Parker

"Okay, Kohl, calm down." I say with a stressed tone.

Kohl's arm tenses on Akira's throat. Jasar, Gaius, Eliza, Mickey and Nadira watch on in horror. A day has passed and I, for some reason unknown by me, told Kohl the truth about what happened in the woods. I couldn't lie to him. He's always been honest with me and I'm not going to lie to him.

I told him an hour ago and after he yelled at me for lying, he found Akira. The rest of us are only able to watch as he roughs up Akira. I hate to say I'm afraid of Kohl right now. His intensity is etched up to its limit.

"Kohl—"

Gaius' calm tone does nothing to deter him. I look to Mickey and he seems to be enjoying this display of Alpha behavior. Kohl's grip tightens. Akira is beginning to turn purple as his body is rapidly losing air.

"Kohl, stop it!" I shout.

Kohl's eyes break from him and fall on me, "He hurt you. He could have killed you!"

"Life hurt me. He accidentally pushed me against a tree...extremely hard." I watch as Kohl's hand tightens on his throat and I frown, "Kohl, let him go or I swear to the Moon Goddess."

Kohl is reluctant but pushes Akira against the wall, knocking him unconscious. He turns to me, his demeanor softening. His eyes find Mickey, "You let this idiot get away with it?" He asks.

"Who do you think gave him the claw marks." Mickey frowns, "Besides, exactly what was I supposed to do? Murder him or get our mate back to Dr. Pavius?"

"Our mate?" Kohl asks as his eyes land on me, "No more sparring."

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"It's dangerous."

"Yeah, well, so am I when I haven't had cereal."

"I mean it." Kohl frowns, "It's lucky that you have a particularly durable body."

"I'm a God." I smile, "Look, I was being a dick to him. I goaded him."

"Stop covering for him. You don't goad people." Kohl frowns.

"He's telling the truth. He was being quite the little Prince." Mickey adds, "I was surprised."

"I've been feeling particularly dicky." I explain, "It's like something comes over me and I—I just slip into this elitist behavior. Almost—"

"God-like?"

Our attention turns to the doorway. Faust leans leisurely on the door frame. His dark, frizzy hair hangs barely above his shoulders. I become fervently aware of his abs underneath the black leather vest. I avert my eyes instead of staring at his crotch and the trail leading to it peeking above his tight leather pants.

"Hello, wolves. Nice to see you." Faust says pushing off of the door, "I hear you have a vampire problem."

"I'm glad you came. Thank you." Kohl says with a nod.

Faust's eyes find Akira before a smirk stretches across his face, "Did I come at a bad time?"

"Actually, it's mostly like this nowadays." I answer, "You're here to help with the vampires?"

"No. I'm here to help you. And your mates. How delicious." Faust laughs as his eyes bounce to Mickey, "Last time I saw you, you were trying to murder this pack. Actually, it might have been when you were a pup. Just thought I'd bring up your Rogue past. It's always fun."

"You again? Don't we have enough magical people running around here?" Mickey asks.

"Magical people? I'd think you'd be grateful." Faust says, "My time is precious, you know."

"Which is why we appreciate you coming." Kohl says, "Maybe we can talk."

"We should go. Akira may need medical attention." Jasar says as he walks over and hoists Akira over his shoulder, "A pleasure as always, Faust."

Everyone leaves the room except the Ashwoods and me. Faust seems intent on us. I'm under no assumption that he doesn't already know what is going on with us. Past Kohl explaining, he can clearly feel it. His eyes linger on me longer than the others.

"Tell me, little dagger, what's going on in that little head of yours." Faust says, "Are you enjoying Godhood."

"Am I supposed to? The constant scenting, the dreams about things I never experienced and, oh yeah, I feel awkward emotions."

"At night?"

"Y—yeah. How did you know?"

"Do you ever wonder what God/Goddess you received your powers from? It could be the God Poseidon. Do you like to swim? No, there is no fishy scent." Faust says thoughtfully, "You do love wolves, apparently."

"Get to the point." Mickey prods.

"Have you ever heard of Hekate?"

"Goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy?" I ask, "You're saying Hecate is the deity I descent from?"

"She comes, accompanied by two dogs, her guardians." Faust says causing growls, "Sorry, wolves."

"Hecate?" I ask.

"Look at the bigger picture. You are surrounded by nature and wolves, two to be exact, and you clearly have an affinity for magic. You have dominion over the Heavens and the Underworld, as well as all things in-between." Faust laughs, "The Gods and Goddesses thought themselves for the people in the beginning but power corrupts. No being is meant to command power so great, not even deities. It changes you."

My head is spinning. Hecate is important in werewolf mythos. It makes sense how a human could become the Luna of a pack of werewolves. The answer being that I'm a God with dominion over such things as the night and animals. I'm a deity of all the things associated with nature.

I'm fucking Mother Magic Nature.

"The corruption...how does it start?" I ask.

"You start exhibiting behavior unlike yourself, putting yourself above those who worship you, like followers or packs." Faust seems intuitive to my corruption, "You begin to harden your heart, lose your soul. The power makes you feel untouchable. You distance yourself from those who aren't like you."

"How do I stop it?"

"Oh...no, you think you can stop it? No. It's part of being a God. I don't know a single God who doesn't eat their own shit with a smile." His grin fades, "I can smell your power. You'd have to have a heart as pure as snow to resist that aching."

My mind wonders if I could save this pack with the power. I run the risk of disassociating with myself but I can put an end to the vampires as well as Ania. The thought is intoxicating. I could be their hero and savior, their God.

Oh God, it's happening.

"Is there a way to remove this from him?" Gaius asks.

"Remove—are you all very high? Or is that just me?" Faust sighs, "It's not something you can 'remove' Gaius. You wolves are so literal despite believing in abstract ideas. Mates, the Moon Goddess...you're really limited."

"So, him being mated to the two of us is because he's a God?"

"Hecate had two guardians. Humans that loved her. They were worshippers. She revealed herself to them, and like all others, they became enamored with her. They fell in love." Faust recounts, "The followers, however, were no mere mortals. They were cursed or gifted, depending on who you asked, with lycanthropy by Selene. They swore to stay by Hecate's side. It is not known but believed that the bloodline of those wolves was passed down as was the descendancy of Hecate's bloodline."

"What happened to the wolves?" Mickey asks.

"Hecate, being one of the most level-headed and benevolent Goddesses, released them with the condition that their line would eventually protect the one who would eventually inherit her power. Selene approved of this and assisted in helping the lines meeting, much like any werewolf she creates. The two lines met once in the millennia since in your family." Faust says with a smirk, "And Hecate's lineage appeared from nowhere, like a beacon. Of course the three of you found each other."

"So, our lines were destined?" Kohl asks, "Because he's the descendant of Hecate and we're the descendants of her wolf-guards?"

"Yes."

"And that's the source of our mate-ship?" I ask.

"Yes."

"And our mate is going to go crazy with power?" Mickey asks.

"That, Rogue, is up to him." Faust points to me, "Most Demi-Gods either die in childbirth or are dispatched of by other Gods too afraid of their power being usurped. You, my dear boy, slipped right under their radar. Some powerful magicks protecting you."

"Ania knows what you are." Gaius speaks, "Is he in danger?"

"He's always in danger." Faust frowns, "Vampires, werewolves...Earth Fae. Jesus, if the witches find you...well, they'd probably worship you."

"IF that's true, why don't you?" I ask.

"Who says I don't?" Faust asks. He takes a deep breath, "The vampires won't stop coming. I am quite sure the vampires will turn on Ania. I find it comical that they aren't aware that Ania is sending them to slaughter."

"Maybe they don't see it that way." Kohl inserts.

"Facts are facts, Alpha-Do-Right." Faust says, "Even if they get past the two of you, his guardians and lovers, they don't stand a chance against him. None of us do."

"You will never have to worry. I'm never becoming an elitist, egregious deity." I frown, "I make my own choices. I'm my own person. I fight for this pack. They're my family. Well, you know, my other family."

"Well, little Dagger, you sure as shit are going to have to prove it." Faust smiles.