Eric's POV

The Red Blade pack, late evening...

Three days since Trenton and I had the unfortunate duty to lay our sons to rest alongside the Callaway family.

Three days since the multiple tragedies that forced me and my Beta to show our pack how deadly we both can be if our wolves were pushed to the edge.

Since then, no one was spared any mercy or kindness from me or Trenton with a new law being placed on my pack: no one was to leave the lands for any reason. Any attempt to break curfew or any hints of treachery would be met with me and Trenton slashing their throats.

Of course, I knew that there would be at least one or two persons who would dare plan to test my patience by breaking the rule. Trenton had no qualms with slitting the throat of a pup who belonged to one of my female warriors to show her and the others that he and I meant every word that was spoken.

As for our allies, they disintegrated as soon as they learned what took place and what I had done to a pup. Needless to say, they were pissed the fuck off. "I understand that you wanted everyone to pledge their total allegiance to you, bro, but ending the life of a pup from your own pack is a new kind of low- even for my own standards," a female Alpha feline shifter had said to me. "You've gone too far, Alpha Girbaud. My pack and I won't stand for it."

Yeah, she and her male Luna (a willowy Omega) had to pay for breaking ties for me.

"What a day," Trenton said as he and I were now back from another patrolling session with the warriors, grateful that no one dared to leave their homes. "I feel the urge to kill someone, but no one's taking the bait to try and leave."

"They're too stupid, loyal, or wimpy to leave this pack," I reminded him as we reached his place (where we now stayed since the main packhouse was burned to a crisp with no plans for rebuilding). Once inside, we raided the fridge and ate quick sandwiches. "Besides, we're small in number but you and I can provide everyone with what they need. Delivery for groceries can be made available while you and I join the warriors and runners in keeping out those Omegas."

"Right. The sad thing, though, was our sons and how they're not going to grow up into accepting their birthrights."

I looked down after hearing him mention how the four innocent pups had to pay for their lives thanks to some asshole rogue who expected the Callaways to bring them to the safehouse. "It's hard, bro, but we're going to make sure that no one else ends any more lives," I assured him as I watched him polish off his sandwich. "And if anyone in this pack tries to leave, you and I will be the ones to end their lives."

"Thanks, man," he said as we cleared the mess that we made in the kitchen. "I'm going to turn in early. We got a lot to do tomorrow, including rogue control."

"Right, bro," I replied. "Have a good night." Stifling a yawn, I headed up to my bedroom (which used to be Anissa's before she packed everything away and left for wherever she was at) and shut the door behind me before stripping down to my underwear and hitting the bed as waves of sleep began to crash over me within seconds...

**************

DREAM SEQUENCE

I opened my eyes, startled to find myself fully dressed as I was now outside in front of what looked like a grander version of the old main packhouse. "What the hell?" I muttered before taking in the sight of an older version of me coming in from a long day of patrols with a smile on my face before "I" was being greeted by the older version of Taruen with him sporting a baby bump as he handed me a tall glass of lemonade.

"That could've been you, Eric," I heard the voice of the Omega as I continued to watch the older me giving "Tauren" a juicy kiss that made my stomach churn. "You and I would've made a great couple if you had only swallowed your pride and manned up."

I whirled around to see the now-dead version of Tauren as he was standing between two young men who looked a lot like me. "What is this?" I demanded, pointing to the "fairytale love story" that continued to play on.

The young man on Tauren's left glared at me with hatred in his eyes. "That is what could've been if you accepted Tauren as his mate," he intoned. "Tauren was your destined mate, Dad, yet you chose the path you're on and had to end his life."

I blinked twice, knowing that the young man called me "Dad."

"He didn't deserve your hatred," the second young man commented, giving a more-morose stare. "Tauren was someone who could've gone places and would make any Alpha or Beta happy had you not condemned him to a life of abuse and torture. Dad, you ruined the chance for yourself to be happy all because you wanted some female who couldn't hold a candle to him."

"Wait, you boys...are my sons," I breathed, reality sinking in as I took stock of how the young men were built like me and yet had the same disposition as Tauren. "How?"

"Artemis allowed us to enter Elysium as adults," the first twin replied. "Adrian, Tauren, and I came to show you what might've been if you accepted Tauren as his mate."

"But I didn't want him or any Omega as my mate," I defended. "I was doing what was best for the pack. I thought you might agree with me and see that."

"No, Eric," Tauren intoned as the scene changed to a darker version. "You were only doing what was best for you. Look, and see what may be."

I turned around to see the "fairytale love story" now changed into something much darker. I saw an older version of myself lost in hatred as the pack houses were now fully destroyed while I remained upright and staggering around with a bottle of wolfsbane-laced beer in my hand. Suddenly, a well-dressed young man came forward holding a sword. "Eric Girbaud," the mystery man said in a grave tone. "You have been found guilty of genocide, murdering your destined mate, and crimes against your own kind. For that the penalty is death."

"I did what I had to do," the older me slurred angrily. "That omega is going to get what's coming to him when I see him in the afterlife."

The mystery man chuckled lowly. "From where you're going, you won't have to worry about Tauren Knox any longer," he replied before he took his sword and slashed my older self's throat with zero remorse. "This is for everything. And this..." he raised the sword higher and plunged it into my chest, "is for Tauren, my deceased mate."

I glared at Tauren and the adult version of my sons. "Is this what you wanted to show me?" I asked, my tone harsh and angry. "Am I supposed to be scared of my fate? Because it's not going to work!"

"You say that now, Eric Girbaud, but your pride and bloodlust will be your downfall," the Omega intoned. "And you will drag many down with you, all because you refused to mate with me...your true mate. Your sons have suffered as have Trenton's because of your choices. Unless you are willing to change your ways, you will only condemn yourself further and further into the underworld where no form of kindness will be shown to you."

"So be it," I seethed. "I will end many lives as all who are not for me will be against me and face my rage."

"So be it," Tauren and my adult sons repeated in unison before the darkness crashed over me...

I smirked to myself as I briefly woke up. "So be it," I murmured before falling back into a dreamless sleep.

Don't even think about getting comfortable just yet, folks! It's Trenton's turn to get a visit from his sons and brother in the next chapter as he's heading for the end of his life.

Dedicating this to AliKatMeow. Media: "Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics.

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