---Thorn's POV---

My skin littered with goosebumps as I shivered in the cool night air, my eyes flashing from one point to another and all my senses were on high alert. Despite all that, I felt calm, calmer than I had ever felt before, as I was stunned into silence.

I was sitting in a forest. At night. Without having to fear for my life or having to look over my shoulder. That constant sense of paranoia didn't weigh down on my shoulders anymore as I took a relieved breath and dropped down, smiling at the canopy above me.

The grass tickled my ears in the soft breeze while moths flew around to feed on pollen, bats circling in between the trees in an attempt to catch them. I ignored the presence of the occasional Fae and elf that strolled through the woods, adding a few last finishing touches to their perfect image of what a forest should look like.

I sat up again, smiling as a mouse skittered over the mossy floor and ducked under a fern before it peeked out again. "No wonder everyone was so pissed at us...Imagining that humans destroyed all this, for money and wealth, for personal gain..." I shook my head slightly before I stood up and made my way back towards the house.

A faint trickling echoed far above me, an occasional raindrop making its way between the foliage and growing in number as I neared the edge of the forest. I hesitantly reached out with a cupped hand, catching a few raindrops and squinting my eyes, expecting them to burn into my skin.

It only stung a little bit but left no damaged skin in its wake as the drops rolled of my palm and dripped down to the floor. Seems like the world really was healing, slowly but surely.

"You look so much like your mother."

My body instinctively tensed and prepared to face the threat as I spun around, relaxing again when I realized it was just my dad standing there. Tilting an eyebrow, I silently mulled over his words before glancing back up at him, wanting a further explanation.

Jason chuckled silently, though his smile seemed bittersweet as he reached out to an overhanging branch, coming short of touching the leaves. "Your mother loved life and cherished it, protecting the innocence of things that couldn't protect themselves. I should've suspected something when she suddenly took precautions and created distance between us two."

He sighed deeply as I slowly walked closer to him and frowned. "It wasn't your fault Jason, you didn't know." His golden eyes flitted over my face before he snorted and shook his head in self-loathing. "No, but I could've investigated and done more instead of crawling back home and cry in a corner over lost love. If I had, I would've known what happened."

My eyes landed on his fists, the knuckles white and straining against the skin, almost threatening to tear through as Jason's rage grew even more. A few of his entities slowly flickered to life and let out a few screeches as I stepped back warily.

"Why are they a different color than my own entities? Are they different?" I asked slowly, trying to pry father's attention away from the sore subject as I summoned a few spirits of my own.

His golden eyes seemed to calm a bit, watching warmly as my entities hesitantly swirled just out of reach from his own dark entities, which were a mixture of black and red, but now with a hint of gold in the center. They seemed more approachable than the ones that dragged the vampire to his doom though, so it made me wonder.

"Not quite." Jason said before giving me a wry smile while I chuckled at the sight; one of his entities had moved, sending my own scattering through the woods with a startled cry before they crept closer again, as if they couldn't help themselves.

"Our shared ability, Phantasm manipulation, can conjure these entities but they're mixed with who and what we are. The creatures I used to condemn that vampire are different yes, because they are remnants from demons and have their own conscious...or lack thereof." He snorted before allowing the entities to disappear again.

I nodded slowly and glanced at my own spirits, feeling rather grateful of them, since they made living on Earth a bit easier. They swirled through the night before disappearing with a fade cry as Jason clapped his hand on my shoulder with a hesitant smile on his face.

"So..." I started after a long, rather awkward silence and smiled warily, "Is this the moment where we declare our emotions to another in an emotional outburst?" he blinked once before he roared in laughter, even went as far as slapping on his knee as his shoulders shook heavily before he calmed down.

"No, I don't think so.'" He wiped a tear away from the corner of his eyes before he shared a look with me. "I was more thinking that we could...you know, catch up on all those years we've been apart. If you want to, that is."

A strange warm feeling bubbled in my chest as I nodded slowly; that changed quickly when dad said, "So since it's my business to look out for my son, I really want to ask...what's up between you and that Precursor, Bidziil?"

"Uuuuhm..."

He shot one look at me before shaking his head with amusement, guiding me into the building and down the hallway to the lounge area. "I think I need to sit down before we start this conversation. That boy hasn't touched you yet, I hope."

Does he want me to answer that honestly or does he want me to lie about that? I bit my lip and pondered over what to say, remembering clearly how Bidziil had kissed me more than once, not to mention groping me during dinner.

Or the groping I had done during dinner.

 Apparently he could see the conflict on his face, eyes burning brightly for a moment before he took a deep, calming breath.

"Yeah, I definitely need to sit down for this."

---Bidziil's POV---

I had a feeling that I should stay away from the father-son talk between Thorn and Jason. Judging by the awkwardness radiating of Thorn and the rare blush on his pale cheeks, he wasn't enjoying the conversation one bit, but when Jason caught me looking at them, well... Let's just say I had a feeling my manhood was at risk if Jason got his hands on me.

If I survived the encounter.

Shivering slightly, I backed out of the room with a longing glance towards Thorn before I sighed softly and went out to see my brother. I had a feeling things on Earth were starting to look up but there was something that was putting me on edge.

A feeling that grew even more when I walked into my brother's room, where he had stormed off to in an attempt to calm down. He had growled and snarled in annoyance at having to watch two pups while he was the eldest, and I might've made a remark that with all the barking he was doing, it was no surprise that Blake chose him as Alpha.

That was the moment Ye'iitsoh disappeared in a plume of smoke and vanished up to his room. But now that I entered it, I felt as if my fate was changing rapidly. Especially when I saw their messenger standing there in the flesh.

"What are you doing here Karma?" I snapped, flicking my wrist to slam the door shut behind me. She didn't look fazed at all; her hair loosely pinned up and dressed in a flowing dress that hugged her curves but still remained classy and elegant.

"Hello to you too Bidziil. I'm surprised you're not happy to see me here." She spoke softly, voice chiming like a fine bell as she glanced at me with a playful smile that contrasted with the sharp look in her eyes. She was here for business only.

I snorted, feeling the familiar heat of anger starting to rush through my blood, heating it up as I stared at the woman that had ruined and saved many lives in her existence. Personally, I didn't know if I wanted to strangle the woman or kiss her for changing our lives so drastically.

"Happy? Why should I be happy to see your smug grin anywhere near me? In case you've forgotten, you and your brothers have messed up enough, meddling in everyone's life here. You guys had the power to stop this and you didn't simply for what?"

Her grey eyes hardened as she fully turned towards me, her lips pressing together in a fine line while she crossed her arms, a tic starting in her jaw. My own jaw tensed in reply, knowing that the woman in front of me might be short in size, but she was a force to be reckoned with.

"You wanna know why we didn't respond? We couldn't. It wasn't our job to do so. In case you forgot Bidziil, we only overlook Fate and decide who gets a second chance, and who reaps what they've sown. You wanted a reason why I'd be here? Thorn."

My reaction on that was instant and not pleasant. As soon as I heard Thorn's name slip over her lips, a wave of fire rolled off of my body and rushed through the room, obliterating everything in its path. The whole room was assaulted with blistering heat and I could hear the sharp pops and the roar of the fire.

And just like that, it was doused, heat disappearing and retreating as Karma coolly glared at me over the dying inferno. "Temper, temper." She tsked, looking around her while my brother shot me a look and shook his head.  I stood there fuming, fist clenched and breathing heavily as the fire slowly sizzled down while Karma hopped up on my brother's desk and crossed her legs, glaring coolly at me.

"I'm not here to harm Thorn; the boy hasn't done anything to earn bad Karma, he's a near fudging saint! My brothers have seen what's gonna happen because its their job! To see and not intervene, only I can do that and even I have limitations to what I can and can not do."

Just as she was about to explain more, the door slammed open, followed by a small huff of smoke spreading through the room as the fresh air waved over the slightly singed floor. Two pair of feet stepped in and I winched slightly when I spotted Jason's annoyed mug first before landing on Thorn's hesitant frown.

I could feel my gut tingle and twist in uncomfortable knots as Karma laid her eyes on my man, a smile twisting on her lips before she scowled as I blocked her sight, appearing in a puff of smoke and embers.

"Don't. Even. Think about it." I snapped lowly, feeling my eyes burn as my core temperature rose to dangerous heights. If my temper would run out of hand now, I'd probably destroy the Earth unwillingly, simply by influencing its molten core.

Nothing was quite as destructive as a ring of fire caused by volcanoes erupting all over the planet.

A soft touch on my back startled me out of my thoughts, sending cool waves of reassuring energy through my body and pushed my temper back to a low simmer. Instead, I now had other things on my mind. I reached back and grabbed a hand of Thorn's wrists before pulling him flush against my back.

He didn't seem to care too much, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing his face against my back. I could sense his father's eyes on us though but after one long look, he sighed and shot me a wary smile.

"Karma." He stated in a distant, businesslike tone. She inclined her head slightly, "Death. Surprised to see you here, under the living. Weren't you holed down in your realm for eons on end?"

The man snorted and took a step forwards, bracing his shoulders as he crossed his arms and looked down at Karma. "I could say the same of your siblings, my dear. You know exactly what my business is here on Earth. Why are you here?"

"To warn you. All of you." She took a deep breath while Thorn froze against my back before stepping around me. Or at least trying to. As soon as he stood in front of me, I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him closer, giving his hip a soft squeeze when he went to protest.

"Look, during Thorn's 'Awakening'," she started, moving her fingers at the invisible quotation marks before she brushed a string of loose hair behind her ear. "A surge of power has been released and you guys felt it. Bidziil could because he was destined to meet Thorn and more, Death because he's related. But there's a small catch."

I could feel my muscles shivering at her serious and slightly worried expression before she glanced at the man in my arms and continued, "His mother felt the surge as well, and with her, her relatives."

A strangled sound escaped Jason as he took a hesitant step back and rubbed a shaking hand over his worn out expression. "The angels know."

"And they're going to do anything to get their hands on Thorn before he can come into his own, a powerful Angel unlike anyone has ever seen." Karma finished as she jumped off of the counter and sauntered towards Thorn.

"if he dies, the balance will tip dangerously and my brother's can't predict what will happen. All we know is that Chaos will be delighted." She added with a disgusted expression on her face, scrunching her nose at the woman she referred to. She and Karma hated each other with a passion.

The tension in the room was building and Jason started interrogating Karma for more information before we heard a knock on the door behind us.

"Uhm, Ye'iitsoh, sir? Sorry to bother you but we thought you might want to know that a pair of wolves have been spotted as they broke through the walls. They seemed to be tied together though..." The young elf instantly backed away as my brother huffed in annoyance and slammed his fist on the desk.

"Honestly brother, I can't understand why you called another wolf, who's barely an adult himself to become an Alpha over a newborn werewolf. You could do a better job until they're both adults." I joked and had to stifle a laugh when Ye'iitsoh stood from his seat and stalked towards the door.

"They want me to be an Alpha? Fine, then I'll be the Alpha." He grumbled, stalking out of the door and slamming it shut behind him.