Word Count: 1627

~Rosie

I know Jasper. Well, know of him.

Before I died, I was a Love Pack member, but I knew well of all the other Pack's and Alpha's which came along with it. Thirteen Pack's, thirteen Alphas. Jasper was one of them, once. The Alpha of the Devotion Pack, with his Luna, Thea. After their deaths, which my memory falls to tell me how, their son took over as Alpha.

But I never would have assumed Time would have anything to do with him. Not a mortal, even Jasper could have even been considered one. He was a Phantom Wolf, with special abilities I never looked into. It was always frowned upon, in the Love Pack. I couldn't begin to imagine why.

"Is he important?" I question, wondering why he brought me here, not too far from the future. Less than a few hundred years I would imagine.

Time glances at me. "Unfortunately, yes."

As he approaches, his features become more apparent. Surprisingly, he isn't how I remember seeing him in books and on the television. His hair is still the same mussed, obsidian thickness, but his eyes aren't the infamous violet colour he was known for; that all that Phantom Wolves were known for. Instead, they are a soft bronze colour, meaning he mustn't be dead yet, for the Phantom curse to take place.

"He's just been cast out by his father. He has nothing left for him, and I'm about to come into his life and change this," Time tells me lowly. Grabbing my arm, he pulls me behind a cluster of trees, concealing me from the approaching Alpha.

Glancing at Time, I can see the worry plaguing his expression. This is big, whatever is. Even I'm concerned this is going to change everything between us.

After everything, hopefully that isn't possible.

Jasper walks, head bowed, looking forlorn. His shoes scrap along the dirt path, his clothes torn and ruined in places. Whatever his father did to him, he has left him with nothing but the clothes on his back. Now he is left wandering around this forest, ready to be taken advantage of a bored immortal, who has millions of years to terrorize whoever they want.

"Jasper always told everyone it was his father who had cursed him, out of embarrassment. His father just cast him away from his home, not thinking Jasper would be a good enough Alpha. I took complete advantage of that," Time whispered lowly, eyes glued to Jasper's solemn figure.

I went to question him further, but the sound of a slow, taunting clap drew my attention back to the path ahead, knowing immediately who that cruel gesture belonged to.

Another version of Time stands there, his clapping ceasing.

"Out of luck?" he questions, that slow, amused drawl sounding all too familiar. This is happening before Time realised that being as evil as possible didn't serve him all that well. That means that he is capable of anything, even if deep within, there is a part of him that is worth bringing back from the brink. He just has admitted it yet.

Jasper stops short, eyes widening in response to the immortal in front of him. Seeing a pure-blood like Time in your lifetime is extremely rare, especially in the middle of nowhere. I can tell this is in the Devotion Pack before it was properly civilized, making this even more random.

"Who the hell are you?" Jasper questions, backing up a few wary steps. Time comes into my view properly. He looks awfully intimidating, in a dark, well-fitted outfit, a picture of ethereal grace.

"You know, Jasper. Shall we skip the playing dumb?"

Even I flinch at Time's words, as he backs the poor guy into a corner. Metaphorically of course, but frightening just the same.

"What do you want with me?" Jasper questions, his tone nothing short of a half plea, like he is begging for his life. I'm equally as nervous for him, gnawing on my fingernails silently, not knowing Time's true motives anyway. At least he doesn't kill him; I know that much. Jasper died when I was in the mortal realm, not a few hundred years ago.

"I think we could help each other out. You look like you could be in a better position, and I'm endlessly bored," Time says, his voice full of false hope and empty offers. It sounds so familiar, is sends a shiver across my skin.

Jasper's confusion is evident from here. "Why me? What do you want?"

"See, there is something that I've been meaning to do...out of curiosity, of course. But, nevertheless, I need it done, but it can't be by my hand. It's not worth risking," Time says. My interest piques alongside Jasper's, wondering what interests Time in this particular moment. My darkest thoughts show him sending Jasper to kill someone in his place...

"I can't do anything for you Time. I'm just a mortal," Jasper mutters. He tries to brush past the immortal, but time quickly ceases his arm, pulling him short.

There's a chilling glint in his eye. "What if I told you, I could make all your problems go away."

"My father doesn't think I'm strong enough to be an Alpha, I've lost my home and now an immortal is harassing me for no particular reason, apparently. Is this all you pure-bloods do? Select a mortal toy to mess around with until you're fulfilled?" Jasper questions.

Pulling his arm away from Time's grasp he continues down the path, but only gets so far before words from Time's mouth stop him short.

"I'll give some of my power."

Jasper whirls around. "You're that desperate."

Time nods mutely. Glancing over my shoulder, I watch my Time, the one from my era. He has a frown erected into forehead, his eyes glazed over, not enjoying reliving this memory at he. The only memories he shows me are his worst ones, as if he is trying to make me not like him. But I'm open-minded, trusting that the mate-bond will ensure everything works out. I hope.

"I'm not desperate," I hear Time say, drawing my attention back to the current situation. "I'm curious, and bored. If I give you power, you will come back immediately and report what you saw. Nothing about that will be difficult at all."

"And what is it I will do?" He question.

Silence follows, for what feels like forever. Time hesitates, his mouth opening slightly but nothing comes out. This must be the first time he admitting his plan. Maybe the good part of him is suggesting he doesn't do it, but regardless, he speaks.

"I want you to go through time until you find my mate," Time says firmly, every ounce of amusement vanishing from his expression. My heart almost completely stops within my chest, my breath hitching. Is that what Time wanted? All these years before I was born, he was looking for me. Knowing I can't possibly exist in this time, he is scouting ahead to prepare for me in the future.

Jasper appears as confused as I am. "How am I supposed to know who your mate is? I don't know when she will be born."

Time rolls his eyes. "You'll have a tracking spell attached to you before you leave by a Gaze Reader. You will visit each year in time until the spell triggers. Then you will hunt down my mate, and you will..."

Time breaks off, summoning a breath. "And you will come back to me, and give me a full account of who she is, what she looks like, if she has...anyone else in her life. Everything you can."

I can feel my Time's gaze on me from where he kneels beside me.

"Why so obsessive? Why can't you wait until you come across her naturally, like the rest of us have to," Jasper questions, folding his arms over his chest. The way Time has proposed this is making me nervous. What if he had residual memories of me from our slip up, and is trying to find me again. As ridiculous as that may seem, it plays on my mind.

"Because I could be waiting a million more years for her. Your concept of time, as a mortal, is different from mine. I need something, I need...why am I explaining myself to you. Do you want to do this or not?" Time asks.

Jasper runs his hand back through his hair, dark strands slipping between his fingers. "Why do I get out of it?"

I can Time's devious smile from here.

"You'll be an Alpha. A powerful one, too. But you must return to me and give me my powers back. I'll be giving you more than I would like, but I can't do this myself without arising suspicions," Time explains. Jasper looks reluctant, but I can see the spark of curiosity in his eyes. When you lose as much as he did, agreeing to this doesn't seem like the craziest idea.

"I'll be an Alpha? You can convince my father?" Jasper questions, the hope in his voice saddening to me. He's sinking his trust into the wrong person.

Time tilts his head. "Yes. But first you need to become a Phantom Wolf."

Jasper hardly has time to realise what Time is saying, before the immortal reaches out and snaps his neck in one swift, smooth movement.

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