MEDIUM

Jonathan Brooke.

Johnny wasn't exactly in zen, having found out from Adrian and Enzo that someone was trying to get into their house, it didn't bode well for him or with him, he thought after the whole demon and partly family fiasco was done, things would be normal and honestly they were for what was now close to a year, it felt like more though. He was finishing senior year soon, Adrian and Jax were going to be sophomores next year, Enzo was hopefully going to school aswell, and their parents, oh Nik and Renee were the best parents ever, sure they were strict but not having grown up with that kind of stability only Adrian's overprotective tendencies, it gave a new dimension to parenting.

Renee was the loving, stern, fun dad, who you really didnt want to be mischievous around. Nik was the always overprotective, hammer arm stern and dominant father, whatever he said goes, it was bliss, he liked his life no —he loved it and now it seemed yet again someone wanted something from them, the question on repeat in his mind was why them anyway, there were a lot more mystics in Greenway that were just like them, maybe even more powerful, Johnny didn't mean to be negative but at times, he just wished he wasn't born a Sovietro, it would've been such a blessing for him and his siblings.

"Table five needs this." Johnny nodded toward Renee as he accepted the tray and went over to table five, the bakery was slowly being turned into an extended cafe. Nik and Renee had put some of their retirement funds into buying the space next door, but Johnny had also offered a part of his trust fund and so his siblings had all offered a piece of their trustsfunds just to help them, it was a gesture Renee first disagreed to until Johnny forced him to accept if he truly saw them as his children, family helped each other, he learned that from Adrian who did everything he could to help them when they were growing up. "Hey babe, you're early." Kyle called out as he walked into the cafe and kissed Johnny as he left table five. "I didn't have classes later in the day today so I decided to come help out early and just join it with my shift, plus no one is home until later." Johnny explained as Kyle nodded and kissed him again.

Lately after what happened with Adrian, Kyle was like a fire which had water poured on, he was still burning, but not as bright, fluttering in the wind at times, Johnny was sure it was the invitation he had accepted without thinking about how everyone else felt about it, and though Johnny had reassured him that the family was okay and he was forgiven, it seems he hadn't forgiven himself. Johnny hadn't had another talk with Kyle, being an empath meant he could feel what Kyle felt on a whole different level despite being mates, and he knew Kyle missed his home, at some point he felt Kyle missed the prestige and comforts of his old life, of course he was angry, furious even but couldn't vent, but their third mate seemed to have pretty much figured it out and Enzo definitely drained the anger out of him with a lot of carnal interludes and by that, he meant a lot of sex.

In as much as Kyle was happy with them, being kept away from his family, the people he grew up with, the things he was familiar with, it was taking a toll and becoming noticeable. "Alright babe, let me get clocked in." Kyle replied as he opened the door that led to the far back of the building, not the kitchen, there were other rooms in the back and the office they used was upstairs. Before Kyle was through Johnny held his arm. "No, you seem tired, why don't you take the day off I'll cover for you." He offered having noticed that Kyle wasn't in his element, he felt it, this was all a tiresome routine that he didn't want anymore, at least that's what was on the surface of his feelings, so rather than having Kyle ruin his mood with his sour feelings and emotional strength it would take just to keep himself from feeling it, he'd rather he just go home.

"Babe you just got off school, are you sure?" Kyle argued. "No it's fine, what's a mate for." Johnny asserted and hugged Kyle who nodded easily and left. As the door chimed at Kyle's leave, Renee was suddenly next to Johnny gesturing him to the hallway that led to the back. "I'm guessing you told him he could go and you'd take his shift, and I'm also guessing what Enzo told me is true and now it's not just a passing feeling." Renee exclaimed again surprising Johnny but he nodded. "I'm surprised Enzo snitched." Johnny joked and Renee chuckled. "He didn't, I overheard him talking to his subconscious astral form, and forced him to tell me, I wasn't happy but I promised not to tell, I thought I'd get through to him but it seems I'm too late and obviously Ari is going to blame himself for this." Renee muttered as Johnny just hugged him.

"Renee our mistakes aren't a reflection of your failure as a parent, —you don't have to argue, I can feel what you feel, Kyle and us, I doubted it would last, mates or not, he grew up a prince, pampered, loved and all the things rich kids get, he's vastly different from Enzo and I, despite living in different dimensions, Enzo has had an equally tough life to mine or even worse, so we understand each other and the struggle, but for Kyle, it's different, —made more so by the arrival of his uncles, the invitations, he chose us in the heat of the moment and now that he's had a taste of what it truly means to be us, our minimalist life isn't for him, no matter how royal we make it." Johnny explained shocking himself in the process, it shouldn't have come as a surprise, he was wiser the moment he accepted his ability.

"Oh my dear boy, I'm so proud of you, of the man you're becoming, I want you to know, whatever decision you make over your mating, I support you." Renee assured as he held Johnny in a tight warm hug, it felt so right, so nice, like being held by a mother, Johnny relished that feeling.

Later the two got back to the kitchen and began serving. As Johnny was clearing a table a messenger came in. "Oi, I'm looking for a Nik Milford." He called out to Johnny. "That would be me." Nik replied as he showed up at the counter with a smile, the whole exchange happened before Johnny's eyes as an uneasy feeling crept up his chest. "You've been served." The messenger muttered and Johnny wondered what a messenger from any court would want with Nik. As more customers piled in Johnny was yet again busy. "Hey little brother, I'm here to help." Jax announced and a relieved sigh escaped Johnny's lips. "Thank the Goddess I was about to burn out." Johnny stated relieved and Jax chuckled ruffling his hair.

As they got to work Johnny couldn't help feel an overwhelming flood of anger, it was so strong it made his internal alarms go off. Without thinking much on it Johnny allowed his ability to take him to the source, he found himself on the first floor where the office and safe were. "We can't let them take our children Nik, we just can't!" Renee yelled as the door vibrated with magic. "How could they even think of doing this, after what they've been through!" Renee yelled in anger again and Johnny was sure the door and glass splintered. "My love, calm down, we can fight this, we won't let them take our children, alright calm down." Nik soothed Renee as Johnny pushed the door open, there was nothing to be told, for the first time Johnny's empathic ability went beyond feeling, he connected to both his adopted parents and through their emotions saw what they saw, the source of their anger.

And the door that had splintered, shattered, Johnny was furious, his eyes turned pitch black as the apron he wore, he tore off. "Don't tell Adrian or Jax, not yet, I'll be back." He stated and Renee wanted to stop him but Nik held his husband back. "Go." Nik told Johnny, in some ways, many of them, Nik and Johnny were alike, it's why he allowed Johnny to go, the wolf jumped from the first floor to the pavement below and in a blur of speed he was gone, a black aura coating his whole body.

Johnny appeared at Sovietro manor, a guttural growl was released from his throat as the first of the guards tried to stop him but his blackened will flared and they fell to the ground unconscious clutching their chests in pain. For an empath, he could feel emotions in all their vast expanse, but he could also inflict them on others, the deadliest of them and that's what he did, Johnny held out his hand and the pristine metallic gate burst open, wretched to the side by pure will. He continued walking toward the entrance as more and more mystics who guarded the manor tried to stop him but they all fell unconscious, his dark will forcing them down, as he reached the entrance a familiar presence announced itself and that truly shocked Johnny as he waved his hand and his will coated the double doors blasting them off their hinges in a smoke cloud.

By the small guest lounge left of him Kyle sat, with his uncles and aunt, how Johnny knew that was simple they all had similarities. "Jonathan, what an unexpected surprise." A woman spoke first, he didn't expect her to know him but it would make sense that their father would be informed of him and his siblings. "How could you?" Johnny hissed as he looked at his father, that attachment was crystal clear the moment he stepped into his home. "Whatever do you mean my dear son." Neill replied as Johnny eyes were set on Kyle who stood up, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. "Traitor." Johnny decreed, there was no word that came to mind when he saw Kyle then and he waved his hand, pure dark will pulsed and attacked Kyle. "Watch out!" Their aunt called out as she cast a barrier on the unsuspecting Kyle but the barrier shattered and Kyle was thrown out back and out the window shattering the decorated coloured glass.

"I said how dare you!" Johnny yelled and the ground shook, the manor itself shook. "Lad, I suggest you calm down, we don't know what—." Before the other wolf could finish Johnny set his eyes on him. "Pain." He commanded and pain radiated inside the man like an inferno. "Mikhail, mikh!" The woman screamed as she ran to who was obviously his uncle and tried to heal him with magic but aslong as Johnny's will reigned over him it wouldn't stop. "Make —it stop." Mikhail begged as Johnny's eyes blazed with fury and Mikhail like Kyle was flung out of the room and fell unconscious. "You know what I'm talking about, father, you don't even deserve that title, you left us when we were just babes, Adrian took care of us, bled so he could feed us, educate us, keep us strong and healthy, not once did you ask where we were, not once did you consider us, those little meager cents you sent us, they were nothing and if ever you think you can use that against us, I'm here to tell you that we have each and every one ready to be sent back to you, we were fine without you, leave us in peace, now that we're desirable you want us, you want what we have, I am not fooled by you, we are not fooled by you, I can feel it deep down inside you, how you crave my power, how you crave to feel what I can do, it's all laid bare, so I'm warning you right now, stay away from us!" Johnny howled in fury, the manor shook, it's walls cracking at the sheer will power of a dark empath.

Neill and Alora were both forced to their knees unable to move, paralysed by the absolute dominance of the wolf infront of them, Johnny might not have known but he was the next patriarch, and all would bow before him except a countable few. As he stood over Neill and Alora, —Alora clutched her chest, she felt constricted, her airway felt inflamed as if a hand was holding it shut, choking her and harsh coughs along with a grapple for air took over the woman. "Please Jonathan stop." Alora begged as Neill watched his son surpass his own power in that instant, Johnny moved his head left instantly and Alora fell to the ground unconscious. "Son please, I know you're better than this, don't do this, I just want you and Adrian, and your siblings back." He begged as from above green fire in the form of a fireball hit Johnny throwing him back to the double doors he had come through.

The green flames flared over Johnny as his hold over his father's siblings vanished and they all stood to their feet, but yet a dark laughter more like a cackle echoed in the shadows emanating from Johnny, he stood to his feet as the green flames tried to devour him and his mana but they couldn't. "Skyler no!" Neill yelled as the witch who came into Johnny's line of sight hurled more attacks at Johnny, each one stronger than the last but as each one hit they merely passed over Johnny, as if they were water. "Your flame is strong, the green flames of life, are you afraid to use them, or are you not strong enough to wield them?" Johnny hissed as his tail appeared, pitchblack as the will that coated him and in an instant wrapped around Skyler who squirmed and fought but the tail was much like a constricter, holding and crushing him.

"Little witch, I've been burned in an eternal flame that's turned mystics to ash, you're not worthy of the flame of life in your condition." Johnny spoke toward the witch who now had eyes wide in fear. "Until you truly know the meaning of the flame of life, don't ever think you could use them against us, however, have a taste, of the flame of protection." Johnny exclaimed and all that was pain bloomed in Skyler. "Jonathan no!" Neill and Alora screamed as did Skyler. "Please make it stop." The witch Skyler whispered as a single tear fell down to his cheek as what was the true power of a sacred flame burned through him, Johnny's tail that held him tossed him to the first floor landing where he smashed against the wall and fell unconscious.

"This is a warning Neill, you are not our father, and if ever you try take us away from our family I swear to the Goddess I will tell Adrian and believe me, you don't want a witch's wrath on you." Johnny warned as his eyes looked at his mate who appeared with his uncle Mihkail, he wondered why Kyle was here in the first place, but knowing Kyle he'd make it out to seem innocent and stupid but as the darkness in Johnny pulsed, the darker emotions in his mate he could feel and Kyle had been far from stupid, he had betrayed them. "I won't give up on my children." Neill announced as Johnny faced him, when their eyes met Neill fell to his knees, buckling under the pressure of dominance. "Then you'll leave us no choice." He replied his biological father before turning around and walking away, as his feet passed the threshold Johnny turned to dark mist, instantly being taken home.

"Where were you?" Ari was the first one to ask as his summoning spell had brought Johnny home. "Out, with friends." Johnny lied, hoping his lie couldn't be read by Ari. "I felt your anger, your darkness, it surfaced, are you alright?" Adrian demanded as he checked his little brother but Johnny couldn't keep it together, so he hugged Adrian. "I lied, but in as much as I want to tell you I can't, but what I can tell you is that we were lied to, Kyle has been working with our bio dad and his siblings." Johnny cried, cried like the times things got hard and only Adrian was there to hold him, his brother didn't seem to change in demeanour but in emotion, yet he held Johnny, let him cry. "Why does it hurt so much." Johnny cried harder as now Enzo and Jax walked into the workroom, as Johnny felt his other mate, the demon didn't waste time in holding him.

"I don't know how to say it, or tell you sweetheart, but it just does." Adrian whispered as he held his own tears back. When Johnny finally calmed down, Adrian told Enzo to take him up to the guestroom, Kyle's scent was in their bedroom and it would definitely send Johnny on a frenzy, Johnny was ready to rip Kyle apart at this point.

Adrian.

Visions aren't an absolute truth, they change and shift, impacted by the factors and fate which weave them, Adrian had experienced a change in fate way too many times to believe that anything was ever written in stone. As Johnny left a vision flashed within Adrian's mind and he swayed when the orange glow faded from his eyes. "Hey, hey— you're alright." Jax immediately caught him and set him on the couch, as Adrian breathed deep, he was grateful Jax was there to hold his hand. "Do you remember that vision that I told you felt so lifelike, that I had recently?" Adrian questioned and Jax nodded gently. "Yeah, you told me it felt like fate was warning you." Jax supplied and Ari nodded, at the time it indeed felt like that but now. "It's changed, mostly everything about it was changed by Johnny and Kyle's fallout, Jax, I'm afraid— afraid that Johnny and Kyle aren't tied as mates anymore, Johnny's wolf is rejecting the bond, and the next few days are going to be heartbreaking to experience because both Johnny and Enzo will feel the bond breaking, we have to be ready to heal them." Adrian mumbled, as a shiver rocked his body.

"Are you sure?" Nik asked as he stood by the door, a worried expression over his features. "Oh Adrian." Nik whispered as Adrian broke down, how could this happen, why did fate do this to them always, why. "The vision." Adrian sniffled as both Nik and Jax rubbed his back and soothed him. "They wont subdue us, they wont be able to take our mana, but a wolf will die, I just don't know how." Adrian explained and he himself was relieved, he didn't want to be but he was, it meant his family would be safe. "We cannot worry about it now, we need to make sure Johnny and Enzo are alright, Jax stay with your mate, I'll check on your siblings." Nik stated as Adrian just leaned into Jax's warmth, grateful he had him and that wasn't ever going to change, yet the whispers were coming.

The medium must awaken.
The medium must take its place.
No power shall overcome the medium.

Adrian wanted to ignore them, just for a moment and they were a pin prick at the back of his head, he knew they would return though, he just knew.

Sovietro Manor.

"Soldatu khathu varishni, entu nakume solveris entat ortem." Alora cast the spell over Skyler's body, runes and glyphs had been drawn on his body to be the conduit of her spell and magic, but as she cast the spell a green glow overtook Skyler's body and absorbed her spell and magic making the older witch groan. "Shit." She hissed slamming the bowl of ingredients that also hovered in the air above Skyler. "What's wrong, I thought you could do this?" Neill demanded as he and Mihkail along with another woman, long blonde hair, sparkling green eyes and a wicked grin, stood in the witch's workroom watching her failure. "It's not her fault, the magic in Skyler, it seems to have taken a mind of its own, protecting him from any and all harm." The blonde woman responded as Alora waved her hand over Skyler's body and her spell along with all her drawn sigils vanished.

"It seems something awakened in the kid or someone tempered with his core, giving his magic a mind of it's own but that can only happen when another power far much stronger than his own entered his mind and played house." The blonde woman supplied again and Alora gasped. "Jonathan, he claimed to have made Sky feel the true power of a sacred flame, he claimed Skyler wasn't yet ready to wield the sacred flame, I'm sure he just didn't inflict pain, I'm sure he did something to Skyler, that's why even in his unconscious state he can effectively cancel out my magic, it's protecting him." Alora finally explained and Neill growled harshly slamming his fist into the wall.

"When will it last and when can you place the binding rune?" Mikhail asked and Alora shook her head in refusal. "Even if I found a way to repair what Jonathan did, Skyler has to be willing to fix his broken magic, this is a mental thing and only the perpetrator or the host are able to fix the damage, otherwise there is nothing we can do, the binding rune is now impossible to place since Jonathan's protection is now embedded in him, the moment we force it, it will repel us and notify him, there's no way." Alora explained carefully and Neill released a guttural growl. "Damn that boy!" He yelled in his anger and pride, one of his own, his child without so much as a thought had dismantled a vital part of his plan, now he was forced to change everything.

"Fine, take Skyler to his room, he's still worth something, I'll go check on Kyle." Neill expressed leaving the workroom, he headed for the garden, east side of the house and indeed he found Kyle there gazing at the stars. "How you doing kid?" Neill questioned his nephew who just shrugged. "I betrayed the only people that loved me and I'm sure Johnny wants my head on a pike." Kyle replied as Neill sat next to him. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this and in this deep, I know what losing a mate feels like and I'm sorry." Neil comforted but Kyle hissed moving away from him. "I haven't lost my mates, you hear me, —I haven't lost, I will go talk to them, they'll understand, they're forgiving, they'll forgive me, —right uncle —right." Kyle demanded as Neill bear hugged his nephew who broke down crying, he wasn't totally a monster, he could understand how Kyle felt, he'd lost his mate also, yet he didn't have the heart to tell Kyle that Johnny had already started breaking their bond if he was like this, rejection hurt and Denial, was the first sign.

Letters from Jonathan.

Don't love me when it's convenient, easy and fun, don't love me when you won't give me your full loyalty. Love me with your whole being, in the good, the bad, the terrible and the worst, don't assume my love isn't that deep for you because yours isn't for me. I'd rather be loved in the worst of times knowing I could depend on you, even when we have nothing but the clothes on our backs, that's loyalty. That's the kind of love that will pull us through into the good times, because we've both been through the struggle and we know it's cost.

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I feel for Johnny, anyway

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Saint Jay.