The blood drained from Mika's face. His skin was now an ashen grey. His heart pounded loudly in his ears almost drowning out the thunderous cheers. Dean slapped him heavily on the back to congratulate him. The impact knocked him back into reality.

"Smile boy," Dean whispered through gritted teeth in his ear.

Mika managed a week smile with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned. His father nodded to Dean who then returned to his post. The Alpha raised his hand again and silence washed over the crowd. 

"I know that it may come as a surprise to you all. Especially so soon after Elijah's passing. However, I can assure you that Mika Dukala will lead this Village with justice and truth. He will serve the people with kindness and unwavering power. He will show our enemies that we are not weak. He is our Village's future, my brethren."

With his father's declaration, the crowd erupted again. They chanted his name in unison "Mika! Mika! Mika!"

Each chant of his name was like a block of concrete pressing down his shoulders. His chest tightened. He heaved as he struggled to get air. The clay walls of the room closed in on him. He was suffocating. Mika dashed down the aisle towards the door. He flung it open and collided with Jonah, who caught him before he fell. The chanting died down. Behind him, everyone was staring. In the dim light, he could barely see his father's face, but he could imagine the scowl he had.

"Sir... " Jonah started. Mika didn't wait to hear what he had to say. He took off towards the house.

In his room, he quickly disrobed and put on the funeral clothes he'd worn. He took up his phone from where it rested on the desk. There was a soft knock at the door. He ignored it at first, hoping Jonah would leave him be. But it continued. The knocking was gentle yet persistent.

Mika flung the door open, "What is it?!"

"I don't mean to bother you," said a beautiful chocolate skinned young woman. She wore a traditional garment that matched the one he'd torn off. 

"Who are you?" Mika narrowed his eyes at her. Unsure of what she'd need from him. She looked nothing like a servant. Her ears and neck were adorned with plenty of jewellery that hinted at her status. He didn't recall ever meeting her. Yet she was knocking on his bedroom door, in the alpha's house. Surely she was some form of nobility.

She daintily curtsied. "I am Olafia, your-"

"I am sorry Olapia, but I am on my way out." Mika tried to push past her but she stepped in his way. 

"It's O-la-fi-a," she emphasized each syllable with absolution.

"Sir!" Jonah called from down the hall. Mika pushed passed Olafia as he tugged his jacket back on. He sped passed Jonah who made a swift u-turn to follow him.

"Sir!" He called after Mika.

"I'm not your sir!" Mika shouted back at him. 

Jonah followed him all the way down the stairs.

"But sir, the Alpha"

"I don't give a fuck about the Alpha!" Mika marched across the grand entrance toward the front door.

"Mika Dukala!" The Alpha's voice boomed from across the room.

Mika halted.

"How dare you use such language in this house!" He scolded as if Mika was a twelve-year-old boy. Olafia stood at the top of the stairs, observing the entire ordeal. 

Dean barged through the front door. "The guards said he hasn't left. I've instructed them not to" he screeched to a halt when he saw Mika.

"My dear boy, why did you run off like that?" Dean questioned, almost sounding concerned.

"Mika. Office now," the Alpha instructed.

Mika turned to see the guards at the entrance, blocking his escape route. The only other ways out would be through the kitchen or sunroom. But they were probably blocked too.

Dean patted him on the back. Mika hung his head low and dragged his feet down to his father's office. Dean followed behind.

The Alpha's office was clad from ceiling to floor in the finest cherry and oak wood. The musky smell of old books and scribes clogged his nose. Books lined almost every inch of the wall. Dean dragged one of the antique chairs from the side to before the enormous wooden desk. He motioned for Mika to sit down. Mika, still wanting to escape, decided not to take it.

"Sit boy!" his father ordered without even looking at him.

Reluctantly, he sat down. He slumped into the leather seat, preparing for the reprimand he was about to receive.

His father stood below an enormous painting of himself that crested the room. He stared up at it with his cane perched before him, holding his weight. The painting depicted him sitting in the golden chair that was in the town hall centre. He was decked from head to toe in a purple and gold official garment. His eyes were serious, his nose was magisterial and his lips were dour.

"Forty years. For forty years I have been Alpha of this village. I have worked from the bottom, to be respected by my chiefs. Built this Village from the ground up. I have been laughed at and ridiculed by many. Never have I ever been as embarrassed as I was tonight," he said as he turned toward Mika.

"I was giving you the opportunity to become a man and take responsibility. But you ran away like you always do. What kind of man are you? What kind of Dukala are you?"

His father's words whipped and lashed at him. The truth stung as it sliced into his skin. He'd run away. He had no choice but to. Or so he felt. After their mother died, Mika found it difficult to move on. Unlike his brother and father who kept it business as usual following the funeral. The Alpha had resumed duties that same day, attending to matters of the village. Elijah had continued his historical studies and training. It wasn't as easy for Mika.

"Elijah was a strong man. A leader, why can't you be more like him?"

For two years after their mother passed he'd endured verbal torment from his father, forever comparing him to Elijah. He couldn't resume studying. Instead opting to spend his days and nights roaming the city. It was forbidden for them, even as adults to leave the Village without security. Mika needed to escape the stifling place. What was once warm and comforting, had become cold and distant. After a night of arguing with his father about his actions and blow to Mika's jaw, he'd decided that night that he'd leave. He'd kept searching for his place of comfort since then, roaming from city to city. He'd found it not so long ago, and if his father would let him, he'd like to get back to it.

"I am not like Elijah. I am not like you. I am not the Alpha," Mika declared without looking up.

"You aren't yet. But you will be."

"No, I won't!" Mika was tired of his life being controlled.

"Lower your voice boy!" the Alpha commanded.

" No! I am tired of this! Elijah was buried today! And you act as nothing happened! At least give him the decency of waiting a day before you act like he never existed!" The tears came down like a river. Mika stood up when his father didn't respond.

"You did this to our mother! After she died you never spoke about her! You never mentioned her! You just moved on. And Elijah did too because he wanted to be just like you! Strong just like you! And now he's gone. They're both gone." Mika sunk to his knees. He heaved as the tears cascaded from his eyes. It was getting harder to breathe as mucus clogged his nostrils.

He felt Dean's arms around him. Embracing him gently, urging him to stand. His vision was blurry but he could see his father turn away. Dean helped him to stand.

"Clean yourself up. You look a mess. We will talk about this before the next meeting," his father said turning his back to them. His shoulders were a little more slumped than usual and his voice had less vigour than normal.

"No. I have a woman at home waiting for me and a child on the way. So there will be no more meetings. I won't be seeing you again. I came to pay my respects and that is all."

Dean's eyes widened. "Think about what you are saying, my boy. Don't make rash decisions."

"I've made up my mind." Mika turned to leave.

Dean blocked him "But we need-"

"Let him leave," his Alpha commanded.

Dean stepped out of the way. Mika walked out. His chest felt a lot lighter. At the entrance, the guards didn't stop him. Jonah and Olafia were nowhere to be found. It was getting late. He breathed in the fresh crisp dusky air. For the first time, he felt free. They opened the large gates to the property. He looked back as they closed it. With Elijah gone, there was nothing for him there. He'd still wanted to know what happened to him, but it wasn't worth the torment.