"Oman. I do not know any vampire being called Oman. It's a strange name. I have never heard of him," I think to myself while also keeping an eye on Sebastian.

"Who are you anyway?" he asks me while looking at me with a frown covered face. He completely ignores my thoughts being spoken loudly in front of him.

"I go by the name, Dominic," I whisper knowing well that he can hear me fine. The man in front of me tilts his head to one side and narrows his eyes a bit as if trying to decipher my true intentions. I let him have his fill, not wanting him to hide anything from me.

"Why are you here, Dominic?"

As if I know?

I think to myself, rolling my eyes inwardly.

"I came here to find some answers. To know if Alpha Female Sabrione had the skill to pass on a gift to her offspring?" I ask instead, trying very hard to ignore that voice inside my head.

Why is it bothering me? That woman-child's problems are not even mine. Then why do I feel this need to find answers for her?

"Yes, my mother had that ability and it is quite a well-known fact," he answers, narrowing his eyes a bit. This man is not an ordinary wolf. I shouldn't have underestimated him. He understands that I am not here to ask such a simple question.

What an old fool I am!

"Did she purposely give her most useless ability to Xanthos as a curse?" I ask watching the man in front of me. As soon as the words fall out of my mouth, the man's expression changes and becomes hostile.

"Yes, she purposely did that," he growls and then takes a step forward as if in attacking mode. I stand still assessing his move and tracking the changes in his mind as well.

He's enraged but it's not because of me. He's reliving the time when his family was attacked and he was pushed away from them.

It is still so shocking to see how only a single person managed to ruin so many people's families.

"I am sorry for asking you but I need some answers," I say and look around myself, trying to analyze if we are in the forest or on the outskirts.

Sebastian however, understands my hint and then motions for me to follow him.

Not saying anything else, I start following him through the dark trail of the forest in the hopes of finishing this off at the earliest. My thirst is calling on to me.

It's been a very long since my thirst has affected me like this.

Why is this happening time now?

"Here, I live here. I do not sense anything malicious in you. But if I receive any unwanted blood-thirsty guests after you, then you be assured that you will die by my hands," he warns and I nod my head.

"I have no intentions of deceiving you," I promise and enter the cave where he leads me.

The inside of the cave is warm and I soon realize the reason behind it. Inside the cave, after taking a left, there is this big fireplace. Placed on the fireplace with proper wirings, there is a pot filled with some liquid.

Food, I guess.

"You live here?" I ask, not really believing that the only living son of the previous Alpha Female is living like this, like a primitive man.

"No," says Sebastian while letting out a humourless chuckle. "My house, the one inherited from my parents was attacked and is now in shambles. You must have found a ruined cottage on your way here to this forest," he explains while I nod my head, remembering the ruined cottage that I had come across while scenting Sebastian on the rocks.

"I am sorry but may I ask who did it? Since how long are you staying here?"

"That cottage was destroyed just a week ago. By Oman and his men. It has happened a lot of times. But Xavier was the one who used to attack because he never like the idea of me being alive. He wanted to wipe away my mother's legacy. I always managed to escape and save myself. After Xavier died, Oman has taken the initiative to make my life hell."

"So, you have seen this Oman guy?" I ask, hoping that maybe I can get a hint of this man's appearance and aid Fenris in this fight.

I do not care anymore if this war is between wolves. If a vampire was the trigger then it's my duty as the reigning King to help the wolves.

"I have only seen his face. His entire body is covered with a black cloak. Apparently, he doesn't like to fight. He stays aside and watches while his men do all the work of ruining things. Whenever I tried to attack Oman, his men used to spring upon me from nowhere. Being fast gives them a lot of advantage over us wolves."

"Yes. Thank you for allowing me in your temporary dwelling," I say instead and ponder over his words. If what he says is true then this person, Oman, must be a foreigner.

Because I have never heard of this vampire named Oman.

"Do you want to know anything else?" he asks while watching me with narrowed eyes. I can clearly understand his discomfort because of my presence. Instead of prolonging my stay here, I ask him the question that I had wanted to ask ever since I set out to find him.

"Did you know Queen Evanora?"

"Yes, I had met her only once. She was a witch but respected the werewolf community a lot. Was accepted by most of the wolf elders as their leader's mate," he says and I nod because it is true.

Queen Eva's big and accepting heart was the major reason why she was easily accepted by King Adrian as his son's mate. King Adrian was a fierce and quite egoistic wolf. He never accepted defeat.

My father and he were never allies but after my father's rather unexpected death, King Adrian had come to pay his respects, thus showing that the grudge was superficial and nothing serious.

King Adrian's presence at my father's funeral gave way to trusting the werewolf community as a possible ally. That's why the elders did not speak when I made friends with Fenris.

"Did you know if Queen Eva had the same skill as your mother's?" I ask, pushing away all other thoughts from my mind.

"She was a witch. She had uncountable skills," says Sebastian while shrugging his left shoulder. The way he dismisses my question tells me that he knows something.

"You know something," I say and wait while Sebastian lets out a huge sigh. He looks at the fire for a minute as if contemplating whether to tell me or not. I wait patiently however, the beast within me is slowly stirring. He is not so patient.

"Yes, I do. Queen Eva was pregnant a second time when Xavier attacked their castle. Xanthos was two years old when Xavier attacked the castle. I was eleven years old and quite enraged by my parents' death. Being a child, I was able to cross many boundaries and that's how I was able to hear the whispers of the King's soldiers. Some were quite loyal but some weren't and that's how the news of the Queen's pregnancy was known to Xavier.

When Xavier came to know about Queen Eva's pregnancy, he wasted no time in attacking the castle. But Queen Eva had already given birth. I was there when King Lucian pushed Queen Eva out of the cavern's opening and ordered her to run away.

I wanted to follow her but then King Lucian was attacked by two rogues at the same time. Having found my wolf recently, I was quite adamant about helping my King hence, I chose to help the King. But unfortunately, King Lucian was tricked by the rogues. I was injured brutally and then lost consciousness."

"So, you do not know if Queen Eva ran away or was captured by the rogues?" I ask causing Sebastian to shake his head.

So, I will have to ask this to the witch-child.

"Do you know if a witch has the ability to remember every moment of her life since birth?" I ask but this time Sebastian frowns.

"Why are you so curious about a witch?" he asks, amused a little.

The question rubs me the wrong way and the beast inside me wakes up at the thought of being questioned like that. Not liking the direction of this conversation, I growl at Sebastian, making Sebastian lose his smug face.

"Answer me, please," I whisper, hoping to be polite when all I want to do is slap that smug look off his face.

"You tell me, blood-sucker. Why did you travel all the way from Crimson Shadow to Samarran mountains? To find out if Queen Eva had that ability to pass on her gift to her child? What if I say yes? She did have the ability," snarls Sebastian daring me to react to this news.

Stunned speechless, a million thoughts run through my mind as my assumption is declared true in front of me.

Does that mean Fenris was purposely given the most useless witch ability?

Then why does the witch-child have this gift of remembering everything from her birth? Was Queen Eva trying to save her children? Did she perhaps know about the future?

"She was a seer. When the news of my parents' death reached the King and Queen, they came to visit me. Queen Eva knew where to track me. That was the first time when I met her. She requested me to go to Samara pack but I refused. I wanted revenge. It seems I am unable to even get out of this land. Whenever I step out, I am attacked and injured."

He answers my unasked question. Queen Eva was a seer. A powerful one at that. She knew about this possibility and my assumption about the things now falling into place for her children is indeed true.

Does that mean... The witch-child speaks the truth about her ability.

Still trying to get a hold of my scattered thoughts, I glance at Sebastian. His words sounded so sad. The melancholy that's emanating out of his aura is hindering my senses. With my beast so close to the surface, his emotions are affecting me more.

"Xavier is dead. Your enemy is dead," I whisper instead, hoping to push him towards Samara pack. He needs to overcome his need for revenge. Maybe if he tries to find his mate who could anchor him, he might truly find a path to exact his revenge.

Hmm! Tough words.

"Look Dominic, blood-sucker! I do not care why you came here. But I am completely fine in living a solitary life. You got your answers. Queen Eva had the power to transfer her gift to her children. She did it. Now, please leave or I can throw you out," he snarls at me and that's when I get the clue.

Better not to provoke an injured wolf!

Nodding at him, I turn around and leave his cave. No use in asking any more questions because he will not answer me. He's too proud to accept his defeat.

And there's no other man in this world who understands his situation better than me. After all, even I am lurking through these lands, wanting to avenge my mate even after two decades.

If I were supposed to find the murderer of Charlotte, I would've found him long back.

Maybe I was never supposed to find him. Or maybe the murderer is already dead. Or maybe I have a different path for me.

Maybe I was meant to cross paths with the witch-child.

~~~

Entering my father's house, I march down the hall and towards the grand staircase, climbing the stairs in a second and reaching his room. The scent of death lurks around and I know that it's time for him to leave us.

He will enter the afterlife tonight.

"Dominic."

Turning back at the voice of my elder brother, Dimitry, I wait for him to reach me before entering my father's room.

"Why are you here now? You are late," I whisper not wanting anyone else to hear our conversation. In this place today, there are a lot of people eavesdropping on our conversation. They are our so-called relatives but actually, these are the leeches waiting for my father to die so that they can tear open his will and devour his riches and inheritance.

"I am sorry. I... I... found her."

I wait for his words to wash over me and then it clicks. He found his mate.

"What?"

I am shocked and surprised.

"Yes. I found her and I was with her. I am sorry, I am late," he whispers and I nod my head as I am reaching to engulf him in an embrace.

I lost my mate but I would never let it come in between my brother's happiness. He has waited long enough and deserves to be happy. Even when I had met Charlotte, I hadn't told about her to anyone. And then when I had decided to finally introduce her to my parents and brother, she was snatched away from me.

I am yet to find the bastard murderer!

"I am happy for you, Dima."

Dimitry smiles at me, though his smile is sad. We both are. It is a bittersweet moment. He found his mate but we are going to lose our father tonight.

"Did you make the preparations?" asks Dimitry and I nod. Waiting for my elder brother to make up his mind, I wait for him to turn the doorknob and enter our dad's private chambers. Following behind my brother, I walk into the room only to be bombarded with lots of pain and regret.

"Father!"

Rushing to aid our father's trembling body, Dimitry runs towards him and hold him upright before laying him down on the bed. "You aren't supposed to get up father," chastises Dima while pushing father's hair behind and then holding the glass of blood near his lips.

I walk towards them and sit beside our father's head, holding his head a bit higher to allow him to drink a few sips of the ancient elder's blood. It might give him an added hour of life.

"Dima. Nico. My sons. I can't wait anymore. I need to go to your mother," he whispers once he finishes drinking a few sips of blood. Dima places the glass on the table and then glances at me before focusing on our father.

I do the same while pushing our father's head on my lap. Father looks up at me and then at Dima once and then closes his eyes. His heart's beating very slowly and we all know that he just has a few more minutes left.

"Father. You are supposed to rest. Mother never wanted you to suffer like this," whispers Dima while caressing father's trembling hands.

"Mina left me. She wasn't supposed to go before me. She was never supposed to drink poisoned blood. She should have smelled the poison in it," whispers father and I sigh.

It is the same sentence that he's been repeating since the last week. Our mother died last Friday after drinking from a glass that was filled with blood and EDTA.

Why she drank that chemical mixed blood is still a mystery. And I now have another mystery to uncover. Was she deliberately made to drink it? Or was she inebriated?

"Father. You are sick."

"I am heartbroken. I cannot live without my Mina," gasps father while attempting to yell but his body is useless at this moment. It is weak so is his willpower. He wants to die.

And it is very well-known that you cannot save a man who wants to die.

Dimitry looks up at me while I stop caressing our father's head and meet my brother's gaze. His eyes are glassy and my vision is blurred.

Losing your beloved mother and then watching your powerful father crumble with the loss is a disaster.

He is a King for God's sake. Can't he control his emotions better than others?

However, losing my own mate has made me cruel. I think losing a mate that had been with him for the past 130 years is more tragic.

"Dima. You are the heir. Take care of Nico and the kingdom," father whispers while patting Dima's hands. Dima shakes his head and a tear falls from his eye. This is the end; I think to myself as I watch my father whisper his last words.

"Father. I found my mate today," Dima confesses and I breathe out a huge sigh. I am relieved that he could share at least one good news with our father before he died.

"Yes? Who is she?" asks father and I can sense a little ray of happiness piercing the dark cloud of pain and longing.

"Her name is Anya Callahan. Daughter of-"

"Daughter of Emmanuel Callahan," interrupts our father while smiling for the first time in the whole week.

"Yes."

"That's good. The females of that family are good and loyal. The males are greedy. Be careful but keep your mate happy," he whispers and Dima nods while smiling at our father's habit of ranting about the family traits.

"Yes papa," whispers Dima while smiling and bending to kiss our father on his cheek. Our father then turns to me and I prepare myself.

"Nico. Stop searching for your revenge. You don't know you might be blessed enough to get a second chance," he whispers and I am already shaking my head.

"Father. You should rest. Don't speak much," I whisper not really wanting to discuss this. Second Chances are a myth.

A soul once split can be joined only when two mates meet and bond. If one of the mates die before completing the soul then the other half is meant to walk alone until his last breath.

That's the harsh reality of life. The end is always heartbreaking and temptation always leads to the man's downfall.

"Dima. Take care of your brother. Don't let him go blind in his rage," he whispers to Dima knowing full well that explaining it to me is a lost cause.

I am a lost cause.

"Yes, father. I think I might know the way to do that," he says and my father's attention is captured by that one sentence. Even I focus on his words, curious now.

"Please save our Nico then," whispers father while raising his left hand and reaching towards me. Not hesitating, I hold onto his offered hand. Father squeezes both of our hands and brings them together so that all three of our hands are touching now.

"I want Nico to take over our kingdom. I will be by his side but I want him to lead," says Dimitry completely shocking me.

I am baffled beyond understanding.

He's the elder brother. He is the rightful heir. Then why the hell is he giving it to me?

Is this pity for I don't have my mate and now he has a mate?

"I do not want your pity," I spit out the words without even thinking about anything else.

"Nico. Have you lost your empath skills?" chastises my father while letting out a huge sigh.

"Nico. This is not pity. Why don't you understand? I am not fit to be a King. You have the ability to channelize your anger. I do not. That makes you a better person to be the King. Please, father, make Nico the King," Dima pleads to our father while he lays there, breathing his last breaths.

I feel like shit at this moment and even shittier when our father agrees with his eldest son's decision.

"Thank you," says Dima and we both watch as our father breaths his last breath in our arms.

The pain when his heart stops beating was something similar to what I felt when Charlotte died in my arms.

Could it be that my arms were meant to hold my loved ones when they died?

If that's the case then I vow that I will not hold another loved one of mine to die.

With that promise to myself, I let go of my emotions and for the first time, join Dima in expressing the heavyweight of loss that's threatening to crumble us.

I do not know how much time passes by but a knock on the door brings me back to my senses and I pull myself together.

Dimitry does the same and we both let go of our father's hands and then get up from the bed. Dima moves to open the door while I stand behind him. I watch as Dima's gaze softens a bit and then over his shoulder, I watch a beautiful girl walk inside and directly into Dimitry's open arms.

I watch as my brother holds on to his mate for comfort and in return, the woman lends him all of her courage to deal with this situation. That's when I know that my brother will be fine.

"Nico. She's Anya. Anya that's Nico, Dominic, my brother," introduces Dima while his voice cracks a bit. I nod at the woman and she smiles at me in return however, her smile is sad so is her heart.

She's completely in tune with her mate's emotions.

"I will go prepare for the funeral," I whisper to my brother and then walk away, not wanting to intrude on their private moment, I think to myself.

But even I know that I am running away because that look on her face when she saw Dimitry was so similar to the way Charlotte looked at me.

"Dominic..."

"I am awake," I say and immediately get up when I see that I slept more than two hours. That never happens. That has never happened before. Am I getting older?

"I know. Maybe you need more rest," says Sierra while I roll my eyes at her. She huffs and the walks away knowing full well that I do not like being caught off-guard. She is wise enough to leave me alone.

I reached Fenris's home quite late in the night yesterday and to say that I was exhausted would be an understatement. Even though my brain was foggy due to exhaustion, I could sense the witch-child's alert mind. That's when I realized that she cannot actually sleep.

Maybe some sort of defence mechanism.

She knew the exact moment when I walked around the house. Her mind reached out to me. It was so sudden that I am afraid, I must have let her see some of my deepest emotions. I hope she doesn't question me about it later.

Shaking my head to let go of the remnants of my dream, I get up walk into the house, hoping to inform Fenris about the information I got from Sebastian.

That's going to be a long chat, I guess!

~~~~

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