.

Mika downed the contents of the glass before turning the bottle to his head. " Was there something you needed?"

"Have you become an alcoholic?"

Mika cheers the air with the bottle. " Call it a coping mechanism."

" I came to ensure you wouldn't run away again. You have a tendency to."

"Trust me. I'm not going anywhere. I have a lot of work to do here. Plus there's nothing left out there for me."

Olafia's fierce gaze faded and turned into a sudden softness. Like a mother who felt sorry for their child.

Her voice had a layer of tenderness. "Well, I guess that is good to hear."

"Even if I wanted to leave, you couldn't stop me." He didn't want her pity.

All evidence of tenderness faded from her features. "Well then, since that's sorted. I guess I'll see you at the ceremony."

"You sure will." Mika got up as well but staggered to one side. If it hadn't been for Jonah who moved quickly to catch him, he would've knocked the table of alcohol over.

He yanked his arm away from Jonah. "I'm fine." Olafia rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure you are." She got up and stood at the door. Jonah hurried to open the door allowing her to leave. He bowed repeatedly as he closed the door.

"Sir," Jonah tentatively approached Mika who was facing the mirror again. " Sir, maybe you should take a rest before the ceremony. Could I fix you a cup of cerasee?"

"Yes, thank you," Mika said, knowing that it would allow him some alone time. Jonah bowed and silently left the room closing the door behind him.

You could run away, he thought. Instinctively he went over to the window. It was no use, he was on the second floor. From there it was a straight drop down into the garden. But it was now dotted with Mesukan dignitaries all dressed in their fancy official garments. From the open window, he could hear their mumbles as they chatted and waited for the ceremony to start. He glanced at the old analogue clock on the far wall.

There wasn't much time left. Two more hours until his life changes. If he were to leave, he'd have to do it now. Before anyone noticed. But what could he do? And where would he go? Everything he had to live for was gone. He hadn't been able to even bury her or the baby. The police were still holding on to the body some 7 weeks later, though the case had already gone cold. Heat rose up his chest as he recalled how the police laughed in his face when he told them rebels had something to do with it.

They scorned him, stating that whatever rebel activity he was claiming happened didn't occur in that country. None of them cared to look into it. No detective, no officer, no one. This was his only hope. Take the throne, find the rebels, kill the rebels and then maybe he could find peace.

~~~~

The entire village lined the sides of the road to the church as the limousine approached St. Paul's Apostolic Church. How ironic that the same church that held his brother's funeral weeks ago was now holding his swearing-in ceremony. His father, thankfully, opted to drive in the car before him. As they approached the church, he scanned the crowd closely. The dapper young man carrying a baby and baby bag, the old man walking on crutches even the lady with the bible hooked under her armpit; any one of them could be one of the Mesans.

Anyone could pull a gun and shoot him as he got out of the vehicle. Make sure he never ascended to the throne. They'd be doing him a favour at that point. The limo came to a stop in the churchyard. A flowered path was laid for him to walk on to the entrance of the church. His father and other dignitaries were already inside.

As he stepped out of the limo, the crowd around him erupted with loud cheers. Cameras flashed and skilled men blew into the abeng to announce his arrival. No one made a move to shoot or tackle him, just rows of persons happy that he was becoming the Alpha. He was led up the flowered path to the opened double doors of the church. The flowers represented a bright and prosperous future that they wished him to have. Though he thought his life would be anything but.

The pews on either side of the church were filled with the village chiefs. And at the altar stood his father, like a groom waiting for his bride. The evening sun shone through the windows, causing the colours of the tall stained windows to wash over the congregation on the floor. All the chiefs stood as he stepped over the threshold. As if on cue his heart rate shot up and his palms began to sweat. He nodded as much as he could as he shuffled toward the altar. The heavy cloak trailed behind him like a bridal train. He could laugh at the absurdity if his teeth weren't so tightly gritted.

Finally, he got to the end of the altar and faced his father, who had barely spoken a word to him since he'd decided to accept the position. Mika couldn't read the expression exactly. He wasn't proud, upset, or disgraced. Tired maybe? Relieved? Whatever it was, he nodded his head toward the officiant to begin the ceremony.

Dean, who was sitting front row had the broadest smile of all. Seemingly the happiest person in the room. He could be the mother of the bride.

"Fellow brethren, we are gathered here today to witness one of the most important events in Mesukan's history." The officiant's voice boomed across the congregation and bounced off the concrete walls. "We will see the ascendance of a new Alpha. What a time to be alive eh?"

"Ye," the congregation responded in unison.

"This new Alpha Mika Dukala, son of Shadrach Dukala, will lead our village to a new and prosperous future, a bright future. A future where our children will see the wealth that we have never known."

Mika swayed on his feet. The effects of the cup of cerasee he drank to sober him up were waning. He steadied himself as best as he could. The officiant droned on about the future that was promised under Mika's rule that he never promised to anyone. It was routine, but Mika had no intentions of serving the people. None of them mattered to him. He'd resume training. Regain his skills and find the bastard that took away Sherrice from him. Everyone else could go to hell. His father included.

His vision started to blur as the officiant switched language to the native Mesukan tongue that was mainly spoken at official ceremonies. Finally, he summoned God to bless Mika and the family then the Village. Then it was time to officially transfer power and authority from his father to him. Mika swallowed hard as his father spoke not to him but to the congregation.

"I, Shadrach Dukala son of Abendigo Dukala and the 12th Alpha of the Mesukan village now bestow the throne to my son-" he paused mid-sentence. He glanced around the room. The chiefs whispered to themselves. His father turned to Mika. His dark brown eyes bored into him, assessing whether he was worthy of the role. Mika could tell him point-blank that he wasn't.

"Mika Dukala,"

The chiefs stomped their feet, shaking the walls and vibrating the windows. Mika could hear feet stomping on the outside as well. A young boy helper handed a golden staff to his father. His father then turned to him. He bowed before Mika. The site was off-putting, the Alpha bowing to him. Well, the former Alpha. He knew what he was to say. Dean had told him his lines several times over. This was his last chance to run. Escape this hell hole of a church. Disappear again. Though did he really disappear if rebels could find his girlfriend nack home and murder her? The memory fueled him. The entire congregation seemed to hold their breath. Though the room started to blur, he still managed to say his lines.

"I-" he cleared his groggy throat before continuing. "I, Mika Dukala, accept the role of Alpha."